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

Crikey digi, are the Pred Thread babies all coming up big? Extra growth because of their extra-healthy mummies? :) Hope the CTG goes well!

Hello all. On train on way home from day out in town with DH. Who is currently fast asleep btw... Does that answer your question Ari ? God I'm such a slapper! ;)

sue I agree with what Ari said re doing intralipids even when you're concerned. At the very least you won't look back and wonder what if... Hope it all turns out ok for you. I also agree about ignoring line strength the tests can vary hugely even CBD. A line is a line :)

digi hope all is ok. I can still do Saturday if you're up for it?

Waves to all

euro sounds like you have all bases covered - thought you would anyway. I guess it looks like IVF for you then. At least they will be able to get a more indepth look at the embryo situation. I am sure you will get there in the end so don't give up.

Dunnit I did the HCG tests with my chemical in December. I guess at the end of the day if its going to fail it will regardless of knowing in advance. I just think that everyday that goes by without there being any bleeding, you have more hope it will be OK this time. I am actually telling myself I am not pregnant anyway so it wont be so much of a let down if it happens!

Digi I remember when I was preg with DD they thought she was measuring big for the dates but after the scan it turned out she was small!

digi how are you ??

I really hope the pred isn't making extra large babies!!

CTG came out fine. Normal hb & plenty of kicks. My growth scan is tomorrow at 12. Hoping all is ok because I'll be on my own, DH is away tomorrow visiting a show with a client.

battery you have your amnio tomorrow right? I hope you have someone with you.

sue glad Louise was able to reassure you. Have you taken the plunge and booked that first scan?

duggs whats happening with ivf this month? Do you have a date for getting embies put in? Do you know how many you'll go for?

snoopy sorry for the bfn, tis early though, so shall lurk for any change in news.

choccy i was all up for this Saturday - but my mum has gone and bloody booked loads of shifts over her birthday tomorrow (familiar story?) and Saturday is her only free day so will have to spend that day with her. Have an nct meet up on Sunday.

Is anyone free for a mid-week lunch in town next week, or a quick post-work cuppa? It's my last week at work. Have to check what days I'm not in the studio.

Great news digi.

Pq... Any news on your scan today? Hoping it went well for you

Ari - You're right, I didn't actually start the pred until I was six weeks pregnant (and had my first appointment with Mr S). He put me on the lower dose of pred for a week while I waited for all the test results and, when they came back showing I had very high NKCs he upped the dosage. So, did the pred actually do anything at all? I do wonder how exactly it is that this pregnancy is progressing OK when all the others failed (and I had at least 2 blighted ovums so they never really got off the ground), and wonder whether it was anything to do with the aspirin which I had also started to take after my appoinment at my local RMC, or the vitamin D (it's quite feasible that I was deficient in this as I have had skin cancer and keep well covered up or wear a high SPF). I do have moments of panic even now when I think, shit, what if starting the treatment so late has done something that will cause problems later in the pregnancy, but hopefully the intralipids and pred will have done their job. I try not to think too hard about it or I get a bit panicky.

Waves to everyone else. I'm off to bed. x

All sounds great digi YEY. My rascal has been measuring 1.5 weeks ahead since 20 odd weeks so be interesting to see if us pred girls do have HUGE babies ..... GULP !!!! X

Hi ladies! Quick one from me. I had my 20 week scan And all is good! Very thorough scan, took over an hour but she didn't do any pics of the whole baby so I have no proper pics! (although a whole CD of body parts!).
Feeling like it's all starting to become real now.

