Recurrent Buns - MC Testing and Beyond... Part 4...!!!

[Julezboo]

Gosh we can chat ladies!!!

Part one HERE

Part two HERE

Part three HERE

List

STARTING TESTING

LAF77 , Age 33, MC1 (7 weeks Apr 10) MC2 (5 weeks Sept 10) MC3 (9 weeks Dec 10). All have been natural mcs and number 1 and 3 were embryonic for sure. No children, no RMC appt, no diagnosis and not TTC.
PANDA 3MMC, no.1 (embryonic loss - empty sac) 7weeks, no.2 at 12 weeks, no.3 at 8 weeks. Awaiting raft of tests for recurrent MC
CLAIREDELOON Age 38 1st mmc, development stopped approx 5 weeks (2007), 2nd mmc development stopped at approx 6 weeks (2009), 3rd mc development stopped at 9 weeks after seeing hb at 8+3 (2010). Bicornate uterus, starting testing Feb 2011.
NOTSOBARRENBROOK Age 35. 1st mmc @ 6 weeks (Jan 2009), 2nd mmc @ 6 weeks (Jan 2010), 3rd mmc @ 11 weeks, development stopped at 6 weeks 3 days (March 2010), 4th mmc @ 5 weeks (August 2010). Possible adenomyosis, awaiting hsg and results of testing from St Mary's.
MILKYWAY2007 Age 27 - DD age 3. 1st MC Oct
2009, 6 weeks. 2nd MMC March 2010, 11 weeks (baby passed away at 7 weeks). 3rd MC July 2010, 6 weeks. 4th MMC 24 Jan 2011, 9 weeks - no amniotic sac, baby measured 7weeks 4 days, no HB, had seen a healthy HB at 7 weeks. Blood clotting, hormone, genetic karyotype and shape and health of uterus checked and all clear - although high prolactin level found. Waiting for appointment at RMC with consultant, and wanting to be referred to St Mary's.
LUCKYFOR2 Age 32 - DD age 5. DD age 3. 1st MC May 2010 found at 12 week scan passed away at 9 weeks. 2nd MC September 2010 natural at 8 weeks. 3nd MC January 2011 at 16 weeks, saw hb at 13 but no hb at 15.5. Bloods taken from me and DH at hospital at last MC and awaiting results on baby from PM.
IGGI2011 - Age 40, 3 year old DS. 3 MC last year, at 6, 8 and 8 weeks. Last two had hb detected. Having bloods taken by obs soon.

UNDERGOING TREATMENT

CRYSTAL5 Age 38 - DS age 4. 6 m/c 1 at 11 weeks, 5 at 5/6 weeks. Ok blood tests, under Endocrinologist for Hypothyroid
BANANA87 Age 30- 1mmc@7 weeks, DD (2), 1 mmc 6 weeks, 1 mc 7 weeks, currently waiting one more cycle before TTC. Going to try aspirin and progesterone as per consultant. Clotting bloods normal.

TTC

MUMMYABROAD Age 35, 1DS (2.9), 1MMC Mar 2010 (@14weeks) Ashermans diagnosis and treatment Nov 2010, Started TTC Jan 2011 Cycle 1
DIGITALGIRL Age 32 - DS 2.4 - 3MCs since ttc#2. MC1 5wks. MC2 6-7wks. MC3 7-8wks. Awaiting clotting & karyotyping results, under consultant care for rmc. Mild pcos. Currently TTC.
LOVEMYSLEEP Age 39, 1 mmc, dd born(now 5), 2nd mc (9wks, 2days), 3rd mc (9wks, 3days) and 4th mc at 5 wks. All tests on NHS came back clear. Currently undergoing treatment with Dr.Shehata for very high natural killer cells

