Immune/NK cells pred thread #34

[Hopeandfaith1990]

Hi all, started a new thread as the old one was full. Not sure if this is the way to do it but I've c&p'd the list of people on the previous one as much as poss:

Old thread here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/conception/5228367-immunenk-cells-pred-thread-33?page=40

@Jecca88
@Gizmo1983
@Deerdancer34
@Objectiontime
@SWMum9
@TammyinCork
@Newbeginnings22023
@Fletchasketch
@Morgan236
@CarpeDiem75
@ALittleLight
@MC8
@venusStarr
@Gizmo1983
@Carportforme
@Meg310532
@Newbeginnings22023
@recurrentmis
@hopefulH
@v60
@lozzmax
@fleur89
@motherofshihtzus
@sunflower360
@kea1990
@sprinkleofbabydust
@star2022
@rumandspinach
@ems123456789
@rainbowsunshine81
@mamaw05
@thornters
@elarcoiris

Thank you so much, everyone! I read somewhere that if you only make 1 blast per cycle, for some women, it is likely to be euploid because their body filters out the bad eggs earlier i.e. they don't make it to blastocyst stage. I did wonder if this had happened with me. The plan is to do another egg collection in February then first transfer in March / April!

The clinic in Spain has been pretty good... Here is a mini-tour:

The doctors are nice and knowledgeable, they have good technology and a strong lab. The Spanish clinics also give partial refunds if you end up with nothing to transfer after a cycle, which I don't think they do in UK / Ireland?

Only niggle was a bit of miscommunication at the beginning, about when I should stop taking Microgynon, but for the next cycle, there will be no birth control as I'd probably get more eggs without it! My AFC reduced from 15 in October to 13 in December after the Microgynon.

@Hopeandfaith1990 yes i am doing the glucose test at 8 weeks. its still kinda undecided if i have PCOS but they thought may as well do it.

Had my 21 Anatomy Scan with NHS yesterday and i am so shocked and pleased to report that he is a healthy bouncy boy. They didn't detect anything abnormal and i just burst into tears after and felt like i could finally breathe after 5 months. I know i still have a long way to go, but feel like now we should start to plan for things we might need. I never thought i would be here after 4.5 years of TTC, losses and just utter heartbreak and to feel him move is just magical. I Just feel so grateful and lucky that we have got to this point. Even though we have been so unlucky in the past.

@TammyinCork i like that perspective of your body working to provide the good eggs and also love that the spanish clinics offer partial refunds for unsuccessful collections.

My mum asked me if i would register for NCT classes and I am in two minds. 1 i think it would be good for info and meeting other mums, but then i am also going to be triggered or annoyed by the blissful pregnant parents who some have had it so easy. I knows that Harsh - what do you guys think?

That makes a lot of sense @TammyinCork and your clinic sounds really good!

Congratulations @Jecca88 this is just the best news! And I totally know what you mean by holding your breath for 5 months. A bouncy baby boy! So precious.

I found the friendships from NCT invaluable as it’s reassuring having friends in the exact same stage as you, awake at night etc. my group are some of my closest friends now and most of them had their own fears going on to be honest. We all leant on eachother equally in times of need. But a lot of people I know didn’t have a great experience with their groups. I had 3 miscarriages before my daughter and everyone’s different but you can always just bow out of the group chat if your group triggers you, it wasn’t discussed at all, our fertility paths up until that like 8 month mark amongst us x

Oh @Jecca88 congratulations! You must feel so relieved! Such lovely news 🥰 I totally get where you’re coming from with the nct groups, I have to tell myself to stop feeling bitter about my friends having such easy pregnancies let alone strangers but as @Gems2811 said, it could be a great way to meet people at the same stage as you to bounce off.

Im 17dpo today so still very early but have been freaking out for the past 4 days with what I thought was a stall in pregnancy strips. I was also stuck on 1-2 weeks with clear blue but that flipped this morning to 2-3 so I feel a bit better. I’m still very cautious though, as with all of my previous losses (well 3 out of 4, the first I was in blissful ignorance that a positive test doesn’t mean a positive outcome) my test lines rose quickly and were much darker than this one and I always had a 2-3 by 14dpo. Those pregnancies obviously didn’t continue but growth was good until at least 7/8 weeks for most and I think it was my body rather than the embryos so I can’t stop myself from being convinced there’s something wrong with this one. Just trying to take it a day at a time!

