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.

Interesting how many 'V high' there are here.

iggi Just echoing others on the steroids masking symptoms. I had no symptoms at all other than boob soreness. I think I've had about 2-3 random days of nausea in total. It's totally normal. And I actually think any weird symptoms I'm experiencing now are more withdrawal from the pred rather than actual pg symptoms.
And well done for getting through your booking in!

Going for flu jab next week. They do a walk-in thing at my local GP surgery which I imagine means sitting next to a bunch of people who have left it to late and catching actual flu at the same time as getting the jab .

Can I just say I'm REALLY looking forward to coming off the cyclogest this weekend. It's been a fantastic comfort blanket and I was so pleased to be on it through the first trimester but to not have to remember to insert stuff into my bottom on a nightly basis would be good.

Hello lovely ladies! Here I am, I am now back on line -hooray! I won't do a massive post, but just wanted to say hello to everyone and that I am still here and 'getting on with the job in hand' if you get my meaning.

I am visiting DP presently - I thought i would OV today but actually only got a high again on my cbfm so think it might be saturday as I tend to get 2 peaks and ovulate on the second. So I am here with all my usual tablets of aspirin, pregnacare plus, and Vit D3. I have also been swigging grapefruit juice, and disgusting cough mixture. I am working so hard at getting a bfp - i am exhausted!

I would like to be added to the list that digi has organised so well!

I hope I don't mess it up. I have put myself on the top as i am due to ov on Saturday (feel like I am pushing in ) Hope this is ok xxxTTC

batteryhen- High activation NKC, and factor v leiden. TTC/OV 29 Oct
Suemays - V High NKC TTC/ov 31st Oct.
Freelance - V High NKC TTC/ov 1st Nov. Hydroxchloroquine, Pred, Intralipids. Thyroid/hashimotos
Arianrhod - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, hypothyroid, TTC/ov 1st Nov
eurochick - awaiting first appointment (in Nov)/cd9/ov 31 Oct-2 Nov
ChoccyPud - V High NKC / cd7/ov 3rd Nov
Cheerfulcharlie V High NKC (intralipids on BFP, no Pred) TTC/ov 5th Nov.
Snoopygirl - V High NKC TTC/ov 16 Nov ish/will be Ist try with Pred Itralipids
Havingkittens - High NKC TTC again from November

BFP
Stogan - V high NKC - BFP ON 9/7/11 cycle#2 - 20+5 Due 10/03/12
Digitalgirl - High NKC - BFP cycle#2 - 15+3 Due 16/04/12 next scan 7/11
Coconutfeet - V High NKC, Factor II gene mutation, underactive thyroid - 12+2 next scan 15/11
Iggi - High NKC & Hypothyroidism - 9+2 next scan 7/11
Comedy 8+6 due 1/6/12 scan 2/11
Scooterchaser - V High NKC - BFP cycle1 - 4+4. Due 01/07/12. Scan in two weeks

am worried now that I have messed it up? xx I think it is ok

Having a little chuckle at Battery armed with an arsenal of drugs and random bottles of cough medicine and grapefruit :) oh the things we have to go through... I will be going to the US for ten days in the 2ww so I will have to take extra Pred, Cyclogest, Hydroxy, extra thyroxine, all the preg vits and aspirin, pregnancy tests, thermometer and of course AF paraphernalia just so I have all bases covered!

Yes battery that is your chronological place on the list so that is where you should be!

Digi very pleased you are soon going to be laying off the arse tablets . They are, literally, a real PITA. Actually I have always gone for the 'front option'.

Am having a bit of a worry about a friend today. She has got pregnant on her 4th round of IVF (one previous chemical) and went for a 6 week scan today and just saw an empty sac. Obviously this is exactly (bar the IVF) what I went through last time and it didn't work out well for me. She has that horrible week wait for another scan. I just really hope it goes well for her. Even though I've had 4 mcs and two back to back this year I feel she really deserves this to go well as she has been trying to have a baby for years and years. I so want this to work out for her.

I just know from past experience that the outcome is potentially not good. Of course people DO have an empty sac at 6 weeks and go on to have a healthy baby but from what I have Dr Googled after my last one it seems much more usual to actually see something at 6 weeks. Does everyone agree. I just KNOW that this might happen to me again too. For some reason I expect it. Oh god, getting a bit nervous about jumping back on the TTC bandwagon next week.

