intralipid is basically just soybean oil in a saline emulsion.  what it does is to directly increase the fats in your blood.  this seems to reduce the killing power the NKs in your blood - but the mechanism is still unknown.  so it won't change your CD56 population but, hopefully it will reduce their killing power.

taking omega 3 fish oil e.g, 5g per day may do part of the same job but when you ingest it, you can't guarantee that it will all make it to your bloodstream in the same way that putting fat directly into your vein would.

most docs who use intralipids combine it with steroids in doses from 10mg-40mg.

most docs who use steroids combine those with clexane/lovenox in doses around 40mg.

but, basically, no doc will able to tell you for sure whether you need intralipids to get/stay pg - steroids/clex may well be enough, but you wouldn't know without either trying it and seeing if it works to get/stay pg - or possibly trying it and then doing a battery of immune tests (not just CD56) to see if the combination of meds you are on is getting everything into the target range (not too high, not too low).


hope this helps

a x

 

From what I understood from the nurse, ALL other tests (not only CD56) were within a normal range.  I was also tested for lupus, ANA, MTHFR, etc. - all normal.

I will try to up my dose of Omega.

I am concerned that my doc said nothing about steroids...

 

Lurdes, I use the Intralipid drips before and after the ovulation and IUI treatment. In the waiting weeks I use it twice in those weeks. Also I am on 40mg Prednisolone. So I use both. Apparently I need to stop for one or two months but I got the advice of the immunologist to continue the drips.
I also use Omega 3 capsules (700) and vitamine D (1000) of which I take 6 a day. My vitamines and Omega 3 are from Solgar.
Hope this helps! Wishing you luck on your journey!

 

Hope this helps! Wishing you luck on your journey!

thank you Tammy. I am trying to find more information from my doctor, but due to the privacy issues they can't email me all results, I have to go to the office and get it myself, which will not happen until I start IVf....

What concerns me that my Dr said nothing about prednisone. He only wants to do 2 intralipds infusions once I start stimming, thats all. He also wants to add Heparin, empirically.

My supplements regimen is - 1200mg Omega, 500mg Reservatrol, prenatals, Ubiquinol 400mg, L-carnitine 500mg, Lycopene 10g.

 

Agate,

Since I have about 2-3 more weeks until I start stimming, do you think I will benefit from non-steroidal drugs like Naproxene or Aspirin?  this month we are tryingTTC naturally, and I am about to ovulate, thinking of taking non-steroidal non-prescription drug for the next 2 weeks.  If I am not preg, will start BCPs and IVF..

 

personally, I would avoid nsaids around implantation time - so if you are about to ov, I wouldn't use nsaids.  if your doc was going to px nsaids - the rationale would be that you have inflammatory joint pain (do you?) and you were going to take them for about 1 months before Tx (then stop).  aspirin though is taken mainly as a blood thinner rather than for its antiinflammatory properties - but even then, I wouldn't take it around implantation time.

 

Tammy

Which doctor or consultant do you use to monitor / do blood tests to monitor your immune response to the treatment?

Mouse

 

I finally received completeReproductive Immunophenitype results:

CD3 T-Mature - 73.1 normal 51-79
CD4 T0helper - 49.8 normal 30-52
CD8 T-supressor 23.4 normal 16-40
CD19 B cells 9.8 normal 5-17
CD56+/16+NK 17 normal 0-11
CD56+/16-MonoNL 4.9 normal 3-16
Helper/Supresson 2.13 normal 0.86-5.00

Agate, would be great if you can comment!

i am starting stimms today - Gonal-F+Menopur. Intralipids on CD10. Also prescribed Metroprednisolone, 4MG, but not yet given instructions to take it. Is it usually after the retrieval?

 

I GUESS with your relatively high NKc, you would want to ask to start the medrol asap and ask for a higher dose - maybe 8mg?

 

Hi Agate,

I didnt want to reply before I checked with the doctor. So this is the situation now:

On july 20 I had Intralipids infusion. I had egg retreival on july 27 and on that day Dr started me on 4mg prednisone 4 times a day for 5 days until ET. On the day of ET I discontinue prednisone and start low dose heparin shots.

Do you think I should be continuing prednisone considering the level on NK?
I was informed that this prednisone protocol is for all patients at my clinic regardless of immune dx.
I read on dr Shers blog that heparin has little value with NK diagnosis, maybe I should not use it?

Any of your thoughts are highly appreciated!

 

I forgot to add that I have a single MTHFR.

 

Lastly, do you know or read studies on the preference of transferring embrios fertilised with conventional insemination versus ICSId?

 

recent studies have shown a slight increased risk of birth defects in ICSI babies, so the understanding is that you use ICSI if you can't get fertilisation without it, but if IVF works - you use IVF.

 

Thanks Agate, what do you think about my thought and questions above re prednisone and heparin

 

personally, I'd want to continue pred and clex because of the raised NKc.

 

Clex is the same as heparin, right? Is there a difference? I much rather take it orally than injections

 

clexane is injectable low molecular weight heparin - similar to lovenox, dalteparin and fragmin.  I don't know anything about oral heparins, their availability or their safety for TTC/pg.