The steroid junkies' perfectly unscientific medical trial

[filipenko32]

Good news bumpblue!

 

[petitpas]

Great news all round then!

Amber, I was told I could try for six cycles on 25mg. This was only from ovulation, though, so in case of a negative I would only take the pills for ten days each cycle.

 

[Amber3]

Petitpas

Thank you so much, that is good to know. I take it from cd 10 so also not constantly and only 5 mg. I just mailed with my irish doctor and he said I could try it a few more months because of its positive effects So I am content with that. He thought that maybe my spotting was due to adrenal fatique and prednisolon also is a good medicine for that.

Has any of you heard of Adrenal fatique in connection with infertility and prednisolon use???

Thanks again,
Amber

 

[petitpas]

Nope, sorry, not heard of it
Can you remind me whether you are on progesterone, too? Although I've probably asked you that before as that always comes first to my mind when I hear spotting.
Also, have you ever tried soy to help your ovulation? It wasn't for me but a lot of ladies have had success with it.

 

[Tasha]

I just read the whole thread, it has given me lots of hope and also lots of giggles. Lots of you were really hungry for a while there

For those of you that dont know me this is my history (feel free to skip )

Spoiler

Pregnancy number one: Problem free pregnancy until thiry-odd weeks, when pre-eclampsia developed. Healthy baby delivered at 36 weeks.

Pregnancy number two: pre-eclampsia started at twenty-four weeks, put on beta blockers which controlled it. Healthy baby delivered at 37 weeks.

Pregnancy three: Early onset IUGR suspect at 24 weeks. Waters broke at 28+6. Failed induction due to infection at 29+2. Honey was stillborn at 36+6 due to eight weeks of no waters compromising her placenta,it was 50% too small, 50% clots and a 10% abruption.

Pregnancy four: Factor V Leiden is discovered. Put on 75mg aspirin and 40mg clexane. Pre-eclampsia developed at 32 weeks. Delivered at 39 weeks. Baby in distress. Emergency c-section. Placenta was not in a good state.

Pregnancy five to ten: early miscarriages no medication

Pregnancy eleven: Aspirin, clexane and progesterone, early miscarriage.

Pregnancy twelve: Aspirin, clexane and progesterone under Professor Brosens at the RMU Queen Charlotte's. Graduate from RMU and am cared for by the prematurity clinic (due to waters breaking at 28 weeks) and obstetric medicine. Obstetric medicine take me off all meds at 16 weeks claiming there is new research showing there is no need. By 20 weeks baby is under the 3rd centile, no one seems bothered (except me ), private scan twelve days later shows baby is on the first centile and there is brain sparing, no one really cares. Riley Rae was stillborn at 24+3 weighing a really tiny 340 grams. Placenta was 60% clots and a 10% abruption. Severe early onset of IUGR.

Pregnancy thirteen: June 2011 early miscarriage no meds

Pregnancy fourteen: 150mg aspirin and 40 clexane early miscarriage 2nd December 2011

Pregnancy fifthteen: 150mg aspirin and 40 clexane early twin miscarriage 28th Jan 2012

Pregnancy sixteen: 150 mg aspirin and 50 clexane early miscarriage 13th May 2012

So I emailed Professor Brosens this week and he and Professor Q want to see me up at Coventry for the biopsy. I really want this to be my answer. Feeling less stressed about the procedure now I know what to expect from some of you girls but still have a while to wait as need to have AF and then ovulate, then they will do the biopsy

 

[lexi374]

Good luck tasha i hope they have the answer for you! xxx

 

[petitpas]

Tasha, you truly deserve a happy ending

Keep us updated and I will put you in the first post once we know what the plan is

 

[Amber3]

I am on progesterone (Cyclogest 400 mg) from 3 days after ovulation and then for ten days. After being on it one or two days it usually would stop the mid-cycle spotting too and as long as I am on it the spotting does not return. So I definately need cyclogest. As for ovulation I do ovulate on my own but anyway I am taking Femara (just a low dose). So all in all my cycle looks good and with these medicines my hormones look optimal. But still no pregnancy... so that is why I am now trying steroids. I have endometriosis. I also read about Maxi-flavone which sounds interesting. So my plan is two more months of prednisolone. And then I will go back to propolis and maybe try maxi-flavone. And maybe I will have surgery.
But we will see, hopefully prednisolon will still do the trick, right.
Best wishes,
A

