Immune/NK cells - pred thread 29

[StillTrying10000]

Starting a new thread as the last was full.

@InvisibleDreamer that's wonderful news, I'm so pleased for you. When is round 3?

@myrainbowjourney will be starting again in about 5 weeks so mid-April.

I hope you're doing OK today @myrainbowjourney ❤️

@InvisibleDreamer that's good news 🤞 for your next round

@VenusStarr I'm fine thank you. Test was virtually negative today. I've just emailed the clinic so will see what they advise.

How are you?

Oh I am so sorry ❤️ @myrainbowjourney I really hoped that it would have developed. I'm gutted for you. Do you think you'll go straight into another cycle?

I'm OK thank you. First day of our leave, just pottering these next couple of days. It's nice not to have to be anywhere xx

@VenusStarr I don't know. Dr S said that I would need a break from the meds, but he meant pred. I don't know if I continue super ov but without the pred, or if I break from the whole thing? I don't mind either way, but I thought the success rates later on is because your body gets used to producing more follicles. So I don't want to lose momentum if that's the case. I've asked them that too.

I'm jealous of your week off!

I'm sorry too @myrainbowjourney. Let us know what the clinic advise. This is such a horrible roller coaster ride to be on.

The day 6 embryo sounds very encouraging @InvisibleDreamer!! Fingers crossed that it gets the big thumbs up when genetically tested.

I had my clotting screen blood test repeated on Saturday and the results came back the same day - all normal. AF also started a bit more convincingly on Saturday although it still wasn't quite normal for me, the bleeding has been much lighter than usual but with some really intense cramping. I don't know what day to count as the first day of this cycle so will have to do ovulation tests if TTC this month We've still not decided if we're emotionally ready yet - or rather I know I'm not ready but don't want to waste a cycle (I know you ladies will understand) x

I think only doing pred when you get a positive would be OK @myrainbowjourney I guess it depends on what Dr S says. One of my questions next week is was I on too much suppression medication?
Did they reply today? I hope you have felt OK today.

Good to hear your results are normal @Sezmarelda1 it's so hard to know when is the right time. Emotionally it's taken me 4 months since my last miscarriage to feel remotely like I could think about it but we

Sorry, having a nightmare trying to post.... We're waiting until at least June to plan our frozen embryo transfer and not ttc naturally x

@VenusStarr @Sezmarelda1 they did reply and I don't really know what to think.

They think the lines are the trigger shot. I'm not sure it would be but I'd rather that than chemicals so I'll just have to take their word for it.

They said the break meant from all medication, including letrozole, and not to try and conceive. I don't know how I feel about that. Like you said @Sezmarelda1, I don't want to miss a cycle, but I don't know whether it's silly to try and get pregnant without the meds.

Any thoughts?

@Sezmarelda1 I'm glad your results were normal, and as above, I totally understand you not being sure but not wanting to miss the cycle. I think maybe when the time comes you might know. I definitely knew when I wasn't ready, I just didn't feel emotionally ready, but it took a lot for me to be honest with myself about that. My first couple of losses I went straight back in, but the ectopic forced me to stop for a while.

Whichever decision you make will be the right one ❤️

Oh that's a lot to think about and take on @myrainbowjourney what's the reason for the no meds break? Maybe you could not actively ttc but just not prevent? But I think that's also hard because you probably know your body so well that you know when ovulation is due. I've quite like not being on meds and having that break and I never thought I would.
It's strange that the trigger lingered for so long this time. I'm sorry you're in this position and having to make this decision. What has your partner said? Xx

@VenusStarr we haven't had much time to talk about it. I briefly mentioned and I don't think he understood why we couldn't try. I imagine the concern is if I haven't had the suppression then my body could attack it if I did fall. It's so difficult because am I risking that if we did try? We will talk about it more later.
I think after taking pred for 6 months, they want you to have a month break from it. Not sure why to be honest.
I think we might do what you've said. I don't really know when I'll ovulate, before super ov I had 36 ish day cycles, and I have no idea whether they'll go back to that, or be shorter because my ovaries have been so busy. I wouldn't know without doing OPKs, so I definitely could just not track at all.
I'm looking forward to a break in meds but I think the thought of losing a cycle as a chance is just a lot to get my head around. It feels mad to not try at all. Especially when I feel I'm just getting older!

It's really hard @myrainbowjourney I have had 2 chemicals but our issue is at 6 weeks, so part of me feels like starting meds slightly later wouldn't affect things (but I don't know).
I think not preventing but making sure you test when you'd usually expect your period is a good compromise so you could start all the meds at positive?