Thanks ladies. My appointment is on 21 Nov at Harley St but I am considering seeing if I can change to Epsom. Someone mentioned to me that the Epsom clinic is usually less rushed.

The lists are really useful to see who is on here and what stage we are all at.

free would love to see what Customs make of your own arsenal of stuff ... try explaining that lot! :)

Sorry to hear about your friend, I'm sure we all sympathise hugely with her. I've heard it told that an empty sac at 6 weeks could still result in a baby, but IRL I've never known it to be the case :( Is it worth your friend getting tested for immune issues, do you think? And no no no, positive thinking, no nervousness please, take one day at a time and see what happens. No second guessing before we're even there. I refuse to even think about the possibility of "what happens next" when I get my next BFP. Not. Going. To. Think. About. It.

Denial, a lovely place to be (at times) [hgrin]

euro is that Mr S you're seeing? Personally I've never found the Harley St appts rushed, he's seemingly had all the time in the world when I've seen him. YMMV, of course, and you must go where you feel most comfortable :)

Well done on the list girls! Particularly impressed at Digi putting them in order of ovulation :-) I bet your DVDs and books are all suitably grouped ;-)

Freelance, I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I have to say I agree it doesn't sound good because with the IVF I suppose she will know the exact dates. I always thought that when people don't see anything at '6 weeks' then it turns out ok, it's because they got the ovulation date a bit wrong and were out by some days or so. I may be wrong, I hope so and that she's not going to have bad news in a week.

Sod's law, just as I announce that I'm going to TTC this month i am having a wobble. I have been having acupuncture since late June and acupuncturist said give it 3 months before ttc to give the acupuncture chance to work, so I gave it 4 months (because 1 month she was away). She knows I'm planning to ttc this month but I made the mistake of asking if she thought it was ok for me to try again and she said although some things have improved I still have 'coldness in my uterus' and although it's impossible to say she would wait for another 2 months. One of the signs of it is cold hands and feet yet I have always had this and really doubt another few months of acupuncture is going to cure this. However, it has managed to shorten my cycles from 39 to about 32 days and eliminate all pms symptoms, so I am quite convinced it has done some good.

I've been gearing up for ttc this Nov for the last 10 months from losing weight, all the testing etc, to taking all the vitamins, metformin to get my PCOS in check, changing my diet, getting my cycles a normal regular length and my hormone levels normal and emotionally feeling fine again. I have been very excited about ttc again finally and counting down the days til OV and now to put it back til Jan is really frustrating, but then I don't want to be silly and rush into another miscarriage for the sake of 2 months.

My gynae is happy for me to try now and my acupuncturist would not have given her opinion had I not asked for it. So, what do I do, do I try and then when I miscarry kick myself for not listening to the acupuncturist? I'm 33, by the way, so I hope i do still have a bit of time. I know there's a highish chance i'll have a miscarriage anyway so I tend to just think, let's get on with it and another one out the way. What would you do - just go for it or wait til Jan? My OH will be swayed either way.

Sorry - self indulgent post and not so NK cell related specifically, but i'm really not sure what to do now.

free hope all is good for your friend and maybe the dates are just a little out or something. I don't know anything about outcomes from 6 week scans cos I never had one that early before but I am sure there are some encouraging stories out there. Wishing you positive mental attitude for the TTC altho know it's mixed emotions at every stage isn't it! I'm already a wreck!

I have spent the entire day sorting out my treatment and it's all a bit mindblowing. Apparently my NK 69 count has raised while on the pred (from 2.0 to 2.69) but the doctor I spoke to showed me that my total count and percentage NK figures have reduced. I don't really know what this means for my chances but I downed the 40mg pred almost before I left the pharmacy! I really hope this dose is better at zapping the blighters and isn't too late.

Then the intralipids thing. I have to have it done at home (to the tune of £300 a time - ouch!) wait in all day tomorrow for the stuff to be delivered and then I will find out on Fri eve which three hours of Monday I have to spend having it 'infused' or whatever. I am lucky I am not trying to hold down a normal job at the mo, don't see how it's possible!

euro don't have any experience of Harley Street but I have been really pleased with Epsom where everybody seemed to know the protocol for Mr S patients and I even got an impromptu consultation today with a doctor because my results have changed and she felt she needed to talk me through all the new paperwork and treatment. Also, at my previous appointment there I got to go in early!!

