Hi Enid,
Thank you for your post. I think that you are right to question this whole topic but I don't think you will find many answers yet. The UK NHS does not accept the work of Dr Beer and Dr ******* but hope one day (year?) to carry out clinical trials.
This is a very unsatisfactory position for those of us with repeat IVF failures or miscarriages.
The immune aspects of infertility are unknown and doctors working in the field are pioneers. That can be said for the whole topic of immunology as I have had problems for over 20 years and always followed research.
Even with the immune modulating drugs from Dr's Beer and ******* my body still mounted an immune response (symptoms such as sore throat, glands, dry fevr and cough) at exactly the time inplantation should be occuring. My cycle was neg.
Time will tell hopefully if the doctors are onto a proven thing or if this method is only suitable for a sub-set of women. We are the guinea pigs.
Even the concept that these theories are based on - the TH1/TH2 responses - are controversial with some researching feeling that this is a poorly understood phenonomen in general - not just for fertility.
I have many unanswered questions and will continue to look into immune treatments even after it is all too late for me. For example, I do not understand the lack of "other "symptoms in most of the ladies with high TNF-a and NK's.
There will always be "one more theory" for us to chase in infertility, as there is no cure, and like many uncurable conditions, quacks can take advantage of us and part us from our money in sophisticated ways.
Personally, I feel that I am onto "something" with the NK theory as I have had a proven immune dysfunction for most of my adult life. Also I have had a similar immune response to my failed cycles.
I know of 2 ladies who were tested by Dr Beer and not found to have high NK activity. In my own case I was "lucky" to have lowish levels of TNF-a so I was different to many ladies he sees.
Sorry, I can't help further. At the moment we are still in mourning after our last failed cycle and uncertain if we can continue or not. Given my age (43) I would like to try everything I can, whilst I still have a chance, but that does not mean there is an open cheque-book.
Good luck! This is such an unfair and painful business.
with warmest regards,