Immune/NK issues - aka Pred Thread no. 21!

[Tee4me]

Roll call for all moony faces!! 🌝🌝🌝

Waiting for our rainbows 🌈❤️💛💚💙💜

Tee4me
Age: 34
TTC DC#2 since December 2015
x2 MCs (second was 'missed')
DS turns 5 this month 😱
Seeing Dr Shehata - diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and aggressive NK cells
Currently on cycle 2 of Pred and week 6 of Thyroxine
CD10, expecting to ovulate at the end of the week 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

Hi Adrya, thanks! I’m 20 weeks tomorrow 🙌🏼
Also injecting fragmin once a day. It is ouchy but I manage to reduce pain by running up and down stairs on injected leg straight after, and marking up a place on leg where you can’t see any veins (although I was told they’re actually capillaries) if you hit those you get a really decent bruise 😖
I’m 38 and got pg on first pred cycle, tested and got negative on 9dpo (before I got chatting in this group) and thought I wasn’t pg! Stopped pred until 14dpo tested again, bfp and started pred. No effects while taking pred but had s little withdrawal after 9 days... pretty rare though!
Gawd I hope this is actually helpful haha
Fingers crossed for you on Sunday! And of course for you too Tee 😘😘

Hey adrya
I have had virtually no symptoms with any of my 3 pregnancies on pred (1 mc, 1xbaby, 1 current pregnancy). So don't be alarmed if you have very few. I remember DrS telling time to pretty much disregard symptoms as an indicator as he's seen women with no symtoms (like me) be successful and some with every symptom under the sun suffer missed miscarriages 😢
Also, I know a lot of you seem to worry so much about falling pregnant quickly, remember 1 year is still within the realms of normal. And all of your quick pregnancies have also sadly ended in miscarriage. So try not to worry about how long it may take, just that when it does, it's a sticky one.
I've read a lot about hyper fertility- where a women's body accept too readily, every fertilised egg, sometimes being bad quality ones, which then result in miscarriage. Pred can make your body more picky - so it only retains a good quality fertilised egg. If that makes sense.
I had to wait 6 long cycles for my rainbow baby, but bloody hell she was & still is worth the wait 🌈🌈🌈

telling me*

Hi @Adrya! Sorry I disappeared, I stopped getting notifications on the thread and missed all this!!!

I also got preg 1st time in all my 4 pregnancies, except this try! I was gobsmacked last month when I got a BFN! But who knows if it was the Pred or just normal unsuccessful trying!!

The Pred however did affect this last cycle, I ovulated 3 days late - and I’m text book!! Nadia, Dr S midwife, confirmed the Pred can mess with ovulation - so the key is to hold yoor nerve and not start the Pred until the day AFTER you’ve ovulated! So monitor your O and when you get positive OPK/flashy face then take the Pred the day after (I don’t temp so that’s as far as I go to monitor). Luckily this month, even with late O, it worked!

Had an early, early scan this week and confirmed something is in there, a sac and yolk, so next big scan is 24/10 to see if we have a little heartbeat too! 🤞

As the girls say, do like L’Oreal and leave the science of it to the professionals to argue it out - there are no definitive answers re NKs... all we need to know is the Pred/progesterone protocol works and sooooo many lovely little babies have been born because of it!

Obviously I’m still in the danger zone, and won’t feel safe until 12 weeks etc. but it feels good to know I’m doing all I can!!

Hi ladies!
@JustLa - it is very helpful, being on here for the past couple of days and seeing all the encouraging posts is keeping me sane!
20 weeks - amazing, are you going to find out what you're having?

@SMiracles - congrats! And reassuring to hear the Pred can mask symptoms, as I was starting to lose hope - by now I would have had sore breasts and light cramps/twinges in all previous pregnancies, and not having anything at all keeps making me think no BFP this month, so I'll carry on hoping until I test!

@Luna - congrats, praying all goes well and you little bean sticks!

xxx

Hi Adrya, yes but I’m keeping it secret. We couldn’t wait!
Good luck for your testing tomorrow!! 🙌🏼 Fingers crossed for a good result and keep us posted if you can 😊😊

Good luck testing today @Adrya 🤞🤞🤞❤️

Omg Luna congrats on the early scan!! How far along are you now?