PREGNANT

LUNATIC dd1(4) 2 mmc (8 wks) dd2 stillborn (32+5), clotting problem, pg #5 section booked for 9th Feb @ 35wks. On 150mg aspirin daily.
GLITTERYBITS 1 anembryonic MC (12 weeks), unexplained infertility, 1 round of clomid, currently pg and terrified!
JUSTMEE Age 21, MC1 (7 weeks), MC2 (6weeks), MC3 (5weeks) currently pregnant with 4th pregnancy using clexane injecting 20mg a day
LADYBEE 37, MC1 (5wks), DS (2), MC2 blighted ovum discovered @ 8 wk scan, MC3 natural @ 9 wks following hb seen at 7 1/2 wk. PCOS previously diagnosed, Factor V Leiden heterozygote discovered in recent testing. Treatment with aspirin (from BFP) + clexane started at 6 weeks.
LOVELYBUNCHOFCOCONUTS Age 23, 1 MC (13 weeks), 1 MMC (10 weeks - growth stopped at 7), 1DD born 2008, PCOS diagnosis, bi-cornuate uterus.
HAIRYFAIRYLIGHTS
HAIRYCLAREYFAIRY

GRADUATES WITH BABIES!!

STILLFRAZZLED Age 35, DS1 (3.6yo), 1 mc @ 5 weeks Jan 09, 2nd mc @ 9 weeks March 09, DS2 born @ 35+3 on 04/01/11 with Intra Uterine Growth Restriction and currently in Special Care Baby Unit.
MUMATRON Age 28 2 dc then 4mc, 3 @9weeks 1@5weeks, tests showed possible free protein s ishoo. dd2 born 06/01/2011, aspirin, claxane and high dose folic acid through pg.
JULEZBOO Age 29 1 mc @ 14 wks, DS1 (8yo) 4 mc @ 5/6 wks, DS2 (3) 2 mc @7 wks... DS3 (14/01/11 @35 wks) Dx with Factor V Leiden and Septate Uterus. Clexane and Aspirin throughout pregnancy and progesterone with DS3.

Will do a catch up post now...

congratulations banana glad you found us again!

Banana that's lovely news.
After reading everything on this thread I think I'm going to go into my obstetrican appointment next week as ask for progesterone, aspirin, heparin and steroids - I'm only partly joking!

Banana Yay Congratulations!!! Lovely news

What you have you been advised with regard to baby aspirin. I have been taking it a while now so was already taking it when I got my BFP and have been advised to continue up to 20 weeks at least.

With regard to the Cyclogest - it can be taken (ahem) vaginally or rectally and it doesn't make any difference which method you choose. Personally the back way has been easier for me - it sounds grim but really isn't bad at all and I have no side effects at all at the moment.

Hope this helps

:) Banana congratulations!

Thanks ladies.

Still haven't managed to admit to myself this is happening again so waiting for AF to (not) arrive Tuesday. Will be calling my consultant first thing in the morning and also getting some baby aspirin.

Thanks mattsmama. Have you been diagnosed with anything in particular that may be causing your miscarriages or is your consultant (Dr. S?) treating you with them just in case?

Congratulations banana! Everything crossed for you that the next 9 months fly by in a very uneventful way! Xx

Congratulations Banana! Great news!

Nothing much happening here...I've been taking 5mg folic acid and other vitamins for a month now and am feeling so much more energetic and "alive". Don't know if they will help with the next pregnancy, but I am certainly not getting as tired as I was a few months ago, so at least I can be more of an active mum to DD again :)

Hi to everyone - hope you're all doing well

Banana Hi - I am hypothyroid which has been well controlled with thyroxine for a long time but I was diagnosed with high ATA (anti-thyroid antibodies) and also high high killer cells by Mr Shehata. I am on quite a cocktail at the moment, of prednisolone (25mg daily to 12 weeks) 75mg aspirin, 5mg folic acid, 1 X 400mg progesterone, omega, vitamin D and prenatal vitamin! Think the progesterone is standard - never had problems as far as I know with progesterone levels and they haven't been tested, but from what I have read a lot of women with RMC problems have success with them.

