Immune /natural killer cell treatment when ttc or pregnant (aka the 17th pred thread!)

[Hula2]

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

It's funny how everyone is on slightly different treatments - I'm on intralipids now before conception but nothing else (apart from the Clomid which I'm on due to lack of ovulation because I was also on aspirin which stopped my ovulation!!)
I'm not due to start the steroids/clexane etc until BFP!
We are back in London next week to have another ovulation scan to make sure the Clomid is working but I think I'm going to ask if DH can have a sperm test as we haven't had one yet and I'm starting to get a bit desperate!
Also I was going to ask about diets etc? Are you all tee total? And are there certain foods you have cut out?xxx

i was teetotal for about 8 months and also didn't touch caffeine and then i had another mc and thought F* IT!

so now i drink about 4u a week (was a lot more on holiday!!!) and it keeps me happy and also a cup of coffee a day. its a bit diff for me as I'm doing an ivf cycle so i know when to get healthy - i.e. 3 months before i cycle...while when u r trying naturally it could happen from 1-10000 months! makes it harder to pinpoint. so i have stopped alcohol and caffeine as of today as I'm hoping i will cycle again in 2-3 months.

im also attempting gluten free but last week in italy i ate it every day

I'm on omega3, co enzyme q10, vit d and pregnacare.

i think its most important to do what makes you happy/comfortable. sometimes I'm a control freak and feel like doing it all, then other times i calm down and realise it probably doesn't make a huge difference. who knows?!

Hi billy

Welcome to the group, your feelings and thoughts are totally natural x

I had 2 mc before seeing Dr s, got pregnant in round 5 of SO but sadly had a mc at 5.5 weeks - was on pred, intralipids etc.

At my next appt he suggested hydrixy, I too was put off by the 6 weeks but I was actually only on it for 4 1/2 weeks when I ovulated and they said it was ok. Anyway I decided to have a few months off for various reasons so stopped all the drugs apart from hydrixy ( due to the 6 weeks issue and the little side effects) anyway I got pregnant the next month - I don't know if hydroxy made the difference but for me personally I needed to know that I had thrown everything at it. He has had a lot if success on hydroxy too. I'll never know if the hydroxy made a difference to me but I'm now 25 weeks pregnant.

I did a couple of months tee total but I l felt like I had no release/no escape from thinking about it so started drinking again (it calms me down!!!). Not loads (I don't drink during the week, just at the weekend! And I don't drink around ovulation. But I still feel guilty and think i should stop and it would help!
I stopped caffeine about 6 months ago and that doesn't really bother me.
I've seen a lot of people on the gluten free - I might try that. What affect is it meant to have for miscarriage/NK?
I'm just at the point at the minute that is has completely consumed me! It's all I think about, all I talk about and all anyone ever asks me about. So glad I have found this extra support with you ladies!xx

It's so hard lucie it is all consuming. First trying to get a bfp and then worrying ursrlf sick over a mc
It's hard for it not to consume you. I must say I do think about it a lot....prob too much...

Gluten is supposed to be inflammatory. So make ur tnf rise and ur nk cells rise. But the meds we are on are meant to reduce that so I don't know why also going gluten free would help?? But anyways it's actually not that hard just a bit exp! So I'm giving it a go esp as my tnf was high when tested this time-it was Normal last year!

My acupuncturist said she's had women who have gone fully caffeine free alcohol free gluten free organic etc and some who kept drinking and eating everything. She's seen it go both ways and so it's just about moderation and doing what's healthy for your body and right for you

I'm forever worrying too. I drank too much on holiday and pictured my eggs crumbling in a sea of alcohol! It's hard to not feel guilty!

I believe gluten and dairy free is best for getting pregnant. Apparently dairy is mucus forming and like Trying said gluten is inflammatory. I think these things can hinder the egg/sperm getting to where they need to be (esp the dairy). I think sugar is bad for egg quality. This book is good and explains this kinda thing...www.amazon.co.uk/The-Baby-Making-Bible-fertility-pregnant/dp/0230767664
Im sure you ladies have seen this book.
I've pretty much stopped drinking too but I definitely don't have time on my side so Ill try anything!
Feels a bit like punishment sometimes but you get used to it and stop craving these things after a while. It def goes out the window when I miscarry!

x

Sunny Thanks for the info and congrats on your pregnancy!! xx

It's funny re the diary because Argc make u drink a pint of milk daily while your doing ur injections and waiting for bfp! Which is totally against the diary free theory?! I was also told at my last clinic after embryo transfer by my consultant to drink plent of milk!!?

