Immune/Natural Killer Cell treatment for those ttc or pregnant. (AKA the 19th pred thread!)

[Seekingmiracles]

The new thread for anyone ttc or pregnant with immune issues or natural killer issues. Welcome ladies!

Oh @harrietm87 that sounds rough but as you say it will be over quickly. You are so brave, I will be thinking of you.

I'm not at home until tomo eve but I will check my paperwork and see what else you can ask for, will pm you some photos of it for ref.

@jaffacakes16 ergh yes, it should be a wonderful experience but unfortunately not for us. My last pregnancy all was fine at 7 weeks then not by 12 so I don't think they'll give me much peace of mind. Maybe at 20 weeks and feeling movement I'll be ok. It's going to be a loooooong 16 weeks.

My friend has been having treatment for thyroid in pregnancy (Has had 3 mc and the main thing that worked with getting the NHS was crying and threatening them with negligence (lawyer!) 😬 It shouldn't have to be like that

Thanks pickled that's so kind of you.

jaffa I'm Irish too! (Though live in London). I think autoimmune diseases are really common in Ireland sadly. When my (English) friend was diagnosed coeliac her consultant asked her if she had Irish blood!

welcome harriet! Sorry you find yourself here but it sounds like you have a bit of a plan which i find always helps.

Although I had no history of autoimmune diseases, i had 3 early miscarriages, one at 8 weeks, and 2 at 5 weeks. For me Mr Shehata has been a miracle worker and without him, i feel i may never have had a baby. I'm currently pregnant with my second and although i am less anxious this time round, i am still worried that all will turn out ok.

Just a word of warning, I had quite a number of blood test before I saw him at my own gp/hospital but he wanted to repeat them all himself (apart from a couple of basic ones). He also does a number of specialist tests that the nhs don't offer regarding the NK cells.

With regards to weaning off the pred at 12 weeks - i think the idea behind it, is that once the placenta is in place and supporting the baby the womb produces its own steroids and doesn't need the boost.

Hello ladies,
Its good to see u all afterwhile.
My best wishes for all bfp.
Hi sunny my best wishes for second one.
I have been taking steroids for past 6 months under Dr S.usually, i get pregnant in two months.
Its been 6 months,its make me worry a lot.some month,my period cycle is longer than usual.i hate side effects of steroids.i feel quite low and i dont know to do what.i was so positive when i started steroids.can steroids affect ovulation or conception.anybody become pregnant aftertaking steroids for so long?
stopped caffeine,avoid gluten,taking greens,tumeric,bee pollen,doing yoga,walking,accupunture everything i can.

Hey sunny, did you have any test results that came back positive? Just wondering if all of you ladies on pred had tests that came back positive. Mine were negative but consultant said to try the pred anyway? I still don't really understand what the steroids do to help? but seems common for them to be given to ladies undergoing IVF? I've only had one cycle on them, this was first AF after mc so will start taking it again once I'm ovulating. No side affects touch wood.

@harrietm87 I hope yesterday went as well as it could have. I tried to pm you but I can't seem to do attachments like that so am posting all the tests here. TBH I don't really know what I'm looking at but your doc may be able to decipher it! But as sunny points out, dr S will probably want to run his own tests if you got to see him.

Posting in two parts as attachments and wrote a long message last night and lost it all...

See also last pic of prenatal vits mr S advises you go on straight away.

Hi @bala03 sorry you find yourself here. have you spoken to mr S about these side effects?

@chlo22 the way I understand it is that pred weakens your immune system, if you have nk cells then the idea is it lessens them and allows baby to grow rather than treating it as a tumour/foreign body. Who is your consultant?

Xx

Hi ladies,
It's been a (long) while!! So happy that you are doing so well with your second pgs Sunny and Snoopy!!
Congratulations to anyone else who is pg and feeling anxious! It's such a worrying time, but stay strong and positive!
To those suffering after recent losses I send you lots of love and positivity. I'm sorry you've had to find the support of this thread but it was an absolute lifeline for me when trying for Tallulah and in the months I was preggers. Full of wonderfully supportive and knowledgeable ladies

How are you doing Drttc? Rosa?

We've started thinking about #2 so I've been monitoring cycles... I'm only on cycle 4 post partum but they're really screwed! So long!! I'm currently cd19 with no positive opk! So frustrating! It took me so long getting my cycles in order with acupuncture before Tallulah, it's so annoying that they've gone back to being arsey! Back to acu I go

Will try to read through and catch up on the latest!

Hello ladies! It's been a while for me as well!

Hi Snoopy, Sunny, and Seeking! Glad to hear from you all.

Seeking I completely relate on the cycle front! I pictured myself wanting to ttc #2 around the 1 year post partum mark and I just don't feel like I've had a proper cycle yet (I'm about 8.5 months pp). I've had three 'bleeds' 40+ days apart, only 3-4 days long, and with no cramping whatsoever. I always had terrible almost debilitating cramping, which makes me question if this is even my cycle. The most recent 'cycle' seemed the closest to normal (still no cramps) so we'll see where it's headed. I am still breastfeeding though and this boy feeds like a champ. He's teething now too so hardly detaches haha. Good luck and keep us updated!

I've just been caught up with a lovely long holiday, playgroups, and time with the hubby hehe! Spring is quite a busy period for us as all the time off, birthdays, and weddings kick off. Very fun though!

Bala- I was on press for 6 months, was about to start SO with Dr S when I fell pregnant. I was having a LOT of acupuncture to get and keep my cycles regular.
I think Drttc was similar... previously fell pregnant very easily and then it took longer to get her sticky bfp.
Try to remember that although you were falling preg quickly, they also weren't successful. The pred may be just making your body more selective and less likely to hold onto a 'bad egg'. Have a word with DrS if you're worried.