so far so good with the prednisone too - it’s been a week and I’ve had a couple of days of waking up at 3am and struggling to sleep but slept like a baby the past two nights so can’t complain. Just feel like I’m rattling a bit when I walk with the amount of medication I’m taking 😂 I have to keep a tick list in my diary otherwise I wouldn’t have a clue what I’ve taken and what I havent

Hi all, sorry to interrupt you all but I love how helpful this thread is!!
I’ve had 5 miscarriages in the past and started with prof shehata in October. I got diagnosed with high NK cells but recently also a thin endo lining. I’m terrified of needles so the intralipids are no fun for me at all.
I’ve just stared estrogen and viagra yesterday to help with the lining. fingers crossed for this cycle.

I love reading positive stories on here, congratulations!

Thanks @Gems2811 that had made me feel a lot better about booking NCT.

I know @Lalalala77 i can only really feel like i can relate to people who have had difficulty in fertility. I just feel misunderstood otherwise, but need to work on that.
Ahh my love - when is your first scan? This is the first time on the meds isn't it?

welcome @AmzTTC Really sorry to hear about your history, this is a safe space. This is my 8th pregnancy, no living children and made it to 22 weeks :) with CRP. I also had beetroot, brazil nuts and vitamin E tabs to increase my lining. Wish you luck.

Hi all sorry for a late reply, work is manic!

@Jecca88 so over the moon for you re the 20 week scan and all being well. You can definitely be planning now! How exciting. I bet feeling the movements must be the most amazing thing in the world. Big hug 💙 I think I will join NCT later on down the line. I anticipate just a lot of grin and bearing it when people talk about how easy their conception journey has been lol. I do agree its so hard to get on the same level as people when its been so easy for them but I figure its worth trying.

@TammyinCork are you gearing up for another EC now then? back to back must be so tough but it will be worth it to get some embryos in the bank. Glad to hear you're liking the Spanish clinic, IVF abroad seems to be much more progressive than the UK.

@Lalalala77 glad the Pred is not ruining your sleep too much, and yes try not to obsess over the lines/CB weeks! My recent positive is the least I've ever tested and I'm very proud of it lol. My 2nd or 3rd I think I did over 100 tests (way too much obviously). Its so hard though especially with a history when you're just looking for reassurance in any way possible. I too keep a chart of my meds or I would be lost. TTC admin at its best!

@AmzTTC So sorry to hear of your losses, and hoping you are on the right pathway with Dr S now. I also used beetroot juice, pomegranate juice, brazil nuts for lining, all old wives tales but can't hurt!

No major update from me - I'm 15 weeks this week, weaned down to 10mg Pred now and sleeping slightly better on the Xonvea and reduced steroids although still not great. How I wish I could just down some night nurse! Got my 16 week appt next week, will report back after. Not really sure what to expect.

Sending love to all. xx

@TammyinCork That's wonderful news about the euploid!

@RosieLouiseWilliams Yes my cycles went a lot shorter when I started SO, they are usually 25/26 days now, before they were 30-32. I always wondered about the ovulation thing but I stopped ovulation testing because I was so sick of testing, so I'm not sure if I have ovulated before the trigger!

@Jecca88 Many many Congratulations, I am soooo thrilled for you! I actually found a local mum's group whilst I was pregnant and found some ladies I really got on with. (I had wanted to do pregnancy pilates or yoga but my working hours didn't fit with the class times). I did sign up for NCT but for me personally it was a bit of a waste because our group didn't connect unfortunately. The free NHS antenatal classes were fantastic but obviously they are online so you don't meet mums. Like @Gems2811 said, it is invaluable to have someone going through it at the same time, the lady I met on the mum's group was having her 2nd baby, so I got all her experience and tips. Our conception journey never came up and I would say you can choose how much you want to share or not & tbh you are just so happy to be pregnant/have your baby that I personally didn't care (at that point) if other people had it easier because for me I just appreciate my baby 1000% more because of all the struggle and the heartbreak. Don't get me wrong, I still have the its not fair moments but I pinch myself every day and just look at my daughter in wonder. I still can't believe she's actually mine.

@Lalalala77 Congratulations...Just take one day at a time, I know it feels like eternity but crossing everything for you! I have so many alarms on my phone for all the drugs 😆

@AmzTTC A very warm welcome to where we don't want to be but I found this space invaluable because people out there just don't get what we go through. I had 3 miscarriages and an ectopic then 1 daughter through CRP. It's a long journey but we are all here to support in anyway we can.

