posted
I'm 23 weeks pregnant with my fourth child. I was diagnosed after my other 3 children were born, and am unsure as to whether or not I had LD during those pregnancies.
I'm looking for firsthand experiences of pregnancy/childbirth with LD and/or Babesia. I've had 2 of my 3 children at home, but I'm thinking I should probably go to the hospital this time around because of possible complications. I'm scared that I'm going to have a flare up at the time of childbirth, and I'm going to be experiencing the intense pain of Lyme along with that of childbirth.
-------------------- laFunk, diagnosed 01/05 neuroborreliosis, diagnosed 04/05 babesia; untreated, living with Lyme, currently in "remission" Posts: 8 | From Jamestown, NY | Registered: Oct 2006
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quote:Originally posted by lafunk: I'm 23 weeks pregnant with my fourth child. I was diagnosed after my other 3 children were born, and am unsure as to whether or not I had LD during those pregnancies.
I'm looking for firsthand experiences of pregnancy/childbirth with LD and/or Babesia. I've had 2 of my 3 children at home, but I'm thinking I should probably go to the hospital this time around because of possible complications. I'm scared that I'm going to have a flare up at the time of childbirth, and I'm going to be experiencing the intense pain of Lyme along with that of childbirth.
Posts: 46 | From hanover, pa | Registered: Sep 2006
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sometimesdilly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9982
posted
Hi La Funk-
I was 5 months pregnant with my one and only when an evil tick found me. I know lyme; LLMD and I suspect babesia; I am being treated for both at the moment.
I had 3 weeks of too low a dose abx. My initial symptoms went away pretty quickly. I had NO idea that lyme was any more complicated than that.
So, I birthed altogether outside a hospital- though not at home, you brave lady- tended to by a midwife who had RN assistance during the pushing part of labor.
I did not take any pain meds at all. Yep, it hurt, but not unbearably. We had no complications at all- not myself, and not my son, who came into the world with his eyes wide open.
Everyone is different, and in the scheme of things, I had only been infected for 4 months at that point.
For sure what you want to do, no matter where you give birth, is make sure your placenta and the umbilical cord are tested for lyme!!! (Since you probably won't be delivered by someone who knows a great deal about lyme, it is probably a good idea to arrange that ahead of time, so you're not having to argue about it with whomever during the first moments of your child's life...)
Feel free to PM me any time--being pregnant with lyme is a whole lot to handle. (PS- there is a Yahoo group that might be of help to you too, of moms/children with lyme.
Take care- Dilly
Posts: 2507 | From lost in the maze | Registered: Aug 2006
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I'm so sorry to hear that you're in this situation.
I homebirthed my first and only while misdiagnosed with MS. (Two years after my son was born I was diagnosed with LD. I also had Babs and Bart.) My midwife considered it a difficult labor although I still consider it the peak experience of my life - my hormones did their job regarding the pain even with LD! That said, it is pretty individual. Labor stalled a few times and my midwife had to do an episiotomy - very rare for her to do - she'd only do it if absolutely necessary for safety of mother and child. I was 40 when I gave birth, so take that into account, too.
My pregnancy was pretty normal. I do recall taking a nap in my car at work each lunchtime but that doesn't seem too odd for working during pregnancy.
I did transmit Lyme to my son however he treated very well with 7 months (from age 2 & 2mos to age 2 & 9 mos) of amoxycillin at the standard pediatric dose. The only sx we saw was a bit of a speech delay though it was hard to tell at that age. He did start talking up a storm two weeks into abx tx. If I were to have another child, I would definitely be on abx since I wouldn't want to take the risk of a baby who didn't cope with the Lyme as well as my son.
I too recommend the PregLyme yahoo group.
Being the angel that he is, I guess Dr. J might still be taking new patients. I had a phone consult with him to get information I could transmit to my treating LLMDs. Dr. J is *the* source for medicating LD during pregnancy. If he's not taking new patients, I know that he has trained other LLMDs so you could ask on Lymenet for their info.
While Dr. J said to consider a Lyme pregnancy high risk (i.e. hospital), my Ob/Gyn, an outrageously open-minded doc who was brought into the world by a midwife, said he would talk with Dr. J so that he could understand the risks and consider them vis a vis home birth since most docs consider birth a medical experience, if you know what I mean.
We decided to postpone having more children to allow our family to recover from the stress of my Lyme-induced extended post-partum period, so I never asked these two docs to talk, and so I don't have the final call from them.
You're welcome to e-mail me if I can help further.
Best, D
Posts: 261 | From San Mateo, CA | Registered: May 2005
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I am 37 weeks pregnant with my 5th (very unexpected) child. I have posted here in my earlier stages, you can do a search if you are interested more in my experience.
I strongly recommend you do a search on the preglyme site at yahoo.
Unfortuneately for me I have not been one of the blessed lyme preggos that feel amazingly well with the pregnancy. In the two weeks prior to realizing I was pregnant I had thought I was having a massive relapse.
