Immune/NK cells pred thread #34

Hi Ladies! Hope im okay to join. Have just spent the last hour reading as much as I can of this thread and getting an idea of where some of you are at in your ttc journey.
Have recently had my first appointment at CRP. Been trying to concieve my 2nd for just over a year now. My little boy has just turned 2 and was concieved first time. We had 2 chemicals at the beginning of the year but unable to concieve for 9 months now. I have my follow up appointment next week, however I did ask for my NK results to be sent. Everything is normal apart from Total NK absolute count is slightly high at 207. And activation marker was borderline. I'm scared for all the meds Dr S will want me on. But mostly I just don't know if I'll be doing the right thing? I'm 38 and for me I thought the 2 chemicals were mostly to do with my age. My main concern is the fact I am struggling to fall pregnant. I don't want to spend thousands of pounds when it might be that we need IVF? Anyone had a similar situation. We are also waiting for DNA fragmentation results.

Thank you @Deerdancer34 that is really reassuring, I can't even imagine being able to feel them move. Will that bring a whole other anxiety? - maybe i will move into the hospital pre-natal unit. I have another scan tomorrow already at the hospital and first midwife appointment next week. Feel slightly less nervous about tomorrow but still have to go in with trepidation.

Bless you - its totally acceptable to feel down even despite having your daughter - two things can be true at the same time. Plus it is sooo much harder for us ladies. Are you doing super-overlation? how many cycles do you think you will try?

keep affirming @Hopeandfaith1990 - we are all here with you.

@Jecca88 Ohhhhh how lovely and super exciting! I know the anxiety will be real still but I hope you manage to relax a little and start to enjoy your pregnancy 💞 I found when I was properly discharged from CRP that I actually could enjoy the pregnancy and believe it was real, you still have times where you wonder because you obviously don't have as many scans but then you will start to feel baby so that keeps you reassured too. Like you though I still have that wish that I could be excited at a test, excited for the scans etc etc. But anyway it will all be worth it and we're here every step of the way!

@Hopeandfaith1990 It's a long old wait isn't it but just keep pushing down the negative thoughts with your positive thoughts! It is soooo hard! Maybe put a podcast on or positive affirmations when you're awake at 3am, it was the only way I could redirect my mind, feel like I was resting and sometimes drift off.... Like @Jecca88 said, completely up to you but I think actually going to work although horrid is a good way to keep busy (I used to hate dragging myself out to teach!!). Use Christmas as a distraction! But if it is too much, do look at reducing or being signed off, you don't want to feel like you're swamped, just not worth it 💞

I'm alright, I had a few down days of feeling its all unfair that I have to go through this whole rigmarole but I've shut it down and looking 'optimistically' to the next cycle... plus I know I'm so fortunate to have my daughter. Its hard isn't it - disappointment it was a negative, relief I didn't have a miscarriage, the thoughts of how many cycles can we do financially...the things we go through 😵‍💫

But here we go, sending positivity to everyone, we can do this 💖

omg @Hopeandfaith1990 i didn't even realise but yes made it to the 2nd trimester. I am still feeling incredible anxious and tbh i am not really enjoying life atm, just getting through each day is an achievement. Don't get me wrong i am so grateful, but just so much trauma there. I really envy people who enjoy pregnancy. I start weaning off the pred next week and stay on progesterone till 16 weeks. I stay on Hydroxy for the whole 40 weeks. I do wonder if that will help me sleep better - currently waking up at 5ish everyday. The steroid's help with tiredness in the day but by 9pm i am sleeping on the sofa.

I am so sorry you're having the dark days too. I am totally with you on that - i constantly ruminate about scan outcomes, i hate how it is literally within the first 10 seconds - your whole future can change. I really don't know what to suggest to get through it, but two things can be true at the same time. You can protect yourself but also have some hope that this is a different pregnancy. I also imagine scenarios like if we lose the baby - this is what our month will look like and make sure to plan in some treats for myself and husband. It's so hard. The relief after a scan lasts about a day and then worry kicks in.

its totally up to you to decide what to do about work. would they let you reduce hours to manage at all? Have you told them? I find work is a great distraction for me.

Oh such such brilliant news @Jecca88 !!

hey ladies, I can't believe it - had our 12 week scan yesterday and everything looks good, he is still alive and wigglying about and nothing abnormal seen. Measuring slightly ahead at 13 weeks today. Finally registered with hospital and all the scans and widwife appointments are being scheduled. I am an increased risk of pre-clampsyia - so had to up my dose of aspirin to 150mg per day. Just means more monitoring. The Dr was very reassuring and told me to smile and just enjoy this good news.
Still in disbelief - this is the furthest we have got and maybe i can start to have some hope.

Sorry to hear that @Deerdancer34 how are you feeling?

How are you holding up @Hopeandfaith1990 - are you still practising your affirmations?

Sending love to everyone xx

@TammyinCork That's interesting about Aloe, might look into that 🧐

@Hopeandfaith1990 Thank you my dear!
Omg I feel for you seeing the blood, your heart must have stopped 😵‍💫 It's all so relaxing all this isn't it 😅

Period started...onwards and upwards to cycle 4 😵‍💫💪 Lots of love everyone 💞

@Jecca88: Interesting that they removed the Fragmin upon your natural pregnancy... It's baffling how all of this works sometimes. Hope you are making a good recovery from the food poisoning - that sounds like such a pain.

