Immune/NK issues - aka Pred Thread no.20!

[harrietm87]

Hi all, thought I'd get the ball rolling on the new thread.

Welcome all with immune/natural killer cell issues.

It's been a while since a new thread so thought it might be helpful if we all added our stats:

I'm harriet, age 30, TTC#1.
3 mcs (2 at 5 weeks, 1 mmc at 9 weeks).
Hypothyroid and high NK cells.
Cycle 2 on pred!

Signs seem positive harriet!!

Why on earth is DrS getting involved in the scans? He's not a sonographer and shouldn't be trying to interest!! Hhhmmmm ignore him and go by NHS -seeking!

God does he actually perform the scan himself too?? 😱😱😱

Seeking, I've also noticed a difference between Mr S scans and NHS- NHS measure me a comfortable 3 days ahead of my prediction and Mr S measures me at bang on my gestation.
What did Mr S say in terms of the success chances? And when is your next scan booked for? You could get a sneaky NHS one just for a second look if it would make you feel better x

Hey dear Poppy, I was up 3 times in the night with cramps, but pretty sure it was preggy bowel issues. Launched a huge fibre assault on my body today and seemed to have sorted things out, lol. Part of me keeps trying to go into catastrophist mode, I'm attempting to keep that demon at bay!
How are you? Has your symptom spotting been driving you nuts or are you feeling ok? Are you 7dpo now?
Xx

Lol Luna, he does the scan himself and is very quick to tell you how it's going which I appreciate. He can be very matter of fact and blunt, yes.
I think he does the scans so he can keep track of the pregnancy personally. He's not keen to comment on scans from elsewhere as he has stated to me 'he's a very busy man' ... sometimes I worry he's a bit too busy to focus for very long on my personal case but that could just be my preggy emo mind 🙄 X

Oh god I hate being proded, especially by male doctors😱😱 oh well... another hideous thing to absorb now and work through with a therapist in my 90s... 🥃😝

JustLa, that's really interesting about the scan dating. Gosh I don't think I could handle an abrupt manner, I'm too fragile about all this stuff! I love UCLH endocrinology, particularly Professor Conway. They are so kind and soothing.

Sorry to hear you're having an uncomfortable time! Definitely sounds pregnancy related and I suppose pregnancy symptoms feel reassuring even when they're gross, eh?! Also just bought a pack of Fruit n Fibre in an African supermarket. Tasty

I'm 6dpo now and still symptom spotting and amateurishly temping. I'm using Fertility Friend which logs it all and gives you a daily analysis complete with statistical likelihood of pregnancy and reminders not to test too early! It helps having it all organised in one place cos it limits the mindless Googling! I still have mild cramps that are not AF like and briefly a sharp but mild pulsing pain and a bit of stitch like pain. Had loads of creamy cm yesterday which isn't really normal for me. Constipated, tingly boobs and pimples. So I'm quite pleased with the symptoms but also very aware it could be coincidental!

Wow poppy what % is the app showing!?

Haha, great question, LunaB! First I had nothing then it gave me 8 points out of 100 up until yesterday, then jumped to 16 this morning and now it's down at 15 but not sure why! If it keeps increasing at this rate I will be happy because if it gets to 70-80 by test day you are almost twice as likely to be pregnant than not...or something, I'm not very good on statistics.

By the way, all, I wondered if you might be interested in a distracting little survey. It's the second What Women Want Survey, 20 years after the first. I've said I want a number of things including better maternity care, more research into recurrent miscarriage and a breaking down of the taboo around miscarriage. Should have said one of the worst things about it is feeling like you can't take time off for that reason because then you're employer knows you intend to take maternity leave in the not so distant future.

Anyway, here it is if anyone is interested!

www.thisiswhatwomenwant.org

🤞🤞🤞 more babies - this group won't be TTC for much longer ❤️

Fingers crossed but far, far away from certain.

LunaB, it will be, we are picking up newbies all the time. And once we all get BFPs we have many months of pregnancy angst to support each other through! 😂

I am comforted by those going before me, I must say ❤️

Totally agree with justla on mr s's scan manner. At the end of my follicle scan he practically whipped it out! Any time I've had internal scans before it's all been very gentle! Not painful in any way obvs, just a surprise!

poppy everything sounds great! I downloaded FF this time but found it pretty un-user friendly - think I needed to persevere.

Cramps continue but spotting is still very light. Sorry for TMI but it's literally just a couple of spots on a liner. The consistency seems to be getting drier as well and it is very brown rather than red, so I'm so so hoping it will be ok. I've been googling obsessively all day and I think it's really 50:50.

