pregnancy and medication - what are the risks?

kazwhite21

Hi,

I am activly trying for my second child at the moment and have been told that I don't need to stop my medication and there is no risk. I'm not convinced.

I am on sulfasalazine (6 tablets a day).

I have been advised to take folic acid all the way through the pregnancy. this is my first concern really, why would I need to do this if there is no risk on the medication? My understanding is that generally it is taken for the first trimester and then stopped.

Can anyone help me with advice or knowledge on this?

Thanks,

Kaz

tkachev

Hi Kaz

I took sulphasalazine throughout my pregnancy (4 tablets a day split into 2x2 doses). My daughter is fine, although a little madam.

Good luck
Elizabeth

stickywicket

I knew someone would have some experience of this Kaz.

tkachev - I don't think there's anything you can take to prevent the 'little madams'.

jenzie06

Hiya

Not sure on the sulpha, but it's been around for donkeys and so the docs should have info on it.

I was on steroids throughout the pregnancy which seems to help. I tried not to take anything else although paracetamol was taken fairly regularly and I had one dose of morphine when I was having a crisis. Have a healthy if tantrumming 17mo.

Who told you to take the folic acid all the way through? I don't think it will do any harm but a pain to take!!

Have you spoken to your rheumy?

My rheumy has said that I can take Cimzia up to 30wks pregnant. However, all the literature says don't. I don't plan to be the guinea pig!!

Good luck!

tkachev

Kaz, sorry forgot to mention I didn't take folic at all either.



E x

elnafinn

Hi Kaz

I found a Pregnancy and Arthritis thread which I have bumped up for you to have a look at if you are interested.

Elna x

kazwhite21

Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions.

It was my rheumy who suggested I take the folic acid all the way through after looking in his medication book at the appointment.

I was preparing myself mentally to come off of the Sulfasalazine and go without for the duration, my arthritus was only diagnosed after I had my first child so havn't been through this before.

Hopefully we will get pregnant soon

I guess then it will be time to think about coming off the medication and trying to breast feed... I recall my hands being so painful after my first child that I needed a lot of help so not looking forward to that again...

Thanks again.

kickyloo

Hi there,
I'm in the same place!! I'm 11 weeks pregnant (first baby) and on sulfa (4 tabs p/day). I'm managing to only take paracetamol at the moment although the last 2 days have been a struggle.

My consultant said that I could stay on sulfa throughout but this causes a "small risk of neonatal haemolytic anaemia" - the baby being born anaemic. He also said that continuing to take folic acid throughout the pregnancy would reduce this risk. I am keen to try to have a drug free pregnancy so asked his advice about how to come off it. He's said to wait until the second trimester when there is a 90% chance of having a pregnancy induced remission.

Previously I think sulfa has generally kept my inflammation under good control. Now I've had a bad couple of days of inflammation, I'm trying to weigh up what to do for the best as I'm worried that my joints could get worse if I come off sulfa. The month prior to my becoming pregnant I was actually on morphine because the pain was so bad (but I also have fibro and that was playing a large part). The consultant also said that they have a large experience of Sulpha being used throughout pregnancy and being well tolerated. Maybe this would be better, safer than coming off it and trying to tolerate the arthritus pain??

One thing I do know for certain, I am going to go back on all my meds (anti-depressant & pregabalin for fibro) after delivery to try to limit the expected post natal flare up. Although this will mean that I can't breast feed.

I am also scheduled to see a maternity consultant next month so it will be helpful to get their opinion on this.

Wishing you all the best,
Nicky

kickyloo

Sorry - one other thing I forgot to say from my experience, my consultant recommended that I stay on sulfa at least until I got pregnant because inflammation in the body can make getting pregnant more difficult. I also saw this reported in a documentary where an over active immune system can attack the sperm! :shock:

Anyone, my choice was to stay on it for 1st trimester & I got pregnant in the first month of trying!!

Nicky

stickywicket

kazwhite21 wrote:

I guess then it will be time to think about coming off the medication and trying to breast feed...

Try to be flexible about this as, if you get your heart set on it, you could be disappointed. I managed 3-4 weeks with my first before I had to go back on meds. With my second it was more like a week. I consoled myself with the thought that at least he'd got the colostrum.

kazwhite21

I didn't realise it was harder to get pregnant when you have inflamation :sad:

The issue I have with the medication is that it does not seem to be working for me, I've been on it for about 4 months now and havn't seen any improvement in my joints, if anything I think they are worse which is what I suggested to the rheumy at my last appointment and he upped the dose.

On a seperate note - does anyone here use complementary therapy for their arthritus? The thing I am most interested in is acupuncture and wondering if I should try it?

cthornley

Good luck with the TTC
I was on MTX when we decided to try for a baby and unfortunately that meant coming off it totally for 3-6mths before even starting to try :shock: , I ended up on steroids throughout this period , then when I was trying, during the whole pregnancy and the 7mths I stubbornly continued to breastfeed
I continued my 5mg Folic Acid throughout pregnancy as although the MTX should technically be out of my system - docs said it was better to be safe and it would do not harm to be cautious
You don't know how you'll be, as everybody reacts very differently so I would remember that you may need some flexibility in your treatment and as long as you have supportive docs this will be fine
I had a specialist obstetrician once I was pregnant who just kept an eye on me - it meant I had absolutely fab care between my GP & him. (My rheumy was absolutely rubbish and got dumped with a letter of complaint to the trust )
Our hospital has just started RA & pregnancy clinics so it might be worth asking if there is anything like that in your area to give a bit more hands on support. My consultant didn't know about it but the specialist nurse mentioned it in passing.
Chrissie

kazwhite21

I've managed to get pregnant

My hands are agony though but I guess it's a small price to pay...

I have decided that I'll stop my mediaction asap as it doesn't seem to be having a positive affect anyway at the moment, next thing is to try to find someone to discuss this with...

charlielou86

Congratulations! I hope I can fall pregnant quickly and not have to suffer too long :sad:
can i ask what is TTC?

lindalegs

Just wanted to say congratulation Kaz, well done!!!

frogmorton

TTC

Trying to conceive???????????

Total congratulations to you Kaz l am over the moon!!!

and to you too Charlotte l have my fingers crossed for you too

LOve

Toni xx

stlucia

Hi Kaz, how exciting! I'm not sure if you would find it helpful or not but if you click on my name, you can find a link to my pregnancy and arthritis blog.

x