Lupus

[DohaRose]

Hello All!


Does anyone here have lupus and are currently pregnant? I am 22 and I have been diagnosed with lupus, RA, and fibromyalgia a few years ago. I have never been on any medication and my lupus has been in remission for over a year now. I scheduled an appointment with the rheumatologist for next week, although I have felt pretty okay for the most part, just the recurring lupus rash on my arms that is so dang itchy! I just wanted to see if any of you ladies have lupus as well and how has your pregnancy been? The more I read online the more it worries me. I see a lot of talk about pre term labor caused by lupus and kidney issues during pregnancy, which scares me as a first time mom. Has this been the case with any of you ladies? Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Morgause]

I have lupus and I'm currently pregnant in week 7. It's my 2. pregnancy, but my 1. went so badly that the doctors advised strongly against more pregnancies for a lot of years (twins, born i week 25, lost one child, was seriously ill for years after). Finally, last year my blood work was good enough for me to try again.

I will not scare you with details of my first pregnancy, because all lupus pregnancies are different, and a lot of women with lupus have fine pregnancies and healthy babies. Mine went so bad for several reasons: My lupus was not in remission and the pregnancy wasn't planned. It was a twin pregnancy and a first time pregnancy, both of which ups the risk. Further more, I did not have the usual symptoms when things started to get wrong, and I didn't trust myself enough when the doctors told me everything was ok, even though I felt it was not, so the doctors didn't handle things in time.

First of all: Do not start a pregnancy without being in remission. Make sure your blood work is ok. Second: Take all the rest you need, stay out of the sun - trust me: It's better to be too careful than to look back and wonder if this little thing or that could have changed a horrible outcome. Thirdly, keep a detailed diary of how you are doing, and make sure you know the date of your last period. I wasn't keeping notes since I wasn't planning a pregnancy and when my children didn't grow as they ought to because of preeclampsia, the doctor just though they were younger, than I thought. The right date is crucial to know. If the doctors are in doubt of something you will be thankful for being able to document your worries.

I know that some of what I've written probably sounds scary, but just remember that if you are in remission, behave responsible and take good care of yourself, odds are that you will have a fine pregnancy. As you see, I jumped to try again as soon as the doctors thought it relatively safe. Be sure, though, that you have support around you. When the pregnancy tiredness hits on top of the lupus fatigue, you will not get much done.