Hello, this thread popped up on my Active convos and it is so nice to see it still going, and so many people getting help to have their longed-for babies. I was on the first (and many subsequent!) pred threads and have a 5 year old Shehata-boy after four mcs and a high NKC diagnosis. Can I wish you all the best of luck at whatever stage you're at, and don't give up.

(I can still remember the unexpectedly speedy internal scan!)

Awww that's so sweet, and funny Iggi999

Harriet it's all really sounding so hopeful! Look forward to hearing about how your drip goes tomorrow!

I'm not happy with the idea of some random doc whipping his anything near me! Is there a nurse in the room too? I might miss that appointment and go for the 8 week belly scan... if I get there! 😱

Poppy it all sounds quite promising, I'd say lady lucky may be with you, especially if you found fruit n fibre in Africa, it's gotta be a sign! I'll take a look at that survey, it sounds interesting thanks 😊 I think pred and pregnancy relax muscles at this stage and I have iron in my pregnacare multivit so as a result I'm having real issues. I have to write that it's shitty and a pain in the arse... because I'm struggling to find words that don't create a pun 🙈 It's actually quite a nasty issue for us that are particularly worried as there is pain and strain involved which freaks me out!

It's honestly not bad at all Luna, please don't worry. You've got a sheet over your bits and there is a nurse in there. It honestly reminds me of a vegas 'little wedding chapel' type thing, every time I go 😂 You get undressed with nurse and hubby, get ready and await Elvis's arrival. Once he comes in, he performs an emotional (Emo for me- not really for him) and dynamic whirlwind ceremony with visuals and audio and you're left in the room to get dressed. Honestly it's fine, I'm sensitive below and it hasn't hurt me. Btw, I thought scans were up the cha-cha until around 10-12 weeks?

Harriet, I'm glad it's all slowed down. No red seems like a very positive thing, especially this early when I would expect it to be more sudden (that's just my logic, no medical evidence to back that up).
You'll be able to have a good chat about it with Mr S's crew when you go for intralipids :) Am thinking of you and looking forward to things hopefully stabilising for you soon 🤞🏻

Iggy, how lovely of you to pop up and share your supportive words with us all. Congrats on your boy and thank you 😊 It gave me fuzzy feelings

Xx

Oh Harriet did they up your cyclogest? May have been just for me as I'm on blood thinners
X

I've never minded the internal scans... I've had SOOOO many! And his manner doesn't bother me, he's quick and very to the point but I'm very much no nonsense myself. He's also very quick to tell you the good news when he sees it! Felt like I was waiting ages for the NHS sonographer yesterday!
BTW scans with DrS are internal until 10 weeks, unless you're a bit larger, when it could be 12 weeks before he does a tummy scan! He just likes to keep an eye on the progress and the nurse is there at all times too. It's really not that bad Luna.

He said he's not too worried, especially as my cycles have been a bit whack, but I didn't mention the lack of sex around any other time of the month except when I had the positive opk. He said the heart rate was good and not to automatically assume the worst. But that's hard. Will be scanned again in two weeks, by his colleague as he's on holiday... I hate being left with the unknown. I'm a very pragmatic person, if things are going to go pear shaped I wish they'd hurry up and do so. I feel like I'm waiting for the inevitable

Harriet, I had a lot of brown discharge around AF and cramps, to the point that I was convinced I was going to come on. It then changed to a beige coloured creamy cm, then eventually nothing. That's when I tested. I'd def ask about upping your cyclogest dose.

Thanks girls, I'm being stupid - bring on Elvis 🕺

Just & poppy - I had the most awful constipation with my DS and was literally full of shit - could barely move! GP prescribed Fybogel - a powdered fibre supplement, and Laxido, a stool softener. Both are safe and used in pregnancy (but do check with the clinic of course). What ever you do do NOT get the liquid version of Laxido - only the sachet/powder version. The liquid will make you fart all day - literally!! It was such a relief, pardon my pun, when I went for a lovely normal easy poo!! Took them throughout pregnancy from 8 weeks and after - as i had looooooads of stitches so the thought of pooing was horrifying!

seeking babes I'm really sorry that you keep getting hit by these waves of uncertainty- I'm sure everything is fine and you will have this baby in your arms next year, I know it doesn't feel like it... chin up girl 😘

harriet what time are you at the clinic today? Let us know what they say re upping the meds ❤️

Drttc any news on your doc visit? How it all going so far?

Hi Iggi! Lovely to hear from you. We've got quite a few pred success stories here trying for/pregnant with number 2. It's such a great community!

