TTC/ pregnancy on Prednisolone or similar part 2

[Arianrhod]

Starting up part 2 of this thread since the old one closed at 1000 posts!

iggi lots of luck for today, hope it's nothing - I know it doesn't help but I know lots of women have spotting and/or bleeding in pregnancy and it still goes ok. Definitely call the EPU, get scanned - it's worth it, honestly, at least you will know one way or another. Virtual hugs coming your way.

free I also started AF properly this morning, so looks like we may be both importuning a friendly witch for a good fertility spell on Hallowe'en? I know exactly what you mean about the scary stuff ... a small part of me was actually sort of relieved when I didn't get a BFP purely because it means I don't have to go through the whole worrying about miscarrying all over again. Bizarre, but there it is.

ohh yeah - doohh..!

Lmfao! Good work with the acronyms tonight ladies!! :)

Baby brain all round

duggs I think I'm ovulating normally. I get a positive surge on my OPKs every month for a couple of days and had a CD21 test in August which showed that I was ovulating too. We have been going at it like rabbits too for around 10 days leading up to, on and just after supposed ovulation.

Still getting these shooting OV type pains consistently since I mentioned it earlier. I hope my appendix isn't about to blow!

digi and Iggy lovely news about today's scans!

comedy loved your build a bear story.. It made me bit teary, so sweet

I am trying not to symptom spot at the moment.. But, hey, who am I trying to kid? I feel like half my life is spent trying to spot pregnancy/ AF/ ovulation
I have had a few twinges in my lower belly today though

Hi cornflakes I have also only recently joined this thread too, but already feel so welcome

I take back my post yesterday about sleeping well, the pred has kicked in now so I had about 4 hours sleep last night and look like the actual moonface from the cover of the Faraway Tree book

Welcome cornflakes how long have you been ttc under Mr S's treatment plan?

Good luck tomorrow stogan - hope baby behaves itself and allows the sonographer to get the measurements this time.

kittens so to hear you've been so down . How's your mum doing at the moment? Are you planning trips to France around ttc? Or do you have to go around work? My comment earlier about having a post-ov scan was to maybe have one during a pred cycle - as it seems you're fine when not on pred but could be worth checking out what's going on after ov when you're on the roids.

free tricky one. If you've worked out a back up plan for intralipids in LA then I think that's the best you can do. Depending how you feel about BFN's (I hated them as they'd bring me down) you could just keep testing from 10dpo till 14dpo (fmu only!).

Anyone watching the choir? Am blubbing (again).

Hi digi, well, the CD21 test was whilst on pred. Mr S's colleague didn't see any reason to be re-scanned even though I told her my periods were v light and that's I'd not conceived in the 6 months on pred vs 1-3 cycles before taking it so I guess I'll just see what happens the next cycle or two whilst waiting for my referral to the fertility clinic. To be honest, at the moment I don't have the energy or mental capacity to think about anything more involved than taking pred and TTC at the relevant time. I am trying to fit my trips to France around TTC and also work. Although, hard as it is being self employed, I am trying to make work my second priority as I have some savings and am painfully aware that it's easier to recoup work and money than it is to recoup precious time with my mum. TTC on the other hand requires more consideration because that is, hopefully, my future. Once my mum is no longer with us it is important that, if it is possible or "to be", for me to nurture a new generation of our family. Very difficult situation though. I have also had to prioritise in as far as I have to give my time to my mum over and above my dad when it comes to trips overseas. My dad is going through a terrible time too but he is otherwise relatively strong and healthy and I can spend time with him in due course. My mum has had a really bad weekend and has been sick a lot. We have been really worried as she's not been eating, has been vomiting and has lost 2kg. Today the doctor came to the house and it seems that it is nothing too serious but a reaction to her medication and a symptom of her condition as the tumour is in her intestines so it's bound to cause problems with her guts. I was going to go over tomorrow for a few days but she needs to sleep so I will wait until after OV, which is a couple of weeks, and go and spend a week or so over there. I am just feeling really sad and frightened a lot of the time and the fear of TTC again is quite overwhelming on top of that. If I am successful I think that will be very emotional for me too, partly because of my history and then the bitter sweet scenario that I may have a baby which will never get to meet it's grandma, and vice versa. She was so excited the first couple of times I was pregnant. Only about 6 months ago she was saying that if I am lucky and have a baby she would be coming over to London to stay with me more regularly.

Oh dear, sorry, that was rather a long paragraph! My head feels like it's going to explode at the moment! Thanks for asking digi. Sorry to go on so

kittens I feel so awful for you about your mum. It must be such an upsetting time. You are being really strong, what with everything else going on too, and I completely agree with you that spending time with her and your family is a lot more important than work. Ok we need to earn money but that is one of the great things about being self-employed that you have that freedom. I do hope your mum's vomiting gets better as soon as possible and that you have a lovely time when you go over in a couple of weeks.

