Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

TTC or pregnancy on prednisolone or similar part 12

999 replies

teamdozie · 24/12/2013 17:42

This is 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!

OP posts:
teamdozie · 06/01/2014 18:17

That's poor MrsP concise ring it's quite important to not rush the tests! Belly buds are these headphones that stick to your belly! Here is the link! www.bellybuds.com

OP posts:
teamdozie · 06/01/2014 18:17

www.bellybuds.com

OP posts:
MrsPixieMoo · 06/01/2014 18:43

Oh what fun. Now we just need them with two way communication and visuals.

Tumtimes1 · 06/01/2014 19:27

Thank you mrs pixy that does bring me major comfort. Thank you! It makes sense what you say. I will call to book at 7 week scan in with shehata and I have an NHS scan in two weeks time. Ah that old favourite of mine, the waiting game! Xxxx :-)

Tumtimes1 · 06/01/2014 19:51

Hi luna and team I see you are both taking the intrapilids, would you mind explaining a bit about these and what it does please?
I have borderline nkc and wasn't prescribed this. Thank you in advance for any advice. Tums

bakingtins · 06/01/2014 21:33

I'm afraid I can't lay claim to the "today I am pregnant" thing, I pinched it from the pregnant after MC threads. It does help, though.

VillageMum · 06/01/2014 21:50

Tum congratulations, if your NK cells are borderline rather than high or very high then your chances should be good. I'm sure Louise can offer some reassurance about the pred!

MrsP good luck with the CP results. 8 weeks is such a fragile time, long enough into the pregnancy to feel mental about it all but still such early days. Hope you are feeling stronger this evening. Best of luck for Wednesday.

Baking love the mantra too! Though maybe mine should be 'tomorrow I will be pregnant...'

Had SO scan today at CD12. Mixed results. In the last cycle I had two good-sized follies and a third which became 'overripe' and formed a cyst - it's still there and is now inhibiting the follies in the right ovary from ripening properly. It's got me down a bit as my right ovary used to be the dominant one. If I don't conceive in this cycle then the cyst is going to have to be drained in the next. This time the left ovary has one huge follie of 24mm so I did the trigger tonight. I grilled Mr S about the size of this follie and he said it's still just on the right side of being too big, so to go ahead and ttc. I'm not getting my hopes up though!

teamdozie · 07/01/2014 09:58

Tum the intralipids are a soya bean based product! Not 100% sure on how it works! But it's essential fatty acids to help

OP posts:
teamdozie · 07/01/2014 10:00

Tum the intralipids are a soya bean based product! Not 100% sure on how it works! But it's essential fatty acids to help lower NK cells!

Village good luck on the tww this month! One of my follies measured 25mm last month soo I'm sure it will be absolutely fine!

Luna thinking of you today

X

OP posts:
MrsPixieMoo · 07/01/2014 14:41

Still waiting for results of my 'urgent' blood results and trying not to go mental.

LunaGL · 07/01/2014 16:44

Hi all turns out the clot on Sat evening was something serious and the foetus died at 7+4 which was that evening. Now have to arrange an ERPC and get a sample sent off for genetic testing. Called the EPU and they will only scan me on Fri to determine whether they will then approve the procedure. Going to see if can get it done faster privately. Can't believe this is happening again. Not sure how much more I can take. Surely 8 losses is enough for anyone?

Tumtimes1 · 07/01/2014 16:57

Oh Luna I am so sorry to read this.

Thats awful you have to wait until friday. Why will the EPU only scan you on friday and not sooner?

MrsPixieMoo · 07/01/2014 17:29

Luna I am so, so sorry to read this. What an emotional time for you. We were all so hopeful and it will be additionally hard given the previous scan. Hugs to you.

teamdozie · 07/01/2014 18:03

Luna I am so sorry to hear of your sad news!
1 is terrible for anyone let alone 8! And I'm sure you will say I can't do this again but don't make any rash decisions!

That's terrible that the EPAU won't see you till Friday! It's disgusting!
On the flip side I had my last one done with Dr S under local! And it was the best decision!

