Immune/NK Issues - aka Pred Thread no 24!

[KittyKatSmile]

An introduction to this thread. It has been running for many years and has proved a saviour for so many of us who have suffered recurrent miscarriages as we go through this incredibly tough journey.

Discussions cover NK (natural killer) cells, thyroid issues, PGS and many many more.

Welcome to the group no-one wants to be in 

Tagging people from the previous thread but please tag anyone else I've missed.

@Chickjen @FrannyAnny82 @ginandtonicformeplease @HoldingOn2Hope @LockThatFridge @Luckyducky2 @MairMum18 @MrsMargot @weddinghelp1 @williteverhappen @Wishing5tar @zoe16
@Eeviee
@Ultra26

@Countrygirl220 I need to decide by the time my next period is due which is in 4-5 days maybe - cycle isn't like clockwork due to taking pred previously. Hubby has said he's happy with my decision and as long as I stay in if I'm taking pred which I would. He's 43 this year and I'm 38 so I feel as if time isn't on our side.
Taking the pred isn't the biggest concern for me, it's having to go to Epsom for follicle tracking as I'm on super ovulation. I don't want to do that journey.
I know if I got a bfp I would have to go for intralipids but at least I'd feel positive about a bfp so would make that journey more important. Am I making sense? lol
I mean I know the clinic would say I would have to go for follicle tracking but what would they do if someone was unable to due to self isolating etc?

@HoldingOn2Hope it’s so tricky, you have to do what feels right for you. I know people
who are holding off and others who aren’t stopping TTC. I totally understand your concerns about age, I’m 40 this year and wake up every night in fear, but I also know feeling that pressure doesn’t help. Let me know if you want the pred sent. X

@HarrietM87 I'm SO pleased! What a relief for you - I know you'll still be super nervous but for now, fantastic news! X

Hello ladies

Can I ask how many of you are on Dr S super ovulation programme? And do you all go for follicle tracking? Xx

Thank you @hrtbrk2 - still so relieved!

@HoldingOn2Hope I did superovulation with Mr S - he insists on follicle tracking - it’s not optional. He needs to monitor the dose to make sure you’re not producing too many follicles as it can be dangerous (or too few in which case you’d need to increase your dose) and also to time the trigger shot.

Hi @HoldingOn2Hope I have just started superovulation and am about to do my first trigger shot. I felt very safe when I went to the clinic for the scan because of all the measures they are taking (it’s the only place I’ve been in weeks so I was weirdly excited about my appointment). X

Hi ladies. Well I've just had the biggest shock of my life and I don't think it's good news.

I got an obvious BFP this morning. The thing is, I am supposed to be on day 10 of my cycle. I got a very very faint line on a FRER the day before my period was due, so I had a blood test done last Monday (6th) and my HCG was only 6. I then got my period that night and bled for five days (including two days of heavy bleeding). I also had day 3 tests done during my period and all my hormone levels indicated that I was at the very beginning of my cycle. My progesterone level was pretty much zero.

The dates just don't work, and my uterus can have no lining right now. So I'm terrified that this is an ectopic.

Fuck.

@HoldingOn2Hope I'm sorry I literally have zero experience of this. But I think a private clinic is probably taking more precautions than many other places, especially dealing with pregnant people. And presumably you won't be on the pred for the follicle tracking part will you? And can you travel by car rather than public transport?

@peperethecat oh gosh that's scary and very confusing! Did you do a clear blue that tells you the weeks? Do you think it's worth having another HCG in like 2 days to see if it's fallen or risen? Because if it's fallen then I believe it rules the ectopic out and if it's risen enough - well could there be any chance it was implantation bleeding? As an aside on the lining, I was chatting to the IVF clinic doctor last month about this. And I hope I have remembered this rightly but apparently there are two types of lining; one we have all the time and then apparently there is such a thing called a pregnancy lining that we shed with our period, so you will always have some lining there it would never be none. Now I don't know what that means for implantation exactly but that's how he explained it to me. Anyway, I hope you can get in touch with your doctor asap x

Clearblue digital said 1-2 weeks but I did it with dilute lunchtime urine. The lab were supposed to send me my results this afternoon but they didn't, I think they have probably spelt my email address wrong. so now I have to wait until tomorrow morning for the first beta. I'm so stressed and sad. If this ends in disaster like all the others I'm not sure I will be able to keep trying naturally.