Also Holldoll, do not panic yet. I think 6 weeks are an awful time to scan. I think scans should be banned til 8 weeks for this very reason!!! Well not really but if you are just a few days out or the machine is not that high resolution or a bit of both, or you have a retroverted uterus you might not show the heartbeat yet. Good luck for your re-scan.

cheerful fantastic news!! And congratulations on reaching the halfway mark . Do you have anymore scans booked in or is that it?

battery good luck today

The list:

Wednesday 7th March
BFP
3rd Trimester
Stogan - V high NKC - BFP 9/7/11 cycle#2, DC#1 39+4 Induction booked 09/03/12
Digitalgirl - High NKC - BFP cycle#2, DC#2 34+2 Due 16/04/12 Scan 7/03/12
Coconutfeet - V High NKC, Factor II gene mutation, underactive thyroid - BFP pre-pred, started at 6 weeks 31+2
Comedy - V High NKC - BFP cycle#2, DC#2 ? 28+5 C-section booked: 14/5/12
Iggi - High NKC & Hypothyroidism - BFP cycle#2, DC#2- 28+1 Next scan March 15th.
BrownieGecko - High NKC, Hypothyroidism, & Glucose Intolerant. BFP Clomid cycle#3, DC#1 27+5

2nd Trimester
Freelance - V High NKC TTC#1 Hydroxychloroquine, Pred, Intralipids, 400 Cyclogest, Thyroid/hashimotos. MC 1st Pred cycle. DC#1 20+1 Anomaly scan 9th March
Cheerfulcharlie - V High NKC, MTHFR, DC#2/ (metformin, intralipids, no pred). 20+0
batteryhen - High NKC, factor v leiden. DC#1 BFP cycle 3. 16+6 Amnio 7/3/12.
coleyoz - V High NKC. DC#2, BFP cycle2, 16+3

1st Trimester
Mercator - V High NKC, TTC#2. 11+5, Nuchal scan 8/3/12
Hopefulfor2nd - High NKC - TTC#2. Next scan TBC - 10+6
dunnit - V High NKC - TTC#1, on Pred, IVIG, prog and Clexane. 10+6
FrozenNorthPole - RMC, NKC status unknown, Cyclogest, aspirin, 11+3, NT scan 12/03
Holldoll - High NKC - Pred, Cyclogest + aspirin 7+1, scan 5/3/12
PQ77 - V High NKC TTC #2 (BFP cycle one but mc) 6+2, scan 8/3/12
Suemays - V High NKC, TTC #2. Superov cycle 2. (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine) 4+2

TTC
Waiting to test
Snoopygirl - V High NKC TTC, pred cycle 5, Super Ov Cycle 1 testing approx 7/3rd
eurochick - TTC#1 High NKC, superovulation cycle 3, pred cycle 3,
Pebbles - TTC#1 High NKC, PCOS, super ov cycle 1 (post IVF - 1 chemical, 1 mc)
Willitbe - RMC, NKC not tested, TTC #4 cycle 1 (after m/c 12) Fertility consultant prescribed pred.

Waiting to ovulate
Cherrycheeks - V high NKC, TTC#2
Havingkittens - Upgraded from High to V High NKC TTC #1 1st cycle Super Ov
buster76 -V High NKC, Factor V Leiden.
ChoccyPud - V High NKC - TTC#1 from March (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
Lemonsherbet - TTC#1 v high/high NK, Mthfr, thyroid issues, pred 1st trim & Intralipids 2nd on bfp
Arianrhod - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, hypothyroid, TTC#2 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
BellyD - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, TTC#1 cycle 2

WTTC
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
duggs1976 - High/V High NKC - TTC #1 - due to start IVF
Brownstag - V High NKC, 3 yo DS is a Pred Baby! TTC #2
Zoeella V.high NKC, Factor V Leiden. abandoned IVF, pos PCOS.

Oops, meant to say congrats to free too for hitting the big Two-Oh, but I'm guessing your holding your breath till your scan on Friday.

great scan news cheerful and so pleased about your CTG results digi. Here's hoping the growth scan goes well too.

holldoll my scan's tomorrow lunchtime. I have convinced myself that it is a mmc and there'll be nothing much to see - I guess just trying to and protect myself from getting my hopes up too much. Tiny bit of brown spotting every couple of days (and it's most definitely not from s-without-i as that is not on the cards for DH!)

Have a scan with Mr S next Monday too. Feel free to send me any burning questions that you think I can casually drop into conversation with him

I think it is your amnio today battery? Wishing you all the bestxx

Woohoo for the excellent results cheerful and digi. PQ crossing fingers for your scan tomorrow, and also holl, you too. Hoping you both see good news on that wretched screen!

