PA

[cavansmom]

Hi Tammy,

So sorry you aren't getting to pick your date!  Yet, I'm so jealous you are on #3!  Agh!  Are you all ready?  Do you have a name picked out?

Ok, I've got to vent again.  Life has been so crazy here!  Went to Texas with Cavan to see my folks (my mom's time, I fear, is becoming shorter and shorter).  Cavan had the stomach flu, and I had pneumonia!  I went to the endo about 2+ weeks ago thinking my thyroid was now too low because I was SOOO tired, and my ra was bad again.  Turns out my thyroid was low, my iron was low, and 5 days later I found out about he pneumonia (which I probably had for quite some time... maybe 2 months).  Anyway, she raised my thyroid hormone.  It took about a week, but I was really feeling good.  I had about 6 days where I thought we finally got the thyroid thing right.  Now, I'm miserable again.... had to raise my prednisone to 7.5 to function today.  Now, I think I'm too high again.  The trembling in my hands is back, as is this lower back pain that the rheumy says isn't RA, but I had it for quite a while when my thyroid was too high... all very interesting.  Anyway, I have to go for another blood test this week, then probably another med adjustment.  I don't feel like I'm any closer to trying than I was a year ago.  On Easter, my husband's sister announced that they were pregnant with their second.  I'm very very happy for them, but I have to admit I'm quite a bit jealous.  I'm trying not to be.

Aside from that, we got a tile backslpash done in our kitchen, which I am loving.  Cavan got another set of ear tubes put in on Friday, and I'm already noticing an improvement in his speech (his hearing test was terrible since his last tubes fell out in Jan).  I'm being videotaped at school tomorrow by our district as a follow-up to an honor I got (one of the parents of one of my children with autism nominated me for an "everyday hero" award on the radio, and I won).  Really nice to feel appreciated, but I'm not excited about being videotaped!

Ok, enough about my stresses.  I'm so happy you ladies are due so soon!  I am thrilled that Denise's Enbrel will hopefully be a reality very very soon!  Keep us posted.

Take care all!

Lori

[jennifer]

I am 25 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child. I stopped taking enbrel before I became pregnant. I started to flare up a little so I take Tylenol when I hurt my Dr. decided to put me on predisone since I was still in a lot of pain. 5mg every other day. He just recently switched it to everyday. I'm still hurting a lot my ankle has gotten so bad I can hardly walk on it. I went to rheum. today he said for me to go back on enbrel 50 mg a week. I was just wondering If it's a good idea my husband is a little nervous about it. also should i keep doing while i breast feed I'm afraid if i go off it again I will get worse. please email me and give me you opinion.

                      thanks Jennifer

[Tammy]

Jennifer,

I have three children.  I have had to take Enbrel during my third trimester with the last two....I think I started at about 30 weeks with both.  My second child is 14 months and my third is 8 days old.  So far the 8 day old seems great.  The 14 month old is SO healthy...got sick for the first time about 4 weeks ago with a cold/ear infection.  She had never been on antibiotics or anything until that time.  She was far healthier her first year than my first child and I took no meds with my first. 

I did have one pregnancy/miscarriage in between my first and second child.  I took Enbrel during that first trimester and lost the baby.  I do NOT think the Enbrel had anything to do with it.  I think I wasn't off Methotrexate long enough.  I was thankful I was able to hold off on the Enbrel until my third trimesters, but had I really needed it, I would have taken it sooner. 

Let us know what you decide.  We're thinking about you!
Tammy

[jennifer]

Hi,

Well I took the enbrel yesterday and today I feel so much better. I woke up and I was able to move. some of my swelling has already gone down. I'm still on the predisone my dr. told me to start going off it once the enbrel started working for me.  I'm just glad I'm not the only one out there.


                  Jennifer

[Tammy]

Jennifer,

I'm glad you are feeling a little better.  I think it's important to feel as good as you can when the baby arrives.  I hope the Enbrel continues to help (I'm sure it will). .

Lori breastfed while on Enbrel.  I'm sure she will post as soon as she can.  I breastfed my first child until I started back on meds at 6 months...I was in the midst of a terrible flare.  I chose not to breastfeed the other two.  It was a hard decision but instead I went right back on Methotrexate and continued my Enbrel.  I knew I couldn't flare like I did the first time and take care of two, now three children.  I didn't flare at all after my second child and so far so good after the third.  My Rheumatologist told me I COULD b/f on Enbrel but not Methotrexate.  I was afraid to try it so I put the last two right on formula.  There tummies had to adjust at first which made me feel bad, but my middle child is so healthy I don't think it impacted her a bit...hopefully the same for my third.

