Anyone on keto?

marioana99

I started keto about 3 weeks ago and I am starting my 7th IVF cycle today. I know keto is good for PCOS, but I have DOR and couldn't find anything about keto helping with that but I thought it can't hurt if I reduce inflammation in my body. Anyone heard of keto and DOR as a success story?

mrsa2017

Hello I was just about to start a thread on the Ketogenic and Paleo Diet.  I have PCOS and I'm currently waiting for my pnv and Supplements (thank you Irma)  to arrive. I'm doing my first IVF the beginning of next year so I'm starting to get ready from now in order to have good quality eggs.  My real diagnoses is tubal infertility (both removed) but that doesn't guarantee a first time success or good qualities eggs. 
How has the diet been for you so far? @marioana99... Any personal experience will definitely help me. 

marioana99

@mrsa2017 Diet wise I am fine, surprisingly I don't miss carbs as much as I expected, it's just harder to get my green leafs in as I am not a big fan of salads. I supplemented with potassium, magnesium and salt so I didn't had any keto flu symptoms. 
I was afraid my period will be delayed or come early, because i read a lot of stories like that. But it came just on time, with some spotting the week before. It was shorter than usual (3 days of flow instead of 4) and cramps weren't so bad. But before AF came my face exploded with acne , and I thought it was just one time thing. Nope, once I started fertility meds it exploded again. But I read that some people have this reaction in the beginning of keto that it triggers bad acne before making it better.
I think it's very wise to start now, as the body needs a couple of months on keto to adjust, so by the time you get to IVF you will be adapted. Also I read a lot that it's good for PCOS as it regulates the hormones and a lot of women got pregnant naturally following keto.  I guess it won't help that way in your case, but it can only help if your body functions optimally while doing the stimms. Let me know if you have more questions, I am only beginning myself but I am happy to help if I can. 

mrsa2017

OMG! Acne..  Yikes...  Are you taking any other vitamins? And what about your water intake? 
I read that you should only drink water, tea, coffee and red wine occasionally.  Sadly water gives me a headache when I drink it all day,  I want to try green tea but what will I do without a sweetener,  I don't drink coffee and I have decided to stop all alcoholic beverages. 

@marioana99 what about weight loss,  have you seen any lbs drop as yet?  I'm 5'9" and currently 164lbs (biggest I've ever been) but if you see me you would wonder where my weight was.  I really don't want to get super skinny. 

marioana99

I am taking a lot of supplements especially after my last failed cycle. I am taking based on "It starts with the Egg" book

• prenatal vitamin
• vitamin E 200iu
• vitamin C 1000iu
• ubiquinol 400mg/day
• melatonin at night 3mg
• alpha lipoic acid 500mg/day 
• N-Acetyl Cysteine 600mg/day 

I also take 2 capsules of potassium (99mg potassium each) and 4gr of natural calm (magnesium supplement). The magnesium has a raspberry lemon flavor and I add it to my water and drink it throughout the day ( I have a 48oz bottle and I take it to work).
For sweetener I use stevia glycerite from now foods as I find that the aftertaste is minimal ( I don't feel it anymore). You can also use erythritol. I think there are other sweeteners that people are using but I am not sure about them and if they spike your sugar lvl or not...

I lost 5lb in the first week, which is normal because without the carbs the body will deplete all glycogen stored in the muscle. The pants are slightly looser but not by much. If you see that you lose weight just increase the calories you are eating, it's super easy, just add some heavy whipping cream to a dish, or eat some cheese, they add up pretty fast. I drink  organic decaf coffee and I add 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream to it and some coconut oil. The coconut oil is just to increase my fats but I used to drink the coffee with milk and the cream is an excellent substitute.

It's weird how before I only had tilapia and chicken breast in the freezer, and now I have drumsticks, wings, ground beef, pork shoulder and lots of bacon...

mrsa2017

I read " It starts with the Egg"  as well and following their supplements list.  How fast does the melatonin kick in?  I really need something to help me sleep through the night. 
I also only ate fish seafood and chicken breast but this will be a good change for me.  My biggest pet peeve with it is the cutting out of fruits...  I love fruits so that will take some adjustment.  I just Googled 'stevia' lol.  I'm glad that the diet is actually working and it gives me hope so thank you @marioana99...  I pray that helps us tremendously in achieving what we all long for.  Which step are you at in this journey? 

marioana99

For me the melatonin worked on the first day, I took it and an hour later I couldn't keep my eyes open. Now I don't feel it so strongly, but it still works.
The fruits was hard for me too, I used to have berries every night plus something else like some grapes, a peach...
I have my journey in the signature, but long story short I am super stubborn with a great insurance so I am going through my 7th IVF now. Most people would have given up by now, but it costs me $2000/year to pay for my out of pocket while it's $14000/cycle to do donor eggs. And donor eggs I can do later too, so I keep trying with my own...

mrsa2017

@marioana99 Sorry I'm usually on my mobile. I really do admire women like you who haven't given up after the second or third try. This is really the side of IVF that isn't advertised and my greatest fear that it don't always work on the first try uuugggghhh. 

I'm glad I found "It starts with the egg" tho, so I can feel like I am giving my eggs the best chance from the start.

Thank you so much for sharing your info on the diet, I can move forward with it and some hope that I'm taking control over this. I really hope this cycle is your cycle to receive your happy and healthy LO.

marioana99

Cherries (my favorite), pineapple and watermelon have a lot of sugar so that will spike your insulin which you don't want on keto. Berries are fine, I just cut down on them while I am adapting.

The prenatal is Nature Made Prenatal Multi + DHA, 150 Softgels from costco, Vitamin C, E, the alpha lipoic acid and N-Acetyl Cysteine are from Now foods, ordered from amazon. The melatonin is Nature Made Melatonin Tablets, Value Size, 3 Mg, 240 Count from amazon, and the ubiquinol is either from kirkland (Kirkland Ubiquinol 200mg 90 Softgels) or from Qunol (Plus Extra Strength Ubiquinol, 90 Softgels) which i buy either from Amazon or Costco, depends where I find them cheaper.

marioana99

Ok, just got out of ER, a huge difference from the last times. I was perfectly awake after they took me from the table, I remember the wheel chair, what I talked to my husband...I guess keto does change things...

mrsa2017

Think it affected how fast the anesthesia wore off?  @marioana99

marioana99

Not sure...all 4 times before I couldn't remember how I got in the bed, and my husband said I wasn't making much sense in the first 15 minutes. Now I remember everything, I remember what I talked to him, I was ready to go home in half an hour after the procedure. And nothing hurts, usually my ovaries hurt a little. Now I had 6 eggs retrieved (highest number for me) and it's like nothing happened. I even stopped at Costco for our weekly grocery shopping on our way home because I was super ok.

mrsa2017

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay for 6 eggies  @marioana99
Well at least you can feel good about your choice to change your eating habits  

serenity639

I know this is a bit old, but I was wondering how your 6 eggs did? I am having my second Ivf retrieval on Saturday and have been keto for 7 months.