Last thing, people on the 40mg, have you been given some drug beginning with O for indigestion/acid reflux side effects and do we really have to take it if we don't find we're suffering? Feeling like 11 pills a day is a bit excessive if I don't actually need it all.

Charlie sorry you're having a wobble, Its really hard to get different recommendations from everywhere. I was also told to wait by lots of people telling me how much time I had ,but in the end my appointments came through earlier than I expected and once I had the big bag of drugs I took that as the green light to go for it. I guess listen to your body and trust your instincts. It's such a tough decision, does your acupuncturist have a lot of experience with this kind of thing?

Cheerful sorry you've had confusing advice. You're bound to be worried about another mc - I think we all have that fear now - but if you feel ready to give it a go again, I'd say crack on if your gynaecologist is happy. You can overthink things.

Been thinking today about what I'm eating and drinking. I've tried to give up second guessing myself on whether I should eg cut out caffeine completely or whether one cup in the morning and a can of Diet Coke per day from the 2ww and while pg is ok, because that much isn't too much, I like it and why should I put myself through total abstinence. Giving up red wine is quite enough sacrifice! (still got a couple of bottles I'm gonna have before starting to behave myself from the hot week [hgrin])

Grapefruit?? I've not heard that one before, what's the thing with grapefruit?

Hello. Well I laid off the onepilltoofar (I can never remember the actual name, you know what I mean!) today, and for the first time I felt really sick this afternoon! So, back on the tablet but still quite pleased symptom wise. (I'm assuming that it made a difference as it assects acid and acid affects nausea.) Is everyone else on this on the higher pred dose? I'm not.
I didn't realise what was actually involved in intrapallids. Wow.
I finished my (old) job today. If only things work out, I'll not be back for 2 years instead of one

Reading today's posts in reverse order... free I had a scan just on 6 weeks and all they could see was a sac. It kept developing (well, up to 8+2 mmc), so your friend may be ok yet. I wonder if how much is seen very early depends on where the foetus implants as it must be harder to see detail if it's hidden away at the back or something, or if your uterus happens to have lots of nooks and crannies.

Freelance, when I had a scan with just a sac at 6 weeks a year ago, I posted a thread on MN and actually got quite a few saying this happened to them and they now had a baby. But of course, their dates may have been out. My own story was obviously a mc so it didn't work out, but in the short-term it did - just a sac at 6 weeks, growth and a heartbeat by 7 (and gone by 8 . I hope you friend is one of the lucky ones.

Hi all
Cheerful - for what it's worth I think go for it if you feel ready. My last miscarriage was a partial molar (I just needed an ectopic to have a full hat trick) ... as this has a small chance of being cancer related I then had to send weekly samples to Charing cross for checking and should really have waited a little longer before TTC but the summer seemed like it was the right time to start trying so I did. Good luck.
Really sorry to hear about your friend Free - doesn't look great but you never know.
Well done on the list Digi - I didn't give many details so would you mind adding that I'm in the very high range and conceived in second month - thank you.
Sending everyone all good wishes x

OOh one of my other MN friends had a molar Comedy and she did the same peeing in a pot thing too. It's not easy when someones tells you not to do something Cheerful but personally I would go by what the doctor told me rather than the acupuncturist. Cold hands and cold feet are interesting - do you think it might be related to Raynauld's? It is autoimmune. Also looking at the list (handy!) to see if you have thyroid probs as they cause the same. I am all up for alternative treatments but it's so hard to know what to believe and what to do - I mean do people really have a cold uterus?!

I think in a way that is why I haven't gone back to acupuncture - I am worried they will say don't start trying too. I am with you with the wobble anyway. Sigh. Life is so much easier when not going through all this crap. I just want to have a baby and get on with the next stage of my life dammit!! Rather than faff around with medication and The Fear, let alone another miscarriage.

Thanks for all the stories about empty sacs at 6 weeks iggi, choccy, Scooter. I had that too last time but it stayed empty apart from the appearance of a yolk sac. I asked my friend and she said that with IVF they still don't know when you are going to implant, so there can be a few days leeway I guess. But she didn't think the doc sounded v positive. But yes we all know people who didn't see anything at that stage and it went ok. The funny thing is with my friend that she has been trying for years to get pregnant and there have been no known reasons why she can't. She had that one chemical and that was it. I don't want to go around diagnosing everyone with NKC but if this one goes wrong I am sending her Dr Beer's book. She has expressed interest in going down this line too.