I think my cycle went to my normal after my superovulation cycle, but I did only do it once. X

@VenusStarr thank you. I really appreciate you talking through it with me and for your opinions ❤️. It's so hard to know what's right. I think we might do another proper cycle now and then take the break, because we are going away in May, so will be better timed over that

I'll be interested to hear what Dr S says about whether you were on too many suppressants. What makes you think that? What else are you thinking of asking?

That sounds like a good compromise @myrainbowjourney ❤️ that's OK, I understand when your head is whirring with questions and options xx

I was on hydroxychloroquine, pred and intralipids and didn't really question it but I thought maybe being on so much made me over suppressed which might have been a negative impact?
I also want to ask about adenomyosis, I was diagnosed but neither Dr S or Mr Jan said it was an issue, but I've had 2 losses since, so just wondering about that.
Also just interested in his theory behind seeing her heartbeat and then it stopping at the same point as my other losses - does that mean the immunes worked or not?

We've decided to tell him about the sitagliptin medication. Not sure what else to ask, do you have any suggestions? Xx

Hi ladies, I had a break for a couple of weeks as was feeling so awful and low but I’ve been crossing my fingers for all of you and just been catching up. We really are all overdue sone good news. It was my testing day today - day 24 on my 4th Super Ov cycle. A big BFN to start the day. I’ve been thinking all day I think I’d find this easier if I hadn’t got pregnant twice before :(. It’s just so cruel when you know in theory you can and it’s just not happening.
I wondered if I’m the only one with this but I do feel sick around the week I’m due on. I’ve had this the last 2 cycles and my acupuncturist says the progesterone can make you feel preg…which completely goes against all the reports of Pred disguising preg symptoms. It’s so confusing,
I’m ringing the Lister this week about I v f options. Is anyone else with them? I’m not sure which clinics the I v f ladies are using.
Huge hugs to you all xx

Also I wanted to ask - has anyone been told by Dr S how long after the trigger to keep t t c? I thought it was meant to be that ov was 36 hours post trigger but I did o p ks this month and they were testing as high after that. Thank you x

@VenusStarr I think you've got a good lot of questions there. As I said, I think the question about suppressants is really interesting.
I'd definitely want to know his views on what else the problem could be. You'd think if it was the immune stuff then the treatment would work. So I'd definitely be pushing for more than just trying the same protocol, and also understanding what any new meds would be for.
I'm going to have a think about anything else that comes to mind xx

@taffeta00 oh I'm sorry to hear about your negative test. I know how you are feeling and it's not easy. I agree that knowing you can get pregnant makes it worse. I'm sure it never took this long for me to fall pregnant before either, and that's hard to deal with.
I must say I had all the symptoms this time. Weirdly I asked him last time if it was a problem that I didn't have symptoms, as I did in the first cycle, so I wondered if the progesterone wasn't working. He said it wasn't an issue. Then this time I had mega sore boobs and felt so sick for days. I think it might have been because the trigger was timed alongside my natural ovulation (by chance) and so I maybe had double progesterone or something. But it's hard when you are feeling all the things and then it's nothing.
I've not found out about ivf yet. It's something I need to do at some point.

Dr S has always said to have sex the day after trigger and the day after that. I'm pretty sure that's right, I'll have to check. I always feel like that's too late though, and get some more in before if we can. I think you're right, it's 24-36 hours after the trigger that you are expected to ovulate.
I've tried OPKs during super ov and I think it's probably difficult to accurately track because of all the meds. Plus, OPKs can pick up hcg which might be why yours were high after.

How are you feeling now?

Sending so much love to you too, and to all. And definitely need a surge of good news here xxx

@myrainbowjourney thanks for that. Yes he always says the 2 days around the trigger but I’ve just been trying to go back to basics. It’s hard to know if any of his stuff has done anything whatsoever other than making me feel angry and resentful, which I don’t usually. To be honest I felt more st peace getting the negative test - last month I’d convinced myself it was a positive as had all the signs/ feelings so that was an extra 5 days of hoping for nothing. I’m trying to look forward and with all the News at the mo to be grateful for what I have. I’ve been really hit by the social media announcements, as someone did above this week too. I’ve sent congrats messages as I would normally. Hopefully we’ll all get ours one day soon. Sending virtual chocolate cookies to everyone. I’m going to have all the treats this week then reset. I can’t believe a few days of goodies can cancel out a year of spinach..!!!! Xx

Hi ladies, just catching up on this thread and sending you all so much love - why is this so hard :(
Rubbish day for me today, first month of superovulation (I was naively excited) and I had... NO follicles.

