Immune issues - start here guide to this section!

[wcd180]

My CD 56 was 4.2
50:1 21.5

negative for the Chlamydia infection and never been tested for the vitamin D deficiency.
What is IBD?

[FertilityFriends]

[agate]

your 50:1 (NK killing power) is also high assuming you tested at RFU chicago.
but your CD56 (NK proportion) was normal.

so its fairly likely that your killing power is raised because your TH1 cytokines are so high, but usually there is some reason to get a level as high as that.

IBD  = inflammatory bowel disease e.g. coeliac, crohn's disease etc

I would check for vit D deficiency and read up about the period blood tests for chlamydia.   If you have none of the other issues, then your history of ectopic still makes me suspect residual chlamydia infection - assuming you've only done a standard urine or swab test for active chlamydia infection.

[wcd180]

According to the report my 50:1 was in range at 21.5  range 10-40

I have no symptom of any IBD guess thats why the doctor as never ask me to be tested
I do not have or ever had chlamydia. That was one of the first test they did when we realized we had fertility issues 6 years ago and just to make sure its repeated on both of us along with the other standard test every 16 months.

[agate]

if the report is from RFU chicago, then yes, the full range given for 50:1 is up to 40%, but the range for fertility according to Beer on their tests is only up to 15%.

please have a read of faq under NK assay (and I would still read the section on chlamydia too even though you've repeatedly screened negative on the standard tests). the section on cytokines may be useful for you as well as the sections on clexane, corticosteroids, humira and intralipids.

ectopic pregnancy is almost always caused by either previous history of chlamydia or gonorrhea, endometriosis or very rarely other infections/surgery causing tubal damage.

if you have no symptoms of IBD then I would strike that one off your list.
I guess joint inflammation or autoimmune diseases aren't a possiblity either?

its just unusual to have such a high TH1:TH2 without an obvious cause - but hopefully you will respond well to the humira, steroids and intralipids.

[Doris2]

Hi Agathe,

I am just starting to try understanding immune issues and found your thread quite useful, although it is not simple.
I am 46 and have had 5 miscarriages in the last 5 years, 4 very early and one at 10/11 weeks.
I will have IVF-DE at end August at CRM-London.
Karyotypes for me and husbands did not show anything. I am hoping it is just age and egg quality, but I found out in the recent period that I have many food-intolerances (I am French, not sure this is the right wording in English) and after detailed analysis, a strong inflammation of the intestine. The doctor prescribed many diet complements, including fish oils, probiotics, complements for fertility, magnesium, and a very strict diet that I am not following strictly (cannot handle too many frustrations at the same time... not good for my health too I think) but I am trying to be close to it.
She mentioned that this may also have played a role in the miscarriages.
Would this come close to what you call immune issues?
I am usually more inclined to alternative medecines, but would this, according to you, warrant consulting for fertility related immune issues? This would probably be difficult before the transfer now, but...

Doris

 

[agate]

if you are 46, the most likely cause of repeat miscarriage is egg quality.

food intolerances do not generally cause miscarriages but if bowel inflammation is severe e.g. due to coeliac, crohn's disease etc, then you could have vitamin deficiencies that would need to be corrected and if the inflammation is very severe its possible you could have high levels of TNFa and other proinflammatory cytokines which can cause raised NK cells.

so you probably don't have any problem that you can't fix just with donor eggs... but dealing with a severe bowel disease would be a good idea, and correcting any vitamin deficiencies.     if there was a lot of inflammation then you might benefit from perhaps blood thinners and clexane with your DE IVF but hopefully you will get pregnant without this.

[Doris2]

Thanks very much for your quick reply Agathe. This is helpful.
I do not have coeliac or Crohn disease, just a severe inflammation (close to hyper-permeability or leaky gut but not right there). The doctor has prescribed vitamins, and I have been taking them since about two months now.
Is aspirin included in the blood thinners?

[agate]

Aspirin can help but clexane lovenox or fragmin are more predictable

[Weebear]

I tested positive for chlamydia without any PID symptoms. The Greek test was done at the same cycle as I had the NHS swab for Chlamydia, which came back negative.

I'm interested in the immunes as I tend to get a sore throat every month. However, its 12 dpo, quite late for implantation and I can generally start to feel cramps and yucky as though my period is on her way. As this is generally every month could it still be due to implantation?

Agate, do you know what immune tests can be done on NHS? Thanks

[agate]

12dpo is a bit late for an immunes reaction to start but i GUESS its just possible


see level 1 tests in faq.