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Pregnant with a flare...any suggestions?

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Posted 4/29/2008 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
I'm pretty sure my next step according to the dr. will be to go on pred. but I'm a little concerned b/c I'm 5 1/2 mos. pregnant.  I'm assuming that is why this flare is so hard to treat!  I've only just been diagnosed in Dec 06 and since then had been in remission.  For the last 3 weeks though I've had multiple 6-8 x a day D (blood/mucus) and have developed a hemerrhoid (which makes the frequent bowel movements almost unbearable).  I'm up day and night with it (at least 2 x a night) and am afriad to go on pred b/c I've heard of all the nasty side effects it can cause (gestational diabetes, etc.) I have another dr. appt on Friday and hopefully my blood tests will show signs of improvement even though my symptoms haven't really eased.  Any other ideas? Right now I'm taking 9 colazol a day and a canasa 1000mg sup. at night. Thank you so much.  I feel better already knowing that there are people to talk to about this.  I feel like the husband and other fam/friends probably get's tired of it!  Thanks again!
Posted 4/29/2008 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi I am so sorry you are going through this. The only part I can offer some kind of experience with is the Diabetes. Pred has made me pre-diabetic, but only after being on 60-40 mg for 4 months, it took that long to raise my sugars and I am controlling it with diet. I don't want to say one way or the other, but just as a consideration to raise your question w/the Dr.

hope you can get the flare under control very soon and congrats on the baby!!
Posted 4/29/2008 8:41 PM (GMT 0)

That's great news.  I only have 4 mos left, but I'm just looking for some sort of relief.  I go to work and go home and that's about it until this flare goes away.  Maybe small doses of pred won't effect me as bad as I've heard!  Thanks again!

Posted 4/29/2008 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hi..I don't see that you should have to go on pred....you should at least try the Canasa up to 3 times a day...that could help or even steroid foam enemas during the day and the supps at night.

You have a few options.
q
Posted 4/29/2008 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
He hadn't suggested using the canasa anytime but bedtime. I wonder why.  I am using anusol 2 x a day also.  Maybe that is why.  How long does it usually take for the canasa to kick in during a flare.  i'm feeling a little better, but still definitely not back to normal.
Posted 4/29/2008 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
You can use the canasa up to 3 times a day....if you're using anusol (is it the over the counter stuff?)...switch it for the canasa.

Or...request the Rowasa retention enemas or the steroid enemas.

Try not to wonder why doctors don't make suggestions....some doctors (GIs) don't even prescribe rectal meds for UC.

You're armed with information...do the research and request them from the doc. If you get to the point where you're desperate, he'll probably put you on pred. Not a solution because you still have to get off it...and with baby being born around the corner...hormone fluctions should be YOURS rather than altered by the med.

Request....it's all part of being proactive in your care.

quincy
Posted 4/29/2008 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for all your help.  I will.  I see him again on Friday.  I don't want to go on steroids anyway, so it's nice to know there are other options!  Thanks again!

Posted 4/30/2008 12:41 PM (GMT 0)
I took 20mg of prednisone while pregnant. It was the only way to get my UC under control. Both my GI and my OB/GYN said that it was a "drop in the bucket" compared to what your body makes while pregnant. It helped a lot, and when my trimester changed, I felt much better. I still think my flares are caused by big changes in hormone levels. Only had 3 major flares....!st when I started the birth control pill at 19, second=pregnancy, and third when my OB put me back on birth control to control bleeding issues. There has to be a correlation. I think after you have your baby (congratulations), you will go back to feeling the way you did before your pregnancy. That is what happened with me and I hope the same for you. Good luck.
Posted 4/30/2008 2:22 PM (GMT 0)
Thank  you for your reply!  It's so nice to be able to talk to someone who's been there.  Once you went on pred how long did it take to get the flare under control?  I'm just wondering.  I've had this flare for almost a month.  It's getting better but taking a long time.  I've been on the canasa for 2 weeks.  I just want to get it to end.  Did you have any side effects when using Pred. while pregnant?  Thanks!
Posted 4/30/2008 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I also had a flare whilst pregnant and was worried about side effects for baby rather than myself. I have taken pred every year for 5 years unfortunately and have experienced most side effects but the way I look at it is if I don't take the pred I don't get better enemas etc just are not enough to get a flare under control for me. Anyway when pregnant my doctor tried all different methods to try and not use pred whilst all the time flare was just getting worse. Spoke to my brother who is a GP (general practice doctor) who in turn spoke to one of his friends who is an obstetrician (think this is the right name - dr who looks after pregnant ladies) anyway he said that very little of the pred gets to baby. I started of on 40mg and tapered dose over 4 months during pregnancy, must admit I looked like crap - huge moon face, huge weight gain and bothered with acne but I felt good and baby was born absolutely healthy. I remember one of my doctors saying to me that really I had no choice but to go on pred as with the flare I was losing weight, not eating very much and all food was going straight through me so that obviously was not very good for the baby not to mention the stress of it all.  Hope you find something that makes you better soon as I can remember how bad it was for myself.

Posted 4/30/2008 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
As long as the baby is healthy I don't care what I have to go through, which is why I've waited this long to even consider pred, but a month of this has been too long.  I see the dr. on Friday, hopefully we'll get some things resolved so I can stop worrying and feeling so awful and enjoy being pregnant and have a healthy baby!  Thanks for all your help everyone!
Posted 4/30/2008 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
I just wanted to say I know exactly how you feel. I was pregnant last year and had a horrible flare and I know it was brought on by stress. My placenta became detached and so I was bleeding a bunch (out of both ends) and the baby was born at 23 weeks and only lived 2 hours. My flare is gone now but I know 1st hand how horrible the flare can be during pregnancy. I DIDN'T lose the baby from the UC - it was the placenta issue but I just wanted you to know that I've been there! The steriod foam insert was wat put me back in remission!
Posted 4/30/2008 3:30 PM (GMT 0)
I am really sorry to hear about your loss.  That had to be devestating.  On top of that having to deal with the flare while going through such a traumatic time.  I can't imagine.  Thank you for taking time out to give me information that could help.  I really appreciate it!  If you don't mind, one more question, what is the name of that steroid foam?  I'll ask the dr. about it on Friday.  Thanks again!

