TTC: Pregnancy on Prednisolone or similar part 7

[ChoccyPud]

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!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1419032-TTC-Pregnancy-on-Prednisolone-or-similar-part-6

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

Ahh no, that makes perfect sense, thank you! I'm a bit thick, sometimes :)

LMAO! Puritan, my DP ... no no no, he just doesn't get the opportunity to drink, that's all! He doesn't tend to drink at home, but when he's out with his friends, then the beer flows ... !

Congratulations Coconut and Comedy!

It's so great to hear about these gorgeous little babies and it sounds like the births have not been too horrendous too which is really encouraging.

I just had my 30wk check up and all is good, although I'm having to monitor my blood sugar levels. Baby's head down already- hope it stays that way.

Hello to everyone else! Sorry in a bit of a hurry to get some dinner cooked!

Congrats coconut and comedy

Ari I know what you mean re the other half not getting tested. It was never suggested to us. But, I guess one cause of miscarriage are genetic problems and the man does contribute half the genetic material.

Hi to everyone else.

Congratulations to comedy on the safe arrival of Matilda. Lovely name!!! You must be so over the moon to finally have your little pred baby. Hope the recovery is swift.

coconut what a cutie little Arthur is. Great name too! Your birth experience sounds a he'll of a lot better than mine - would have loved to get to 10cm without noticing!

Good luck tomorrow iggi!!! We're all rooting for you.

On the getting dh tested. We were offered a SA on the nhs after my third mc and dh's results came back borderline although every doctor we've spoken to and even my acupuncturist believe that sperm count & quality only affects the ability to conceive. The theory being that unhealthy/abnormal sperm can't fertilise the egg.

I also asked Mr S about the effect of alcohol on sperm quality as I was concerned that my husbands love of beer was not helping our situation. He told me too that there is not a problem with the sperm if it is getting you pregnant. My DH also takes wellman and has started a fitness regime. I also try to make sure he eats lots of fish and cuts back on red meat.

I agree with you duggs I wonder how much of this is hit and miss? I will be interested to hear what Dr Gorgy has to say as he would be my next step.

Comedy congrats on little Matilda, enjoy those precious moments with her!
Coconut lovely pic of Arthur and a cute name!

Snoopy hope your pelvis results come through and are nothing to worry about - we are all thinking of you.

Cheerful not long for you now!

Forgot to say, another whispered congrats from me Lemon I hope to join you on the list soon so make sure you stay there!

ari have you looked at quatrefolic? You can buy it via amazon. It is supposed to be a 4th generation folic acid. Would be interested to know what you think. This is what I am taking at the moment for mthfr.

hello everyone else

Morning ladies ... lemon no I've not heard of that, I shall go and investigate, thank you :) My only query would be if it's still folic acid - ie, synthetic - that those of us with homo MTHFR still wouldn't be able to metabolise it. But I shall investigate! :)

Hmmm on first look it appears to work much as l-methylfolate does, and so would be advantageous for those of us the MTHFR mutations. However, to be sure I've emailed the company to ask!

Well according to Dr Ben's website (something of a guru on the subject) he says

"Quatrefolic: What is this?
This is a new form of methylfolate that uses glucosamine instead of calcium to bind the L-methylfolate. Quatrefolic is also a quality form of L-methylfolate."

So, looking good! Now ... is it any cheaper than Folapro? Or what are the advantages of taking Quatrefolic over Folapro (l-methylfolate)?

Interesting, thanks lemon. I like having new avenues to explore! :)

You know those days you have when you wished you could just press a button to make everything ok? (that's almost every day for me) Well now you can:

make-everything-ok.com/

Ok, tongue-in-cheek, but it made me laugh :)

Blimey, I love it when a new drug/supplement turns up on this thread! We are all certainly an enterprising bunch...

Have I said a huge congratulations to Coconut and Comedy I think I have the former but not the latter. I was overjoyed to read about the new arrivals and their gorgeous names when in Florence! Kept reading out to DH - there's been another baby!! Talking of which, all quiet from Iggi today, the day I am assuming her CS is still going ahead?! Agggh! What a week for us all here. About time we had some good news. I do hope it gives some hope to everyone else too.

