Menu

Ibd Sufferers: You Can End the Struggle

About Me

Ibd Sufferers: You Can End the Struggle

I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis eight years ago, and I was told that I would likely struggle with flare-ups for the rest of my life. I heard stories of other sufferers who had to eventually have their colons removed, and I became determined to not become part of this statistic. I was prescribed a daily medication that helps manage my condition, and although I don't like taking pills, I realize I need it to keep my colon healthy. I still experienced flares, so I began an elimination diet recommended by my doctor and found my "trigger" foods. I have now been flare-free for two years! I created this blog to help remind others with IBD that there is hope. You can end the constant struggle if you work with your doctor to try different methods of controlling your disease.

4 Things To Do During Your First Trimester Of Pregnancy

2 November 2015
 Categories: Health & Medical , Articles

When it comes to your pregnancy, in some ways, your first trimester is your most important. It is when you discover that you are pregnant and can begin making plans and provisions for the proceeding set of months. There is a lot of planning and discussions, a lot of classes and speaking with other mothers and mothers-to-be about their pregnancy. In a lot of ways, your first trimester sets the tone for the rest of your pregnancy. There are a number of things that you should do during your first trimester of pregnancy.

Make Sure You Are Really Pregnant

This one might sound like a no brainer, but many people take a home pregnancy test, see the "yes" result and begin making plans as if they were 100% sure that they were pregnant. It's important to find out if you are pregnant with certainty. Most home pregnancy tests can detect whether you are pregnant or not, just make sure that you use the test at the right time – 2 weeks after you ovulate. If you still haven't received your period, then you should wait a few more days if you continue to receive negative results. If not, then contact a physician about the next steps to take.

Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are essential to maintaining a good sense of health throughout your pregnancy, and you should begin taking them as soon as you find out that you're pregnant or, if you're unable to, make sure that you begin taking them sometime during your first trimester. Prenatal vitamins will supply you with many vitamins and nutrients that expecting mothers to be desperately needed. Of particular use value is folic acid. Folic acid helps in the development and prevention of defects in your baby's neural tube, which eventually becomes the spinal chord and the brain.

Health Insurance

Make sure you have good health insurance while going into your first trimester. Discover now what your health insurance plan covers with regard to prenatal care and delivery, if anything at all. If you wait a while, such as your second trimester or later, then the chances of you having to pay a higher premium are significantly greater. Switching insurance companies during the first trimester can be difficult, but it can be nearly impossible if you wait until a later date, so make sure that all of your ducks are in order and that you have an adequate insurance plan that works well for you and your baby.

Prenatal Appointment

It's important to make a prenatal appointment as soon as you possibly can. Although it is the case that most caregivers will not see an expecting mother-to-be until she is at least 8 weeks pregnant, it is important to get onto the caregiver's schedule as soon as you possible can. As preparation for the first day with your caregiver, write down the first day of your last period, so the caregiver can give you an approximate date of when your child will be due. You'll also want to give your caregiver a list of all of the genetic diseases of which your family is susceptible (on both your side and the father's) such that the caregiver can prepare for possible disease contractions. During your first prenatal visit, you will most likely receive an ultrasound at a center, such as EVDI Medical Imaging. The ultrasound will give your doctor a glimpse inside to ensure that everything looks normal and healthy.

Your first trimester is a very important time in your pregnancy. It is a time for preparation and discussion, so use the information provided to make the best of this time.