I'm completely baffled as we've not had trouble conceiving in the past, but a tonne of chemical pregnancies so we think maybe my PCOS is worse than we thought and that I've either not been ovulating, or ovulating immature eggs etc - trying to get my head around it. I'm going in for another scan next week just in case I'm ovulating much later but they are pretty certain this month is a write-off and upping the dose next month.

Has anyone else had this? Weirdly, my OPK this month had NO flashing smileys and then straight to peak yesterday but there was no sign that I had already ovulated so they don't think that can be it. Just feeling a bit defeated :(

Thank you @myrainbowjourney ❤️ I'm worried I'll get upset, but my dh is coming too. I hope you're OK today.

@taffeta00 I'm sorry you had a negative test and that you've been feeling so low. I think your opks after will have been influenced by the trigger. We tended to have sex in the days leading up to ovulation as well.
I'm with Create for ivf, I've not tried any other clinics. I know crp work with an ivf clinic too, might be King's but I can't remember, sorry.

@Trytryandtryagain11 I'm sorry to hear your scan didn't go well. What dose of letrozole were you on? It's strange that your opk was positive as well. It's devastating to have your hopes up and something like that happens ❤️

It feels really hard for is all at the moment 😓 sending you all lots of love xxx

@taffeta00 definitely give yourself a break from the spinach. I've got a couple of social events coming up in the next couple of weeks and usually I'd be making my excuses but I've decided I'm going to go and just allow myself some normality.

@Trytryandtryagain11 oh I'm so sorry to hear about your scan. I remember when I went to one of mine full of hope and the dominant follicle was on my tubeless side and I just broke down. It's so hard when you have such hopes and it doesn't work as you'd planned. I don't know for sure but I've read that pcos can cause multiple LH surges in a cycle, so maybe that caused your peak? It's such an unknown isn't it, you'd think there'd be a way to get definitive answers for fertility these days.
I will say though, the first super ovulation month is always experimental, getting the dose right. So hopefully your next cycle will be fruitful for you.

@VenusStarr don't worry about getting upset, I've done it loads in there and they are really supportive. Its emotional and it's bloody hard, so it's not a surprise that you might get upset. I'm glad dh is going with you. My oh has started a new job and never comes with me - they must think he doesn't exist. I'm also a bit weird in that I like to just deal with things, so I can pretend all is ok, so going alone helps with that. Silly really.

I'm fine thank you. I think I need to just try and change my mindset. I'm finding as I'm on this journey longer and longer, and others lives move forward, it's more isolating trying to talk to people about it. I think I need to stop talking about it so I don't continuously feel so left behind. I'm so grateful for you all because it's so nice to talk. It's so nice to have this outlet, and I think this is where I need to be.
I just think the situation makes real life relationships a little challenging, as I feel like I'm becoming less and less relatable. It's no one else's job to make me feel better, so I think I need to just compartmentalise the fertility journey and not make it part of day to day. I'm getting myself down that I'm still here, 2 years on xx

@VenusStarr @myrainbowjourney thank you so much - it's just the worst isn't it. The only silver lining I can think of is that this is most likely what my body has been doing all along, so it's better to know the bad news and be able to tackle it rather than carry on blind for another 2 years.

I was on 5mg so next month will be upping to 7.5 and seeing what happens.

It's interesting what you say about multiple LH surges, just to be on the safe side I'm using the monitor again each morning in case I get another surge - I think it's weird that I had no flashing face so no oestrogen rise so maybe that will happen... who knows, hate that my body won't just do what it's supposed to! I'm sorry this happened to you too :( xxx

@Trytryandtryagain11 I know exactly how you feel. The frustration that my body can't seem to do what so many others can, it makes me feel so useless. I try really hard not to think like that as I'm sure in turn it makes me not look after my body very well, but it's not easy to think positively when on this ride.

I'll also just say to take all your readings with a pinch of salt as I think the letrozole and other meds also affect your results. I tried to track a cycle while doing super ov and it drove me mad because my temps were off and OPKs were dark for a few days. It made me worry that my cycle was totally off, but I think it's just the combo of meds that it's hard to know what's your natural surges and what's a result of the treatment. I do try and trust the process, let go of the need to monitor my cycle and take some stress off, but as a person who likes to have some control, I do struggle xxx

@myrainbowjourney thats so interesting about tracking your cycle with super ov, thank you so much - I think I'm going to shelf the OPK's in that case! You're totally right it's like the only bit of control we have so it feels like a good thing but it probably does nothing but drive us loopy :( xxxxxx