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Posted 8/29/2007 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hello every1,

i just found out that i'm pregnant. I'm currently on remicade infusions every 6weeks,,my next one is coming up really soon,,but i'm worried that it will effect my baby. Does any1 know if its really harmful? my doc also wants me to take 12asacol pills a day..how can that be good for the baby? any1 have any stories or recommendations? should i be worried? 

Posted 8/29/2007 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
Asacol is fine for pregnacy but I don't think that Remicade is. i would call your GI now and tell them you are pregnant. There are many drugs that are safe for pregnancy but they can take awhile to work. I encourage you to call your Gi as soon as possible.
Posted 8/30/2007 2:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi and welcome! First congrats! And second, I agree with what Kelly just said. Definately call your docs asap. Asacol is perfectly fine but with Remicade, it can cause birth defects. But please call your docs to confirm this.
Posted 8/30/2007 3:28 AM (GMT 0)

kb5 said...
Asacol is fine for pregnacy but I don't think that Remicade is. i would call your GI now and tell them you are pregnant. There are many drugs that are safe for pregnancy but they can take awhile to work. I encourage you to call your Gi as soon as possible.

Thanks for the advice. I made an appointment to see my gi doctor..
Posted 8/30/2007 3:30 AM (GMT 0)

 Red_34 said...
Hi and welcome! First congrats! And second, I agree with what Kelly just said. Definately call your docs asap. Asacol is perfectly fine but with Remicade, it can cause birth defects. But please call your docs to confirm this.

Thank you. I spoke to a gi doc yesterday and he said that remicade is perfectly safe for the baby..i dont know,,im gonna hold of on it for now. i'm goin for a second opinion..keep u guys posted. smurf
Posted 8/30/2007 12:17 PM (GMT 0)
Congratulations!  I am pregnant, too (14 1/2 weeks!).  I take 12 Asacol today and also use Rowasa enemas.  These were my maintenance meds before pregnancy, and I have continued them into the pregnancy.  Both are safe for use during pregnancy because neither crosses the placenta.  I take this information from my GI and from a ton of research I did on my own.  Also, I flared earlier in my pregnancy and did a 4 week taper of Prednisone that knocked me back into remission.  Prednisone is also safe for use during pregnancy.


As for Remicade, my GI at the Cleveland Clinic mentioned that the Clinic has had several Remicade babies.  So, it looks like that is a safe thing to do.  From everything I've read, the biggest threat to the baby is you being in a flare-up.  The remission medications do not pose near as great of a threat.  So, I say whatever works!  My GI has never steered me wrong...  Good luck to you!

Posted 8/30/2007 2:03 PM (GMT 0)

expecting226 said...
Congratulations!  I am pregnant, too (14 1/2 weeks!).  I take 12 Asacol today and also use Rowasa enemas.  These were my maintenance meds before pregnancy, and I have continued them into the pregnancy.  Both are safe for use during pregnancy because neither crosses the placenta.  I take this information from my GI and from a ton of research I did on my own.  Also, I flared earlier in my pregnancy and did a 4 week taper of Prednisone that knocked me back into remission.  Prednisone is also safe for use during pregnancy.


As for Remicade, my GI at the Cleveland Clinic mentioned that the Clinic has had several Remicade babies.  So, it looks like that is a safe thing to do.  From everything I've read, the biggest threat to the baby is you being in a flare-up.  The remission medications do not pose near as great of a threat.  So, I say whatever works!  My GI has never steered me wrong...  Good luck to you!

awww,,well congratulations to u too. :-)

Yea the doc asked me if i wanted to do the steriods thing but i refused it. I was on prednison for 8weeks sometime lastyear and i hated it. But yea this other gi doctor that i went to see he said remicade is okay n they used it plenty of times b4. We'll see. But can i ask you wat ur eating during the pregnancy thats keeping u stable and giving the baby enough nutrients?
Posted 8/30/2007 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All--

I was on Asacol all during my pregnancy last year with no problems, and did have to go on Prednisone pretty much my whole 2nd trimester to control my UC flare and my little girl is as healthy as can be. Be aware that prednisone can up your blood sugar and blood pressure and during pregnancy that can possibly equal gestational diabetes (I was borderline diabetic and had to watch my sugar and get a lots of glucose tests) as well as pre-eclampsia(I had to monitor my blood pressure, but no problems there). So if you can avoid prednisone, by all means do it, I have done the enemas and I'd do them again if it meant no prednisone!!

My advice is to talk to your GI and your prenatal caregiver as often as you need and if possible have them talk so you are all on the same page. My OB tended to be super careful about the UC and the baby and I was seeing her as often as every 2 weeks throughout my 2nd and 3rd trimester, always checking the baby's heartbeat, which was and is fine.

