Did you wean off of prednisolone and other medications or just stop?

[mushy19]

Hey guys

I’m pleased to say tomorrow we would have finally made it 12weeks🤭😊🥳 No scan until 13weeks so I’m still not getting excited just yet.

Anyone else got to this stage and sick to death of taking medications....😭 i no longer recognise myself in the mirror, my face has blown up, my usual size 8 body is now a full size 12....

I know this is all apart of the process so I’m not complaining really.... im just fed up of injecting myself... 💉poping pills 💊 and finding it so difficult to continue with this secret as I do look very pregnant.

My last conversation with my consultant he said... continue until 12 weeks... I told him my scan is not until 13 weeks... he said continue until them. And that was that....

Just wondering how anyone taking steroids ‘25mg prednisolone’ came off of them.

Did you wean? Or just stop?

I have always thought it to be dangerous to just stop a medication my body has depended on.

Sooooo I am Thinking to drop 5mg every other day which would take me down to 5mg on the actual scan day.... as I don’t want to be on them in my 14th week 😩😬

Also Did you just stop taking progesterone injections or drop dosage over time before finally stopping?

I am still injecting two vials per day.

I Haven’t spoken to my clinic since they messed up with the letter they wrote breaching another patients confidentiality... and I guess they were glad to see the back of me lol....

I probably should just call to ask to be sure but just wanted to know what you ladies done...

Thnx in advance...

Fingers crossed I’ll have some good news to share next week following my scan x

[lc3055]

I’m not sure about your medication but I was on progesterone pesseries and they said to wean off from about 11 weeks but I stopped around 9 and a half. I just halved the dose for a few days and then stopped completely. Our scan isn’t until over 13 weeks either but we had a private one at 10.5 weeks so we could tell a couple of people. Hope all goes well at your scan xxxx

[mushy19 in reply to lc3055]

Aw thnx for your reply lc3055 I think I may do the same with the progesterone...

I’m bursting to share the as I’m sure some may have guessed.. we told our closest family (mum, dad, siblings) and best friend after our viability scan 8+2wks.

Wishing you all the best for your scan also

Xx

[Jebby86]

Hi,

I’m no expert and you probably should check, but I’m pretty sure that you should wean yourself off the prednisolone and not just stop cold turkey.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck with your scan xx

[GPmum in reply to Jebby86]

I was wondering to ask you ladies who have prednisone or prednisolone why it's included in your protocol?

I must admit I'm now pushing to have low dose of it cos I have hashimoto's disease n I wonder my immune system needs to be lowered down so that my antibodies won't attack my embryos as I had 2x implantation failures

[mushy19 in reply to GPmum]

Hi GPmum

Following a MC at 6.5weeks I was sent for NK cell testing, results showed my NK cells were elevated and prescribed prednisolone for my next transfer along with an intralipid infusion.

This treatment has seemed to have worked for me as I’ve made it to 12weeks😅

Good luck with your treatment, fingers crossed prednisolone helps your embryos stick next round x

[Blue2816 in reply to mushy19]

Big congratulations hun! I’m about to ask a very similar question to ur thread. I’ve finally had my first positive cycle and so so happy/ shocked/ anxious to receive my first ever BFP after years of infertility. I’m only 4 weeks however I am on quite a lot of meds and was told 13 weeks also.

Also Intralipids as I also have NK CELLS. can I ask what dose of intralipd u had and how many?

Big congrats again c

[mushy19 in reply to Jebby86]

Thankyou... I definitely will be weaning myself off. x

[Libsie3103]

Hi, you definitely need to wean yourself off them. In my protocol letter it said what to do after a BFP or a BFN and how much to reduce them by. I’ll try to remember to look tomorrow and let you know. Good luck for your scan xx

[GPmum in reply to Libsie3103]

I was wondering to ask you ladies who have prednisone or prednisolone why it's included in your protocol?

I must admit I'm now pushing to have low dose of it cos I have hashimoto's disease n I wonder my immune system needs to be lowered down so that my antibodies won't attack my embryos as I had 2x implantation failures

[Libsie3103 in reply to GPmum]

Hi, I was going to have the test for NK Cells but my Consultant suggested we try the steroids first. He said if the test was positive they'd prescribe steroids so it made sense to try them as they're not harmful to me or the embryos. Hope that helps? x

[Switsof in reply to Libsie3103]

How much dose n how long before n after FET did u take it?

[Libsie3103 in reply to Switsof]

I started it on Day 6 of my cycle and have to continue until I know whether it's positive or negative...

[GPmum in reply to Libsie3103]

for what dose by any chance? so you can take steroids even though it's not yet confirmed if you have high NK cells or not cos the steroids are deemed safe for you and your embryo right?

[Libsie3103 in reply to GPmum]

10mg a day. And yes I was assured it was totally safe for me and the embryos even if it turned out I didn’t need it. It’s precautionary! xx

[mushy19 in reply to Switsof]

I have been on 25 mg since 3/4days before FET can’t remember exactly...

