new member: diagnosed with uc while pregnant. am terrified!

I was diagnosed with uc in December. I was then 11 weeks pregnant. I can't afford my medicine right now seeing as Medicaid hasn't been approved yet. I have been having horrible flares that literally put me in tears. I need advice on things to do to control my flares. Like what to eat or take. I was prescribed lialda 3 times daily but my ob/gyn said that due to my pregnancy being high risk she recommended against taking it. I am on bedrest now. Are there any foods I should avoid or be eating more of? I know nothing about uc and my gi doctor didn't explain it to me. Just gave me a prescription and that was it. And help or advice would be highly appreciated.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Being pregnant alone is a huge adjustment, adding uc to the mix is very tough. There is a world of info out there on what you should or shouldn't eat. I would suggest eating the close as you can to a whole foods diet. Ditch as much sugar and strarchy carbs as possible. Grain free helps a lot of people too. Make homemade chicken soup. Research SCD, Paleo or GAPS diets and see what works for you. I know you can take Prednisone while pregnant. It has many side effects so I would research it but maybe just to get flare under control. Also research LDN. It is an Rx and you might have to find the right doc to give it to you. Baby steps, you can't do it all at once.
We are here for you

I'm so sorry about your diagnosis, especially during a time that is supposed to be so happy and stress-free. But don't lose hope or get down. I've had this annoying disease since I was 12 years old. I am now 29 and have had two beautiful, healthy daughters. I had my second daughter in July and was on Asacol HD the entire time I was pregnant with her. 5-ASA drugs, which are usually the first drugs they will try you on, are specifically formulated to break down once they reach the colon, so very little medicine would get to your baby. Yes, these drugs haven't been studied for their effect on babies (in reality, very few drugs are because drug companies don't want to spend the money on the studies). However, they are not harmful to take for people who don't have UC (they are in the same family as ibuprofen). No offense to your docs, but flaring isn't good for you or your baby. Our bodies have enough trouble sorting out all the nutrients from the food that we eat when we aren't flaring. Add sharing your nutrients with that little life growing inside of you and a flare on top of that, and my concern would be that you and your baby might not be getting all that you need, not to mention the stress you must be under. My G.I. and OB/GYN felt that baby and I were safer on mild drugs and under control UC than in an unchecked flare. I'm currently still on my Asacol and breast feeding and baby and I are doing fine. My pediatrician feels the same as my other docs. You might also ask about taking a steroid enema (Quincy is the local enema savant and will probably be along to comment soon). Steroid enemas can also get a flare under control fast without the yucky side effects of oral steroids, and they are safer for baby since you're putting the medicine directly into your colon and it isn't able to be absorbed throughout your whole body. And regarding medicines, there is great info here about purchasing your prescriptions from reputable pharmacies from Canada for a fraction of the cost, as well as the contact info for applying for medication assistance programs that the drug companies offer. In the meantime, you could ask your doctor for some samples to tide you over while you figure out what you want to do. And you could ask them if they could prescribe a more affordable medicine. I know the 5-ASAs are not all priced the same. Don't let your docs move you on out the door before you've asked all your questions and are content with their answers. It can be an overwhelming condition for sure if we let it be. Congratulations on your pregnancy and don't get down! Flares sometimes happen during pregnancy, but many times they subside when you have your baby or even before (especially when on the right medications). Take advantage of all the support and info this site provides!

Hi Hon!

Yay, someone I can support! I was diagnosed with UC in week 31 which was only a couple of months ago (my baby is 15 weeks old and came a month or so early). My symptoms started to be really bad in week 9, when I was in hospital with hyperemesis and UC (but I didn't know that UC symptoms weren't pregnancy related at that time).

Good news- as far as I understand (And I checked VERY thoroughly), ASA is just fine for baby. I had it, as well as prednisone, and so far besides my baby coming early due to prednisone complications (ie. steroid-induced Diabetes in me and some problems with her amniotic fluid levels and some temporary liver issues), she is doing great! If you need prednisone, warn your family and friends about the upcoming insanity, because pred + pregnancy hormones + post-partum hormones + stress of UC + early infancy will likely make you slightly homicidal. On the plus side, you can claim temporary insanity if you have to and other moms will understand and love you all the more.

Try to relax as best you can and read reputable sites, so that you don't get upset by inaccurate drivel. I found the Canadian Crohns and Colitis Foundation site to have good information as well as a hopeful outlook.

Ask for help now so that you won't have to when the little one is born. Try to pace yourself and make sure you have LOTS of healthy food for you and your family (preferably ready to heat in the freezer) if you can.

Know that I am here and thinking of you and lots of people care about you and are sending loving vibes to your little kiddo. Be well!

I was on Asacol and Imuran my entire second pregnancy .... my GI doc was very worried about the Imuran, but the perinatal specialist watched me closely. There are no side effects from Asacol or Lialda - perfectly safe for baby and mommy! And my "baby" is now 4 and healthy as a horse. In fact, I would say he is probably healthier than his older sister, and I starting noticing symptoms for the first time when I was pregnant with her and didn't know enough to seek help. So take care of you and your baby - Prednisone sucks, but it will make you feel better and protect your precious little one! It's most important to get the flare under control so that you can be healthy for your baby. Good luck!

Thank you everyone for all your info and support. I did finally get my Medicaid and started on my Lialda. After some blood tests my ob/gyn found I am now anemic so I am taking an iron supplement. Baby is developing well despite having flares starting at 30 weeks after weeks of no symptoms, I am now 33 weeks pregnant. Was told at last check up that due to my trigger being the pregnancy itself they do not want me to have any more children and recommend that I have my tubes tied. Discovered that dairy, caffeine, and greasy foods trigger my flares I've started taking a probiotic and eating healthier. Baked chicken and fruit salads have become a daily thing for me. Gi doctor is considering starting me on a new medication once my daughter is born to help my stress levels. But I hope to control that with simple breathing techniques and relaxation methods. Thankfully my fiance is helping me as much as he can. He's more worried than I am now. This forum has helped me so much with all the information and support I've received. Once again thanks to all of you.

Hello there :)
i second what Meredith said...have a look at my signature, LOL it was the post partum that screwed me up. Yet i have not had any of my GIs (have 3) or OBGYN (had 2) suggest anything like tying my tubes or not having more babies. But you need to get better before ttc again. And take it easy...
*huggs*