Does DHEA really work?

winofairy

My new RE told me to start taking 25mg when I saw her for my IVF consult on the 13th of Feb.  I've been taking nightly but I've noticed my hair is starting to fall out and I've got two huge tumors (zits) growing on each side of my face.  Ugghhh!

Does this stuff really work? 

Thankfully I will only have to take it another month!

Roxie5739

I can tell you if it worked for me in around a week or so. I have been on it for 3 months, initially I only had oily hair and skin and then in last few weeks I started to get zits. I dropped to 25mg 2x a day but I know that some cannot take it for the side effects.

I would speak to your RE again on it as once I told mine I got acne they told me to drop the dosage.

 

Edwina.McDunnough

Those are common s/e but I don't get what you mean by "work," it can aid in increasing numbers if you are DOR, but it's no magic elixir, and some REs believe it has a negative effect on DOR patients specifically.

jlcrane78

My RE says there is no scientific evidence DHEA will help DOR patients. He would not authorize me to take it, and judging by the side effects i am glad!

chloeelyn

I just started taking it. My RE suggested 3x a day for 3months. I've been on it for almost 2 weeks and have noticed acne. I never have acne and have been dealing with giant breakouts in the past week its awful. Also, I've had headaches 7 out of the last 10 days. I cant tell if the headaches are stress related or now. But the DHEA is most definetly giving me cystic acne. My RE said to drop down to 2x a day if I had any issues. I sent him an email today to see what he says, is acne a big enough deal to drop down the dosage? What if I "need" 3x a day to make a difference?

Jackie2200

I don't think it's a magic elixer either.  I got pregnant with twins from IVF#1 and didn't take it.  I got pregnant from IVF#4 and did take it, but interistingly enough, I had the worst response ever to stims on IVF#4--they only got one egg after 21 days of stims.  Who knows...I'm still in the camp that alot of this is a crap shoot!

 

jillychris

My RE was 100% against DHEA when I asked. She said it can change your hormone levels, and since it's not monitored like a med would be she doesn't like it.

BunnyintheYard

The only times I have ever gotten a BFP (including my DD), I was taking DHEA for 2 months before I cycled.  I had a higher fert rate those cycles as well.  My dx includes poor egg quality.

I was taking wheat grass as well the first time, and this time I took wheat grass and Coenzyme Q10.  

I really think it makes a difference... but that's just my opinion.  You can do a scientific search on PubMed if you want to look for any DHEA and IVF research papers.  I took those supplements after hearing that CCRM suggests them.

Good luck!! 

KDR1979

TICKER WARNING. Also on iPad-sorry for format. We had a mfi diagnosis. They never got many eggs From me (I am 32 now), so my RE thought dhea might help (even though we usually had good qualityEmbryos). So, after our 4 th IVF failed, I started dhea 25 mg & took it for 4 months before our Last IVF attempt-we got a similar amount of eggs & embryos, but I am currently pregnant & we have a Frozen blast. Good luck!!!