Would you start Remicade at 8 months pregnant?

So, the proposed plan for me is to start Remicade now...at nearly 8 months prego. My immediate reaction was "no." I'm sure my doctor just loves me now.

I know that I need this flare to end, but I want to make it to the end of my pregnancy before starting my first biologic....I only have a few more weeks to get through because I'm scheduled for a csection on May 9th. Plus, I could technically go into labor before then anyway...happens all the time for others!

I suppose that my fear is based mainly on the idea that this will knock my immune system down to nothing just in time to have surgery (the csection) and cause me problems. I know that otherwise,it is safe for the fetus. I don't want to be sick though or have trouble healing.

What would you do? Am I crazy for wanting to wait until after I have the baby? I just love being the queen of perfect timing....grrrr.

On a side note, will I get sick from the loading doses? I teach little kids and am exposed to everything ever....

In my opinion it may be better for you and the baby if you went on the Remicade and got better. Remi has a good, safe track record with pregnancy. Best to you.

U B Tough said...
I have no answer; just wanted to let you know how I (and I'm sure all of us here) completely emphasize with you. It's a truly awful disease.

What are you doing to relax your mind? Yoga? Movie night? Spa? Mindfulness?

Thanks. I am definitely feeling "stuck" now. Either flare continually or go onto Remicade this pregnant and deal with the risks of that.

I definitely need to do something for relaxation! Love the suggestions...nesting and getting everything ready here has become my most recent relaxation habit, but maybe I need to do something else. IBD definitely bites!!

I would wait until birth and then start because at this point I'd be worried about the baby. But that's just me. Remicade had an immediate effect on me when I started it. I didn't get sick from the loading dosis. Sick with joy maybe because I was pooping normal within two days haha

I am sorry you're in the position of having to consider this. You know, totesmagotes was in a similar situation right before she had her baby and she took remicade and has been doing well since.

It's really hard for someone to give advice because no one knows how you're feeling. I agree with bacon girl, it really depends on how bad you feel. It's easy to say, "no way, i wouldn't" but in the situation where you're miserable, in pain, constantly on the toilet, losing blood, potentially harming your pregnancy... sometimes you have to make these tough decisions. I'd like to think I wouldn't start a new drug, but I know from experience, that I can't say I wouldn't. When I needed to do something, I did something. If I responded to remicade, I would still take it, and if I were pregnant, I would continue taking it. Unfortunately it was like saline to me - saline that made me joints so stiff I couldn't walk. Hopefully it works for you!

Worriedgirl3 said...
On a side note, will I get sick from the loading doses? I teach little kids and am exposed to everything ever....

No, you won't get sick from the loading doses. There's no sensation other than the slight prick when the IV is set. The premedications (benadryl or claritin, and Tylenol) help reduce the odds of infusion-reactions (most common are headache or rash at infusion site). The saline and Tylenol tends to pick my mood up a bit.

There's an increased risk of infections while on biologics but they're talking about the type of infections that normally require antibiotics to treat for everyone (sinus infection, UTI, bronchitis, etc). If you're prone to any of these, or think you're experiencing symptoms then seek your primary care doctor early on, rather than waiting it out. No worries on the usual cuts, scrapes and bruises we all typically get.

I never experienced any more colds or flus than normal. It's generally said that if you normally have a one week cold a year, then on biologics you might have two colds per year that each last several days longer. Just take extra precautions like handwashing, I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on my desk.

I'm a guy so not sure my thoughts count on the pregnancy lol. I agree it's a tough call on whether to wait or start new medications now. It really depends how bad you're suffering from your uc symptoms. If uc is only a mild inconvenience then certainly wait it out. But since you're asking, I tend to think uc is being extremely difficult. The mom's health is certainly very important, and if you're in really bad shape then you could end up having the baby early/premature and that's something to ask your doctor's about (I'm no expert on it). If you were to start a new medication now, then you might be in much better health once your baby is born, which would be a plus.

I'm not sure a biologic would make a surgery more difficult. I've only heard it's preferable not to be on corticosteroids (like prednisone) when undergoing surgery that it slows healing. Did a surgeon tell you biologics complicate a c-section surgery?

iPoop said...

I'm not sure a biologic would make a surgery more difficult. I've only heard it's preferable not to be on corticosteroids (like prednisone) when undergoing surgery that it slows healing. Did a surgeon tell you biologics complicate a c-section surgery?

I don't think a biological makes the surgery more difficult but it might make healing a little slower. I would be more concerned about healing from Predisone, it caused my skin to fail (weakened my skin) when they tried to operate on me laparoscopically and then had to do an open surgery on me.