Hello everyone. I just found out that I am pregnant. We were using birth control, but it failed. I am 36 years old and I have a 14 1/2 year old and a 16 1/2year old. (both getting ready to have birthdays).
My husband is concerned about the effects of the baby on my health of course and the effects of the meds that I had previously taken on the baby.
I took my last dose of Methotrexate and Enbrel just before the day I would have conceived. Thankfully, because of an insurance error, I was delayed in getting my refills (which any other time would have totally made me mad!). Anyway, because of the delay, I never took another dose. I had also taken Voltaren for 2 weeks along with my HydroCodone (Norco) and only a couple doses of Oxycodone.
My RH doctor told me that she just had a patient deliver a perfectly healthy baby and she had taken all her meds for two months before they figured out she was pregnant.
We're still worried.
Any help or information would be greatly appreciated.
...edited to add: I haven't taken anything but prenantal vitamins and folic acid since finding out and so far so good.
Hi there- well it is very frightning knowing that you have taken meds when you are pregnant but if your doctor is okay with everything then it should be okay. I had a friend who was on chemo and found out that she had conceived prior to taking it, she was also on a whole bunch of other meds.She stopped when she found out about the baby and her little girl was delivered absolutely normal without any complications. Congratulations on the baby. Sometimes with RA when you get pregnant the RA can go into remission.
I wish you all of the best.
Most days I feel crappy, but she always makes us smile.
God truely doesn't give you more than you can handle, so God bless you, & this new addition!!We saw a ped rheum for a second opinion who told us he had injected his daughter with Enbrel himself the whole time she was pregnant, so apparently some rheums consider it safe throughout an entire pregnancy.
I'm glad you are feeling well!!! Our second daughter was also a surprise and I literally thought I would die when we found out. I was 38, hubby was 50!! But I don't know what we would do without her, jra and all, she is an absolute joy.I wouldn't be too concerned about the enbrel but the mtx is a bit more tricky. Have they advised you to see a high risk obgyn or anything like that?
Hi- I also became pregnant (birth control also failed...) unexpectantly. I wasn't on RA drugs then, but I had just had several x-rays and an upper GI done. But they had also done a blood pregnancy test prior to having these tests done, and it said negative. ( Found out later I was actually about 2wks pregnant) But little Miss Hannah is perfectly normal, 16 months old and the best surprise I've ever had!!
I hope you have a wonderful, easy pregnancy. And just think, you already have built in babysitters!
My OB/GYN told me that the first couple of weeks of a pregnancy are pretty benign because things are happening on such a small scale like cell division and what not. Body parts really aren't forming yet. It made me feel a lot better because i had been drinking before I knew i was preggers. Baby girl is almost 9 and just fine.
PS. CONGRATULATIONS! What a blessing!Yes, my physician and RA doctor referred me to the University of Michigan Dept. of Obstetrics. When they called to make the appt., they made it with the High Risk Clinic...just to be safe.
Yes, my kids are thrilled. It was a shock to my daughter ("the Baby"), but she came around in just a few minutes and the two of them were arguing over baby names by bedtime.
The appointment with the Doctor is next Friday, July 20th.
Thank you, again.
Congratulations!! From reading the posts....you and your baby are going to be just fine.
By the way...Welcome to AI
Peace & Love...Neasy
Toni...congratulations!! Your in MI? I am too.
Linda
Congratulations to all of you! I understand your worry, but most likely the baby will be fine. Thank God you didn't get your re-fills in time, huh? It is so wonderful having a little one again after having two older kids. Our older two were 13 and 10 when our now 7 year old was born and she quickly become the light of all of our lives and brought such joy to our home.Thank you everyone for the wonderful support.
Linncn~ Yes, I am in MI. Downriver. You?
So, the doctor's think everything will be ok, but the want me to have Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) or Amniocentesis . I am a little nervous because of the risk of miscarriage.
Time seems to have seriously slowed down since I found out I was pregnant! I am sure it is all the waiting.