I am crap at the ovulation/TTC thing so can't really help out, but glad Digi is around for expert advice. I like it on here that we all have an expert (well, supported by Doctor Google) area. Mine is thyroid and also as the only flag bearer for Hydroxychloroquine.

I don't know how I feel about BFN's Digi although I did have them the first couple of times I tested last time I got a BFP. I am ok with those I think but faint positives might freak me out, considering what happened last time. I know plenty of people do get faint positives and have successful pregnancies. And if I do get a faint one it always could be because it was early. So maybe BFNs to me are actually better than faint positives, emotionally! Oh god, I've set myself up for a faint positive haven't I. Law of sod.

Not watching the choir but did see a terrible 90s film that I wish I hadn't bothered with. Damn new Sky Box.

Watching your twinges too Cheery :)

Cherry I mean of course.

kittens so sorry to read about what you are going through - just a horrible situation all round and I know there is nothing to be said to make that better so sending you a big hug andtravel safely x

kittens so sorry to hear about your mum, you are coping with so much at the moment.

Good point Digi about bfn's. The problem with Pred is you have to stop at 14 days of taking it but if AF is late or you just happen not to have got a BFP until after 14 days then you may end up with a gap in the Pred and delay with intralipids. I'm all for keeping testing a few times to be sure! I'm over getting bfn before AF is due. Yes it's a bit depressing sure but again even FR tests don't count as low as your hcg might be at that point.

Well. I woke up just after 5 with light cramping and low back ache and couldn't get back to sleep properly. And I went to bed early last night because I'd had a late one Sunday and been a bit out of it all day - it's so annoying not to have got a benefit out of it. Grr. Someone please invent that CCTV!!!

kittens a Huge HUG. You are being so strong.

I am 11 dpo and did a sneaky cheapie Internet sensitive test but was a big fat BFN. However I did then see some pink mucus on tissue and think it might be implantation bleed?? AF not due until Saturday. I know it could be AF early but I don't usually get this early and is not my AF style. I'm on day 12 of pred so I have 2 more days to take until I need to make a stop or continue decision. I wonder if anyone knows how long after implantation bleed I might get a chance of a BFP? All about me sorry! I think I am among the first testers . .

virtual hugs from me too kittens.. you are dealing with so much at the moment

duggs I think I read that it takes 2-4 days after implantation to get a BFP

Only about 3 hours sleep for me last night.. ARGHHHHH!

Duggs I poas too! BFN of course - only about 8DPO. I just wanted to see if even there was a very faint flicker of a BFP that I could arrange the intralipids for before I go. I am now convinced that it is definitely a BFN this month as no symptoms so far today. Who knows what I will convince myself of later today though :) psycho 2ww symptom/non symptom spotter

I am with you Choccy on the disrputed sleep. My alarm was set for 8am but I woke up at 7am, having taken ages to fall asleep last night.

free don't write it off yet - 8 Dpo is nothing the embryo has just started it's journey if it is in there! Such a headf*ck all this. When do u fly?

Morning all ... welcome cornflakes, grab a sexy midriff warmer and tell us all about yourself?

kittens I am so in awe of what you're dealing with, you must be an unbelievably strong lady to still be functioning and sane. I'm so very sorry about your mum, and please don't worry about posting as much as you like here, we're all sympathetic ears (eyes?) and definitely want to hear your news. Remember to take a little time to look after you, too. Virtual hugs.

Sleep? Wassat? Only day 4 of the pred yesterday, and I've been waking up the past two nights throughout the night, on and off like a bleedin' lightbulb :( How on earth did you ladies who have been through the higher dose pred ever manage to sleep? I'm seeing my acupuncturist tomorrow night, so I'll be asking her to do something to counteract the pred-sleep-nightmare effect, if she can, as well as somehow getting my body to have a) a fertilised egg, b) implant it safely, then c) stay pregnant. Hmm She's good, but I'm not sure she's a miracle worker :)

lol free 8DPO and testing already? Step away from the ICs, lady! That way lies madness. Oh who am I kidding, we're all mildly loony by now anyway, right?

kittens I am sorry to hear about your mum. You seem to be being very strong.

On a lighter note, CCTV would be very helpful!

duggs, this would be the first attempt at IVF for us. I'm 35, never been pregnant. I think I might have had a chem preg once, but by the time I had figured out what might be causing the pinky discharge and dizziness (this was back in the happy days when I knew nothing about cm and had never heard of preseed)!), and gone out to buy a pregnancy test, I was bleeding and the test was negative.