PQ oooh so you get to see Mr S the first day he's back from sick leave? Ask him if he feels better ;)

battery hope the amnio goes well, how long till you get the results?

choccy get in there girl!

Hello All. I'm updating the list with my 12 wk scan date. It is next Friday and we unfortunately are having to do it privately. Possibly partly my fault as I had put off my Midwife booking in appt until yesterday (just didn't want to have to go through it at 8 wks and then have something happen).

So the NHS are stacked and they said they may not get me seen until 13+6 weeks, which is March 29th or something. Well I can't go from having weekly scans to then having 3 weeks with nothing. I would drive myself insane. So we are having it done at the Fetal Medicine Centre.

A question for those who are at 11wks or further I'm getting a lot of twinges today. Medium - sharp in intensity. Mix of one side of abdomen to going across. Should I be worried? I've had twinges at other times, but not quite this much and for so long. Been going on for a couple of hours. Thanks

Wednesday 7th March
BFP
3rd Trimester
Stogan - V high NKC - BFP 9/7/11 cycle#2, DC#1 39+4 Induction booked 09/03/12
Digitalgirl - High NKC - BFP cycle#2, DC#2 34+2 Due 16/04/12 Scan 7/03/12
Coconutfeet - V High NKC, Factor II gene mutation, underactive thyroid - BFP pre-pred, started at 6 weeks 31+2
Comedy - V High NKC - BFP cycle#2, DC#2 ? 28+5 C-section booked: 14/5/12
Iggi - High NKC & Hypothyroidism - BFP cycle#2, DC#2- 28+1 Next scan March 15th.
BrownieGecko - High NKC, Hypothyroidism, & Glucose Intolerant. BFP Clomid cycle#3, DC#1 27+5

2nd Trimester
Freelance - V High NKC TTC#1 Hydroxychloroquine, Pred, Intralipids, 400 Cyclogest, Thyroid/hashimotos. MC 1st Pred cycle. DC#1 20+1 Anomaly scan 9th March
Cheerfulcharlie - V High NKC, MTHFR, DC#2/ (metformin, intralipids, no pred). 20+0
batteryhen - High NKC, factor v leiden. DC#1 BFP cycle 3. 16+6 Amnio 7/3/12.
coleyoz - V High NKC. DC#2, BFP cycle2, 16+3

1st Trimester
Mercator - V High NKC, TTC#2. 11+5, Nuchal scan 8/3/12
Hopefulfor2nd - High NKC - TTC#2. Next scan TBC - 10+6
dunnit - V High NKC - TTC#1, on Pred, IVIG, prog and Clexane. 10+6. Nuchal/12wk Scan 16th March
FrozenNorthPole - RMC, NKC status unknown, Cyclogest, aspirin, 11+3, NT scan 12/03
Holldoll - High NKC - Pred, Cyclogest + aspirin 7+1, scan 5/3/12
PQ77 - V High NKC TTC #2 (BFP cycle one but mc) 6+2, scan 8/3/12
Suemays - V High NKC, TTC #2. Superov cycle 2. (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine) 4+2

TTC
Waiting to test
Snoopygirl - V High NKC TTC, pred cycle 5, Super Ov Cycle 1 testing approx 7/3rd
eurochick - TTC#1 High NKC, superovulation cycle 3, pred cycle 3,
Pebbles - TTC#1 High NKC, PCOS, super ov cycle 1 (post IVF - 1 chemical, 1 mc)
Willitbe - RMC, NKC not tested, TTC #4 cycle 1 (after m/c 12) Fertility consultant prescribed pred.