I have found both places ok for appointments Euro but Epsom takes longer for me to get to. That said, I quite like Epsom as it is always calm and quiet. It's only a couple of mins walk from the station too. I can't wait to see what your results are!

Well done on finishing the job Iggi! Are you going to another one straight away?

Scooter I was on the high dose and yes I took the Omeprazole. I have the same question for next time actually only as for a vanity thing someone here said hte other day that it can make you gain weight! But I was terribly bloated and I think it did help with that. I think it is because the Pred can irritate the lining of your stomach so you probably need to take it if you are feeling any weird tummy things.

free the weight thing is already getting out of hand anyway, so I'm sort of past caring... already looking forward to post-intralipid celebratory pie ala comedy!! and I have made peace with the fact that 'Mr Greedy in stretchy leggings' is the only look I'll be working for the time-being.

People who've had the lovely drip, how soon was it after BFP? I will be 5+1 by the time I have my first dose so I hope the timings ok.

cheerful re the 'cold uterus' thing. I was told by an osteopath that my uterus was 'unconnected' to the rest of me (I saw her between mc2&3). I am torn between going back to find out what that's all about, really hoping that it IS 'connected' now and being scared of her telling me that I wasn't ready, I jumped the gun, I could've benefitted from treatment etc etc. Telling you to wait two months does seem a bit like plucking a figure out of the air. Did she explain what she would expect to happen in that time?

For what its worth, I waited six months since mc3, had counselling, gave up a job, started exercising, ate well etc etc hoping to get into a better place to ttc but now learn that my NK cells are higher than they've ever been, for no apparent reason. So that was all worth it then! (Sighs and shrugs).

Evening,

This board is so busy that I can just about keep up with it all!

free sorry about your friend. I can't offer any wisdom but good luck to her - seeing what others have said she may still have a chance. I am usually sobbing by time I get even get out of scan room so I know it sounds bad but can't even remember half of what they have said to me in there re empty sac/no heartbeat etc - it's all a blur... Oh by the way on the Miscarriage Campaign front i was thinking that treatment at scan a bit rubbish as every time I have been shown the back door of EPU so I don't have to walk back throu happy mums receptiion. I know they are prob thinking of me as well but it does seem a bit demeaning and makes you feel even worse somehow.

Hi Cheerful Personally I would also go by docs advice although I do remember Zita West saying something on This morning once about keeping abdomen warm. I wish I could afford acupunture thou as it's seem great for relaxation and regulating cycles.

I too have been thinking about the fact I have been described Omeprazole. I can't find it but someone bit further back said they just took Gaviscon if they had acid/upset tummy. Mind you wary of deviating from any thing Dr S has said.

Euro I'm attending Epsom and although only been there twice, it's been very quiet both times and for me it's easier to get to (despite M40/M25) than train into London.

It's great having the list now as it's going to be really interesting to see how your all progressing. Can't imagine how I'm going to feel in a couple of weeks. Thinking of you all. xx

Thanks for adding me to the list. X

Just reading all of ur posts and think ur all wonderful helping each other(and uve all helped me) think it's so lovely how supportive this thread is ! [gives everyone a well deserved pat on the back] ???

Morning all ladies, hope you're all doing well this morning?

Just a quickie ... snoopy the comment about Gaviscon was from me, and was because Mr S has told me to take the Omeprazole with the low-dose pred (from OV) as well as with the high-dose, as even the low dose really upset my stomach last cycle (first one I'd taken the pred). To be honest my "I think I'll just take a good swig of Gaviscon instead" was a little bit tongue-in-cheek .. but only a little, I'm rather concerned that I'll be taking Omeprazole for longer than usual, as it is known to put on weight. That said, I also don't want to repeat the crippling indigestion I had for three days in a row (and I've never had indigestion in my life before!), so I'll wait and see what the 25mg pred does to me this time around and if my stomach complains, then I'll probably take the Omeprazole.

FWIW my acupuncturist hasn't said anything about when it's right for me to TTC, other than saying "our goal is to get you pregnant as soon as possible" (!!) and has asked me to come and see her twice weekly from now instead of monthly as I have been doing, she's looking to boost my system on the fertility front (and has actually been doing so with the last couple of treatments). Cheerful I'd echo what the others have said - if you feel your body (and mind) is ready to TTC, then why not try? You may not fall pg on the first attempt, so you may get your 2 months before falling pregnant anyway? Only you can really tell, to be honest, and I'm sure your acupuncturist will support you whatever you do.