I did have a flair yesterday. My wrist felt like it was slammed in a door and my knee was painful to bend or completely straighten. It feels a little better this morning, but I hope I don't have a day like yesterday.
Thank you again!
~Toni
I had CVS - no biggie. Explained to me that it would be more thorough and able to be done sooner than amnio??? That was almost five years ago, so things might be different now.
A friend had amnio, and it came back possible Down's. They didn't do anything further and just waited it out, hopeful. Because of the 'possible', she barely told anyone they were expecting. Their little girl does have Down's. She said if she had it do over again, she would do CVS, just so they would know. Even after the birth, the baby had to have genetic testing to confirm Down's, so they still had a couple weeks of uncertainty that were difficult.
After my CVS, I supposed to take it very easy, no stress or overexertion - just in case, due to risk of miscarriage. Well, the next day my husband had a reaction to Bextra (like what happens w/Vioxx) and ended up in the hospital!!!
Toni,
Just wanted to wish you all the best with your baby. The most important thing you can do for this little one is to relax and not worry. That's right...I am not saying it'll be easy to do...but you must try because it will make a difference. I have 5 children and 2 grandchildren (2 y/o boy and 8 wk old girl...the baby girl came 6 wks early after my daughter's water broke at 24 weeks. She was on complete hospital bedrest for 10 wks at which time they took the baby. They wanted to do CVS and an amniocentesis on my daughter, too. But after discussing it w/her husband, they decided against it. She figured she already had one hole in the placenta which had her leaking every day for weeks...why make another one? Anyway, she did an amazing job of being patient, staying in bed at the hospital, and following dr's orders. Today she has an adorable little girl at home who is growing by leaps and bounds.
Best of luck to you and the family!
Hi all, wouldn't it be great fun to start a photo album of 'babies born to women (wives) of members? LyndaThat would be a great idea!Toni...not too far, I'm in Canton. You must feel good about going to U of M. One of the best =).
Linncn~
I do feel good about going to U of M.
I'll just be glad when the tests are over with.
edited to add: I'll actually be in Canton today!
love the idea of posting pix here...not at all sure how to do it though. any helpful ideas?...
Molly Bee (aka Ruthe)
micheleb ~
The information would let us better prepare for any special needs that our child might have, but I am still not sure...
I have been a patient at the U of M Rheumotology for going on 10 years. Even when I lived more than an hour away, I continued to see them. I felt that it was worth the drive. My doctor is recommended on the Arthritis Foundations website, but that happened after I was already seeing her.
Which dr do you see at the u of m? I am scheduled with a dr blake roessler, ever heard of him?Micheleb~ I see Dr. Anita Kirsch. She is at the University of Michigan, Brighton Health Center. That used to be just a couple of miles from my house. Now, it is over an hour drive, but worth it to see the same doctor that I have been seeing for 10 years.
Here is some information about the doctor that you are seeing. You''' be in good hands, I am sure! Good luck with you appt. http://www2.med.umich.edu/departments/Rheumatology/index.cfm ?fuseaction=rheumatology.facultyBio&individual_id=9531&a mp;um_department=Internal%20Medicine
Toni....just passing through? Hope you loved the traffic out here. Isn't it crazy?
Linda
Thanks for the PhotoBucket tip. I will give it a try.
I am a Buckeye...close to Michigan, but not. Two of my kids went to Ohio State so we are REAL Buckeyes here. (lol)
I guess you aren't a Spartan fan then, huh?Thanks for the U of M info!
Actually the Spartans are fine with us. It's those WOLVERINES at the U of M that Buckeyes avoid. Michigan State is fine.
My 5 kids have or are still attending 5 different universities. My Buckeye will be starting at Case in August for a master's degree. And my "other" Buckeye earned her masters at Ohio State, having earned her undergrad degree at U of Dayton. It actually widens our allegiance to many college campuses (lol).