Thinking of you tonight! Lots of hugs!! Xx

OP posts:
LunaGL · 07/01/2014 18:04

Simple answer Tums is that they're rubbish. I've had the misfortune of being referred to them in the past and every time is the same. Best in mind I saw them through A&E two weeks ago and they let me go without a scan or follow up. Unfortunately for me they're all I have unless my work health insurance will cover the procedure privately.

MrsPixie you are correct - this one is particularly hard as seeing a heartbeat twice had us so hopeful. Am just going to take it a step at a time and get the genetics test sorted to see if it gives us any answers.

bakingtins · 07/01/2014 19:31

Luna I am so sorry. It is beyond shitty, and worse when you've had positive scans and built your hopes up. Flowers

jass43 · 07/01/2014 19:38

Luna, i am so sorry to see it happened again.... i once visited this thread hopeful for a better outcome on pred, but, similarily to you, it was not to be, it was MC number 9...... I so feel for you - similarily I had my hopes up as with pred the progress was better than without. It is so devastating and feels so hopeless and helpless about future.......

brownstag · 07/01/2014 20:22

I'm so very sorry, Luna. It's so unfair that for people like us seeing the heart beat is only one of many milestones to be got over; a temporary reprieve. Have you had genetic testing before? It's no consolation but I did find that knowing there was a genetic problem with my last baby helped to restore my faith in the treatment and to renew the hope of finding a good egg. xx
And Jass, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss too. xx

Smee3 · 07/01/2014 23:52

Hi everyone, sorry for the absence. Luna I just saw your sad news here, I was rooting for you along with everyone else and I'm so sorry you've got to go through this again.

I hope everyone else is ok, haven't been on for a while as I've been too depressed to do anything but sleep and eat. Just wanted to say if anyone reading this isn't aware about tapering prednisolone then don't do what I did- taper on your own schedule rather than following dr's instructions, I came off too early and felt horrific- body pains, exhaustion, sickness and acne. Having researched it a bit more I've seen you can cause adrenal fatigue by not tapering properly. Yikes. This experience has put me off the pred and dr S too if I'm honest, my first impression of him wasnt great but I just wanted a magic cure to my miscarriages & I can't shake off the feeling that he's more interested in his profit than our mental & physical well being & he should take a bit more interest in all his patients and also other research not just his own. I know a lot of pred babies are here because of him and that's great, it's just my feeling, I've kind of lost faith in the one size fits all approach and chuck more drugs at it till if works approach. I'm going to see dr George's mouton in feb to fully check my thyroid function and go to zita west. Want to try a different approach. Got a scan with dr S tomorrow to see what's happening with this miscarriage. Hoping for a natural one rather than another d&c. Hope I haven't offended anyone, just wanted to add my experience on pred to the thread for future ladies info. Everyone that posted in the years, months & weeks before I went on it & had another miscarriage helped me know what was to come and feel less alone. Good luck to everyone on here and all the ladies out there lurking & reading like I did x smee.

brownstag · 08/01/2014 07:41

Sorry to hear you so down, Smee, but you're certainly not the only one of that opinion. I had a miscarriage over Christmas and there was of course no support or advice whatsoever from those quarters during that period. I came off the pred on my own protocol, over 4 days (because so desperate to come off it, contrary to the advice of my GP) and so far I feel fine, although I do have dreadful acne. How long afterwards did you get a reaction?
I do despise pred, but oddly I've stopped taking hydroxy, which should theoretically be the answer to my prayers as it has no side effects. Maybe at some level I feel no pain, no gain!

willitbe · 08/01/2014 09:43

Hi all, I have finally had a chance to try an catch up with everyone.

Firstly Luna - I am so sorry to read of your loss. I hope that the genetic testing gives you an answer for this time.

