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Original poster

TTC/ pregnancy on Prednisolone or similar

999 replies

freelancegirl · 13/06/2011 16:21

I am not sure there are enough people here to start a thread but have been chatting on one on the pregnancy boards and was wondering if I could find any fellow ttc'ers on Prednisolone or similar?

I have just received a diagnosis of very high NK cells. It was a bit of a shock actually as it turns out I have some of the highest levels - 3.79 when anything over 1.8 is considered 'very high'.

Am trawling through Dr Beer's book and Dr Google and trying to found out more. I have been recommended 25mg prednisoline steroids for two weeks starting with ovulation, increasing to 40mg if/when BFP and then Intralipids Cyclogest too. I still have 13 days until I pop my first Pred.

There now just seem like so many hurdles - actually getting pregnant being the first one. I was prepared for high NK cells as I have high thyroid antibodies but it was shocking to be in the top 5% of people treated at the clinic. I am not sure if that gives me much less of a chance of being successful.

It would be great to hear from anyone else who is undergoing treatment and of course also if you've had successful treatment.

OP posts:
digitalgirl · 13/09/2011 15:49

I know, it seems so unfair compared to how 'normal' women sail through pregnancy.

I have just double checked the train times. We have to get up at 5:30am Sad. Poor DS is going to be a zombie. Oh well, good thing he loves trains. [stiff upper lip face]

Arianrhod · 13/09/2011 16:02

Good luck tomorrow digi, if your DS is anything like my DD he'll see it as one big adventure, even the getting up early. Last time I had to get my DD up in the wee hours she thought it was a fantastic lark (once she'd actually woken up, of course) ... mad child that she is! :)

Seriously best of luck, and hope it all goes well.

batteryhen · 13/09/2011 16:03

Good luck for tomorrow digi - I am sure you will be fine - tired but fine!

Just to say I think I am 12 DPO today - and BFN - I tested because I wanted to stop the pred, I really didn't feel very well yesterday so I haven't taken them today. I didn't think I was in with a chance this month, but you still hope don't you. I have a scan on Thursday to cehck my lining etc, and my NHS appointment has come through for the 27th. That will be 15 weeks post ERPC. Nice to know there is no rush. I will be going in armed with questions.

Hope everyone is ok today xx

Havingkittens · 13/09/2011 17:04

Good luck tomorrow digi.

Sorry to hear about your BFN battery. It's such a pisser, and then the bloody PMT doesn't help you deal with the disappointment very well either Sad. Hope all your scans and test go ok.

I'm about 7dpo I think. Given my luck so far I'm not getting my hopes up but it would be nice to have something positive happen soon. I'm feeling very fed up at the moment with all the shit that's been happening with my family. My poor mum was supposed to have her op today but it's been postponed 'til Thursday now because her temperature was up this morning and she was sick in the night. The growth has increased to 5" now, it's no wonder she's in so much pain. Also, because of the delayed operation, it also means a delay in getting a biopsy sent off for histology which means we won't know whether it's to do with the cancer until the end of next week. About the time I will find out if I'm pregnant or not actually. It would be so nice to have 2 sets of positive news for a change! It's been so strange that over the last 4 years we have both had our scans for various revelations at the same time so we're both on tenterhooks at the same time as one another.

And they say stress can have a detrimental effect on fertility. Well, I might as well start looking for cat number 2 now then!

digitalgirl · 13/09/2011 21:02

stogan if you're out there do you have any idea whether mr s will do an internal or external scan at 9 weeks? No worries if you don't read this in time, will fill my bladder anyway.

Iggi999 · 13/09/2011 21:09

Good luck with the scan Digi, will be routing for you. I hate that bladder thing!
Tomorrow would be day 10 for me, dh is convinced I should NOT test as will affect my interview on friday, and I know he's right about that - but if I leave testing till day 12 (and get a bfp) I'll have missed two days of taking progesterone, and wd blame this when I mc again! Good grief I am obsessed.Sad

Havingkittens · 13/09/2011 21:23

iggi, that's a tricky one. I suspect you will be preoccupied either way to be honest, so I guess you have to weigh up which is the lesser of two evils.

digital, I think that a 9 week scan is usually an external one. If I'm wrong, it's a lot easier to empty your bladder in the few minutes than it is to fill it in the same time!

digitalgirl · 13/09/2011 21:36

iggi I tested at 13dpo and started the prog then. So I wouldn't base your decision on the progesterone as you're already on aspirin and pred. I think it depends on whether you think you'll perform better knowing you 'might' be pg or whether knowing you definitely weren't would give you more determination to get the job. Obv - if you find out you definitely are then would you be grinning like a Cheshire cat for the duration or freaking out and really tense? Actually now I've typed that all out I reckon I'd not test before and do the interview with a 'glimmer of hope but without the stress of reality'.

kittens I can't believe what you and your family are going through at the moment. Surely, surely it's your turn for good news?! It bloody has to be. Fingers very tightly crossed.

