Immune /natural killer cell treatment when ttc or pregnant (aka the 18th 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

Lost - so sorry you find yourself here and for your heartwrenching losses but welcome and hope we can help.

I would say if you have had two mmc and a hx of endometriosis (which some consider immune related) then if you could have the immune tests first then it would be worth it. It might avoid ivf altogether or prevent you wasting you frosties if there is an issue.

If funds are tight an option would be Prof Quenby at coventry who does the uterine biopsy for natural killers for about 400 as its part of a research project. However i think as far as immune tx goes she only really does steriods whereas dr s will test alot more things (expect to spend about 2000) and has alot of treatment options which many people on here have been sucessful with.

Have a read of the repro immunology bible - 'Is your body baby friendly' by Dr Beer. There is a list of conditions/health probs and fertility/pregnancy problems that if you have he advises an immune work up.

I have been trying for no 2 for over 2.5 years now (no 1 took 18mns) but i went to dr s after my first miscarriage as i struggle so much to fall preg that i could nt bear to lose another if i got preg to something that could be treated.

I hope that helps, i m sure others will chip in, especially hopefully Trying who is doing ivf with immune at argc right now.

Take care and lots of hugs. x

Hey lost

Sorry to hear of ur struggles :(

I think if u have endo and one precious Frosties left, going in with immunes is a good idea. A lot think that endo is immune related....the book hula mentions is good at explaining it. Endo is one cause of immune problems which comes up very often.

Argc, care clinics (Nottingham manc London bham) and mr shehata will support Ivf cycle with immunes. I've had immunes with care during a fresh cycle(mc) and now with argc. Similarish approach but subtle changes. Also Coventry will draw up a protcol if ur nk are found to be high, but they are much more conservative as to who they dish out steroids to!

If your willing to keep going and do fresh cycles then I suppose u could try a Frostie with no immunes and keep everything crossed. But frozen cycles are so much easier than a fresh, I would be tempted to try throw everything at it to avoid another fresh? Fresh after fresh with mc too is just too much to deal with!

It's a hard choice though, I started doing immunes after my 3rd mc I kinda wish I did it earlier but hindsight is a great thing!
Xxx

Hi hula! How r u ;)

Hi Trying, not too bad thanks !

Doing some hypnotherapy and def finding it s giving me a more what will be will be approach. Also have gone back to acupunc for a few months as felt pretty drained after the 6mns of SO and meds and even if i don t get preg it is helping level my cycles out (and improve my pms.. Dh will be pleased about that!).

Annoyinly pretty sure we ll miss this month (dh currently away with work from day 8 to the eve of day 12 and usually i ov by day 12) but will definetly jump him as soon as he s off the plane just in case !

How are you finding all the meds ? glad you got IVIG. Can t be too much longer to EC ? I m willing this to be a success for you !

Hi lost I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. I had the nk uterine test with dr quenby after my 2nd mmc. My results were normal so no treatment was recommended. I then had a 3rd mc so went to dr s for the nk blood test. Results were high complex nk cells. I was always suspicious there was a problem as my first 2 babies died at 8 weeks 1 day. I thought that was too much of a coincident.
I've been on dr s treatment for a year. I've had 2 more early mc. The second I'd swapped from pred to hydroxy and hadn't been taking it long enough. I also wish I'd done the nk tests sooner as I'm now nearly 43 and having chemicals so feel like I'm having trouble cause of eggs now and not really getting a proper chance on the treatment. But yes hindsight is a great thing! I'd say go for the tests if you can. It might be a false economy otherwise. Btw I also have endometriosis and my dad has celiac - all auto immune related. I'd advise cutting out sugar and gluten too if you can xx

Thanks hula! Yep I think likely to be early next week. Eek!

Yep def jump on him! I'm sure he won't say no :) I think doing the Acu and hypno is great, its so imp to look after ur minds in this process. xxx

Glad you're finding the acu and hypno are helping to level things out a bit Hula! Hopefully with a little break from it all it may kick start something spontaneous. Good luck with the jumping on DH!!

Lost I'm sorry to find yourself here. Sorry to hear of your losses. It's sooo unfair! I think the other ladies have given far better advice than I could. I know it's hard to swallow spending all that money each time but I think I'd throw it all at using your frosty. Give it the best shot. Keep us updated with what you decide.

Eeeeek! Trying!! Next week! That's so exciting!! Are you having follicle tracking scans yet? Hopefully you get a nice high number!! Are you going to do PGD?

I've just acupuncture. She stuck some in my sinuses - OUCH! My eyes poured! Hopefully this cold will bugger off!!

Hi seeking! Yep I've been having alternate day scans and daily bloods and from tmrw it's daily scans and twice a day bloods!
There seems to be a decent no but I'm trying not to worry or obsses! So I don't ask much. They seem happy with what's going on so I'll just go along! Yep I'm doing pgd if I get enough eggs and enough fertilised and enough on day 3 and day 5!!! A lot of ifs!

Hope ur cold pisses off! X

Thank you all so much for the sympathy and great advice.