Posted 4/30/2008 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
I can't remember the name of it but just tell them it was a steiod foam and you inserted it at night. I didn't have any problems keeping it in and it cleared me up within a week! It did wonders!!!! Good luck! =)
Posted 4/30/2008 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
That sounds amazing.  This canasa is taking way too long.  I may have let the flare go on too long, but 2 weeks with no end in sight is frustrating!  Thanks so much for your help!

Posted 4/30/2008 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
I first came down with UC shortly after I became pregnant with our third child and ended up having a miscarriage. I'll never know for sure but I think it was the flare that caused it. I'd never had any problems with my first two and I was losing so much blood. By the time my OB sent me to a GI I was an absolute mess. So when I got pregnant again and started flaring my OB put me on prednisone immediately. It did really help but my flare was never really under control until the third trimester. While I hated the side effects, not to mention the pictures from that time, the prednisone did make things much better and I delivered a healthy son. So if you've exhausted all other options, prednisone might be a good choice. It's much better for the baby to have a flare under control. Good luck!
Posted 4/30/2008 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
I am 5 months pregnant and have been flaring since December. I was hospitalized in Jan and in Feb. During my Feb stay, I was 6 weeks pregnant and I was on 300mg of IV steroid for 9 days! It was the only way to get the flare under control before it caused a spontaneous abortion. I was nervous about how it might affect the baby, but didn't want to risk losing the pregnancy. I was eventually sent home and continued to take 60 mg of Prednisone. I tapered off and have been struggling ever since. I now take Sulfasalazine (4 pills) twice a day and use enemas at night. I still go a lot during the day, but it's much more manageable. I also had a lot of luck on VSL #3, but couldn't stand to drink it after a while because I've been so nauseous from the pregnancy. I'm still throwing up to this day. YUCK!

I hope my experience gives you some comfort. I know it makes me feel better knowing that other woman are out there dealing with the same issues. I'm looking forward to giving birth and being able to explore other options to get my UC under control. I was diagnosed in Jan 2007 and it's been a rollercoaster ever since.

I wish you Good Luck in the upcoming months!
Posted 4/30/2008 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thankfully mine isn't quite that bad at this point it seems to be easing up a bit, but still going a lot.  It does make it a lot easier to know that there are other people dealing with the same things and to know that it is a manageable (though not ideal) situation.  Thank you for all your information.  I'll bring all of this with me on Friday to the dr.  I'll be glad when this flare has eased.  Thanks again!
Posted 4/30/2008 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi jeg, I flared pretty bad with my first baby and I found that the cortifoam helped alot.  I used it 3 times a day and it was easy to keep it because its a foam.  It seemed to work faster for me than the salofalk suppositories that the doc initially prescribed for me.  They usually take a bit longer to start working.  I also increased my probiotic intake from 50 billion to over 100billion daily and that I found helped. 

Take Care

Posted 4/30/2008 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
That's good to hear.  Maybe I can switch from canasa to the cortifoam.  I'm assuming from what you said it didn't cause you problems in subsequent pregnancies?  That's good news.  I was nervous that if I did ever decide to have another baby that this would happen all over again.  Thanks for your help!

 

Posted 4/30/2008 6:33 PM (GMT 0)
I also wanted to add that I was taking the oral predisone as well as the cortifoam (that's what it's called!) The oral predisone didn't kick in for me like it had in past flares but the cortifoam worked really quickly for me!!!
Posted 4/30/2008 6:33 PM (GMT 0)
jeg  with my second pregnancy I went into remission from the time my body realized I was pregnant I never felt so healthy.  I was even able to eat everything and absolutely nothing bothered me it was great while It lasted.  I didn't start with symptoms until about a year after the baby was born.   Every pregnancy is different.

Posted 4/30/2008 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
that is all so good to hear.  maybe i'll ask about the cortifoam on friday.  that sounds like a good alternative to the canasa, since it's been two weeks and little relief.  anyway!  thanks again!
Posted 4/30/2008 7:35 PM (GMT 0)
hi, i was dx w/ uc after my first pg. when i got pg w/ my second, i flared right away. I started pred. 40mg and tapered. At that time baby was at risk of cleft lip/palate, however u r past development stage, so yours won't risk that.

I flared after my taper and went back on 40mg and tapered to 10 and remained on 10 for the duration.

If your flare is not under control, and gets bad enough, baby is at risk of many things....(not to scare you). You might feel better by asking for a consult w/ a perinatologist (high risk pg doc). They will be better to know about how pred would affect a pregnancy.
My peri told me that he had many uc/crohns patients on pred, and also had many asmatha patients on it...so, a peri would probally be best to see.

pred made me feel better about 4 days after starting. of course, i had the "normal" side effects of pred, but i delt w/ it.

hang in there! shannon
Posted 4/30/2008 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
I don't think it is that bad, if it were I'd imagine that my ob or gi would have put me on pred right away.  they are monitoring me with blood/stool testing bi-weekly.  i'm hoping that together they wouldn't let me risk the baby's health at all.  i may look into the high risk dr.  if this continues.  it might be the best bet for me!  Thanks again.
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