early pregnancy on Mr Shehata's plan - VERY NERVOUS

[mattsmama]

Morning peeps.

I have had 2 prev m/c at 12 weeks and I have one gorgeous DS. Mr Shehata has diagnosed me with high killer cells and high thyroid antibodies. I have just started his programme which involves steroids and now have got that positive pregnancy test on the first time of trying under his plan. I am so nervous it is untrue. I am frightened of getting too excited (although I can't help be a bit excited) but the past nightmares I have been through have left their marks if you know what I mean. Is anyone else in a similar position? Until that first scan I will be living on my nerves - trying very had to chillax but it's not easy! Constantly knicker checking - sorry tmi!

Congratulations! I work in private medicine and have quite a few of my fertility patients under Mr Shehata. He is certainly controversial in some medical circles but his patients cannot speak highly enough of him.
Best of luck to you.

molybdenum

Thank you! I certainly only have good things to say about Mr Shehata and thank goodness there are people like him who push the boundaries of medicine. Still nervous as ever though!

Hi Mattsmama, congratulations on the BFP! If you want some company with other ladies that are in early pregnancy after a MC, pop over to the freakout room on the conception boards - you will definitely find some sympathetic ears to compulsive knicker checking and general mentalling!

pink thank you! I will certainly pop over to that thread - thanks again

I'm now 10 weeks pg, and like you, am under Dr.Shehata's care, having been diagnosed with high NK cells - my thyroids alright though.

We also got pg the first month of trying, which really surprised us. It's been a long 6 weeks, but I've tried to remain calm (not always succeeding!), and the ladies on the recurrent mc thread have been a great support, although I've been hiding away recently, as a way of coping too.

The medication hasn't been too bad either - although I have put on about a stone, so weight gain is probably the worst of it. I'm now weaning of the steroids, so I'm hoping I won't gain so much weight, so quickly now.

After 4 mc's, I finally feel that I may have a real chance of getting our second child. Just take it easy, look after yourself, and remember that you are doing everything you can to stay pg. Good luck, and if you ever want to send me a message with any questions, I'd be more than happy to help.

ARGC and Amin Gorgy use a similar regimen, to great effect. On fertilityfriends.co.uk there are lots of people who have used this immunomodulating method although shehata himself asked for his name to be removed from the entire site so searching isn't easy. V good luck. It worked for me, I have 3 boys now!

lovemysleep Hi - I'm so glad to hear from you - I caught up with you on another thread about 14 days ago now when I was just starting to take the steroids if you remember. I was wondering how you are.

Thank you for getting in touch. I am sure over the next week or so I will have a lot of questions. I've noticed my appetite increasing a bit but that is the only effect so far. I'm not exactly slim to start with so better watch that side of things! . One thing I was wondering - what was your GP's reaction when you told him about the steroids and Mr Shehata's plan and has Mr Shehata written to your GP at all to put him in the picture so to speak or does he not bother doing that. I'm hoping to get to see my GP today if poss and I am expecting a negative reaction. We'll see . Also are you taking Cycylogest? Sorry so many questions. My mind is buzzing!

Hi - thought I'd replied to one of yours before, but didn't trust my pg brain!

My GP doesn't know about seeing Dr.Shehata, as I haven't been to him yet - they refer you straight to the midwife at my GP's. I have had lots of interest from the local EPU and the midwife though. I will be going to the GP soon, as I need another prescription for cyclogest, and Dr.Shehata said that I could get my GP to prescribe it - it will save us a bit of money. I am worried he will be resistant, but I know that the local EPU were going to prescribe it for me anyhow, so I'll fight my corner if necessary - which it probably won't be!

In terms of getting a negative reaction, just tell your GP that the Dr who pioneered this treatment in the USA had an 85% success rate with over 7000 patients that he treated - all of them like you or me, with no reasons given elsewhere for all the mc's that we've had. I'd day that this is pretty impressive results, and you know what , this is the furthest I've got in a pg since having my DD, so it must work!

