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

@TammyinCork Wishing you all the luck for your transfer!!!

@Hopeandfaith1990 I'm so glad the midwives are supportive, makes a world of difference! Thinking of you 💖

Well I had my 12th negative so that's SO done...I feel a bit stupid but I think I also had to go on the journey. Still feel a bit confused why its not worked this time when it did with my daughter. I really didn't think it would be difficult this time as we had gone through the hard bit the first time or so I thought... sigh... Lots of love to all 💖

Thank you so much @TammyinCork and I’m wishing you so much luck for transfer ❤️ enjoy some maccies fries!

@Deerdancer34 thank you! so sorry re the negative. Don’t feel stupid at all - you had empirical evidence that it had previously worked so why wouldn’t you keep trying. Fertility is still such a mystery and it still seems like so much of it is just luck ! You have a plan in place for the next steps and it was very logical to try SO as much as possible before engaging in that.

sending love and hope everyone has survived heatwave number 38583 🫠 xx

Hi all,

I hope it's okay to post. I was diagnosed with a high number of NK cells and high activation rate by DR S. I've had to do the humira injections as part of phase 1 of my treatment. I've got a follow-up blood test to see if the humira is working but might need another two jabs. Has anyone else been on the same protocol with the humira first? When did you get the okay to start ttc again? desperate to try again but also don't want to have another loss.

Thanks in advance!

@JustWondering24 Hello and welcome, sorry you have to be here but we're a very supportive bunch! I had to have Humira when I went through CRP the first time. Once you've had the blood test to see if its worked or if you need another injection then you can start straight away. It depends how the injections time with your cycle. Believe me, the hardest thing to do is wait but do as he says because you are preparing your body to give it the best chance to hold that baby and the last thing you want is another loss which would set you back further time wise 💖 Do ask if you have questions, I found it all soooo overwhelming, still do sometimes!

@Hopeandfaith1990 Thank you for being there, I so appreciate it 💖 I haven't told anyone I've started all this again so it does feel quite lonely sometimes. Hope your baby arrives in the cooler patch of weather! Xx

@Deerdancer34 Thank you for responding! Sorry just to be clear, if I need another two injections, I'll need to wait until I've finished before I can ttc? It's so hard waiting but you're right I need to minimise my chances of another loss. My NK levels and activation were both around double the normal range so I suspect I'll need more humira. The first week after an injection it flares up my eczema and makes me super anxious but it'll be worth it if it works.

Hi everyone ❤️🥹 just wanted to pop on and let you know that our little girl Georgia was born yesterday morning. 8lb 11oz. Feeding is challenging but I can’t stop staring at her or believe that she’s mine. 4, almost 5 years of trying, my 6th pregnancy. I’m just completely in love. Thank you to everyone on this thread for the love and support, sending everyone so much love xx

@JustWondering24 I can't be entirely sure because I just had the 2 injections but I would imagine you would have to wait because they would want to check its working. I completely get not wanting to wait, I was furious!

@Hopeandfaith1990 HUUUUUUUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Aww Welcome to the World Georgia! I hope the birth was ok and just enjoy this time, I still look at my daughter and think wow, she's real, she's here. Hope the feeding eases a bit but don't put any pressure on yourself. Sending you and your family lots of love and best wishes ❤️ xx

Oh my love @Hopeandfaith1990 was waiting for this news! This is incredible and a little girl - I bet that was a surprise as you had thought it might be a boy. How was the birth? Lovely weight. Gosh just so happy for you. First two weeks are so emotional - I cried everyday. Still trying to wrap my head around that I have a baby after 5 years of trauma. Be kind to yourself.

@Deerdancer34 I’m sorry to hear about the SO, it’s so confusing why this hasn’t worked. Sending you lots of love.

good luck for transfers @TammyinCork keeping you in my thoughts and everything crossed for you

Thank you angels @Deerdancer34 @Jecca88 !

sorry it’s taken a while to respond, just about feeling somewhat human again. I’ve been an emotional and physical wreck! In a good way mostly haha.

