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Professor Quenby

84K views 972 replies 57 participants last post by  Mtntn 
#1 ·
Hi,

Would anyone be able to advise of experiences with Prof Quenby.  If you had a biopsy and consultation what actually takes place and what happens after the results come out. Does Prof Quenby offer treatment guidelines so you can take these to your own clinic and cycle there with a protocol from Prof Quenby.

Does Prof Quenby offer immune treatment other than the usual steroids, intrallipids, because I have had all of these and none of them have worked.

Thank you in advance if you can advise.
x
 
#2 ·
Hi Job
I had biopsy and Professor Quenby/Professor Brosens only usually recommends prednisolone.  sometimes intralipids.  However prednisolone isn't advised until ET unlike some other places as Professor Q has evidence taken too early it can be detrimental.  Plus taking prednisolone if you have low uterine NK cells can also be a problem so it's worth having biopsy to find out what your levels are.

You will get a full review where they might pick up other things that have been missed plus after results you get a protocol which most clinics will follow.  However there are hospitals which do not believe in prednisolone or any other immune treatments at all so you would have to see your clinics view.

I can highly recommend Professor Quenby and Brosens. Good luck.
TCCx
 
#3 ·
Hi Tincancat,

Than you so much for replying.
I'm with a clinic in Spain who do give prednisolone plus other meds. I would need to re-read my notes as to when/time they give prednisolone
So Prof Q provides suggestions and gives a protocol for you to take to another clinic for treatment? 
Is that what you did?
Does she not recommend ivigs or anything?
Is the biopsy looking for the nk cell ie level 1 etc?

Are you awake for the biopsy? Do you remember how long it takes? If it hurts?

I've tried all things, steroids, intrallipids, hysterscopy, 6 cycles and absolutely no sign on a pregnancy stick or blood test!

Where are you with your treatment?

Thankyou so much again xx
 
#4 ·
Hi Job
The biopsy is the same as having a scratch.  It's done awake and is initially a bit like having a smear so uncomfortable when they put speculum in then it can come quite sharp as uterus will spasm but over with very quickly in a matter of minutes.
It is simply a biopsy to look at endometrial NK cells so no blood tests.  They would most likely advise you should have stage 1 blood tests including thyroid.  Take any blood tests results you have with you.  The team does not recommend IVIG because they don't believe in them (  it's a product derived from donated blood so carries risks) and are more focused on ensuring endometrial environment is right for implantation.  So scratch before and if necessary prednisolone and intralipids.

If you have had prednisolone when you don't need it then you could have made matters worse.  Go see them with full details of all cycles and what you took when and let them give you a second opinion.  You will get a written recommendation of what to do next cycle with advice on amount and when to take prednisolone because doses and duration can be variable.

I've got my boys after DE treatment because by the time I'd discovered high endometrial NK cells my age was the biggest factor in the repeated failures.  I went to Cyprus.
TCCx
TCCx
 
#5 ·
Hi Tincancat,

Thank you so much. Sounds like it will be as you say, like a scratch will be ok!

Well I was just prescribed prednisolone as you are with many meds by clinics, so you are right I may have not needed it!!! you are kind of in the hands of the clinic when you first start out and until you get a little wiser with things!!! not good hey!!!

How were you treated with your high NK cells?
Congrats with your little boys!!

I need to do a search to find out what is involved in test 1 for the NK tests, I may be able to ask my Dct to help out. Is there anywhere on here that has a list for what is involved in the Level 1 tests.

Thank you again X
 
#6 ·
Agate's advice after a failed cycle thread might be helpful.  Level 1 tests are not for NK cells just things like clotting and thyroid.
I took prednisolone and intralipids after high NK cells were confirmed by biopsy. 
TCCx
 
#7 ·
Many thanks for your help and info TCC and best of luck with your future plans.
X
 
#8 ·
Hi Tincancat,

I was looking through my notes which have come back from the clinic. I know you mentioned Prof Q dosnt like prednisolone taken until ET because it can be detrimental.
In my notes it says I was taking it the first day of my period which is the beginning of taking all the meds to build up my lining ready for ET, so about 2 weeks before ET! would this be incorrect?

Thanks
X
 
#9 ·
Hi Job1,

Sorry can I just ask you how long you had to wait to get the results back from the biopsy? I did the biopsy in the beginning of the month and hoping to get the results soon  ::)
 
#10 ·
Hi Jenso,

I havnt had the biopsy yet, Im going to do this this month. Got to buy the ovulation kit.

How did you find it? and Prof Q?

X
 
#11 ·
Oh I see.... I saw her colleague Prof Brosens but he was very thorough, knowledgeable and  I really liked him. It is quite nice just to hear someone say that it isn't normal to go through this many cycles with no implantation. I thought that the research that they are doing is very interesting so now I am just waiting for the results which I hope will come within the next week. Let me know if you need any other information :).
 
