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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

TTC/Pregnancy on Prednisolone or similar part 5

999 replies

suemays · 25/01/2012 16:48

A positive thread for all those diagnosed with High or Very High NK Cells and looking to start TTC or already pregnant on Prednisolone and/or Intralipid treatment.

Newcomers very much welcome!

Part 3 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1348773-TTC-pregnancy-on-Prednisolone-or-similar-part-3

Part 2 here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1323594-TTC-pregnancy-on-Prednisolone-or-similar-part-2

Part 1 here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1236324-TTC-pregnancy-on-Prednisolone-or-similar

OP posts:
Arianrhod · 23/02/2012 14:28

If it's of interest - www.biochemic-cell-salts.com/12-tissue-salts/ . I take a combination of all 12 (there are places that will make them up for you so you only take one unbelievably ridiculously small "pillule" each day instead of loads, something I appreciated!). My acupuncuturist strongly believes this will help, and what the heck, it's not a chemical so I figured it couldn't hurt.

Dunnitt · 23/02/2012 15:09

Hello all

hopefull great news on the scan. And to actually hear the HB, how amazing. I had my weekly scan today (9wks) but no sound with mine! But you could see the arm buds, so it's starting to look like something now. Was so emotional. However makes it harder to treat it like inanimate object, which ive been trying to do to protect myself.

duggs you were just around the corner from me then today, as I'm at ARGC all day today having to have another IVIG as my NKC count came back high still. It's down from 24% to 19% but still higher than the 12% max that 'normal' people have. Great news on the IVF and CGH. Must feel great to feel like something is happening. I bet you 're raring to go.

digitalgirl · 23/02/2012 15:17

Fantastic news dunnit!

Coconutfeet · 23/02/2012 15:21

Free, I was recently taken off clexane and put back on aspirin by my consultant. I'll be back on clexane for 6 weeks, post delivery, as apparently that's the riskiest time for clots. I must ask about the implications of that if I end up with a c-section.

Stogan · 23/02/2012 16:45

Awesome news dunnit GrinGrinGrin

Free I stopped the aspirin at 20 weeks per mr s but my consultant said I could carry on if I wanted to as long as I stopped at 30 weeks for bleeding in labour etc. my argument for stopping at 20 weeks was mr s had got me the furthest ever on his advice so I wasn't going to stop listening to him. I did however pop the odd aspirin if I was having particularly salty foods like chinese etc.
Been into town with a friend today and is the first time I've felt like I should actually be at home resting, baby was putting so much pressure on at one point I couldn't walk, guess this is what everyone meant when they said my body would tell me when to slow down !

BellyD · 23/02/2012 18:02

Great news dunnitt battery and hopeful and lovely uplifting post from cinny that I 100% agree with. It is so good to know that you are not struggling on alone, whatever stage of this journey you are at. I think many people who breeze through pregnancy would be amazed and have huge respect for what we have all gone and are going through to try and achieve our dreams if they read this thread. You are all unbelievably supportive.

Huge respect for anyone able to watch OBEM, I can't even face the trailer and found the midwife prog with Miranda in pretty hard!

Had a post ov scan at St Mary's today and looks like 3 follicles ruptured, but lining not v thick (6 mm) so not that hopeful. Had a blood test to see if progesterone level was ok and back next week for another scan (assuming no bfp) to check all settled back down before we start next month. How many cycle monitoring scans is the norm per cycle at NLC? Keen to transfer care totally there next month despite Mr S going MIA as it has been too confusing juggling advice this month. However cycle monitoring at St Mary is very thorough.

Just to chip in on willitbes question - I take all meds at breakfast time, and pred and aspirin after I've eaten something, am so forgetful I wouldn't remember otherwise. On work days I have to get up 15 mins earlier to take all the blooming' things!

Big hello to everyone else.

brownstag · 23/02/2012 18:15

Hallo everyone. I've just started on prednisolone from Mr S, and next month start the superovulation treatment too. I have a three-year-old son, not actually conceived on prednisolone but I was treated with it as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I'd had 4 miscarriages before him. I'm nearly 41 and had been trying for a year naturally without any luck.
Anyone else on pred and Letrozole, and how's it been, if so?

duggs1976 · 23/02/2012 19:47

brownstag there are a whole bunch of us on letrozole and pred on a super ovulation thread on here I'm on iPhone so can't check link but will do so if you haven't found it yet. We r all dr s super ov chicks. It's ok makes us sweat and stuff like that but pop over for the low down as you can follow the thread to catch up.

duggs1976 · 23/02/2012 20:08

TTC Super Ovulation that is the title Smile

suemays · 23/02/2012 21:06

Hi Brownstag the thread Duggs mentioned is here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1385998-TTC-Super-Ovulation

Your history sounds similar to a lot of us on here - 3 or more miscarriages and seeing Dr S. I am doing the superov plan as the preds messed up my cycles so now on my 2nd go. There are loads of side effects with the preds such as insomnia, weight gain, mood swings and 'moon face' but you might not get any of them. Some of us have also grown lovely moustaches! The letrozole gives you hot flushes and spots! I have experienced all the side effects so look like the she-devil now!

OP posts:
snoopygirl · 23/02/2012 21:12

Hello brownstag from a Super Ov chick. Come on over and you'll gain tons of info. I'm on both drugs btw. And 42 eek!

belly that I presume means your still in with a chance?

Well had post letrozole scan. and have two folicles of 17mm/21mm which he said were perfect! And lining 8mm which was fine apparently. Dead pleased as this was first go on Super Ov. So hubby gave me trigger injection under supervision of nurse and almost bottled it halfway though (i had eyes tightly shut). so that's great as wasn't really expecting anything first time. So Dr told us to swi fri and sat and start pred again sun. Damn just gettin used to being off it again. so we'll see how it pans out.

dunnit fab news so pleased for you x

free yes thanks to you this thread Smile. Enjoy your meal out x

suemays · 23/02/2012 21:25

Snoopy my follicles were a similar size to yours last month at my scan but I think I missed OV by one day as did the trigger shot as instructed the day after my scan and then OVd 36 hours later. I would SWI tonight too just incase you OV naturally tomorrow morning - depends if your DH's sperm is OK (cant believe I am discussing that with you!)

OP posts:
Havingkittens · 23/02/2012 21:34

Sorry, don't have time to read back or do personals.... again.... Blush Constantly chasing my tail at the moment!

I just have a question - Are we Super Ovulators supposed to abstain from SWI until we get the go ahead? I would assume that maximum shagging is best but wasn't sure if we were supposed to build up "a head of steam" for the big OV day.

snoopygirl · 23/02/2012 21:35

Oh thanks sue. I'll have to drag him away from "Balls of Fury" though. Why oh why can't he watch something intelligent!
Haha just realised that films pretty apt! surely it cant be called that, i'm off to check!!!

Arianrhod · 23/02/2012 21:46

Ladies, a quick question if I may about implantation cramps. Can I just ask those of you who get these (is it everyone? I don't know), did you get them with every pregnancy or just sometimes and not others? I just wondered because for all 4 of my failed pregnancies I had definite cramps and always 7 & 8 DPO. Am I right to assume therefore because I haven't had any cramps at all at 7 DPO today I'm most likely out for this cycle? I'm not really trying to over analyse this nor am I stressing about it at all, just wondered if the pattn I've seen thus far really is as simple as it seems.

Havingkittens · 23/02/2012 22:13

It's so hard to say Ari. I had cramps as 7dpo or thereabouts almost every month since starting Pred last April, but there have been some months that I haven't had it. Mostly during the breaks from Pred, I've noticed.

Incidentally, my phone has a predictive text thing that starts to recognise words that I use often and put them in the menu. The other day I went to write something and it auto corrected it to Preds as the most likely choice!

suemays · 23/02/2012 23:28

Ari I have found I had cramps with some of my pregnancies but not all of them so I dont think you can read anything into it.

Kittens I had a similar thing too with the word superov!
I was told re SWIing on superov to make sure you do it on the day of ovulation and after and its up to you if you want to do anymore. I have read its best not to leave the sperm more than 7 days at a time to keep it fresh! Mmmm yummy!

OP posts:
scooterchaser · 23/02/2012 23:46

Hi lovely bunch sorry to be MIA but have been on my enforced pred-break and nothing to report. Also been trying to free up some headspace as I know I will be obsessed and glued to thread when back in the ttc game in a little while.
Finally (only 3 months after I miscarried on the treatment) I have my follow up appointment tomorrow. Watch this space hoping to have some answers and be back in cocoon house soon.

Waving for now and I'll retrace a bit to catch up....

brownstag · 24/02/2012 07:47

Arianrhod, I had implantation cramps for all of my pregnancies, and for the first pregnancy, to 12 weeks, all the way through. These were all before starting preds or knowing anything about NK cells. Once I started the steroids, on finding I was pregnant with my son, this all disappeared. It worried me, because I thought 'nothing was going on', but Mr S said that the steroids generally masked all pregnancy symptoms.

brownstag · 24/02/2012 07:58

Thanks very much Snoopygirl and Suemays. When I took the steroids before, I didn't really have any major side effects except for bad indigestion and some black facial hair (twice-a-day plucking kept that at bay!) But I was lucky then in that I happened to discover I was pregnant two days before my first ever app with Mr S, and so I was put on preds immediately, so basically only took them for the minimum time possible. I have a feeling it's going to take a lot longer this time, as I've had only one brief suspicion of pregnancy this year, and that only lasted a day or two.
This time round I've had some insomnia, which I didn't before, but I've found the MigraCap (a cooling gel cap) very effective.
Suemays: what did the steroids do to your cycle? I've always had quite an irregular cycle, but earlier this year had Clomid on the NHS, which on stopping it, seems to have given me a perfectly regular cycle for the last three months, for the first time in my life. Would be quite sad to lose that!
What levels of NK cells has everyone got? Mine were 256 and activation 0.7 but that was three years ago and I haven't had a repeat.