Billy, I do gluten free to hopefully help with the endo and prior to the miscarriage, I was (refined) sugar free, but have subsequently hit the chocolate (Cadbury's buttons and 80s revival Milk Tray) as my coping strategy. Miscarriage #1 was at 8w and so I had a scan at 8w 1d this time and saw a heartbeat etc. Then at EPU they said it must have died just after this scan, heart breaking.

Trying, I will seek out that book and was actually contemplating a phone call with ARGC and moving my frostie to them.

Hula, thank you for the hugs (they are so needed right now!) and I hope you don't have to wait too much longer for your baby number 2. I remember the gut wrenching disappointment of month after month of ttc.

I think you have all confirmed what I was thinking. It's worth throwing everything we've got at this and then if things don't work out, I will feel like we did all we can. It looks like we won't be getting a new kitchen anytime soon! (I guess dishwashers are overrated anyway). Will keep monitoring the thread and update you with our progress.

I'm so excited and hopeful for you trying! There so many 'ifs' isn't there! So if you get enough to day 3/5 and do PGD do you then have to do fet? Or can they get the results really quick and then transfer this cycle??
Glad they seem to be happy with how things are progressing! Long may it continue!

If (again!!) they have enough cells on day 5/have progressed enough then they do the biopsy day 5 and transfer day 6. I hope to god that happens as I can't bear the thought of waiting for a Fet esp given I've had all the immune tx. Last time most of mine were quite fast so hopefully will get there again. Xx
I'm bloddy tired! Hope ur cold is better

Waves to everyone else X

Oh that's good!! I seem to follow a lot of people in America on Instagram and they seem to have to send the embryos off for PGD and then do fet. It's great that they can get them turned around that quickly! It's all so clever!
Cold is still here - in fact I think acupuncture has brought it out more! Yuk! Oh well, hopefully it'll go soon!

Wow it seems like so much is happening! The thread is looking much more active/positive in the baby making department :)

So excited for you Trying! keep the updates coming as we're really interested in how things go!

Hey guys

I'm triggering tonight! Turns out my body wants to ovulate and my progesterone is rising (bad!) so although the he would want me to stim for a few more days to get more eggs my body isn't going to let it/could compromise my endometrium receptivity so I'm told.

So he's going for a few less eggs (as some not the right size to be mature yet) but not compromising the other stuff.

I can't do anything about it, my body is being impatient!!! And it was mr t himself doing the scan and he explained how it's a balance between the 2 things.

I'm a bit worried I'm not gonna have many eggs and do can't do pgd but once again this is totally out of my hands!

So collection is Monday!

trying how exciting. I've got all my fingers and toes crossed that you're going to get really good quality eggs. You're in the best hands!

That's snoopy. Trying hard not to get hung up on how many eggs I get, I only need 1/2 but u always hope for millions!!!

He did say my lining looked good so that's good yay!

Yay Trying, exciting ! But far better to have less but the right environment for them. Sounds like you re getting amazing care. Good luck for monday. Do you have a GA or sedation ? Finger s crossed for a good number.

I think you're doing the right thing focusing on the positive trying, I think I remember you saying you had problems with your lining before so if that's improved that's a step forward, and it only takes one good egg and sperm. Are you still drinking your beetroot juice?

This might be a silly question but can they only do PGD on fresh embryos?

Wow! How exciting Trying!! As the others have said - far better to have a few good quality ones and good lining (YAY)! All sounds very promising! MrT is a very clever man, he knows what he's doing! I'm crossing absolutely everything for you!! X

Thanks seeking. Mr t did my trigger scan today and was very in control reassuring and not worried. He did say ideally he would trigger me tmrw so my follicles could grow a bit more but that my progesterone suggested I was gonna overcook. They recheck bloods am of collection incase it's too high and I need a frozen cycle. Please god no!!!! Luckily he commented my lining looks good.

To be fair they don't even bother checking ur progesterone in most other clinics so I'm so greatful for the close eye.

I was hoping for more eggs so if I keep mc I can have loads of frozen cycles. But I suppose that's not a positive way of thinking!! given my amh fsh and Antral follicle count u would expect a lot more eggs than I appear to have. But my body obv doesn't want to give me that many.

Hope ur holding up ok seeking.

Thanks for the encouragement - Lovely ladies .

I know it's been said before but it only takes one! You need to stay positive. Monday will all go to plan and by the end of next week you'll be pupo!
Stay strong, calm and positive! Get any negativity out of your head. You can do this!! X

I hope so seeking. I'm just worried my prog will be too high on Monday and they will have to freeze them. Or that I will end up with hardly any eggs as he triggered my early due to my progesterone.

It's a new stressful worry every step of the bloddy way!

But will try stay positive, tmrw couldn't come sooner enough

Happy Mothers Day to this wonderful group of ladies. Some of whom are mums already and all of whom should have been mums at least once over by now and the ladies who are celebrating their first Mother's Day after a tough journey to get there. Thinking of you all. We will all get there. Sending you all love and positivity xx

Yes! Happy Mother's Day to this incredibly strong group of mums! You ladies are such an inspiration! Xxx

Well said seeking and drttc, you ladies are the strongest, wisest women I know xxx