I have UC not Crohns but i've been down that path with what meds are safe etc..
I spent both pregnancies on 25mg of pred. The thing to remember is A flare up during pregnancy is a lot worse for mother & baby.
I was told Imuran is okay during pregnancy & breastfeeding. That will just monitor you more closely.
I know of a few woman who have b/f while taking imuran, most of them pump & dump.
Pred is also safe to take during pregnancy & breastfeeding.
I think if you dont feel safe taking Imuran then your best to start taking the pred, I know it's horrible & all but a flare up will be such much worse for you & you know that will happen if you stop taking your meds.
I had a minor flare at the begining of my 1st pregnancy & then stayed in remission till 8 weeks after giving birth. My 2nd pregnancy i flared about 20wks then stayed in remission till 10 weeks after giving birth.
If you have any more questions i'll be happy to try answer them
Thanks everyone for your advice it is much appreciated! Funny how everyone's Dr seems to have difference feelings about the Imuran / Prednisone issue.
My GP called me this morning and he has spoken with my OB (who i am yet to see in person since becoming pregnant, have an appointment in a few weeks time) and he said he has had some patients on Imuran throughout pregnancy but would prefer if i could cope with the Prednisone instead. I know in the past my Crohn's has responded well to the Prednisone so i am inclined to "tough it out" but i did tell my GP that i though 25mg daily was a failry aggresive amount to start me on. He said he would let me trial just half a tablet a day (so round about 12.5mg) to start with and if that wasn't working he would have to bump it back up again. He has also made an appointment for me to see a Gastro in a few weeks time to get his advise. (The problem with living in a regional area is that we don't have a permanant Gasto in town, they only visit for 2 days a month. And unfortunatley they only seem to last about 6-12 months then a new one starts coming. Very Frustating have to retell your medical history for the last 14 year to someone new all the time!)
Anyway, that makes me fell a little bit better, just taking the smaller dosage to start with. Its not that i don't want to get it under control as quickly as possible, i just don't think i need to go in all guns blazing. I still have a long road ahead of me yet!
I will know more after my scan on Wednesday and my GP appointment on Friday.
Sandy my G.I started me on the 25mg because i flared at the beginning, by the end of my Preg i was 5 mg, with my 2nd preg i started on 25mg, then dropped to 10mg & because i flared i had to stay on 25mg till the end of my pregnancy.
I do hope you able to stay on the 12.5mg & then drop to a lower dose. All the best with your scan. i look forward to hearing how it goes
Thanks for that link!
And good to hear from other people out there in similar situations, make sure to keep us updated
I have my colonoscopy appointment next month (gee, lucky me) and will be asking my Dr more info about pregnancy/ going off the meds (??hopeful) etc
Hi All,
Well i've had a many doctors visits since i last posted and am feeling much better about things. I have seen a new Gasto who was very nice and i've seen my OB again plus had some blood tests done and have a Nucal scan booked for next week.
The Gastro has put me back on Imuran 150mg daily, and is slowly weening me off the Prednisone over the next few weeks. I explined that i wasn't sleeping very well on the Prednisone and was concerned that i was going to wear myself out before long. He also thought the same thing and didn't want me on them any longer than i have to be. My OB is happy for me to continue with this course of treatment as long as my Crohns dosn't get any worse, in which case i will have to go back on it. It doesn't appear to be getting any worse and i certainly feel a lot better in general. I'll be 12 weeks this Friday so i'm over the sticky bit......lets hope everything settles down and goes to plan.
My Gastro pointed out that i was well overdue for another colonoscopy and wants me to have one about 6 weeks after the baby is born...looking foward to that!
So all in all i'm not doing too badly.
I hope everyone else if feeling good also, talk again soon
Hi Sandy,
Yay for no Pred!!
Did your doctor mention anything about breastfeeding? Because being on 150mg of Imuran also, this is a concern of mine (well, it will be one day!)
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