Exp w/taking DHEA, CoQ10 for DOR - ISWTE

[vballbaby]

Hi ladies! I'm thinking ahead to our next cycle which won't be for a couple of months at least, so I have a little time to try to hopefully improve egg# and quality. I was wondering if any of you could share with me exactly how much, if any, of these supplements or any other supps from ISWTE that you abided by and what your improvement was from one cycle to the next. I know most RE's won't "recommend" supplements but I'm going to discuss it with mine and try these methods anyway.

For me the CoQ10 is a no brainer, and it can't hurt things since it's just an antioxidant and I did take it prior to my IVF cycle even though it was only for a couple weeks. The DHEA is what scares me a little. I had my DHEAS levels and T levels and all that came back normal, so I've heard that if your testosterone level is already normal, then it could be harmful. I'm wondering if this is still the case with DOR. I need all the help I can get. Quite honestly I'm scared of another cycle since I only had 4 retrieved/3 mature/1 fertilize.

I would love to hear some real life stories whether it seemed to work for you or not. I thought asking this question here would be the best place, since there are success stories here.  Thanks!!

[lilyharper]

Ok, I have no experience with this but I wanted to say hiiiiiiiiii vballbaby!

You may want to XP at Parenting after IF too.

And also you know. I'm going to try to tempt you...

How'd I do?

[vballbaby]

lilyharper bad, bad girl!!! Well I have pizza waiting for me downstairs and I totally wish I had something as delicious as that to follow it up with. I'm afraid chocolate teddy Graham's are all I've got.

[katemonster]

Hi, I found a post from TB about this topic, here's what i posted:

I read ISWTE after my failed IVF in June. I had zero eggs fertilize due to poor quality. I made changes for 2-3 months before cycling again. My changes were due to a mixture of ISWTE, acupuncturist recommendations, and Endo/PCOS diet - they all had similar suggestions! Also, I have endo so some of my choices were to reduce inflammation.

Supplements: 4000 IU of Vitamin D, 200-600 CoQ (switched between the two ubiquinol and ubiqunous), C, B6, B12, pre-natal (no DHEA since my levels were normal), Alphalipoic acid, Fish Oil

Environment: quit using plastic food storage, glass water bottle, fragrance free lotion and soap, shampoo and conditioner from the co-op, acupuncture weekly, chiropractic adjustments 3x, C+B meditation

Diet: organic food when possible, avoided gluten, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, red meat/pork, dairy

My response to the 2nd IVF cycle was light years better than the first. I did have significant med changes (antagonist vs. lupron protocol), no changes in doses throughout, stimmed for 10 days vs. 12 days, added HGH.

I think my improved response may have been for the most part due to med changes, but I do believe the lifestyle changes helped too and they will help me to have a healthier pregnancy. Best of luck!!

[ProfessorChaos]

I never took DHEA, but the CoQ10 is supposed to be at least 600 units according to the scant studies on it. I honestly think that clean eating and lots of good water are as important as the supps from what I've read.

Good luck!!

[ginnyjones82]

I never took any suppliments, but I saw an acupuncturist who was going to recommend some if I had gone back. It might be worth seeing if there is an acupuncturist local to you that specializes in fertility. Mine worked with my REs office.

Best of luck!! Hope we get to see you back here soon!!!

[vballbaby]

Mar 8, 2015 7:38:37 GMT -5 ginnyjones82 said:

I never took any suppliments, but I saw an acupuncturist who was going to recommend some if I had gone back. It might be worth seeing if there is an acupuncturist local to you that specializes in fertility. Mine worked with my REs office.

Best of luck!! Hope we get to see you back here soon!!!

Hey Ginny! Well I do go to acupuncture already, I started my last Ivf cycle and will continue. But I never took any Chinese herbs. In fact the book talks about avoiding royal jelly etc. and my dr told me to avoid them while I was stimming. I'm going to finish reading the book today and wrote down everything I need to go buy at least of the innocuous stuff. Hope you are doings well!!

[Deleted]

My RE put me on both right away, as in at our first appointment, and said it takes about 3 months of taking them to see the effect. But we then decided to use donor eggs instead of my own so I was only on them for about 6 weeks. I have heard other stories of people getting a BFP after using them for several months though.

[vballbaby]

Mar 7, 2015 22:56:26 GMT -5 katemonster said:

Hi, I found a post from TB about this topic, here's what i posted:

I read ISWTE after my failed IVF in June. I had zero eggs fertilize due to poor quality. I made changes for 2-3 months before cycling again. My changes were due to a mixture of ISWTE, acupuncturist recommendations, and Endo/PCOS diet - they all had similar suggestions! Also, I have endo so some of my choices were to reduce inflammation.