Lemon how are the symptoms going - are you feeling anything yet? Has the cramping eased a bit? When is your first appointment for a scan - am assuming not until past the 6 weeks mark...?

All this talk about Sperm from Ari, Sue, PQ, Digi et al, I too was worried about DH's beer habit. I got really cross with him for having stopped the conception vits when we had to have a break between pregnancies. There I have been swallowing all sorts of hard core drugs and he couldn't even manage to take a daily vitamin or cut out a few pints! I am glad I wasn't TTC long enough as it would have become a bit of an issue. He's not a huge drinker but, like I used to, will drink nothing at home during the week and then quite a lot socially on weekends. BUT Mr S told us too that if I was getting pregnant it was not a sperm issue.

Great news on the 30 week check up Charlie! Did they give you another scan? Can't believe we have the same due date! And very soon we will be at the top of the list . Can you feel that the head is down or did that just come up in the scan? I am finally going to be having another scan on Friday 25th May at Epsom General before (finally, again) going to see Mr S afterwards. I am so glad I am having one as it is sometimes just SO hard to trust that everything is going well in there, even though I am feeling movement etc. Every day I find myself googling '30 weeks increased movements' or '29 weeks decreased movements' depending on what my particular worry is that hour!

Coconut it was so lovely hearing your birth story and to also hear that it all went so well, after the first frustrating bit as well! It is inspiration to us all. Please don't disappear on us now you have had a baby. Kittens is right, we need to make sure the thread includes TTC and also Pred Babies!.

Talking of imminent births I really can't wait to find out more about your sections Iggi and Comedy. I know this is controversial to some people but, having got this far and being so worried that something will go wrong at the last minute, half of me is really attracted by the idea of a section, to get the baby out as quick and as (healthily) early as possible. Considering my gamut of previous health problems with thyroid etc. If it was me a year and a half ago I would feel so much more confident in my previously strong and fit body but right now I really have no confidence in it whatsover. So when you are up and about again and not too busy with tiny babies I would like to quizz you further!

How are you feeling Duggs? I don't blame you for getting fed up with it all. It is such a hard slog and you seem to be having it extra hard. And Choccy too. I really hope you have a more positive side to it all soon. Sorry too Euro for the confusion with FF. I have had the same thing with the site before too. They changed my ov day retrospectively! As it was I still got pregnant though so hopefully it will still be ok with you.

BellyD I really feel for you too with the best friend and the pregancy thing. Some people just seem to have it so easy don't they. They will never understand what we have been through. I am finding it now - getting quite frustrated with everyone who has an opinion on it. A friend who hasn't had children said a few weeks ago 'oh my friend said it was easy, she kept exercising right the way through and said it is all about attitude'. But then that friend hasn't had god knows how many pregnancies in a row and been on bloody steroids and other medication has she!

Chuckling a bit at merc's assessment of my jet set lifestyle. Actually it IS rather an accurate description (albeit more easyJet-set than private jet :) ) but yes I am aware that things might change after I HAVE (trying to be positive about these things) a baby.

Waves to everyone else and sorry if I have missed important postings. I am meant to be catching up on work after an unexpected 5 hour delay yesterday on the way back from Florence (not too hideous as we sat outside on the grass in the sun at Pisa airport and also had a spare seat on the plane so I could loll around). Finally though, I am not sure if I have actually said hello to PinkDragon! And I am usually so lovely and friendly to newbies :) Sorry Pink, it's because I have been away. So glad you have joined us. May I please add you to the list? Sorry you have been through all this too but hopefully the treatment will be what you're looking for.

Right - off to do some work. Best update list too. Hope all is well xx

Phew! This one took it out of me with what's left of my tiny brain - I hope everything is right. Please do update if not.

Two new thread babies (from Coconut and Comedy) born this week and one from Iggi due today!

Battery moves up to the third trimester. I have put Brownie down to the 'status unknown' section as we haven't heard from her for so long. Do hope she's ok. Great to see Lemon on the BFP list and so looking forward to that first trimester section filling up soon.