Everything I have gone through just tied in the killer cells theory (I seemed to get pregnant okay - I had 2 chemical pregnancies at the end of last year also in addition to 2 MC's). Wish I had checked it out earlier but you can't live your life like that. At least I have an answer now for all the heartache we've gone through! It's even more amazing my DS made it through (I love him sooo much!).

Sorry for waffling a bit!

Took your advice mattsmama and booked our follow up appt with Dr S already. He's on holiday for two weeks so earliest appt will be 18th April. I'm guessing I might ovulate the following week (always seem to ov 40-45 days post mc, so do you think he'll have worked out a treatment plan in time for that?

Have also booked acupuncture for next week to yet again rebalance my hormones and everything. My acupuncturist is very supportive but am dreading telling him about the mc - as I know it will just bring all the pain back. He was the one who initially suggested Dr S after my third mc so I know he will tailor his treatment to support whatever Dr S can prescribe.

Currently in the garden reading a book in the sunshine listening to the bees. It's so lovely out here. Ds is at the childminder's so it's very peaceful. And yes, mattsmama I also marvel at how very very lucky I am to have my ds. He's so full of happiness and energy, it's amazing to think I made him.

Hope all the preggos are feeling ok today. You're all an inspiration to me.

digitalgirl are you seeing your acupuncturist for RMC? or just general fertility? People keep asking me if I've tried acupuncture but I can't quite see how it would help. The consultant that I saw with my last m/c said that speaking as someone who had trained and practiced in acupuncture himself he didn't think it would help but I am curious.

havingkittens I've been having acupuncture mainly to regulate my cycles. It's not helped with preventing mc (i even have it during pregnancy) but my 'get pregnant' rate has been good so it may be helping with conception.

When ttc ds my cycles were very irregular so I had acupuncture for 2 cycles and conceived the cycle after that. Hard to say how long my cycles are now - when I've been ttc since ds was 11 months and I was still breastfeeding. I gave up bf after the first mc. But only had two cycles before conceiving the next pg. Then three cycles before conceiving the next, then only one before conceiving the last. The three cycles I had between mc 2 and 3 I went back to acupuncture and my cycles regulated at between 39-41 days long.

Hello again.

I had my amh test results back = reduced ovarian reserve. I'm looking at that as really positive as I am less than a month off 43 years old, have been preggers three times since last March, and I'm not in the 'low' or 'very low' category :)

My result is 7.6 and I'm told that anything between 6.1 and 24.0 is considered reduced. (so I'm on the low end of reduced)

Am awaiting my LH/FSH test back shortly

I am also going to the follow up appointment after last MC on Tuesday next week and hopeful of a referral to the recurrent miscarriage clinic - and off on hols on Wednesday for a very much needed break.

hairy I've been advised to get the amh test done as well. So the lower the number the better? Does this mean you're a good candidate for ivf or are your chances the same as a natural conception? Hope you have a lovely relaxing time on holiday. We have one booked in May and am so looking forward to it.

Hi Digi No, the higher the number the better.

I'm still negotiating my way around all of this stuff.

There are categories for amh

'reduced' falls within the range 6.1 - 24.0
'normal' is 24.0 plus
'low' is lower than 6.1
'very low' falls somewhere beneath that range.

Apparently you are considered a good candidate for IVF if you have 5 or above.

I have a reduced ovarian reserve ie: fewer eggs than I would have had earlier in my life. But I am not 'low' or 'very low' on eggs. They can't tell me anything about the quality of my eggs, though.

I know by the rate of conception I have experienced since March that I have a good chance of getting pregnant - in fact for forty two I'm highly unusual!

I've been told by an embryologist that IVF is not a good route at the moment, I am better off having tests for recurrent MC first - and that might tell us something about why we are not able to 'hang on' to the pregnancies.

IVF may be a way forward if there is a genetic issue between me and my partner - but I will need a specialist form of it if that's the case.

