What to expect after pregnancy? | Arthritis Information

Hello everyone! I am looking for someone out there who has been pregnant with RA. I am pregnant and enjoying not having RA symptoms very much

Good luck and I pray that you have a healthy, happy baby and that all goes well for you and the babyI had little or no symptoms during my second and third trimesters and for about 4-6 weeks after. I will say that at that point I had a big flare (was nursing so drugs weren't an option) that was a challenge to get through. I would just talk to your doc. about that possibility and how you might deal with it. Hopefully, it won't happen to you, but just in case...

Hi,

I am also pregnant with RA and i am having an awful time of it - since day one!!! I can understand the worries you are going through as i am too. It is my third baby and the first time i have been diagnosed with the ra is since becoming pregnant so didnt have symptoms beforehand to compare with. At the moment i am having flare ups which leave me bedridden approx 3 days out of 7 with knees and hips, constant index finger pain which is like having two broken fingers and wrist pain but the shoulder flare ups i havent had now for a few weeks. I am under a Hospital Consultant and unfortunately like you he cant give me anything for it other than paracetamol which as you know does nothing when in pain! he has warned me of a prem baby due to the RA - has yours told you the same??? Also he has warned me of severe flare up during labour and and after the birth for a few weeks and to get help ready - yours told you the same??? I am absolutely scared out of my skin as surely the pain cant get any worse than it is now! I had natural births with the first two but i am so afraid of a hip flare up during the labour resulting in not being able to move leg how the heck am i going to push through that!! I am hoping you will reply to me so we can prepare notes!!! I am 17 weeks now and due 26th July - quite a while to go yet!!!

Take care
I developed RA while pregnant with my first (and only) child. I was fine for the first 4 weeks after delivery but than i was in a FULL BLOWN flare. I was breastfeeding so my options were very limited but my doctor and my daughter's pediatrician agreed that i could be on prednisone...THANK GOODNESS!!! Check with your doc about going on that after birth.

HOpe this helps.

Lisa
I was dx'ed almost 20 years ago so I almost don't remember life pre-RA. (I was 7). Three years ago I got pregnant and my biggest problem was fatigue. But I think that was more fibro than RA. I'd been in remission according to my docs but had enough joint damage that the pain never left. The day after delivering my son, I felt wonderful. My OB couldn't believe the change in me. I had energy for the first time in almost 9 months. That said, 2-4 weeks later I flared big time. At the time I wish I had talked to my OB about giving me a pred boost during labor. I read somewhere that woment with RA that are helped by pred can safely do that during labor. If I remember right, it is a large IV dose during labor and delivery. Suppposedly it helps with the after delivery flare. I wish I had known that before. I'd push for it in a heart beat. One thing might be to have your rhuemy and OB speak to each other about options. And while nursing it is best not to have meds, if the benefits outweigh the risks, I think it's a good idea. But many peds try to say absolutely no way. The one at the hospital tried to tell me that, but my OB, rheumy and the new ped. I found said that benefit vs. risk thing. And a nursing coach also said that there are meds considered safer if needed.
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