Weds 16th May

The babies are arriving!

Stogan - V high NKC - cycle#2, DC#1, Baby girl Ellyson (DC1) born Sunday (CS) 11/03/12 7lb13.5.
Digitalgirl - High NKC - BFP cycle#2, Baby boy Franco (DS2) born at 39+0 on Easter Monday, 9/04/12, 8 lbs 12
Coconutfeet - V High NKC, Factor II gene mutation, underactive thyroid - BFP pre-pred, started at 6 weeks, Baby boy Arthur born at 40+6 13/05/12 3.66kg
Comedy - V High NKC - BFP cycle#2, baby girl Matilda born DC#2 ? 39 weeks (CS) 14/5/12 7 lbs.

BFP 3rd Trimester

Iggi - High NKC & Hypothyroidism - BFP cycle#2, DC#2- 38+6 c-section booked for 16/5/12 (ie today!)

Freelance - V High NKC TTC#1 Hydroxychloroquine, Pred, Intralipids, 400 Cyclogest, Thyroid/hashimotos. MC 1st Pred cycle. DC#1 30+1 Next appt with Mr S, 25th May EDD 24/07/12
Cheerfulcharlie - V High NKC, MTHFR, DC#2/ (metformin, intralipids, no pred). 30+1 EDD 24/07/12
batteryhen - High NKC, factor v leiden. DC#1 BFP cycle 3. 26+5

2nd Trimester

coleyoz - V High NKC. DC#2, BFP cycle2, 26+2
FrozenNorthPole - RMC, NKC status unknown, Cyclogest, aspirin, 22+0
Mercator - V High NKC, TTC#2. 21+6
Hopefulfor2nd - High NKC - TTC#2. - 20+6
dunnit - V High NKC - , IVIG, Cyclogest and Clexane. 20+6
PQ77 - V High NKC TTC #2 (BFP cycle one but mc) 16+3

1st Trimester

Lemonsherbet - TTC#1 v high/high NK, Mthfr, thyroid issues, 4+??

TTC ? ASSISTANCE - SO/IUI/IVF
Pinkdragon - High NKC. Pred Daughter (after 4 mcs) TTC #2, super ov.
duggs1976 - High/V High NKC - TTC #1 - IVF cycle #1 ?pred, intrallipids, metformin, clexane, cylogest
Havingkittens - Upgraded from High to V High NKC TTC #1 -10 pred ? 3rd cycle SO
Abney (44), SO 2, 6 MC No pred (2 chromosone, 4 unexplained), 1 DS Pred Cycle 1 & fragmin, 4 MC on Pred (1 fragmin),
eurochick - TTC#1 High NKC, pred cycle 6, had 3 cycles of Super Ov, now on 2nd cycle of IUI
Pebbles - TTC#1 High NKC, PCOS, super ov cycle 1 (post IVF - 1 chemical, 1 mc, combining IVF with Immunotherapy
Arianrhod - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, hypothyroid, TTC#2 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
Suemays - V High NKC, TTC #2. Superov. (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)

TTC
London - High NKC, April - mc on treatment.
ChoccyPud - V High NKC - TTC#1 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine). April - mc on treatment.
Willitbe - RMC, NKC not tested, TTC #4 cycle 2 (after m/c 12) Fertility consultant
prescribed pred.
GreenOlives - High NKC, TTC#2, have decided to only take Pred from BFP
picolina - V High NKC MC on treatment (taking a break on holiday)
Holldoll - High NKC - Pred, Cyclogest & aspirin. MC March 2012 on treatment. Pred started at BFP.
Lemonsherbet - TTC#1 v high/high NK, Mthfr, thyroid issues, pred 1st trim & Intralipids 2nd on bfp
buster76 -V High NKC, Factor V Leiden.
BellyD - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, TTC#1 cycle 2, hydroxychloroquine
ScooterChaser - V High NKC - TTC#2 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
Carebear1 - V high NKC

Current status?

