Immune/NK cells pred thread #32

[VenusStarr]

Hi everyone. The last thread is filling up. Have tried to tag everyone who posted on the last few pages, but feel free to join / tag anyone I missed.

@Gizmo1983
@fleur89
@Sunflower360
@MotherOfShihTzus
@lozzmax
@HopefulH
@kea1990
@Sprinkleofbabydust
@Newbeginnings22023
@star2022
@RumandSpinach
@Ems123456789
@MamaW05

Love to all ❤️

@HopefulH well done for getting bloods, I've been too scared to test since last Friday. What did your first result say?

@VenusStarr take the day and the weekend to relax and do things that make you happy. Maybe make a list of things you like doing and tick a few off? Has always worked quite well for me at times of adversity.

I'm doing ok, so up and down with anxiety though about whether symptoms are as strong this day or the next, whether they're like the ones I had in this or that pregnancy at this or that stage. Generally not feeling great though and hoping that's a good sign that everything is progressing. I have scan on 25th July. Think I'm going to need a tranquilliser to get through it, though I do feel like the big one is the 8 week one.

How is everyone else?

@Gizmo1983 what are your next steps? Are you transferring your embryo or doing another egg collection?

@VenusStarr Do you have any plans for this weekend? Maybe try to just get a way somewhere to take your mind off things? Escape home. Is there anywhere you can go? I'm so sorry you've had such an awful time. I feel so mad at the world on your behalf. I really don't understand why so much shit lands on the same people all the time. I'm glad you've got your appt through and hope things move quickly so you get answers fast.

@lozzmax my first result was 822. Not that it means much on its own besides I'm pregnant. I need my result to be 1300 today 🤞my tests have got darker.

I'm not sure I'm going to book an early scan as I just don't want to be in limbo land before our holiday. I'd rather go away and see where we are when we get back, by which time I'll be around 10 weeks and we will have a definite answer if it's good or bad. As long as I have no signs of ectopic.

Honestly the anxiety is crippling. And the prednisolone does not help! I was wondering the other day whether to get intralipids every two weeks at the beginning instead of four... so worried the meds aren't enough and I'm not being monitored by CRP as doing it all via my GP now.

I'm sorry you are also feeling so anxious. Well done for booking your early scan though! Totally wish I could be tranquillised too - preferably for this whole first bit would be great.

Sending love to all xx

@HopefulH good luck. Let us know how you get on.

I'm having a bit of a panic. For some reason I can't bring myself to test and I've been sort of calm thinking my symptoms are strong so I don't need to worry. Now im worried my symptoms are all from prednisolone and progesterone. I'm very tired, feel up and down nausea (mostly related to eating), lots of shakiness and dizziness and generally feel a bit under the weather (bit like I have Covid). Are these all common pred side effects or am i just over thinking? I had thought pred actually limited pregnancy symptoms which made me feel more relaxed that mine were so strong. Now I'm not sure

@lozzmax no news yet... the wait is killing me!

To be honest all the things you've described I have been feeling too and I definitely think pred is making me feel a bit out of sorts. I seem to permanently have the shakes and my heart rate is up. Is this normal for prednisolone? It's hard when it's such an anxious time, and then you're taking a strong drug that raises anxiety and cortisol levels too. I think also cyclogest makes me feel a bit hormonal but because I know it's not my natural progesterone levels I'm not reading into anything like sore boobs etc. when was the last time you took a test? I've taken tests every day like a crazy person, and still don't feel reassured - so I wouldn't advise going down that route. X

@HopefulH My last test was a week ago and it was this one - a couple of days before my missed period. So I took that as a sign it was progressing and have tried not to worry about it, but I think that head in the sand approach is catching up with me! I've got an appointment now with my GP for him to check my vitals etc as the shaking and weakness is quite bad and I've been getting myself into a tizz. He did suggest we do the HCG draw.

Have your results come back?

That does look like lovely progression. I don't think I'll get my results back today now. I just chased with my GP and they said next week :( Bot sure what to do with myself now. Can't help but feel like it's a bad sign, which my husband thinks is ridiculous.

I mean ultimately the hcg tests are only reassuring up to a point because by the time they get over 1500 I think they say a scan is better for knowing what's going on. I'd quite like to take some magic sleeping pill right now and wake up when it's all over one way or another 😂

@HopefulH yes ideally I'd be put under general anaesthetic for the next 8 weeks 😂 I wish someone could just tell us how it's going to work out. I hate this bit. It's hard not to feel hope that this one might be the one, but my track record ain't great

@HopefulH PS. More likely that results not in yet because everything is fine - that's how it usually works 😘

I just caved and did a clear blue weeks and got my 3+ I got a 2-3 weeks yesterday and I can clearly see the progression when I open the test up so it would seem my numbers are going up. Hopefully this will keep me going this weekend!

I almost feel like a prize idiot for somehow mustering up hope after so much disappointment and loss. But I guess that's human nature, to hope 🤞

@HopefulH that's great 😀 I wish I had the guts to test. I'm at the GP now so he may well do it and then I'll have an answer at least

@lozzmax hope the appt goes okay. It's good they got you in so quick!