Ended up opting for a c section as she continued to grow so actually had it scheduled for a while, our plan was to go with anything if it happened naturally or have the c section if we made it to that date and nothing had kicked off. C section experience was amazing, two of the mental health midwives who I’ve been with the whole pregnancy came in to be with me as well which was honestly so special.

We actually ended up spending 5 nights in hospital because she got an infection (or so the doctors thought) in the umbilical area. When they first told us I was beside myself but had to get it together for her. Seeing them put cannulas in her hands and be on the IV antibiotics was so so upsetting but she was amazing. We got discharged after 5 nights and her sepsis test was negative and sent home with oral antibiotics which we’ve just finished. So we’ve been home for about 4 nights now and it’s so nice.

Hope everyone is all good. Love to all xx

@Hopeandfaith1990: Absolutely delighted for you! What amazing news!!! I'm so glad that the C-section went smoothly and you got great support from the midwives. A relief that your baby recovered from the infection - that must have been so incredibly stressful after what you've been through. She is clearly a tough cookie!

@Deerdancer34: Wishing you so well for your next steps... How disappointing and frustrating re: the SO.

@Jecca88: Hope all is well with you and your newborn! Thanks so much for asking.

My transfer went ahead on 28th July - it was a 6BB grade embryo, which I didn't know before, quite visibly hatching, and a Day 6 euploid. We got back from Spain last night and I've been frantically Googling what the success rates are for an embryo of this grade. I have had some mild cramping, afternoon fatigue and slight flashes of breast soreness, but expected more symptoms by this stage (I know that it could just be the meds, of course). I am on the 5mg of pred a day as well, but would such a small dose mask symptoms? I will be testing on 8th August and will not know what to do if it hasn't worked, as this was our only embryo suitable for transfer.

@Hopeandfaith1990 I am so thrilled for you, how lovely that your mental health midwives were there, it makes all the difference! Sorry she had an infection but what a star she must have been - they are tough cookies these little people! Enjoy being home with your little family 🥰

@TammyinCork I am crossing everything for the 8th for you 🙏 🙏 🙏 If it helps I didn't notice any symptoms until I was about 7 weeks tbh.

Lots of love xx

Hello all, we just found out that our transfer failed. Feeling sad and hopeless... Thank you for all the support you have given on here.

Oh @TammyinCork I’m so so sorry. It’s so devastating. Please try not to blame yourself or anything you did - it’s so painfully random. I was heartbroken when my transfer failed this time last year. It was such a strange and different type of grief, but I definitely view it as a loss and a very painful one at that. You’ve put in so much hard work and dedication to get to transfer stage and it’s so unfair. Sending you love xx

@TammyinCork I am so so so sorry 😞 There really aren't any words, I am gutted it's not worked for you. I wish I could make it better 😢I'm sending you so much love. xx

Thank you for your kind words, both... I have a second opinion consultation with Avenues Euston next Monday, but at 43, even with a decent AFC, I know my chances are very slim. Still, I will ask them for their thoughts.

@TammyinCork gosh I'm so sorry, I'm absolutely shattered for you :( when you know so much about the embryo that's going in, it's a different kind of loss. Good luck with Avenues, I'm not a Dr but it's promising that you're getting blasts and euploids to boot xxx

