TTC/Pregnancy on Prednisolone or similar part 6

[Arianrhod]

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 5 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1391787-TTC-Pregnancy-on-Prednisolone-or-similar-part-5

Part 4 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1366323-TTC-Pregnancy-on-Prednisolone-or-similar-part-4

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

Evening

10dpo for me is Sat so see what happens..... I think kittens will be testing week after me. x

choccy, glad to hear your dad's perked up and there's a plan afoot. What a worrying time it's been for you.

duggs, gosh, that's a lot of eggs. They must be able to get a good one from all of those! Yes, you do sound like a hen. Maybe they can get a dozen from you and put them in an egg box

digi, are you sitting at home drinking raspberry tea, eating a strong curry and flicking your nipples? If all else fails they say a good shag should get things going!

ari I have the same problem as you, discerning day one whilst having light periods. Louise said really, the first day of anything more than a few spots or just blood when you wipe. Before I was on the oestrogen supplements it would take me the best part of a day to soil a light flow towel (TMI - sorry!). I could never work out whether that was classed as full flow or not but if it wasn't then every month would go by without having an "official" period.

Yep, I will be testing over Easter weekend. See if my Easter egg has been fertilised

Evening ladies .. well having had a quick chat with another kind forumite, who has also been advised by Mr S to only take steroids from BFP due to them messing up her periods, I've decided I'm not going to take them until I get a positive test. Looking at my own pattern, I've been taking steroids since late Sept with the chem pregnancy early Dec. Prior to taking steroids I was getting pg every second cycle of trying and my AFs were regular as clockwork, in both length and intensity of actual AF. Since early Dec my AFs have been much, much lighter and shorter, to the point of barely existing, and I am now going into my fourth cycle of trying without a positive. I know my age may have a part to play but I am convinced the steroids are what are affecting my AFs and if you think about it, very little bleeding indicates not enough lining - which will stop successful implantation. It's a no-brainer for me, I'll stop taking the steroids until and unless I get a BFP, and I will watch with great interest what happens to my AF.

I know the steroids don't appear to have a negative effect on everyone, obviously not, but for those that it does, another approach is needed I feel.

Incidentally Louise confirmed in an email today that steroids can affect AFs, which was interesting to read.

Bloody Pred. That is all :(

sue and snoopy will be interested in that info I am sure! Good for you ari. It makes sense as u guys were get pg quick before the steroids kind of people. *kittens" what sbout u? Interestingly on another note - I am also lurking on an ivf trying again after "failure" thread and one of the ladies just had ivf with CGH testing. She had 12 follicles, 11 eggs fertilised. 7 survived the night. Of those 7 2 stopped developing.
There were 5 embryos looking great with great grading. The chromosonal test came back that 2 were abnormal but still developing and 3 were normal and still developing. She is hoping they make it thru the night. Point is just shows naturally how few come out of so many and it is suprising people get pregnant so quickly and demonstrates the chromosonal issue is part of nature but such a big spanner in our cases as we never know those mc or chemicals on the treatment were chromosonal or nk cells. Anyway thought it was interesting. She posted a link which I will do when on laptop. Waves to everyone.

Here we go.. I think I have posted in the past months ago..so apologies and also apologies it is another Daily Mail extract..biggoted, pilfering..whinning but what can you do ;0)

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1320895/Healthy-babies-born-using-new-egg-screening-technique.html

Anyway.. not that everyone will rush our for IVF and CGH test, just a window into just how inefficient us humans are as breeders. (well most of us) apart from a select few who we try to shut out. Am sure they are huge "failures" in other areas of their lives..;0)

opps forgot to say said lady from other thread was over 40...

duggs that is interesting to know. I read that article with interest some time ago (you gotta love the Daily Mail's slant on things!), and was also following a couple of threads where ladies were reporting on their aCGH results. I think it's a fabulous test and I'd certainly be going for it if I had the ££ - and as you say, it just goes to show there are so many factors that can stop a successful pregnancy, not just ovarian reserve etc. It does make you wonder we survived as a species, how come we beat the Neanderthals in the survival stakes?!

I shall be following your own results with interest duggs, if you don't mind sharing them with us?? And hoping you get lots of those good genetically-sound survivors! :)

Blimey, that's pretty incredible isn't it duggs? I might be tempted if it comes to having to have IVF. Given my history, even if I didn't miscarry the next (if there is one) pregnancy I would be absolutely shitting myself about the nuchal scan.