I'm having a bit of a freak out today as I've woken up with such a thick headache and my tummy is so bloated and swollen I think I'm having a flare. As I'm not actually under Dr S's care at the moment I'm not sure what to do, as every time I contact my NHS consultant it takes about a week to hear back.

Has anyone else had what they thought was an immune flare and things were okay?

Wondering whether I should book in for another intralipid or up my prednisolone at all, but I'm already on 25mg. Of course headache and bloating could just be early pregnancy but in my mind I don't feel well today so I'm jumping to the worst! I know Dr S doesn't actually test nk cells during pregnancy anyway?

@HopefulH that does sound like classic pregnancy symptoms. Dr. S doesn't measure NKC during pregnancy (well he hasn't for me). I would contact your GP tomorrow morning. If it makes you feel any better, I woke up with a stinking headache today x

Thanks @lozzmax feeling a bit better today so think I may have just got overly anxious and tired.

How are you doing? Did your doctors appt go okay on Friday? Have you booked in got an early scan?

X

@HopefulH will you get your bloods back today? Glad you're ok.

I have woken up feeling fine so obviously I'm freaking out!!! But to be fair was very up and down over the weekend with sickness, headache, tiredness, fuzzy head. I'm having my bloods done tomorrow now.

My scan is 25th July, trying to stay calm and visualise it all going well. I'm still playing chicken with the tests and haven't taken another one, so who knows, it might have already gone and I wouldn't know! (Though I'd have thought I'd have bled)

@lozzmax I got them back on Friday evening in the end and all looked good.

I've had a bit of a u turn in thinking and have booked in for a 6 week scan tomorrow, to make sure it's not ectopic before we go on holiday. If things are seen in the right place tomorrow I'm then going to leave it until I get back from holiday to find out what has happened, when I'll be 10 weeks. I just want to know I'm safe from ectopic before we fly and go abroad for two weeks. I think it's the sensible thing to do but I honestly feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest today I'm so anxious now I've made this decision! I know it could all be over tomorrow.

How many weeks will you be on the 25th? Will you get your bloods back quickly tomorrow? I'm having repeat bloods done today and Wednesday too. God this is horrible 😩

@HopefulH I think that's a good decision, you'd kick yourself if jt was ectopic and you were abroad. Sounds like a good plan to then wait until 10 weeks or so. 8 weeks is the big one for me, my last MMC happened after my 6 week scan so I think it's that second one I'm panicking about.

I'll be 6+4 on the 25th, maybe a bit further as I'm sure I must have ovulated early. But who knows?!

Yes I think I need to face the music if it means being safe and travelling with my little boy too, I don't want anything awful to happen. I'll be 6 weeks tomorrow based on my ovulation date but earlier based on lmp.

I'm the same, even if tomorrows scan is good, I've lost two after 8 weeks so a 6 week scan won't mean much besides it's in the right place and I'm not wasting my time on all these meds!

Now to try to breathe today and not have a heart attack - oh and try and do some work 🤯

Good luck today @HopefulH 😘

Hey ladies, thinking of @lozzmax and @HopefulH in this super anxious time. You're both incredibly brave and never have I resonated so much with wanting to be tranqualised for majority of a pregnancy. It really is amazing what we have to go through just to try and do something that feels like it happens so easily for others.

Also thank you for the support in my sad response to my SIL pregnancy news. I came on my period last week whilst almost coming down with a stomach bug, my period barely filled a pad and didn't even last a day and now has made me want to go for a hysteroscopy more than ever as convinced something else is wrong. Wish me luck with trying to get a GP referral.

@Jecca88 sorry your period arrived. Are you having acupuncture at all? My periods were very scant and light and I'd already had a hysteroscopy which showed things to be okay. I saw great improvement after going on an AIP diet and having regular acupuncture. Think it brought down inflammation enough for things to replenish a bit.

I had good and not so good news at my scan this morning and I'm still trying to process what it might all mean.

There was one lovely heartbeat and yolk sac measuring bang on for 6 weeks from ovulation. But I also have a second sac, which at the moment appears empty, but could just be a few days behind.

I've been warned the second empty sac may be a cornual ectopic, which I'd never heard of before, but which means it's on the edge of the uterus in the tube opening 😔 I'm going back for another scan on Thursday with a specialist sonographer.

Worst case scenario it's ectopic and it will need operating on. Best case scenario nothing develops in that sac and it resolves so won't pose a risk to the other baby.

I just can't get my head round the odds of this happening. Glad I went for the early scan as a cornual ectopic can be really really dangerous.

@Jecca88 when was your last loss? I've always found my cycles take a while to reset after a pregnancy. However I would always advise a hysteroscopy if you have an option - the other option would be a HyFosy which is much cheaper. Do you have private med?

@HopefulH gosh that sounds stressful. My sister had something similar recently - they couldn't work out whether it was a second sac or a blood clot - but it has reduced week by week. What does all this mean for your holiday? I can't believe this is happening to you after everything you've been through - I am praying it sorts itself out. Most likely at this point, surely something would have developed in there by now? x