If my AMH reduces more and I still have not got pregnant and produced a real live baby, then I will look at IVF. But only after my recurrent MC testing.

I hope to take all of the results to someone for a private consultation at some point, when they are all in.

Once I have my fsh/lh results,

DIGI thats great that you've got the follow up appointment booked and yes - he will definitely have a plan of action ready for you at that appointment if need be - excellent timing if you ovulate the following week!

HAIRY Good news regarding those results! Have a lovely holiday!

Hello. Had obs appointment, doctor won't presribe anything other than low dose aspirin for my antinuclear antibodies, despite my pleas. Really down about this. I just don't see after 3 mc that aspirin was the magic ingredient I was missing.
If you could only afford one private referral, who would you go to see - dr Regan? Dr Shehata? Or anyone else?
Sorry for the rant, I had stupidly pinned all my hopes on this.

Hello. Had obs appointment, doctor won't presribe anything other than low dose aspirin for my antinuclear antibodies, despite my pleas. Really down about this. I just don't see after 3 mc that aspirin was the magic ingredient I was missing.
If you could only afford one private referral, who would you go to see - dr Regan? Dr Shehata? Or anyone else?
Sorry for the rant, I had stupidly pinned all my hopes on this.

Hi iggi I've not seen anyone privately so can't help with that but in addition to this you could ask your GP to refer you to Siobhan Quenby on the NHS, I went to see her last Friday and she is very good and will be honest with you about whether you could have NK cells etc. She is doing an ongoing trial with progesterone so might put you on that if it helps. Just a thought not sure whether it will help. If you want her details let me know.

iggi I saw Dr Shehata on NHS, although it was a bit of a wait. From what I gather Dr Regan doesn't really get involved with the NK Cells/Antibodies side of things. I think she may be the one to see if you have clotting issues but if it's antibodies then I'd say Dr Shehata or Dr Quenby.

Thanks for your answers on acupuncture digitalgirl. Your cycles sound very frustrating! Poor you. Mine have varied between pregnancies but are usually quite regular whether they are 24 days or 28 days long and it seems my OH only has to wink and me and conceive (kinda), which is not bad for my ripe old age. Although that doesn't seem much of a consolation if they don't stick around. Anyway, it seems to me that acupuncture isn't going to do much for me so I will just carry on as I am.

MummyAbroad I got an email back from Charles March saying that he thought it was likely I had some scarring but I am going to see how my next period is. The last one was only my second after ERPC so maybe that's why it's not that heavy yet. I don't get really bad period pains but I was baffled about the cramps that came, just on that one day, two days after my period had ended.

Congratulations Banana, fingers crossed for a stress free time of it!

Thanks guys. Havingkittens when you say a bit of a wait, was it 6 months? a year? I'm very confused about the whole NHS referral thing, my nhs consultant certainly didn't offer to make any referrals for me though did say I could contact Lesley Regan's clinic myself. Or is it only possible if you live in London?
Luckyfor2 my consultant was quite negative about Quenby, which certainly doesn't go with the positive comments I've heard about her on here.

Havingkittens have you considered renting out your DH?

Congrats on BFP banana and lovely news about your scan glittery and lovelybunch

Sorry not been around for a while, been down about how crap the Royal Free seems to be, still haven't got my results app brought forward from July.

Now you put it like that iggi, not so long at all! My appointment was 3 months from my initial referral. The main difficulty is getting the follow up appointment for the results, which may be a telephone consultation rather than a face to face to ensure follow up treatment isn't held up. I'm just waiting to hear back from his NHS secretary to decide if I need to book a back up appointment at his private clinic. Spoke to his private secretary today and she said a follow up appointment would be £250 with a £50 deposit payable but that if it was cancelled in good time the deposit was refundable and that a lot of people who see him on the NHS do it this way.

The consultant at the RMC I attended suggested that if I wanted to see Dr Shehata I should ask my GP to refer me, which i did, and he did (bless him!). So, I guess the consultants themselves don't do the referring.

