Pregnancy and Rheumatoid Arthritis

[Jeiko]

Hi all, I've just found out I'm pregnant and was wondering if anyone else on here is pregnant or has been pregnant with RA and what their experience was? TIA x

Congratulations & good luck
I haven't got RA, I have OA.
Pregnancy may improve your RA symptoms as it suppresses your immune system a bit.

Hi Jeiko,

Congratulations on your pregnancy and hope you are keeping well . I have rheumatoid arthritis and have just turned 26 weeks today.

This is my second pregnancy, I was diagnosed with the arthritis last summer and my consultant has said it was set on from my first pregnancy.

Are you on any medication? Have you had your booking appointment? They have booked in extra growth scans to check the baby and I see a consultant every month or so.

If you’d like to chat please feel free to msg..

All the best

Thanks @Chelyanne yes I'm hoping my RA will improve during pregnancy but heard it can come back hard after you've given birth

Congratulations @Littlemunchkinsmummy How has your RA been so far? I've been diagnosed for about 15 years and yes I'm on various medication. I came off some back in July 2019 so that I could get some drugs out of my system before TTC. That's interesting to hear your experience, have you got a specialist midwife? I don't have my booking in appointment yet, I only got my bfp yesterday so very early days but I tend to jump a million miles ahead and like to find out what I can so that I'm as informed as I can be.

Hope your pregnancy is going well so far

Hiya, I’m 13 weeks pregnant with RA - diagnosed at 17yo 12 years ago

I have been feeling slightly better although feeling it in my hips a bit more than usual! At my booking appt the midwife said she would refer me to physio for later on and also an anaesthetist- though not sure what the anesthetist is for!

I don’t have much advice or anything for the moment but I’m on this journey with you x

Morning Everyone!

@Jeiko aww yes early but I understand, I like to know as much as possible too! It’s good to have some sort of plan in mind right..I haven’t seen any midwife since my first appointment where I was given my notes - since then just the consultant who checks the bloods/urine/bp and heart beat as midwife would.

@Loti92 sorry to hear your experience with the arthritis. I agree with you it’s hard with a toddler my son is going to turn two next month and he’s just a bundle of energy. How early were you induced if you don’t mind me asking? I had an emergency c section with my first so I’m booked in for an elective section at 39 weeks. Sorry to hear you’re suffering a flare up, the pregnancy symptoms haven’t eased up either :( I hope you feel better soon..

@MrsB2019x oh goodness you were so young. Hope you’re feeling well. My consultant has also referred me to the anaesthetist - she said it was in case they need to review my symptoms when I have the spinal block for the c section? I haven’t heard anything from that team yet but maybe closer to the time?

Hope everyone stays well and safe. Xx

Hi Jeiko, I’m 27, have had RA since I was 17/18 and currently 16 weeks with my first baby. I was previously taking a biologic for treatment after giving up methotrexate late 2019 (not for TTC, just hated the way it made me feel!). Our baby was unexpected so as soon as I found out I contacted my rheumatologist and they advised to stop taking the biologic. I’ve had a few flare ups but nothing major, I was pretty much in remission beforehand which might’ve helped! My midwife advised me to not suffer in silence so if there’s any time when I may flare up badly they can always give a short course of steroids but I’ve been lucky to avoid so far.

I have my 16 week appt in a few days and will have a follow up with a consultant, presumably to check all is ok with my RA too.

It’s reassuring to see a few people going through the same here - there’s a lot of info out there about TTC with arthritis but not a lot about when you’re actually pregnant! ☺️

@Littlemunchkinsmummy That’s interesting - this is my first so not necessarily having a c-section? I guess I’ll find out more as time goes on!

@Devonfirsttimemum93 Methotrexate is the absolute devil isn’t it! I was switched to sulfasalazine and it’s so much better, safe to take when pregnant too ☺️

Can I join here? 10 weeks pregnant with no 2 and was diagnosed with RA after having no1 (they think that was the trigger!) I’m already feeling very nervous about the potential flare up post having this baby!! Haven’t found pregnancy has made a difference yet but I’m quite newly diagnosed so wasn’t very well controlled beforehand to be honest- interested to read your experiences! And always here if any of you want a chat!!

