Immune/NK issues - aka Pred Thread no. 22!

that supposed to say “didn’t put you on”

@Hopeful07 can I ask why Mr S did put you on steroids and Hydroxy? I know that the combination of both drugs works well for many ladies. Also I had 6 MCs and two of them under Mr S, don’t worry you just need to keep going, sending positive energy xx

Sorry wasnt online for quite sometime now, takes me some time to come out of all this..Having been taking hydroxy for more than 6 months now (lot of delays due to various reasons to start this cycle) jus to check whether it ll do the trick for me..but ended up with a bfn :-(
@DaniMERL and @Megan234 - thanks for ur kind words..i try to be positive but can never take that fear out of my mind that i might fail this time too after having 7 miscarriages..
@KittyKatSmile - great news, its a fantastic thing to see the heartbeat in the early scan..Dont worry mcuh about the intralipids, as others said Mr.S dont even prescribe it for NHS patients and many have success..
Welcome to the new ladies those who have joined..Good luck in your journey!!

@KittyKatSmile & @Belarita - I think I might be in the minority that doesn't mind his manner! I think I've sat in front of so many Consultants & Nurses before seeing Mr S, that have said such shit things to me/us (often without realising) About my age, nothing is wrong - just have more sex (!!) and miscarriage comments etc, that I actually like his straight talking :) But I totally get how it can throw some people, he does tell you how it is!

@Belarita I have giggled at your description of the bedside manner; I've been trying not to comment on it now that I've moved onto pastures new as I don't want to sound like a bitter old cow (I am all of those things!) but yes, we should all focus on the fact that he does incredible work

On your tracking question, I was using Ava, the tracker sold to desperate women who like to pour money after hope It never said anything different to the free app I have (actually what it would do a few times was to have a different O day and would then later adjust itself to be exactly the same as my free tracker). It is called period tracker I think but I've deleted it since starting IVF. Good luck with everything. And thank you so much for following this crazy journey and getting hay fever on my behalf

Hey @Belarita! I use an Ovusense device (which is brilliant) and that helps me pinpoint my ovulation pretty much to the day. It's a device worn, cough, internally (!!) and helps me see the classic temperature dip then spike pre and post ovulation. In using it I can work out when I ovulate and usually take the meds the next day. And ha I've done that too re the negative vs positive thinking, I've done and tried IT ALL!! Good luck XX

Thanks so much for the lovely welcome the other week. Just catching up with how everyone is doing. Welcome to @MrsMargot and @fnej01! It's really great to see how everyone is doing on every stage of this crazy journey. Speaking of which @KittyKatSmile, having followed your story on this thread, I also got something in my eye when I read your news. Everything crossed for you and all the ladies in the scary early pregnancy stages.

I'm such a newbie and I'm just about to start on Pred etc any day now. Do you mind if I ask how you all time your ovulation and the day to start taking the drugs? I have a period-tracker app which gives me an idea of my fertile week and ovulation date and I've also used non-digital ovulation tests the last few days, first wee of the morning (the glamour of it all!) I was expecting to get an LH surge detected today but no sign just yet. My cycles do vary: although most are between 27-30 days, I have had the odd 26 and 32 day outlier in the past couple of years. What do you guys tend to do? Do you always wait for an LH surge to start or do you go with your average cycle?

Thanks so much for all being on here. @EmsIMO and @Megan234 I know what you all mean about the thinking positive thing. The mind games of this are something else! I've found myself in the past being negative almost as a way of trying to trick myself into believing I don't really care... and therefore it will happen! Bonkers eh? Also most reassuring to read about others of you having a similar response to Dr S's "unusual" bedside manner. There are times when I need to remind myself that this man is helping me have a baby, not selling me a second hand Audi.
Love and luck to you all! xx

Thanks @Wishing5tar and @KittyKatSmile, it's nice to not be alone in all the weirdness of early pregnancy x

@MrsMargot thank you! That does make me feel better ☺️

@KittyKatSmile no I haven’t heard of the podcast hun but I’ll look into it, thanks 😘 I’ve just been and bought some clear blue digital tests so hopefully the weeks will have progressed to at least 2-3 weeks (it was 1-2 weeks last time I tested). If not, I figure it’ll just prepare my expectations for the bloods. I’m quite familiar with the nurse at my local EPAC as I was having my bloods done every 48 hours for 6 weeks after my first miscarriage when my HCG levels painfully decreased soo slowly, so hopefully she’ll be happy to see me 🤞🏽

@Wishing5tar spotting is incredibly common in early pregnancy, which I think is very cruel. Have you heard of the BFN podcast? It's technically about infertility but also the struggles to have a baby and they've covered a multitude of reasons you can spot and bleed.

You can probably find somewhere to just do private blood tests, although I suppose you would need to sort of have someone to read out the results to you. You could then tell that your HCG was doubling within the right time frames. Another option (although I'm not an obsessive tester) is to use a digital which you should be able to see change 'weeks pregnant' at some point...

@Wishing5tar thank you! I had the odd brown discharge too but I am trying to think positive.

Good question about the meds. I have actually asked this to one of my 2 doctors and he said that there is no option for this to happen. He kind of dismissed my question as it was completely ignorant ( 😬 ). I like him but no bedside manner. I am hoping it is true.

@fnej01 congrats! I’m the same regarding energy levels, wide awake on a morning (no matter what time I’ve gone to bed) but tired on an afternoon/evening and could nap, which definitely isn’t like me.

@MrsMargot Congrats too! My boobs only felt sore from last night (I can remember waking in the night because I rolled on my front & I wasn’t comfortable) and I’m currently 4w+6. Today my boobs feel full/swollen too but normally I get sore boobs 1 week before AF is due so I can’t really say whether it’s different this month or not, sorry!
I have been having brown discharge since Monday now 😩 with the odd bit of spotting. It’s really getting me down & I sobbed my husband when he got home from work today (A day working from home with lots of time to think isn’t great 😞) I guess I just feel drained with worry and feel like 2 weeks for the scan is such a long time.

Whilst I understand the meds help us keep the pregnancy, does anyone think/have experience that the meds can also keep your body thinking it’s pregnant when if you weren’t taking the meds you would have already miscarried? Sorry for my rambles ladies, I’m just worried that the spotting isn’t a good sign, the scan won’t be good news and I’ve just prolonged everything by taking the meds.

I’m thinking of contacting my local EPAC on Monday to see if they’ll run some blood tests to maybe reassure me? The pregnancy tests continue to get darker (the last one was stronger than the control line which has never happened before) but I’m not sure that even means anything anymore! 🤷🏻‍♀️ Xxxx

@ginandtonicformeplease thanks, that's helpful. But I really don't feel I should have to be calling up and saying 'so, anything else I should be doing this week?'!! I asked to speak to someone to make a complaint but there was no one there (to your point!) One of the receptionists was very helpful: I wonder if she's maybe used to it...

Congratulations @fnej01, great news and you're welcome @MrsMargot. You'll find this place very helpful like that!

@KittyKatSmile I found them a bit useless by email - generally I always call the nurses and speak to them.

I also don't go to them for intralipids as they're so limited in the days and hours they do - I get them to send my prescription to the Independent Nursing Service which is just down the road, open 9-6 six days a week and fifty quid cheaper!

Hi Ladies,

Not sure if you remember me, but I introduced myself when originally prescribed the pred by Coventry clinic.
Finally got a BFP earlier this week so have started pred, progesterone, heparin and aspirin. Not feeling 100% positive after 4 previous losses, but trying not to drive myself totally mad and to step away from the tests.

Really helpful question @MrsMargot. I have been wondering similar about the lack of sore boobs.

Have also found loads of energy in the morning dwindles during the day, is this also the pred, I have not suffered in previous pregnancies to this extent?

X

OMG @KittyKatSmile I love you. You just gave me life. I was so worried I want to cry.

@MrsMargot welcome. You most certainly are in the right place. Correct about the steroids; they generally mask everything, including your previous body and hair free face in my experience :-) It's odd but I just try to go with it and be pleased I'm not puking my guts up.

Off to get me some more intralipids this afternoon and then to ask to speak to the practice manager to complain. I'm fuming.

Hello everyone! I hope I can join you!

I am currently pregnant at 6w4d and I am on prednisolone, aspirin and progesterone. I had 2 “mysterious” early losses and this time I was put on meds to see if they make any difference. I hope they do! I have a couple of questions regarding symptoms. If this is not the correct thread I apologise!

Basically, my breasts are not as tender as with previous pregnancies and I am worried that something is wrong. My OH said that since I am on steroids, my breasts should not be as swollen as before. I want to believe but I thought better to ask you as you may know better!

My other question has to do with discharge (TMI apologies again). I had a very odd dark yellow/brown mucus-y drop 2 days ago and half a drop 24 hours later. I read on Dr Google that it is normal but again. I am worried. I should also say that This is not spotting ( I had spotting with my first loss).

Thanks a million!

Hi @Megan234 Thanks for sharing that, always helps hearing success stories! I've just done two cycles of Super O, but now having a break as a holiday mid August means our dates don't work (which I'm kind of relieved about as Letrozole makes me feel awful!) X

@EmsIMO Have you done super Ovulation with Mr S? I know someone who was on super O for 6 months and on the 6th month she finally got pregnant and she is 18 weeks now xx

Morning Ladies

Just catching up and hopefully I've got this right - @hopeful07 Sorry to hear about your negative test, you too @chickjen :(

@KittyKatSmile Great news re your scan, hope everything goes smoothly for you :) You too @Megan234 X

I am in about cycle 5 or 6 now with Mr S. The one just done was with a high dose of Letrozole. After four years of secondary infertility, finally seeing and finding out about Mr S and discovering I had two immune issues, really made me think we'd get somewhere but am feeling rather despondent today after yet another negative test. We literally can't get pregnant again - but I hear what you're saying @Megan234 !! Trying to stay positive does help but it is hard! X

@chickjen sorry about your bfn, keep going and it will happen 😊 xx
Congratulations @KittyKatSmile Xx
@hopefull07 I know what you are going through but don’t give up it will happen.
I always was very negative about it all and annoyed when people said “ think positive” surly if is going to happen it will and doesn’t matter if I think positive or negative. With this pregnancy I set my mind just to think positive and I’m imagining the best possible outcome and so far so good. Maybe this positive thinking really works who knows but I know it does help your mental state.

I had my 16 weeks scan and intralipids on Wednesdays and now Mr S will look after me on NHS. I still have very long way to go but hoping for the best Xx

@KittyKatSmile oh crumbs, sorry I misread that and thought you were concerned their programme finished earlier than MrS.
I see what you mean 😠 Positives to focus on: the intralipids last for 4 weeks and I don't think on week 4 day 1 they suddenly stop, it must taper off, but you must still have some in your system. Also MrS's NHS patients don't get intras at all, the pred is the important bit.
Hopefully they will come back today with a plan

BFN as expected this morning 😕

@Chickjen but I haven't even had the intralipids they mentioned because they had never mentioned them before. So annoying.

Hope you're ok lovely x

hmm @KittyKatSmile if they think you don't NEED any more tests or intras but what happens if you WANT more tests and intras? Surely they can't say no? (albeit charging extra I assume).
I hope you get a better response from them tomorrow 🍀