Immune /natural killer cell treatment when ttc or pregnant (aka the 16th pred thread!)

[sunnyday01]

This is a thread for those diagnosed with high or very high natural killer cells and trying to concieve or are pregnant and taking steroids/intralipids etc

Newcomers very welcome

Sorry Drttc sounds like bloody torture for you, you re not alone, we re here if u need to come and rant ! I remember last yr at my sisters wedding when i had just mc a few wks b4 at least 5 people asked when we were having another, its horrid to have to put on a brave face when inside your heart is breaking. As Trying said its a good argument for drowning your sorrows !

Sorry for your bfn Dr, I hope today goes as smoothly as possible. I agree with the others, just drink through it! It's so hard when you think about things like that - how far along you'd have been.
Stay strong Hun, you will get there, stay strong x

How did it go drtcc?
Hope newbees are ok on the pred!

Hey! Tbh it had its highs and lows. It was really hard when people were asking us about when we were having children, and telling us how different life is when you're parent... Like they're trying to convince us! It ended on a high though. DH was really there for me, we danced a lot, and there were loads of people with their own drunken dramas (entertaining) lol!

Trying- yes I saw Mark Zuckerbergs story!!! Couldn't believe it! Made us feel so much less alone. It's wonderful he's gone public with that.

Hey Drttc I've not been on here much or for as long as most of you guys but really just wanted to say so sorry for your bfn, sorry you've been so upset, I am the same everytime it happens or when AF arrives.
Hope the wedding wasn't too much of a nightmare! Least it's over now.
Am on day 3 of preds, so far no side effects but we'll see....
Hope you're all ok xx

Glad that despite your worries, you had a good time Dr. Other people drama is really entertaining, aside from our pregnancy issues, we all seem to have amazingly supportive partners and loving relationships....not something everyone can say confidently.

PS..Loki says Hi

Sent my msg again before reading all the others! Glad wedding was ok in the end - alcohol can be a wonderful thing!

Thank you, Lisa! Really appreciate your kind words :) How are you feeling about treatment? Please keep us updated!

Hey, Seeking! Thanks :) Yes in many respects we are a lucky group... DH always knows (even though I've never voiced concerned) when to look me in the eyes and say 'You're everything I need'. Problem is, they're so lovely that we want to make their babies lol! How are you feeling? Awww give Loki a cuddle from me!

I'm ok thanks lovely. Actually today I was just thinking... I feel good again. Yes it's always on my mind but it doesn't hurt the way it used to. I've made peace with the fact that I'm not pregnant, trying not to think too far ahead. I know I will get there one day.

Oh my goodness seeking, Loki is gorgeous! I could just cuddle him all day. He's going to be a very handsome boy when he grows up!

Drttc - glad you survived the wedding and it had some good points. You DH sounds amazing and i m sure together you ll get there.

Seeking - how cute is Loki. Bet he s full of mischief.

Good luck Lisa, i guess you ll be testing in a week. Fingers crossed for that bfp.

Trying - i just came across something on a fertility nutrionalists site (melanie brown) which i thought might be useful for you re lining:
' For women undergoing IVF with thin uterine lining I often recommend 300mls of beetroot juice a day until embryo transfer. Beetroot contains nitric oxide which dilates blood vessels allowing a rich supply of oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to flow to the uterus and ovaries '.
Beetroot on its own might be a bit hard but beetroot apple orange and carrot makes a great juice (ds loves it!)

Snoopy - how are you doing ? How s work ?

Hi to everyone else.

Hi hula, how are you? I made the list for another role, but there's no definitive start date so still in limbo really and I don't know where it leaves the two attachments I lined up in case I didn't get the other job because our borough has said you are only allowed to apply for one role at any specific time, totally against employment law and regulations but since when did they matter

Good luck lisa!

drttc have you considered getting a punching bag and sticking a picture of that woman's face on it?

trying I also heard good things about beetroot juice. I love beetroot and hula is right, the juice is actually quite pleasant, but messy if you're making it at home!

Interesting - I drank the big beetroot & apple juice Mon-Fri for years .. It's now smaller though.. Anyway was told at my SO scan my lining was v thick so maybe some truth.
Hope all doing ok despite the trials and tribulations of drugs, waiting and bitchy wedding guests.. Really the last thing you need!
I'm ok but not sleeping well and sore back. Need to get exercising. Also need to fly next week to London and worried as not flown since right before last miscarriage but 4 1/2 hrs on a train is a killer with a sore back so hope will be ok. X

Ps meant from Pret!

