Immune/ NK cells - Pred threat 27

[LaurenAB94]

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@greendress789

My natural killer cell count was : 256.0 which is classed as high
My activation marker was : 1.32 anything > 1 is high.

My NK count was 194, activation marker 1.89 and TNF alpha 35.5. Mr S put me on a complex plan.

I think my nk cell count was around 120, it was normal but my activation was 3.05, Dr S said exceptionally high and despite being on the complex plan with hydroxy, ovulation intralipids and prednisolone I've not conceived in 6 months.

How are you doing @HopingForABlessing, have you retested? I hope the spotting has eased and things are OK xx

Hi, I recently joined this thread. Back to see Dr Shehata for blood tests results and medication prescription next week. I know it will depend on what is found but I wondered roughly what sort of cost it is for treatments and whether it's cheaper to go through the CRP clinic or a different pharmacy to purchase meds? Thank you xx

Hi @Rainbowdreams1983 hope your results appointment goes well. My understanding is if you're having treatment with the clinic, you need to get your meds via them (unless your GP will prescribe any other them - mine won't).
Depending what you are on, intralipids are £350 then the other meds aren't as expensive, about £25-£50. I just tend to hand over my card to be honest so not sure individual item costs xx

@Rainbowdreams1983 welcome! I would say it’s cheaper to go through the clinic for your medication. I had a virtual consultation for my results so they had to send me a prescription for the medications. They charged me £20 per item and another £20 for postage, then I had to pay for the medication on top of that so it was fairly pricey... Best of luck with your results appointment!

@VenusStarr Hey x
I’m still spotting but it’s less frequent and lighter than it was a couple of days ago.
Trying to ignore it. How you doing? Xx

@NessyT91 @VenusStarr
Thank you for the information. That's really useful to know and good that they can send meds in the post as it's a 7.5hour round trip for us. Xx

Hi everyone, currently 4w4d pregnant after 3 miscarriages. Almost no symptoms apart from slightly sore boobs. Have very little faith in it. This time I’m on prednisolone, clexane injections, progesterone, folic, thyroxin and vit d. Just wondering if anyone’s had success on this cocktail and if so what dose of pred you are on? I haven’t been tested for NK cells but have autoimmune thyroid so consultant agreed to let me try pred. I was taking 10mg daily second half of cycle and increased to 20mg since positive test. Everything crossed for all of us strong women! It is very very tough xx

@NImama hi and gentle congratulations. I have a similar situation to you, except I don't have the autoimmune thyroid, so for me it could all be 'luck' but I'll share my experience with you anyway and hopefully it will give you some hope.

I had 3mcs in the space of just over a year. I'm currently on my 4th pregnancy and like you I took 10mg of pred for the second half of my cycle and then upped to 20mg when I got a bfp. I'm also on 2000iu of vit d, and progesterone. I started tapering off the pred at 12/13 weeks and came off completely at 16 weeks. I stopped the progesterone at gone 20 weeks but the consultant said I could have come off at 16 weeks. I'm not on clexane as I know I don't have sticky blood.

I haven't had any of the nk/autoimmune tests (I was about to book when I got pregnant again) but I don't believe that 3 MCs can just be down to bad luck. I'm currently 25 weeks today, and so far so good. Hope everything goes well for you x

@Daffodil21 thank you for your reply and for sharing your story! I am so pleased to hear such positive news! How amazing. It is such a tough journey isn’t it. Analysing the symptoms non stop. Thanks for giving me some hope! I think I just need to try to pass the time and stop over thinking everything. All the very best! Xx

@NImama it really is! It's definitely been a pregnancy full of worry, and I've had far too many scans for peace of mind. Time is starting to go quicker now we're further in. I know I shouldn't wish time away but I just hate not knowing how this is going to turn out!! All the best to you, it's tough but hopefully it will work out x

Hi ladies, just looking for some reassurance... today I noticed my CM is light brown in colour. Has this happened to any of you and did it turn out ok? My tests are nice and dark now but I’m not experiencing too many symptoms. I’ll be 5 weeks tomorrow.

@NessyT91 hey x
Apparently light brown cm is absolutely nothing to worry about. Can be a bit of old blood coming through with CM. I’ve got that too at the moment x

Thanks @HopingForABlessing! Great that your spotting has calmed down. Everything crossed for us both x

Hi everyone, I have been following this thread for a little while and it’s lovely to read everyone’s stories esp those with happy news, and solidarity with those of you still going through this process.
I have just been diagnosed with high NK cells and put on hydroxychloroquine and progesterone. Feels a bit of a relief to have some answers as to the likely causes of my miscarriages but sad to learn that they could in fact have been preventable, but anyway looking to the future now! Does anyone happen to know the main difference/reasons that Pred is prescribed over (or as well as) hydroxy? Fingers crossed for us all x

Hi all, strong cramps over night at about 4 weeks and 5 days so I think I know what’s happening - I’ve been through this before. My question is do I keep taking everything? Pred, clexane and progesterone?

Hello everyone! So pleased to find this thread, but also saddened that so many of you are going through similar things. I've had 5 miscarriages in 3 years now and it's the most heartbreaking experience. Whilst struggling to conceive is also horrible, I've never spoken with anyone who had so many miscarriages so felt well & truly alone.