Oh am so sorry you're feeling like this @peperethecat sending a virtual hug. I know how you feel, the waiting more than anything is just agonizing. I hope they call first thing. Did you do the treatment pred & progesterone this time? x

I took the progesterone for about 10 days after ovulation, stopped it, then took it again for a day when I got my squinter, and then stopped it again when my HCG test result came back as 6 and I started bleeding. So basically I stopped it about two weeks ago now. When I got my day 3 tests done last week my progesterone level was pretty much at zero, so I don't see how this can possibly be a viable uterine pregnancy.

Haven't taken any pred, was planning to start it after ovulation this cycle.

Hi @HarrietM87 what meds are you on for SO. Letrezole or Gonal-f? I've been for follicle tracking for my previous cycles just wondered whether it was still necessary as on the website there was a msg to say these type of appts may be changed. I understand it's not optional but when my nhs consultant put me on Ovu stimulating meds there was no follicle tracking as I guess they haven't got the time or funding to do so. Is your current preg a result of Dr S treatment?
Xx

@Countrygirl220 I can travel by car so that's minimising risk, still undecided what to do.
If I do decide to ttc then I don't start pred for 2.5 weeks approx so I guess amor can happen by then and we will know more about the virus increasing or decreasing too. Xx

@HoldingOn2Hope yes I conceived this time on my third cycle of SO on letrozole. I ovulate by myself and don’t usually have issues conceiving but my DH is away a lot and after my last Mc (caused by starting the pred late) I wanted to get the timing exactly right. It took 2 cycles to get the letrozole dose right so I really did need the follicle tracking. I guess once you’re stable on a dose you could maybe skip the tracking but then you wouldn’t be able to have the trigger shot?

@HarrietM87 it really gives me hope hearing your superovulation story. Just did my first trigger shot last night & am not expecting it to work straight away but hoping with some tweaking like you say we will get there in the end fingers crossed.

Oh @peperethecat I really hope that you have heard back from your lab by now and you are not still waiting? I really feel for you having to go through all of this. X

Hey @peperethecat - have you had any beta levels back yet? I missed introducing myself to you a few days back but wanted to say hello and that I was thinking of you. I really hope you've had some answers.

Hope you're ll OK as well - sending love 💘

Xxx

@Crystal2020 with my son it worked first go and I only had one follicle! (Dose was too low - only 2.5mg, but it worked all the same). Good luck!

Oh wow that’s amazing @HarrietM87!!! I can only dream of something like that happening. I kind of wish we had done this from the start now as I’m liking feeling a bit more in control. Will keep you posted on how it goes! X

Hello @Crystal2020 and @KtAgs, thanks for asking. My beta yesterday was 383, so definitely pregnant, no doubt about it. But by my ovulation I should be 5+4 by now, so that's nowhere near high enough. And I know it has gone up rather than down since my "period" because I had a blood test at 14 DPO and my HCG was 6 and then I started bleeding that night. So I am fearing an ectopic. Doing repeat betas tomorrow.

@peperethecat oh I'm sorry to hear this, but it might not yet be bad news. If you are 5+4, they should be able to see a gestational sac at least. Can you get a scan and see what's going on as well as the blood tests?

I don't think anything can be seen on a scan until your HCG is at least 1500. My doctor won't be working until Monday but I'll get more betas done tomorrow and Monday morning and then I'll call her to discuss the results. Apparently once you have three betas you can predict whether a pregnancy is going to be an ectopic, a miscarriage or a viable uterine pregnancy with a fairly high degree of accuracy.

Oh no @peperethecat I’m so sorry this is happening to you. It all sounds very confusing...is there any chance you ovulated again later than you thought? Fingers crossed you get some results from the next beta xx

Well I'm sorry that this is happening 😔 @peperethecat. Thank goodness you're on it and well informed as someone who wasn't might not have noticed. Waiting until Monday is hard though. X

I don't think so @HarrietM87 because I was temping and took progesterone from 4 DPO onwards, so if I got my temps wrong and hadn't actually ovulated, the progesterone would probably have stopped me from ovulating. And I did technically get a BFP at 13 DPO, and had a blood test on 6th April which came back as 6. So I guess it had just implanted by then, and somehow didn't come out during the five days of bleeding.

I can't get my head round how this has happened.

@KtAgs I would never normally use an OPK so early in my cycle. It was only because I decided to start doing the Clearblue ones to try and catch my estrogen surge. If I hadn't done that I doubt I would have found out for a few more days. So you're right, at least if it is an ectopic we'll hopefully catch it early.