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starting to think about getting pregnant again...want to be prepared this time..

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Posted 8/16/2010 7:35 PM (GMT 0)
So..

I am thinking about this again..kinda scared because affter the birth of my son I had a nasty flare that lasted over two years..

During my last pregnancy I took minimal meds as I was feeling so good and thought I didnt have to. This time I know better.

Right now I am taking 12 salofalk a day and an enema every 3rd night. This seems to be working ok for me and keeping me well..I am thinking to drop the orals down to 8 or 9 per day soon..

I wanted to know what meds others are taking while being pregnant and how much of them they take..what is safe etc..

Also, I guess I should start taking a pre natal..Last time I believe I took a prenatal plus an extra tablet of folic acid..if I Remember correctly this is what I did..does anyones UC not agree with folic acid? I can not remember for the life of me..

Would the prenatal alone be enough folic acid?

 

Posted 8/16/2010 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Krissy -
I think I took folic acid in addition to my prenatal, but, gosh, it's hard to remember (my kids are 20 and 17.)
I'm glad you are doing so well! Of course, ask your doc, or both docs (GI and OB) but my 2 cents would be to just stay the course and keep on as you are and don't worry about reducing the Salofalk while heading into pregnancy. I was on a similar size dose of 5-ASAs throughout my pregnancies.... the docs thought that it was more important to the health of the baby - and me - than trying to reduce and maybe bring on a flare.
Keep us posted about how you're doing! It's great to see that "in good shape!" at the bottom of your siggie!
Posted 8/16/2010 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
If you look at the CCFA website under brochures, it has a med brochure which includes information on how safe each drug is during pregnancy. Of course, talk to your doc as well. But, it looks like you're on pretty much all 5-ASA's, which aren't considered risky at all.
Posted 8/16/2010 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
I was just pregnant and took my Asacol, Humira weekly injections, Rowasa, Canasa and started on Prednisone after the first trimester.  They did tell me to stop the Proctofoam but all the others were ok. I took prenatal vit and extra folic acid.  The obgyn I had just told me to take over the counter.  My new reproductive fertility doc put me on prescription dose prenatals and a prescription folic acid called Folgard. 

I lost the baby and we are trying to find out why.  Not UC related though.  I am going to start trying again in September if all is well with the tests.  I am trying my Lialda again and wondering about taking that while pregnant.  Anybody know?

Good luck KrissyUC.

Posted 8/17/2010 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
Boxermom, Lialda is also 5-ASA and so should be as safe as Asacol and the other mesalamines.
Best of luck to you; you've sure been through it!
Posted 8/17/2010 12:23 AM (GMT 0)
Songlady- Do you have any experience with Lialda?  I started on it in June.  I thought it was helping the UC but the side effects were killing me.  I had this strange itching all over.  Especially around my arm pits and my back and chest.  I had a headache every day and weight gain.  I stopped it for a few weeks now.  My UC seems to be getting worse again and my stomach is really grumbling and I am going to the bathroom a lot more.  I thought I was heading toward remission.  I am going to start the Lialda again tomorrow and see what happens.  Not sure what to do.

I have really been through it but I am determined to get pregnant and have a healthy baby. 

Posted 8/17/2010 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
Boxer - answering you on a new thread, ok?
Posted 8/17/2010 7:00 AM (GMT 0)
Start by lowering the orals by one pill a week. NO less than that.

You have no coice but to make sure you take folic acid, and it's a low dosage for the daily requirement during pregnancy. I've never heard that it would cause problems.

Obviously, you're doing much better.

q
Posted 8/17/2010 12:54 PM (GMT 0)
When I was pregnant I just took a prenatal that had about 800mg folic acid but at the time I didn't have UC, so you might need more because of the absorption issues us UCers get. I wish you the best of luck! :o)
Posted 8/17/2010 1:22 PM (GMT 0)
I have heard that in addition to UC causing absorption issues the meds also deplete folic acid. There is a vitamin available to me that is covered called PregVit..it comes with 1g of Folic Acid and another one comes with 5g folic acid. I dont know which one I would need but I did read on their website the 5g is meant for pple with special needs such as IBD.

What do you think?

Quincy- do you mean NO more than that?
Posted 8/17/2010 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, that sounds good! I wonder if you could have your OBGYN do a blood panel to check your vitamin levels. That way you could get any deficiencies sorted out before you start trying. He will probably also be able to figure out from that if you will need the 1g or the 5g.
Posted 8/17/2010 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
Does anyone know if Mesalamine depletes folic acid OR just the sulfa drugs?
Posted 8/17/2010 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
Good question Krissy. I thought only the sulfa drugs, but not sure.
B
Posted 8/17/2010 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I mean don't go down to a lesser amount of meds, but not more than one pill a week, but not less than the week's time period.

clear as mud, right?

ugh just ugh....I'm assuming you're meaning 800 mcg?

Krissy, you should do the appropriate research for dosage...include IBD if you have continuous diarrhea (but that would possibly mean more if the small intesting is involved), or if you've particularly excluded folic acid foods from your diet.

q
Posted 8/17/2010 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
I am going to take the higher amount for now...it says after 12 weeks pregnant you can take the lower amount and continue from there..it cant hurt me.

What I worry more about is the iron ...35mg..isnts that alot..my multi right now only has 10..will this affect UC?

Last time I cant remember any of this upsetting my UC.
Posted 8/17/2010 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
But it's still higher than the high amount of 5ASA oral .... you should at the very least get down to 4800mg which is the top amount of oral.

q
Posted 8/17/2010 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
Q..I meant the folic acid..I am going to take the 5g from now until pregnancy and till 12 weeks in..then I will drop down to the 1mg since the risk of NTD goes way down..

I am going to get down to 4500mg eventually 3 pills 3 times a day..

more concerned with the Iron now and how that is going to affect UC
Posted 8/17/2010 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
Yep, probably the mcg Q.
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