@Hopeandfaith1990 You are flying along 💓 Sending you lots of love for your next scan!

FYI for anyone doing SO, Dr Edge gave me the option after my 6th cycle to either continue without Prednisolone, take a complete break or IVF. I thought you couldn't do more than 6 SO cycles in a row but actually they just review and discuss what you want to do. You do have to have a break from Pred but apparently you have built up enough over the preceeding 6months. Anyway fingers crossed Cycle 6 is my cycle 🙏 Sorry so long, lots of love to you all 💓

@Deerdancer34good luck for your sixth cycle 🤞!! So you are doing this one without pred? Is that just for one month?

I’ve done two rounds of SO and no luck. Having a break this month as travelling with work so will get back on it next cycle.

@pagey23 Thank you! I'm doing this cycle with pred, then the 7th would be without. I think it would only be one cycle without pred but I didn't specifically ask & I imagine I start taking it if I did become pregnant. I think it's basically if you do 6 back to back cycles you need a break from pred but don't have to break from SO as I thought. Hope you're going somewhere nice with work!?

Hey gang - I had my 12 week scan at CRP today and all was well! I can’t believe it.

wishing all of you the very best

@LoudAquaMoose That is amazing!!!! So happy for you 💓 how are you feeling? Have you had many symptoms?

thank you @Deerdancer34 fingers crossed for your 6th SO cycle 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻💖 xx

Hi all, had my 16 week appointment today and all was good. It was actually with recurrent miscarriage and an amazing doctor who I’d not met before. He talked me through coming off all the medications as I’m still struggling to let go of it all. Also snuck me in for a scan so we got to see baby and hear the heartbeat etc which was so lovely after a 4 week gap in scans (!!)

we’ve decided we’re definitely not going that long without a scan again, my mental health the past week has been v v bad. I basically spent all of Sunday crying thinking it was all going to go wrong again (for no reason really, eg not had any bad symptoms touch wood) just had this relentless overwhelming sense of doom.

Going to book in a private scan for 18 weeks and then back at NHS for 20 weeks so that feels more manageable. I’m off progesterone injections and blood thinners for now and one more week of weaning off the pred. Doctor today told
me to stop the Cyclogest too but I might wean that too lol.

How is everyone? I’m sooo beyond grateful to be at 16 weeks but my god PAL is challenging. Grateful for you all here who understand (although I wish you didn’t!) love to all xxx

Hi everyone, so glad to see there is a thread on this!! I found out I had high NK cells via the NHS last March, since then I’ve been on pred steroids and progesterone. Had 2 MMC since being on them so they introduced hydroxy which I felt awful (and came up with a big face rash) so came off them. Contemplating going privately with CRP but concerned about the costing of it all. Hoping they would be able to use my test results via NHS however was nearly a year ago, but at least I have the initial medication (steroids and pessaries). Has anyone started off with NHS and moved to private with CRP? If so, how did the expenses look and what did they do different? Can I combine the 2- for example extra medications/help through private but continue with reoccurring miscarriage with NHS for scans etc… feeling a little lost xx

To add - I really struggle actually falling pregnant also!! X

Hey @Roro27 so sorry for your losses. Welcome to the group no one wants to be a part of - good thing is this page is amazing and welcoming and everyone understands.

I tried to combine NHS and CRP at the beginning of my journey but it wasn’t really possible. CRP wanted all the testing redone and some, and NHS said they have to discharge me from recurrent miscarriage if I went private. I do feel like they wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t told them though 😂 I’ve ended up doing IVF and staying with NHS, haven’t had anything private from CRP. I’m under Epsom hospital recurrent miscarriage, so Dr Shehata is the head of that anyway so I basically get the basic version of his private plan (eg without intralipids)

Some other ladies on the thread I think have gone the NHS —> CRP route so they might have more insight re costing etc xxx

Oh wow thank you all for the warm welcome. I listened to all of your advice and had POM juice and beetroot juice and my lining today was 8.2! However my follicles were all below 7mm which is weird for CD13 so that’s now a concern. One thing after another. Has this happened to anyone? I was on 10mg of letrozole too so Prof Shehata was super confused too. Sigh.

@Hopeandfaith1990 massive congratulations! You must feel so relieved! I agree with you - if I ever get that far I don’t think I could cope having scans so far apart and would have to supplement with private scans between.