WOOOHOO for Ohio State!!!! Go Buckeyes!!!!! BOOO MICHIGAN STATE LMAO sorry had to chime in on this one. My cousin went to Ohio state and is an obsessive OSU fan...though i dont think obsessive is the word. LOL
Hi,
I also found out at 36 that I was pregnant. I had been told by several doctors that having children was an impossibilty for me. I was born with RA and at the age of 12 had both knees and hips replaced. Well, in 2004, I found out that I was pregnant. After getting over the initial shock of being and being pregnant, I got worried just like you and your husband are now. I was also on medication for many years. Plaquenil and Naproxene is what I was taking. To add to the arthritis issue, a huge fibroid was found in my uterus during my first obgyn visit that caused concern over the growth of my baby. I had so many concerns for my child.
The OB had predicted that my daughter would be about 6 lbs because of the medication I was on and also because of the fibroid. She was 8lbs 4oz. She was supposed to be short too but she was 20 inches long. As a precaution, they stopped my medication 1 month prior to delivery and I did have a C-section. But none of the medications I was on had any affect on her at all. The OB I had was wonderful. They took special care to make sure she was growing like she should be. I had ultrasounds almost every visit so they could check on her. In the end, all my concerns were for nothing. She's now a beautiful, well-adjusted completely healthy almost 2 yr old.
As for the effect of pregnancy on my RA, there wasn't much. I had the same issues that all pregnant women have. I actually found, at the beginning that I had more energy than before. I was tired more than usual and often came home from work and went right to bed but other than I didn't feel any physical side affects on my RA.
We're still doing fine. Now the challenges are all mine. Trying to keep up with an active toddler is my biggest right now. Some nights we have the same bed time. But all in all, everything was fine and I have a lovely miracle.
I wish you the best with your pregnancy.
Your story gave me goose bumps! Thanks for telling it.Linncn~ Actually, I was in Canton at the U of M center on Canton Center Rd. I figures it would be easier to have my blood drawn their than at the main hospital. I was right. It is 10 minutes closer to me, no problem parking and I was in and out in 10 minutes. Traffic out there can be challenging, but I am not a stranger to it. My daughter took classes in Canton every Monday night for six months. So, I got to know my way around pretty well.
Steph,
Welcome to this site. How wonderful to have your healthy baby after all that you had gone through! Did it seem that your RA symptoms lessened while PG? My own mother had RA which started in her early 30s and each time she was pregnant, the pain and stiffness improved. My RA started about 2 years after an unplanned pregnancy that ended in miscarriage (my "baby" was 7 and my eldest was 17).
Kelseysmommy02....those OSU devotees (yes, I am one, too!) are a vociferous bunch. Very dedicated to the school and its teams, programs, etc. their arch rival is not Michigan State--it's the University of Michigan (U of M) ...the Wolverines, not the Spartans.
My two year old grandson can recognize the words "Ohio State" and will start the O-H greeting immediately. Ask your cousin about it....
yeas U of M is what i ment...lol Yea ive heard all the greetings...etc..On his myspace he has EVERY OSU fight song, song about OSU that you can think of Congratulations!! I know how you feel.
I'm 34 and I have a 5 year old and a 2.5 year old and started showing
signs of RA postpartum when my 2.5year old was born. I just found I am
pregnant with my third and I was on 15mg Methotrexate, plaquenil, and 2
forms of birth control. My Rheumy's office has been closed the last month
so I haven't been able to see him and my GP is on holidays for 5 weeks so
I saw her replacement. The good news is I seem to be in remission and
have some relief from the pain. I am set for an Ultrasound tomorrow to
date the pregnancy (I think I am around 9-11 weeks). I did a bunch of
research on the effects of methotrexate but I keep reminding myself that
the chances of malformations is only 20-30%. I'll keep you all posted.Molly Bee- Sorry for the late answer. My RA seemed to improve to the point where I could actually reach the floor for the first time, I think, ever. I thought I was going insane. I had much more energy than I've ever had. My RD told me it was normal but warned that I might have a flare up after my daughter was born. I did have a short one. Maybe a few months. Nothing major. All in all, it was a good pregnancy and my daughter was born healthy. Aside from the 7 months or more of morning sickness.
Toni, congratulations and best of luck!
Christina