Hard decisions and awful that we have to make them.  But it's so nice to have a sounding board on this site.  Good luck and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.   Keep us posted on your progress.

Tammy

[cavansmom]

Hi Jennifer!

Sorry it took so long for me to say, "hello!"  I'm in the midst of potty training $#%$^%(&* right now!  Glad to hear you got some relief.  It's such a hard decision, isn't it?  It sounds like you have a supportive rheumatologist?  I hope so!  It makes a big difference.  I took Enbrel throughout my pregnancy, but only "as needed."  I can't exactly remember right now, but I think I had 1 shot about every 2 weeks. My docs recommended that I stop the Enbrel 8 days before delivery as they felt (since I did breastfeed for 4 1/2 months) that would be best for the cholostrum (sp?).  I think since I was having a planned c-section that they didn't want me on anything immunosuppressant either.

Welcome to MomsWithRA.org.  You may find some more info (if you haven't visited it already at that website).

Take care!  Let us know how you're donig today!

Lori
MomsWithRA.org

[jennifer]

Hi,

Thank you all for your help. I am just amazed how fast enbrel works I still feel wonderful. A lot of sweliing has gone already.I haven't had to take any Tylenol since I've been back on the enbrel. I really don't need the predisone either but I'm still taking that every other day. I'm slowly going off of it.

With my other 2 pregnancy my arthritis didn't bother me like this one has. I never had to be on any medication with them. I breastfed both of them but not long about a month each then i flared up and i went back on my meds. after my 2nd child it was worse that's when i started the enbrel. I just hope i can breastfeed for a little while and not be in pain. but i will keep you posted.

[smiling]

Hi all -

Just found this site not long ago when searching for info regarding enbrel and breastfeeding.  I have pa - but unlike the rest of you have
only used enbrel on and off for the past 3 years - used alternative treatments prior to that.
My baby is 3 mos. old, and am still nursing - but can no longer function without meds.  What's doing with you?

[cavansmom]

Hi Smiling!

Welcome to MomsWithRA (or PA)!

The med decisions are so hard when you're pregnant or nursing.  Have you decided what to do?  I hope you are able to make some decisions for your benefit.  Let us know what we can do to support!

Lori
MomsWithRA.org

[jennifer]

Hi to everyone,

I have Psoriatic Arthritis I have had it for about 15 years now. I just had my third child. During the beginning of my pregnancy I took predisone for my pain. I kept getting worse. I was in a lot of pain. when I was about 7 months pregnant I started back on my enbrel I felt better almost immediately. I stopped taking it a week before I had my daughter. I breastfed her for a month I just decided to stopped so I can take my enbrel again I'm starting to have some swelling and pain. it's not real bad yet but I don't want to get to that point. My daughter is very happy and healthy. I hope this helps for anyone else is pregnant and has this arthritis.

Thanks Jennifer

[smiling]

sorry - haven't had the time to reply.
I'm also having a hard time following the discussions from
the opening page.
It is really interesting to read everyone's different reactions
to the medications (and overwhelming preference for enbrel!)
and also how and when people flare - before, during and after
pregnancy.
I decided to keep nursing while taking Enbrel - but am only
doing one shot a month.  So far it is working - but i also
exercise daily (nothing major, mostly walking or dancing)
and hope i can stretch the shots out even longer.
I had a hard time giving up nursing so early - hope this was a good decision and not just
a selfish one!
Are there any studies for women like on this forum who have chosen
to nurse and medicate, despite their doctors telling them not to?

[cavansmom]

Hi Smiling!

I have not seen any nursing studies with RA drugs.  In talking to my rheumies, the drug companies wouldn't want to take that risk, but it seems to me they should at least be following those of us who have done it.  My son and I were in a pregnancy study with Enbrel.


Lori
MomsWithRA.org

[smiling]

i'm wondering if it is worth contacting amgen and offering to be used in a study
if they take care of the blood work, it would be very interesting to find out what
the effects of enbrel are while nursing, and how much is actually found in active
nursing

[cavansmom]

Hi Smiling,

My rheumatologist knew a researcher at Amgen, and at least 3 years ago, they weren't doing a thing with breastfeeding.  Just the feeling I got from her is that they probably wouldn't.  It seems weird to me though.  I'm no doctor, but it seems like you should be able to test milk to see if there's Enbrel in it?  There's debate about whether or not it even gets into the milk.  One thing the researcher did tell my rheumy is that there's concern that the Enbrel could damage the antibodies (the important stuff we want our babies to get), especially the colosturm early on.  He recommended I NOT take Enbrel for 8 days before delivery so my colostrum would be ok.

Lori