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pregnant, living with UC and off medication

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Posted 6/21/2015 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hello all Im new to the forum and as the title implies I am 8 weeks pregnant and currently off my medications. I chose to go off them 4 weeks ago when I found out I was expecting and had been doing well up until about a week ago. I've been going through a bit of a flare. My questions are has anyone gone through pregnancy without being on medication and if so how did you do? What types of foods did you find helped if you where flaring ect. I have not had an appointment with my GI doc yet as everything was well managed and I also have just been unable to make the appointment due to work and what not. I will be making one on monday but I am really trying and wanting to get through this drug free if I can. Any help and insight is much appreciated :) thank you
Posted 6/21/2015 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
What uc medications where you on? Many are very safe for pregnancy.
Posted 6/21/2015 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
I was on lialda. I am well awear that many are considered "safe" but these are also drugs that are chemically made up in a lab and there is not a 100% way of knowing that they are really safe. Especially if they are a class B medication which I believe lialda is a class B.
Posted 6/21/2015 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
Many have had healthy happy babies while taking lialda. I think keeping the mother healthy during pregnancy is equally important, I'd take your prescription medications.
Posted 6/21/2015 1:13 AM (GMT 0)
I mean no offense but I would really like some input from other mothers on the sight that have been through this. Sorry.
Posted 6/21/2015 1:17 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't develop UC until three years after my younger son was born, but if I were in your shoes I would take the meds. I am not a big believer in medication in general, but if you go into a severe flare you risk miscarrying the baby and I can say that recovering from a miscarriage is very emotionally draining.
Please talk to both your GI and your OB about your concerns, hopefully you trust their opinions and will find a solution you all feel good about.
Posted 6/21/2015 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
To the best of my knowledge there are not any known cases of pregnancy problems regarding Lialda. Thousands of pregnant women have taken Lialda with zero problems. Lialda is, for the most part, a topical med. It does not dissolve and go though the whole body as most meds do. The outer coating makes it dissolve in the colon and then the med releases and spreads topically, sort of like rubbing lotion on your arm. I commend you very highly for wanting the upmost safety for your baby but, in the end, your worsening condition may wind up taking some quality time from your relationship and possibly requiring you to take the harsher meds when you might have avoided that by staying on the Lialda. Letting your condition worsen is not what is best for you, your family, or your baby.

Edit: Sorry I didn't see your request for women's advice only until after posting.
Posted 6/21/2015 1:29 AM (GMT 0)
I would discuss your concerns with your GI dr. It's important to take your medication because flaring will be worse for you and the baby. I'm not saying this to scare you but my sister who has UC flared horribly while pregnant and went into pre mature labor at 27 weeks. She was off meds at the time. Thank goodness all turned out ok and my nephew is now a strapping, young 23 yr old man but it was a scary time for them both. Sorry, I know you want to hear something else. But your post brought me back to what happened to my sister.
Posted 6/21/2015 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
Get back on your meds. It's a lot more dangerous to flare than it is it be on mesalamine-based meds during pregnancy. I took Apriso and mesalamine enemas the entire time I was pregnant with my second (UC developed after my first was born), and she was born at 39 weeks, 6 days, weighing in at 7 lbs 13 oz. She's now two and is still just fine (perfect, really)! ;)

Yes, mesalamine is a class B drug, but all class B really means is that not enough studies have been done to show they're for sure safe. And, when you think about the number of pregnant women who have UC and are taking mesalamine, this makes sense. However, the studies that have been done all indicate the fetus is not harmed. There's at least one great article that talks about IBD meds in pregnancy in the resource thread (sticky thread at the top of the page).

I encourage you to read it and get back on Lialda stat.
Posted 6/21/2015 1:56 AM (GMT 0)
I think you are getting good advice.
Posted 6/21/2015 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats on your pregnancy! I had a baby 2 years ago and am currently 36 weeks pregnant with baby #2. I have been on Apriso for both pregnancies. SF Rowasa enema is new for this pregnancy. Baby #1 was perfectly healthy and I had no UC trouble while pregnant. This pregnancy has also been uneventful UC wise.

Can you talk to your GI and OBGYN before going off meds. Ask your GI what the course of treatment would be if you went off meds and started to flare while pregnant. Personally, I would not go off meds while pregnant. What you are on is pretty safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Post Edited (UC since 98) : 6/20/2015 8:49:20 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/21/2015 2:35 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for the advice. I will take it all into consideration. Another question I have is do some of you have ibs flare up along with having colitis if so is anyone able to tell me the difference between an IBS flare and a UC flare. Ive been told that along with my UC that I also have IBS I am assuming that these two go or at least can go hand in hand with each other. Again thank you for all the advice.
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