I also have to factor in that I am now a few months away from turning 40. Many other women I have talked to that are "older" without lyme have said there was a huge physical difference with pregnancy now compared to prior pregnancies.
I began oral amoxicillin as soon as pregnancy was confirmed. I had major herx reactions so I switched to bicillin LA at the recommendation of a very prominent pediatrician LLMD.
I did 1.2 million units a week for a couple of months but would have to take a periodic week break due to herxes. He recommended decreasing the dose to 600,000 two months ago and since then I have had consiberable increase in endurance, less fatigue.
Unfortuneately I still have muscle and joint aches, headaches, nueropathy but are not what I consider to be herxing.
Herxing is not good for you or the baby and doesnt have to be tolerated with the variety of meds available. The ped LLMD does not recommend herxing despite what some may tell you. Dr Bs guidelines are different than what this ped LLMD recommended for me. He did not recommend labs for drug levels.
At first I was hesitant but treatment is still based on the individual patient response just as though you werent pregnant. There is no black and white.
I have continued to take hydrocodone 4 times a day throughout the pregnancy. I had a consult with my local pediatrician who greatly calmed my fears of withdrawal in the baby. There will be the possibility and there is always the worst case scenario, but she feels it is better to continue on the pain meds than to be nonfunctional as in the earlier stages.
I have forced myself to decrease the dose to 3 a day in the last week. It has been a stretch for me in tolerating the pain but I just keep counting the days down and find hope in that. My section is scheduled for October 11th unless I go into labor prior to that.
I too am very concerned with a major relapse following delivery especially with a repeat Csection. There is the chance of uterine rupture with vaginal after delivery.
I mainly made the choice because of my SVT and mitral valve prolapse. I also have a cerebral venous hemangioma that may not tolerate the pressure of bearing down for natural delivery.
I plan to meet with the anesthesiologist this week to discuss pain control options through an epidural catheterand PCA pump after surgery. I have found it is easier to describe my symptoms as fibromyalgia secondary to lyme. Most docs here have no clue as to the effects of chronic lyme.
My local pediatrician has also consulted with the same pediatrician that recommended the antibiotics for me. We will be testing the placenta, cord blood, foreskin (yes, its a boy!!!) at delivery for lyme, babesia, mycoplasm.
The ped LLMD has had great success in treating the few babies born with positive tests to mothers that have been on antibiotics during pregnancy. He had told me during one consult that a six month course of amoxicillin is usually effective.
All 4 of my other children have tested positive for the most significant bands of lyme and all of varying degrees of symptoms. I did not know I had lyme at the time of those pregnancies.
Even though the last months have been filled with worries, concerns, feelings of guilt etc I have least also felt empowered that I can make the right decisions to prevent transmission to this baby. And if not prevent transmission at least get treatment immediately.
We have done monthly ultasounds since 16 weeks and the baby is growing, shows no signs of abnormalities associated with lyme. We are also doing weekly nonstress tests to monitor his heart rate in response to movement.
He is slightly underwieght by 8 ounces for gestational age at this point but not enough to justify an earlier delivery date.
Feel free to PM me or email if you would like. Best wishes and blessings to you and the new one!
Cheryl
Posts: 204 | From kentucky | Registered: May 2003
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I discovered I had Lyme disease during my fourth pregnancy as well.
I had HORRIFIC symptoms, when it all first came out in me, as I had untreated Lyme(and several co-infections) for 2 years.
My pregnancy itself was normal, however my labor presentation was not.
When I was 39 weeks, I went in for my normal weekly exam, and to my complete and utter disappointment, found out I was not dilated at all, cervix was not ripe and still completely closed, but the head was down in the birth canal which was verified by ultrasound.
Well, so that night I woke in up in full-on excrutiating labor. I couldn't even walk. Having 3 children already I knew it was time to push. * I had slept through labor!!* Talk about chronic fatigue.
When I arrived at the hospital I was at 10, but the head was no longer down, he had completly turned. According to my OB who has practiced for 23 years, that was "very,very,very unusual" for a baby to turn when already in the birthing position, and possibly quite serious if the umbilical cord would have came out first.
Ultimately everything turned out great, as I am sure it will for you as well. HE is now 10 months old and is above average in intelligence and cuteness. He has no problems whatsoever.
So I just wanted to share my experience with you, in hopes that it will help with your decision.
Best wishes to you and your new little blessing! Feel free to private message me if you would ever like to chat! Take care!
[ 02. October 2006, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: Takedownthemoon ]
Posts: 89 | From Ohio | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
I didn't know I had lyme when I was pregnant. We now believe I did becasue I had Bells Palsy suddenly at 8 months. I had difficulty with swelling in my ankles and was put on bed rest. Other then that I didn't have a lot of problems during pregnancy at least that I can remember. I did seem a bit depressed for a few months afterwards though. Whos to say.
Posts: 547 | From Maryland | Registered: Mar 2005
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