Hi @EllyNC

Hope you’re keeping well! Mine was the same diagnosed post pregnancy and believe was caused due to pregnancy :(

I dread to think of the flare up - I guess key will be to accept all help! Our family’s live in the midlands and we’re London so might be tricky. I’ve also only been diagnosed since last June.

Lots to consider..

Hope you’re feeling well x

@Littlemunchkinsmummy thankyou, feeling pretty hideous tbh pregnancy wise but hoping it starts to ease soon.
Did you get diagnosed fairly quickly after birth then? It took me over a year- was really tough ☹️ I think that’s partly why I’m panicking about the post birth flare- because I had such a struggle after having my son, not sure how I’d cope with that again and a toddler and a newborn!!
We do have help nearby so there is that- let’s just hope the world is a little more normal by then hey!! Have you got friends nearby who can help, if your family are further away?
You’re almost in the homestretch third trimester!!

Is it quite typical to have a bad flare up after birth? 😩
(First baby so I have no idea!)

Hi @Jeiko

I was diagnosed with RA at 19yo. I've had 2 babies. My RA was amazing in both pregnancies. Really settled down. I had a flare up after my first pregnancy but I knew I wanted a second baby so didn't go back onto my meds (methotrexate). It took us a long time to get pregnant with my second so quite a bit of damage was done in that time.

No flare up after my second, so it doesn't always happen.

OMG thank you everyone for sharing on here, so nice just knowing your not alone! Sorry it's taken me a while to reply, I've basically only slept and worked.

As a lot of you have shared and I didn't in my OP, I'm 35 (for another couple of weeks anyway, lol), I was diagnosed with RA at 19, this is my first pregnancy and I'm 5 weeks.

The GP told me I couldn't take cocodamol for the pain and had to just have paracetamol. Fortunately I email the midwifery and they called me back today saying I could take it but there are risks so they outlined that to me. The phone call instantly made me feel better.

@Loti92 ah bless you for having juvenile idiopathic arthritis from a toddler. Congratulations on your 3rd pregnancy :) Sounds like although your 2nd pregnancy was more difficult you had good care. What a horrid flare up you had, I hope this pregnancy doesn't end the same way. Your children are very lucky to have such a strong mum :)

@MrsB2019x Congratulations! Glad your feeling a bit better, when did you start feeling it more in your hips? Mine's already uncomfortable, which can't be a good sign...

@Devonfirsttimemum93 Congratulations! Which biological where you on, did you stop due to pregnancy? Methotrexate is the devil in medication form! I was on it, first injection, then tablets, I don't miss taking those one bit. Even though my midwife has said I can take painkillers, I'm sitting here in pain not taking them, I figure it's only mild and it'll be bed time in a few hours. I totally agree, I've not been able to find much out for RA and being pregnant. Hope your appointment goes well :)

@EllyNC Congratulations! You may not get a flare up so try not to stress about it, it's just there's the potential. I'm very much a hope for the best and plan for the worst so just trying to be prepared. Plus being able to catch to me in a similar situation is fab! When I was newly diagnosed with RA I tried a few forums be everyone was really down and I decided I didn't need that in my life so I came off them and haven't gone back. Here definitely seems to be more of a mix :)

@ReallySeriouslyNope That's great to here your RA was amazing through both pregnancies. Did you have it well controlled before your first? It's nice to hear you didn't flare up after your second. We've always said we'd like 2 so thinking of not going back to methotrexate. Sorry to hear you had a lot of damage done in that time though.

Congrats OP. I’ve got juvenile ideopathic RA which started when I was 11. I’ve got two DC, the youngest is coming up to 3, and I had no issues with either pregnancy or birth (both VBAC) and I didn’t have any flare ups after the births either . It might be because my hips are my only joints which aren’t affected !!

@Jamjar77 That's so young to get diagnosed. You've got a brilliant pregnancy experience you've shared though and no flare up is brilliant!

I know it's a while off yet, but do you cope okay running around after kids? I'm already worried that I won't be able to be a 'normal' mum xx

I think partly because I’ve had it so long I never really thought about running after kids because I haven’t been able to run for a long long time! Seriously, you adapt and play to your strengths - it will all be fine.

