Treatments While Pregnant - Interstitial Cystitis Network Support Forum

ShelbySW · 12-29-2004, 08:24 PM

My husband and I want to get pregnant soon but we are concerned about my IC. I know how important it is to remain medication free, if possible, durring pregnancy but I would like to know of anyone who has experienced an IC pregnancy and what, if anything, you took to help with flairs, pain, frequency, etc.
Of course I'm taking Elmiron and I wouldn't mind stopping that but I don't know how I can function without my Oxytrol!! I work in a call center, I cant get-up to go to the bathroom every 15-20 min. like I did before! What can they do about pain? Mine gets really bad and pain meds are a big no-no... what about bladder instillations? Would I be able to receive treatments via direct instillations?
I'm so confused and now worried because I'm 8 days late (without intending to be). We wanted a pregnancy treatment plan before we even tried to get pregnant.

dancemomof2 · 12-30-2004, 08:03 AM

Shelby, I had to stop everything, including the Elmiron, and Oxytrol, Flomax, Elavil,,,, you see the picture. I was able to use Visteril for flares, and Percocets, as needed for the pain and flares. Everything skyrocketed after these were stopped, but you do what you have to do. i spent alot of timeon the couch, and at 23 weeks started labor. When my bladder would flare I would contract and vica versa. Then I reallyhugged the couch alot. Feel free to pm with any questions you have that you may not want to post.

ShelbySW · 01-03-2005, 07:49 PM

What is Visteril?
We are worried that I would have to quit my job. It's just a customer service job. Sitting does irritate my bladder but they have desks on hydrolics so you can move your whole desk up so you can stand and take phone calls. That will be good. I had to bend over and type at my last job if I ever needed to stand. That irritated my carpal tunnel! Not to mention that job was constantly stressfull. So I'm fairly optomistic about the new job. Were you able to work?
After you went in labor, were you on bed rest? Did you ever find anything to help the muscle contractions (i.e. bathes or swimming)? Did you go to your normal ob/gyn or did your uro refer you to someone else?
I am scheduled to see my uro on the 12th but I've been having a HORRIBLE flare so I'm gonna see if I can get in sooner. I mine as well put my Lortab in a Pez Dispenser because I'm eating them like candy! I don't like taking them but I havent been able to even sit up w/o pain pills for the last 2 1/2 weeks. Ick! I had to call the hospital's "on-call" urologist on friday cuz my doc's office was closed. He said I'd need a higher dosage of Lortab for them to be effective now.... so he called-in a lower dose... smarts I tell ya! To think... that man charges $200 per office visit... I wish I could make that kind of money and LACK COMMON SENSE!

**jaime15** · 01-04-2005, 09:27 AM

Shelby,
As soon as I became pregnant I had to stop all my medicine too. A couple times I had terrible flare pain and had to go to the uro. He didn't want me taking any meds whatsoever. The only thing he would recommend was heparin instills while being pregnant. So the next time you visit him ask about it for your upcoming pregnancy.
I did have a glorious 4 month remission after having my son.......

ShelbySW · 01-04-2005, 09:21 PM

Jaime,
Thanks for the response! It makes me a little more optomistic about the situation. If I can get bladder instillations I think I'll be fine. My uro wants to have me do weekly DMSO (RIMSO) treatments. She mixes Litocane in with it so it numbs the inside of my bladder. She said she'll have me do a mix of litocane and marcane for pain, wich lasts up to 8 hours, once I learn how to self-cath. If I can do that durring pregnancy I won't worry about anything!
Durring my last hydro, she did a DMSO treatment then did the litocane/marcane instillation. After I woke after surgery I had no pain! I was AMAZED! All I wanted was my Peridium (my body doesn't like caths). The Hydro I had w/ my old uro was horrible to recover from! I did have pain later in the day, about 6-7 hours after but if I had access to the litocane every day I could probably function "normally."
My emotions are on a psychotic roller coaster lately so maybe pregnancy will level things out

hehe I dont see how I could be any worse! My poor husband will need to get his own apartment for 9 months! It's a good thing he manages an apt. complex!
Oh yeah, did you have GI problems durring pregnancy?

BRIDGET-MS · 01-05-2005, 03:36 PM

Shelby
I Took My Self Off Different Med. Before I Planed To Get Preg. It Was Hard But I Wanted To Have A Healthly Baby. (i Can't Spell So Hang In There) I Took My Self Off Of Nurtion, Elivial, And A Few Others Non Ic Related. I Ttok My Self Off On The Med.s I Would Say Around May Or June And We Tried To Get Preg. In September And In November We Did I'm 11 Weeks And The Only Problems I've Had Is The Bathroom Thing Again. I Can't Say I've Had Tons Of Flair Ups, Because I Have A High Tolarance For Pain. I Know You Have To Be Off The Elmrion, Because I Get Elmrion Put Directly Into My Bladder And I Was Going In To Have A Treatmeant A Week Early And Found Out I Was Preg. So He Would Not Do The Treatmean. My Dr. Said Eat Right And Drink Lots Of Water. Well I Went To My Ob Monday The 3rd And Told Him That I Was Going To The Bathroom Over 20 Times A Day And Could I Please Have A Bladder Treatment, So The Ob Had To Write The Uro. A Note Tellinging Him It Would Be Ok And I Go On The 18th For A Treatment. It Is Still Hard To Beleive I'm Preg. But I Know I Am And I Just Have To Deal With The Ic Thing. The One Thing I Can Tell You Is Get Your Sleep While You Can That Is The One Thing It Seems I Never Get Enough Of.

Take Care And Let Us Know
Bridget

**jaime15** · 01-05-2005, 04:01 PM

Shelby,
Hubby will adjust.....just make sure he is available to get those nightly cravings you will be wanting!

I hope if you end up needing anything that the treatments do the trick.....big hugs to you and the baby....

Bridget,
Hugs to you and your little one too!

And congradulations!

ShelbySW · 01-06-2005, 02:45 PM

Thanks! I go in tomorrow to my uro to talk about treatment options and I will see my OB/GYN on the 14th. My uro is going to teach me how to self-cath tomorrow so I can do weekly RIMSO treatments at home (and emergency instillations of litocaine). I'm nervous! My body HATES caths! I don't know how well I will do on this one. I'm excited to have the litocaine though

My husband is going with me to the apt also. He's got questions for the doc and I want him to learn how to do the cath on me (in case I cant do it). This may add a very interesting chapter to my marriage!

janelle77362 · 01-07-2005, 10:40 AM

Hi Shelby,
I am currently four months pregnant and have stopped all meds. Most women are lucky enough to go into remission during pregnancy but I guess I was not blessed with that kind of luck. I have found that I am a little better though and can take Tylenol to reduce pain. I have also been watching very carefully what I eat to reduce heartburn and flares and hot showers help me too. You can always blame the frequent trips to the bathroom on the baby.

Janelle

ShelbySW · 01-07-2005, 09:08 PM

Janelle,
Thanks for letting me know! I'm sure I won't go into remission either

How bad is your frequency?

janelle77362 · 01-08-2005, 07:17 AM

Hi Shelby,
My frequency is now only once every one to two hours. If I drink more water like I am supposed to it ends up being about twice or three times every hour.
Janelle