Pregnancy with Lupus...?

Hello Everyone. I hope everyone is well or is at their best today. Ive been with this group since June of 2012. I stay quiet mostly because I was diagnosed with Lupus 2 years ago, I felt alot of questions that are posted I had no answers too. Infact, most discussions that are posted, I to am curious to know the answers as well. Hopefully now that Ive experienced a bit mysrlf I can finally chime in and hopefully help other members out.

I am a mother of 4 children. Just found out that was 14 weeks pregnant. I am now 15 weeks. I couldnt beleive it myself. I hadnt had one symptom other than fatigue and i thought it was just my lupus. Since this discovery my GP and my OBGYN will not refill my medicines I am on. They a afraid of making the wrong decision. Meanwhile, I am currently wsiting a consult call from the hospitals medi ation msnagement team.

Does anyone have suggestions for pain managment and fatigue that are homeopathic and pregnancy safe?

I am so sorry, I have no answers for you. My best suggestion is to have your GYN/OB consult with your Rheumatologist . I believe having a team of experts is your best course of action.

Thsnk you Barbara. Im hoping for my doctors to come thru in a few weeks but its jyst finding sonething to tie me over until then. Its been a rough week.

What meds were you on? I took Prednisone with my first pregnancy which was shortly after I went into remission. I also saw a high risk OB, which may not have been a great thing necessarily since they seemed to cover more bases than was necessary, but at least I didn’t have any major problems during or after any of my pregnancies… Good luck!

You should be followed closely by your Rheumatologist & OB. Your Lupus needs to be managed as well as your pregnancy. I can just speak for myself. At the time I got pregnant I didn't know I had Lupus & ended up having a premature baby. I was diagnosed with SLE when my son was 3. Good Luck to you.... I wouldn't take any medicine without consulting your doctors first.

Plaquenil is safe during pregnancy, I took it through all of mine. Vicodin is also safe as is prednisone. Ibuprofen is ok. I saw high risk obs with all of my pregnancies so they should know what they’re talking about. Anti-depressants can’t be taken until the last trimester just to be safe. Tylenol is ok, sudafed for colds, I’m not sure what meds you were on but any of the chemo type drugs are not ok. So cytoxan, methotrexate, rituxan etc… If you have a specific medication you’re wondering about I’m happy to look it up in my big book of drugs…lol Take care, Annemarie

I have currently been removed from celebrex, tramodol, adderal, vicodin and soon once my script runs out of cymbalta. I am still taking plaquenil, triliptil, and my cymbalta for a few more days. All steroids have been stopped as well until further notice.

This really might be a blessing for you since many of those drugs are not that great to take long term. I first suggest that you of course speak with your doctors about options, i do not think you can take NSAIDS regularly but they might allow you use high motrin dose when pain is extremely high. I found and most of my friends as well that motrin at prescription levels or even otc for some, works as well or better than vicodin. I am not kidding...really i would still use it over narcotics if my i had not wrecked my stomach by not always eating before taking it. SO eat even just few crackers!

Here are things that have helped me as i am weaning off narcotic pain medication due to serious side effects it causes most people who use them long term. Epsom salts baths really help a great deal with fibro type of pain..muscle aches. There is now a otc product i read about 3 weeks ago that stated works even better than epsom salts ...twice as well or more!! Medscape might have it if you search..i am sorry i do not have the name but i tend to get most of that kind of information from Medscape..so search for pain, or epsom salts might locate it.

Acupuncture also can help with arthritis pain both RA and OA. It tends to help larger jointed areas better than small ones like toes and ends of fingers but it does as well on some people. Just use a licensed Acupuncturist Acupressure and massage or reiki and other kinds of body work along those lines are also great in relieving pain. I go get acupressure done on my feet during my lunch and oh my feet felt so much better...same with massages...have them work on specific painful areas..you come out like butter so relaxed and pain free. But you really need to find people who know their work or specialize in like fibro pain or arthritis. So try to locate people from a lupus support group who already are seeing the body workers. Never also feel bad to tell them to stop if they are hurting you.

Rescue Remedy..get the kind with alcohol tincture if you want..is a product i carry on me at all times. It just gets me through a very bad physical or even emotional time. allows me to regroup and or get home to take a bath or something to help me. I also use other bach remedies for calming me down but i still think a nice walk outdoors with my dogs is best for me...might be by yourself or with your husband and children for you...but outside.

Teas are great and i am amazed when i go to my local tea store at the things tea can help! Not all work but many have..such as aiding in relaxation or sleep. Some like ginger help with tummy issues or even kinds of pain with other stuff in it...but has ginger taste. So you might try teas and tell tea person like one that might give kick like coffee but since prego without caffeine and of course safe..might check online about if safe.

i also hope that you go to the Pain group on this site and ask your question there as well. Many might know it is very nice group and many are like me and you trying to find more natural ways to help relieve pain and other symptoms.

I would have hoped that your doctors did not stop your steroids cold turkey or your cymbalta plus vicodin. All 3 of those should be tapered off if taken daily or regular schedule. They could cause major complications for you body as well as how you feel!!

I think though that your problem should be a good eye opener for all women who are able to get pregnant but on drugs that can be very harmful for their fetus especially in the early stages...Even on the BC pills you can get pregnant...odds are what 1% unless you are kind of person who forgets often odds go way up. I am just saying might be time to have a discussion with your partner about vasectomy if you have children already. We tend to be in society where we think oh it will not happen to me but it does...just discussion might make all in your life feel better.

Congratulation first...and i do really believe you will find other healthier options...also counseling does help with pain. A happy person feels less pain...proven time and time again. Have you Vit D level checked..many people in fibro and other groups found that was main reason for their pain.

So i really believe there are realistic ways to help with both pain and being tired or fatigue ...you are going to feel it being pregnant..oh eat as healthy as possible, fresh fruit and vegetables. Take you supplements! I never taken anything for the fatigue...worked most of my life. I did need to get at least 8 hours nightly and often slept 10 hours.

I do believe you will find ways to deal with it...ask your doctors, call pain clinics and look at pain sites online plus pregnancy...good luck for a healthy child!!

Congratulations JME!

A baby is wonderful news..... Many Blessings to you and your family...