# anyone had steroids while stimulating?



## Jeza (Jan 31, 2008)

Hiya,
I'm about to start my 3rd IVF cycle.  Unfortunatly   I start the drugs on sunday.  It seems like routine now, the same road again...Hopefully 3rd time lucky, as this is the last time with my own eggs.  I have elevated FSH and am only producing minimal follies.  My Dr. has suggested we try stroids this time during stimming.  She says that this used to be routine but there can be side effects, mainly over stimulation (not a prob with me) or problems sleeping, which can be kept at bay by taking tabs in the morning.  I would have thought that would be recommended if sleep deprivation was a problem, but what do I know!  Anyhows, I was wondering if any of you older ladies have had such drugs as these steroids...
Jeza


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## annacameron (Dec 16, 2008)

steroids are normally used to dampen down immune reaction after eT. 

they are typically given at EC and continue on a high dose from then. 

your cons might think you need them earlier to dampen down the immune reaction more, hence her suggestion of starting during stimms. 

when i asked my cons about this about a year ago, he said he wouldn't recommend it (for me) as it negate the stimms and would reduce what i produced follicle wise. however everyone's different....that was UCH's view.


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## annacameron (Dec 16, 2008)

congrats Rose!


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi

I've had 20mg prednisolone through 4 of our 6 treatment cycles. I have raised NK cells as well as several blood clotting disorders, diagnosed following 2 naturally conceived early miscarriages.

My 1st IVF I wasn't on them, just on 40mg clexane & 75mg aspirin - which I've had through all - and then on our 3rd fresh IVF, which was on NHS, the NHS consultant didn't agree with it !!.

The first time I took prednisolone on natural FET which was few months after 1st IVF....and got a chem pg....I then had another natural FET few months later and another chem pg. 

Fresh IVFs I've not faired so well and all have been BFN. With our last IVF I had blasts transferred but again, it was on NHS with the consultant who didn't/doesn't really agree with prednisolone (although same hospital as our private treatment/consultant).....I insisted I wanted to be on it but due to my high risk of OHSS she would only let me start taking it the day after transfer...so that was 6 days after EC and a little part of me still wonders whether we jeopardised the whole treatment cycle and my blastocysts by starting it a week later than I had on previous occasions (usually started on day of EC)....who knows, we certainly never will. 

We're now back to paying privately and with the consultant who is a great believer in immune issues etc which is what he is convinced I have as we get top grade embies, my womb etc is fine after so many hysteroscopies to remove polyps, adhesions etc.

He initially advised that we should have IVIG but as it costs so much we've now decided that I should start the prednisolone when I start stimms. I respond very well (too well sometimes) so he's not overly concerned that it will effect the amount of follies/eggs for me but is hoping that this extra time before EC and ET will help suppress my immune system and encourage embies to implant....we're also going to try for blasts again, assuming we get enough embies but even if not enough from the fresh cycle, we have 6 day 3 frosties which can use too, all in the same treatment.

We're not sure when we're having this next IVF as we need to save a little bit of cash, but should be sometime this year.

Good luck & take care
Natasha  

*Rose*....fantastic news on your BFP !! Interesting what you mention about BP rising when on steriods....luckily I have very low BP so fingers crossed it won't effect me starting the prednisolone earlier....I've not had a problem on previous cycles when I started them later...


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## annacameron (Dec 16, 2008)

Natasha, idea - have you thought of doing pgd on the next cycle? (or maybe you have always had it done?) 

I was just thinking that within this incredibly frustrating world of "unexplained", you would have certainty that you were putting back good embryos and that therefore the issue was more likely than not, immune-related. 

It seems a shame to be going through cycle after cycle without knowing whether the embryos are actually any good. Please don't make the mistake I made of wasting time and money assuming that because I got very high blasts "ratios" out of my eggs collected, (circa 50%) that they were actually decent embryos. I have had imune tested a few more time sand it's not immuens - it's the embryos though it's been hard to accept this and I am still on the constant cycles rollercoaster Im afraid, hoping for a miracle "good one".  Doodler on "multiple cycle" had, I think, 8 blasts at one point in the USA and p.g.d. indicated only one was normal chromosomally. (aged 37/3. It might be worth asking her about some articles she has on chromosomal issues and age. 