#12 ·
Hi Jenso,

Thanks for replying. That sounds good, and Im pleased to hear you feel like that from the consultation. Your profile says 5 bfn's? is that right?
Similar to me, I have tried 2 own eggs then 4 donor and still nothing!!!
Its so hard. I have felt like giving up just recently as everyone on ff that I know of has got pregnant and I am the one left!!! and its become so expensive, was thinking of Dr Gorgy but its too exp, but then I was told about Prof Q so I am going to go for the biopsy and see the results.
Your experience sounds very positive.

Did you get any signs like a pregnancy line, each cycle I have had nothing!

Did you buy ovulation kits and then ring up for an appointment? Did you take lots of information from your previous cycles along, like meds, timings etc?
Look forward to your reply
X




 
#13 ·
Hi there,

Yes 5 BFNs with not even a hint of a positive :-( We are preparing to move over to DE now and hope that that is going to make a difference. I have had the Chicago tests before and had high Nk killer cells but since then I have had hystos to clear some infections that might have caused that so we will see what the biopsy will show. I have thought about Dr Gorgy as well but it is so expensive and it feels like most immune would cause more of a problem with miscarriage than implantation issues, but I don't know...

I emailed Prof Quenby's secretary to let her know I had ovulated and got an appointment the next week. I went through the cycles and he asked if I had been told about reason for IF, number of embryos transferred and then just what drugs I had been on. It would be nice to keep in touch and see if the next step for us will be the one :)
 
#14 ·
Hi Jenso
I was reading on ff some ladies with high NK issues didn't want to use humira or ivigs so were prescribed
X3 intrallipids, some more intrallipids (rather than the usual X2 standard amount) and also chloroquine tablets and these seem to help bring levels down! Think those tablets are somethg to do with maleria - so immune!

Where will you be doing your next donor egg cycle?
I will buy an ovulation kit this week and test this month (can't remember how to use them need reminding on
instructions!)  then phone for app.
We are cycling in Spain so will hopefully get some answers with biopsy!!!

Yes be good to keep in touch with treatments, any ideas etc.

Are you taking high vitamins etc?
X
 
#15 ·
Hi there,

I am doing my next cycle in Greece at Serum where I have done last few OE cycles as well. I got the results back today and it showed a low level nk cells in the lining (uNK count was 1.12% of your stromal cells. The upper limit of normal is 5%.). I am having a phone appointment with Prof Bronsens next Tuesday but I guess he is going to suggest no immune treatment at all. I have had steroids and intralipids on the last few cycles so perhaps I have been over-supressed? We will see :)
 
#16 ·
Hi Jenso
That's quite possibly what's been happening for you.  I would predict he'll say go for scratch tho because often the scratch helps create best environment for implantation then prednisolone for those who need it helps calm the NK cells down after ET.
It's so hard to know which factor is having the most influence with IF.  Endometrial NK cells, egg quality,  sperm, thyroid antibodies etc or plain bad luck.  Each element has to be looked at to see what might be the cause.  It's so frustrating if you find a reason that's at the bottom of the list which if you had know before you might have been further forward in your journey.
Good luck
TCCx
 
#17 ·
Hi all, I am literally just at Coventry station coming from the biopsy. I first chatted 30 mins with Dr Broses about the history (I took all my documents but they weren't needed), then 10 mins to do the ultrasound and biopsy. The biopsy takes literally 10 seconds. Results back in about 4 weeks. I am in the same boat as you, 5 bfn and not a single line on a test :( but I am 39 and we also have MFI... i was randomly given steroids before so will be interesting to find out of they were worth it.
I also saw Dr Gorgy and everything is so expensive I nearly fainted. So have put it out of my mind. BUT I am so confused about it. What if he is right and I should do all his tests too? My Dr friend says it is rubbish and just money making... ah I don't know! Buying peace of mind I guess... and Gorgy buying a new Porsche. .. ;)
 
#18 ·
Hi everyone,
Jenso well that's good isn't it!
I did read someone else having low NK cells in womb but bloods saying NK levels still high! so all odd.
Did you read my bit about the tablets? they seemed to help some other people. Maybe mention it to Prof B when you speak with him.

Maybe you didn't need as much immune treatment!? Its annoying as now clinics seem to go straight into using intrallipids some without even doing any testing!!!
Hi Katkat, are you still thinking to do Dct G? he really is expensive. It is so hard to know what one should do hey! However reading on this forum helps and trying to work out what we can do ourselves.
X
 
#19 ·
Hey job, I've already been to Dr G but I am unsure if I should do any further tests. I do think prices are ridiculous and  think I rather wait for the quenby results first. Also I am going to do the ERA test in Feb. If you want a cheaper testing option, check out locus medicus in Athens  I have a consultation with them as well as I only found them after Dr G but again will probably cancel as I think I may be overdoing it a bit :) let me know should you go to either then or Dr G,  would be keen to know what you think.
 
