Immune/NK cells - pred thread 30

[Sezmarelda1]

Starting a new thread as the last one was full. Please tag anyone I may have missed from the old thread...

@Sophi81
@InvisibleDreamer
@birdbybird
@Ralowi
@HoldingOn2Hope
@MyEasterEggs
@Tgrf55

@Piper89 I’m so sorry to hear you are having another loss. I think it’s worth seeing Dr Shehata or another immune doc as often you are on meds pre conception to address issues. I’ve been in phase 1 and can now move to phase 2 and ttc again, after being on meds for a certain amount of time.

I was also on low dose pred with my latest loss, plus progesterone and aspirin - but Dr S said it would not have been a high enough dose to make the difference… I’m still sceptical Dr S plan will help me but I’m giving it a go. After 6 losses I think it defo makes sense to have some immune tests done. We’re onto zoom appointments now and if you are really far away, you could always try and arrange scans local to you when you get pregnant xx

Hey @Tgrf55 really sorry to hear about the extra stress of the scans after everything you've been through. I really hope your follow ups go really well and you're managing to relax a tiny bit (impossible I know).

@Piper89 really sorry to hear about all of your losses. I'm not a success story yet so I'm afraid I can't help but I have found seeing Dr Shehata helpful just mentally if anything as it's pinpointed a few things wrong that hopefully can be fixed. Sending so much strength.

Hey @Hayley220 a lot of us on this thread are with Dr S but I guess without the tests it's hard to know what you might need. Have the NHS given you any? How long have you been TTC. I'm coming up to a year with three MC in between and it's really starting to get me down.

@Sezmarelda1 I think it's positive that they're wanting to keep baby in as long as possible, usually the opposite is when they're are concerns so try and let that give you some reassurance that your body is the best place for baby right now and giving them everything they need. I'm sure you will never truly relax until they're in your arms after the journey to get there. I really hope they do take your feelings into consideration too though as your mental health is so important in all of the decisions too.

I'm feeling really down at the moment and just need a bit of a virtual hand hold I think. It's nearly a year since trying for #2 and it's just been such a rollercoaster and I can't really believe this is happening sometimes. I know in the grand scheme of things a year is nothing and we are so lucky to have our DD who we had no issues conceiving. I'm only on month two of the complex plan but not feeling overly hopeful as I just took a test and it was negative. I'm only 9dpo but I feel like these forums make you believe everyone should have a positive by then. We previously got pregnant very quickly and sadly lost them quickly too but now I'm worried with all the meds things will take a lot longer. Ultimately if that leads to a healthy pregnancy it'll be all worth it but I was wondering how long others took to get pregnant once on plan and was it longer that previously or the same?

Also the progesterone gives me the worst pregnancy like symptoms it's actual torture. All day yesterday I had mild cramping so was sure something might be happening...just another cruel part of the process.

Sorry to be such a downer, usually I am really positive just having a wobble. I'd love to hear some more success sorties from past or current pregnant ladies as it really does help keep the rest of us going.

I hope your scan goes well today @Tgrf55 . I suspect my little one has flipped back into a breech position again after a week or so of stronger movement, as the movement has become more dulled again. I can still feel plenty of movement so I'm not overly worried. I think as they grow it becomes easier to feel the movement even with an anterior placenta and bad positioning.

Thank you for your kind words @Maxime34 . My mental health really has taken a battering and I think the consultant could have handled the conversation much better on Monday. She was so dismissive it was like my concerns over the timing of induction didn't matter at all. It wasn't a good start to the conversation when she said "so you've had two miscarriages" when in fact I've had 5 🙄Part of me would love to have a natural, spontaneous labour this time around, but most of all I just want the baby to be okay. I will see what comes of my next two growth scans (at 32 and 36 weeks) and if they still insist on induction at 40 weeks instead of 38 weeks I will ask if they can put in place some extra monitoring in those final couple of weeks to reassure me.

I'm really sorry the progesterone is making you feel rubbish @Maxime34 , it's really hard not to symptom spot during the tww as it is, it sounds like the progesterone is making that even more impossible. Try and keep yourself as busy and distracted as you can. Not many of my pregnancy tests have been positive at 9dpo, so don't give up hope for this month just yet. If you can wait until 12-14dpo you stand a better chance of getting a more accurate result. Sending a big hug your way x

@Sezmarelda1 dropped to 0.1 centile? Wow. So mine is currently 20 months old and on 0.4 centile. He saw a dietician a couple of days ago and she's suggested we give him wellbaby vitamins as it has iron in it which will help and to try fortified milkshakes with him etc. not sure if he will drink them as he's a fussy eater. She weighed him in at 8.1kg which is small for his age. I'm hoping his eating improves but she did say looking at him he looks fit and healthy and has bags of energy so I guess that's a good thing!