Hi all - it has been a long time for me too! So glad to hear about people feeling newhope after discovering Dr S, about growing newborns/toddlers, progressing pregnancies and planning #2s!

Life has been manic here, even without the pregnancy playing a part. My 4yo DD has had lung and breathing issues resulting in 3 hospital stays for her and me in 7 weeks , and the possibility at one point that she could need major lung surgery - which seems less likely now but we're not out of the water yet. All of that took me from 26 to 33 weeks pg without even giving it a moment's thought. And suddenly, today is my last day of work and I start mat. leave tomorrow. How did that happen? 36 weeks yesterday and still can't really believe it is even happening.

I'm sad that, even at this stage, the doubt has never quite gone away to leave space for the excitement that I wish I could be feeling. Me and DH are reluctant to talk about the pregnancy or birth, it's like we don't quite want to commit to it in case it still all goes wrong. And for a good few weeks, the baby was doing these crazy fast jerky movements and I was utterly convinced every time that it was having some kind of seizure and dying. And I expected that feeling movements would reassure me! It's awful what rmcs do to you emotionally and how they strip you of the joy and hope and just leave constant anxiety and doubt. After all we go through to get to this point, we deserve to be able to feel positive rather that the bittersweet experience we end up having. Or maybe that's just me!!!

Anyway - off to supermarket to buy baby treats for the staff room for my last day - jelly babies, mini babybels, mini gingerbread men etc, I had fun thinking of ideas!

Best wishes to all.

Your cycles are more than likely wonky because you're still bfing. I'm sure they will sort themselves out when /if you stop, I don't have that to blame it on. Hopefully it's just the hormones still settling.
I told myself I'd be much more relaxed about #2 but I can already feel anxiety feeling in and we're not even trying yet!
Glad you've had a lovely few weeks enjoying seeing family and friends! Are you planning on going back to work?

Ahhh yomping, that's gone so quickly.
Sorry you've had health issues with your little girl, must be so scary. I hope she's feeling much better soon.
The next 4 weeks will fly by! It is horrible the way rmc ruins it a little bit. I did finally relax at about 35/36 weeks!
Try to enjoy the last few weeks and your last day at work!!! Hurrah!!

Bala - yes I was like you! Had 4 bfps on first or second try which were all early losses. Then, like you, I went full force on vitamins/supplements, no caffeine, acupuncture, gluten free. Went 6 months with no BFP and was shocked & devastated. Then on that final cycle before Christmas I decided to try super ovulation and I got my sticky BFP! Who knows if I would have got a BFP regardless, but I'm so glad it worked out the way it did.

Oh Yomping I'm sorry about your little one. And I'm sorry you're feeling anxious about this pregnancy, but I understand! It's scary to make plans when you're accurately aware of the darker side of trying to make a family. But I'm sure you'd agree it makes us so much more appreciative when we get there than people who don't have this anxiety.

Ah yes good point Seeking! How old is LO now? I've promised myself to never get back to that place I was in when ttc our first. There was so much sadness then and our little guy is more than enough. That said, it's difficult to not become preoccupied if you have to sort out cycles, then monitor them, and medicate at the right times. Glad to here you're doing acupuncture! It was a real game changer for me - brought me a sense of peace.

Not going back to my old job as it's full time! I want something part time which is really difficult to find. Not sure how long it'll take tbh! And obviously feeling scared about leaving my little baba lol! How about you?

Chlo22 - my results for NK Cells came back positive - the cytoxicity ones were one of the highest he had seen!

lovely to hear from you DrTTC! Glad life seems to be going well.

I think i was lucky with no 2 in that i didn't have to bother with all that trying and disappointment! Although it did come as a bit of a shock and i'm still not sure how we will manage but what will be will be!

Just catching up here - Harriet that's funny about the autoimmune Irish!

Interesting to see all the tests you had done pickled, seem much more advanced than what I had done.

What dose of prednisolone does Dr S put people on? I'm feeling disgusting on 20mg have put on about a stone on my first trimester but will be worth it if it continues to work.

To whoever asked about the reasoning behind steroids (sorry can't see the post now) it is that your body is in theory attacking the foetus due to some autoimmune issue/thinking it is a foreign body so the steroids stop this response. That's my simple understanding anyway!

pickled thanks so much for that! So helpful. I will ask my GP at my next appointment, though she is pretty useless so not holding out hope.

I had my MVA yesterday and it was horrendous, but at least it's over now. They also referred me to the RMC at the hospital (Homerton in London) - does anyone have any experience of this? My appointment is early June, so I'll have had my results back from Dr Shehata by then. Wondering whether it might be worth asking them to prescribe me whatever treatment he recommends (as money is pretty tight atm) but guess I'll see how it goes.

pickled id been taking those supplements for the pregnancy I've just lost so will keep them up. Pregnacare are pricey too!

Hello just bumping this thread so I don't lose it! My first appointment with dr Shehata is next week.

I'm 1 week post MVA today. Haven't taken a test to confirm but feeling so much better and like my old self I'm expecting the hormones to have pretty much gone. Looking forward to hopefully getting some answers.

@harrietm87 I hope you're taking good care of yourself since the MVA, sounds like you are feeling positive. Not long til your appointment now, hopefully you'll have a plan of action soon! The only way is up and we will get our babies eventually xx

Thanks very much seeking miracle and drttc.your words are so positive.
Hopefully fingers crossed for this month and keep going
I plan to try for another month .then, see Dr S.

@pickled ,thanks.iam going to book appointment with Dr.S .further to discuss.

Has anyone come off prednisolone after a few months? I'm starting to taper and wondering what side effects to expect - hopefully there will be none other than deflating!