Pregnancy and MS, help!

[Leia]

Hello everyone!

I was hoping some women experienced with MS and pregnancy could answer a few questions for me, I am new to both.

I was diagnosed in Oct. 2012. I was having left side weakness in my arm/leg. My face looked like I had bells palsy, left side was droopy and my left eye was "wandering" it wasn't following my right and I was seeing double/was very dizzy.

Anyway, we wanted to have children and we (my neuro, husband, and myself) all thought it would be better to go ahead and try (after the relapse had passed) before starting interferons.

I am 5 months, due in Sept. and so far things have been great. My symptoms (very slight blurred vision,extreme fatigue, balance) only flare if I'm worn out or get too hot and go away as soon as the heat/tiredness leave.

How did you feel/do during labor/delivery? How were the weeks that followed? Did you relapse, how soon after giving birth? Did you have a plan as far as someone helping you postpartum? Or did you do it on your own? How soon after giving birth did you "bounce back?" How soon afterwards did you start/start back Meds?

Sorry for all the Q's, just nervous and don't know what to expect. Plus, my sister just became engaged and has set the wedding date for 10 days after my due date. She wants me to be matron of honor and I'm not sure if it's a good idea (I'm fine with just attending) or if I'm just "a scaredy cat" and will be able to handle it all fine. I don't want to be selfish, but I don't want to ignore my health either. However, I'm also told that I can't let MS rule my life.

Thanks for all your input in advance!

Leia

[tracibk]

First congrats! As you know everyone is different but I will tell you my experiences.....dx2002 and had my first child in 2004. Had a normal pregnancy, delivery, recovery. I have family close by and they were ready to help. And I needed them.....not for any ms related thing....just the normal having a new baby stuff. Had my second in 2010. Normal pregnancy but ended up with a C-section......nothing to do with ms. I had a relapse about 6 months later. I was taking rebif but did not take it while pregnant and while I was breastfeeding. I would say I was off for about 2 years with each kid. After my first child I would have been ready to go to a wedding. My second was much harder because of the C-section. Best of luck!

[SNOOPY]

Leia:
I am 5 months, due in Sept. and so far things have been great. My symptoms (very slight blurred vision,extreme fatigue, balance) only flare if I'm worn out or get too hot and go away as soon as the heat/tiredness leave.

Hi Leia,

What you are experiencing is a Pseudo-exacerbation.

Pseudo-exacerbations are self-limiting, unlike an exacerbation.

An increase of symptoms can happen when you have a infection, flu, virus, get over heated or overdo it. Once the infection, virus, flu is resolved, you cool down, or rest the symptoms will go back to what is considered normal for you.

If you go to the link below and look to the right hand side you will find an explination for what a Pseudo-exacerbation is.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...ons/index.aspx

Labor and delivery is different for every woman regardless if you have MS or not. Bouncing back is again different for every woman regardless if you have MS or not.

Fatigue is very common but again every woman deal with an increase of fatigue when have a newborn and dealing with children in general. Motherhood is tiring

I have two children and did not have an exacerbation (relapse, attack, flare-up) post-partum with either one.

I had help for the first week but otherwise I learned to live from 7am to 6pm doing it on my own as well as those many occasions that my husband had to go out of town on business.

I have never used the MS medications so that was not an issue for me.

my sister just became engaged and has set the wedding date for 10 days after my due date. She wants me to be matron of honor and I'm not sure if it's a good idea (I'm fine with just attending) or if I'm just "a scaredy cat" and will be able to handle it all fine.

If it was me (and it's not ) I would graciously decline on just the simple fact you will be adjusting your life for a newborn and are unsure what that actually means or requires.

Congratulations and Best wishes!

[lorib]

Lots of women on here have had babies so you should find lots of info. Congratulations on the soon to be arriving baby!!

I was diagnosed in 2004 when I was 23 and now have two kids. Labor/delivery were normal. I had an epidural with both kids and there were no MS related issues. With my son (my youngest) within 24 hours of having him I had some high dose steroids to help prevent a post partum relapse. I didn't relapse with the birth of either child. Things were fine the weeks following their births as far as my MS was concerned. I breastfed both babies for two months and stayed off my medication until they were weaned. Again no relapses during that time.

My husband and I live about 7 hours away from family so they visited with both births, but I was okay to take care of things on my own. It wouldn't hurt to let someone know you may need help so that way if you do someone is available, but there's a good chance you will be okay. Having a baby really changes your life so it depends on you regarding how long it will take you to "bounce back". After a few days I adjusted to life with a baby as you will and you'll deal with things as they come.

My sister got married a month after I had my son and my biggest concern was that my dress didn't fit so I had to get a new one and traveling with a 1 month old. The stress of your sister's wedding might be a lot, but this is something you have to decide. Since you'll have a newborn maybe one of the bridesmaids can help you out with the planning of all the showers and parties for the bride. I think you'll be fine at the actual wedding. Talk to her and see if one of the bridesmaids can be like your understudy so if something happens she can stand in for you, but otherwise plan on being fine. If you find out the day before you can no longer stand you can have a chair put at the front with the rest of the wedding party so you can sit down. She's your sister and she wants you to be with her. That is awesome but let her know you will probably need help because you will have a newborn!

[aitch10]

How did you feel/do during labor/delivery? How were the weeks that followed? Did you relapse, how soon after giving birth? Did you have a plan as far as someone helping you postpartum? Or did you do it on your own? How soon after giving birth did you "bounce back?" How soon afterwards did you start/start back Meds?[/COLOR]


Leia

I felt fine during both labors and deliveries. Something to bear in mind, though, is that many anesthesiologists won't perform epidurals on women with MS. Which is fine if you can tolerate the pain of labor, which I managed to, but not so good if you require a c-section or post-labor surgery. I didn't pass all of the placenta so needed surgery after delivery and had to go under general anesthesia.

I was fine in the weeks immediately following both my deliveries, but went seriously downhill within months after my first delivery. Since having my second son I've had one serious flare.

I never really "bounced back" after having my first son yet bounced back right after having my second son.

I started back on Rebif when DS1 was 18 months old. This time I started Copaxone when DS2 was about 8 months.

I don't think your sister's wedding seems unrealistic because of MS, I think it seems unrealistic because first babies often arrive late. DS1 was born 11 days past my due date.

If I were you I'd decline MOH duties but definitely plan on being there.

Good luck!

[limpy-doo]

Hi! Congratulations!
I was diagnosed in September of 2008 and got pregnant with my son in July 2009. He was born in April 2010. My pregnancy was amazing, MS wise. I didn't have any of my usual symtoms and felt better than I had in all of the months since my diagnosis. Labor and delivery were both fine and normal. I got an epideral, no problems there either.
The risk of an exacerbation is higher post-partum and 9 months after I had my son, I did lose vision in my right eye (optic neuritis). It came back with a course of IV steroids though, and honestly, I don't even know if the exacerbation was PP related or just stress, because I lost my Grandma a week before it happened.
Good luck! I wish you a happy and healthy 9 months!