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December 2016 Moms
ea301
member
Autoimmune Diseases
ea301
member
(If this has already been discussed somewhere, please kick me! I did a search but didn't see it.)
I was wondering if there were any other D16 autoimmune problem ladies? In 2013, I was diagnosed with Behcet's Disease, which is an autoimmune disease that can impact a ton of different things - brain, lungs, heart - by producing an inflammatory response for no known reason. For me, it's taken up residency in my small intestine, causing ulcerations and other fun things. During flare up, I had mouth and genital ulcers, extreme joint pain, bruisey rash, extremely high inflammation in my blood work (if anyone knows anything about CRP levels, mine was 236.2 - normal range is between 2-5), and some other things I'm sure I'm forgetting. Behcet's has been very similar to Crohn's Disease in my case but presents a bit differently clinically, so I've been sticking with the Behcet's diagnosis even though they are treated the same way. Thankfully I have only had one major flare up, and that was when I was diagnosed.
Anyway, I have heard that many people who struggle with autoimmune / inflammatory diseases like this see symptom relief during pregnancy. I feel about the same as before, but I've been thinking that it's probably just pregnancy taking over the everyday aches and pains I had before getting pregnant, so it ends up being a wash symptom-wise. I was wondering if there were any STMs who can tell me what their experience was in the third trimester and postpartum. I want to start preparing mentally for the potential of a postpartum flare up or complications during delivery... since my particular disease impacts my digestive system, I am not looking forward to any of this.
Sorry for the long post - it takes a while to explain these things
Thanks in advance!
I was wondering if there were any other D16 autoimmune problem ladies? In 2013, I was diagnosed with Behcet's Disease, which is an autoimmune disease that can impact a ton of different things - brain, lungs, heart - by producing an inflammatory response for no known reason. For me, it's taken up residency in my small intestine, causing ulcerations and other fun things. During flare up, I had mouth and genital ulcers, extreme joint pain, bruisey rash, extremely high inflammation in my blood work (if anyone knows anything about CRP levels, mine was 236.2 - normal range is between 2-5), and some other things I'm sure I'm forgetting. Behcet's has been very similar to Crohn's Disease in my case but presents a bit differently clinically, so I've been sticking with the Behcet's diagnosis even though they are treated the same way. Thankfully I have only had one major flare up, and that was when I was diagnosed.
Anyway, I have heard that many people who struggle with autoimmune / inflammatory diseases like this see symptom relief during pregnancy. I feel about the same as before, but I've been thinking that it's probably just pregnancy taking over the everyday aches and pains I had before getting pregnant, so it ends up being a wash symptom-wise. I was wondering if there were any STMs who can tell me what their experience was in the third trimester and postpartum. I want to start preparing mentally for the potential of a postpartum flare up or complications during delivery... since my particular disease impacts my digestive system, I am not looking forward to any of this.
Sorry for the long post - it takes a while to explain these things
Thanks in advance! 
Re: Autoimmune Diseases
fx for you to handle it well!!!!
@Gizmo1231 hooray for remission! I hope your PP recovery goes more smoothly this time now that you know what could happen. Maybe it'll be better than last time. Based on a couple earlier conversations, my doctors seem to think it's a crap shoot as to whether or not an inflammatory response could occur after delivery.
@jazminlee I hear you with listening to your body. If this disease has taught me anything, it is that you need to stay in tune with what your body is telling you, and don't push too hard. I appreciate the reinforcement - I have found myself pushing myself a little too hard a few times over the past weeks and I need the reminder.
I was also wondering if anyone had any insight into c-section vs. natural birth or med-free birth... I can see pros and cons of each type of delivery with regards to the strain on your body and associated recovery times. I don't know if one way or another is recommended for moms-to-be with autoimmune diseases and haven't had the guts to ask Dr. Google yet. (I am planning to ask my real life docs too of course, but wanted to see if anyone had advice.) I'm not sure what my "birth plan" should include, or if I should even bother with one.
I have an autoimmune disorder, but was diagnosed with it a few years after my last baby was born. Last year I got pregnant and ultimately lost the baby (not due to the autoimmune disorder) and during the D&C, they couldn't put me to sleep to perform the procedure since whatever they use to put you to sleep would exacerbate the angioedema component of my autoimmune disease, so they had to use a spinal block. I had no problems with the spinal block or anything afterward.
So far this pregnancy I'm feeling good, but am worried about the 3rd trimester and swelling and how that will adversely affect my angioedema and potential use of life saving methods like the Epi-Pen which will divert blood away from the baby.
Been in remission for nearly 11 years on immune suppressants but got pneumonia in July as pregnancy had lowered my immune system along side the drugs and basically my immune system switched off and my blood cells started attacking themselves. I've since recovered from the infection, off my immune suppressants for the rest of the pregnancy and baby is fine so far (25 weeks today).
Don't know if I will have a flare up of the autoimmune hepatitis before the end my pregnancy or after I give birth but we are monitoring my bloods. Also I've been told I can have a natural birth and could even go full term if I'm coping ok with the diabetes and baby isn't too big. Xx
Definitely nervous about what my immune system will do during pregnancy and then during childbirth too. They say it's tougher for diabetics to recover from C-sections if that is what becomes necessary. So far, pregnancy has been okay--I do have weird diabetic-only symptoms of pregnancy, but nothing like persistent infections, becoming sick easily, etc., that the autoimmune part would have yielded. I will definitely let you know if crazy things start happening during 3rd tri and then post-partum!
Unlucky for me I have other autoimmune problems to contend with which have made my pregnancy difficult but touch wood everything is going great now I'm off my immune suppressants.
Girl, I'm hoping the rest of your autoimmune junk lays low for the rest of the pregnancy! Yuck. Not fun.
I've been feeling ok in general, but having a little bit of sporadic joint pain in my knees and ankles. It has been happening off and on throughout pregnancy but it just started becoming more of an everyday thing recently. I'm not sure if it's a part of the Behcet's or if it's just the extra weight of pregnancy. I haven't gained a ton of weight (maybe 10 lbs so far from my pre-pregnancy weight) and I am trying to stay active to keep the joints moving. I might try compression socks to make sure it's not a circulation issue... Does anyone have any insights into that?
Everything is great with the baby, which is such a relief. From here on out, my high risk doc recommended that we do regular growth sonograms to make sure everything is progressing normally. Today's showed her measuring right on track, to the day.
Hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy!