TTC/Pregnancy on Prednisolone or similar part 5

[suemays]

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

sue fingers crossed!

PQ arse. Anymore random splodges or back ache since? Can you stick your head in the sand and think lalalala still on the 12ww, so could go either way?

Morning ladies - the Co-Q10 info is interesting, but Mr S actually told me to take Co-Q10 right from when I first started seeing him last Sept, so I've been taking it since then on his advice (200mg a day). Was it just me he told to take this then? He also said OH could take it, although OH then decided he didn't want to, grrrrrrrr.

I also take resveratrol (antioxidant, recommended by some of the US fertility specialists) and goji berry supplements (another antioxidant). Have also been looking into micronised DHEA but I haven't done enough research on that yet. All with a view to improving those struggling eggies.

sue Sounds like possibly good news to me?? I've never had an evap line on an FRER, they've always been pretty reliable - and remember 10dpo is very early, so I would have thought a faint line is a good sign??

PQ I'll second digi's comment of @rse. Hopefully it will turn out to be nothing at all to worry about, fingers crossed you get nothing more.

pico no, I've not had my fsh/lh tested - Mr S didn't suggest it. Maybe he knows I'd throw in the towel if the odds are stacked too highly against us.

Any news from bellyd yet?

Interested in all the house-hunting chat going on, when we were looking to move last summer we also looked at some ex-LA properties briefly as they were huge compared to the other houses we saw in our price bracket, but unfortunately in the main the LA/ex-LA areas in our part of the world really aren't nice, so we didn't go that route.

That's interesting choccy. I never get headaches but had an absolute stonker last night. I felt sick with it and although the headache has gone completely this morning, I still feel like my stomach is rather unsettled. I assumed it was a reaction to all the hormones. I have only ever had bad headaches/migranes twice before - puberty and when I was on the Pill. This is the third bout and coincidentally, I am taking loads of hormones. Hmm. It would be good if it is a virus though, not least because it might be an indicator that the Pred is doing something!

I'll leave it there as I am still feeling a little under the weather.

Hmm Just did a bit more reading and it seems 600mg is the dose recommended for optimal Co-Q10. So I shall be upping my dose today :)

It's possible that it could be left over Ovitrelle in my system from the Super Ov programme as it can take 14 days to leave the body and shows up as a positive pregnancy test. The only reason I think I might be pregnant is that I have sore boobs and feeling slightly sick and light headed. I am doing another test (with first response again) over the weekend if AF hasn't arrived so will let you all know then. Not getting my hopes up too much!

PQ have you had any bright red blood? Have you tried doing another preg test? My chemical happened when I would have been around 5 weeks but I knew as the pregnancy tests got lighter and lighter. At least if its just brown splodges it's old blood. Will be thinking of you today as I know you will be knicker checking all day. I think some of the other ladies on here who are passed 12 weeks have had spots of blood and they were all OK so hopefully you will be too.

Pico thanks for the info about the Q10, very interesting that it can improve egg quality - is there anything else that can help?

Ari I know the wellman conception tablets have got Q10 them in so could you get your DH to take those? They are selling them for 3 for 2 in Boots at the moment! My DH doesnt mind taking them as they are more like a multivitamin rather than a 'hocus pocus' drug.

Dr S did not tell me to take Q10 but I might try them if this month I am not pregnant.

This board is so great for all the info and support so thanks ladies!

Just ducked out and bought more FR tests - and got a super strong line that came up instantly. No red blood - or any more brown or back ache or cramps for that matter. Am just resigned to mmc (for no particularly good reason other than I am sick of being positive and being disappointed). Geez this is going to be a loooong week. Sorry to be such a bore!

PQ sorry it's so bloody nervewracking. We all know exactly how that feels and nothing we say can make it better apart from understanding/handholding. but nice big strong line is a great sign! Hopefully no more splodges!

sue good luck hunni hope you get that strong line at weekend x

Q10 is bloody expensive just went into H&B an it's seems to be £14 for cheapest but hey if it helps....

I am so knackered 4 nights sleep in row of about only 4 hrs and i can't cope much longer. complete Insomiac now. Afraid of crashing car. Mixing words up and just sat in M&S with cardi back to front, not realising till I got home!
does Hydroxy cause insomnia as well or is it just pred? Might call Luise as cant' carry on like this.

Did you here back from Louise ari?

How's bellyd?

Hope pico you are over worst now. Are you having another scan did you say to confirm all is clear as it were?

PQ in the very nicest way I really hope you're wrong :) I understand being fed up of being positive, so we on here will just have to be positive for you (I can do that for others, just have trouble when it comes to me!). FC it was just your body clearing out some old stuff, and def. positive that you've had no further occurrance.