Hi guys, I have not commenting on this chat for a little while so I thought i would give a little update! Maybe my experience could help some of you. I have been trying to be pregnant for 6 years, I am 43 and was told my eggs were too old, it might never happen, all my blood tests were really good I had very very good AMH levels (due to PCO)so this was classified as unexplained infertility. Then I started to do super ovulation in a private clinic with Letrozole and Ovitrel but with natural conception. We used Superseed during my fertile window. I started to get pregnant very easily but kept miscarrying at 4/5 weeks. (6 losses) I was therefore referred to Dr Shehata clinic in St Helier. They started me in Feb 2025 on the following protocol Steroid, Heparin, Hydroxy and aspirin. I still did on the side my super ovulation to help my chances but bizarrely I wasn’t getting pregnant anymore. I was meant to take a break of the treatment in November 25. So for the last cycle I decided (didn’t tell Dr S) to start the steroids only after having a bfp as I read steroid could stop implantation. So for a week after ovulation I tested out my HCG due to ovitrel and to my suprise I got pregnant that month. We welcome our baby boy 2 weeks ago! @Hopeandfaith1990we got pregnant at the exact same time ☺️ except due to very high anxiety and the fear of jinxing it I just couldn’t share it with anybody… I have righted everybody’s opinion the past 6 years and listened to my body and my guts. I think I just wanted to tell you that believe in yourself and if you don’t think what they tell you or give you is not right just speak up and challenge it. I send you all big hugs and all my strengths and never give up xxxx

Sorry not sure what it got posted in bold!!! I am really not good with this forum 😂

@CarpeDiem75 omg!! That’s absolutely amazing, I’m so happy for you! I completely understand you keeping it quiet, I often thought I should have done so too, it’s so hard when you’ve been through so much loss previously.

also interesting that we both had a period of time of not falling pregnant on the Dr S protocol, despite doing it relatively easily previously.

Did you do the hydroxy the whole pregnancy?

how are you now? I hope you’re recovering well ❤️ so so lovely you’ve got a little boy, just so made up for you! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

@CarpeDiem75 Congratulations!!!! What wonderful news, I am soooo delighted for you!!
Out of interest was it an SO cycle or natural cycle? Also I'm interested what you took, were you on Hydroxy too? I've just had 12 failed rounds of SO with Dr S so wondering why its not working this time. I'm on Hydroxy this time but a bit scared to stop it... I'm doing a natural cycle e this cycle and have started Pred at ovulation but delayed the Progesterone to 3dpo because quite a few women have said about delaying that.
Awww enjoy your snuggles with your baby boy!

@Hopeandfaith1990 Hope you are well 🥰

@TammyinCork Have you had your appointment yet?

@Gems2811: Thanks for the words of encouragement.

@Deerdancer34: Not until Monday, but I spoke to Professor Thum today (he was doing my Reproductive Immunology) and he suggested trying with my own eggs again, and possibly using an add-on like Human Growth Hormone. He said that it being a Day 6 embryo meant there was a slightly lower chance of implanting. He also mentioned donor eggs - the clinic in Spain said this also - but I am really unsure about that.

@CarpeDiem75: Wow, that's wonderful news, and I am v pleased for you!

@Hopeandfaith1990i am good! I had a natural birth with a suction cup so not too bad! I was due to be induced at 39+3 weeks but my water broke the day before so I got lucky!
how are you?
I did do the hydroxy the whole pregnancy I was so scared to stop for some reasons! I stopped it at the same time as the aspirin so ~37 weeks.
it feels weird now not to have any tablets to take anymore!
i hope you are recovering well too!

@Deerdancer34thank you very much! It was a SO
cuclr and started everything prednisolone, progesterone, hydroxy and heparin when I got my bfp. Why do you need to stop Hydroxy? I was taking it continuously Dr S wanted me to stop
it at 16weeks but because I had a weird marker in my blood discovered a year before a rheumatologist told me it would be safe to continue the whole pregnancy if it can help with my anxiety (basically I could have stopped it but same as you I freaked out!!) Were you able to get pregnant before being on the protocol? I read a LOT and I truly believe that starting prednisone at ovulation helped me that time. I hope it works for you xx

Hello all! How is everyone? The thread has been quiet, I hope everyone is doing well. Sending lots of love. Xxx

@Hopeandfaith1990 I have dm you ;-) I hope everybody is ok X