 

[petitpas]

Amber, you really are working out the details
I'm glad you are on the femara as I was wondering about your ovulation. I read that the lack of progesterone in the luteal phase can be a symptom of a weak ovulation (the follicle doesn't grow right or pop right in order to release enough progesterone). By helping out your ovulation AND taking progesterone you will hopefully be fixing that issue

 

[Bumpblues82]

She is just throwing it all in just incase lol is the heparin injected? And Ill be on progesterone till I'm 18 weeks and she will budge my nk test forward if I fall preg this month she said basically to go home and start trying ASAP I finally feel like I have some answers lol after yous had yours was the perfiod after shorter or lighter? My first one last month was first after mc and was really heavy n sore but this month hardly Ny pain and alot lighter and shorter I just can't wait till it's completely gone so I can start opk tests and get trying lol I fall preg really easy so I hope I get preg this month! X oh and sorry I hvant been on I've been sitting my exams at uni so been super busy x

 

[petitpas]

Ooh bump, good luck with your exams!

Yes, the heparin is injected. It is scary at first but try not to let anyone else do it, you have much more control if you do it yourself. The liquid can sting if you push the plunger in too quickly so I hate letting others do it.
Let me know if you have any questions about the technique. Done properly it shouldn't hurt and within a week you'll be a pro not worrying about it at all.
I'm not kidding, I used to be a true needle phobe and the butt of many a joke because of it.

 

[Bumpblues82]

im not worried about the needles they dont bother me its the fact i actually hae to do it to myself lol
can anyone remember what prof Q said about the biopsy being good for trying again im sure she said that it was good to get preg the first month after but couldnt remember why lol??

 

[Tasha]

I know when Professor B was asking me to do a biopsy at Queen Charlotte's (this was for different research though) he told me that the chances of a succesful pregnancy in the first cycle after the biopsy were really high

 

[petitpas]

Bumpy, trust me, you will want to do these yourself. If you inject too fast it can have a nasty aftersting I also test the area first and go for a nice numb spot

 

[lexi374]

She said something like its known as scratch therapy and may increase your chances. I think my next period after was normal.

 

[Bumpblues82]

Ok cool ty x

 

[Bumpblues82]

well prof Q said that im really fertile anyway lol as i get preg really quickly like 1-2 months of trying each time.. so i have everything crossed that i get prg this month im soo excited lol how long did it take u all to get preg after and knowing u had some sort of help did it help ease the nervs of early preg?

 

[petitpas]

Bump, I have to admit that I stuck my head in the sand for the first few weeks of my pregnancy. I still came on here, chatted to everyone but only talked about MY pregnancy on scan days. I never even told anyone when a scan was coming up as I couldn't bear all the well-wishes, especially the 'I'm sure you'll be ok' ones.
During my critical week I locked myself away from the world (I was planning on taking a week off work but ended up being made redundant). I only calmed down a bit when I passed the 9 week mark and ducky was still alive but I didn't announce any scans until well into third tri. It did help, though, that I was on a new treatment plan! As the weeks went by and I realised I wasn't having a chemical, I had a heartbeat and was not experiencing an early (chromosomal?) loss I put more and more of my trust in my doctor and the steroids. DH was so confident the steroids would work, he was my rock.

This was my way of coping but everyone has their own. I think a lot of people prefer the encouragement and support in the run-up to a scan, for me it felt like pressure to perform.

However you decide to run things, I hope you take solace in the fact that the steroids do seem to make a difference where nothing else did before! There are many many miracle steroid babies out there...

 

[Bumpblues82]

thanks hun i think when the time comes ill just see how i feel... my hubby wasnt at the appointment as he had to work and doesnt really get the vibe thhat i got from dr q as i felt se reassured and positive afterwards i grinned all the way home!! lets hope baby making works this month and i get my sticky raibow xx

 

[jackie132]

Hi,

I have posted before about my story.

Numerous losses 4-5 weeks, then no pregnancy for a year, followed by ivf and finding my husbands sperm was malformed and low. I also have thyroid problems. Now had ivf ( donor sperm) and Immune treatment - steroids, clexane, intralipids and high dose folic acid.

I'm now 20 weeks pregnant and i have managed to get rid of the steroids, but I am wondering if I should continue with the intralipids. It's 200 pounds each time, and a small price to pay for our baby. Could you please give opinions on the use of intralipids in the second trimester? Thank you,


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