Considering pregancy

[fluffness]

We are considering getting pregnant but I have to stop methotraxate. I've been stable for a while but I'm scared I will flair up if I stop. Does anyone have any advice or any stories of what I could expect if I get off methotraxate? I'm also seronegative RA. Any advice would be helpful.

[kerryhannah]

Hi I have spondyloarthritis and I have come off of my meds in order to get pregnant too. Different meds/ condition but I was shocked how much pain I was in and had forgotten how good the meds are! After a couple of weeks I went back on them and we stopped trying.

I've now been put onto Benepali (biologic) which is fine to have throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding as long as the baby does not have any live vaccines for 6 months (this only affects polio). I'm week 4 into it and so far so good and am coming off my other meds. Hopefully we will start trying next month.

Have heard of others on Benepali for RA so it might be worth looking into if your pain does get unmanageable? My consultant was great and was really happy to chat through everything.

Good luck with it all,

Kerry

[farm123]

Mine is sero negative inflammatory arthritis and have gone through 4 pregnancies. First was an accident and on hydroxy at the time. Not re-started anything for 2nd. Then a ten year gap and on Gold which we stopped once confirmed for 3rd and not re-started for 4th.

Luckily for me I was one that symptoms generally eased whilst pregnant and for a while afterwards and was able to breastfeed for upto 9 months for the first 3. The 4th was different as my body had had enough and he came 7 weeks early and after persevering to get milk had to transfer to formula after 4 months to go back onto meds.

When choosing equipment think about how you can manage clips, handle height and shape on push chair, fastenings on clothing etc on a bad day. Farm

[fluffness in reply to farm123]

Thanks for your reply. I'm wondering if you flared after stopping the meds while trying to conceive? I'm terrified to flare to the point I was when I got diagnosed. Anything you might recommend to try to get through while trying?

[farm123 in reply to fluffness]

Mine were a long time ago 1988, 1990, 2000 and 2002 and meds have changed since then but there should be more pregnancy data available.

I was on hydroxy before the first and only stopped 3 months in as he was unexpected. Managed without anything until after the 2nd was a year or so old. For the third I was on Gold Injection and we read through the data and decided to keep going until pregnancy confirmed. I was going to go longer until the 4th but I started to deteriorate so it was a case of either getting on with it or starting meds.

Does your rheumy department have rheumy nurses as they should be able to help and guide you.

[helenv81]

Hi I have sero negative inflammatory arthritis and my little boy is 9 weeks old. I was on sulfasalazine during my pregnancy. My rhumy put me on this 3 years ago when I was first diagnosed as I'd just got married and it is safe to take during pregnancy. This may be an option you could try. I only took half my dose throughout pregnancy because I was so ill with sickness I couldn't keep much down. Some days I didn't even manage my half dose. Generally my RA was ok during my pregnancy. I rang and asked about breastfeeding and was told by the rhumy nurse I could breastfeed on it as long as my dose didn't increase above my currently prescribed dosage and the baby was healthy but he wouldn't take to breastfeeding so he is formula feed. This actually worked out for the best as my RA has been bothering my for a few weeks now and I have been able to taken naproxen and lansoprazol without worrying about breastfeeding. I'm seeing my rhumy in a couple of weeks time.

Good luck with it all and I hope you get all the support you need from your rhumy team. I don't feel I really got any from mine (one quick phone call from them when I was about 16 weeks pregnant) but as I've said my RA was generally ok and if it hadn't been then I would have got in contact with them myself. I guess they are so busy they rely on you to contact them if you need them. X