Dr Shehata advice

[Wolfemum]

Hello, I am currently experiencing my 3rd consecutive miscarriage and my 2nd MMC. I have been told I will now be referred to the RMC unit but due to my age (42) i think I need to go privately and I was wondering what your opinions are on Dr Shehata? I've heard he has a brilliant reputation but is quite focused on NK cells and less on other things. Can anyone share their thoughts, opinions experiences?
My first pregnancy was healthy and resulted in my 6 year old boy but the last 2 MMC we saw a heartbeat at 6 weeks but then no growth or heartbeat at 7/8 weeks.
Many thanks for reading

@thehurtingheart the wait between scans is horrible. Trying to keep myself busy with work but it’s really hard. I am really bad at procrastinating and worrying. I hope it all
works out for you X

Hello lovely people. Driving myself nuts as per usual. To those of you who are currently pregnant, on what day did you get a positive pregnancy test? I’m 11 DPO today and negative test. I have not taken the pred this morning and will stop the progesterone too which has always stopped me from bleeding in the past. My cycles are usually 26 days and today is day 27 but I ovulated on day 16 (which im unsure if that’s normal for me or I ovulated a bit later just this cycle). Urgh such a head F*k. Any advice appreciated xx

@jchars7 I was still negative on 11dpo and stopped the meds but then my period didn't come and I started to test positive on 14dpo so I resumed the meds. Hoping the 2 days off hasn't affected the pregnancy. Will find out tomorrow at my first scan. It is so hard to know what to do but I was also keen to not delay my period coming from the progresterine and get on with the next cycle!

@Privatemedical246 thanks so much for your reply. It’s so hard to know, I feel like I have the cramping etc but could just be the start of my period / my mind playing tricks. Best of luck for your scan tomorrow 🙏🏽

@Privatemedical246 thinking of you for your first scan today! Fingers crossed for you!

Thanks all mixed news. Strong heartbeat but baby measuring small. I do have a tilted uterus and she said baby was quite far away so hoping it's just that as currently measuring a week behind. Feeling very anxious 😰

@Privatemedical246 try and stay positive and busy. it’s a horrible wait until next scan so completely understand. Take strength from fact there’s a strong heartbeat as I’ve read of where baby has measured slightly behind but then caught up. Everything crossed for you.

hope everyone else is good.

I have a quick question please for anyone who has had IVF did you have PGT-A testing on embroyos and did you get any guidance from Dr Shehata or Dr Edge? Was it recommended. Are there any risks with it? Thank you 💫

@Sprinkleofbabydust I didn’t test no. I
get feeling dr edge believes in it cos she’s asked a few times before scans were our embryos tested. Others on here say dr shehata thinks it’s rubbish. But he doesn’t specialise in ivf. I although think if you are approaching 40/over 40 and have had previous miscarriages/implantation failure then I would recommend testing them. X
@Privatemedical246 congratulations. A strong heart beat is a good sign. How far along should you be?do you definitely know when you ovulated? X

Hey everyone so I had my phase 2 appointment with Dr Edge yesterday

I have my Intralipids a week before embryo transfer is that a normal time to have then I always thought it was a day before?

also taking prednisolone and fragmin and aspirin, have completed my course of Adalimumab now.

has anyone been on similar?

@Lianne32 yes I was the same. Intralipids 7-10 days before transfer and start prednisone 5 days before. Best of luck xx

Hey guys, I went to see Dr S in Epsom today. Don’t know if I should be happy or not, I was hoping NK would be high or something so we finally had an answer but he said every single test was normal including NK. I know that’s good but I’ve been to 7 drs before him and all have said this. NK was the only test not done before. He has suggested we still take the meds for NK. So prednisolone, progesterone (both of which I have taken before) as well as intralipids and omeprazol. But with the other meds I usually took them when pregnant this time he said start during ovulation and the intralipids before I ovulate. I’m also taking everything I mentioned last time but he said to double to vitamin d to 4000. Anyone else have the same result with NK? Curious to know what they’ve been told.