Incidentally, the pdg costs around 1500 in the uk so the same order of magnitude as what you are spending on immune therapies....


I found some receipts the other day that sent me spare. 50k I think and that's a conservative estimate. 

i really need to stop working for my consultant children's fees.


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi Anna

I am not classed as "unexplained" and never have been....I have severe endometriosis (for 28 years, diagnosed 21 yrs ago), septate uterus (although had corrective surgery), have had uterine polyps and adhesions removed several times, a fibroid removed......plus have raised NK cells and blood clotting disorders.....so not exactly unexplained ! 

As for PGD, we have discussed this but it's felt that there is no need for us because we get perfect embies & blastocysts & consultant is convinced that if there were issues with the embies then this would've shown up along the way as we've had so many over 4 fresh cycles (around 40+).  Also with PGD the actual process can damage the embryos which is not good and after discussing and reading about it, we wouldn't want to risk it on the off chance we have something wrong with our embies, which according to consultant, is unlikely.  I've been pregnant before (with another partner) with no problems although I didn't continue with the pregnancy when I found out (after several months) and consultant believes this may have been what triggered my immune issues.

I'm really sorry but you are not medically qualified and whilst I do appreciate your comments, our consultant is extremely knowledgable and knows what he's doing...we have great faith in him (we may not be at the "top" clinic ARGC but we are receiving very similar treatment/monitoring/investigations from our clinic/consultant).  You say that my problems are not "immune related" but I have diagnosed immune issues ie raised NK cells plus endo is immune related.  You had your immunes tested and from reading your threads but have you actually had PGD yourself to confirm it's your embryos or are you making the diagnosis yourself ?

Anyway, as I say, I do appreciate your thoughts but after 6 years of ttc and 6 treatment cycles we're not naive to what's out there in terms of investigations and associated treatments which have all been discussed with our consultant.

I wish you luck in your journey.
Take care
Natasha


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## annacameron (Dec 16, 2008)

no i didn't say your probs were not immune related. 

quite the opposite actually. 

I wondered if it would give clarity to you to do pgd, learn the embryos were ok and then KNOW it was immunes that were causing the issue. Currently, without pgd, noone knows what the chromsomonal nature of the embryos is. I always have 100% fertilisation and get 50% blasts but the embryos aren't normal. Hence the failure to implant. 

Doodler ditto, aged 37/38, had 8 blasts tested, supposedly perfect. only one chromosonally ok. 

as an outwardly totally healthy person, with supposedly perfect blasts, it's taken me a while to get my head round the fact that visual observation of embryos means nothing and nor does a high fert rate or good development thereafter, apparently in the world of embryology. 

not fair!

all the best

Annaxx


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## suitcase of dreams (Oct 7, 2007)

In response to the original poster - I am currently on 25mg prednisolone. Started on day 5 at the recommendation of immune consultant (Dr Gorgy). I have high NK cells and have had 3 failed cycles and a miscarriage at 7 weeks....

So far no side effects, am taking it in the morning in case of sleep probs although tbh with all the stress of tx I'm sleeping badly anyway  
Day 6 scan showed 10 follies on each side but prob too early to say then if steroids affect stimms as only started them the day before. Next scan Monday so let's see...

I am also having combination of ivig/intralipids, 40mg clexane and 75mg aspirin. This may well be last go with own eggs, so throwing everything at it

Good luck to all,
Suitcase
x


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## Orange Smartie (Dec 30, 2007)

I had four previous IVF failures and took 25mg pred on my last cycle, which as you can see worked. It was DE though so can't comment on any effect on egg quality/quantity. I am just in the process of weaning off the tablets now. I also used fragmin and have a few days left on that.

I didn't have any side effects such as sleep problems etc, blood pressure was fine too. I found I was very hungry and have put a lot of weight on during the first trimester. Still I don't really care about that as it's a small price to pay for a healthy baby. 

xxx


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