Immune/NK cells - pred thread 29

[StillTrying10000]

Starting a new thread as the last was full.

Adding as many of you to the new thread as I can @myrainbowjourney @sundance21 @taffeta21 @venusstarr @onwardsandupwards1206 @thehopefulegg @89hope

@taffeta21 thank you!
@myrainbowjourney thank you :-) Have you previously had good or poor responses? Good luck at the appointment xx

This thread just popped up on my active threads, and it reminded me that I've been meaning to ask... is there anyone on here trying after a a previously successful pregnancy under Dr Shehata or similar please? Or who knows whether treatment is needed for subsequent pregnancies please? I was very lucky the first time around, but I still find myself wondering if maybe I wouldn't need treatment for a subsequent pregnancy. Perhaps my immune system will have reset itself or something? Or is that ridiculous?

It seemed so improbable i'd manage one, I didn't think to ask about two!

I don't even know if super ovulation and pred are an option whilst breastfeeding, which I'm reluctant to stop.

Any thoughts would be very welcome

Thanks for the add @StillTrying10000 😀 I’ll catch up on the last thread over the coming days xx

Hi @Okeydoky yes me, kind of! I had success on Mr Shehata's complex plan. I had read on previous versions of this thread of people going on to have a second successful pregnancy without treatment and I really thought it might be like that for me too, if I could just get one to stick then it would be like a reset as you say. Well, last year I got pregnant again and tried to be very zen about it, no meds, no early scans etc, but I MC at pretty much the same point as I had previously, so I think for me there will be no option but to go through the same plan again.
He did say at my last appointment with him that he would prescribe the pred and intralipids again without retesting NK cells, as they had obviously worked, but I had also taken something for high TNF Alpha which he did want to retest for first.
So now I am just trying to pluck up the courage to make an appointment. I think if it was just up to me I would be one and done but DH is adamant we should try again, I am not convinced we can be so lucky twice...
Hope that helps a little, and congratulations on your little one ❤️

Thank you @StillTrying10000

I set up a new one too and can't delete it. I will link this post on there so we are all in the same place.

I've had some good responses and some are ok. To me a good response is multiple follicles, but sometimes I've just had one. And I also would like them on the side of my tube, just feels more likely that way

Thank you for the luck. How are you today? xx

@StillTrying10000 just caught up on the last thread and that’s wonderful news. Stay sticky little bean!

@myrainbowjourney my last Chicago tests were in 2017 so they won’t accept them. I had what I thought was a repeat test done in Athens but it’s transpired that this wasn’t Chicago so can’t be relied upon. Same with the sperm dna test. We thought my partner had the equivalent of the Comet test in Athens but it was actually a Halo test. And that clinic led us to believe their protocol helped him drop from 29% to 8% when the likelihood is that it had dropped to 23%…and clinics wonder why we ask so many questions and want to understand everything!

So that was disheartening to find out but this is a clean slate so think I’d prefer to repeat what we can for peace of mind anyway. We’re both going a step further and having microbiome testing too so should have a good picture of where we are health-wise xx

@myrainbowjourney Oww sorry! I had checked and couldn't see a new one anywhere when I set up x

Haha @StillTrying10000 don't apologise. As long as this thread continues, that's the most important thing.

@TheHopefulEgg I don't know the names of all these tests, but I agree there is some reassurance in having them done again with a new clinic.

Hello, I had a question for ladies that are on pred- has anyone been told to supplement with calcium and if so how much? Is there a particular brand you recommend? Dr S didn’t mention anything but from reading online it looks like supplementing calcium is recommended due to bone density loss?
@taffeta21 I have found my cycles have changed since starting pred, they used to run like clockwork and now are all over the place, the clinic said it’s because of having the covid booster but I’m sure it’s the vast quantities of medication I’m taking.
@StillTrying10000 I’m sending positive wishes your way.

