Anyone with Crohn's disease...please help?

Question

I am seven months pregnant and feel like I am starting to get my first flare since my surgery in September. Anyone who has been through this that can give me advice, I would appreciate.

Answer 1

In the late stages of Pregnancy more pressure is placed on your bowels and intestines, and they become cramped and for people that already suffer from Crohns etc it can be very uncomfortable. You should eat smaller meals more often during the day and stick to foods that are easy to digest and are low in fat, sugar and salt. make sure you get foods that contain fibre and you may even try adding a small amount of a fibre supplement if you think you are not eating enough. drink plenty of water and try to eat your meals at the same time each day, leaving long periods between meals makes it worse.
I have suffered for many many years with Crohns and other problems. Unfortunately you may have to grin and bear it for a few more months. just eat easy to digest foods. and stay away from corn and nuts.

Answer 2

Stress, both physical and mental, brings on flareups of crohn's. I recall having a flareup when I was pregnant, too. I asked my OB about taking Imodium for diarhea. He told me no imodium, but prescribed paregoric for the runs. Concerned about the opiate in the drug, I asked him why he chose it. He stated that it was very effective in treating diarhea, and the drug works thru the mother's body very quickly, reducing the risk of harm to the fetus. It worked like a charm.

Crohn's is a bich, I know. I've had it since the birth of my first child in 1986. The gastro doc said the stress of labor on my body possibly brought it on. After I finally got treated (prescribed Asacol) I went into remission, with only occasional flareups.

I had been in total remission until my twins were born in 1992. Had a flareup then, too. So far, the meds help after I've taken them a few days.

In 1999 I had to have a hysterectomy. I had been in total remission for at least 5 years! Came home after the hysterectomy with the worst Crohn's flareup I ever had. I was bedridden for 9 days.

Talk to your OB dr. about your problems and concerns before your flareup gets too bad. Good luck to you, dear. My thoughts are with you.