Another thing to consider is if you want to breastfeed--prednisone is fine, all the enemas are fine, as is asacol(as well as Lialda, I just started taking that) but Imuran is not. Don't know about Remicade, but obviously growing a healthy baby and staying healthy yourself is the most important thing right now, so do what you have to do.

Please feel free to contact me if you need anything--I was soo stressed out when I was pregnant as I knew no one who was going through this and just felt crappy so much of the time.

Meredith
Posted 8/30/2007 2:38 PM (GMT 0)

aquafly79 said...
Hi All--

I was on Asacol all during my pregnancy last year with no problems, and did have to go on Prednisone pretty much my whole 2nd trimester to control my UC flare and my little girl is as healthy as can be. Be aware that prednisone can up your blood sugar and blood pressure and during pregnancy that can possibly equal gestational diabetes (I was borderline diabetic and had to watch my sugar and get a lots of glucose tests) as well as pre-eclampsia(I had to monitor my blood pressure, but no problems there). So if you can avoid prednisone, by all means do it, I have done the enemas and I'd do them again if it meant no prednisone!!

My advice is to talk to your GI and your prenatal caregiver as often as you need and if possible have them talk so you are all on the same page. My OB tended to be super careful about the UC and the baby and I was seeing her as often as every 2 weeks throughout my 2nd and 3rd trimester, always checking the baby's heartbeat, which was and is fine.

Another thing to consider is if you want to breastfeed--prednisone is fine, all the enemas are fine, as is asacol(as well as Lialda, I just started taking that) but Imuran is not. Don't know about Remicade, but obviously growing a healthy baby and staying healthy yourself is the most important thing right now, so do what you have to do.

Please feel free to contact me if you need anything--I was soo stressed out when I was pregnant as I knew no one who was going through this and just felt crappy so much of the time.

Meredith

wow, thanks for sharing. u guys are making me feel alot less stressed out..im very happy for u hun. thanks again..congrats on ur healthy little girl.
Posted 8/30/2007 2:40 PM (GMT 0)

aquafly79 said...
Hi All--

I was on Asacol all during my pregnancy last year with no problems, and did have to go on Prednisone pretty much my whole 2nd trimester to control my UC flare and my little girl is as healthy as can be. Be aware that prednisone can up your blood sugar and blood pressure and during pregnancy that can possibly equal gestational diabetes (I was borderline diabetic and had to watch my sugar and get a lots of glucose tests) as well as pre-eclampsia(I had to monitor my blood pressure, but no problems there). So if you can avoid prednisone, by all means do it, I have done the enemas and I'd do them again if it meant no prednisone!!

My advice is to talk to your GI and your prenatal caregiver as often as you need and if possible have them talk so you are all on the same page. My OB tended to be super careful about the UC and the baby and I was seeing her as often as every 2 weeks throughout my 2nd and 3rd trimester, always checking the baby's heartbeat, which was and is fine.

Another thing to consider is if you want to breastfeed--prednisone is fine, all the enemas are fine, as is asacol(as well as Lialda, I just started taking that) but Imuran is not. Don't know about Remicade, but obviously growing a healthy baby and staying healthy yourself is the most important thing right now, so do what you have to do.

Please feel free to contact me if you need anything--I was soo stressed out when I was pregnant as I knew no one who was going through this and just felt crappy so much of the time.

Meredith

i would love to get in contact with u but how? im new and i dont no how it works.

Posted 8/30/2007 2:47 PM (GMT 0)
My email is [email protected]

Look forward to hearing from you!
Posted 8/30/2007 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
I am eating normally. I think I am sort of a UC oddball, though, because I really don't have trouble with most foods. (Stress is more my trigger.) I am lactose intolerant, so I take a Lactaid when I eat dairy, but otherwise... I eat what I want. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I seem to be craving salty foods, though, with the pregnancy, and I am being careful about that. I do my best not to indulge those cravings.
Posted 8/31/2007 2:33 AM (GMT 0)

aquafly79 said...
My email is [email protected]

Look forward to hearing from you!

yes,,thank you. i will def be in contact with u.
Posted 8/31/2007 2:36 AM (GMT 0)

expecting226 said...
I am eating normally. I think I am sort of a UC oddball, though, because I really don't have trouble with most foods. (Stress is more my trigger.) I am lactose intolerant, so I take a Lactaid when I eat dairy, but otherwise... I eat what I want. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I seem to be craving salty foods, though, with the pregnancy, and I am being careful about that. I do my best not to indulge those cravings.

