Worried and need support

[Ren]

Hello,
My name is Ren and I am new to this forum. I have had mild crohns in the small and large bowel for 10 years since age 23. I just recently had my first child 10 months ago and fell ill in october. Things started getting really bad in November. I was under a lot of stress and my family was all up in arms about planning a baptism and christmas. I need to learn to let go of their negativity.

Anyways, I have been miserable. Besides the fact that it makes you feel like crap, My baby is the one who also suffers. I am home with him for two more months and I hardly have any energy or motivation to take care of him or play with him. I finally saw my doctor today. Was soooo worried he would put me back on prednisone and stop breastfeeding. He said that stopping breastfeeding could make it worse and that it actually helped to breastfeed. he was certainly surprised that I flared 8 months post birth instead of in the first 3, which is common.

So, my treatment for now is imodium (half a caplet) and salofalk. Both of these are not supposed to be harmful to baby. But I still worry... My colonoscopy is usually every 5 years but he decided to do it now. Is it because he is worried about cancer? Need to stay postive. My husband doesn't know what to say and it always ragging on me that i don't take care of myself or make meals every night. I can't get him to understand that food makes me ill right now. Sometimes i need help. Am I being a baby to ask for help? I sure wish that he wouldn't say things like that. He said this morning that I am not the only sick person in the world as he left to go to work. I get severe cold chills and he feels me and says, Your lying, you are not cold. That is soooo frustrating.

Does anyone else have less than supportive spouses or S/O? Also, anyone else have a small baby they are still breastfeeding and what has been your experience. I really appreciate hearing your stories and any advice you have.

Thanks for listening. I hope people are having one of their better days today!!

Ren

 

[CrohnsHobo]

Sorry to hear about the less than supportive S/O. Great support community here.

I wouldn't worry about the Colonoscopy and Cancer. I have mine much more frequent than 5 years (had two last year).

 

[imisspopcorn]

:welcome: Ren

I really relalte to you. I wasn't diagnosed until after my first baby was about a year old. And was having symptoms about 6 months post-partum.....I would have teeth chattering chills and such aches in my knees. My husband thought I was a drama queen. ( I found tylenol helps with those symptoms^)

Now, 12 years later, he finally gets it....He is understanding but doesn't understand.......

I understand you wanting to continue nursing your precious baby. The thing is, you need to be healthy so you can love and nuture her/him in other ways as well. If the meds aren't relieving your symptoms, maybe you need to consider something stronger.

Good luck and if you have any questions just ask...

 

[Peaches]

I'm right there with you also Ren!! I flared during the pregnancy of my second child and had to be on prednisone 2/3 of my pregnancy. I really wanted to breastfeed as I did this with my first child. Well, my body just did not want to cooperate! I was so sick (with the flare) and really exhausted all the time and I can remember crying because I felt like I wasn't producing enough milk for my baby. I could produce gallons it seemed with the first pregnancy - but really had trouble the second time around. I also had post pardum depression for a short period as well. My GI doc finally talked me into switching to bottle feeding and just trying to take care of myself so I could be there for my baby. This also allowed them to switch my meds around as well - which helped get things under better control for me. So, sometimes letting the baby bottle feed helps BOTH of you in the end, especially if you are having active disease. It can make you so fatigued as well as sick. And I wouldn't worry about the scope. I recently read back through 13 years of my medical records and almost every single visit I had with my GI doc where she thought my disease was getting worse - she writes that if I didn't turn a corner soon - she was going to do a scope. I think they just use it to assess the activity level of your disease. I hope you can get everything figured out - and LOVE that baby while you are still able to be home with him. They grow up so fast!

 

[GirlFriday]

Hi Ren, and welcome to the forum! So sorry to hear that yu aren't feeling well and that your husband is not being supportive. Please try not to worry too much about taking immodium and salofalk while you are breastfeeding. You need to be healthy for your baby to be happy. My husband and I will be trying for a baby very soon and the whole time I am pregnant I am going to be taking 6 MP (an immunosupresant) salofalk and entocourt (a steroid) every day. It isn't ideal, but as my Doctor said, it is better for the baby to absorb a little bit of this medication than to risk being starved while I am pregnant or have me needing surgery with a newborn baby. Good luck Ren - keep fighting this for both you and your baby!

 

[metahi]

Hi Ren - I had to stop breastfeeding my second b/c I was in the middle of a flare and my GI put me on Cipro & Flagyl which are a no go with breastfeeding. I was upset that I had to stop after 6 months b/c I nursed my first for a year, but in the long run, healthy me is a much better mom that achy, chilled, exhausted me. I also echo Tylenol - it was amazing that is helped as much as it did with the aches and chills, I relied upon it heavily