I am another one, yes, who has had ridiculously light periods since being on Pred and in contrast to getting pregnant at the drop of my knickers a hat I've not managed to get pregnant in a whole year of trying. I am not sure whether that's down to the pred, or my last mc/ERPC being the straw that broke the camel's back as it were, when it comes to my traumatised womb. I am still meant to take the pred from OV at the moment but on meds to build my lining, which are working very well. Due to these, my last period was like a normal one.

I think I mentioned before ari about this and just found this recent post which is interesting as there is the odd case of m/c from doing pred from bfp but mainly it's worked for alot of these women in same boat as you. i.e had no probs before and got preg regularly.

community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a17882575/delay_prednisolone?cpg=1&csi=2071094888&pd=-1

I never got pregnant as regularly as you maybe only once every 4/6 months which still isn't bad for my age and I have been pregnant twice now in 5 rounds of pred albeit chems.

Another post of interest for Super Overs is below. This lady was taking Letrozole. So I think I've got to press on and give this at least 5 rounds or so.

community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a18163925/my_long_awaited_baby_has_finally_arrived?cpg=1&pd=-1

duggs Great eggs lets hope this works for you. Your going to make a great Mummy!

kittens I take the pred from just a couple of days past ov. glad that's one thing (lining) which is solved for you and it's a pretty vital bit! And I completly sympathise with Nuchal. FFS! we've got to get pregnant (easier said than done)...... make it stick! ....then get through the Nuchal hurdle.....aarrrghhhh!!!

That is a great post snoopy just shows I really hope those getting to 5 or 6 goes on SO get a bfp. It would be so reassuring for us all.

I must say our bodies do have a natural way of doing what the test does so is really an ivf thing. let's hope I'm the only one that needs to think out it. X

Yes great posts snoopy, I've been reading those too :) Actually that last lady, the one who was on Letrozole, she was one of the ladies who was so helpful to me during my third miscarriage last July, and one of the ones who steered me in the direction of Mr S. It's great to see people who have had so many difficulties finally getting their rewards for all their patience! I have been delaying taking the pred until 3dpo for the past two cycles but it's made no difference to my AF (and so presumably my lining), so I won't now be taking any until I get a BFP. I will still be doing superov if Mr S thinks my test results are ok, and I know it's likely my body will take more than one cycle to restore its balance, steroid-wise, but I shall be watching to see what happens.

kittens I know what you mean about the nuchal ... I was worried enough about that when I was getting pregnant; now I think it would be enough to get properly pregnant first, then worry about NK cells, then worry about nuchal tests. Sheesh.

I've had two nightmare nuchal's so far, and made the decision to terminate both pregnancies. Mr S said that because they were 'spontaneous' rather than because of an underlying genetic problem with OH and I that aCGH was not relevant to me but those two pregnancies were at 37 and 38, now I'm 42 and the risk is even higher! (and my OH is nearly 47)

duggs I've often wondered about the high attrition rate of IVF eggs/embryos. It seems odd when a lot of people manage to get pg first or second time. My thoughts are that maybe it is due to the fact that people who need IVF have problems with their eggs (and that is why they aren't getting PG first or second time in the first place) or that the process of forcing so many eggs out of the ovaries at once means that many of them are low quality. That's just my idle speculation.

I know exactly what you mean kittens ... I'm 44 and my OH just turned 50. It's a big worry for me .. it was my primary worry, back in the good old naive days when I thought that was "all" I had to worry about!! Interesting that Mr S says aCGH wasn't relevant to you - I don't know what your particular nuchal problems were, but if we consider Down's, Edward's, Turner's, Patau's etc, they are all chromosomal issues and something that aCGH would screen for and eliminate. There doesn't have to be a genetic issue with either parent for there to be chromosomal issues with an egg, surely - so whether or not women decide to do aCGH, surely it's "relevant" to any of us?

Just curious, really.

That's a good point ari. I had two Down's pregnacies by the way. When I had my genetic testing done they said they couldn't test the eggs because they were all different and that once they had removed and tested them they couldn't be used anyway. They couldn't test the sperm for the same reason. So I guess the only way would be to test the embryos in the aCGH process.

After those two pregnacies, despite my first pregnancy being a MMC I did think that was "all" I had to worry about too and then I had 3 miscarriages. Now both issues are a very real worry.

Gosh ? I?ve been off the thread for a few days and there?s so much to catch up on.

Duggs ? So excited that it?s all happening for you this month. At first I though that sounds like a lot of eggs, but interesting reading about how fragile they can be. Fingers very tightly crossed for a good result.

Free- I?ve been meaning to mention this but kept forgetting. Like you, I also thought that movements reduced towards the end of pregnancy, but I?ve since read that it?s a myth and you should never assume that?s the reason and always get checked out quickly (I can?t remember whether ds seemed to move less towards the end). Anyway, I just wanted to mention it just in case it happened to you.