Waiting to ovulate
Cherrycheeks - V high NKC, TTC#2
Havingkittens - Upgraded from High to V High NKC TTC #1 1st cycle Super Ov
buster76 -V High NKC, Factor V Leiden.
ChoccyPud - V High NKC - TTC#1 from March (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
Lemonsherbet - TTC#1 v high/high NK, Mthfr, thyroid issues, pred 1st trim & Intralipids 2nd on bfp
Arianrhod - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, hypothyroid, TTC#2 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
BellyD - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, TTC#1 cycle 2

WTTC
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
duggs1976 - High/V High NKC - TTC #1 - due to start IVF
Brownstag - V High NKC, 3 yo DS is a Pred Baby! TTC #2
Zoeella V.high NKC, Factor V Leiden. abandoned IVF, pos PCOS

Good news - baby is head down (really far down) and not back to back.

Bad news - stomach is measuring off the scale (all other measurements average) I have no idea what this means but have been booked in for another consultant appointment next Tuesday.

About to hop on the tube to go to work.

Good news about the position of the baby digi. As for the stomach ... could it be all that fabulous home cooking??

Fingers crossed for scan PQ, hope amnio goes well Battery. Mercator, hope the NT is reassuring.

Belly, really sorry to hear of your cp.

Good luck for the TWW willit

Cheerful, congrats on a good scan!

Really hope that heartbeat is nice and clear at your next scan holldoll, with my first scan with DD1 at 6 weeks 5 days they dated me 6 days behind and could barely see the baby. By the next scan there was a heartbeat and she'd caught up so there is definitely hope there xxxx

Digi apologies if you've answered this already, but have you done the glucose tolerance test? I've two friends who were told they had big tummied babies and did the GTT to rule out GD. For one, the scan was inaccurate. For the other, her son was just a bit chubby. I have it on good authority that a big head or wide shoulders are of more concern for birth ... a fat tummy just kind of gets squeezed out I think!

Dunnitt - sounds very, very much like round ligament pain which would make sense at around 11 weeks; particularly the fact that it kind of spreads across. Mine started around 13-14 weeks with my two DDs.

Arian - mmmmm, that pudding sounds lovely

Sue - I know what you mean about wanting to make sure to have the intralipids, just in case. Even though I was sure my 2 early losses were early losses, I still kept up the progesterone, aspirin etc. until the doctor said stop because you just never know ... Hugs.

Free and Stogan, sorry for the name mix up. Chalk it up to being a newbie / general cognitive slowness!

Snoopy, sorry to hear of the bfn

Big apologies for anyone I have missed. Just hanging around, waiting for the NT scan on Monday. Finding it very hard to just make myself work, so must stop googling 'NT scan' and reading horror stories.

Hey Digi good news on position. As for stomach growth my stomach (fundal height) has gone way over the top line on the growth chart, went this way at 34 weeks which I think is similar to ur dates too which I think is a strange coincidence!! Do u think pred babies maybe have a growth spurt at this time? They blamed high fluid levels with me afterwards as after a rescan baby was measuring 1.5 weeks ahead which they said was fine. As long as baby is moving and u are healthy I wouldn't worry Hunni (easier said than done I know as I cried when they showed me the chart !!) good that they have u seeing the consultant tho just to reassure you x

stogan my fundal measurement is 36cm at 34 weeks so that's why I had a growth scan today. They measured the baby's head circumference, abdominal circumference, thigh bone and aminiotic fluid.
Everything was near the average point on the scale, except the abdominal circumference. Have started a thread on pregnancy about it and others have also said it could be down to GD, and seeing as I tested positive for glucose in my urine yesterday this is probably the likely cause.

frozen I had a GTT at 26 weeks which came back clear, my urine was also fine at 28 weeks - but could have developed it since. Might explain the thirst. I do hope that the tummy just gets squeezed out ok!

I might call the midwife in a bit and see if she advises changing my diet at this point. It might just be too late to do anything about it - in which case ari I shall continue scoffing all the lovely homecooked food!

Hello everyone :)

dunnitt - Sounds normal to me - I had lots of pains like that xx
digi Good news about the head being down, I think if they were worried they would bring you in sooner than next week x
cheerful great news on the scan :)

Update from me .. went for the amnio and baby was in the wrong position so they couldn't do it. I have to go back next week ...glad they are being careful, but very frustrating :(

Really frustrating for you Battery. As you say though, it is good that they're ultra cautious.

