Coming off Mx to try and get pregnant

CatherineGB

Hi,

I've had RA for about five years now and have been on methotrexate the whole time. After much deliberating I have now decided to come off Mx in order to try and get pregnant. Having now made the decision and told my rheumatology team I'm having a bit of a wobble! I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who's been through this experience themselves.

Thanks

Catherine x

mcford

Hello

I haven't been through it yet, I am in the middle of it. I came off my mtx in December and have been told to wait 6 months before I can try. How long have you been told to wait as there is much debate between 3 and 6 months.

I have just got back from seeing my rheumy as things aren't great, fingers swollen and other joints sore, I am on steroids and they have now upped it to 10mg and added hydroxychloroquine too. Hopefully this should improve things. I am not going to lie to you, it has been tough for some of the 3 months and I have had days when I feel very sorry for myself especially when I see people getting pregnant at the drop of a hat, I think its not fair! but then I give myself a good kick up the bum and tell myself it will be worth it in the end when I hold my baby in my arms.

Also I have been told that you can go into complete remission when you are pregnant so (swollen) fingers crossed that it happens to me! I have been using the 3 months to get to know my cycles so that I have an idea when I am ovulating so that when I can start trying I know when to try! I am doing this now rather than when I actively start trying as I don't want to get too obsessed with it all as although I would like it to happen as quickly as possible so I don't have to be off my medication for ages, I don't want the stress of obsessively monitoring my cycles to affect my chances.

Good luck with it - and as I said it will all be worth it in the end

Clare x

Claire38

I too have come of MTX (and NSAIDs and most of my other meds) in order to try for a family. I have spondylitis and probable PsA. I came off it last July and started trying in November. No luck so far. The pain is not great. I'm just about managing to cope with the pain with Tramadol and IM steroid injections every now and then. It's not easy. The longer it takes the harder it seems to get. But I'm still trying, and not willing to stop trying just yet, despite the pain. I do have days though where I wonder if it doesn't happen soon, how long I can hold off starting treatment again if the pain gets any worse.

I worry about the disease progressing if I keep off treatment too long, so really hope I conceive soon.

There doesn't seem to be quite so much evidence as in RA that the symptoms go into remission during pregnancy with PsA, so we'll see what happens if I am successful in becoming pregnant.

I wish you good luck, and hope it all goes well for you both.

Claire X

CatherineGB

Thanks so much to both of you for your replies. Sorry to hear that it's difficult for both of you but I admire you both so much for sticking with it and even just for giving it a try.
I don't feel quite as brave as either of you at the moment. I thought I was ready but reading your posts has made me think that I'm not quite ready for the potential pain involved at the moment. I'm just coming through the end (I hope!) of a time of anxiety and depression and I think possibly I'm not strong enough emotionally at the moment to do this and deal with the uncertainty. Did it take you long to decide to do this?
Did you have wobbles along the way?

DebraKelly

I am going to have this conversation with my Consultant in April. I want to come of Meth to try and have a baby.

I know that there are other things that you can take during this time, and I also get regular steriod injections into my knee as well.

Just really worried about how it will affect me, as I am not going good at the moment even on the Meth.

I would be keen to see how you get on.

CatherineGB

Hi, I wish you all the best with that appointment.
My husband and I have now made to difficult decision to not try for a baby but to accept a childless life. I'm nearly 40 so we had both been preparing for that anyway. I wonder if anyone else out there has made that decision?