Hi ladies, hope everyone is ok. I forgot to ask something before. Last time I was at the clinic they said next month I’d need to have all my bloods done again as I’ve now been in the drugs for 3 months (just started cycle 4). The blood tests at the started seemed so excessive/ expensive. Has anyone been told this then got them done via their GP? Will the clinic accept GP results? It’s all so expensive the blood tests seem like one thing it’s possible to save on. Thank you.

@MissPMA I haven't been told to take calcium. It is in the pre natal supplement I take though.

@taffeta00 I had to have mine done and I had them done through the gp. Depends how helpful yours is. Mine was horrendous - lost my first sample, underfilled the second. Wish I'd just had them at the clinic! But yes you can have them done with your gp.

I had my scan today and only my bloody right ovary responded. It responded well, but it's not really convenient 🙄
I didn't get emotional this time. I think I've just settled in my mind now xx

Hey everyone :)

Oh I'm sorry @myrainbowjourney. I'm glad you did get a response but sorry its not on your left ovary. Apologies if this sounds silly but I never realised that apparently your tubes float around, so there is still a chance of catching the egg.
How was Dr S with you today, did you get a chance to chat? Sending a hug x

@taffeta00 my GP does my monitoring bloods for me and its worked quite well. They don't prescribe any drugs for me or anything, so I'm grateful for that. Definitely worth checking.

Just to echo, I've not been told to take calcium supplements when on pred @MissPMA

Hope you're well @TheHopefulEgg @StillTrying10000 ❤️

I'm on countdown to my period and then I can start the sitagliptin. Thank you for the comments on the other thread. I think I'm leaning towards telling him. It's a month away, so don't need to decide right now. Dh is coming with me too, so we'll see.

Love to all xx

Thanks everyone. I’ll try to get the bloods done through my GP. I’m sending positive vibes to everyone m. I feel everyone is really struggling at the mo x

@VenusStarr thank you. I feel weirdly ok about it. I think the nurse was ready to catch floods of tears after last time but I had nothing. She asked if I was ok and I just said to her I'd kind of lost hope. That's not entirely true but I think I just went in with no expectation, so I couldn't really be disappointed.

I also think I can't change it. And I don't want to feel sad all the time. I think also looking past the cycle is helping a little.

Dr S was brilliant. I had him and the other consultant in there who I saw last time. He was much more positive about the possibility of my tube catching it, which the lady didn't say last time. Whether or not he's trying to keep me hopeful, I don't know. It's amazing that the tube can catch from either side - apparently it happens 33% ish of the time. So fingers crossed.
We had a chat about next steps. He asked what I wanted to do and I said I'd like to give it a few more cycles. He said he was happy to do that as there's no harm. He said 80% fall pregnant in 6 cycles but I said that's 2-tubed people, so I'd like to give it a few more. He said next step would be ivf and I don't think we are quite ready yet, just because OH has started a new job and I think it would mean taking on too much.
We are trying 3 more before discussing again. He also said I'd need a break from pred so we will time that with a holiday and just take a cycle off.

When is your next appointment? Exciting you're on the countdown, how long to go? xx

I'm glad you're OK @myrainbowjourney ❤️ I don't have hope for myself a lot of the time but sometimes I find that easier to deal with. Hope can feel dangerous to me. But I'm so glad that you have a plan for the next few months. Good that you're planning a break too.

I'm 8dpo today, so hopefully my period will arrive by next Monday. I ovulated slightly later this time. I think if our embryo transfer fails I'll definitely need to try superovulation, even though I'm ovulating, the difference in my temps isn't great and my post ov temps are quite low, hovering over the coverline. We're seeing Jim in just under 4 weeks, so I'll have had one cycle on the sitagliptin.
I feel OK at the moment, I'm still doing my yoga, I've fallen off the wagon a bit with other exercise, but I'm not being hard on myself.

I hope everyone is doing ok xx

Him, not Jim! 😂

@myrainbowjourney never knew about the tube thing! That has blown my mind & freaked me out slightly!

@VenusStarr Jim made me laugh 😂😂

Definitely don't be hard on yourself about the exercise, small steps are good and of course it won't always be perfect. I've said to myself I'll eat better but I can't stop buying chocolate and naughties when I go to the shop. Don't know what's wrong with me!