Supplements: 4000 IU of Vitamin D, 200-600 CoQ (switched between the two ubiquinol and ubiqunous), C, B6, B12, pre-natal (no DHEA since my levels were normal), Alphalipoic acid, Fish Oil

Environment: quit using plastic food storage, glass water bottle, fragrance free lotion and soap, shampoo and conditioner from the co-op, acupuncture weekly, chiropractic adjustments 3x, C+B meditation

Diet: organic food when possible, avoided gluten, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, red meat/pork, dairy

My response to the 2nd IVF cycle was light years better than the first. I did have significant med changes (antagonist vs. lupron protocol), no changes in doses throughout, stimmed for 10 days vs. 12 days, added HGH.

I think my improved response may have been for the most part due to med changes, but I do believe the lifestyle changes helped too and they will help me to have a healthier pregnancy. Best of luck!!

katemonster I did the antagonist for mine and on BC for a month prior, I feel like I was suppressed too much. I'm wondering if a MDLP protocol would work better for me. So you had better luck with the antagonist right? Thanks for the tips. My nurse told me not to take my fish oil at night since my prenatal has DHA in it, but there's some stuff in the fish oil that's not in the prenatal. Hard to know who to listen to! My DHEAS levels were normal that my RE took but it's hard to find info on line about those levels.

[vballbaby]

Mar 8, 2015 7:13:29 GMT -5 ProfessorChaos said:

I never took DHEA, but the CoQ10 is supposed to be at least 600 units according to the scant studies on it. I honestly think that clean eating and lots of good water are as important as the supps from what I've read.

Good luck!!

ISWTE says 300 mg per day of CoQ10 for DOR (or for recurrent miscarriage) which is the max dose it talks about in the book. Definitely clean eating and lots of water is key. I am about to go shopping and I'm dragging ass..... gotta get motivated!

[vballbaby]

Mar 8, 2015 14:24:41 GMT -5 vballbaby said:

Mar 8, 2015 7:13:29 GMT -5 ProfessorChaos said:

I never took DHEA, but the CoQ10 is supposed to be at least 600 units according to the scant studies on it. I honestly think that clean eating and lots of good water are as important as the supps from what I've read.

Good luck!!

ISWTE says 300 mg per day of CoQ10 for DOR (or for recurrent miscarriage) which is the max dose it talks about in the book. Definitely clean eating and lots of water is key. I am about to go shopping and I'm dragging ass..... gotta get motivated!

ProfessorChaos I think I spoke too soon or at least want to clarify. Book says 300 mg ubiquinol OR 600 mg ubiquinone. What I've been taking is the ubiquinone, which apparently is not as absorbed as well. I'm off to find ubuquinol! Geez Louise so much to learn!

[katemonster]

Mar 8, 2015 14:20:29 GMT -5 vballbaby said:

Mar 7, 2015 22:56:26 GMT -5 katemonster said:

Hi, I found a post from TB about this topic, here's what i posted:

I read ISWTE after my failed IVF in June. I had zero eggs fertilize due to poor quality. I made changes for 2-3 months before cycling again. My changes were due to a mixture of ISWTE, acupuncturist recommendations, and Endo/PCOS diet - they all had similar suggestions! Also, I have endo so some of my choices were to reduce inflammation.

Supplements: 4000 IU of Vitamin D, 200-600 CoQ (switched between the two ubiquinol and ubiqunous), C, B6, B12, pre-natal (no DHEA since my levels were normal), Alphalipoic acid, Fish Oil

Environment: quit using plastic food storage, glass water bottle, fragrance free lotion and soap, shampoo and conditioner from the co-op, acupuncture weekly, chiropractic adjustments 3x, C+B meditation

Diet: organic food when possible, avoided gluten, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, red meat/pork, dairy

My response to the 2nd IVF cycle was light years better than the first. I did have significant med changes (antagonist vs. lupron protocol), no changes in doses throughout, stimmed for 10 days vs. 12 days, added HGH.

I think my improved response may have been for the most part due to med changes, but I do believe the lifestyle changes helped too and they will help me to have a healthier pregnancy. Best of luck!!

katemonster I did the antagonist for mine and on BC for a month prior, I feel like I was suppressed too much. I'm wondering if a MDLP protocol would work better for me. So you had better luck with the antagonist right? Thanks for the tips. My nurse told me not to take my fish oil at night since my prenatal has DHA in it, but there's some stuff in the fish oil that's not in the prenatal. Hard to know who to listen to! My DHEAS levels were normal that my RE took but it's hard to find info on line about those levels.

Yep, antagonist worked for me, I did 2 or 3 weeks of bcp. My RE has recommended none, but due to travel, I had to take some. My first cycle was Lupron priming +bcp. I also had my doses upped due to slow response. I don't remember if my prenatal had dha or not, but acupuncturists are into fish oil. Good luck, hope to see you back here soon!