Brilliant scan news PQ. 9 weeks is Mr S?s magical milestone.

Choccy - Sorry to hear about your Dad. Glad to hear that they now have a plan of action for him.

Kittens ? I can understand what you?re saying about a nuchal, particularly after your own experiences. I didn?t have one for various reasons and I?m now shitting myself about whether that was wise and whether everything?s OK with the baby. I?m 44 so the chances of problems are pretty high.

Digi ? Congratulations on making it to full term and being so bloody organised. I?m only three weeks behind you and I have to admit that reading everything you?ve done has made me panic. I?ve just been ticking each day off until I start mat leave (18th April but have Easter holidays in between) but I think I need to get some stuff sorted before then just in case. I have finally managed to start the ball rolling with switching hospitals. I trundled off to Homerton this morning (am on strike today) and filled in the self-referral form, so they?re going to contact me and I?ll have a booking in appointment some time in the next 10 days.

DP and I had a hypnobirthing refresher session at the weekend. She did a fear release exercise which was quite emotional but we were both able to admit to each other how terrified we are that, even though we?ve come this far, things still aren?t going to work out and we?ve both been basically ignoring the pregnancy as a self-preservation mechanism (I?m sure you can all relate to that feeling). I was absolutely worn out afterwards and had to go to bed! Am also booking a doula as I think it will help to keep us calm.

Will be watching closely to see whether any of you TTCers have hatched more exciting Easter eggs than usual.

coconut I did Hypnobirthing!!

I was hilarious to start with, everyone thought we had gone mad no doubt. I can't say I was one of the women who breathed through birth as DS never engaged and ended up having c section. But one thing it did do was make me really look forward to it and I was quite calm near due date and even when started getting contractions. So it was def worth it, despite stupid sniggering relatives!

Yes remember some women crying in class and all sorts. I just nodded off alot of the time [grim]

I hope the Easter Bunny is going to make a delivery for me

Dr s wasn't very supportive of my choice to do CGH ! (even though NLC offer it but don't yet have their licence). When I spoke to my acupuncturist from NLC he did say generally consultants are quite blinkered into their particular theory/field so embryology isn't his forte where as immunology is. Anyway yes not having a genetic defect is one thing but weeding out the natural baddies is another

lol sorry that was meant to say not grim

duggs I agree may as well fish out the dodgy ones which aren't going anywhere especially as you are spending all this money anyway. Odd of him to be offering it if he isn't really supportive of it? Or is it just in your case?

Hello Coconut nice to hear from you. On strike? That's a good way to use your time! The hypnobirthing sessions sounds amazing. I might be tempted to try it. I think we can all relate to the denial thing. I haven't even thought of birth and, as I think I might have mentioned, was hoping a C section might take away the need to think about it. But I need to start thinking positively and also preparing.

My back was killing me yesterday - DH and I had a very long walk (about 3 hours in total) around local-ish neighbourhoods to see where we would consider living - and by the end of it I felt like my whole body was seizing up. My lower back hurt all night too. I felt a bit frustrated as before the 3-in-a-row pregnancies I had been very fit and strong and I really want to be fit and strong for possible birth situations. But I guess there are plenty of people who have babies every day who aren't exactly Olympians.

Another one here with an older DH. Mine will actually be 49 this May. I can't quite believe that in a year's time I will be married to a 50 year old. I am 37 but turning 38 on my due date of course. He doesn't seem or look that old though. I mean we are all getting older but 50 sounds rather grown up doesn't it...? I remember my mum's 50th, I had already left home! And she had me at 31 so was hardly a teen mum. I guess I did leave home young.

Kittens, Duggs, Ari, Euro and the rest, we are all hoping the Easter Bunny delivers some fertilised eggs for you! Duggs what stage are you with the IVF?

Just updating whilst I have a short break and also because I have booked my next appt with Mr S at Epsom General. They don't have one available until the 19th May! I should be 30 weeks by then

I don't know, maybe I need to reconsider my referral to Epsom. I mean, if I am not going to see him I wonder if there is any reason me going there. I am guessing maybe for the birth itself, but there's a chance he might not be able to make that either. Hmm. Not sure. It was him who wanted me to go there! Will speak to Louise. I might also book a scan for 32 weeks at FMC, something which they suggested they do. Gosh it all seems so long away. My GP has said she will do midwife appointments herself for me so I guess I am being monitored. Maybe that is enough?

Anyway, here's the list.