I am based in Central London and Dr Shehata's NHS clinic is in the Epsom & St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey. So I don't think you have to live in the area to get a referral these days.

Sorry to hear about The Royal Free Clairedeloon, how bloody frustrating! Have you been badgering them? I suspect in places where the waiting lists are very long they are more likely to bring forward people that hassle them constantly as they are less likely to be forgotten about.

Congratulations banana I wish you the best for your pregnancy.

Dear claire I share your sentiments. I have been very down lately and I haven't been waiting anywhere near as long as you. It has been 5 weeks since the appointment at my local hospital which said I would be referred to St Mary's. I don't have a follow-up letter to know when my appointment will actually take place. I phone St Mary's twice a week. Most of the time, I never speak to anyone. When I actually spoke to someone 2 weeks ago, she said that they didn't have my file. I don't know how long it takes to process and I don't know what to do. I gave myself a deadline that by the end of the week, if I still don't hear anything, I'll try calling again. I'm a professional woman and I'm trying to deal with all of this as if it were a problem I'd come up at work.

There is so much uncertainty over everything surrounding miscarriage and to not even know when my appointment will be drove me around the twist last week. AF arrived on Sunday, but last Tuesday I flew off the handle bars when I forgot my laptop at home and cried and screamed the whole way back to collect it. I am still dealing with my grief and sadness of all of the miscarriages. My one year anniversary of the loss of my first bean is coming up soon and it puts the pain into focus. I had to see a pregnant relation at the weekend who is imminently due like I would have been with my second and I had to try to be a happy supportive person whilst inside I am falling to pieces. I'm just not coping.

I thought that perhaps if I don't have my appointment letter by the time AF leaves, it is a sign that I should try again and take aspirin if I get a BFP. One minute, I think it is a brilliant plan and the next minute I think that is a stupid plan. DH doesn't think it is a good idea, but I feel like I'm living in a world without any joy or hope. I don't know how I can get through the anniversary and my next birthday without a chance of being pg. I don't know if I'll feel worse by trying and miscarrying again or not trying at all.

Nothing seems to make me feel truly happy. I've mastered the art of going through the motions and looking fine to everyone, but inside I'm not. Lily Allen was so right. Miscarriage changes you as a person. I obsess over the letter from St Mary's (or lack of it) and feel like I just can't move on or feel anything good until I know when someone will see me. I realise that there will be a lot more struggles after the appointment, but I need to know when I'm actually going to start proper testing.

Hi Laff I don't have a lot of experience with testing so can't give much advice there, but I totally understand the feeling crap part. Really sorry to hear that. For myself, I notice that there are times I feel especially despondent and times I seem able to get a bit of pleasure back in life. It hasn't been linear, I just swing about like a pendulum. Just recognising that "this is a low" sometimes helps me, and I just go for the one-foot-in-front-of-the-other approach until I come through it and feel a bit better.
Really sorry you're feeling so bad just now.

LAFF I've PMed you

Claire can you get your results over the phone? I never bothered to wait for an actual appointment to be given results, I just called up and they would get a doctor to call me back.

iggi I agree with the others...Prof Regan doesn't prescribe anything other than treatment for clotting i.e. Aspirin and Heparin. So you would probably be better seeing either Dr Shehata or Prof Quenby.

havingkittens lucky you with regular cycles. It's a pita for me having to negotiate that on top of everything else. Also, no mere 'winking' happening here - it's a military operation with me charting my temperatures and marathon efforts to maintain daily swi from around cd14 till I get my temp rise around CD26. It seems to work, so anything less would just worry me. I'd rather have sex than get depressed about not having sex...DH is happy to oblige.

hairy thanks for the AMH info. hope you're enjoying your holiday.

Got my thyroid TSH test result today - it's normal at 0.7 (normal range is 0.3 to 4.2). What a surprise. Am beginning to wonder what the hell I'm going to do if my NK cells test comes back normal and Dr S doesn't find anything wrong with me.