I've just started the 'complex' plan with Dr Shehata. So I've just started taking Hydroxychloroquine & will have my first infusion next week. Whilst it's a lot (both financially & physically!) I feel in much better hands with the NHS consultant telling me to just keep on trying. I was wondering if anyone else was on a similar plan? I'm getting quite worried about the eye thing with hydroxy but he did say that would only be a risk after a year or so...even so!!

Anyhow...hope you're all doing ok 🌈

Hey ladies. I hope it's okay to join you. I am after some reviews.
I've had 8 early miscarriages and 2 chemicals since 2017. Been to what feels like a million dr's. Recent loss was April after IVF with a pgs normal embryo.

I'm seeing Dr Gorgy next Friday. I have a lot of previous testing and our IVF clinic did the Chicago immunology testing for me in July last year. Will Dr Gorgy want to repeat or just add tests that weren't done?
Also, what is he like?
And has anyone had success with him?
Thanks v much xx

Hey All,

I've not been on the threads for a while. I changed from Dr S to Argc earlier this year after no success with Dr S - I did have 1 pregnancy last May but it ended in mc at 6 weeks. The reason for moving to Argc was to try ivf.

So I've had a bfp following my 1st transfer, clinic done bloods on Weds and confirmed pregnancy and I've also done a frer which showed a dark line - the darkest I've ever had in all the years of ttc.

My hcg on Wednesday was 345 and then on Friday 450 so it's Rosen but not doubled 😬 I had to go back today for bloods and it's gone up slightly to 476 so I was given a intralipid as being tested for immunes. Should I prepare for the worst? This is my 5th pregnancy and no live children and I just feel so devastated :(

@NessyT91 @HopingForABlessing I hope things have calmed down for you both and things are progressing well ❤️

Sorry to hear you're cramping @NImama I'd keep taking the medication. You haven't mentioned any bleeding, so I hope it is not what you think. During my last miscarriage I had a bleed at 6+1 and was on cyclogest but I was advised to keep taking it until I had a scan and even then they advised to continue, even though it wasn't looking hopeful, so I chose to stop then. Sending love, it's such a scary time.

Welcome @Tumby I'm sorry for your losses, but I hope having found an answer, you're on the right path now ❤️

Hi @Louizah I'm on both pred and hydroxychloroquine, I think hydroxy is an immune modulator, like the intralipids, but pred is a suppressant. But I don't know why he uses one over the other (I only had pred added in February, have been on the plan since November, but no luck yet).

Hi @Danni8 I am so sorry for your losses ❤️ it must be really hard with your mist recent tested baby. I hope you're healing OK.
I've not seen Dr Gorgy, but I have heard good things about him. I think his approach is different to Dr Shehata (I'm under him).

Oh @Mini82 that is so worrying, I can imagine your thoughts are all over the place ❤️ I hope that this is your rainbow. I think the extra monitoring with bloods etc can cause more anxiety but I understand why they check. I hope that this pregnancy continues to develop. Sending you a big hug ❤️

@Badlydrawngirly how are you?

No news from me yet, just waiting for af to arrive and then we can start our ivf round. My meds came yesterday. Its quite overwhelming with all the medications I'll be on and I'll need to go down to Epsom at some point in the next couple of weeks for intralipids before egg collection.

I hope everyone is well xx

@VenusStarr Thank you my lovely, we've spoken a few times on other threads...I actually can't believe a couple years on and we are still going through this 😑 Who are you having your ivf with?
It is overwhelming especially when you're no good with needles like me but you kind of just get on with it and it goes really fast. Will this be your first round? Xx

I know @Mini82, it's almost like everything that's happened is like watching someone else's life 😔
Yes, my first round, we've luckily got one nhs round, which is with Create. My amh is quite low, so I'm hopeful that we're in good hands with them. Dr S has given us an ivf plan, but my ivf doctor has told me to take a lower dose of prednisolone from stims rather than egg collection then I'll up it to 25mg. I did superovulation a couple of cycles ago, so have injected myself once, but with a fridge full of vials, it's a bit different to a one off! I'll be on clexane too. I sent a picture to my sister and she said how long will you be taking all that? I replied this will last a couple of weeks! Crazy.

Are you back at your clinic again this weekend? Xx

@VenusStarr I was with Create for my first round as it was nhs funded and they were fab! I decided not to have the transfer as it was January when covid was peaking again and as I had mild OHSS I didn't want to end up in hospital with it. So froze my 1 embryo - was a little disappointed with only 1 as had 14 eggs retrieved and 11 fertiiised. The one I have is top grade blastocyst so I should be grateful.
For my 2nd round at Argc I've ended up with 6 blastocysts all top/very good grades. I would recommend drinking a protein shake everyday as Argc really focus on protein during stims/collection/transfer plus it stops OHSS. Also take a good dose of Vit C, Vit E and Vit D which your probably on.
My belly is bloated and black and blue right now from the clexane and progesterone jabs! 😬
Good luck I really hope things work well for you xx

@VenusStarr I go back to clinic on Monday for another blood test and that will be the decider I guess. Its hard to be positive as I kind of know where this is heading but still holding on to hope x