I've also heard that full fat dairy is really important for egg quality. There's so much contradicting information out there it's hard to know which way to go.
I still drink - this whole process is miserable at the best of times so I'm not going to deny myself the odd glass of wine. Life's too short. I know so one that had 3 mcs and while TTC gave up everything... It still failed. Then she though 'sod it' I lose the babies anyway and started to reintroduce it all - fell pregnant and now she has her baby. Maybe it was the mental attitude that helped. Not worrying etc... Never know!

... interesting! and yes very confusing!!!

It's refreshing hearing all this from you ladies!! I'm sick and tired of hearing opinions and taking advice from people who have never been through this and who judge what I do and tell me what I should be doing when they do not understand what it feels like to be in this situation!!!
And on the wine front - I had completely stopped drinking, and had also stopped ovulating - got incredibly stressed and upset about it all after my last trip to doctor George so thought sod it and had a glass of wine and I woke up the next morning, did a home ovulation kit and got a big fat smiley face!!! So yes, I do think sometimes it is psychological!!!
But I do think I might try and do the gluten free thing! I'm not really bothered about bread etc anyway so won't be a huge effort!!xx

Hi everyone

I agree totally on gluten .. I just felt better too. I cut back on dairy too but never eliminated it as was worried about the need for more calcium on pred plus thought bio yog with gluten free musli was a good start to the day and to line my stomach before all the pills.

Hi Billy.. Sorry to hear how hard things have been for you. I'm currently (and hope to continue to be) in a lucky phase.. 7 weeks to go before what will be (all going well), my first .. And I'm 39 so not much younger.
I've had a very, very similar history of MMC, MC and MMC (first at nearly 12m) and all with HB seen.. Also in same timescales as you. My lucky one was a month before I planned to give up.. Was 2nd round of Super ov and I'd just stopped hydroxy after taking it for 5 months but noticing my hair thinning a lot. On top of all the other stuff you took I also had cyclogest and take levothyroxine for subclinical hypothyroidism. So who knows what worked.. I didn't always take pred as instructed but had done that month.
I had monthly accu to 16 weeks too .. I wonder if that helped. Anyway just thought would share as it sounds like your history and profile are similar. Hope you get your much deserved luck soon. X

Ps a little booze, as long as a little and balanced with water and good food and a smile, surely must be ok .. I think (hope)!

Hi, welcome to the new ladies, so sorry for you re losses, its so unfair you ve had to go through this but hope being here can help on this difficult journey.

Here s my stats:
Hula2 - 40, high nks, high cytokines, low amh, dh sperm fine, one ds aged 4 (after 2 yrs ttc), april 14 mc at 9wks, unable to get preg in the 18mns since, on 5th month of super ov, taking zw vits, omega 3, 5000iu vit d, magnesium, baby aspirin, pred and omeprazole from ov, intralipds and prog if get preg.

I have been fairly strictly gluten free and mostly dairy free since may. Been pretty much tee total since before preg with ds. Don t drink caffeine as doesn t agree with me anyway. Try to eat healthy high protein, low sugar, lots of veg etc diet. Do acu twice monthly. Did try chinese herbs before on all the other meds.

I can understand the horrible age pressure feelings Billy. I am soooo lucky to have ds and if it was just about me would have stepped away long ago but i didn't realise i d feel such a strong need to do all i could for him not to be an only child.

However it can become so all consuming so we re giving it one more month of 'intervention' (will do pre ov intralipids as a last ditch attempt) then thats it, after that i m having xmas off everything and then we ll just ntnp. We wouldn t do ivf as at my age and amh our chances of even conceiving would be very low and then still be the whole immune issues. The only thing i feel it might give a shot at is dhea whilst ntnp as there lots out there to suggest it helps with low ovarian reserve. If i did get preg i would take the immune meds.

Otherwise just plodding thru tww (4dpo), had a bit of a rough weekend as had to put my cat to sleep (she had cancer) and had some tough explaining to ds about all that.

Hope everyone elses weekends have been ok.