i wish i could eat often n wat i want..im scared to eat n then leave the house.
Posted 9/5/2007 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, I am new to this forum, I just had my second baby this past march, I was on salofalk (3-4 grams) this time on cortifoam enemas also. My first child is a boy and second is a girl, both thankfully healthy. Was healthy in my first pregnancy and thereafter was able to nurse my son for a year and a half and eat WHATEVER I wanted, it was wonderful!!!! However, this time, I had the worst flare of my life after having my daughter, I was hospitalized and had to stop nursing her and go on cyclosporin, imuran and prednisone. I have had this disease for over 13 years and have never been so sick. I think that it may have something to do with estrogen and female babies. I have also had 2 friends who had lots of problems with their disease after having girls. Please take this with a grain of salt as there has not been any specific research on this topic (as far as I know), just beware of the possibility of a post partum flare and take appropriate precautions. Don't be scared to be on prednisone while nursing, I was scared and waited too long to start it and got myself into a bad spiral. I think that the hormones play a strong role in the postpartum flare and I also flared after stopping breastfeeding my son (again, a hormonal issue). I hope that this info helps you and does not scare you, I really did very well pregnant!!! I am just not doing it again!!!! LOL!
Posted 9/5/2007 4:30 AM (GMT 0)
koathecat - How soon did you flare after having your daughter? Like you, I've had UC for 14 years and had the worst flare ever after having my daughter last year. I was fine throughout my pregnancy, but 6 weeks postpartum I started flaring. I think it was a combination of hormones, taking ibuprofen for pain medicine, and my daughter started having some health issues that caused me to worry. I also had to start taking prednisone while breastfeeding. She is now almost 14 months and I'm still trying to get the flare under control. I would like to get it under control so I could get pregnant again in the near future.
Posted 9/8/2007 7:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone your conversations about Lialda, Remicade, Steroids etc and pregnancy have been very helpful to me. My husband and I want to try to have a baby and my specialists don't want me taking even Lialda. Asocal is the only medication that they want me on. After reading your posts especially about what your doctor (Tats) said about the Remicade makes me wonder if my doc just does not have a lot of experience with Pregnancy and UC. May I ask if any of you are located in Colorado? If so I would love to get the name of your doctor especially you Tats. I am looking for a doctor with more experience with this. I don't want to end up not having a baby because my doctors are unaware.


Thanks,
Melissa
Posted 9/9/2007 1:50 AM (GMT 0)

mjw82704 said...
Hi Everyone your conversations about Lialda, Remicade, Steroids etc and pregnancy have been very helpful to me. My husband and I want to try to have a baby and my specialists don't want me taking even Lialda. Asocal is the only medication that they want me on. After reading your posts especially about what your doctor (Tats) said about the Remicade makes me wonder if my doc just does not have a lot of experience with Pregnancy and UC. May I ask if any of you are located in Colorado? If so I would love to get the name of your doctor especially you Tats. I am looking for a doctor with more experience with this. I don't want to end up not having a baby because my doctors are unaware.


Thanks,
Melissa

sorry hun,,im in Manhattan, NY..But i spoke to a few specialists. My primary care physician was giving me the remicade,,not my gi doctor..i was scheduled for a remicade infusion on Sept 4,,and i didnt go..i called my doctor n told him i was pregnant,,he said that he doesnt wanna do the remicade,,cuz he doesnt know alot about it during pregnancy,,and that in some people pregnancy changes everything..sometimes for the better..b4 i called him i went to see a specialist in New brunswick, NJ he only specializes in colitis n crohns..he said remicade is safe,,hes had hundreds of women who've had perfectly health babys,,on remicade as well as the prednisone. for now im on asacol 4pills 3xs a day...but im starting to feel a little flareish,,i tend to not eat till i get home,,which is bad..I'm going to a new Gi doctor on monday,,i will ask him wat he recommends,,i kinda feel like i have to be on something..i really dont wanna do the remicade,,and i hate steroids,,but i just mite have to do the steroids...i will let u know when i get home monday what he recommends,,becuz he will be working directly with my ob/gyn...dont stop urself from having a baby becuz of somebody who doesnt know wat he's doing. by the way how bad is ur colitis?
Posted 9/9/2007 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
hey heres a site that some1 i work with gave me..he said this site is great,,u can talk to these docs,,1 on 1..i'm gonna try it out..

naturalcures.com

 

and try this juice ACAI BERRY,,it comes from the brazilian forest...AMAZONTHUNDER.COM

ITS WORTH A TRY,,IM GONNA ORDER MINE REALLY SOON... smurf

Posted 9/9/2007 4:37 AM (GMT 0)
I have left sided UC. There was a time that it only flared every 6 months or so but it seems to be getting worse. I recently began taking my Asocal 2 pills 3 times per day and I think that it is working maybe. I say Maybe because I had an ear infection and had to go on an anti-biotic (Augmenton) this medication has caused a lot of bowl problems for me but I will be done Monday so....well see so far I have seen a lot less blood. I would love to hear how it goes with your new doctor. Please keep me posted. I will keep looking around for specialists in in Colorado. NY is to far for me to travel (smile).