Morning Ari

thanks for your comment. Just have to see how it goes. Hopefully I will be able to get walking and cycling when DS back to school next week. I see your OVing shortly - fingers crossed for you this time round.
x

cheerful - if you are ready then you should go for it. My acupuncture lady has never mentioned anything about a cold uterus - but then again my hands and feet are always red hot. I truly believe that if your body is ready to get pg then it will. If it's not then it won't. Not sure if that helps at all?
choccy grapefruit juice is supossed to thin cm to let the sperm swim easier. That combined with the god awful cough mixture seems to really work for me x

My gp has prescribed me some omeprazole for when i am on the pred as I do get tummy ache about 10 days in of taking it. it also makes me feel really sick which is mean as it makes you think you could be pg.

Hope everyone is ok today xx

ari hiya, I think I might also adopt 'wait and see' for the omeprazole, have only taken two doses of the 40mg pred but I didn't suffer too much with the lower dose so just don't want to be taking extra (especially weight-gaining pills) unnecessarily. I haven't had a chance to chat about it with anyone official, it just appeared on my prescription so I didn't really know what to do about it. Does anyone know if it is one of these drugs you have to take regularly and over time to have an effect, ie can't just pop one for an episode of indigestion?

Thanks Battery, may as well give it a go along with everything else!

Have a lovely day everyone... Sun's out here and I'm still not at work so I'm going to enjoy it :)

Just a quickie from me as am on the train and it's annoying to write lots on phone but I only took the Omep. when I felt I needed it when on the 40 which was some days in a row sometime. Anyone got an appointment coming up so we can ask him whether a swig of Gavescon would do...? I don't remember having any great jump in side effects from 25mg to 40mg but I had a lot of bloating going on with pregnancy, Cyclogest, Pred and eating for England! I think the Moonface only really kicked in about 8 weeks pregnant and that was the week I had the ERPC. If I had stayed pregnant it would have been close to starting to taper by that point so not too bad.

I have to say am loving the reduced appetite as a result of the hydroxy! I would really like to track down the one other person he has tried it on too. Will be so interesting to see if it works.

Morning all - I'm seeing Mr S on Wednesday so am happy to ask about the omeprazole and see what he says. I have been taking it every day but have no idea if that is causing my hugeness or the steroids ... or the cyclogest ...or maybe the fact I haven't been to the toilet for what seems like a few months ... or maybe that I only feel like eating bread and pastry!

Just updating the list with my scan date.

Thanks comedy for agreeing to ask about about the omeprazole, decided not to take it this morning but already finding out why its recommended...! Probably will have popped one before the day is out.

Glad the hydroxy side effects are positive ones free! Good luck with your search for the other person on it, do you think there could be more people trying it out there but under different consultants?

TTC
batteryhen- High activation NKC, and factor v leiden. TTC/OV 29 Oct
Suemays - V High NKC TTC/ov 31st Oct.
Freelance - V High NKC TTC/ov 1st Nov. Hydroxchloroquine, Pred, Intralipids. Thyroid/hashimotos
Arianrhod - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, hypothyroid, TTC/ov 1st Nov
eurochick - awaiting first appointment (in Nov)/cd9/ov 31 Oct-2 Nov
ChoccyPud - V High NKC / cd7/ov 3rd Nov
Cheerfulcharlie V High NKC (intralipids on BFP, no Pred) TTC/ov 5th Nov.
Snoopygirl - V High NKC TTC/ov 16 Nov ish/will be Ist try with Pred Itralipids
Havingkittens - High NKC TTC again from November

BFP
Stogan - V high NKC - BFP ON 9/7/11 cycle#2 - 20+5 Due 10/03/12
Digitalgirl - High NKC - BFP cycle#2 - 15+3 Due 16/04/12 next scan 7/11
Coconutfeet - V High NKC, Factor II gene mutation, underactive thyroid - 12+2 next scan 15/11
Iggi - High NKC & Hypothyroidism - 9+2 next scan 7/11
Comedy 8+6 due 1/6/12 scan 2/11
Scooterchaser - V High NKC - BFP cycle1 - 4+5. Due 01/07/12. Scan 10/11