Weds 28th March
The babies are arriving!
Stogan - V high NKC - cycle#2, DC#1, Baby girl born Sunday 11/03/12 7lb13.5. Our First Pred Thread Baby!

BFP
3rd Trimester
Digitalgirl - High NKC - BFP cycle#2, DC#2 37+2 Due 16/04/12
Coconutfeet - V High NKC, Factor II gene mutation, underactive thyroid - BFP pre-pred, started at 6 weeks 34+2
Comedy - V High NKC - BFP cycle#2, DC#2 ? 33+3 C-section booked: 14/5/12
Iggi - High NKC & Hypothyroidism - BFP cycle#2, DC#2- 31+1 c-section booked for 21/5/12
BrownieGecko - High NKC, Hypothyroidism, & Glucose Intolerant. BFP Clomid cycle#3, DC#1 30+5

2nd Trimester
Freelance - V High NKC TTC#1 Hydroxychloroquine, Pred, Intralipids, 400 Cyclogest, Thyroid/hashimotos. MC 1st Pred cycle. DC#1 23+1 Next appt with Mr S, 19th May
Cheerfulcharlie - V High NKC, MTHFR, DC#2/ (metformin, intralipids, no pred). 23+0
batteryhen - High NKC, factor v leiden. DC#1 BFP cycle 3. 19+5
coleyoz - V High NKC. DC#2, BFP cycle2, 19+3
FrozenNorthPole - RMC, NKC status unknown, Cyclogest, aspirin, 14+6
Mercator - V High NKC, TTC#2. 14+5
Hopefulfor2nd - High NKC - TTC#2. - 13+6
dunnit - V High NKC - TTC#1, on Pred, IVIG, prog and Clexane. 13+6

1st Trimester
PQ77 - V High NKC TTC #2 (BFP cycle one but mc) 9+2
ChoccyPud - V High NKC - TTC#1 from March (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine) 4+6

TTC
Waiting to test
Snoopygirl - V High NKC TTC, pred cycle 5, Super Ov Cycle 2

Waiting to ovulate
Havingkittens - Upgraded from High to V High NKC TTC #1 1st cycle Super Ov
buster76 -V High NKC, Factor V Leiden.
Lemonsherbet - TTC#1 v high/high NK, Mthfr, thyroid issues, pred 1st trim & Intralipids 2nd on bfp
BellyD - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, TTC#1 cycle 2
eurochick - TTC#1 High NKC, pred cycle 4,
Willitbe - RMC, NKC not tested, TTC #4 cycle 2 (after m/c 12) Fertility consultant prescribed pred.
duggs1976 - High/V High NKC - TTC #1 - IVF cycle
Pebbles - TTC#1 High NKC, PCOS, super ov cycle 1 (post IVF - 1 chemical, 1 mc, combining IVF with Immunotherapy
GreenOlives - High NKC, TTC#2, Pred Cycle 2
Arianrhod - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, hypothyroid, TTC#2 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)

WTTC
Cherrycheeks - V high NKC, TTC#2
ScooterChaser - V High NKC - TTC#2 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
Breezyweezy - V High NKC - TTC#1
AandRmum - High NKC
Cornflakes30 - V High NKC, underactive thyroid
picolina - V High NKC MC on treatment
Brownstag - V High NKC, 3 yo DS is a Pred Baby! TTC #2
Zoeella V.high NKC, Factor V Leiden. abandoned IVF, pos PCOS
Suemays - V High NKC, TTC #2. Superov. (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
Holldoll - High NKC - Pred, Cyclogest & aspirin

Freelance - I feel a bit guilty as I should be marching for my pension or something whereas I've actually been to the hospital and come home and done a load of school work. Hardly in the spirit of industrial action...

I would recommend hypnobirthing even though, like Snoopy, I didn't exactly breathe the baby out or anything. As well as keeping me calm, I found it gave us something to do as a couple which focussed on the pregnancy and brought us closer together. Dp was hugely skeptical at the beginning but came on the course to humour me and ended up being a huge fan. He also found it gave him an active role in the whole labour rather than being a complete spare part. I'm looking forward to getting back into it and hoping to get a slightly more positive attitude in the process.

Snoopy - I completely nodded off the other night when we were practising! Surely that's a good sign??

Definitley! Yes my DH did behave really and on one session they told men to go to pub for pint as they needed to do some solo stuff with the women! That's when he started to come round to it
I didn't feel worried at all near the due date so it works in that respect. I think it's all down to your pain threshold without elaborating and scaring the wits out of anyone. but I personally couldn't cope as DS head was pushing on spine and never really dilated past 4cm. But alot of women are able to manage very well and breathe it out!