HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

14 weeks and flare ups back

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/7/2008 10:52 AM (GMT 0)
Hi guys, I was diagnosed with UC last year June and my life has been a turmoil ever since. I had been on Pentasa and Entocort to control the cramps and bleeding which controlled it for some time. When i found out I was pregnant, my gynae suggested no more meds. I am now 14 weeks and the flare ups have started again with terrbile cramps. I have been put on a course of Entocort and predisone but feel really nervous about being medicated whilst pregnant. The bleeding has still not subsided. It seems to be such an under studied disease. I am slowly starting to accept that this is my life, but somedays get really despondent. Glad I found this forum, I don't feel so alone anymore. Bee.
Posted 5/7/2008 12:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bee, welcome to HW. I'm not sure why your OB/GYN would take you off meds. The 5-ASA's are perfectly safe to take while being pregnant and in fact, it's harder on the woman's body as well as the baby if you are flaring. It's best to have your flare under control. Have you talked to your GI yet?
Posted 5/7/2008 1:04 PM (GMT 0)
She did put me back on once the flare ups started, so we'll see how it goes!! Hold thumbs.
Posted 5/7/2008 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
If you don't already take them I would highly recommend you start taking a probiotic.  They are a crucial supplement for UC.  I'm not a medical doctor but it seems Predisone would be a bad thing to be on when you are pregnant as it has horrible side effects which I'm sure you are aware by now.  It sounds like you are also back on the 5ASA which is a good thing.  Good luck in getting things under control.  This forum is a wealth of information so keep asking questions...Just as an fyi it took me about a year to fully get my first flare under control, so hopefully in time you'll find what works for you and get your quality of life back.  Stay positive, things should improve for you!

Posted 5/7/2008 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
Prednisone has been shown through decades of use to be safe for the baby, but you need to be on it for as short a time as possible because it can be harmful to you. Be sure you're taking a good Calcium supplement which includes vitamin D. You should be taking about 500 mg. three times a day to help replace the calcium Pred removes from your bones.

I'm also surprised that you would be given Entocort and Prednisone at the same time, as these are both steroid drugs and generally not used together. Is your GI managing your colitis, or is your GYN medicating you? Your colitis should be managed by your GI, and the docs need to communicate.

I second the probiotic suggestion. It's really important to try to get the bleeding under control, because at this stage your body is needing and making extra red blood cells to carry oxygen to the placenta and the baby. Chronic bleeding can tax this system. I assume your Gyn is doing regular hemoglobin/hematocrit checks to be sure all is well in this area.

Welcome to HealingWell. I'm sorry you have UC, but very glad you found this resource.
Posted 5/7/2008 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
So it's safe to take probiotics while pregnant?  My dr. has me on entocort 9mg/day still on 9 colazol a day and 1-2 cortifoam as needed to get a flare taht started a month ago under control.  I've been on entocort and the cortifoam for about 4 days now (before he was treating me with canasa supp...which didn't work).  things seem to be easing up a bit.  Just wondering if adding a probiotic to the mix would help and if it's safe to take while pregnant. Thanks!
Posted 5/7/2008 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
I took Prednisone for a flare during my first trimester, along with my regular meds of Asacol and Rowasa. Both my GI and OB advised against starting a probiotic during pregnancy. So, I would check with your docs before doing that.
Posted 5/7/2008 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
The Gynae and GI recommended the entocort plus I was on a drip with Prednisone for the weekend as the bleeding would not stop. I am currently finishing the course of Entocort but no other meds, and GI said we'll take it from there. So far there is still bleeding. I have started Probiotics, but just this week. What are the side effects of Prednisone? I did experience very bad headaches, hot flushes and mood swings but thought that could have been the pregnancy??
Posted 5/7/2008 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Probiotics are absolutely safe, as they only replace the natural bacteria that normal, healthy colons already have.

Short term side effects of Prednisone (and sometimes Entocort) can include achiness, difficulty sleeping, mood problems (crankiness or extreme mood swings,) fluid retention, moon face and deposit of fat in the belly area, and low potassium causing severe muscle cramps.

Long term effects can include osteoporosis, avascular necrosis of the bones, cataracts, diabetes, adrenal shutdown and probably others that slip my mind right now. It can be a miracle drug to get into quick remission, the problem comes when we reach the point where the flare returns as soon as we taper the Pred. Especially during pregnancy, their short term use can help with essentially no danger to the baby, bases on years of experience with the drug.
Posted 5/7/2008 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you!  I am already starting to feel better, I just can't wait until i'm at least back at 75%!
Posted 5/7/2008 9:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bee1,

There is a place and website called MOTHERISK.org or .com not sure which one but they do studies on the safety of medications and pregnancy.  So when I was pregnant with my first I called them and they took my info and told me what UC medications were safe to take while I was in a flare.  THey were very helpful and knowledgable.  I think they are out of Toronto, MT sinai Hospital but it's worth a phone call if your unsure of the safety of things.  I took salofalk tablets and enemas throughout my whole pregnancy.  My baby was born healthy and with my second my UC cleared up and I never felt healthier  so you don't know which way things can go.

Good Luck and take those probiotics they really help.

 

Posted 5/8/2008 11:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there, Thanx for the reference but unfortunately I live in South Africa. If you don't mind me asking did you have bleeding and did the Salofalk and enemas help for that? Nothing seems to help mine. BUT i have not been on Salofalk - I will mention that to the doctor.
Posted 5/8/2008 12:32 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Bee1, I was bleeding alot and was actually put on bedrest from 5months on because I started dialating.  It was the worst 5months of not moving.  The enemas did help for the bleeding and I was able to increase the amount because I was home.  I do find though that the cortifoam enemas helps alot quicker for the bleeding and its so easy to keep in so you can do it during the day and go out with it in.  Do find a good probiotic, I found that they helped so much during my last flare for the bleeding and BM's that I continue with it daily and have been in remission for almost one and half years.

Best of Luck

Posted 5/8/2008 1:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bee,

I was diagnosed last July and seem to have had a similar experience to you. I was also pregnant (gave birth to beautiful baby girl March 15th), but had a flare throughout my 2nd trimester. I was on Salofalk at first, then prednisone (up to 50mg/day) and then ended up going on IV sterioids during a hopsital stay over Christmas. This got my flare under control and I've only recently (last 2 days) started to flare again. I did, however, have my daughter 7 weeks early and she was born weighing only 2lbs 15 oz (1350g). They said I have a placental abruption (placenta pulled away from uterine wall) and that my daughter was no longer getting enough nutrition. They said that it may be due to my UC, but since I've read so much about people with UC having perfect pregnancies, I'm not sure that's the case. Either way, I still have a perfectly healthy baby girl who was born with NO complications. She's now almost 8 weeks old and weighs almost 5 lbs! Anyways, my advice would be to take the prednisone if it works. Get IV steroids if it doesn't. Salofalk enemas also helped for me! Good luck with everything. I know how hard and scary it can be to be flaring during a pregnancy. Keep us posted!

macgrl
Posted 5/9/2008 10:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hi MacGrl
I was also on a IV Drip (Prednisone) last week for 3 days and seemed to control it but as soon as that wore off, the symptoms were back. The entocort does not seem to have worked. I don't know how to rate the severity of my condition, and whether to try other drugs or just cope without it as I don't have any other symptoms besides blood, which somedays is ok and others have a loss of about max a tablespoon of blood a day. Is this a lot? It just seems if the drugs arent working, why put the baby at risk if the loss is not that much and if I am able deal with it. Obviously it the conditions worsen, i could reconsider.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply