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

Thanks @Belarita it feels good to talk to you as you get it. All you ladies do. I've got the details for Dr Quenby's clinic and have to ring them when get my positive ovulation test. But we are going to try one more time this month. I know we are taking a big risk.

I've been sat in tears today as really feel the door is closing in my face. I think I'm having to come to terms with losses and no more babies.

I know the clinic is there but I don't know if I'm strong enough to keep going. Maybe I'm just having a down day. We Iive in Northern Ireland so it won't be easy getting assessed/diagnosed and treated.

Thank you so much for listening.

@Wewin, echo what @Belarita has just set out very comprehensively. I am another Dr Shehata alumna, although am currently with Zita West as I need help both with getting and staying pregnant, not because I'm infertile per se but because I'm single. I have also had 4 miscarriages in the last year and today I'm 12 weeks pregnant. Stick with it. You've got us now (I seriously wouldn't have got through it without these ladies. Found them the week I was having my last miscarriage and they saved me).

Hi @Wewin, I'm so sorry to hear you've been going through this. My heart goes out to you. All of us on this thread understand how sad and gruelling these losses are. And it's often hard to make people understand. Very often people start giving me advice related to TTC and I repeatedly have to explain that its not getting pregnant that's the problem, it's keeping the pregnancy. A lot of us here are with Mr Shehata at the Centre for Reproductive Immunology and Pregnancy, some with Zita West Clinic and some with Dr Siobhan Quenby in Coventry. My DH and I went with Mr Shehata and part of our decision to go private was because we too are over 40 and we didn't feel like we had a lot of time on our side. The testing is expensive but very comprehensive and will give you answers on everything from what your profile is in terms of NK cells to ovarian reserve and your partner's sperm DNA (thought to be a very important factor in miscarriage that tends to be overlooked). I don't know how far you've got into researching Reproductive Immunology. It's quite a contested area of fertility medicine but does have some extraordinary results. This thread will give you a good idea of what the ups and downs are of the process and we are here for any and all questions. x

Hi I'd like to say hello 👋 I keep losing my babies and ppl tend to say the wrong thing to me like "relax" and "take a break". I get it though, I'd probably say something insensitive like that too before I ended up here. I've had 4 consecutive losses. At my 3rd, my D&C revealed high CD57 killer cells. So no amount of relaxing is going to change that. I am not under the care of anyone yet. I have not been officially diagnosed yet. So we are trying one last time then hopefully will get our appointment through. I'm really scared of another chemical/mmc. I've been pg in April, May, June/July and again last week or so had another chemical. I'm 43 and I know egg quality is an issue too. But to lose 4 pregnancies in a row is more than bad luck.

Good lord. Day one of tapering off the roids and I caught sight of myself in the brightly lit mirrors of the gym changing rooms..... I look like a werewolf! Seriously I've got dark down all round my jawline!! The horrors. @DaniMERL please reassure me!

@kdd1980 personally I would take the month off if there is absolutely no way, but I would say you could find a way (also I think my brother was conceived on a holiday to romantic Bournemouth and I'm sure I would have been in the room. Aged 4. Take the challenge....!) I hated the pred come down and I was also sure it stopped me from conceiving so I'd take any excuse. Also I think Dr S recommends a break after a certain amount of time so you could just enforce that yourself....

@kdd1980 is there no chance your inlaws could take the little one out for an ice cream? Grandparent bonding time? Or you and DH go out for a moonlit walk?
It is possible for sperm to live for 5 days, if you are certain there is no chance personally I would take the month off, but there could be an argument for taking the pred so it builds up in your system (I don't know if this true but I think Ive read it on this thread before) depends if you get side effects and if they would spoil your holiday? I hope you are having a nice time 😀

Hi all, I hope you are all having a good week!

Just a quick question. We are on holiday with the in laws for 10 days. Sleeping in pretty close proximity and sharing a bed with our 4yo.

Obviously not a great recipe for baby making! I'm due to ovulate any day now so it's looking like this month is a write off.

Should I still take the 10 days of Pred and progesterone as per Dr S plan or can I skip a month of it? He's got me on 5 months of it to see how I get on?

What would you do?

@ginandtonicformeplease it sounds like you need a break. I don't mean stopping or postponing but just something to take your mind off this for a bit. Can you do something this weekend? Go out for the day somewhere random and completely unrelated? Even better make DH organise it and surprise you. You have such a lot on your plate at the moment no wonder it's getting on top of you. We went with work to Woburn safari a couple of weeks ago, I was really sceptical at first but I must say by the end of the day i really felt it had done some good to just get away for a few hours.
I assume DH is not helping with these decisions? 😡

I'm still wondering whether DH and I should just give up. For the first time since we started the IVF journey we had a massive argument and I told him to call the clinic and tell them to dump our embryos

It was all about the cost of the bloody humira as well. Adding up the costs of IVF and miscarriage investigations, we've probably spent well over 20k: it keeps going round and round in my head what the doctor said to me about PGS testing the embryos, and wondering if we should do that as well as using humira. Of course, slight problem that we don't have the money to do both - if we did the PGS we wouldn't be able to afford a FET and have the NK cells treatment so it would be a bit pointless! Plus there's also the fact that the same doctor told us when we began the IVF that PGS testing was a waste of money.

@summertimehere I have had 2 spells where I couldn't conceive, although both before DrS. The first time was when we first started trying, I noticed my cycles were getting shorter and lots of PMS when normally I wouldn't get any, after 8 months I went to the GP who reluctantly did some tests and found my thyroid was out of range, once I started thyroxine I conceived the very next month. I'm sure you already have had thyroid tested but might it be worth retesting? It can fluctuate and I've noticed some of the pred/omeprazole mentions not to take with thyroid conditions, they might have affected it?
The second time was after medical management for a MMC do I don't know if that was a factor, but it lasted for 6 months and really was hell so I really feel for you. Somehow knowing you have conceived before but can't now made it all the more worse. I did notice at that time though, that the harder we tried, more sex and trying to time round O, the less success there seemed to be. Now we just DTD every other day from the end of AF till as long after O as we can be bothered and it's been working nearly every time. I think too much sex is not good for sperm health (in my case anyway).
Anything your OH can do? Fertility supplements? Cut down alcohol? No hot showers?
If you can bear the invasion of a hsg and there are no risks associated then maybe go for it if it will help you at least feel you are doing all you can.
Keep going 🍀

Hey all has the superovulation worked for anyone ovulating on their own? That’s our next step dr s first plan hasn’t worked so fed up and down with it all.

I don’t know why I’m not getting pregnant.

I have a referral for a hsg locally thinking of getting it as it worked last time although ended in mmc.

Dr s said as that one was clear there was no need, but I’m thinking the last mc has blocked tubes.

Surely it can’t be a coincidence that after 6 months of trying I get pregnant 1 week after hsg?

There’s no point all this travel and expense and pumping crap into me if there are blockages.

Felt terrible last few days really bad expecting AF today

@DaniMERL that's helpful to see your weaning schedule. That will still take so long! But glad to be starting the process at least! How are you feeling?

@fnej01 also 12 weeks and then weaning by 5mg every 4 days.
However I was still on the Hydroxy until 16 weeks so still on some form of immune suppressant

Thanks @KittyKatSmile it's awful isn't it. I think I will fight to come off at 12weeks unless they can give a good reason why. Hope that your pregnancy is progressing well x

@fnej01 12 weeks for me I'm afraid then weaning programme. Cannot wait. Hate this chubby furry ness

Congratulations @Chickjen fingers crossed for a happy & healthy 9 months.

Sorry I don't post much and am really behind on the thread.

A quick question - How long are you all on pred for once pregnant? I was originally told 12 weeks then wean off but had a letter yesterday saying 16 weeks. I'm not under Dr S, am under Coventry clinic but I just wondered when others came off. I am just over 8 weeks and to be honest am not enjoying my new hamster cheeks/and insomnia so am looking for a little light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks x

@Chickjen great news!!

@KittyKatSmile a LOT better now thanks. Just kind of tingly now. It started in my stomach which of course I was terrified about, but moved to my legs and walking around really helped. I guess it all just has to spread round. PJs and chocolate helped too 😀

@Chickjen I felt terrible two lots of intralipids ago, although just a totally dead arm for an hour or so. The last time I bruised like a peach, around 6 or 7 inches long and it lasted for ages. But totally worth it of course! How are you feeling now?

Oh and @mybestfriend123 yes I am (I think) but really not feeling confident 😕

Haha yes @KittyKatSmile I have promised myself I am not testing tomorrow, and will see how long I can resist! I have come away from the intra with all sorts of aches and twinges, did you get that?

@mybestfriend123 the £325 is just for his opinion basically. They will take blood the same day for any tests he recommends, they do add up though, I think if you do everything it is around £3.5k so definitely take your results with you! Also if you want to test your OH for sperm DNA he will need to have 'abstained' for 2-5 days if you want to test that day.

@Chickjen great! Hooray! Let's go with the old mantra: 'today, I am pregnant'. (And step away from the tests now as otherwise you'll go mad).

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend x

@Chickjen sorry I'm also not following properly? Are you pregnant then? If so!! CONGRATS! Finding it hard to keep up with such a long thread x

@Pop1234 thank you so much !!! My appointment is at the end of September! So not to long away!

@Chickjen it's okay! I don't mind blunt as long as he's to the point and does what he needs to do!

Can I ask if you have had tests yet?will he do the tests the same day ? I'm travelling a long way so I'm hoping he will be able to.

How much are we looking at if you don't mind me asking? I believe it's £325 for just the initial appointment.. so what exactly does that include?

Money is no object when it comes to trying for a baby hit at the same time I want to save where we can! Thank you for your replies!!