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

I can visualise us all in our various parts of town/the UK - all doing sod all work between a bit lot of googling, mning and general time wasting!

Duggs I can't believe this had happened. I am so sorry for you and your husband. I agree with ari maybe it's time to look at other investigations. I was thinking of having the hidden c one done as you can send it off to a vlinic in greece yourself and then get treated with high dose antibiotics. I think other docs treat recurrent miscarriages with ivigs which I don't want and humira so I don't know if it is worth switching clinics unless you are prepared to pay a lot more as they are both costly. You tried preconception intrallipids but were you on hydroxy too? Also I am sure you said you had some frozen eggs so would it be worthwhile trying again once you have looked at other investigations? Lots of people fail their first round of ivf and I think if the cgh way was guaranteed everyone would do it and pay the extra money. Have you spoken to the women's clinic?
I did the Bedouin safari years ago and loved it so sure it will help take your mind off everything.

Well done free And charlie on reaching 3rd trimester! It seems to have gone so fast to me! Glad to hear little F is doing well digi you don't sound smug at all, it's great to have some good news on here amongst the bad. I hope the mastitis clears up.

choccy sounds like your work are being supportive which is a relief. I hate having to get back to normal after a miscarriage as its the last thing you feel like doing.

Hi Choccy Yes I feel that I have to tell people because plenty of people thought I should give up after the first 3 MC's and 1 person asked whether I had considered adoption. No, no, no I thought. I want my own! Anyway now I have DS and have suffered 4 more they now look at me as if I am stupid and they say that I need to look after my body and health and that it can't be good for me. These are people who don't want children. Again I know they mean well but I wish they would keep their opinions to themselves.

Re the weight. I have never been so heavy. 10 stone 5. Usually 9 4 and I would just like to go and eat a whole loaf of bread. This time I feel really hungry all of the time so it must be the pred.

Freelance thanks for the comments. I have always said the most devasting thing for me would be just to give up and not try. I have always said to DH that if we try I am OK. I won't give up until mother nature gives up on me and then I know i have tried my hardest.

Duggs I am really sorry about your loss. Just remember that you can create the embryos which is a non starter for some. Take a breather first and then re evalute things. I know it is early days but haven't you got a little frozen 1 left? I hope so and when you have recovered and given yourself a bit of time I would hope to see you back on the bandwagon again. This thread will not be the same without Duggs. If one of my sisters had been younger I would definitely asked one of them to carry it for me and funny enough I think one of them would definitely of obliged as she has popped out 4 quite easily. She is coming up to 47 now plus she smokes like a trooper. We need a rent a womb on here. I want a baby and to be honest as long as it is mine I don't care who carries it. Lastly being carried upstairs by a load of Arabs. Mmmmh!

Abney I've put on a pound a month on the pred, so the best part of half a stone since Xmas. Meh. And the clinic where I had IUI said not to do any strenuous exercise or lifting in the 2ww. So that is my usual running and weights sessions out of the window then!

Ha HA - Eurochick Abney gives up, sits on sofa with a lump cheese hanging out of her mouth! The small bottle of fizzy wine in the fridge is also calling my name. The SWI this weekend has been achieved only just though as husband too tired. I said but Dr S said we mustttttttttt! and that I would have to tell DR S about his lack of commitment. That got him going just enough for the deed to be done and DR S's orders follwoed to the T.

10 stone?? I haven't been 10 stone since I was at uni. I'm over 13 stone now with huge bloated tummy. I will caveat slightly by saying I'm 5'10" and size 14-16 but I have certainly achieved a rather strange shape courtesy of the Pred on and off inc two pg's since last August. Humph! But also Meh and feck it.

Abney I couldn't agree with you more about just keeping trying. I think this time I need to review what drugs I take but aside from that there's no doubt in my mind that I'll go again when this mc is over and I've rebooted. I'm 37 and have time to keep going. I'd feel worse if we took a break. It wouldn't be a break because until we've been successful or have fully given up trying why would I stop? I'd only be thinking about when to start ttc again.

Saying that I really really must get in the gym this time between risking doing damage to a recently pg relaxin filled body and jiggling around too much in the 2ww... Gives me a window of about 4 weeks max. I can easily shift at least a stone in that time surely?!

Dr S, sechs monitor.

I am loving the idea that you would go and tell on him. But sir, sir, he wouldn't do me when you said he had to. Can I put him on the naughty step?

abney I have a mental picture of you dragging DH upstairs in your cavegirl outfit weilding a club!! ....and if he is lacking in enthusiasm just close you eyes and think of those Arabs

I have to get on pred tomorrow and dreading it as will be stuffing face again and I've lost a couple of pounds too - boo hoo

Dear all, mental picture is all wrong. DH likes me in my jimmy jams! Also i go to bed at 10 or fall asleep before and he goes to bed at 1 so I lay in wait like a big fat black widow spider (enough to put anyone off). But hold on a minute don't these spiders kill off their other half's when the deed is done. If so these spiders must be so cock sure of themselves that they have conceived . TMI I know.

Choccypud wow 37. You have so much time on your side. Just make sure you have a drink or 2 in your 'break'.

Oh I've seen off a few cans of Guinness (coz it's Good for You. And has lots of iron) and the lion's share of a couple of decent reds in the last few days...

Absolutely loving the visuals of swi-ing action. I'm impressed abney that you can stay awake for three hours lying in wait. Dh gets dragged upstairs when we get in from work for pre dinner action or else is ordered to have a very early bedtime, though he is permitted to watch a DVD afterwards while I have my legs in the air!

