Lupus Support Group
Lupus is an auto-immune disease in which the immune system cannot distinguish between threats (like viruses and bacteria), and healthy cells and tissue. As a result, the body produces antibodies that inflict cell damage, most commonly targeting joints, skin, kidneys and the nervous system. Join the group and find support for coping with lupus.
Hello,
I was wondering what your experiences have been with Lupus during pregnancy?
Here is my story...
I have a 4 year old son and the pregnancy was perfect. Then I had some health complications which the doctors said that it was a kidney infection cause by a bad UTI which I had no symptoms for. At that time I had an IUD and it was taken out during that hospital visit. I was then put on the patch and that gave me a DVT (blood clot). I was put on blood thinners and during this time I became pregnant. Everything was fine until my 20th week when I lost the baby. I was diagnosed with Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. A month after I lost the baby I started noticing other things. I had swollen joints, and trouble breathing so immediately I thought i had a blood clot in my lung. The hospital couldn't figure out what was wrong with me and they sent me home. Two months passed and I still had really bad joint pain and the same problem came back with my lung. I couldn't breath and I thought once again I had a blood clot. I was told I had fluid in my lung and they thought it was pneumonia. The doctors then asked me about any other symptoms and I was diagnosed with Lupus.
Since then (June 2011) I have not had any really bad symptoms. I mean I get the swollen , painful joints but nothing else. I went to a Rheumatologist and he prescribed an antimalarial medication that I have not started on yet. I just feel like I can handle the pain with the ibuprofen.
Anyway... My concern is that I will not be able to have another baby. I have read that its really hard to have a successful pregnancy with Lupus and to top it off I also have APS.
I was wondering what your experiences have been with Lupus during pregnancy?
Here is my story...
I have a 4 year old son and the pregnancy was perfect. Then I had some health complications which the doctors said that it was a kidney infection cause by a bad UTI which I had no symptoms for. At that time I had an IUD and it was taken out during that hospital visit. I was then put on the patch and that gave me a DVT (blood clot). I was put on blood thinners and during this time I became pregnant. Everything was fine until my 20th week when I lost the baby. I was diagnosed with Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. A month after I lost the baby I started noticing other things. I had swollen joints, and trouble breathing so immediately I thought i had a blood clot in my lung. The hospital couldn't figure out what was wrong with me and they sent me home. Two months passed and I still had really bad joint pain and the same problem came back with my lung. I couldn't breath and I thought once again I had a blood clot. I was told I had fluid in my lung and they thought it was pneumonia. The doctors then asked me about any other symptoms and I was diagnosed with Lupus.
Since then (June 2011) I have not had any really bad symptoms. I mean I get the swollen , painful joints but nothing else. I went to a Rheumatologist and he prescribed an antimalarial medication that I have not started on yet. I just feel like I can handle the pain with the ibuprofen.
Anyway... My concern is that I will not be able to have another baby. I have read that its really hard to have a successful pregnancy with Lupus and to top it off I also have APS.
I am so sorry for your loss. I know how hard that is. Even though you can't hold your baby in your arms, you still hold them in your heart...always!!
I have been through similar. I was diagnosed with Lupus after the birth of my second child in 2000. In 2003 I got pregnant again but lost the baby at 13 weeks. I was told by my high risk OB and my rheumatologist that I would never have another successfull pregnancy because my immune system saw the fetus as foreign and would kill it off.
Well, in 2005 I got pregnant again. I was on birth control at the time and awaiting a tubal ligation. That was the end of October. Christmas Eve I started bleeding and went to the ER. They did an ultrasound and said everything was ok with the fetus but took some of the blood and tissue I had passed for testing. When I followed up with my OB, she said I was carrying twins and one had passed. She said I needed to prepare myself because the other twin would not make it either. After living on pins and needles, in July 2006 I gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
The point here is that no matter how far medical knowledge can take us, they know nothing!! The told me way back in 1996 that I would not be able to get pregnant at all and I now have 3 healthy and wonderful kids!!! Only you know your body and only you know what your body can handle. From all I have read, if you are in a remission when you get pregnant, you should be ok!!
On a side note, I have a cousin with Lupus who gave birth to a healthy baby boy on New Years Day!!
Good luck to you and don't give up home of another baby!!
Thank you for your reply. I have faith that in the future, once I know a little more about how my body handles Lupus, I will be able to to have a successful pregnancy. It is stories like yours that encourage me to have hope and to keep going. I live in Germany right now (Army base) and it makes it that much harder here since the doctors barely speak English. I do plan to wait until I go back to the U.S to they to get pregnant again.
Tazesmom,
I do plan to take the new meds the doctor gave me but I have to have an eye exam before I start them up. I read the side effects that this medicine has and it's a little scary... I am hoping that if I do have any of the side effects, that it is loss of appetite since I can lose a few lbs! lol