I'm going to see Dr S because if the problem is implantation failure (and no other reason has been identified, hence the "unexplained" diagnosis), that is the same process that causes recurrent miscarriage but just earlier on. So I think it is worth finding out before moving to IVF, and having more expensive implantation failures.

kittens sorry to hear your mum had a bad weekend. You're absolutely right about work always being there - but time with family is precious. You are being amazingly strong, even though you might not feel as though you are - you are somehow managing to hold it together and make level-headed decisions. You'll make a brilliant mum, I hope it happens soon.

As for you early testers - please accept this SLAP with a wet haddock. 8dpo is TOO EARLY!!! Although totally understand your reasons

choccypud and duggs those are very promising symptoms. Fingers crossed!

free I really do hope your BFN was just too early

ari good luck with getting your acupuncturist to cure your insomnia - my friend had acu for that very reason (although she wasn't on pred) and it worked a treat.

Must be something in the air, I had a bad night's sleep too - nothing to do with drugs (am down to aspirin only now) and everything to do with a restless DS who kept thrashing about and making me paranoid that he was going to really whack the bump. Am also finding turning over in bed is getting painful - which means the SPD is definitely starting. My physio appointment cannot come soon enough (no idea when it is).

stogan thinking of you today. Let us know all is well after your scan please!

Oh no digi, my sympathies re SPD. I've known others who've had it and it sounds like hell. Try not to worry about DS whacking your bump. From what I understand there is a lot of amniotic fluid/cushioning around the baby to protect it.

Thanks for you kind words all of you. It is a struggle and I don't feel very strong, although I am luckily quite a level headed person. I have had my moments of complete uselessness too though. When my mum first went in for the op I got a call from a client asking me what time I thought I would get to her. I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to be at work, even though I'd mentioned the job to a few different people earlier that week! Everything completely exited my head. Needless to say I was absolutely mortified and I suspect the client thought I'd made the story up to cover for my flakiness. Ahh well. At least it was a private client and not "industry".

My strange OV twinges went on for hours yesterday. I don't know what to make of it. I was still having them at midnight when I went to bed and had to take some paracetamol so I could get to sleep (as well as Nytol which I'd taken an hour earlier). They had no business behaving like that at only 4 days into my cycle!

stogan best of luck today. Will this be your last scan?

I am in agreement about the CCTV thing. I've always thought it would be helpful to have a little window put in but that might look a little spooky and put OH off SWI

I would be telling all you 8dpo testers off but there is evidence on one of these threads of me doing the same, at least once. Probably more.

Hello fellow 2WW, and early POAS ers!

Very quickly from work - I too poas - but on an opk - and there was a second faint line. However that was at 8dpo so I have no idea what it means - if anything. I am certain I am out this month - no symptoms at all - just the usaul sickness with the pred. I do have the twinges but nothing else. I am feeling quite low about it. However my chart is almost exactly the same as it was when I got my last BFP so I am clinging to that - even the same dip on 8 DPO.

kittens - You are doign so well, try to keep strong xx

Will post again otnight.

PS I am glad we are all in the same boat with POAS and early symptom spotting xx

damn spelling!

Euro I hope S can give you some answers. I only know I implanted once before. At least two of the other mc's could have been chems they were so early but you can never know for sure. As you say it's the same thing and those nasty little kcs can start their business as soon as they spot something that they think shouldn't be there.

Shall all we testers jump on this early testing bandwagon and test on Fri?? For me that'll be 10dpo well 10 days after smiley face so the earliest I would realistically get a bfp. Wonder if the collective sleeplessness is either due to happening to all be a bit stressed out wondering whether we're onto the next stage or due to the co-ordinated cycles meaning we're all at the same Pred fired restless phase?! Again, the power of the Internet!

Btw not seen scooter for a while... Hope you're out there and all is ok :)

Hey y'all sorry I wasn't on sooner been busy back at work?

Scan was amazing and baby lifted it's hands, pointed at dad and then pointed up to me OMG I have never felt love like it it was the best feeling ever sooooo can't wait for everyone to be seeing that. Looks like it won't be long for alot of you, here's to some BFPs this week !!!

Kittens I have one more scan on 30th dec when I will be around 30 weeks. U don't normally get them but my new consultant says he wants to see me as he wasn't there today , hey I'm not complaining that will be our 9th scan, this must be the most photographed baby ever !!!

Anymore scans or testing this week??? Xxx

AMAZING . . News like that makes us all stronger on our journeys !
I'm not working on a pie chart but more of a table - how many of you are mums already? I'm just trying to pull some info together that might be easier to digest than the list x

Aw, that's amazing stogan.

Thanks choccy.

I'm not bothering with early testing. I am pretty sure I am not pg this month. Why should it be any different to the last 11 (plus however many before that when we were being a bit more casual about the whole thing)?

Someone asked me when my appointment with Mr S is - Monday week.