Pregnant, Flaring, Feeling Guilty

Hey Everyone,

I haven't been on here for awhile, mostly because I've been chained to a toilet for the past 2 months. Anyway, just want to get some other momma's perspectives. I found out I was pregnant right away. The first 6-7 weeks were fabulous, then BAM...flare. Big time. For the record, I was in remission when I got pregnant. For the past several months I have battled nausea/puking from the baby, CONSTANT bathroom trips to the point I just quit counting, and basically haven't left my house (unless going to the OB or GI) for 2 months. What an awesome summer. The GI has switching up meds, adding enemas, Canasa, everything but prednisone to get me out of this flare. After lots of charting of all my symptoms, we finally figured out that the rectal meds were making me puke, run a low grade fever, and just overall making me feel terrible, keeping me up ALL night. WTH? So, done with those for now! My pregnant body doesn't seem to take to them too well.

Anyway, the decision was made between my GI and OBGYN on Monday to put me on 20mg of prednisone for a couple of weeks, see how I do, and taper as needed. I haven't gained any weight, and I'm small to begin with. I know it's a lower dose, but I still feel guilty. I am still taking the Asacol HD ( I need to change my signature). I really hope this helps!!! I do feel much better today (2nd day of prednisone) and have gone to the bathroom only a few times since I got up and my appetite it much better, of course! :)

I feel really bad because I have an almost 4 year old at home, who because I can't go anywhere, neither can she. We 2000 miles away from family, and it's just been really hard. We have good friends that have stepped up to help in the last couple of weeks and I'm so grateful for that, but I still feel like I'm some sort of burden.

I also feel sad about the poor little one inside of me! I feel like I've been so sick, I haven't bonded with it at all so far! I'm constantly worried that I've harmed the baby with all the constant D, mucus, blood, drugs, etc, or that it's not getting what it needs, although both my OBGYN and GI assure me it is.

It's just been tough around here, and I know that if anyone understands, you ladies do!

Hello UC Momma,

I know exactly how you feel my first pregancy I flared really bad plus I was on bedrest for dialating to early so it was horrible with all the trips to the toilet I was afraid to push anything out.  My second pregnancy was great and my third I was great and in remission up until the third month and then I had major diahrea and blood for 2 months.

I was always on my meds Salofalk tablets x8  and never stopped anything but I increased my enemas(Cortifoam and cortenema)  morning and night.  I added the vitamin e enema in to stop the bleeding and help the colon heal and I increased the probiotics that I took to 4x a day.  I made sure I took Metamucil daily to help bulk the stool and make things easier to pass.  I tried to rest as much as possible even though I had two other kids at home.  I cut out flour products until my symptoms got better.

You mentioned that the rectal meds made you puke and run a fever, those are both symtoms of UC.  When I flare I always get a fever (Tylenol is safe to take when pregnant)  and with the worst of my flares I have puked as well.  Maybe just a change in the rectal meds might help with the addition of vitamin e into the enemas.  My OBGYN and GI both approved of me taking LOMOTIL when I needed to get of the house.  I was worried about that but I called the sick kids hospital in Toronto (Motherisk hotline) and they said it was ok once I was past three months.  They have a website and hotline # so if there are any questions regarding meds and pregnancy they are great.

It did slow my colon down and let me get out with the other kids plus the less I was in the washroom going the less irritated my rear end and colon was, I just felt better. 

Hang in there and try to get your rest it's so important for healing and I hope this flare passes soon.

I'm so sorry you're flaring during pregnancy, that's no fun! Your story sounds so much like mine: in remission, get pregnant, flare (badly) very early on. I ended up on prednisone too, 40 mg to start. I still haven't fully weaned off of it but am getting very close. It has been a real life saver (I am now in what I would consider remission, the best I've been in 2+ years). I really, really, really didn't want to start prednisone either so I can relate (I had never been on it before). But when it came down to it, the flare was likely causing more harm to my baby than the prednisone would (I couldn't eat, bloody diarrhea 10-15 times a day, eating next to nothing, lost 15 pounds, most of it in the last 2-3 weeks of my flare). I did a lot of googling and so so so many moms have said they were on prednisone while they were pregnant with no ill effects. I'm 18+ weeks now and last week we had an ultrasound and they said every thing looks good so far (from what they could tell so early on).

Good luck with the prednisone treatment, I hope you are feeling much better very quickly (it took about 2 weeks for the prednisone to really kick in for me, so be patient!)

I'm not pregnant but feeling terrible the last 8 months has been really hard for my husband and daughter and I feel a LOT of guilt over it. So, I can totally relate to the mommy-guilt. I hope you feel better soon! Definitely give those steroid enemas a try! :o)

I know, sometimes the guilt is pretty consuming. It just makes me want to roll into a ball and cry...which I have done plenty of in the past couple of months. I am SO lucky that my husband is so wonderful. I don't know what I would do without him. My daughter has really been awesome too. I have an OB appointment on September 1st, so I'm really anxious for that...I'm always paranoid to hear that little heartbeat!!!