BrownieGecko - High NKC, Hypothyroidism, & Glucose Intolerant. BFP Clomid cycle#3, DC#1 37+3 MIA for a while! Must be due around 1st June

Cherrycheeks - V high NKC, TTC#2
Breezyweezy - V High NKC - TTC#1
AandRmum - High NKC
Cornflakes30 - V High NKC, underactive thyroid
Brownstag - V High NKC, 3 yo DS is a Pred Baby! TTC #2
Zoeella V.high NKC, Factor V Leiden. abandoned IVF, pos PCOS

Thinking of Snoopy and hoping for a full recovery to health soon.

I think it is a chemical pregnancy. I got a positive on a clear blue with conception thing on sunday. Then today I tested with an cheap strip and it is completely negative. I do not have any bleeding or cramping anymore but I suspect that is due to the progesterone. Not sure what to do now.

Some of the cheapie ones can take a little while to show up a +ve. Remember, some of the successfully pregnant on the list got their BFPs a good few days later than 14dpo. Do you know for sure when you ovulated? Maybe try another digital one in a day or two? In the olden days when I used to get pregnant on a regular basis I would get a digital test when I was getting feint lines that you could barely see, just to see for sure if I was pregnant or not. They would always give a definitive "yes" when I could hardly see a line on the cheapie test strip.

lemon I'd echo kittens ... for me, I never got reliable results with the cheapy sticks. In fact so much so that I completely stopped using them. I only ever use FRER or one of the Clearblue ones. Fingers crossed it's just the known unreliability of the cheapy stick!

Hmm. There is of course the possibility this is a chemical. However I echo what Ari and Kittens have said. If you saw the faint positive I got on cheapie sticks with this pregnancy (and I think I have shown it to PQ and others) you would never believe it was actually going to be a pregnancy.

Are you going to get any more tests? Sorry you are going through this, it is very stressful :(

Sure no-one other than lemon may be interested in this, but just in case ... I heard back from the Quatrefolic people, nice of them to reply. Yes indeed Quatrefolic is as bioavailable as l-methylfolate; however, the largest capsule dose sold in this country is 400mg. Given that I'm supposed to take 5mg (folic acid), that would mean I'd have to take 12 to 13 capsules every day. A bottle of 90 capsules would last me precisely 7.5 days! That could work out expensive, not to mention being a pain in the throat! Anyway, great product, and I would imagine very good for those who are heterozygous for the MTHFR gene, rather than homozygous as I am, as I believe you need less.

Ok, you can all wake up now :)

Of course the observant amongst you will have immediately spotted my typo. The largest capsule dose sold in this country is 400mcg, not 400mg - that would be overdose of folate on the grandest scale! Doh ...

For those taking the 400mcg ones, apparently you can get them free from Asda.

l-methylfolate?? or folic acid? And .. free? My goodness, that's very progressive of them, I'm impressed!

Am sure it is a chemical got a very clear line on cheap stick on sunday and clear blue have just repeated and both now say not pregnant. Was very concentrated urine. So will stop taking progesterone. I feel that I am getting worse seems each time I get pregnant I am loosing it earlier.

Two new thread babies (from Coconut and Comedy) born this week and one from Iggi due today!

Battery moves up to the third trimester. I have put Brownie down to the 'status unknown' section as we haven't heard from her for so long. Do hope she's ok. Great to see Lemon on the BFP list and so looking forward to that first trimester section filling up soon.

Weds 16th May

The babies are arriving!

Stogan - V high NKC - cycle#2, DC#1, Baby girl Ellyson (DC1) born Sunday (CS) 11/03/12 7lb13.5.
Digitalgirl - High NKC - BFP cycle#2, Baby boy Franco (DS2) born at 39+0 on Easter Monday, 9/04/12, 8 lbs 12
Coconutfeet - V High NKC, Factor II gene mutation, underactive thyroid - BFP pre-pred, started at 6 weeks, Baby boy Arthur born at 40+6 13/05/12 3.66kg
Comedy - V High NKC - BFP cycle#2, baby girl Matilda born DC#2 ? 39 weeks (CS) 14/5/12 7 lbs.

BFP 3rd Trimester

Iggi - High NKC & Hypothyroidism - BFP cycle#2, DC#2- 38+6 c-section booked for 16/5/12 (ie today!)

