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Breastfeeding/steroids--good news?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/27/2012 7:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hey guys!

I'm in the middle of the second worst flare of my life and saw my doctor today. Been fearing it because I've been breastfeeding my 8 month old and really didn't want to stop but knew she'd want to put me on steroids. However, she says there is new research showing that the risk to the kid is really low if the roids dose is under 40 mg. So she's putting me on that and letting me continue to feed. Anyhow, was really freaking out about the breastfeeding thing, but you know with 11-15 really bloody bms a day, I had to do something pretty severe.

Took my first dose of roids about 3 hours ago and am feeling a bit better. Exhausted, yes. But less gut activity already. Just wanted to share the news with other bf moms.

~Diana
Posted 7/27/2012 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the info! I hope that I'll be able to control any potential post-partum flares this time around, but if not, it's good to know I can breastfeed while on pred. With my son, I got so sick my supply crashed, and we only made it to 8 weeks.
Posted 7/27/2012 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, good info to consider - thanks!
We're looking to start trying for the first time very soon and nervous about all that med stuff.....
Posted 7/27/2012 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
Labyrinth, my old GI, my current GI, and my OBGYN have all said that mesalamine is completely safe for pregnancy. I am NOT going to go off my Apriso and enemas during pregnancy, or after, for that matter. It's much more risky to flare during pregnancy than it is to take mesalamine.
Posted 7/27/2012 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
Yes i hear what your saying fruitgirl.
Ive got this thing where i dont want to be on much in the way of oral meds but at the same time realise that risking a flair is not worth it. So im trying to change my thinking.

Im learning that the Mesalazine drugs are low risk so not feeling overly concerned.

Pretty sure my head aches are related to 4gm oral pentasa so would like to reduce a little and considering inflammation is limitted to just above sig i should get away with it, but it maybe a "fine line".

In saying that im not broken at the moment, so the old sayings in the back of my head - if it ain't broke dont fix it :)

thanks
Posted 7/28/2012 12:26 PM (GMT 0)
Yes Mesalamine is totally safe. Think about this--the oral meds are DESIGNED to be topically delivered to your colon (one of the reasons we often can see the coatings in our stool is that they don't dissolve until they hit the colon, so they aren't really digested like other meds). It's not even supposed to get into your bloodstream b/c that's not the way that medication works. I mean, sure some does, but hardly anything at all. Nothing that would hurt the baby even a little.

As for pred--during and after pregnancy I was super regular and didn't need it, but my doctors say it is Class B (meaning not enough studies have been done to know for sure, so you and your doctor have to weigh risks of staying in a flare or taking the meds).

I had been in remission for about a year before I got pregnant, so I'm sure that didn't hurt. One of the things about it is that pregnancy suppresses your immune system. Suppressed immune system is usually good for us UC people. Some of the people on this forum have said that pregnancy triggered some of their best remissions. My OB/Gyn said that in her experience with UC/Crohns patients it's about 1/3 get worse, 1/3 stay the same, and 1/3 get better during the pregnancy.

Having just gone through all of this recently, let me know if you have any questions or just need a supportive thought. It's nerve wracking to worry about UC on top of having a baby.

~Diana
Posted 7/28/2012 12:43 PM (GMT 0)
Ok, needed to update the signature badly.
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