Totally agree, having hope just makes the reality harder to deal with. I think it's major self preservation to have no expectation.

@InvisibleDreamer 🤣🤣 it is a bit weird, very clever though. Our bodies can be pretty amazing I suppose. Except when they aren't doing what we want them to. I always thought tubes were fixed and pretty much attached to the ovary, but they just float about and do what they need to do.....sometimes!
How are you doing?

xxx

Hi ladies,

Bit of an update from me. I had my scan yesterday with Dr Shehata @ 6wks 5days. After some spotting and cramping in the days leading up I had resigned myself that the pregnancy had ended at about 5 weeks like my previous 4 miscarriages. However the scan showed an embryo measuring 6wks 5 days but VERY low heart rate (we’ve never seen a heartbeat before). I’m back next week to see what’s happened but based on how low the heart rate is we know it’s not likely to be good.

I’m feeling somewhat positive in that this is the furthest we have ever gotten meaning the medication must be doing something in the right direction?! 🤷🏼‍♀️ But also obviously very distressed that this is most likely miscarriage number 5 and my second with Dr Shehata. Questioning what this means from here, and how we move forward? I’m already on Pred & Hydroxy…

Has anyone had 2 miscarriages on Dr Shehatas plan? My hopefulness is really dwindling x

Hope you’re all ok!

@Onwardsandupwards1206 Oww goodness that must have been so emotional. Are you doing okay? Well done for looking for the positives. I've only had very early losses under Dr S, chemical pregnancies. I think there will be a couple more drugs they can try such as GSCF Filgrastim. I'll be hoping for the best for you for next week. Sending big hugs! xxxxx

@Onwardsandupwards1206 I’ll be thinking of you and praying that HB gets stronger in the next week. It was a very similar situation with my first loss and so so hard. Stay strong x

Oh @Onwardsandupwards1206 I'm sorry to hear you're in this limbo. My situation is the same, first loss on the plan was a chemical pregnancy, my second loss we saw a heartbeat but it stopped at about 6+2. That pregnancy I was on hydroxychloroquine, pred, intralipids, aspirin, clexane, cyclogest and lubion 😢 if it is going the way you fear, please try to get testing on your baby. The fact ours came back normal suggests something didn't work. I think if you don't test, he may suggest the same plan.
I haven't seen him yet to discuss my recent loss, but am expecting him to suggest gcsf for me. But I'm going to hold off on that for now.

In between my 5th and 6th loss, I did do the Endometrio tests but all was OK. But checking the microbiome and for inflammation might be worth looking in to as well?

Sending you lots of love and hope for next week ❤️ xx

Thanks @taffeta00 @StillTrying10000 I’m not doing that great to be honest, it’s hit me pretty hard this time. I think seeing everything looking so good on screen, right size, seeing hb and then finding out it’s likely to fail just felt like such a rollercoaster.

@VenusStarr I’m sorry you’re in a similar boat. We’ve decided we definitely want to have the testing done, I just need as much information as possible in order to feel armed and ready for next time. I’m kind of with you on the gcsf, not sure why as I don’t know much about it but I think it’s just that deep down I don’t think I need that much medication, in the last couple months I’ve had so many coughs and colds (thankfully not covid), and prior to that I wasn’t ill for about 5 years! So my immune system has definitely been lowered. Did you have the endometrio, microbiome and inflammation tests at CRP? Also, I have only been on aspirin 75mg and cyclogest 800mg. Did you have to ask Dr S to give you the clexane and lubion on top? I’ve never had my progesterone levels tested but I feel like the more I can get the better for next time x

@Onwardsandupwards1206 oh I'm so sorry to read this update. It sounds like there's still a chance it could be good news 🤞🏼 Did he give you any indication as to what the chances are that it'll be ok?

I think it's amazing you can look at the positives and I've no doubt you'll be well looked after whatever happens.

Has the spotting and cramping etc stopped now?

Sending so much love to you xxx