Freelance - V High NKC TTC#1 Hydroxychloroquine, Pred, Intralipids, 400 Cyclogest, Thyroid/hashimotos. MC 1st Pred cycle. DC#1 30+1 Next appt with Mr S, 25th May EDD 24/07/12
Cheerfulcharlie - V High NKC, MTHFR, DC#2/ (metformin, intralipids, no pred). 30+1 EDD 24/07/12
batteryhen - High NKC, factor v leiden. DC#1 BFP cycle 3. 26+5

2nd Trimester

coleyoz - V High NKC. DC#2, BFP cycle2, 26+2
FrozenNorthPole - RMC, NKC status unknown, Cyclogest, aspirin, 22+0
Mercator - V High NKC, TTC#2. 21+6
Hopefulfor2nd - High NKC - TTC#2. - 20+6
dunnit - V High NKC - , IVIG, Cyclogest and Clexane. 20+6
PQ77 - V High NKC TTC #2 (BFP cycle one but mc) 16+3

1st Trimester

To be filled shortly

TTC ? ASSISTANCE - SO/IUI/IVF
Pinkdragon - High NKC. Pred Daughter (after 4 mcs) TTC #2, super ov.
duggs1976 - High/V High NKC - TTC #1 - IVF cycle #1 ?pred, intrallipids, metformin, clexane, cylogest
Havingkittens - Upgraded from High to V High NKC TTC #1 -10 pred ? 3rd cycle SO
Abney (44), SO 2, 6 MC No pred (2 chromosone, 4 unexplained), 1 DS Pred Cycle 1 & fragmin, 4 MC on Pred (1 fragmin),
eurochick - TTC#1 High NKC, pred cycle 6, had 3 cycles of Super Ov, now on 2nd cycle of IUI
Pebbles - TTC#1 High NKC, PCOS, super ov cycle 1 (post IVF - 1 chemical, 1 mc, combining IVF with Immunotherapy
Arianrhod - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, hypothyroid, TTC#2 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
Suemays - V High NKC, TTC #2. Superov. (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)

TTC
London - High NKC, April - mc on treatment.
ChoccyPud - V High NKC - TTC#1 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine). April - mc on treatment.
Willitbe - RMC, NKC not tested, TTC #4 cycle 2 (after m/c 12) Fertility consultant
prescribed pred.
GreenOlives - High NKC, TTC#2, have decided to only take Pred from BFP
picolina - V High NKC MC on treatment (taking a break on holiday)
Holldoll - High NKC - Pred, Cyclogest & aspirin. MC March 2012 on treatment. Pred started at BFP.
Lemonsherbet - TTC#1 v high/high NK, Mthfr, thyroid issues, pred 1st trim & Intralipids 2nd on bfp
buster76 -V High NKC, Factor V Leiden.
BellyD - V High NKC, MTHFR homo, TTC#1 cycle 2, hydroxychloroquine
ScooterChaser - V High NKC - TTC#2 (Pred & Hydroxychloroquine)
Carebear1 - V high NKC

Current status?

BrownieGecko - High NKC, Hypothyroidism, & Glucose Intolerant. BFP Clomid cycle#3, DC#1 37+3 MIA for a while! Must be due around 1st June

Cherrycheeks - V high NKC, TTC#2
Breezyweezy - V High NKC - TTC#1
AandRmum - High NKC
Cornflakes30 - V High NKC, underactive thyroid
Brownstag - V High NKC, 3 yo DS is a Pred Baby! TTC #2
Zoeella V.high NKC, Factor V Leiden. abandoned IVF, pos PCOS

Thinking of Snoopy and hoping for a full recovery to health soon.

Ari no I am homozygous like you. I am going to ask Mr S about clexane again. I had such a clear line on the cheap test and the clear blue digital showed pregnant within about 5 seconds. That it just seems odd within a couple of days it is failing.

I feel I can not win. When I was taking the steroids I could not get pregnant. I stop them for a month and actual fall pregnant and then look at what happens. Am sure I will be told it is the NK cells though.