Dunnitt I had a lot of quite sharp twinges around that stage. I think it was just my ligaments stretching. Pretty normal, I think. If it gets really painful though, it might be worth contacting your EPU.

What are the implications of GD at this stage (if it is that) Digi?

I've got my fingers crossed for you for tomorrow, PQ.

Just been trawling through Rightmove looking for houses to view for Saturday. Our buyers are getting really twitchy and I'm worried they're going to pull out. Have a short list of places that we'd already discounted for various reasons but I think we're going to have to start searching further afield, as nothing's coming up where we want to be. SO frustrating after finding the perfect house and having it all fall through.

dunnitt i remember all sorts of strange twinging and cramping around that stage. It's probably as coconut says and just ligaments stretching. Perhaps take it easy for the next couple of days and see if it eases up. Good luck for next Friday - from what I've read on here everyone seems to have a really good experience at the FMC.

battery you poor thing, how very very frustrating for you. Will DH be able to make this next appointment?

coconut hope you find something soon. Is renting an option? Not ideal with a baby on the way, but if it means you sell your flat and are chain free puts you in a better position to buy the ideal place rather than feeling under pressure to put an offer in asap.

pq best of luck tomorrow. Will be lurking for news and thinking of you.

Didn't get round to calling the MW, but DH did and she seems to think that if there was anything to worry about then they'd have got me into see someone sooner. My worry is that the sonographer sent me up to see someone at the ante-natal clinic and the receptionist has just booked me in for a routine appointment without checking with a doctor whether I should be seen sooner. So think I'll call the MW in the morning and just double check.

I've done a little research (ie clicked on a couple of mn threads) on GD and it seems that it may or may not mean I would be induced early - still hoping this baby comes naturally around 37-38 weeks so can avoid any of that. If GD is confirmed the baby would have to be under observation for the first 24 hours after birth which would mean at least an overnight stay. And they may insist on formula feeding it if my milk didn't come in straightaway - which it didn't with DS. I'm thinking I'll have to pack my pump in my hospital bag just in case. I'm going to give up the fruit, biccies and cake for now till I know what's going on - finding it quite hard already. I suppose I've been lucky so far that it's been a relatively normal pregnancy since the steroids and haven't had too much to worry about till now.

What a pain Digi. What's the reasoning for the formula feeding?

We may have to consider renting but we're hoping to avoid it. The main reason is that dp took a permanent job in order for us to get a mortgage, as we were told catagorically that we wouldn't get one while he was freelancing. The problem is he hates it and is desperate to go back to freelancing again and if we rent, he'll either have to stay where he is or look for another permanent position later on.

digitalgirl - my ds2 had the big tummy thing too. Everything average, tummy humungous. I did not have GD, and after they were happy with that the medical folks were not concerned. My ds came out 2lbs heavier than my previous children, and beautifully cubby looking, but absolutely fine. Midwife commented that the umbilical cord was short and fat and that I was obviously feeding the baby very well. Really it is not something to worry about, if you do have GD then they will watch a bit closer, but will not stop you breastfeeding. Try not to worry, as as pp said, the tummy squishes well so giving birth to big tummied baby not as hard as a big-headed one!!!!

battery - sorry to hear you have to wait for the amnio.

PQ - hope the scan goes well tomorrow. If I was involved in the psychology of the before and after scan, they would find that I never find the scans reassuring. I have a retroverted uterus, which means that early scans always measure wrong and later ones have always ended up with something meaning I need a further scan, so reasurrance is not something I generally get from the many many scans I have had. But I am sure yours tomorrow will be fabulous and you will be coming out smiling.

willitbe thanks that does make me feel better knowing it's not necessarily GD.

coconut yes, totally understand the freelance/mortgage conundrum. We found it really difficult remortgaging for a slightly bigger mortgage because we're both self-employed. I can give you the name and number of our broker who eventually found us a really good deal if you like.
The ff thing I read was to do with maintaining the baby's blood sugar levels.