Hi Everyone,
I'm hoping someone can help me? I'm looking for some information on Fibromyalgia and pregnancy (more the actual "labour" part) and I've been trawling through the limited info on the internet.
My fibro is pretty bad and I had to give up my job 2 years ago because of it, but we're getting married this year and want to start trying for a baby within the next 12 months (I'm also 32 this year). I'm cutting back on my meds at the moment with a view to stopping them in the next few months. I'm doing the healthy eating, vitamins, folic acid, etc and all the stuff that I can do (exercising when I'm able) but I would like some solid info?
Can anyone help me out here or at least point me in the right direction? There seems to be a leaning towards c-sections when it comes to fibro patients which is what I'd prefer as I honestly don't think I could survive a long labour when a 15 min walk has me completely exhausted and I am aware of the recovery, etc. But the doctors here in Ireland are not the most supportive and I want to have as much info BEFORE I get pregnant so I can bring that to my OBGYN when I do get pregnant.
I'd really appreciate any help you can give me
Thanks :)
I have Fibro and RA :)
Links:
[1] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/fibromyalgia-and-pregnancy#comment-535
[2] http://twitter.com/lumigrate
[3] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/fibromyalgia-and-pregnancy#top
[4] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/login?destination=node/393%23comment-form
[5] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/register?destination=node/393%23comment-form
[6] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/fibromyalgia-and-pregnancy#comment-537
Comments
Hi Petrice -- thank you for posting this very important question. I will let the people on facebook know it's here and then also send the medical providers I know the link to this Topic and see if they have some time to write some input. I also will get ahold of my personal ob-gyn, who had photos on his computer of what can happen to uterus' in people who have fibromyalgia (they get kind of 'spongy' and that then shows on biopsy after hysterectomy). I had him take photos of mine (his suggestion) so that I could use them as training tools in the future. And this is my layman version of it, but basically I wasn't aware in my 30s and early 40s about the hormone cascade that is now very well known to be what is causing much of the symptoms we experience with fibromyalgia. I was given BCPills to control unbelievable menstrual flow, and believe it or not I didn't know to ask for an ultrasound of the uterus -- I didn't know gynes had that diagnositic tool. They'd do my pap and that was it. I also didn't complain enough. I had terrible pain but had learned to deal with it from age 12. I had horrendous flow and reported how often I changed tampons but didn't specify they were OB and the supers and that might have made a difference. I think since they were male gynes they maybe really hadn't ever seen tampons for all I know. One retired just after I'd seen him. The other had to be told by me that he'd told me there were TWO fibroids when I came back in a month to see if they were 'fast growing' or not. Well, what must have happened is that the way my thyroid kicked in and out (undiagnosed until about the time I had the surgery), that previous gyne had measured in a time when my hormone system was more well behaved, because within a year when I went to the new gyne and the time it was out and on photograph, it had turned into a monster of a uterus. The tumors had pulled it over backwards so it was laying back in my colon and causing much of the IBS I was having. "Your uterus was a mess" I recall the new wonderful MD saying in my hospital room after the surgery. I'm glad I took my camera as he had meant to bring his and forgot as it wasn't his usual hospital where his office is .... now I can see WHY . And I blogged about my surgery (look back to December 14, 2009's blog about 3 years since my hysterectomy). I was quite mishandled in what Pablo Blanco has called 'mangling medicine', which I really LOVE the expression. And I had a long two days to sit there and think about how messed up the medical system is and it was part of why I opted to take the risks I have to create Lumigrate so that YOU ... people who have their head in the game and are looking for quality, progressive, valid information (and we try to make it FUN too!) have the resources they need.
Thank YOU , Petrice ... and all who offer comments below. Remember, those "Print" and "email" buttons below ... or links in emails as I do it, and on facebook, are ways to get the word out.
~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [2] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!
Hi!
I think it really is a personal preference. Yes, the C-section is a lot easier than a long labor, BUT you also have 8 weeks to recover and with FMS, I could totally see it taking long than that! With a regular birth, you could be back to exercising and normal activity within a few days whereas with a C-section you cannot pick up anything but the baby for 8 weeks, or until your muscles and everything is healed. It is a totally tough decision I am sure you will get a lot of responses on here! If I was in your position, I am not sure what I'd do. I am curious to hear what people say also.
And just a little FYI my mom has FMS and had 5 kids naturally! :) Hope this helps..
-Candace
Faith Young is the pseudonym used by one of Lumigrate's longest content providers, as she began writing at the age of 24 in Lumigrate's FIRST year on the Internet! In real life, this young woman who has been living with FMS for many years received her Bachelors degree in Health Education from Montclair State University and graduated Magna Cum Laude. To further her career, she is currently working on two Masters degrees, one in Counseling from Seton Hall University. Since she is a 6th grade health teacher working to educate students on the importance of being physically and emotionally healthy, we found it best to provider her with a pseudonym of her choice and "Faith Young" is what resonated. In the long run, this very real young woman has faith and hopes be able to use health education in counseling and provide up to date information at Lumigrate which will appeal to the younger people 'out there' and bring them 'in here' to Lumigrate in addition to our more mature adults. In addition, she is a LumiLiaison for Lumigrate.com and helps facilitate Lumigrate FMS fan pages on facebook. Search on Lumigrate and Lumigrate: Fibromyalgia and join us related to general and/or FMS specific information; Like us and those #s count with our advertisers and supporters and also allow YOU to keep up with what we're up to!