@LoudAquaMoose congratulations! It’s so so lovely to see all the good news in this thread, really gives me hope. I hope the rest of your pregnancy is very uneventful and full of joy 😊

Unfortunately I had some bad news at the 6 week scan today and have been given the PUL diagnosis. This is actually the first time I’ve had this, my 4 previous pregnancies always got to at least 6 weeks with a sac/ heartbeat so it’s a different trajectory for sure. I’m wondering if this was just a bad egg/sperm/embryo combination and didn’t really get off the ground. I did think this would happen going in as my tests had stalled or only got very slightly darker over the past 2 weeks so it wasn’t really a shock - just frustrating that it’s happened now when I’m finally medicated. I’m scared that it’s never going to happen for me, I’m turning 37 in the summer and have been at this for a few years now with no living children. All my
friends have either had kids in that time or are currently pregnant and not a single one has had an issue.
Im waiting on my HCG blood tests from today to come back as they weren’t sure if they could see a sac or a polyp just outside the uterine lining or if it might be elsewhere.

I just want it to be over now so we can move on to trying again I guess!

@Lalalala77so sorry to hear this, I pray things get better for you - I really hope you have your rainbow baby soon! The waiting part is the worst isn’t it? We’re here if you need a rant or a chat

@Lalalala77 oh I’m so sorry to read this :-( my first ever pregnancy was a PUL then diagnosed as ectopic a bit later on. It’s so hard.

I also empathise with the friendship thing. I started trying 4 years ago and was first of my close group (apart from one) and now 5 of them have babies and 2 are currently pregnant. It feels mad and is so hard :(

sending you loads of love xxx

Hey Ladies,

Sorry been quiet on here recently, just getting through each day - i am currently 24 weeks and still cannot believe it, having to tell people now as i really am showing and its harder to hide. How is everyone doing?

@Deerdancer34 how are you my love? how this month going? its good to know you can continue but without the pred? the stopping and starting is a lot.

@Hopeandfaith1990 how are you getting on? Have you had your midwife app yet?

Congrats @LoudAquaMoose that is incredible. I feel like your 12 weeks has gone fast - but prob feels like forever for you. How are you feeling?

welcome @Roro27 i also tried to combine my CRP and when my NHS referral came through - but they wouldn't allow it - i had to choose and i stayed with CRP as they did the extra stuff but i could have saved a lot of money. But i do think they would take the NHS results if they were in date and maybe run a few extra ones.

I am so sorry @Lalalala77 this is awful - how are you recovering - has their been any update. Don't lose hope. I turned 37 last year and with 7 miscarriages and no living children. I have now made it to Viability week with my 8th pregnancy which i never thought i would get to. Still count my lucky stars and still a way to go but it can happen.

Hey @Jecca88 ,

Thanks for the message and congrats on viability. Just WOW!

@Lalalala77 im so sorry for you. Utter devastation- it’s all so unfair and I’m thinking of you so much ❤️❤️.

I had 13 week on Monday at kings (fanciest nhs ive ever been) and all was well. NIPT clear too so my stress levels have dropped a lot and hope they stay that way. Excited to be off the roids soon too!

thinking of you all

.

@LoudAquaMoose I am at Kings too! it is rather posh, and actually restored my faith in that centre this time round as my first every pregnancy i had such a bad exp when finding out at that scan i had a missed miscarriage.

Yes feel so much better being off the roids. People actually have been saying i look like i lost weight haha despite being 6 months pregnant - because i just had such a big face.

x

Hi @Jecca88 so good to hear from you and WOW viability that is amazing!!! Sooo happy for you. how are you feeling? Has it been okay telling people?

My midwife appt is today, will update after. I’m 17.5 weeks, also starting to show a bit but also quite bloated. I’m officially off the Pred as of last Tuesday! Feels mad.

If I was ever unsure about whether Pred masks pregnancy symptoms I’m not now, as since I’ve been off it I’ve been more tired and nauseous lol. I also got bad heartburn which I think the Omeprazole took care of before. My appetite has decreased too and my face seems to be slowly depuffing (I hope lol)

Amazing news @LoudAquaMoose re 12 weeks and NIPT. How are you feeling?

Sending love to everyone and a tentative check in @Objectiontime hope your final few weeks have been okay!!

How are you doing @Lalalala77? Xxx