@Deerdancer34: Sending you positive vibes... Pred is hard work and I'm glad I didn't take it at all on the third cycle of trying. I have also been reducing thyroid antibodies naturally with aloe vera juice, which seems to have worked!

@Jecca88 Honestly don't worry about the food poisoning, which I know is impossible with the way our brains work! When is your next scan? All I can say is keep taking it day by day and take strength from that lovely 10 week scan you had 💖

@Hopeandfaith1990 Keep going!

Hope you're ok @TammyinCork and @Gems2811

I've been finding the pred really hard the last couple of days, hate the way it makes me feel, all jittery and then the wondering will it be positive, will it be negative - its like a merry-go-round in my head. Anyway I got a negative this morning 😭 I find it so triggering still...Was hoping for some Christmas magic!

Thank you so much, and yes, it was someone who was a mentor to me in my working life.

I think the pred is to keep thyroid antibodies down as any future pregnancy progresses, but I really don't think there is a point to the intralipids at all, and as I am allergic to peanut and intolerant to soya, I won't be going there (I had told Dr Edge this, but she said it was safe due to the difference between protein and fats - still too big a risk if injected into one's veins, I think).

Thanks so much for the advice from your Greek clinic - yes, CRP seemed totally fine with me going abroad (and because of the waiting lists here in Ireland, I didn't have much choice!).

Hey loves,

How are you getting on @Hopeandfaith1990 - do you have anymore blood tests booked? is your first scan booked in? Love these affirmations. Need to remember you are doing everything you can.

@Deerdancer34 you're sooo sweet, sending big hugs. How is your tww? or 10 days?

Thanks @TammyinCork - for my IVF - i too had Fragmin added, i think its to help aid implantation. But when I got pregnant accidently they removed the fragmin from my plan.

Totally get why you have protected yourself again Dr Shahata @Gems2811 - he is rather abrupt, i love Dr Edge, i feel so safe with her and like she really cares and listens and has so much time. I wonder if you would request a consultation with her?

Had food poisioning this week - only lasted less than 24 hours, but wow was that scary and really hoping the baby is ok. As i edge towards the 12 week scan, my anxiety is really building. I almost can't bare an actual ultrasound, as both times i have got to the 12 week point, we have had the tummy ultrasound, rather than the transvaginal scan and when we have found we have lost the baby. I know there is nothing i can do to control, but also what if it was the food poisoning that has effected him. Just want someone to put me in a coma for the next 6 months.

Thanks @TammyinCork , I'm sorry your appt got you a bit down and I'm sorry that you suffered a recent loss in your life, I hope the funeral went as well as these things can do.

Does your Spanish clinic treat immune issues? Well done on your thyroid antibodies. That's really positive! Would you be on intralipids and pred for something else if your NK cells aren't elevated?

I'm doing IVF with a clinic in Greece (I'll be tranferring embryos I have frozen after my naturally conceived loss last month) and they prescribe blood thinners. I wonder why Dr Edge prescribes differently for natural vs IVF. It's all very confusing isn't it. I'll be interested when my Greek clinic say to start the pred, whether it's on positive test or not. I'll dig out my notes from my previous transfer. Progesterone they definitely get you on before a positive test though, I know that from my failed transfer in April time. I think that's because when your eggs are retrieved, you don't produce your own progesterone?

I'm awaiting my results from my D&C to see whether it was chromosomal or not before we put a plan in place for meds. Were CRP okay with you going abroad for IVF? I'm tempted to have intralipids etc alongside my transfer with them but as Dr Shehata is so abrupt, I've stayed away to spare my feelings really. It sounds reckless when I say out loud that I'm receiving treatment abroad, even though I don't feel that way about it at all myself.

Sending love to everyone, and to all the growing pregnancies xx

@Jecca88: Amazing news, and wishing you so very well for the NIPT test!

@Hopeandfaith1990: Fantastic, and glad the blood tests look good! Hope the acupuncture went well!

@Deerdancer34 and @Gems2811: Hope all is good with you!

@Figtree11: So sorry you are here, but it's such a supportive space and has helped me a lot.

My follow-up consultation with Dr Edge was interesting. She said I would need to take intralipids and Fragmin for the IVF cycle, which I didn't need to take when trying naturally... I don't mind Fragmin so much but don't think I need intralipids, since I have no issues with NK cells and my thyroid antibodies are massively reduced. She also said that delaying the pred / progesterone to positive test would not be effective (which runs contrary to Dr Thum's second opinion, that I shared with her). I left the whole thing feeling a bit down, if I'm honest (although I was attending a funeral in London afterwards as well).

The Spanish IVF clinic will probably need to amend this protocol anyway, according to my bloods at the time.

@Hopeandfaith1990 Ahhhhhhh!! Wonderful Wonderful news!! I didn't know how I was going to wait until tomorrow, let alone you having to wait!! Ohhhh I'm so happy for you. Just keep thinking 1 day at a time...plod plod plod!

@Jecca88 🥹🥹🥹🥹 Just gorgeous, how thrilling!

You've both turned me into an emotional wreck, in a good way! 💖 Lots of love to all 💖

ahhh amazing @Hopeandfaith1990 - this is it :)

Found out its a boy this afternoon :)

@Jecca88 amazing news!!!! Enjoy your very waited and deserved joy!!
love Dr Edge and Olivia!! ❤️❤️

Thanks Guys - we are just enjoying this moment. 12 week scan booked for 1st December which is a scary one. We will also find out the gender today - might take a walk just my husband and I and open it the special place we used to take our dog :)