Hmm Interesting - I just heard back from Louise (I emailed yesterday and asked again whether we should be considering super ov) and she says she thinks Mr S "would be happy to consider this" for me. I'm a bit confused, since Mr S was quite definite it wasn't for me, but there you go. She very kindly says she'll take it up with him as soon as he returns from sick leave on 12th March, or before if she sees him earlier, and will let me know. Gives me one more month I guess to see what happens before having to think about more drugs (since I should OV next cycle on the 13th I think). I know I've seen it mentioned but could I just re-ask you super ov ladies, what are the costs involved with this please? I know you have extra drugs and scans, but I'm not sure the total cost?

Crossed posts snoopy ... sorry to hear you're feeling so rubbish but I can reassure on the hydroxy front, as far as I've experienced that has no such side effect at all. Just the pred :(

And you're right about Q10 - it's gone up since I bought my last lot! I just went to buy some more, since I'll be increasing my dose, and OMG it's got really expensive :(

ari i paid £335 the other day for follicle scan. As it was first scan I had to pay extra. Think it's £210 next time. (I am getting drugs on nhs somehow! )
But all in all if you can't scan's and drugs are about £250 ish a month for this treatment. the first month you may have to have two scan because of timing (i.e follicles not being at right stage). sounds promising but confusing why he was against it in first place.
The ladies have all done super research on best prices for drugs etc on the SO board.

Thanks snoopy, I also read the SO thread with great interest :) I confess I'm a little confused how super ov helps those who already ovulate regularly? For those who don't, is it right that super ov stimulates follicle growth and kicks the body into ovulation? For those who do OV then, what does it do - encourage better follicle growth or something? I'm happy to consider anything and everything as long as we can afford the contribution to Mr S's holiday fund treatment.

As I understand it, the idea behind giving ovulation drugs to people who already ovulate is simply playing the numbers game - getting your body to push out 2 or 3 eggs a month instead of one, therefore increasing the chances of a decent sperm meeting a decent egg. The pregnancy stats are very low though, in comparison to women who don't ovulate who are given ovulation drugs. Presumably because there is some other reason why the ovulators are not getting pg (such as nk cells).

As far as I know ari I do ov every month ok. The only reason I'm doing it is to produce a couple of eggs extra to up my chances of a bfp, seeing as time is short for me. Plus the timing is more controlled and you get to have a look in there and check out womb lining is correct that month etc. You can keep cost down of scans by having it done privatley elsewhere and then the sonographer relaying info to clinic. sue does that i think.

Question: does the Hydroxy make you put on weight? I think someone said it's an appetite supressant? Also does it have the same cell calming affects/as effective as the pred?

Thanks snoopy, I like the thought of extra eggs to fertilise. Know what you mean about short time, to be honest I'm always wondering whether I'm just chasing the impossible. Who knows!

free is the expert on hydroxy, but in her absence .. I believe some people find a reduction in their appetite when taking it (I haven't found this myself but I think choccy and free have both mentioned it), and I think free advised it's an immune modulator rather than immune suppressant, so basically evens out your immune system rather than squashing it. I don't believe gaining weight is a side effect, I think the pred is bad enough for that!!

I've been doing lots of research on DHEA today (bad me, should be working!) and have decided to give that a go, so have ordered some from the US. I feel a bit like a walking supplement store (my list is growing ever-longer, although I have dropped a couple along the way), but at least I know what they all do and make sure there are no nasty interactions between them.

Hi there. Sorry I have been a bit quiet. Tested this am and, like Sue, got the faintest of faint lines - I mean a Have also been having spotting for last few days so just been generally stressing/knicker checking all morning, whilst trying to get hold of Louise. Am going to up the pred and start on cyclogest just to be on the safe side and then see what pans out over the weekend. Thanks for all your concern think it is a whisper bfp at best. We are in the same boat Sue fingers crossed all round.

Glad to hear no more bleeding pq It is definitely easier said than done to keep positive, but we are all rooting for you.

Ari and kittens sorry you are on a TTC downer, just bumped in to the mum of a girl I taught on the bus and she said a friend of hers had her first baby at 46 and I wasn't even me who brought the subject up (I must have been giving of neurotic vibes!!).