@Tgrf55 good luck at your scan today. I have my scan today at CRP. Will be seeing Professor Shehata for the first time after 1 year so that will be interesting 😬. In the end they came to the same conclusion with me that the placenta is failing and it's better for the baby to develop out than in which is good thing if they detect it early. I got my fingers crossed for you xxx as for my hair I'm not sure. I'm going to try the haircut first see if they livens it up and then maybe after I've had the baby I'll look at using things in case they interfere with the pregnancy 😬

@Sezmarelda1 awww you poor thing. My consultant told me they won't be taking me to 40 weeks most likely 39 weeks but that's giving me anxiety too bcos like you it feels like its ages away😩. I would wait for the 36 week scan before deciding bcos anything can happen to be honest between now and then. It might just come early so no point worrying about it now and then if you still worried mention it at that point. Surely they have to take your feelings and worries into consideration x

Although they have told me the baby is due in July and everything is ok at the moment, I'm only 15 weeks so anything can happen and I really do think it will end up like my last pregnancy and come a month early 😬.

Hi all, I'm looking for a bit of advice. After 2 miscarriages I had testing done at the Lister which found raised natural killer cells. It didn't surprise me as I've had autoimmune issues for years. I've been on steroids and progesterone and made it to 26 weeks so far- I can't quite believe it. What have others in a similar position done about the whooping cough vaccine? I know it's best for the baby to have the antibodies but I've had strange responses to vaccines before and I don't really trust my immune system to respond correctly and to not harm the baby in some way. (I'm waiting to hear back from my consultant at the lister btw- I won't just be relying on mumsnet)!

@Tweetingbirds congratulations 😃. I had the whooping cough injection quite late in my previous pregnancy but I don't remember having any issues or complications with it. I will most likely have it again in this pregnancy. The only vaccine that bothers me right now is the covid one. Has anyone had this vaccine whilst pregnant 😬. I'm scared I'll be forced to have it. I haven't had the flu Jab either this year 🤷🏽‍♀️

@Sophi81 thanks for getting back to me and it's great to hear that you didn't have any issues. I think I'll get it in a few weeks as I'll hopefully feel more confident then.

@Tweetingbirds I had the whooping cough vaccine in my previous successful pregnancy, and I've had it in my current pregnancy too with no complications either time. I completely understand your hesitancy though, and can only share my experience.

@Sophi81 I refused my Covid booster in the Autumn, on the basis that it hasn't been well studied in pregnancy, I wanted to avoid stimulating my immune system, I was close to asymptomatic the first time I had Covid, and my booster was due right around a critical time in my pregnancy around the time of my two late miscarriages. I've since gone on to catch Covid at 29 weeks pregnant and did have a rough time of it, although my partner was nearly as bad as me and he did have the autumn Covid booster, so I'm not sure how much difference having it would have made. I did have my flu jab and my GP surgery were offering both the flu and Covid jabs at the same time. The GP was absolutely fine when I said I didn't want the Covid booster, and she just did the flu jab on its own. It's entirely your decision, and one that you need to feel comfortable with (as far as possible) - no one should be forcing you one way or the other. There could be consequences either way - like I took the risk of not having the booster and then caught Covid worse than I expected, which carries its own risks. Looking back I wouldn't have done things differently. The only thing perhaps is I could have delayed my Covid jab until a time when I felt I was passed the danger zone in terms of my two second trimester losses, but I don't think you ever feel truly safe after recurrent miscarriages, do you?! It's a really tough decision to make especially in our situation x

Thank you everyone so much for your well wishes today - i am heading to the hospital soon and so so so nervous i feel sick. I will keep you all updated <3

Just quickly on the vaccine convo @Sezmarelda1 @Sophi81 @Tweetingbirds I totally understand the fear. I was so worried about getting the flu jab but due to how much flu is circulating this year and i have already had covid in pregnancy and been quite unwell i didnt want to risk it so i went ahead and had it. I was fine afterwards. I had the whopping cough vaccine 2 weeks ago (i put this off for as long as possible) and i felt ok after but i did have a very sore arm - it's still bruised now and my skin is swollen. I don't usually react to vaccines but i have read a lot of people react to this one as it is also for diptheria, tetanus etc. But whopping cough for babies is nasty so i personally felt it was the right decision. As for covid, i am def not getting the booster. I agree with @Sezmarelda1 there just isnt enough research yet into this vaccine in pregnancy and tbh i dont think the booster actually prevents you from catching it or feeling unwell anyway! I last had covid in October (3rd time) so clearly i am susceptible to catching it but hopefully not again in pregnancy. xxx

Good luck with your scan today @Sophi81 . You're son sounds so tiny, I remember the obsession with my own sons weight in the early weeks and months and it was very stressful. Hopefully the dieticians tips will help, but him having plenty of energy is a really good sign in itself. Is he meeting other milestones ok?

After my 36 week scan I've been asked to attend the maternity assessment unit to speak to whichever doctor is there that day to finalise the delivery plan. Hopefully they'll be more considerate than the consultant I spoke to on Monday! I know I'm going to be stressing over it between now and then, which I could honestly do without!

@Sezmarelda1 @Tweetingbirds @Sophi81 Just thinking about how people who have never had a loss or a difficult pregnancy don't even think twice about vaccines and we sit here going over every scenario. How nice it must be to be them eh!

