Hello, All
This my first time posting so forgive me in advance if i ramble or make any errors.
I am 5 weeks pregnant and this is my first pregnancy. Ive had a bit of a tough two weeks since finding out. And was hoping some of you could relate to what im going through or give me some advice or opinions.
Il give you some history, i have suffered from ulcerative colitis for 9 years. 4 years ago i started getting joint problems too. 7 months ago switched from taking asacol to sulphasalazine in hope that this would manage both my joints and bowel. I was in remission for two months but my bowels started to flare again. 3 months after this i have fallen pregnant, joints were fine, bowels not so great. Basically since then my gp worried me about taking the sulphasalazine when pregnant, although id asked if it safe to take all along as ive been wanting to try. This put me in a panick and i reduced my dosage to half and been trying to ween off them for the last two weeks. This was a bad move as my joints are in agony and my knee is swollen. So ive been told to stay on my 2g dosage.
When telling my rhumetologist i was pregnant he ran a few blood tests & noticed my platelets are high 648 and have been for around 4 years!!! Never it being mentioned i was none the wiser. Now im pregnant im told theres a high risk of dvt. And heparin was talked about. With my past use of steroids i was diagnosed with osteopenia 2 years ago.
I have been told that the heparin causes osteoporosis as im assuming il be on it for the duration of the pregnancy. Im extremely worried about bone loss, as carrying a baby alone with deplete my bone mass.
My questions are, are any of you on sulphasalazine or have been on during pregnancy?
What about heparin? Does anyone take it with thinner bones or has had bone loss since taking it? Or has anyone got away with just taking asprin to thin their blood?
Sorry all these questions are running around in my head. And im going mad with worry for the health of my baby and in turn my bones and future mobility!