Smee - I can remember the stage of losing all faith in all doctors, especially the ones who adopt the "one size fits all" and "throw everything at it" approaches. I have been to get so many different opinions over the years, to no avail. Even the natural fertility people seem to tackle it in the same way. I have no faith in any doctors anymore. I have taken to deciding for myself what I want to do each pregnancy now. With the last one, I took no meds, but ate dark chocolate and red wine to help with blood clotting, and loads of cheese to help with progesterone, and let the pregnancy run its course, with no scans, no doctors appt's etc, it was great, the "today I am pregnant" mantra, was so much easier with the lack of negativity from the doctors. However when I finally booked a private scan at 9 weeks, the result was the same as if I was on all the meds!!!!
I hope that you find some hope restored when you go to Zita West.

Village - hope that this cycle surprises you with a positive outcome.

MrsPixie - love the picture of the app being able to see the baby anytime! Hope your scan next week is good, will you be nine weeks by then? Hope you get your blood results soon, to know if you need the antiserum.

bakingtins - it is good to hear that starting pred from bfp is considered an ok approach by Quenby. It is great that you are so near your 20 week scan now.

Tums - congrats on your bfp, I got mine on new years day, and only started the pred on the 3rd as that was the soonest I could see the docs.

teamdozie - when is your 7 weeks scan booked for?

Brownstag - how are you? Have you finished tapering off the pred now?

Freelance - hi there! Hope all is going wonderful with you!

I know I haven't been on the threads for ages, I think it is good that there are new folk here, and that some of the previous posters have moved onto good outcomes.

As for me, this pregnancy was not planned, we had stopped ttc 18 months ago. But here I am my surprise current pregnancy. My hand was forced with regards to medications, as I was put on antibiotics and pred for a sinus infection. So I don't feel I can stop the pred now I have started, and so am going for the throw everything at it approach now. It is early days and I am taking just one day at a time. I don't have any idea when I might do the first scan, I will be having my first hospital appt on monday to get further prescription for the pred, progesterone etc. So I am back on the rollercoaster (for those who don't know me, I have 3 wonderful children, and 12 miscarriages, 11 since my last child.)

Arianrhod · 08/01/2014 10:08

Ladies - just wanted to say be very careful with tapering off that pred. I do have adrenal fatigue myself now, where I didn't a year ago, and while obviously I don't know that it was my tapering pred off to my own schedule as smee put it, I have done that three times now so I suspect it will have had an effect. You may not feel it at the time - I felt no ill effects myself at the time - but it may be doing damage that you cannot see. Just a warning.

No time to post much now as am at work but commiserations to luna and congrats to willitbe.

jass43 · 08/01/2014 10:26

willitbe, all the best! You are almost my twin - i have 4 and then 9mc....... i hope it works. contrary to all odds. if i may ask,chow many of your kids are boys? there seems to be the issue of having boys leading to immunology issues.... I have 3.....

Arianrhod, sorry to hear about adrenal fatigue, how did you discover you had it? I am dead scared about getting it or already having it. i also tapered fast and have serious fatigue, depressive thoughts and constant general black-moodedness which used to be so alien to my character before......

Arianrhod · 08/01/2014 13:35

jass Well I am also hypothyroid and read the thyroid forums; it was suggested by many people that adrenal problems often go hand-in-hand with thyroid issues and that it would be worth getting tested. I also read a lot of info on adrenal problems and discovered that I fit a lot of the symptoms including the fact that even when not on pred I now wake up several times a night, most frequently around 3am. Every night.

So I did the 24-hour saliva testing and discovered that I am in third stage adrenal fatigue, with low cortisol levels for 2 of my 3 daytime readings (not good) and high cortisol for my bedtime reading (definitely not good).

On further reading around, it seems prednisolone can and does mess around with the adrenals if not handled carefully - and although I've never gone cold-turkey on pred, I have weaned myself off it quicker than the 'reduce by 5mg every 4 days' suggested schedule. Although I've spoken to people who have done this and STILL ended up with adrenal fatigue.

It's the price we pay for taking such hard-core drugs, I suppose.

brownstag · 08/01/2014 13:59

Indeed. My nan-in-law has dreadful problems on 5mg for polymyalgia. She's been given a year to come off them! 5mg seems like peanuts to us.