Di,
You said that you also lost your baby at 10 wks and that you then went on to have tests and treatment that involved steriods.
Could you let me know exactly what tests you had and what your treatment involved please?
I have a consultation booked for Feb and I really want to push them to give me all the tests available rather than risk going through a 3rd miscarriage. I think that last time because they found a chromosome problem on the first test they carried out they didn't bother with all the other tests available and that if they had we could have possibly avoided this.
I would also be interested to know how many cycles you went through following your miscarriage before you became pregnant again.
Many Thanks and I wish you all the very best with your pregnancy.
Love Rach XX
Message for Di -Can you help please?
Hi RACH,
Sorry its taken me ages to reply but I'm now back at work fulltime and totally exhausted! So needless to say I've not had much energy or inclination to switch on the PC!
Sorry to hear about your 2 m/c. I was really bad after one so I don't know how I'd have been if I'd gone through another. Hope you are doing ok.
My brief history is tubal surgery 1997 then x2 IVF, X5 ICSI - all failed. Then on 6 th attempt - pg but at 10 wk scan no heartbeat so had D&C.
Then had x2 ICSI and x1 fet - failed. So just before we gave up althogether got a referreal to The Park in Notts. Here we had all bloods rechecked - ie full blood count and U's & E's, 3d scan to check blood flow to uterus, endometrial biopsy (in my lunch hour -not advisable!!!) plus blood tests for antophospholipid antibodies, Natural killer cells, thyroid function and chromosomes.
The tests showed poor endometrial blood flow, raised natural killer cells and borderline antiphospholipid antibodies.
So for tmt as well as all the usual drugs I had viagra pre e/c, steroids up til week 13, heparin injections daily (still on these) and IV immunoglobulin ( 1st just before e/c, then just after + pg test, and now only if NK cells are above 15 - have monthly blood test sent to Chicago for this!) I think that's all!
Any more info you require just let me know!
Good Luck with your app't in Feb,
Di
Sorry its taken me ages to reply but I'm now back at work fulltime and totally exhausted! So needless to say I've not had much energy or inclination to switch on the PC!
Sorry to hear about your 2 m/c. I was really bad after one so I don't know how I'd have been if I'd gone through another. Hope you are doing ok.
My brief history is tubal surgery 1997 then x2 IVF, X5 ICSI - all failed. Then on 6 th attempt - pg but at 10 wk scan no heartbeat so had D&C.
Then had x2 ICSI and x1 fet - failed. So just before we gave up althogether got a referreal to The Park in Notts. Here we had all bloods rechecked - ie full blood count and U's & E's, 3d scan to check blood flow to uterus, endometrial biopsy (in my lunch hour -not advisable!!!) plus blood tests for antophospholipid antibodies, Natural killer cells, thyroid function and chromosomes.
The tests showed poor endometrial blood flow, raised natural killer cells and borderline antiphospholipid antibodies.
So for tmt as well as all the usual drugs I had viagra pre e/c, steroids up til week 13, heparin injections daily (still on these) and IV immunoglobulin ( 1st just before e/c, then just after + pg test, and now only if NK cells are above 15 - have monthly blood test sent to Chicago for this!) I think that's all!
Any more info you require just let me know!
Good Luck with your app't in Feb,
Di
Hi Di,
Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it. I can understand that you must be really tired as you are working FT again.
I do have some questions:
what are U's & E's?
what exacty is an endo biopsy?
how did a scan help them to check your blood flow?
was the chromosome test the one where they check both you and your partners blood?
I hope you don't mind me asking all these questions but I just want to be as prepared as possible for our consultation. Not sure if we can take the risk of a 3rd m/c but not sure ready to give up either!
We have also had bits sent off to chicago before and the immune tests that they have run will go to Dr Beer, sounds as though our clinic in London are probably working with the same people as The Park.
On my last cycle I had all the medication that you recieved except the IV before pregnancy and the steriods. Can you tell me how often you injected the steriods for and for how long? I expect there were side effects?!
Thanks ever so much! Love Rach X
Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it. I can understand that you must be really tired as you are working FT again.
I do have some questions:
what are U's & E's?
what exacty is an endo biopsy?
how did a scan help them to check your blood flow?
was the chromosome test the one where they check both you and your partners blood?