Thankfully last night had more extended family in attendance so no probing questions were asked.

Stogan · 13/09/2011 21:49

Hi digital if ur still awake??? He only did an external with me internal was never mentioned at all so I drank only 3 little plastic cups of water before we went in and the scan was really clear he seemed more interested in the heartbeat than anything else.
Best of luck hunni everything crossed for u can't wait to hear All about it xxxxGrin

Iggi999 · 13/09/2011 21:58

Digi, that sums it up for me really. Finding out either way leads to stress and misery! I'm happiest when imagining I'm pg but not knowing.
Just hope the progesterone isn't essential for those 2 days. (Or maybe I could just take some anyway?)
Sorry this is a minor niggle compared to scans etc, I'm just trying to get it off my mind!

digitalgirl · 13/09/2011 22:10

Thanks stogan (me asleep at this time? On pred? Ha! Dh is making me a hot cocoa to try and calm me down).

iggi it's not a niggle, it's the stress of ttc on pred. Which is actually pretty stressful no matter how much we play it down. You can't just casually have sex and then test when you're period is a week or two late, you have to know when to start and stop all these meds which makes it impossible to relax about the whole thing. (sorry if you'd rather think it was just a niggle - I'm in pre-midnight manic mode).

digitalgirl · 13/09/2011 22:11

your not you're Blush

Iggi999 · 13/09/2011 22:24

Thank you. I think because I've already had a mc on the treatment (when I started it at bfp) it makes me uber-paranoid about getting anything wrong.

digitalgirl · 14/09/2011 09:11

Scan went well. Baby measures 9+1 (but Mr S not concerned) and we heard the heartbeat! 176bpm so very good. Baby wriggling lots. Mr S very positive about it all and thinks we're through the riskiest bit.

Have my St M's scan next Wed at 10 weeks, then seeing Mr S at 11 weeks. My local hosp dating scan has come through at 13 weeks, then we see Mr S for the final appt at 14-15 weeks.

Arianrhod · 14/09/2011 09:23

Wooohooo, fabulous news digi!! Great to hear the good news! Is your DS zzzzzzz now, from the early start? :)

Havingkittens · 14/09/2011 09:48

Great news digi Smile

digitalgirl · 14/09/2011 10:26

Thanks! DS is most probably sparko now, I'm at work and DH has taken him home for a lie down.

eurochick · 14/09/2011 10:29

That's great news digi!

Stogan · 14/09/2011 10:34

Yey digi so pleased for u hunni xxxxGrin

georgiepie · 14/09/2011 10:55

Digi congrats on your scan, you both must be so pleased. Was it a internal or external? Its good that you have few more booked over next few weeks putting your mind at rest on a weekly basis. x

Kittens sorry to hear about your Mum, im thinking of you both and pray it will work out well for the pair of you.

Battery Sorry about your BFN hon, It's rubbish all the waiting you have to do. Hope your check over scan goes well tomorrow.

Iggi I tested 10 DPO and got a negative so stopped taking the Pred. It was only on day 14 I got a positive so had missed 4 days of pred. I was worried about this but Louise at Mr S office said really not to worry as the Pred builds up in your system and it would not of made a difference. So maybe it would be worth testing after your interview. You could always take the pred for an extra couple of days?

Original poster
freelancegirl · 14/09/2011 11:50

Really want to catch up but so bloody busy AND I seem to be developing RSI or carpal tunnel in my left hand from way too much time welded to teh laptop - I think both work and obsessive googling/mneting is to blame so trying to rest between work. Not great when you're a journo!

QUickie to say great news about the scan digi! Am still lurking and reading and will post when I can. Going to experiment with voice recognition software as soon as I have a chance xx

OP posts:
georgiepie · 14/09/2011 17:02

hi Free good to hear from you, sorry youre having problems with your hand. x

Iggi999 · 14/09/2011 17:41

That's great Digi, such a relief :)

Georgie thanks for the advice - that's just what I'm going to do.

Havingkittens · 14/09/2011 21:28

Remembering the conversation last week with iggi and euro about the 7dpo cramps. What's with that? I have them really badly at the moment, like bloody clockwork they are, cd21 every bloody month for the last 6 months. Now I'm feeling pessimistic that my AF will be turning up next week as that what seems to follow. The first couple of months I noticed them I thought "ooh, maybe implantation cramps?" but it doesn't feel like the implantation cramps I remember from previous pregancies Sad. But, bloody ouch!

digitalgirl · 15/09/2011 10:47

georgie it was an external scan. And he found the baby really quickly which was good, last week the sonographer waited ages (well, prob only about 15 seconds) before saying anything. Good luck with yours today, will be thinking of you!

freelance sorry to hear about the RSI/carpal tunnel - I remember prettyvacant suffering from that and I wondered if it was connected with RA which is another auto-immune issue.

kittens hope the cramping has eased.

I'm going to a work's charity pub quiz thing tonight. Everyone's super excited about the free bar, I'm just praying that the 'free food' is something more than crisps and peanuts.