Yes, I am taking cyclogest - my only advice to you is to make sure you stock up on pantyliners as otherwise all your knickers will get greasy stains on them - TMI, I know, but all of mine are getting trashed! I haven't noticed any side effects with them.

I am suffering with bloating,so I look WAY more pg than I am - again, this is just a side effect of the steroids. You wake up in the morning with a normal tummy, and it just swells throughout the day. But, I have to be honest, the side effects are really not that much to worry about, and I've found it much easier than I thought. I intend to get moving more now, and hopefully slow the weight gain down.

Really wishing you all the luck in the world - I've managed to get past my danger point, and I feel really happy now - this could be you in about 6 weeks!!!

Any other questions, I'll keep popping on to check - take care xx

Just a quickie but I thought I'd share some cyclogest love-I couldn't put them in my fanjo as found they stung loads and gave me cystitis, so dr told me I should use them as suppositories instead. I know it is grim but actually nowhere near as bad as you might think it would be, and no discharge or other problems.... I don't know whether they absorb as well there as they do in your fanjo though.

lovemysleep thank you for that - it's really helpful. Got appt with GP on Weds afternoon so I'll be armed and ready ! I'm so pleased you are feeling more relaxed - it must be a good feeling reaching that milestone. Re the cyclogest - think I will be following in pinkfondantfancy's footsteps and using the other entrance. The things we have to do!! Don't know why - I just struggled the other way - sorry too much info!!

pink thank you for that info - actually did use the back route last night and found it much easier for some reason. Checked if it makes any difference and apparently none at all. PS that word fanjo just makes me laugh so much love it!

Thanks for all the info girls. really appreciate it xx

lovemysleep just to let you know - I have my next appointment booked with Mr Shehata and that all important scan which I am EXTREMELY nervous about on 30th March! Don't know how I will be on that appt I have had such nightmare experiences on that front in the past. It's a long journey for us to London and I can't help but not build my hopes up too much but then I am trying to be positive too - if you know what I mean?!

I saw my GP and he was BRILLIANT - couldn't believe it - nearly fell off my chair when I told him about Mr Shehata and his plan etc - he said thats great we have a treatment plan and I'll help you as best I can! Totally not what I was expecting - just goes to show doesn't it?

Any sorry this post is me, me, me - I hope you are well and remaining calm and positive

Hi mattsmama,
Congrats!! Just to say that I had success with this treatment after 7 years of trying for a child. I was under Dr Gorgy, not Shehata, but same treatment. I had clexane, steroids, Ivig transfusions and cyclogest (for the first 16 weeks) and the results (I had twin boys) are now sleeping upstairs (18 months old!!)

All the very best of luck xxx

Hello - my story is a bit different, but in a nutshell - four years with my boyfriend, NTNP and nothing happened.

I was diagnosed with a kidney disease last May that needed treating with steroids (prednisolone) - 60mg a day to start. Six weeks later, by mid-July I was pregnant, and I'm 37 weeks today.

I'll never know for sure, but I'm utterly convinced that it was the steroids that did it, and that I too, may have high NKC. It's just a theory, in my case.

I'm still taking the steroids (10mg a day), not to help the pregnancy, rather to ensure that I don't relapse with my kidney disease. I'll come off them, slowly, after our baby's born.

Keep thinking positive and best of luck.

barmbrack and rubybambini Thank you so much for that - it really does make such a difference reading positive and lovely news!

Thanks x

I realise this is a three month old thread (poetic that the last post is actually on the day I started miscarrying) but I am about to start treatment with Mr Shehata and I was wondering how all you ladies (if anyone checks!) are getting on? I do hope it's all going well for you. How were the steroids? Any advice for those of us starting them?

I recognise the odd name from other boards so hello if we have chatted before!

Hey freelance. As far as I know mattsmama and lovemysleep are doing well-they're still on the 'freak out room for the newly updiffed after MC' thread over on the conception boards. Maybe worth private messaging them in case they don't see this?