TIA

@Stargirl10 it is disappointing when you just want a diagnosis. I’ve been in a similar situation albeit slightly different we just paid thousands of pounds for TH1:TH2 and karyotype for both me and my husband they came back fine. Reason I’m on this thread is I was similar to you thinking it must now be NK cells. We saw a consultant at St Mary’s recurrent miscarriage clinic and all them tests came back fine too. The one thing he said we could do is take Coq10 ubiquinol both of us twice a day so we bought a highly absorbable dose and have been taking them since end of Aug/start of sept as well as other specific individualised supplements tailored to us (so not just a pregnacare) and we saw a nutritionist and have changed our diet and she advised on the supplements we should both take. I also have started having weekly acupuncture and have had 2 sessions so far as my clinic uses a holistic approach.
have they explored your partner so has he had a DNA fragmentation test done? I’m assuming they have?

Hello everyone, I'm new to Mumsnet and to Dr Shehata's clinic. I'm trying to make sense of my results (the follow up was ridiculously short and I forgot my questions).

My pregnancy state results (cytotoxicity assay) was in normal range. My NK cells were high and activity was high. My TNF alpha was 'very high'.

So I'm doing humira (phase 1) and then phase 2- it says 'complex + prednisolone + fragmin'. What's the complex part- is this IVIG/intralipids/hydroxy. I just want to prepare myself mentally and financially! Or does it mean he just wants me on Prednisoline and fragmin? So confused!

Also, does anyone know why TNF alpha is high and NK cells are high- what is actually causing it? I do get various mild inflammatory reactions in my body, but not sure if this is caused by the TNF or not. Just keen to know what is underlying it all.

Any help would be much appreciated thank you xxx

I had Adalimumab Injections, because my tnf was also high well it was 33.4 so it wasn’t massively high but over the range.

I am also on the complex I have my first Intralipids on Friday.

Dr S seems to think the NK cell activity and the TNF is causing the miscarriages from my embryo transfers.

I can’t say I have any symptoms I didn’t even know what TNF alpha cells were.

what symptoms do you get??? X

Thanks for your reply. I'm so scared about Humira, did you read all the safety stuff? I'm in two minds about going for it to be honest. I wish he would just prescribe hydroxy and steroids.

For me- I get very mild eczema that comes and goes on my foot, and then when I eat something acidic or salty my tongue gets red and bumpy (not allergy) and I sometimes get a little stiff when I haven't moved my hands for a while. All very mild really but I wondered if it reflected systemic inflammation.

Hiya I had the Adalimumab injections two rounds with an expensive repeat blood test in between before I could start TTC again, also hydroxy, pred plus all the other vitamins and the intralipds.

Thankfully fell pregnant first cycle but currently in limbo week as baby is measuring small so can't tell which way the pregnancy is going.

I didnt have any side effects from the injections though if that provides any reassurance. And been lucky with the hydroxy. Think my hair has got a bit finer but not falling out. Defo finding I'm hungry with the steroids though/early pregnancy.

Interestingly when chatting to my cousin who has Krones it turns out her TNF Alfa is high and think is linked to Krones. She has infusions that are a stronger form of Adalimumab I think I've always suffers on and off with gastro disorders but put it down to IBS and not suspected the miscarriages would be realised.

I then start researching and it's strongly correlated with skin conditions and Krones/gut disorders.

I had high NK cells as well. I've had 5 miscarriages since my first child was born.

It is so stressful and we spend best part of about 6k before trying with all the investigations, injections, repeat bloods etc!

Wishing you all the best!

Hi, has anyone had a situation where you can’t tolerate pred medically and how did CRP handle that? Do they have any workarounds? (Sorry for duplicate post but the pred threads seems to have split into two!)

@Wednesdaysotherchild I’ve not had problems with prednisone but always found the staff very helpful and if you weren’t tolerating it they would look at an alternative for you.
@Privatemedical246 congrats. My hair has thinned too but it desperately needs a hair cut.
interestingly I really struggled with stomach issues earlier part of this year. No idea if it was stomach ulcer or something else but I cut out gluten and started treatment programme and now I’m pregnant and furthest I’ve ever been in a pregnancy.
@Lianne32 i didn’t really have any symptoms except stomach issues but felt better once I started treatment with ivf. My miscarriages with ivf were early so they think it was related to the cytokines imbalance. I’m not pregnant with my 4th transfer and I don’t think without this treatment I would have got this far.
@LauraLaura86 inwas on complex too. Fragmin is basically a blood thinner. Get a prescription because it’s £58 a box otherwise. You can get it from Asda much cheaper. I’m not sure why I was complex and not sure of the causes of my issues. But made sense to me when he explained it in terms of implantation because my losses were early.
@MeganBistram @Hope646 @whatsgoingon22 how are you ladies getting on? I had my 12 week scan/harmony results back, and thankfully all is well. I suddenly don’t feel pregnant at all and just wish I had a bump rather than fat bloat from the prednisone. Xx

