New and looking to get pregnant soon

[Petersen2013]

Hi all,
Names Michelle I have been diagnosed with MS since I was 18. It's been almost 10 years and I want to start building a family. Anyone else out there who has done the same thing or looking to start a family I need some advice my MD fell kinda short with information.
Michelle

[als5445]

Hello!
Same boat here, had MS since 15, 25 now and wanting to try for a baby. I was on Tysabri. We still have a month or so yet before we can start trying. What DMD are you on now?

[lorib]

I had my daughter about 3 years after I was diagnosed. I had my son 4 years later. It's completely possible to have kids with MS. Just make sure you have a good obstetrician and neurologist in case there are any problems.

Most MS drugs require that you be off of them for 3 months before you try to conceive. Tysabri and maybe others are 6 months. Luckily, my MS is well treated as long as I'm on something and I'm very fertile .

Sounds like your MS is probably well managed so now would be a good time to try for the baby. There have been quite a few posts about MS and pregnancy so you might want to search through those. Good luck!!

[AMac]

I was diagnosed when my son was 5 months old. I had my daughter 1.5 years later. I had read that during pregnancy is the best time for no flare ups. The worst time is supposed to be 3-6 months after birth. I had tried Copaxone in the very beginning but only lasted 6 injections and have not done any meds since. Best wishes building your family!

[goodsea]

I was diagnosed when I was 30, married at 32, went off of medicine to TTC and had my first daughter at 33. It was very easy to conceive! I breastfed against advice, but stopped after 6 months when I started getting ye 'ol symptoms again, and went back on the medicine.

Then...for baby #2, I had secondary infertility! NOT related to MS at all. Life. I had gone off of medicine to TTC thinking it was going to be a breeze...then 5.5 years, 5 IUIs and 1 IVF and 1 miscarriage later, I gave up and accepted that we'd only have one child...and was sure I needed to get back on the meds...I went back on Copaxone (advice of dr was, if you find out you're pregnant, you can just go off of it, vs. Betaseron which would cause spontaneous abortion), and after 2 mos on Copaxone, completely naturally, I got pregnant! This is my little miracle baby...she's 4 now. :-)

As an aside, I didn't want to go off the Copaxone because I credited it for getting pg. LOL! My neuro said...no, get off of it, don't be crazy.

I have 2 beautiful daughters ages 10 and 4-almost-5. :-)

[there]

Getting pregnant and giving birth is the easy part no difference. It is taking care of the child for the next couple of decades with a chronically disabling disease that you need to worry about. I am surprised that so many women worry about the pregnancy and not at all whether they will be able to care for a child.

[DonnaD]

I was DXed shortly after I got engaged. I've had 5 kids since . I would have had more if the MS didn't limit my energy. After the last two I stayed in the hospital for 5 days and got IV immunoglobulin and again once after 3 months and 6. I was taking copaxone and stopped when I got pregnant and while I was nursing (about a year) but a friend of mine really researched the copaxone and convinced her neuro that copaxone is all natural so she kept taking it while pregnant. She stopped taking it when she was nursing.

I never had a flareup when I was pregnant or nursing. You may not end up being supermom/superwoman but you can have kids with MS

[Dale76]

Getting pregnant and giving birth is the easy part no difference. It is taking care of the child for the next couple of decades with a chronically disabling disease that you need to worry about. I am surprised that so many women worry about the pregnancy and not at all whether they will be able to care for a child.

Ditto, I have a 6 year old and constantly feel like a lousy dad despite my best efforts. It causes me a great deal of stress daily that I can't do the things I wish with him and also the fact that I will likely die before he moves out of home.... That is not the start I want him to have in life.

I guess we are all different and if you have a mild case these issues may not apply to you. I think it should be a consideration thought, you have to think of the life you can provide for your child.

[DonnaD]

Just noticed that the original post is almost a year old - doesn't matter so much cause other women will use the info. I did post an answer here already just something I noticed. the OP wrote "I need some advice my MD fell kinda short with information. " I hope you mean neuro not regular MD, though I have no idea why a neuro wouldn't have answers for you. When I had my first child my OB called the anesthesiologist at the hospital who told him he wouldn't give me an epidural and if I needed a c-section they'd have to put me to sleep for it. So I had four kids without an epidural cause I thought I'd never regain feeling (not so terrible, I have quick labors). When I was pregnant with my fifth I actually asked my neuro and he said - No problem to have an epidural. Well my 5th was born even faster and when I asked for my epidural they told me I'm too late and should start pushing .