5 weeks pregnant...am I gonna be ok?

Hi everyone. On saturday I found out I was pregnant with my second child.  Its been 7 yrs since my first.  I am currently on remicade and apriso.  OB gave me a prenatal but I'm worried I will not absorb it.  I had a small bowel ressection in 08 where a foot of my intestine was removed and I was given a temp ileostomy.  I was reversed 10 weeks later.  My GI doc assured me today that the remicade and apriso are "safe" during pregnancy.  I don't see the OB until tuesday.  I just hope that this pregnancy goes well.  I am notorious for being absolutely fine one day and in the hospital the next.  I'm just so scared about the health of this baby.  Just looking for some reassurance  .  Has any of the women here been on these meds while pregnant?  Am I going to be ok?  Thanks

Congrats!! many women have been on these meds, hopefully Stef17 will see this, shes the most knowledgeable, all have had perfectly healthy babies. the only thing with remicade is that they should give your last infusion at around 30-32 weeks (thats when the drug starts crossing the placenta) and then again after you deliver. I believe it is also safe while breastfeeding as its not secreted in the milk. apriso is a mesaslamine and a.cat b which is great. I was on lialda the duration of this last pregnancy.

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Diagnosed with UC in February 2009.
Diagnosed with Crohn's Colitis December 2009.
Flare from Oct '08-Dec '10 and Mar '11-present.
Osteopenia
23 yr old

Medication: Remicade, Entocort, Omeprazole DR 40mg, Multivitamin, Calcium w/vit D.

Tried: Lialda, Cipro, Flagyl, Pentasa, Apriso, Sulfasalazine, Imuran, Prednisone, Vit B12, Folic Acid

No matter how hard life gets, Just Keep Swimming

I was on Remicade my entire pregnancy and had no issues.  I would just make sure your GI reaches out to your OB to make sure they understand the importance of keeping you healthy and on your meds. My dr's worked great together and as a team kept me and my little guy heatlhy.

I can't help as I've never been pregnant, but wanted to wish you luck. I'm sure all will be well!

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Stephanie
Crohn's dx April 2003, in remission 2004-December 2010
Apriso, omeprazole 40mg, Cimzia
Severe Crohn's throughout the colon 12/10-present, but doing MUCH better, just not enough to claim remission

Bipolar I dx 2009
Saphris 10mg, Zoloft 100mg

Surgeries:
Cholecystectomy (gall bladder)-7/2011

You might be referred to a high risk GI, but don't be put off. Your OB might be extra careful is all. I wasn't on any meds during my pregnancies 20 odd years ago, but they know alot more today. And I've read some success stories right on this site about Remi and pregnancy. Hope someone with experience responds soon.

CONGRATS! Wishing you a happy, healthy baby.

Congrats!! Remicade is fine it doesn't cross the placenta til the last few weeks. They'll time it accordingly. I wouldn't worry about absorption unless you have a history of problems. I've had two perfect babies and amazing pregnancies. If you went in in remission there's a great chance you'll stay there.

Thank you for all the nice words.  My husband and I are very excited.  I'm trying to wean myself off of xanax as well so i'm really nervous b/c of that also.  I'm just so scared with all the meds that I have taken most recently methotrexate and 6mp.  I was on methotrexate last year and 6mp about 6 months ago.  I'm just constantly worried that I am or did harm to my body resulting in something wrong with  my baby.  I will try to relax about it and just listen to the dr's.  Thank you all for your kind words and for making me feel a little better about this pregnancy

I wouldn't worry too much about the 6mp or mtx, one of the dr's I was consulting with while trying to find a new one said that as long as there's at least 6 months from stopping it it should all be well. She was wanting to put me on 6mp if the Remicade didn't start working for me (it did finally) and when we talked about having another baby she wanted me to wait at least 6 months from stopping it before we could try for a baby. She's a great dr and really knows her CD. One other thing I forgot to mention earlier, the baby will get all it's nutrients before you do, so don't worry, he/she will get enough to grow. Just be sure to take your prenatals, those have a lot of good stuff in them for the both of you.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! First take a deep breath. The 6mp is fine. I don't know how long ago you stopped the mtx, but "they say" you should stop it for at least 6 months before getting pregnant, so if you took it last year, you're in the clear. Apriso is fine. It's a class B drug and works locally in the intestine instead of systemically, so it's pretty benign. Remicade is also class B. It doesn't cross the placenta until weeks 30-32 in the pregnancy. That info wasn't known at the time I had my 1st child so I had infusions at 30 & 35 weeks - 10mg/kg. She's my smartest, healthiest kid. They're all smart and healthy by the way ;) You can breastfeed on apriso and remicade as well. Remicade molecule is too large to pass through to the milk. Apriso *could* cause some D in the baby (as with all mesalamine), but I've never had any problems with it asacol which is like apriso.

You are going to be fine. And so is your baby! Congrats again!!!
Stef

Thank you all so much. I am feeling a lot better about the pregnancy now.