@Sezmarelda1 @Sophi81 thanks for sharing your experiences- it's definitely reassuring. I don't feel that I can raise it in real life as people think you're being irresponsible/ an anti-vaxxer.

@Tgrf55 I completely agree and I think it's even harder with autoimmune issues due to the unpredictability.

I actually had quite a positive experience in refusing my Covid booster. My appointment was at a joint flu/Covid vaccine clinic and I was really worried I'd be criticised by the nurse/doctor giving the jabs that day as I only wanted the flu jab, but they were incredibly supportive and told me (in a nice way) that I didn't need to justify why I was refusing the Covid booster, and they were still happy to give me my flu jab. I'm sure they're not all like that and I was probably lucky, but I didn't feel judged at all x

Just a quick update - my growth scan today showed the baby has suddenly gained nearly a pound since my last scan a week ago which was showing stunted growth! So now they are back on the same centile line as before (just above 50th) the consultant said the previous scan was likely an error but i know it wasn't as Akolekar also scanned and had the same result. Im assuming baby just had a big slow few weeks and a sudden growth spurt to make up for it but apparently this doesn't happen - which I am taking with a pinch of salt as surely not all babies grow at the same rate? Anyway they are going to continue to monitor me weekly for doppler checks and growth scans just to be on the safe side. They also found a trace of glucose in my urine but they found this in December too and i have had so many tests since then and they found nothing. The consultant said that the kidneys often leak traces of glucose in pregnancy but lets do a GTT test to rule it out. Annoyingly its on Monday and i have my baby shower on Sunday (an afternoon tea!!!!) So no cake for me at my own shower haha. I am relieved but i will just see how the next few scans go and try not to take it all so seriously as clearly there is room for error.

Thanks everyone for thinking of me today and sending lots of love to you all. xxx

That sounds really promising @Tgrf55. My baby had been tracking along the 16th centile for a few scans and then suddenly shot up to around the 25th centile, then the following scan was back down on the 16th centile, so they assumed the one where they were on the 25th centile was a mistake or measurement error. Not as big a jump in the centile as yours but I guess it does sometimes happen. It's great they are scanning you weekly so if there is an issue it will be picked up quickly. Shame about the cake at your baby shower, perhaps you can save some to enjoy after the test on Monday 😋

@Sezmarelda1 Oh yes i will def be eating cake on Monday haha. Hopefully that test comes back negative. It's all so confusing isnt it - i do think regular scans causes more worry and stress. I was hoping they wouldnt continue to monitor me tbh due to how much error these scans can have. xx

@Hayley220 Pregnancy is going well at the moment I have my 8 week scan next week, so a little nervous. The tablets are ok. My belly is super sensitive to food I think a mix of the tablets & hormones and my skin has flared up a few times and I have to be careful what I put on it! How is your medication going have you noticed any side effects? Xx

@JessL12 thats fantastic! Have you had a previous scan too?
No side effects so far and I think its just over 2 weeks since I started them I hope it stays that way! Sometimes my tummy is funny too but I am on lots of vitamins. X x

@Hayley220 This will be my first scan! I was suppose to have one this week but the lady said it’s better if I’m over 7 weeks for measurements etc!

Thats so positive that you haven’t had any side effects. I have read that it can cause a funny tummy. Just praying this medication works!! Xx

@JessL12 its so hard waiting for a scan isnt it! I know this feeling so well. All the best for your scan. I am feeling super nervous about ttc next cycle but also so ready to get on with this journey too!

@Tgrf55 thats really great news about your scan. Hope all goes well on Monday ❤️

Hi @Hayley220 - sorry for the late reply! I'm waiting to take a pregnancy test on the weekend. The progesterone really throws me as I get the same symptoms as early pregnancy. Trying to distract myself not think about it all obsessively.

Are you feeling excited to try again? Have you got use to the routine?

@JessL12 really hope your scan goes well. Keep us posted x

Hey @SReyn good luck with testing this weekend. I just got another bfn and savage indent on a frer this morning which is really disappointing. As you say the progesterone is a really cruel drug as it made me feel so so pregnant I couldn't even do up my jeans yesterday. We previously fell pregnant really quickly so it's frustrating that now we're on plan it's not happening but I'm not ready to give up yet as it's still early days. How long have you been ttc if you don't mind me asking?

Hey @SReyn keep us updated! Can I just ask
did you feel worried about not being prescribed steroids and only hydroxy? Im still super nervous but I feel fine on the hydroxy I just hope it’s enough. And worried about progesterone from ovulation, how many days do you wait after a positive ovulation? I heard it can cause ectopic using too early which has worried me. Xx

@Maxime34 hiya! I am under Shehatas nhs clinic and only given the basic tests for nkcells. My treatment is hydroxychloroquine,
progesterone from ovulation, low dose aspirin and vitamins. Very nervous whether it’s enough as my levels were 374 ish for nk cells and activation cd69 was 1.61. Xx