[mushy19 in reply to Libsie3103]

You saved yourself a £££’s tbh as the tests can be quite expensive and steroids is what was prescribed for me once mine was found to be elevated x

[Libsie3103 in reply to mushy19]

I know but it was more the time I was worried about (don’t get me wrong we’ve not got endless cash!!) I think it was about 8 weeks to get the tests / results and I’m 43 in March and didn’t want to “waste” 2 cycles waiting if I could avoid it xx

[mushy19 in reply to Libsie3103]

Ahhh Yes that makes sense... x

[EBeee in reply to Libsie3103]

What are NK cells?

[mushy19 in reply to EBeee]

Natural killer cells

[EBeee in reply to mushy19]

Like chlamydia?

[mushy19 in reply to EBeee]

No... nk cells are not a infection. nk cells are actual cells in your blood which can become un balanced basically

[EBeee in reply to mushy19]

Thanks for explaining for me. I’ve never heard of those

[EBeee in reply to EBeee]

So out of curiosity, how does a person know if that’s a problem? Is there a blood test?

[mushy19 in reply to EBeee]

Yes there is a blood test (£180)

Not every hospital does this specific test.

I was referred to the department that specialises in this by my consultant.

[EBeee in reply to mushy19]

Thank you x

[SissiAnn]

Congratulations 😊

To be sure you should call to your clinic as each one working in different way.

For example my protocol said:

Prednisolone 5mg - 2 pills orally, once every morning

- until the completed 12th gestational week. (12 weeks and 6 days )

- to stop you need to completed gradually as below:

2 pills / day for 4 days

1 pill/ day for 4 days

1/2 pill/ day for 4 days

then stop it completely

Good luck with your pregnancy

[GPmum in reply to SissiAnn]

I was wondering to ask you ladies who have prednisone or prednisolone why it's included in your protocol?

I must admit I'm now pushing to have low dose of it cos I have hashimoto's disease n I wonder my immune system needs to be lowered down so that my antibodies won't attack my embryos as I had 2x implantation failures

[mushy19 in reply to SissiAnn]

Thanks so much... this is exactly what I was after lol... but I will double check this is with my clinic tomorrow x

[Redpixie]

Hi, I’m on 20mg of prednisolone. I was told I must wean myself off them. I have to reduce the dose by 5mg every three days until I’m on 5 mg then after 3 days of 5 mg take a tablet every other day 3 times (so over 6 days). Does that make sense? They were very very strict with this. Everything else I can just stop.

Congratulations! I’m 7.5 weeks and really looking forward to coming off my meds except I found out I’m on my blood thinning injections throughout pregnancy. A bit gutted bit it’s what’s keeping me pregnant so I can hardly complain!

X

[GPmum in reply to Redpixie]

I was wondering to ask you ladies who have prednisone or prednisolone why it's included in your protocol?

I must admit I'm now pushing to have low dose of it cos I have hashimoto's disease n I wonder my immune system needs to be lowered down so that my antibodies won't attack my embryos as I had 2x implantation failures

[Redpixie in reply to GPmum]

Hi,

I was put on it because Lupus Anticoagulant was detected in my blood. This is an immunity & blood clotting thing. The steroids and blood thinners have worked for me and I’m now 7wk + 3 after 5 years of trying and 3 previous transfers without a pregnancy but really good embryos on my previous transfers.

Have a chat with your consultant about it. My consultant was a specialist in failed transfers and multiple miscarriages which is why she got me tested for lupus anticoagulant as soon as she met me.

Good luck!

[mushy19 in reply to Redpixie]

Aw Congratulations 🥳

Yes that makes a lot of sense... thank you so much for taking the time out.

Hope all is going well with you and the pregnancy so far xx

[GPmum]

Hi, 1st congrats n I was wondering to ask you ladies who have prednisone or prednisolone why it's included in your protocol?

I must admit I'm now pushing to have low dose of it cos I have hashimoto's disease n I wonder my immune system needs to be lowered down so that my antibodies won't attack my embryos as I had 2x implantation failures

[Libsie3103]

This is what I have in my Protocol re the steroids:

Prednisolone should be continued for a further 9 weeks. If the pregnancy test is negative Prednisolone should be discontinued. In all cases Prednisolone must be discontinued gradually - THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Reduce by 5mg every 3 days, ending with 5mg on alternate days for 3 doses (i.e. 5mg/nil/5mg/nil/5mg/stop).

Hope that helps? x

[KatDub]

Hi, I was on 25mg too, which was 5 tablets daily. Then I had to take 4 for 4 days, 3 for 3 days, 2 for 2 days, 1 for 1 day then stop. I stopped all other meds and injections (incl. progesterone and blood thinner) at once at 12w

[mushy19 in reply to KatDub]

I knew this was the place to ask, You guys know a hell of a lot more than my gp...

thanks a lot x 😊

[Caroliono4]

Yep, as a few other posters have said, you need to taper off the prednisolone very slowly to avoid any side effects (nausea, dizziness etc.) from sudden withdrawal. For progesterone pessaries, oestrogen patches etc. I was told to take them until the end of the 12th week but that I did not need to taper off. x

[mushy19 in reply to Caroliono4]

Great Thankyou x