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luvboston · March 2013

So today to self torture I called the Beer center to get my results from blood I sent on Wed. Well my TNF went higher to 44 not lower. The doctor wants us to do another IVIG which is 3k. We really can't afford it so they said I could take 20 mg of prednisone for 3 weeks. Well I was supposed to be off the prednisone by 12 weeks because if GD. Now my DH is worried about putting me on more prednisone. However he also doesn't really think the IVIG does anything of course I have never been this pg. would you borrow money to do the IVIG? Or try the prednisone?

PrettyAccountant · March 2013

ick Sorry about the numbers going up. I hated the prednisone because I have diabetes and for every cycle the darn prednisone raised my levels beyond belief and it took a lot of insulin to bring them under control but it still hit highs in the 200's.

Do you test your sugar levels while on prednisone? I was a manic tester because I know that high sugar levels can cause miscarriage (which scared the sh!t out of me during the 2WW).

Good luck - I hope it works and doesn't cause your sugar levels to go crazy.

Gregermis · March 2013

hmmmmmm... I'd probably go for the prednisone honestly. But that's me

adoruhbul · March 2013

I did both and after 6 losses I know for a fact it's what worked. I don't know who you're seeing but I saw. Braver.man and the first baby he got involved with has now made it to 34 weeks! I however didn't do follow up IVIG just in the beginning after I did 40mg of Prednisone until 16 weeks and I did end up having GD. I was offered 20mg and another IVIG treatment or 40mg, we also couldn't afford it and opted for the 40mg. It was hell, I literally barely slept at all for 12 weeks because it caused severe insomnia and I also had hyperemesis from it, so be prepared if you go that route.

As much as it sucked symptoms wise, as soon as I stopped around 17 weeks I immediately recovered and have been great since sans GD! I don't think I'd ever have gotten past 8 weeks if it wasn't for the high dose prednisone so you've got my vote!

P.S. sorry if the formatting is horrible I never responded from my iPhone before but felt it necessary with this post!

DahliaFlower · March 2013

I am on Prednisone until at least 12 - 20 weeks, and as you say, it is no picnic, but if that is an option, you might consider continuing it.

If I were in your position, I would probably think about maybe doing Intralipid, which would be much more affordable and could potentially have similar benefits (though I am sure they have their reasons for preferring IVIg).

I don't think that I would spend the money to do IVIg at this point, but I am sure you know much more about why it seemed to work for you.

Getting to 10 weeks is great. I tend to think that immune dysfunction is more a problem for early implantation. What does your regular RE think?

luvboston · March 2013

The only success anyone has seen with Intralipids is for high NK Cells and I have low ones so that option is out. Also I did intralipids at SIRM and they literally did nothing. Immune dysfunction can be throughout pregnancy it depends on each individual. My regular RE would be like talking to my husband about it because she really is not an immunologist and has no clue but would say prednisone is dangerous for GD. I am going to ask the MFM just for my own verification not that I think she will have a clue what TNF truly does.

DahliaFlower · March 2013

luvboston:
The only success anyone has seen with Intralipids is for high NK Cells and I have low ones so that option is out. Also I did intralipids at SIRM and they literally did nothing. Immune dysfunction can be throughout pregnancy it depends on each individual. My regular RE would be like talking to my husband about it because she really is not an immunologist and has no clue but would say prednisone is dangerous for GD. I am going to ask the MFM just for my own verification not that I think she will have a clue what TNF truly does.

Well... it sounds like you are answering your own question. If you believe that IVIg helped you so far, that there is no other therapy that will work as well, and that none of your care providers really understand the topic as well as you do (which very well may be true!!), then I guess you should go for the IVIg, even if it means borrowing money to do it. Especially if you really don't want to do Prednisone.

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