Sigh- I made it 3 years in remission but it's back.

Hi folks- not sure if any of you remember me but I'm back.

The new forum format looks great but I"m guessing my gut isn't.
The all too familiar symptoms are creeping back up on me. You may ask "how or why was I in remission for 3 years?" Back to back pregnancies. lol

Getting pregnant again just isn't possible...so looks like I'm going to have to make an appointment with my gastro and get some medication rolling soon. I am being Queen Procrastination though because I don't want to take ANYTHING for it right now because I'm breastfeeding. I have a 9 month old that still needs my Mama Juice.

Anyways- I'm afraid you'll be seeing me around here again.

*waves*

You need treatment sooner rather than later. If you become malnourished your milk will dry up or lose its nutritional value anyway, won't it?

If it helps, I am currently 20 weeks pregnant, planning on breastfeeding, and have been assured that azathioprine is safe to continue while breastfeeding. Not all mums excrete it in breastmilk, and those that do only produce a small fraction of the dose- even accounting for a newborn's tiny weight. As your little one is 9 months, I would imagine that the dose would be even smaller, relatively speaking. Not to mention that a 9 month old would be less vulnerable to any effects such as reduced immune function (not that any effects have been found in breastfed babies of Crohn's patients on aza). And as a precaution, you could pump and dump a couple of hours after taking meds, as that is when the concentration will be strongest in your milk.

I would imagine that if azathioprine is now considered safe while breastfeeding, there might be more updated information on other drugs, and you would be able to find a treatment that won't affect your milk too much?

You could also consider enteral nutrition- it has remission rates on a par with steroid treatment and as there's no drugs there is no risk to baby.

hi kittee - im so sorry that you are starting to flare. i dont have crohns (long story.. so we'll leave that lol) so i dont have any advice for you.. but what rebecca is saying sounds quite reassuring?

just wanted to say, i completely know how you feel about giving up breastfeeding. i had to give up when my daughter was 7 months because they put me on IV steroids. it broke my heart and i cried so much - especially when i knew i was giving her, her last ever feed.
rebecca is right - to start sorting this out sooner rather than later. if those meds dont interfere with breastfeeding then it could help prevent/hold off you ever needing to go on anything stronger!?
i hope things dont get worse chuck xxx

Kittee said:

Hi folks- not sure if any of you remember me but I'm back.

The new forum format looks great but I"m guessing my gut isn't.
The all too familiar symptoms are creeping back up on me. You may ask "how or why was I in remission for 3 years?" Back to back pregnancies. lol

Getting pregnant again just isn't possible...so looks like I'm going to have to make an appointment with my gastro and get some medication rolling soon. I am being Queen Procrastination though because I don't want to take ANYTHING for it right now because I'm breastfeeding. I have a 9 month old that still needs my Mama Juice.

Anyways- I'm afraid you'll be seeing me around here again.

*waves*

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Hey, sorry you are starting to flare up again. I have been in remission for about 4 years and also have started having symptoms. I was also pregnant back to back, but my youngest is 2. I have been having symptoms for several months, but kept procrastinating about going to the doc. I haven't been having consistent d, but switches from d to c. Somedays more of one or the other. Sorry for the details. Also have mouth sores and painful joint pain, stomach pain and cramping too.I finally went to gi doc and I'm getting another colonoscopy next month. I am not sure if I am starting to flare bc I haven't had consistent d. So my question is, does being pregnant help people stay in remission? Or is this just a coincidence?
Sorry you might have to stop breastfeeding I know that sucks bc I had to stop bc of new psych meds.