Thanks hula really kind of u. Once I start my next cycle I'll def buy some! When r u testing?
Glad u mabagrd it have some fun drttc and seeking glad ur feeling a little better. lokkie is so so cute!
I've been having a bad few days, maybe af on its way. Feeling hopeless and worried re futre :( got my follow up tonight with my current ivf place. See what they suggest and have to say.....
Rosa great to hear from u, sorry re back pain u had some from start! U out over half way now-yay!
Waves to all others x

Hey guys
Do u advise starts with the egg book? Prob have 3 months before next cycle so keen to get stuff tip top.
I'm on co enzyme, omega3, vit d I have a plastic free water bottle, I eat a fairly balanced diet and am reducing gluten but not 100 percent....will the book give me some more info??

Thanks Hula!

Awww that's great, Seeking. We really need those moments of peace. Sending you a big hug!

Haha Snoopy- that is probably a great idea!!

Glad you're doing well Rosa! Here's hoping you find a way to ease those back pains.

Trying- I bough that book but haven't read it...

I've been having my wobbly moments! The combination of a failed cycle, being at a wedding surrounded by children, staying with a bitchy pregnant girl, and several people deciding to publicly ask us when we're having kids = so emotional! I can't believe how blunt people can be in a group :( Felt like it was written across our foreheads that we found the question upsetting. Ugh! I've now spent £61 on this month's: pregnacare plus, pre-seed, Ubiquinol, pregnancy tests, and robutussin (first try at that)! Bloody expensive!

Well it wasn't v useful! He bascially said I was on all the meds I could have been on and nothing to change on that end....and that I had a really good cycle and things had gone well from that point of view (to which I said I keep getting pissed of being told I'm young and everything looks great and still 2.5 years on im with no baby). The only iffy issue was my lining but it was boderline he said...
Bascially left me feeling like I'm totally defaulted and there's sometnhig seriously wrong with my body that's not allowing my emnryos to grow :(((
He did suggest chromsonal testing if I do a fresh round which I was thinking of but said he would be surprised if I was making lots of bad embryos given my age and how they looked etc.
Not done much for my pma or my hope. But has made me feel like argc is the way to go for us....ive been worried about it as means a screw up for mine and dh career and finically a huge burden. Plus been worrying what I tell people! Can't just dissapear for 3 months and not tell friends round here where I am! Will have to come up with lies!! But i don't feel like today he gave me much hope that they would look after me !? If that makes sense....he was a bit like "well we threw all these drugs at u and it still didn't work (u silly woman what's wrong with u?!! so that's a bit shit really isn't it".

Sorry for the me me and down post!

Aww sorry Trying it was nt helpful. Its sounds more like they ve run out of ideas than nothing else can be done. I m sure there s plenty of things that could be tweaked and if u read the beer book they do masses of monitoring and changing meds once pregnant so i m sure somewhere like argc will do alot more its just is as you say a massive commitment to be able to go with them. I think you ve got to follow your heart on this one and if thats go with argc then you ll find a way.

Drttc - i want to slap these people on your behalf. Why can t they just mind their own buisness.

Rosa - good to hear from you. I d say comfortable flight would be better than a huge train ride that makes you sore.

Snoopy - annoying you re still in limbo hope you hear some good news soon.

Afm - 9/10 dpo and just couldn t face testing this morning as i know it will be bfn. Actually i feel like the end of the road is nearing for me and that i ve just got to work on accepting ds will be an only child. I am so so lucky to have him and for me he is so much more than enough but i feel awful i can t give him a sibling. But i m 40, my amh is low, and my immune system is aggressive and i just can t get pregnant, let alone even thinking about staying preg if i did fall. So i think it a few more months then thats it, only thing i m considering left to try is dhea but don t know if i can do that while doing SO. Oh and i ve ordered some fresh royal jelly/pollen/propolis as heard that the propolis is a good antiinflammatory. Is anyone on wobenzyme ?