Xx

So sorry Hula they you've had a rough weekend. Hope your DS is ok. Tough times :( big hug. I have everything crossed that everything comes together for you with this cycle... Xx

Sorry to hear about your cat Hula, it's horrible when you have to make that decision, but ultimately it's a kindness in doing it.
I'm an only child (well technically - I have step siblings) and although I always wanted a big brother or sister it wasn't the end of the world. And my parents more than made up for it. I've always said I'd like a big family but now in this position I know that it might be difficult to have one let alone a brood. You've done everything in your power, so IF it came to it you at least know that there was nothing more you could do. BUT I have every faith that this will be your month. Everything is crossed for you.

I'm currently 3dpo and feeling very much 'whatever' about it. I'm so tired of it all I'm not sure I even care at the moment. Is that weird?

So sorry about your cat Hula - as we have no children our cats and dogs (2 of each - we have a small zoo to try and compensate for the lack of babies) are our everything - I would hate to have to make that decision!
I have everything crossed for you that this will be a lucky month!
And seekingmiracles I don't think that is strange at all!! I often go through the 'I don't even like children' phase!! And just think my life is ok now, it's not the end of the world! But then I see a pregnant friend or a baby on tv and break down!
I know I am only 25 but me and DH have been together for ten years and our first mc was 6 years ago (unplanned but we're keeping the baby - MMC at 11.5 weeks, baby died at 6) so it feels like such a long time waiting!
Where does everyone live btw? Am I the only northerner??xx

I'm definitely having one of those days Lucie! I'm also over compensating for the lack of children with animals! I love my little fur babies!
Hopefully you won't have too much longer to wait love. Keep strong.
I'm in Surrey btw

Thanks Ladies. I ve had her and her sister 14 yrs, i hand reared them from 5 days (almost put me off having kids with the sleepness nights involved with feeding four kittens every 2 hrs !!) so it is a bit of a wrench.

Seeking thanks for you words about your family, i stupidly googled about how was it being only child and found a long forum post which was mainly negative. I find it hard not to feel guilty i can t give him a sibling but i ve got to draw a line as having happy parents has got to be important too.

Lucie so sorry you been waiting so long, whatever your age six years is a long time longing for something so many people get at a drop of a hat. I hope the treatment is sucessful for you very soon.

I was very shy as a child, I think that is the only thing that might have been different had I had siblings. My parents would always invite a friend or my cousins on holidays with us or for days out etc so I never really felt I was missing out. So don't feel guilty. X

I'm a northerner Lucy!
So sorry to hear that hula, hope ur ok and ds. I really really hope this is ur lucky month...

I sometimes feel like I don't care and become very "oh it doesn't matter I'll be ok it will work out" And then the day after I'll be in complete tears at the thought of it' I think sometimes it's just too much to process so maybe we tell ourselves we don't care so much to give our brains a break from worrying all day long!

Hula I know plenty of single children who are now adults who are well rounded confident lovely indivuals. We have to make the best of what life throws at us. If if if this doesn't work I'm sure you will have done everything you can to give ds a wonderful childhood. I really really hope it works out sooner rather than later for you.

Ps that lady I told you about who got preg after failed ivf had a miscarriage last week :( I felt so sad when I found out. My heart breaks a bit when I hear of someone having one as we all know how awful an exp it is to go through :( let's hope she falls preg again

trying that's so sad, are you close enough to offer any support?

hula I'm sorry. I love my furbabies so much and saying goodbye to them is heartbreaking.

With regards to the dairy, sugar, gluten thing. I haven't given up any of them but I did switch to whole milk a few months ago. I really think the stress of shifts/work had a much worse effect on my body than they do but we are all different.

I'm not sure if it's the steroids but I can't really taste food at the moment unless it's quite sour or sweet, and I haven't been able to for at least a month.

I've booked my second lot of intralipids! Couldn't get a scan at the same time so I hope I'm not throwing away £300 for nothing. I don't think I could handle another scan right now anyway, they make me so anxious

Seeking I watched the video you posted last week
I just blubbered my whole way through it!!
Made me wonder why some peoples journeys r so much harder than others

Also terrified me as Argc like putting 2 back and almost always do and I'm v scared of complications with twins! Somewhere along the line I need to decide wot to do about that!