Stogan · 24/02/2012 08:05

Morning all and welcome brownstag Grin

Just a quick check in for me lots to do before my consultant appt at 10.30, terrified he's going to induce me (hell knows why, I'll prob still be sat here 2 weeks after due date) so getting all washed and "tidied" up !!

Will update u all later, have a lovely Friday xxx

ChoccyPud · 24/02/2012 08:08

Quick wave to scooter hope today's appointment goes well. Don't leave til you get your answers!

stogan look forward to your news later too.

Welcome brownstag

Right, really must go am SO late!! Happy Friday all :)

freelancegirl · 24/02/2012 09:06

So much to catch up on! Am getting in there before there are any more posts to accidentally forget.

First of all welcome to Brownstag! Can we call you Stag? We have a Brownie already and we do like to make nicknames of our nicknames here.

Gosh your story about having 4 mcs and then DS is inspirational to us you know, as we have not yet had any Pred Thread babies. Not that we haven?t been successful on the treatment, it is just that the thread only started when I first started seeing Mr S back in May so we haven?t yet had time. If you look out our list though we have a few third trimester folk who are getting towards their due dates!

How was your pregnancy with DS on the treatment? Was there anything you avoided/didn?t avoid?

As far as everyone?s levels of NK cells we did have a list somewhere (an additional list to our normal list on here) that listed everyone?s. I think that Cherry and I are the highest at 3.79 each but there might have been someone else with as high a level too. I guess your levels mean you were on 40mg of Pred and intralpids too? I found with the 40 ? I was on it twice, once unsuccessfully and also for current pregnancy with which am now 18 weeks - I think the most annoying thing for me was moonface and weight gain, particularly in the face again. I also got terrible bags and dark circles this time. Sleep wasn?t so bad. Facial hair was there too! But it is all goes quite quickly which is the good thing.

I can?t help you with the Super Ov (as I am not on it) but I think you probably sussed by now that we have two threads ? a splinter group, or the Notts Landing to our Dallas Grin as so many NK cell folk were then being put on Super Ov. So this thread is the Pred Thread but they do cross over and there are a few people on both. So do stay here too! We can add you to the list if you fancy?

Great news on the scan Dunnit Yes it does make it harder to stay emotionally unattached when you see the little thing moving around and growing things.

A big wave to BellyD. Sorry the follicles weren?t brilliant. Am sure the others can advise about cycles with these etc.

I have a question about this sort of thing though ? does Mr S explain why there are a few of you having difficulties ovulating? Is it down to the high NK cells, the medication, age/genetics or even ?just one of those things??

Ari I think both times I have been aware of becoming pregnant I have had implantation cramps. I certainly never got any pre-af cramps that early when having a normal af. And both times I have fallen pregnant whilst being aware of it I definitely felt there was a lot of ?stuff? going on down there. I remember describing it like almost having the builders in. One of those pregnancies never showed a foetus and was an ERPC at 8 weeks and the other is this one now.

Kittens my phone recognises Pred too, and intralipids Grin

Scooter ? nice to see you back! Glad you have been trying to relax and enjoy the break as yes you are right in imaging there is probably a bit of mentalling to come! Good luck with the follow up appointment

Thanks for all the info on the aspirin. Particularly interesting to hear about your bleeding with that little skin op PQ. On that subject is anyone else finding their gums are bleeding more? Also have had a couple of bleeds from the nose ? too little to call nose bleeds but just a bit of blood occasionally mixed in with snot (nice?). I think I will ask Louise but it doesn?t look like there?s much harm in taking it until around 25 weeks when I next see Mr S.

My next step is waiting for an anomaly scan date through the post, still hasn?t got here. Off to Brighton for the weekend today so that should be nice and distracting. I have finally started to feel a lot better (cue more mentalling that it is going wrong) so hopefully that is the second trimester wave of normalness that is talked about! Hope everyone else is ok. Anxiously waiting news of Pebbles first follie scan too. Got lots of work to get through first though so best get on with it.

brownstag · 24/02/2012 09:25

Thanks Freelancegirl
A quick reply as also meant to be working ... Wonderful news on your pregnancy. How long did you take the treatment for before you were successful?
With my son the intralipid treatment wasn't around yet, and Mr S hadn't added the progesterone either, so I just had 25mg preds plus aspirin. Mr S also tested me for coeliac antibodies as my mum has coeliac disease, and although the results were inconclusive, he put me on a gluten free diet for the whole of pregnancy, which was very hard as I'm vegan too. I was superparanoid about contamination with gluten the whole way through although we still don't know whether it was relevant - well, I was superparanoid about everything really. The treatment was fine; sugar in the urine frequently, but other than that uneventful. I had a brief bleed at 26 weeks on holiday, terrifying, but it turned out to be nothing. I didn't really put on any weight, I was just a stick with a bump, and my son was quite small (6lb), born 38 + 2, but has always been healthy.
Yes, please add me to any lists. I'm new on Mums Net and finding it a bit hard to navigate around at the moment!
Thanks

brownstag · 24/02/2012 09:29

P.S. Stag it is!