Steroids

[Sarah83ap]

What are ppl doing about taking these? My clinic said they are having to advise us not to take them but for me this is the whole reason we are doing this round and I already have them at home. I want to just take them as I haven’t got it in me carry this on! It’s left me really stressed as I’ve gotta wait to speak to my consultant on Tuesday! I could start my day one on Sunday.

I said to the nurse that that’s fine to advise me but I can obv make the decision myself and that’s when she said you should talk to the consultant on Tuesday. I really don’t want to postpone this anymore ad the diets and lifestyle changes are really beginning to effect my partner and he is becoming depressed by it all.

Just want to get in with it!

[sazzle2680]

I took steroids (prednisolone) for both my previous rounds. I have an underlying autoimmune condition (Hashimotos) that causes issues that the steroids suppress. In my first round (fresh) I was given 10mg daily from day 1. I got pregnant and miscarried. My second (FET) they doubled my dose to 20mg daily from day 1 because the Hashimotos could have influenced the miscarriage. I felt great but had huge issues with my lining thickening and sadly it didn’t take.

They told me yesterday they were reducing my prednisolone to 10mg for my next FET (hopefully end of Aug if they open the Spanish borders) and starting me on day 14. When I queried the reduction in dose and change of day she said to me that steroids impact the ability of your lining to develop (which was my major issue last round) so they wouldn’t start me on steroids until the lining was almost thick enough for transfer and also the reason for reducing dose.

When my round was cancelled in April I was on them then and spent 6 weeks weaning myself off. I was strict about isolating and thankfully no issues.

Steroids do suppress your immune system so there is an increased risk of that being a problem should you catch COVID-19. Saying that, the doses they put us on are a lot smaller than say they’d give a severe asthmatic so the risk is only slight.

Have a word with your consultant. As long as you are strict about isolating you may be able to convince them.

[Raluca88 in reply to sazzle2680]

Hey ladies. I first had ivf through nhs funding and this is when they told my I’ve got thyroid issues and should take medication for it. We were not successful through nhs and now we are trying private. When we did it with nhs they never mentioned anything about steroids so I did not take any. With the fresh cycle the private clinic advised to take steroids and I did but it was not successful. Was supposed to start FET in March but lockdown happened, I had my treatment plan and it did include the steroids again. I had my appointment with the clinic last week Tuesday and I was really worried what will happen. They gave me the two options: do the FET without steroids or wait for another month or two. I tried explaining that I have quit my job so I can concentrate on this, therefore I don’t have to leave my house, my husband is working from home so really there will be no contact with anyone, will not be exposed to the virus in any way. The nurse said this is a regulation from HFEA and they have to respect that, it cannot be looked at case by case unfortunately. The nurse also sent me a link where it tells a little about these ‘ads-on’ how they call the steroids addition to the treatment, here it is: hfea.gov.uk/treatments/expl...

She also explained that this is not proven in any way that definitely it will help.

In any case we have decided to go for the treatment without the steroids this time and see what will happen, I am excited because they gave me the Progesteron pessaries but also the injections (lubion) I really hope it will work this time... again of course you can talk with the consultant and see what they say but this was my experience so far.... xxx

[Sarah83ap in reply to Raluca88]

Sorry I missed this message Raluca!

How are you getting on? Have you started your cycle yet?

I’m in a freeze all cycle as they found a possible polyp in my lining xx

[Raluca88 in reply to Sarah83ap]

Hi Sarah83ap! Good luck with your egg collection on Monday! Everything will be fine, I will keep my fingers crossed for you and can’t wait to hear how it all went! I decided to go ahead without the steroids, I could not bring myself to wait a few weeks/months... so I am currently taking Progynova and have my scan booked in for Monday to check the lining... I wasn’t even aware that the steroids affect the lining so I’m taking that as a potential good decision I made... 🤞🤞 if all good on Monday hopefully they will tell us when to go for the FET! I’m so nervous, excited and up and down hahahaha from this hormones 😃 I am sorry to hear about the polyp... but again you want to give your best shot and if this means you have to sort this first then so be it! I had to have both my tubes clipped before I started ivf and I know how it feels in a way.... do you know when you’re going in for the removal? All the best and keep us updated xxx

[Westielover16]

Hi Sarah83ap!

Really sorry to hear about your situation. It’s really so difficult to make the decision to still go ahead or to wait. Sending you loads of positive thoughts!!

We were due to start our 5th round today and this was going to be first time having steroids and treatment for NK cells. Just got a call from our clinic today telling us we had to decide today if we go ahead without the steroids and intralipid transfusion or to postpone. Had no idea what was best and what to do. Decided to postpone by a month to see if things change and to look into it all further.

What did you decide in the end?

[Sarah83ap in reply to Westielover16]

Hi Westielover,

I can imagine how you’re feeling as you get yourself in the mindset fir it don’t you.

I decided to go ahead but have ended up in a freeze all cycle as they think i have a polyp in my lining. Now the wait to get that removed as private hospitals aren’t open yet as helping NHS. I’ve never had an FET and heard/read good things about them so I’m hoping its happened for a reason and that hopefully I’ll be able to take the steroids but time I’m back to transfer stage.

Egg collection on Monday. Feeling very nervous and praying for some good Frosties!

Did they say when they think it might be?

Sarah x

[Westielover16 in reply to Sarah83ap]

Hi Sarah83ap,

Wishing you the best for egg collection. I have had one FET. In my opinion it was so much easier and we had our best result with that cycle. It was our only pregnancy but unfortunately I miscarries at 7 weeks.

No idea when the guidance will change. Think the next review for the lockdown is supposed to be 30th June so I’m hoping as this lifts the steroid advice from the HFEA also changes.

Will keep my fingers crossed for you!