@Jeiko Thank you, congratulations to you too! My hips started aching a few weeks ago but not sure if that’s also partly due to the change in weather. Hope you are doing okay, what medication are you on?

@Jamjar77 aw thanks, I'm just thinking there's no way I can run or play on hands and knees 🙈

@MrsB2019x thanks! Oh mines been a few days, mainly whilst it's been snowing and don't know if it's weather or something else. My other joints are definitely hating the weather atm. Currently I'm now only on Humira, I have been managing to control it before TTC with Humira and methotrexate and just painkillers as needed, although even coming off the methotrexate I've been having more aches and needing more painkillers. I'm normally on medication for migraines as well which I'm totally off as well atm. What medication are you on?

I was taking etanercept, been fairly stable on it for about 5 years now! But yep stopped it as I found out I was pregnant. I feel your pain, after saying I’ve been having minor flare ups it’s typical that both my wrists have flared up massively and I’m just taking paracetamol at the moment, which doesn’t seem to be touching it! But I’ll wait and see how that goes before speaking to a doctor I think! ☺️

@Jeiko Oh bless you, sounds like you’re having a rough time of things. I lasted a few weeks on methotrexate, it was the absolute devil. Then had to have it injected to resolve an ectopic pregnancy last year - I thought I was done with methotrexate until then! I’m on sulfasalazine, have they mentioned that to you? It’s safe to take while pregnant and has generally kept me stable for about 5 years now

@Devonfirsttimemum93 Oh no, I can't see paracetamol touching it, but I hope it does and your flare up calms down soon. I don't know how it works in your area but I'd strongly recommend contacting the midwife and asking them. They responded to me really quickly even though I've only just submitted my referral so haven't had a booking in appointment. Hopefully your GP is better than mine, mine have basically gone your pregnant, come off everything and it's not down to us to help anymore 🙄

@MrsB2019x I did try sulfasalazine back in the early days and we didn't get on. I am however open for trying it again if it's recommended as your body changes! I'm assuming that's something that'll be discussed with the specialist consultant... apparently I'll be referred to one. My fingers and wrists not great at the moment but hoping it's just weather related so will go soon... I say this like no other joint hurts 😂 they are just the most painful

@Jeiko you sound really positive which is great!! I let myself wallow in my diagnosis for a few weeks and then tried to put my positive head on! Like you i do sometimes worry about how it will effect me as a mother, but I guess we will just have to take everything in our stride and do the best we can ☺️
I didn’t get on with sulfasalazine either, but am now on hydroxochloroquinn- anyone been on it? It’s not kicked in to work yet as takes a few months but really hoping it works for me!!
Really lovely to hear some positive stories about pregnancy and post partum flare ups- thanks for sharing ladies!!! 😁

@EllyNC I was on that for a while, it was okay, it helped take the edge off but wasn’t consultant wasn’t overly happy with it so switched me over. Hopefully it works better for you! Just shows how much everybody varies as I couldn’t be happier on sulfasalazine

@Jeiko Hope your joints come back down soon 😔 having pain in the hands is awful because you use them ALL the time!!

Congratulations OP! I'm 27 weeks - diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis when I was 5. I've been lucky in that it's been mostly dormant as an adult - last flare up was about 5 years ago (I'm 35 now) and I'm not on any ongoing medication for it. Seems to be fine so far in pregnancy - except that I have developed really bad carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands which I'm wondering if the arthritis has exacerbated.

I had arthritis in my left wrist quite badly as a child and as a result the growth was deformed and the hand is a lot smaller than the other and kind of permanently bent forward despite the fact that the arthritis is dormant. The carpal tunnel is a lot worse in that hand - I imagine because there's extra pressure on the nerve because of the way the hand is bent. Very annoying but ah well! I'm sleeping in wrist braces and compression gloves and bandages and icing both hands before bed and that seems to help the pain enough so I can sleep!

I was given one consultant appointment because of the arthritis (and also asthma) but haven't had any since as the arthritis is dormant and the asthma is mild and well controlled.