@JandL2020 good to hear from you. So glad your week 12 scan went well. That’s a big step already. So happy for you ❤️
I went for my week 16 scan few days ago. All was good thankfully. I was told that I can fully stop progesterone, pred, and I had my last intralipid. Aspirin I can stop in week 20. I was told I can go for another intralipid in week 20 and they have started suggesting that to new patients as part of the programme. But I think I will stick to the plan that was prescribed to me which was until week 16.
they suggested a week 20 cervical length measure. I am not too sure whether I should do it

@whatsgoingon22 will you go for it? I hope you are well.

@MeganBistram how are you doing lovely? I remember you saying you found a local one to do the cervical check for much cheaper price. How did CRP take that?

I am still not sure what the gender is 😂 week 12 during fetal scan I was told one thing but again it was said with uncertainty. Week 16 another gender but baby wasn’t in the right position. So not sure whether it’s a boy or a girls. I was told to really wait until my week 20 scan.

@JandL2020 you are right regarding the symptoms. I do not feel pregnant at all anymore. Almost all symptoms have gone. I think second trimester until week 20 most women don’t feel anything in general. Just hoping the baby is comfortable and doing well 🙏🏻

@Hope646 congrats hun. That’s interesting about the gender! I’m hoping we find out at 14 week scan. I was really disappointed the harmony results didn’t state the gender. i’ll be having cervical length done at 16 weeks, didn’t realise they did it also at 20 weeks. I would rather that be checked and pay for it rather than another intralipid which I don’t think adds anything. And now everything is getting ridiculously expensive and Christmas seems to be creeping up. Xx

Hello! Sorry to piggy back but it made sense rather than start a new Dr Shehata thread.

Following a few painful early losses now, I’m considering further tests with Dr Shehata. I’m so sorry to learn so many other women have been through multiple losses and more.

I was wondering what the timeline were for the testing and if they needed to be done on certain cycle days, meaning you couldn’t TTC for a matter of time?

Asking as we may qualify for funded IVF in the new year and I want to make sure we fit things in at the best times x

@JandL2020 amazing news re the scan. It’s such a hurdle to get over the 12 week and harmony.. would love to say it gets easier but just create whole new barriers and anxiety’s 🤣
with The harmony they asked me if I wanted to know the sex, did they not ask you?

@Hope646 amazing news darling. Can’t believe how far along you are now. How funny on the gender.. I literally saw the balls on my 16 week scan which was confirmed on the 20 weeks scan.
I am good on the whole… feel way bigger than I did with my son but this one is a wriggle bum so lots of movement is reassuring.. yet. I still struggle to believe everything will be ok.. next scan is my NHS at 28 weeks. cRP we’re fine with the no cervical.. I only have to keep seeing them Becasue I am still on hydroxy.

@Carlotta27 sorry to hear of your losses. For me we went end of Feb and got the green light in April to try and then we’re lucky and fell on cycle two and am now 24 weeks.
I would say that IVF will only work if there is not an underlying issue.. and for most of us on this group if we had done this before the testing it would likely of failed. @JandL2020 might be able to help more there?

xx

@MeganBistram thank you for the speedy reply! That sounds like a pretty quick turnaround and I’m so pleased you had success so soon after.

It is difficult for me to weigh up whether I’m in the bad luck camp or whether there is a reason behind losses (as two were chemicals and the other later in the first trimester). So I’m weighing up when and what to do! X

@MeganBistram Dr Edge did at 10 weeks so i’m not sure what happened but at the appointment the sex wasn’t in the file. The manager said she would look further and come and see me during intralipids but didn’t return so assume it’a not there. Hopeful Dr Edge can tell from the 14 weeks. Thinking it’s a boy xx

Hey hope you’re all well. I am on cycle 3, hoping it’s third time lucky. I have been tracking ovulation with the sticks. I usually ovulate at day 15 but I’ve peaked at 12 today. Should I start the 10 days of medication now? (Pred and proestrogen)

thank you x