IC Drugs and pregnancy

[Schell]

I'm considering trying to get pregnant again-I've been pregnant many times before with many miscarrieges and after my life changing completly and having a support chain and emotional stability which I have never had before and for the first time in my life I know what it feel like to be safe in my own home. Last year I was cleared medically to try to have a baby, but shorly after IC came into play and was dealing with that we decided to wait and then I got extremly sick with some other major health problems, which I'm living on borrowed time from anyway and my last dream is to have a baby. This has been weighing heavily on my mind lately and now that my IC meds are going good I don't know what to do...do I have to stop them all if I get pregnant? I'm desperate on both sides (having a baby and staying alive and keeping IC under control) I'm on elmiron, atarax, ultram, vioxx, and vicodin. any suggestions...please help or if you know about the meds please let me know
Schell [img]frown.gif[/img] [img]confused.gif[/img]

[ICNDonna]

You might have to stop some of the medications.

Do you have a gyn? The reason I ask is that mine retired and I had to find a new one --- so I went to the one who spoke at our support meeting --- she's absolutely great and has a real understanding of IC.

Hope you're doing well --- I haven't heard when the next meeting will be.

Warm hugs,
Donna

[jaime15]

Definitely find a good gyno. Medicines are different in pregnancy. Some research has progressed in the last few years and I was amazed at what is considered to be safe now.

I sure do wish you luck in trying to get pregnant. And if your IC stays under control, half the fun is trying to have a baby!

hugs,
Jaime <img src="graemlins/grouphug.gif" border="0" alt="[grouphug]" />

[marni]

medications and mothers milk by thomas w. hale. the phone # is 800-376-9900. this book is used throughout the world on the saftey of medications for pregnancy and nursing has all the ic medicatations

[skb]

Schell,

Very good question. I was pregnant in the Spring (miscarried) and did as much research as I could on the drugs during pregnancy dilemma.

The FDA rates drugs by Class (A,B,C,D, and X) for pregnancy. "A" being the most safe and "X" being the worst.

But, the FDA is considering modifying the classifications to give women a better indication of which drugs really can be taken safely during pregnancy.

Most drugs simply do not have clinical trials where pregnant women were tested. This is obvious of course considering no pregnant woman wants her baby to be a guinea pig.

A group in Canada (the name escapes me) is asking pregnant women to report on the medications they take during pregnancy and through this they hope to build a more reliable database of which medications are safe during pregnancy.

I have heard differing comments on which drugs (if any) pregnant women can use. I just heard a doctor on "Pregnancy for Dummies" on the Health Channel say that most drugs are safe during pregnancy. I am not making this up.

Then, you talk to other doctors who say take nothing during pregnancy. I think most women err on the safe side and discontinue any drugs.

There is the possibility that your IC symptoms will improve when you get pregnant. I know mine did and have heard the same from others.

Sarah

[Schell]

thanks guys for your replys. I'm most worried about elmiron, if I could continue taking it and be pregnant that would be great. My husband does not really want to take a chance with my health and if I knew for sure about elmiron and pregnancy he might feel a bit better about it. thanks,
<img src="graemlins/blink.gif" border="0" alt="[blink]" /> [img]confused.gif[/img]

[ICNLesa]

Elmiron is a 'B' rated drug. This is from the Elmiron website. You could talk more with your doctor about the risks vs. benefits.
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PREGNANCY CATEGORY B:

Reproduction studies have been performed in mice and rats with intravenous daily doses of 15 mg/kg, and in rabbits with 7.5 mg/kg. These doses are 0.42 and 0.14 times the daily oral human doses of Elmiron® when normalized to body surface area. These studies did not reveal evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus from Elmiron®. Direct in vitro bathing of cultured mouse embryos with pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) at a concentration of 1 mg/mL may cause reversible limb bud abnormalities. Adequate and well controlled studies have not been performed in pregnant women. Because animal studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used in pregnancy only if clearly needed.