I feel slightly cursed: steroids, COVID and our last embryo...

[Bettyjoy]

Hi all,

I am 44 and over the last five years I have had two miscarriages after getting pregnant naturally, four rounds of IVF ( three of which were followed by fresh embryo transfer) and two FETs and NOT a single BFP. Last August, after the last round of IVF we PGSed all the embryos we had (seven) to find out that only one is genetically healthy (it was generated after I took DHEA for four months). Since then I have done three uterine biopsies (all of the ones my clinic offered): one to check whether there were abnormal bacteria or infection in the uterus, one to verify which would be the best window to transfer the embryo and the last one to check whether there were immunoreactions in my womb. The first two biopsies results were normal. The results of the last biopsy were delayed by two months because of Covid and eventually revealed that in my uterus there is an excessive amount of NK cells. The treatment for this is taking steroids at the time of the transfer. Steroids lower your immune system...

My consultant told me on Friday that the HEFA is advising against treating IVF patients with steroids because of the risk posed by COVID 19 and therefore I am not going to be able to do the transfer for a while...We don’t know when we will be able to do it...

Why am I telling you all this? Because I am beginning to feel cursed - we have only one little embryo left, our chances are very low and this virus thing is really slowing down everything for us and we don’t know when we can move on- and we are not able to move on with the rest of our lives. The last three years have been so hard, I am sure that all of you here understand even too well.

Has anyone here got a similar experience? Has anyone taken steroids after finding too many NK cells and had a success story? Has anyone Also I am now thinking: should we try IVF one more time and generate some more embryos one last time while I am 44? Has anyone here had any other tests before transferring embryos? Shod i do other/ more tests? I have done every test my clinic offers...Maybe it would be good to put an end to this torture and maybe look into adoption at this point. Every day that passes I feel so much older and tired of all this and I am constantly asking myself whether I can actually have the energy to have a baby now...

Any info, suggestions, honest sharing of similar experiences is welcome- I am taking vitamins, CoQ10,i am trying to eat healthily and exercise, and I want to make sure I am doing everything I can. And maybe I also need to hear some hard truths...

Thank you for reading this and for all the courage and solidarity you all display here!

[Lilly12255]

Maybe you could try one more round and freeze all until steroids allowed again if you can afford it, so you will have no regret afterwards. 7 embryos is amazing. If you create another embryo, this doubles your chances. I have only ever produced 1 in total from all my cycle and not even tested it. xxx

[Lilly12255]

Did you test the embryos you transferred in your 6 embryos transfer?

[Bettyjoy in reply to Lilly12255]

No we didn’t Lily; the first two were not great quality; we didn’t test the other four that we transferred- our consultant is not a great supporter of PGS and he put us off for a while- maybe things would be different if we had tested them all...

[Lilly12255 in reply to Bettyjoy]

I think that the stats are 10% normal embryos by 44, so probably it’s just that you haven’t tried enough times. If you have the courage to try a few more transfers/cycles, you might find the winning embryo

[Chegotsi]

Hiya,

My situation is very different to yours but like you, I am due to go for the last free NHS IVF round.

I was supposed to be on steroids but they told me the same thing they mentioned to you. At the moment the clinics is keen to go ahead without the steroids. Apparently they won’t be prescribing them until there is a vaccine for COVID.

Now we also thought to wait but we have been living in limbo/ preparing for IVF OR havinG IVF for two years now.

I was made redundant in December and we decided that I should rest at home until the last round is over and done with and then COVID happened.

It’s been 7 months now of just feeling lost while at home.

So we have decided to risk it all and go ahead with the treatment without steroids.

The way I see it, I don’t know if they can be 100% certain that the steroids do help with the cycle.

My mental Health is suffering so at some point we just have to move forward. It all sucks! I am nervous, scared and anxious at the Same time!

Praying for you whatever you decide will bring forth a little one for you!

Xxx

[rivershark]

I am so sorry I can understand your predicament and you seem to have tried everything under the sun to get it right and have the best chance for your embryo.

I am same age as you and have had low reserve and immune issues too. High NK cells and high cytokines also autoimmune disorders. I have 7 embryos frozen ( after 14 rounds ivf) we want to get things right.

I was taking tacrolimus before the pandemic to reduce my immunes but was told to stop taking it. I've also had Lit (which didn't work) and the only thing seem to work for lower my cytokines was IVIG which is very expensive

It's so hard to know what to do. Has your doctor mentioned taking baby aspirin ? This can also help with NK cells there's been stuff published on it. And this may be ok to take in the pandemic if you check with your doctor?

It is frustrating I know having to wait while this is going on. But your embryo is safe and will wait for you. I guess if you can go through more ivf to get more embryos you may give yourself more chance ?

Wishing you the very best. Xx