I hope you don't mind me asking all these questions but I just want to be as prepared as possible for our consultation. Not sure if we can take the risk of a 3rd m/c but not sure ready to give up either!
We have also had bits sent off to chicago before and the immune tests that they have run will go to Dr Beer, sounds as though our clinic in London are probably working with the same people as The Park.
On my last cycle I had all the medication that you recieved except the IV before pregnancy and the steriods. Can you tell me how often you injected the steriods for and for how long? I expect there were side effects?!
Thanks ever so much! Love Rach X
Dear Rachel,
Sorry to butt in on your thread. I had steroid treatment (prednisolone 25mg daily) for 'active' NK cells on my last (4th) ICSI cycle and achieved a positive pregnancy. I was at the Lister Hospital for this. My NK cells were normal (i.e. in terms of levels) but found to be active.
I have a friend who has had a few M/C and she also had active NK cells. She took steroids for the first 16 weeks and gave birth a few months ago.
I have heard lots of people talk about Dr Beer's treatment on the this website and I know that the doctors at The Park, Nottingham and The Lister Hospital, London believe that there's something to these NK cells.
It may be worth talking to someone at the Lister as well before deciding where to go for treatment.
All the best,
Alison
Sorry to butt in on your thread. I had steroid treatment (prednisolone 25mg daily) for 'active' NK cells on my last (4th) ICSI cycle and achieved a positive pregnancy. I was at the Lister Hospital for this. My NK cells were normal (i.e. in terms of levels) but found to be active.
I have a friend who has had a few M/C and she also had active NK cells. She took steroids for the first 16 weeks and gave birth a few months ago.
I have heard lots of people talk about Dr Beer's treatment on the this website and I know that the doctors at The Park, Nottingham and The Lister Hospital, London believe that there's something to these NK cells.
It may be worth talking to someone at the Lister as well before deciding where to go for treatment.
All the best,
Alison
Hi RACH,
of course I don't mind you asking me questions - if my experience can help others then all the better.
U's &E's are urea and electrolyes and check your calcium, urea, chloride, potassium, sodium to name a few! GP can do this.
An endo biopsy is where they take a piece of the lining of your uterus for analyis. The 3d scan showed the arterial blood flow to the uterus, the movement of the uterus (supposed to do something like a Mexican wave), thickness of the endometrium and to check for cysts etc. You get a score 20 let gives an idea of how the uterus is functioning!
The chromosome tests were done on me and DH - it showed we shared a chromosome!!! Unusual apparently!
The steriods I took were oral - initailly 10mgs daily then 20mgs post e/t. This I stayed on until 13 weeks.
Wishing you all the best for your consultation.
Alison - good to hear your experience of steroids. How are you keeping? Well I hope.
Di
of course I don't mind you asking me questions - if my experience can help others then all the better.
U's &E's are urea and electrolyes and check your calcium, urea, chloride, potassium, sodium to name a few! GP can do this.
An endo biopsy is where they take a piece of the lining of your uterus for analyis. The 3d scan showed the arterial blood flow to the uterus, the movement of the uterus (supposed to do something like a Mexican wave), thickness of the endometrium and to check for cysts etc. You get a score 20 let gives an idea of how the uterus is functioning!
The chromosome tests were done on me and DH - it showed we shared a chromosome!!! Unusual apparently!
The steriods I took were oral - initailly 10mgs daily then 20mgs post e/t. This I stayed on until 13 weeks.
Wishing you all the best for your consultation.
Alison - good to hear your experience of steroids. How are you keeping? Well I hope.
Di
Thanks both of you, I appreciate the info.
I actually think that I may have had the steriods that you mention. I took dexamethasone, which is a tablet.
When you said steriods, I had thought that you may be injecting them as there is a steriod that you can inject for a number of weeks prior to doing a cycle. It is supposed to help with killer cells and immune problems.
If I think of any other questions I may come back to you again but in the meantime, all the best and thanks!
Love Rach X
I actually think that I may have had the steriods that you mention. I took dexamethasone, which is a tablet.
When you said steriods, I had thought that you may be injecting them as there is a steriod that you can inject for a number of weeks prior to doing a cycle. It is supposed to help with killer cells and immune problems.
If I think of any other questions I may come back to you again but in the meantime, all the best and thanks!
Love Rach X