Sorry hula :( It can take 4-6 SO for them to work out dose and timings so I really hope it happens soon, if hasn't already! It's so hard when u have invested so much time and effort into something and u want a sibling for ur little one...I really really hope it happens for u soon. I know the age thing is a real ticking clock but from the start of this thread it was hope and rosa - the older ones who made it first trimester first!! And they were both similar age to u...try keep the pma. Roda had high tnf and couldn't take humira etc...so try cling onto hope! (Speak for myself!)

I think I need my immunes retesting as not done since seeing mr s a year ago and they didn't re do tnf and NK cells here at ivf clinic again. Also argc retest them during pregnancy maybe mine go mad in prengnacy but are ok before? As my tnf was 23 so well in range a year ago...hmmmmm..plus my nk cells r not even high! Only slightly overactive. Yet the tx still didn't work ;( ah well...more trial and error.....quite tired of this jounrey now

Snoopy is on wibenzyme! Hopefully she can fill u in x

Stumbled across this! It's starts with the egg-whole book online somehow!!

books.google.co.uk/books?id=tnErAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT7&lpg=PT7&dq=advice+from+it+starts+with+a+egg&source=bl&ots=C3h4YtT_pQ&sig=tAl2Tm7iDylA90OzK0JgqS8OcSM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CFMQ6AEwC2oVChMIpqS73tySxwIVyTgUCh3wxQWX#v=onepage&q=advice%20from%20it%20starts%20with%20a%20egg&f=false

Trying from what I read about ARGC they test before you start and retest as well. So your immunes will be well monitored there.
I read the Egg book, it is quite interesting but other than one chemical in perfumes (which I don't use much anyway) it didn't really tell me anything new. But good to read. Also I guess the book is really good for general public - meaning for people who don't have immune problems. As high levels of cytokines can also lower egg quality not just destroy embryos....
So sorry that your follow up was such a disappointment.
Hula I was thinking about you, if you tested or not... Sorry you feel so low... I never took any of the supplements you mentioned but was given quite a lot of DHEA which I am not going to use (my endocrinologist told me not to.... Also my AMH is just over 20 so don't want to mess that up) if you want it I am happy to send it to you (was told it is quite pricey).
Drttc oh what a weekend you had... some people should think before they open their mouth... And it is always so disappointing not to get that second line.... especially as you did the extra intralipids as well...

Ladies I am so sorry I just pop in like this, I read your posts, think about reply but get distracted or just forget to reply (my memory is really bad...)
I am only 4DPO and my sore throat/joint pain already started!!!! I really hope it is 'just a cold' but I don't feel ill. Didn't manage to have intralipids before /at ovulation as I somehow ovulated on CD10!!!! So looks like with me steroids actually make me ovulate early... hope to have them on fri (6DPO) really hope it is not going to be too late... should test on tue at 10dpo but that's my birthday and I don't really want to spoil it by hpt - either result would upset me, actually. Than wed is our wedding anniversary so guess will only test on Thu... Was so hopeful for this cycle with all the acupuncture/medication etc but not hopeful anymore.... never thought when we started TTC than we'll be still doing it nearly 5years later... (going to be 40 next week hence me being quite pessimistic) oh and my sister who already has 3 kids now wants another one now... Was told yesterday....

Thanks Trying and Swlnanny.

Swlnanny - that must be so hard hearing about your sister and 5 years is a long time to keep going, life really is so unfair sometimes. Thanks so much for the dhea offer, i may well take u up on it if i decide to try it, i m hesistant because it is a hormone and might mess things up more but my amh is 2 and there s some compelling arguments coming out of CHR in america for its use to improve egg quality/quantity in low reserve women.

As for pred it brought my ov of the next cycle forward to day 4 ! (Had af at day 13). I seems to affect quite alot of womens cycles.

Wrote a long post yesterday and lost it, damn phone!

I'm sorry for everyone having a hard time. It can be so hard when you're stuck in that spiral. I just try really hard not to think about it most of the time. But you're all going to get there.

I'm really trying to clutch at the positives at the moment. I called the DS in charge of the job I went for and she explained the only reason they've had to put successful applicants on a list is they can't specify a start date because we're replacing people who are waiting to be posted elsewhere, but it should hopefully be soon. I've been offered an attachment on another team and I've decided to pad the job I'm already doing by developing a training package with another team. But our borough has introduced a policy whereby you can only apply for one job at any one time so don't know where that leaves my attachment. I know it's against regulations and employment law but we're only shoulder numbers not people after all.

Oh and I am taking wobenzym