TTC with Medical Issues

[berwar]

Hello all! I have been on the board for about 3 months now and have noticed that many people, like me, have medical issues they are battling while TTC. I thought this could be a great opportunity to start a forum for us to talk about our medical issues (whatever they may be) where we can connect w others who are in the same boat, we can learn, and ENCOURAGE one another!

My story: I have Hashimotos (hypothyroidism) and was diagnosed 6 years ago. 1 year ago they found nodules on my thyroid.
Decided to start trying in October, but started having nausea and being sick and exhausted. Tests have shown that my thryoid is underactive, nodules have grown and my gallbladder is only 27% functioning.
Now im looking at 1 if not 2 surgeries this year that are gonna put me out of the game for a month or more. Ill know more when I have my consults over the next 2 weeks.

Feel free to post your story below!

 

[littlefishygg]

Hiya. I have an autoimmune disease called lupus which for me mainly causes joint and skin issues currently. I was ttc for a bit about a year and a half ago but had to stop during a flare up because the main drugs are dangerous in pregnancy so I have had to wait until this month for my disease to be low acting enough to be able to come off the dangerous meds. My main fear around this is lupus raises my chance of miscarriage so I am realistic but frightened by this prospect

 

[pink_kitty]

Hiya. I have an autoimmune disease called lupus which for me mainly causes joint and skin issues currently. I was ttc for a bit about a year and a half ago but had to stop during a flare up because the main drugs are dangerous in pregnancy so I have had to wait until this month for my disease to be low acting enough to be able to come off the dangerous meds. My main fear around this is lupus raises my chance of miscarriage so I am realistic but frightened by this prospect

A close friend of mine has lupus and has 2 beautiful children! She at first had some issues ttc, but with blood thinners the baby was able to implant and she was able to carry to term. She had seen a specialist who told her not to ttc because of the lupus and its complications. Obviously, she wanted a 2nd opinion. The 2nd doctor said all she needed were the blood thinners and she'd be fine. She had no issues after that

 

[Curligurl]

I have lupus...but not the clotting kind...my lupus affects my joints and skin mainly. I am on prednisone, Imuran, and plaquenil. I was diagnosed after having my son so this is my first time TTC with a chronic medical issue.

 

[Lulle]

I have lupus anticoagulant (not SLE) caused by my antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. I also have thyroid problems, but not sure if it's Hashimotos yet.

I'm currently on Levaxin and aspirin, and will be taking fragmin shots when pregnant.

 

[littlefishygg]

I have lupus...but not the clotting kind...my lupus affects my joints and skin mainly. I am on prednisone, Imuran, and plaquenil. I was diagnosed after having my son so this is my first time TTC with a chronic medical issue.

That's exactly like mine, I am now only on a small dose of prednisone but I was on azaithroprine and diclofenac up until TTC but both are only to be used in pregnancy as a last choice as they can cause complications so I waited until I was medically stable enough to come off them to TTC and I hope that I will be able to stay off them as long as possible.

 

[Curligurl]

I have lupus...but not the clotting kind...my lupus affects my joints and skin mainly. I am on prednisone, Imuran, and plaquenil. I was diagnosed after having my son so this is my first time TTC with a chronic medical issue.

That's exactly like mine, I am now only on a small dose of prednisone but I was on azaithroprine and diclofenac up until TTC but both are only to be used in pregnancy as a last choice as they can cause complications so I waited until I was medically stable enough to come off them to TTC and I hope that I will be able to stay off them as long as possible.

I wish I was able to be drug free but it's taken me 2 years to get stable with my lupus. My doctor is ok with the Imuran and prednisone. I started off on Imuran then I was on Cellcept and the methotrexate and now finally back to Imuran. I have felt great since August so I don't want to chance it and from what I have researched Imuran is relatively safe during pregnancy. Either way I am ready to TTC #2. I'm 31 and would like to be done with kids by 35

 

[Mrs Eleflump]

I have Sjogren's syndrome and urticarial vasculitis, so I'm on a big bunch of pills too :/ I've een given the all-clear to start TTC but my obstetrician wants me to come off plaquenil when I get my BFP. I'm really not happy about this as the plaquenil is what's keeping me going!

Once pregnant I'll need a scan every 2-3 weeks from week 18, to check on the baby's heart. I have autoantibodies that can seriously damage the baby's heart, causing a very slow heartbeat, and can give the baby neonatal lupus. Plaquenil is also supposed to help prevent this, so not sure why I'm being told to try and come off it. They said if I couldn't manage without, then I could stay on it. As long as it's not going to be harmful to the baby, I don't want to stop taking it!

I have a load of other pills too, but no-one's said anything about coming off those

 

[Curligurl]

I have Sjogren's syndrome and urticarial vasculitis, so I'm on a big bunch of pills too :/ I've een given the all-clear to start TTC but my obstetrician wants me to come off plaquenil when I get my BFP. I'm really not happy about this as the plaquenil is what's keeping me going!

Once pregnant I'll need a scan every 2-3 weeks from week 18, to check on the baby's heart. I have autoantibodies that can seriously damage the baby's heart, causing a very slow heartbeat, and can give the baby neonatal lupus. Plaquenil is also supposed to help prevent this, so not sure why I'm being told to try and come off it. They said if I couldn't manage without, then I could stay on it. As long as it's not going to be harmful to the baby, I don't want to stop taking it!

I have a load of other pills too, but no-one's said anything about coming off those

I'm on plaquenil too (150 mg). My rheumatologist said I should stay on it indefinitely since it has been proven to prevent organ related flares. Is your OB high risk or does he have experience with autoimmune disorders? Maybe you can get a second opinion? I also have the antibodies that cause neonatal heart block...

 

[Mrs Eleflump]

Hi Curligurl Yes, my ob is a high-risk one (I don't know where you are in the world...in the UK it's not really normal to have an obstetrician unless you have problems, especially not before you're even pregnant! But obviously not all UK obs are high-risk), and he's had some Ro+ pregnancies, but they've all been lupus pregnancies, he thinks I'm his first Ro+ Sjogren's patient, which is weeeird! I'm on 400mg plaquenil, so maybe that's why they want me to come off, maybe it's a dosage issue? He did say my health may improve during pregnancy so I might not need to be on it at that time. I'm pretty skeptical though! Will you stay on it throughout pregnancy?

 

[Curligurl]

Hi Curligurl Yes, my ob is a high-risk one (I don't know where you are in the world...in the UK it's not really normal to have an obstetrician unless you have problems, especially not before you're even pregnant! But obviously not all UK obs are high-risk), and he's had some Ro+ pregnancies, but they've all been lupus pregnancies, he thinks I'm his first Ro+ Sjogren's patient, which is weeeird! I'm on 400mg plaquenil, so maybe that's why they want me to come off, maybe it's a dosage issue? He did say my health may improve during pregnancy so I might not need to be on it at that time. I'm pretty skeptical though! Will you stay on it throughout pregnancy?

I will stay on all my meds during pregnancy....but I may have to stop the Imuran if I breastfeed

 

[Mrs Eleflump]

Article on how plaquenil may have helped prevent miscarriage in a woman with many recurrent m/cs

My inclination is more and more to stay on plaquenil while pregnant. As well as for my own health and well-being (i.e. not having to stay in bed all day and being able to move without feeling someone's sticking hot pokers into my joints), the evidence is that it helps prevent Ro+ heart block and neonatal lupus, and now this too. Okay, it's a sample size of one, so not enough to prove anything at all, but I think this pretty much shows that the benefits can outweigh the risks.