pregnancy and IC

[toniaE]

Hi everyone- I posted here once a loooong time ago but haven't been active since then. I am curious about all of your personal experiences with pregnancy and IC. I am 36 & have two beautiful children (both born in my pre IC days). I had resigned myself after months and months of horrible pain to accepting the fact that I would not be having any more children. Well, two weeks ago I found out that I was pregnant. I ran the gamut of emtions- disbelief, joy, fear, terror, etc....we were also concerned about the effects of the neurontin, elmiron, elavil, etc that I was taking on the fetus. then i miscarried....my hubby had an appointment to get a vasectomy next friday. I made him cancel it. I am just not sure I am ready to be "done"...but I am terrified of what might happen to me during pregnancy, especially the latter stages. I would be interested in hearing how pregnancy affected your IC...for better? for worse? stayed the same? I am now off of the neurontin, and am on a lower dose of the elavil. I will be interested to see how this effects my IC.

Tonia

[teelag]

Hi Tonia,
I am currently 24-weeks pregnant with my second and had been officially diagnosed about 5 months before the pregnancy. My uro and gyn recommended that I cut back my Elavil to 10 mg while we were TTC and continue the Elmiron. As soon as the test was positive, I quit them all. My IC flared at about 6 weeks pregnant and was much worse than "baseline" until about 14 weeks. The worsening seemed to definitely coincide with my morning sickness/hormone surges and probably the effects of the Elmiron being gone at that point. My main problem is a burning, cramping, pain. At around 14 weeks, things seemed to greatly improve.
I am now noticing at 24-weeks that things are starting to become more sensitive again. I am not sure if it is because I am getting bigger and the baby is starting to impede on the bladder space more or what. My gyn said pyridium would be ok to take, but I have held off and just tried to get by with the IC diet, tons of water, milk if I am burning, etc. Things are tolerable, but certainly not like when I am on Elmiron, Elavil, and Urised.
There are a fair amount of women who go into remission, but as you can see from this site there are a fair amount who don't or even worsen. I guess I just considered it a gamble, and am hoping I can just make it through at this point. Good luck with you decision!

[work it]

Tonia, I am 14 weeks pregnant and was very scared about the IC as well. I went off the Elavil and Elmiron while TTC and thankfully it happened fast. I am about the same with pain and only a few small flares every now and then. I know at the end of the 9 months it will all be worth it so even though 9 months seems forever I knew I wanted one more before we said we were done. I am having more problems with morning sickness then IC at this point. I wish you the very best with the decision you decide.

[Danielle2392]

Tonia,

Hi my name is Danielle. I am 7 weeks and one day pregnant. I tried all the medications and bladder treatments there was to try and nothing worked. Finally my doctor decided to go ahead and do the trial Interstim Therapy. i had the surgery on March 7, 2005. I had awsome results. My permanent surgery was scheduled for March 16, 2005. But Friday March 11, 2005 I decided to go out with my trial stimulator and someone ended up hitting me from behind. I had to go to the hospital and at that point is when I found out that I was pregnant. My doctor told me to stop taking everything and that he would see me in ten months to put the stimulator in. My symtoms have come back and they are worse than before. The doctor told me that the hormone changes might help, but in my case they have made them worse. I am not sure if this makes a difference or not but I waited a long time to get treated for IC because the doctors thought it was just my endometriosis for a long time. I also have the ulcers on my bladder. I will keep updaing as my pregnancy goes along, if you are interested. Sorry to make this so long.

Danielle

[work it]

Danielle Congrats on your pregnancy and I do hope that your IC will get better through the pregnancy and not worse.

[fireflicker285]

I am in my second pregnancy with IC. My beautiful daughter was born 2 years ago. My IC was pretty calm then. The pregnancy seemed to help. This time though I am 15 weeks and my IC is pretty bad. I am getting by though. Just know it will be worth it. So everyone is different with their symptoms. Some meds can be worked around. I have to take a low dose of paxil - 5 mg. even while pregnant. I did with my daughter as well. I am not on anything else though. I don't like taking the paxil but it is necessary for the spasms. They are very bad and I am afraid of pre term labour. Even though I have not had it. Just all the cramping is scarey.

So good luck whatever you decide. I am glad my husband and decided to have one more. I am 36 now and didnt' have much time left. We didnt' know whether to get steralized or not either after my daughter. I am glad we left that option open.

Good luck whatever you decide.