BFN for me Adrya, hope you get on better x

Same for me @Tee, I'm still hopeful for us both as 10dpo is really early...I actually tested with an internet cheapie, keeping my FR for tomorrow or Tuesday...
Don't lose hope, we still have a good chance to get our BFPs this month! xxx

🤞🏻xx

Me again lovely ladies! And thanks in advance for keeping me sane! I've now started to experience constant lower back pain and light cramps, pretty much feeling like I'm due on, and noticed an increase in CM also (sorry if TMI, but I actually went to check if AF somehow appeared, that's how achey and wet I felt!)...no other symptoms like sore, full breasts, tiredness, lots of bathroom breaks as with previous pregnancies...I am 10dpo and tested negative this morning...now wondering if it's the Pred side effects kicking in? If I don't get a BFP tomorrow I will have to stop Pred...
So...any of you had these aches and pains?? I'm really thinking I'm going mad and I'm actually imagining all of these symptoms...
Any reassurance would be greatly appreciated! Thanks xxx

Hi @Adrya I think the main thing you need to accept now, is that there is no ‘normal’ anymore!! I had AF style cramps for a week leading up to BFP and still have them to this day (5 weeks preg)... so anything is possible!!!

Yes definitely test tomorrow and stop the Pred if BFN, but keep testing and start the Pred if it turns positive!!!

@Drttc it was a very early scan only to make sure not ectopic, I’m 6 weeks on Wednesday and have my next scan the following Tuesday (24th) when I’ll be 6+6 and hopefully will see a ❤️Beat :)

BFN today also, 11dpo...still early, I know, but a bit worried about stopping the Pred in case I get a positive in a few days...has anybody taken Pred slightly longer than the 10 days before stopping? I know after 14 days you need to wean off, but wondering if anybody has taken 12 days for example?

@Tee, any luck for you?

Thanks all xx

Hi Adrya, I am rather new to this too but I wouldn't take the pred any longer as it could play your cycleup. I took it for the first time in August got the BFN and then had a month of weirdness with my cycle. Basically 3 periods. I saw Mr S, who said pred can muck your cycle up if on it for 12 or more days. I am unusual as it mucked me up after 10. I wouldn't chance it. He suggested I went on another less aggressive tablet but I had my BFP last week, so sticking with the steroids. Historically, I have never had a positive test early but last week I did. Still not quite believing it till I have a good scan though. Anyway, just on my experience don't take the pred longer than you have to as it really mucked me up for a month and that panicked me as I have always been regular. xx

I would t take it any longer either adrya. If you do get a bfp in the next few days you’ll be fine. You have enough in your system to get you through a few days if necessary.

Hopeflower.... congratulations! How are you feeling?

Thank you Seekingmiracles, it still doesn't seem real and I am rather paranoid about it! Trying to relax myself! Xx

Thank you Seeking and Hopeflower, I have decided to stick to the expert advice and not take it, don’t want to mess up anything...
Hopeflower - wonderful news, congrats, so pleased for you! Completely understand the paranoia bit, I am the most composed person ever and all these trials have turned me into a paranoid mess, hubby doesn’t even recognise me
xx

I haven’t tested again Adrya but will tomorrow with FMU. Not expecting anything though, definitely think AF is on the way. I wouldn’t take Pred beyond the 10th dose x

@Tee, keeping everything crossed for you tomorrow! I’m still hoping as not due on until Sunday (have a long cycle and luteal phase), so will be testing every day - I should buy shares in First Response he he!
Keep us posted xx

WOOHOO @Hopeflower that’s amazing news!!! Congrats babe!!

@Adrya deffo stop the pred. I was mucked up after just 10 days too. I’m sorry aboit BFN but keep testing 🤞🤞🤞

Thanks everyone, just hoping this one sticks! Lovely to find others that know how you feel and are going through the same thing 😘xx

Oh god yeah @Hopeflower - I’m bricking it too love!!!

Hi lovely ladies, can I ask another question - I noticed most of you are/have been on Intralipids, alongside Pred, vits, etc. on Dr S’s plan - this hasn’t been mentioned to me, wondering whether it’s because I’m seeing him on the NHS? What exactly are the Intralipids for, is it for NK Cells or for other immune conditions? Thanks in advance xx

@Tee, sorry forgot to ask if you tested again? I tested this morning (12dpo) and got a very very faint line but only after 10 min so might be evap, so have decided to test again tomorrow to see if I get that BFP! x