Best Wishes,
Melissa
Posted 9/9/2007 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
Congrats!!! Enjoy every minute of it!
But on the prednisone thing....it CAN effect the baby. If you have to take it, you have to take it, but everything I've ever read says it stunts their growth. And I know it can since my neighbor was on it to stop contractions and well...her child is shorter than mine and mine is exactly a year younger than hers. And my child is 2.5 where he'll still grow a good bit (I think), and her child is 3.5 where they slow down a bit. The docs all told me it was ok too when I was pg (all of them), but after reading all this stuff that says that, and then my neighbor going through that...
He is normal otherwise anyway.
Well, normal except for the things she's done to him anyway. :P
The only thing I did while pg was vit e enemas b/c I figured it's a natural vitamin and would be less harmful (it's been the best thing I've ever tried).
And don't let them tell you that enemas are not absorbed in your system.
I have heard that Asacol is about the same as tylenol. I went to extreme measures to not take any drugs during pg, which is preferable...but if you can't, you can't, so just get by with as little as possible. Of course it's not going to be good for the baby if you can't absorb any nutrients at all.

For those keeping boy/girl tabs....I had a girl (c-section), nursed her for 18 months...had a boy 22 months later ("normally") and then got sick just after...possibly from the stress of having two. It wasn't hard at all, I just didn't know what to expect. Nursed him for 10 months then stopped to take pred. Then got off meds and got pg a month later with a boy born 21 months after the last ("normally"). Made it to 9 months before I had to stop nursing him to take pred. After getting off the meds I did SCD and vit e alone for 18 months. I only flared b/c I had been able to stop the vit e, but was scared to use it while nursing. Everything got out of control and now I feel REALLY dumb for not hitting it when it started. I'm almost well again though.
Posted 9/21/2007 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
confused  so i have updates which im not happy about at all. I went to see my GI doctor and he told me i have severe colitis and is making me take 40mg of prednisone & 12 asacol a day!! I had my 1st ultrasound yesterday and im only 6weeks and 6days..MY gyn doc said that the babys heartbeat and everything is okay but that the gi doc is worried about my colitis. I've been hearing that prednisone is okay to take during pregnancy but then others are saying its not that good. I'm really upset becuz i wanna try to have the healthiest baby as possible,,but feel like how? Any1 have recommendations on wat i should eat or do so i can get of off this prednisone. She also recommended i go see a high risk pregnancy doctor.  Will keep you guys updated..I've been on prednisone for a 11days now and i'm feeling better with my colitis..hopefully it wont effect my baby. confused
Posted 9/21/2007 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
This is what I was told. If I ever decide to get pg, my GI and OB should be in constant contact. It would be a high risk pregnancy because of the possible potential to flare. Asacol is fairly safe because it doesn't travel through your blood, it is a topical medication that the capsule is only supposed to open in the colon. Rowasa, because it is an enema, and once again, not going through the blood stream is also okay.

It is safer for you to be on meds while pg than to flare. The flare is more harmful to the baby. This being said, my GI also said that he's had many women deliver healthy babies while on 6MP/Imuran.

Are you taking a prenatal vitamin?
Posted 9/26/2007 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
I just found out that I am pregnant. My husband and I had been trying for two months. I am extremely excited but since I am on 100mg on Azothiprine, there is that motherly worry as well. My Dr. says that it is more important for me to stay healthy during my pregnancy, than to get off the meds and risk a flare which would affect the baby. I have come to the conclusion that I will not be able to breastfeed, but by staying on my meds I will be able to keep up with a newborn (since, I hopefully will not be flaring). Now I just need to get my GYN and GASTRO doc on the same page. Luckily, I've been in full remission since early April. How exciting!!!!!!
Posted 9/27/2007 10:32 PM (GMT 0)

mellybelly said...
I just found out that I am pregnant. My husband and I had been trying for two months. I am extremely excited but since I am on 100mg on Azothiprine, there is that motherly worry as well. My Dr. says that it is more important for me to stay healthy during my pregnancy, than to get off the meds and risk a flare which would affect the baby. I have come to the conclusion that I will not be able to breastfeed, but by staying on my meds I will be able to keep up with a newborn (since, I hopefully will not be flaring). Now I just need to get my GYN and GASTRO doc on the same page. Luckily, I've been in full remission since early April. How exciting!!!!!!

congrats smurf
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