Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Pregnany and remission?

deleted_user
deleted_user
I am told that many people experience RA remission during their pregnancies. I was wondering if any of you have any experience with this? And if not, how do you cope with the pain when you can only take very simple pain killers?

I am at the very beginning of my fourth pregnancy with my fifth child (yes, 5 babies,4 pregnancies, I had twins. I also realize that I just told you, a little over a month ago that I gave birth to my daughter. when they say wait six weeks, I guess this is why) and i haven't been fortunate enough to experience remission with any of my pregnancies, and have simply had to tough out the pain on tylenol, icyhot, hotbaths, and TLC, which was why my daughter was supposed be my last (although I guess she'll have a playmate, as her big brothers are 6, 6 and 9)

Cheers, and thanks for your input,
Aoife
deleted_user
deleted_user
I actually recently just talked to my doctor about this because my husband and I started talking about beginning our family... I'm sure you probaly have already heard from your doctor, but I'll just tell you what mine said and it was pretty discouraging. He said that only 65 % of women go into remission. If I don't when I get pregnant then he will put me on prednisone (No thanks) and that after having the baby flareups will be even worse and that we would discuss breast feeding (which I really want to do)... Anyway, it just sounded like alot of PAIN while you are already in PAIN from being pregnant... I don't know it just sounded really scary... I don't know if I helped or made it worse.. but there ya go! I also did a same type question thing a while back in the discussions I'll find the link and post it for you. Alot of people responded so I thought you'd liek to see that...
deleted_user
deleted_user
http://dailystrength.org/c/Rheumatoid_Arthritis/forum/5864643-pregnancy-and-ra

if this doesn't work it is also under Pregnancy and Ra under the discussion list
deleted_user
deleted_user
Thanks- I've actualu already been through three pregnancie, and I can testify to flare-ups being worse. Prednisone just makes me so sick, that I end up on tylenol arthritis. I'm going to continue to hope that fourth time's the charm with baby number five - I coulsd really use the break. I've had RA since I was 17. My eldest boy also has JRA, and like I said active twin boys and a new baby, I REALLY NEED the break
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi. I just joined this evening. I am currently pregnant with my second child. With my first pregnancy I seemed to go into remission until about 27 weeks and then started having problems. I tried to deal with it, but ended up taking 5 mg prednisone daily. After Shelby was born I was fine for a while but slowly started haivng worse and worse flares. This went on for about a year. Remicade helped me get off that path. I was able to stop all my meds for 3 months, then get pregnant without any flares. I was feeling great-until last week. I am now 19 weeks. The flare only lasted a few days. But I am very discouraged now. This is why I came looking for a site like this!
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