Im not on steroids so I can't help, sorry.

My treatment is over (I was at ARGC) And I miss my steroids terribly! Loved em, felt brill on them but was v hungry! Very best of luck!

Missing your steroids...? Am looking forward to them already...No serious side effects then? Am not looking forward to the weight gain potential - am already 10lbs heavier after mc and finding it hard to lose. Am hoping I will get pregnant and get a nice dose of morning sickness Congratulations on your 3 boys, how lovely and what a great success story.

Thanks Pink I think it is mattsmama that I have 'spoken' to before on the freak out thread but it was a long time ago. Took me ages to get an appointment with Mr S, eventually I went private, so I have been in a bit of a limbo with not much to add to that board. But soon will be starting treatment. I will drop in again if they don't turn up here.

I was hungrier, but I seemed to taste and appreciate food more. My joints felt great, I had loads of energy and my skin was fab! I have a history of auto immune illness and the steroids damped that down. I was on 1mg dexamethasone, and felt belting!

Sounds fascinating! Is there nothing they can give you to ease symptoms in daily life or are you ok now? I guess there is a time limit to taking steroids.

My autoimmune disease is hashimotos so it (now I take thyroxine) doesn't cause me a lot of day to day pain or discomfort. I was sitting up until 2am reading Dr Beer's book (some light bedtime reading...) and I find the whole autoimmune thing fascinating. A bit bloody irritating that the body feels it wants to kill of its own offspring but interesting nonetheless.

Dr Beer's book is amazing, isn't it? I used to obsess over my NK results and study them in the book each time! Did you self refer to Shehata? I wish all this was on the NHS - we spent a FORTUNE! worth it though!

hi Freelance - wondered why this thread had popped up!

Well, I'm now 23 weeks pg, and feeling great - I have nothing but praise for Dr.S - he has restored my faith in being pg!

Steroids were fine - just raging hunger, so I put weight on, that has levelled off now - I'm about 1.5 stone heavier that pre-pregnancy, and probably put around a stone on in the first trimester. All the treatment was surprisingly simple and easy - even the Intralipid infusions. The hardest part was traipsing down to London!

Our 20 week scan showed that the baby is fine too - was worried about the possibility of cleft palette, but Dr.S always said that he'd never seen it in any of his patients, and he's treated alot of women.

I am positively evangelical about him and his treatment - it makes me really cross that this isn't readily available on the NHS, as it's cheap to treat and it has been around for years now, so has been proven to be safe. I think the NHS attitude to mc is very much "it's natures way", and it evidently isn't for many women.

Good luck - fingers crossed for you xx

Hi LMSleep, yeah it was me randomly googling his name late last night and finding this thread! That is brilliant that you are pregnant and your pregnancy is progressing well. Are you beginning to relax into it yet? Do you have other children? I think I have seen you on the freak out boards but like I said I have no place on them yet...

I too can see myself getting really evangelical about his treatment. I am in fact, on another thread, discussing researching something about it as my work as a journo (am usually on the fluffier side of things) as I really want to draw attention to both the issue of miscarriage and also this treatment. And the not-brilliant treatment experienced by a lot of people on the NHS.

I think about 1.5 stone heavier than pre-pregnancy actually sounds about right anyway, so I am guessing what happened is that you put it on quite quickly when starving on steroids and then it levelled out to normal level. So the only uncomfortable bit is that bit when no-one knows you are pregnant and you worry about people thinking you are just fat! A small price to pay I guess. I felt like that in my last pregnancy (mc - I have no kids yet) anyway.

Am really looking forward to starting treatment. Damn - can't believe I still have the obstacle of actually GETTING pregnant again first :)

Freelancegirl, can I have a look at the other thread? I too am evangelical about approaching fertiliy issues in this way! I take it you've read the Alan Beer book too?

Holly come and join us over here if you fancy: pregnancy post MC - it's like the 'grads' thread from the freak-out room, people generally migrate over at some point after their 12 week scan. I was also at the ARGC - they are amazing!