Just wanted to say Duggs I am so sorry for what you are both going through. I think you are very brave going through all this in Egypt and are coping amazingly. When you have recovered from this you might find you have the strength to try again. I hope being there in the sun helps the healing process.

I also wanted to say a belated sorry to Choccy, I think you are also being so very brave with everything you have been through recently. Enjoy the wine and Guinness and you deserve some good luck to come your way soon.

Waves to everyone else and fantastic news Free and Charlie for reaching the 3rd trimester.

Duggs, I'm gutted for you. I really hoped this would be your chance.

Hello
Update on my situation. I am afraid I am losing this one too. Scan at 7 weeks showed gestational sac 8 days behind the fetal pole, and now the usual bleeding has commenced. Same old rigmarole. I had a bad feeling about this one all along, although truthfully I can't ever imagine having a good feeling any more.

london so sorry. I am at a loss what to do next. I feel the nk cells are my problem and although I had boarderline high/v high actuation levels I had normal count. I've been on pred for 7 months. I have had no natural, super ov or IUI bfp. 2 chromosonally perfect embryos failed and although I have one frozen embryo to transfer I dont feel I can transfer it as things currently stand.

choccy, sue, snoopy, scooter ? Where is she ? not sure about ari ? But we've all had at least one loss on pred treatment and choccy on hydroxy too?? It just seems all a bit random. I know there are many successes on here but it just seems to hit and miss. DH and I enjoyed our camel ride and desert picknick under stars and talked about it all. Scuba diving this morning reminds us what life is about and how we would be amazing parents to a child/ children given the chance. So we are going to explore the adoption route. After 7 mths on pred I can't do much more?? I will see dr s on 5 may - Louise unbelievably lovely btw - and tell him we will stop the pred from June. (once I've tapered etc). If I do miraculously get a bfp in the mean time I will then get intrallipids again and pred 40mg. The only other unknown is hydroxy. It is 6 mths after fertility treatment until adoption process can officially start. October so until then I shall be a half hearted lurker and hope the bottom half of this thread gets more successful. If anyone has any news or thoughts on what choccy or any of us failed treatment folk can do say - but as I keep saying to DH dr.s isn't a miracle worker he can only try.

Hope all ok - well done free and cheerful 3rd trimester amazing achievement x

Duggs enjoy the rest of your hols. You will be a brilliant parent, however you get there.

london I'm so sorry. We seem to be having a run of bad news on this thread. Hopefully the tide will turn for us all soon.

london I'm so very sorry for your loss. This journey really is frustrating :(

duggs Are you sure you don't want to consult someone who does more testing than Mr S? I so admire your persistance and determination, and I'm certain you will make a fantastic mother no matter what the biological origins of your child/children. I'd just hate for there to be an untreated issue that hasn't been found yet because the right test hasn't been run, and I know the likes of Dr Gorgy test for a whole heap of things that Mr S doesn't. Whatever you do though, I know you'll be great at it :)

Camel ride and scuba diving sound perfect, especially when it's so rubbish over here :)

Well I've seen st marys dr raj rai and they've tested for everything they do plus hysteroscopy. What else is there? When I get home I will get the list of all my tests.
Many thanks for your thoughts. Don't know what I'd do without you lot

Oh and london sorry sorry I didn't finish my post to you. Is this your first mc on pred?

Hmm I don't know them all, but I believe Dr G tests for:

NK cells, but also tests with different drugs to see how your NK cells react to different drugs, not just steroids

Cytokine ratio (TH1:TH2) test

DQ Alpha Genotype (DQa) tests to see if your baby's dna would be a match of yours causing a rejection

LAD testing (measures the level of anti-paternal blocking antibodies in your blood)

Greek testing on menstrual blood for hidden infections

And possibly others, I'm not sure. Do you know of Agate's excellent FAQ on the whole immunology testing, here: www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=242395.0 I'm sure you do, but just in case!

Duggs there are things like being a DQ alpha match that I have wondered about. There is more to the immunology side than just the NK cells.

I see I have crossed posts with Arian who has put up a much fuller list!

I have been considering myself going for further tests if the IUI and NHS IVF round don't work on the Pred.

The DQ alpha issue was on my mind because I "know" someone from another forum who had success on her 7th IVF cycle after discovering that her and her husband had a DQ alpha match.

Is DQ alpha where your DNA is close to your dh's so the body doesn't recognise the pg as being different enough and something that is ok to be there? Think there was an article in ?Marie Claire or similar a while ago.

I'm thinking there must be something else as well as NKC's for me. My body is just too quick to reject a pg and they can't all be chromosomally abnormal. But I've got to 8+2 on my own so what does that add into the equation??

Maybe we should see if we can get a group rate!

This is interesting re. Dr G. I am booked for a follow up with Dr S to discuss my options, but I wonder whether I should look elsewhere. Also, I keep reading these stats about a third of women over 40 miscarrying so wonder if I am trying to stop the inevitable. And spending thousands in the process.

Apologies, feeling tres negative today. And bloody single magpies won't leave me alone. Duggs, at least you can recover magpie free in Egypt!

This explains it in a fairly technical way (but I guess we are all fine with that having read Dr Beer's book!).

haveababy.com/infertility-information/alloimmune-implantation-dysfunction/

Yep, I knew I should have checked out what DQAlpha was before posting the description above, I usually check what I post before I post it but as it was on another fertility board I thought it would be right so didn't bother to check it! Doh.

Really interesting article euro ... may well be worth getting checked?