Harriet- sounds like things are going well now. I know the wait is agonizing. Fingers crossed for you x

Seeking- I've always thought limbo is the toughest place to be. Though it sounds like the general belief is that your scans are good! It'll be a long two weeks so it may be a great time for a project/distraction!

Luna- it's really not that bad with the internal scans. I also appreciate a more direct attitude with less anticipation.

I'm just here in what feels like the 2 week wait (4-6weeks). I'm 4wks+2 today with a scan booked for next Saturday (5wks+4). No real indication as to what's going on. On CD28 a clear blue digital read 2-3 weeks. Which doesn't really mean much but at least it's going up! Think I'll test again in a few days to see if I get a 3+ weeks. Naughty game I know!

Seeking, I've had the exact same train of thought as you 'if it's going to end, let it happen sooner than later' ... It's so cruel that we have to think like that, I really feel for you being back in a limbo-ish state. We all think the worst (due to our histories) when something is a little off, but this sounds like it could be totally fine.
Would an NHS scan in 1 week make you feel better? I know I couldn't wait, 2 weeks seems a long time but it may work better for you.

Ugh, I wish someone could just pop us to sleep in an incubator and wake us up in 6-7 months!

Luna thanks for the tips. It's the cramping that's really worrying me now. I used to sometimes get it before I was preg, it's the same now but I'm so scared it will make my uterus contract 😫 Hope it goes away soon.

For those that have had their babies after MC's, were you able to relax a little more at any stage? Does it gradually get a little easier mentally or was there a check point that suddenly made you feel better? I can handle the truth lol

Love that we have people in here at all stages, to ask ❤️

Drttc, great to hear the test results are progressing. A long wait for you too but fingers crossed it will be well worth the wait. i wouldn't be able to resist testing either, di whatever gets you through.

Harriett, how are you doing today, emotionally and physically?

Hope everyone else is ok

Xxx

Hi all,

Welcome back Iggi and thanks for you encouraging words. Congratulations on your DS!

JustLa, thanks also for the encouragement. I really feel for you, it is very scary when that part of you doesn't work properly, especially when pregnant. And I know you are probably conscious of the kind of meds you're taking for it. I usually try coffee but as I don't drink much caffeine when pregnant I would in those circumstances have a decaf or chai latte!

Thanks Harriet, seems you're past Fertility Friend this time, but they do have a Pregnancy Monitor! I use FF on my iPad, not sure what it would be like on a phone or laptop. I agree with JustLa, I think you'd know by now if something was wrong. Fingers crossed the brown spotting stops soon, so you can relax.

Thanks for all the tips on constipation, Luna! Sounds like you had an awful time after the birth. Amazing how more isn't done for women in this position! I had no idea about this until I got pregnant previously.

I am still constipated and we went for an Indian last night. So this is really weird! I'm taking it as a good sign though and when I entered that and tender breasts into FF today, my score went up another 8 points 😂 I get my luteal phase progesterone test results tomorrow so will know whether my level is healthy.

DrTTC, good that you have a scan date at which you will surely get a proper update. Remember not to do the weeks indicator without first urine of the day!

Thanks iggi for dropping in with happy news - it really does give me hope. I'm so grateful for this thread - thank you all for being here!

luna you really make me laugh - loved your moonfaces and poo chat!

seeking I have so been there with the if it's going to end, let it end now. I'm there right now! I have so much hope for you though. I agree with justla - is there any chance you could get another NHS scan in a week or so? Or even pay for one at one of those private places like ultrasound direct (much cheaper than mr s)?

justla I'm with you with the cramping fear too, but you're doing so well. Have you had any pregnancy symptoms like nausea/sore boobs? I'm wondering whether the pred really does mask it or whether I have something else to worry about! I'm feeling really exhausted and my boobs (and esp) nipples are massive, but not tender at all.

drttc I think I'm 4+1 today going from ovulation, so we're pretty much exactly the same stage. That's great news on the clearblue. I'm always afraid of them but may give it a go depending how today goes. I did FRERs every day from 10-14dpo (yesterday, pic attached) though so should maybe step away from the pee sticks now!

I'm on my way to the clinic now. Feeling bit more positive as spotting and cramping seem to have stopped. They didn't suggest extra cyclogest yesterday but I will ask about it today. I suspect I have low progesterone anyway so could be a good idea.

poppy so nearly ready to test! Are you still away? Have you got a frer with you??

Good news you're feeling better harriet!!

What's FRERs - a type of test? First Resoonse?

Yep First Response Early Result (I think) - they are the most sensitive/reliable.

Oh and the double pack in boots has one free in it atm, so 3 for 2!