I'm sure your not chasing the impossible ari. You were ovulating regularly and getting pregnant before I think you said so keep that in mind.
Well there's some moves towards positive bfp's today so lets hope they come through to give us a little boost on the SO board. They will be our first SO successes!
Hydroxy sounding better all the time

Blimey Bellyd and you didn't do the trigger is that right? Just clomid with 4 follicles?? Sorry your history is not on the list. Just trying to gather all info on this......Well done you! No harm in upping drugs in case

Whispered congrats bellyd ... it's great to see two bfps (even with squinting) in one day! :)

Hi ladies,

I had my appointment y.day with one of Dr Shehatas team it was an NHS follow up appointment, she retested all my bloods as havnt been back since 2010, we had a drip Sunday just gone and have been on steroids since day 7 so will be interesting too see if my numbers have gone down like they should? Also the Gyneo said that Dr S is no longer prescribing intralipids as part of the treatment plan, just steroids and the anti-malaria drug, which I found v strange and not sure of the reasons behind this I thought intralipids helped suppress NK cells?! As this is the protocol we are currently following.
Zoe x

PQ. I had exactly the same just before 6 weeks - dark spotting that comtinued on and off for a few days. I had a scan at 6 weeks which confirmed that all ok so doc said that it is old blood (maybe implantation bleeding) that pools at the top of the cervic. Plus if you are on any blood thinner meds (such as Clexane) it can take longer to go away. I, like everyone else am a complete worry wart so have forked out for weekly scans since week 5.

Frozen Welcome to the 1st trimester. I too am on 400mg cyclogest and 1 Prontogest injection a day to counter act my high NKC count.

This weeks worry is that my nausea has decreased a lot in the last 2 days, feeling normal for most of the day now. So am now freaking out that the pregnancy has stopped progressing. Have an anxious wait until Fridays scan.

Ari ? Yes I?m pretty sure that lots of the women on Fertility Friend on the over 40s board are on about 600mg a day of CoQ10. It is pretty expensive but I have read a lot of good things about it. I used to get mine online. Interesting that you?re going to try DHEA as well. I seem to remember doing some research into it and deciding it wasn?t for me, but I really can?t remember why! I?d be very interested to see how you get on with it. You?ll be rattling around as you walk at this rate!

PQ ? Really glad there?ve been no more splodges. I?m sure you must be feeling pretty tense though. Mr S noticed a haematoma at one of my early scans and warned me that it could cause a bleed. In the event, it didn?t (and it went away on its own) but it could be the same for you.

Whispered congrats to you BellyD and Sue. Lovely to hear of two BFPs.

Sue- I think the FRER don?t usually give evaps so I would say it?s looking hopeful. Are you testing again tomorrow or will you wait a couple more days?

arian if hes not asked you than he must be really not worried this could be a problem, my gp tested me in 2010 part of a fertility thing since we were not falling preg, thats the only reason i know, i had no idea what all of it meant! what dose of q10 are you going to be taking ?

just read you are going to take 600, thats is really expensive isnt it but big picture right! too bad we all cant get it in bulk

snoopy my scan was good i got the "complete mc" but my lining is a bit thick at 12mm so i have to go back next week , just as a double check but they were v happy everything normal and looks like to d&c and no worry about infections .

sue & pq hope its good news , our stress levels must never go down!

found 60 tables of q10 for £15 300mg ( buy 1 get 1 free deal) on simplysupplements.net with free del,

Pleased to hear about the bfps.
PQ there's just no rhyme or reason with spotting - I will never know why I spotted with ds and he was fine, but then not with the mcs. The spotting followed by mc may even have been coincidental, who knows. The only thing we DO know is that pregnancy is going to be a fraught time for all of us. . Need Stogan to have that baby to remind us what we're aiming for!

Whispering congrats to sue and Belly

PQ hope no more splodges.

Pico glad all clear.

Lovely to hear some more good news on here.

Interesting about the vitamins. I did a bit of research and ended up using NHP natural health practise vits. Vit C, Omega and their Fertility vits at great expense I might add to try and improve my egg quality - not sure if it worked but felt my last mc should have gone on and did put that down to the vits but Without this treatment I realise nothing perhaps would have worked. But I also read Selenium was useful as tests in NZ had shown the soil was depleted of Selenium and sheep kept miscarrying they then supplemented the soil with selenium and the mc's reduced. That's the main reason I went for the NHP vits due to the content but I think pregnacare has some in.

Hi all, I wondered if I can join? I'm 35 with one DS who is 2, I've had 3 MCs, now under Dr S with high NKC. I turned up at our first appt with him with a BFP, currently in wk 6+2, on pred, cyclogest and aspirin.
I've been lurking for the past two weeks, bit scared to join as don't want to tempt fats. Stupid really. I'm now starting to slowly mad, waiting for the scan on monday. Can't stop thinking what might be wrong or if I've mmc, and the steroids just mask most symptoms so you have no idea how" pregnant" you feel.
Hope I may join the thread, I may not post too much untill my scan but wished to mark a little slot.
You guys are a wealth of information and I have found it reassuring to read all your posts.
Sorry re: typos, on phone