#20 ·
Hi Jenso,

Good luck with your phone call on Tuesday. keep in touch with what Prof B says.

You and Kitkat are on another site I was just reading about Prof Q.

Im finding it all very confusing. When I read about Prof Q saying for one not to take prednisolone until ET and also Clexane until after, this is the complete opposite to what I have always been told to do. I was told to take Prednisolone about 2 weeks before EC and not to slowly increase it either, I just looked at my notes and to start Clexane at a similar time.
Maybe as you say Jenso we have been given too much and at the wrong times!? but each time I don't get any hints of pregnancies!

Has anyone any thoughts on this to help?

KitKat maybe you should wait for your results from Prof Q before you spend out any further money otherwise you may become more confused.
What is an ERA test?

I am going to buy some Ovulation kits this week and try.
I do feel confused and concerned about the next step!

Thanks X
 
#21 ·
Job1: They will explain it all to you when you meet one of the professors but basically you need a certain amount of of inflammation in your lining in order to achieve pregnancy so that is why they do biopsy of your lining at the time of implantation. If you have high inflammation you need prednisolone in order to reduce the inflammation but if you have low inflammation or normal I guess than steroids will suppress you too much so that there are no inflammation at all and therefore no implantation of an embryo.

Cleaxane is a blood thiner so I dont know if it affects the inflammation but as most fertility things I guess doctors will have different opinions of the best option so listen which makes it more difficult for us but we just have to listen to their reasoning and make a decision.
 
#22 ·
That's how it was explained to me.  Need some inflammation to start with hence scratch then the NK cells need calming down if they are too high afterwards.  Therefore prednisolone not to be taken too soon.  If I recall again I didn't take clexane until ET either.  I certainly don't think they want you on clexane if you are having EC because of the risks of excessive bleeding during EC. 
TCCx
 
#23 ·
I never took clexane before EC either, was only told to do afterwards. I do however drink concentrate beetroot shots and Raspberry leaf tea before EC to help with blood flow (but not to think blood).

Job, you're right I shall wait for now, am skint anyway.

All very confusing...I agree! I did however have a better feeling meeting Dr b (quenby's colleague) than Dr g. But that's just my own personal feeling
 
#24 ·
mmmm really odd, I checked again, I took the pill to get my cycle in synch with donor and then when that had finished when my period started took clexane and prednislone! which is contradiction to Prof Q advice by the looks of things! Maybe its different with donor cycling?

Katkat, let us know how you get on with your results from Prof Q.  What is the ERA test you mentioned?

Do anyone of you know of any success stories using Prof Q on this forum? Maybe I should ask the question on the forum? be great to know.
XX
 
#25 ·
Hey job, sorry I haven't replied about the ERA. It is thr endometrial receptivity array test. You check the genes in your lining which all need to be switched on for implantation to happen. It can determine if you are receptive, pre or post. Most people are receptive, I think 80%. If your are pre or post then your transfer needs to happen earlier or later than on day 3 or 5. I think it means for example if post receptive then for example a 5 day blast will have to be put in on day 6, 7 etc. This is all determined but the amount of days you're on progesterone before transfer.  I don't 100% understand it either but I just want to rule out everything that MAY be the reason. But to be honest at my age then the chromosomes will probably be the main reason for non implantation as I am doing own egg. BUT Dr b. said that it is odd I never even had a chemical or so with 5 transfers. I ran the ERA question past him and he said that he thinks there is something to it. However that you check the status quo and that it may not 100% mean that the next month you're pre or post receptive necessarily. But my ordinal opinion is that this is the same with everything.  Like the NK cell testing. Is it really the same every month? It's all such a grey area, I think there are not enough clinical trials..
 
#26 ·
I think Tinnacat is one of the success stories and I also know a few from the greek board on FF some being treated by Prof Quenby and some  Dr Leddee in Paris who do a similar test. You would still still take the pill I think because that is to sync you with donor and I asked someone else if oestrogen pills (that my clinic use to sync you) will affect nk cells and she said that she had used it when she got pregnant so it should be fine.

Most clinics that treat you for immunes without testing would treat you for high inflammation and therefore give you prednisole, intralipid,ivig etc to lower inflammation which is obviously a problem if you have a low amount of inflammation instead and that is needed for implantation. There is still very little research out there but hopefully the research that is being done in Paris and Coventry will help the situation on time....
 
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