TTC and elmiron

[katie87]

I am in the process of being diagnosed with IC . I am having a "proceedure" as my gyno called it in 2 weeks to know for sure. I don't know which test will be done as she didn't say. I'm afraid it will be painful though. I feel in my heart i have it as i have had every symptom on and off for 4 years. I am 20 btw. Anyway, I have one daughter now who is 18 months . I would like another child within these next 2 years, immediately if it happened. I am not TTC as my fiance does not want to. My doctor told me that I need to get on a long term birth control ASAP and continue taking it for as long as I take elmiron . She said I could not get pregnant while on elmiron and there was no choice as to not taking BC. What are your opinions on this?

[stef000]

Well with elmiron they still don't know if it does any effects to the baby but of course less medication you take is the best.....
unless its bad for you to go cold turkey like with anticonvulsants and antidepressants......
But anyway......
So you want a long term birth control as you take elmiron to see if it works....
But you don't want to go on the pill???
is that what you are saying??
Well there are lots of options of pills and of other stuff you can use or go on....
Like theres the combo pill(estrogen and progesterone)
then the progesterone only pill(i take that since i flare with any estrogen so it helps to suppress it)
Then there are barrier methods....condom....diaphram.....foam....
Then there is the copper IUD.....and the mirena IUS....
There are so many options....really you gotta see which is good for YOU.....
Like if you don't want to take a pill then don't take it and see about the others...if you don't want something in you then don't have an IUD or IUS....
Really its up to you and how you want to do things.....
Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.....ok.....
heres some links to help ya out...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraception
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IntraUterine_Systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormonal_contraception
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrier_contraceptive
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaginal_ring

So that is a good start for reading material.....
I have been on the depo shot, have tried both the IUD and IUS, been on quite a few different pills, and even tried the ring........
so if you want to know about those things just ask.......
And also you should see if your allergic to latex (since a lot of people are.....and also spermicide is a common irritant too)
But thats simple to test that stuff out yourself......
But there are nonlatex condoms and they are still effective and lubricant that doesn't have spermicide....
So if you need any help with anything like that just ask.....
I am an open book and i have tried just about everything.....since my body is sensitive to A LOT of stuff....
so hope this helped.....
:hi:

[katie87]

Thanks for the help. I want something that will be the least irritating to my IC symptoms. I feel condoms have left me with a burning feeling in my urethra, but i get that with sex a lot too so not sure if its just a coincidence.

You said you tried the ring and IUD, what did you think of those?

[Charisse]

Katie I'm currently on 200 mg Elmiron per day and I'm pregnant. I have had two OBs tell me that Elmiron is safe for pregnancy. From what little they know, it acts similar to Heparin which is safe for pregnant women. True it hasn't been around a long time and not all drs are comfortable with it for that reason but there haven't been any studies showing an increase above the normal rate for birth defects either. I would ask your dr for more information about this. I know at least one other woman on this board who had a healthy baby while taking Elmiron too. For me it just wasn't an option to stop it. I tried cutting back and if I miss just one dose I'm in serious pain. Another option may be you try taking it for 6 months and then try weaning off it and see how you do. Also you may be one of the people who doesn't respond to Elmiron at all and there are other medication options (many of which are safe for pregnancy). I'm sorry your dr scared you. Hopefully you can get some answers on this board!

[stef000]

Yeah you might be allergic to the latex in the condoms since that is what happened before i had REAL problems with them....
Yup i have tried it all just about.....high estrogen low estrogen pills you name it.....
Now with the ring....at that point i was so sensitive to estrogen that even having it there caused me nausea and it felt like it was a spike in there....so i didn't like it.....but i am just real sensitive to estrogen that even my own gives me problems(like the natural estrogen coming from my ovaries cause me issues)
But this doesn't mean anything for you.....since i am just an abnormal case(my gyne calls me that all the time---hes often dumbfounded at how sensitive i am to things)
Anyway......
The copper IUD is best for people that haven't had kids since its smaller but the copper runs the risk of you having a reaction to it and also you can bleed more on it.....I ended up having toxic shock syndrome and almost died from it.....
But as usual...this is an abnormal case......and also i was stupid for leaving it so long since it had caused me problems right in the beginning.....
Now the mirena IUS was the best thing out of the lot....
It stopped the painful, nausea inducing period cramps that i had and also i hardly bled for the few months i had it in.....
SO yes it is good but you gotta get your doc to put ya out to get it in though......since it is thicker than the copper one.....
If you aren't sensitive to progesterone(some women flare with progesterone and some don't----as i said above i flare with estrogen)
I highly recommend the progesterone only pill if you aren't sensitive to it.....
Or a nice low dose combo one like alesse.......
Thats what i recommend with the pills.......
So if you need anymore recommendations or anything just message me....
But to be on the safe side try a pill like alesse and if it hurts ya then go to the progesterone only pill.......
Thats my personal view on it since the mirena is kinda expensive up front and also you don't know which you are sensitive to yet so i would go with tryin a pill first to see.....
I hope this helped...
take it easy......
:hi:

[kuni_bob]

I asked my uro about Elmiron during pregnancy because while I'm not TTC yet, I plan to one day, and I expect to be on Elmiron for many years. His opinion was that it was safe for pregnancy. Unfortunately, there is no real data available, so your doctor is erring on the side of caution. Depending how strongly you feel about the topic, it may be worth going to another doctor for a second opinion.

Now the mirena IUS was the best thing out of the lot....
It stopped the painful, nausea inducing period cramps that i had and also i hardly bled for the few months i had it in.....
SO yes it is good but you gotta get your doc to put ya out to get it in though......since it is thicker than the copper one.....
I second the Mirena IUS! I've had mine for ~5 months, and I love it. I flare much less around my periods now. :woohoo: I didn't need to be put out to get it -- they didn't even need to numb my cervix, and I've never been pregnant. Guess my body was just cooperating with a medical procedure for once. :lol: