Ok ladies.. tell me, what supplements are you all taking for fertility, specifically for egg quality everything i'm reading says egg quality at my old age of 35 sucks, so i'm hoping to find suggestions to help make it better also, has your REs actually suggested anything?
(... and yes I will talk with mine before i start taking anything, i just want to bring a list of ideas and see what she says)
Me: 36 years old DH: 42 years old
Married: 05.2012 TW:
TTC #1 Since April 2016 HSG/FSH/AMH/E2/SA all normal DX: unexplained IF spontaneous BFP 01/01/2017- Alexander was born sleeping 04/13/2017 at 19w1d ic/chorio September 2017 HSG #2 & Gonal-F/Femara/Ovidrel/IUI #1 = ep (Salpingectomy of left fallopian tube) spontaneous BFP 01/02/2018 EDD Aug 30th It's a GIRL! Cerclage placed on 03/02 Cerclage removal 08/02
Our RE had us on DHEA and CoQ10. It didn't do much for my eggs, but my wife, at 38, just did an excellent job growing eggs.
Cutting out alcohol and cutting way down on sugar and simple carbs may have also helped. We've both leaned in the direction of a Mediterranean diet.
Me- 39 (turning 40 in April), TTC for the first time ever (since Jan 2015), low ovarian reserve
Married 3/14/14 to my wonderful wife, but her sperm count is rather low
TTC with frozen donor sperm and science
7 IUIs, 7 BFNs. 2 IVF attempts, both cancelled and converted to IUI, both BFNs. Decided that my tired old ovaries are ready to retire. Next step- reciprocal IVF, using my wife's eggs, my uterus! fresh 5 day transfer (2 embryos) 4/17/17- BFP! Identical twins "due" 1/2/17 (but anticipated arrival sometime December)
@KLake42. **tw** I cut out carbs and sugars while I was pregnant- since my loss I've struggled a little with diet but I'm working on cleaning it up again.....I'll look into the Mediterranean diet
i've read a lot about CoQ10...I'll be asking my RE about that and I'll add DHEA to my list....thank you!
Me: 36 years old DH: 42 years old
Married: 05.2012 TW:
TTC #1 Since April 2016 HSG/FSH/AMH/E2/SA all normal DX: unexplained IF spontaneous BFP 01/01/2017- Alexander was born sleeping 04/13/2017 at 19w1d ic/chorio September 2017 HSG #2 & Gonal-F/Femara/Ovidrel/IUI #1 = ep (Salpingectomy of left fallopian tube) spontaneous BFP 01/02/2018 EDD Aug 30th It's a GIRL! Cerclage placed on 03/02 Cerclage removal 08/02
My RE suggested prenatal vitamin and Coq10 (I'd been taking PNVs, ubiquinol, and fish oil since Feb 2016/four months before my wedding). I asked her about DHEA, and she said that it needed a few months to work and the testosterone priming with Androgel kind of aimed to accomplish the same thing.
But because I need all the help I can get (based on my first IVF cycle, but also I'll be 40 in October), I take the following:
PNV (Megafood Baby and Me) Ubiquinol (200mg 2x daily) Fish oil (Carlson's Very Finest - I've been taking this for my cholesterol anyway) Life Extension Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer (per label) L-Acetyl Carnitine (this was an ingredient that was excluded from the Life Extension MEO new formula) NAC (600mg 3x/day) Vitex (between cycles to try to get balanced again - though I understand it's slow to work) Vitamin C (500mg) Vitamin D (5000iu) Vitamin E (400iu) Myo-Inositol (a teaspoon - not quite 4g - I take this with whole milk - supposed to be divided doses but it's kind of a pain) Magnesium (400mg before bed - I get cramps in spin and dance class without it) Melatonin (3mg while stimming - don't take this/this quantity if not going thru IVF - can suppress your LH surge which you need to ovulate!)
The bulk of this I started in desperation after my first IVF cycle went so poorly (around 2/9). I did read _It Starts With the Egg_ (have you read it?) before my first IVF cycle, but stupidly it didn't occur to me to supplement (more) till February. I suspect I can credit the protocol change for the improvement in my second cycle, in the meantime I'm making some very expensive pee!
Most of my diet's pretty good (especially when DH cooks for me), but I really need to be better about cutting out sugar
About me: Married 6/18/16 (Me 42, DH 44), TTC #2 ***TW***
Natural BFP 8/10/16 --> mc our NIPT-normal little girl at 11w5d on 10/1/16 As of 12/2016: AMH 1.42, FSH 6.1, AFC ~10 Self-benched Nov-Dec 2016 for IVF #1 Jan-Feb 2017 (OCP, testosterone primed antagonist w/HGH - ER 2/2/17 - 12R, 7M ICSI'd, 3F, 0B) IVF #2 Mar-Apr 2017 (testosterone primed agonist/luteal lupron w/HGH - ER 4/8/17 - 10R, 8M, 8F, 5B, 1 PGS normal) IVF #3 May-Jun 2017 (testosterone primed agonist/luteal lupron w/HGH - ER 6/4/17 - 14R, 5F, 3B, 0 normal) **New RE** IVF #4 Sept 2017 (natural start microdose lupron flare w/HGH - ER 9/28/17 - 33R, 18F, 10B, 4 PGS normals!) FET #1 (medicated) of one PGS normal 4AA XX 11/2/17 - Beta #1 11/11/17 (153), Beta #2 11/13/17 (324), mc at 5w1d on 11/19/17 IVF #5 Dec 2017 - Insemination of 9 frozen eggs from 2012 (8F, 1B, 0 normal) Jan 2018 - Natural cycle ERA (normal/receptive) & stimming for IVF #6 Jan-Feb 2018 (natural start microdose lupron flare w/HGH - ER 2/3/18 - 17R, 6M, 4F, 0 blasts) IVF #7 Feb 2018 (natural start microdose lupron flare w/HGH - ER 2/26/18 - 19R, 9M, 9F, 4B, 2 PGS normals) FET #2 Apr 2018 (natural cycle w/o trigger, w/P4 support) of one PGS normal 4AA- XX 4/5/18 - Beta #1 4/14/18 (67), Beta #2 4/16/18 (231) Rainbow baby girl born 12/16/2018 (via c-section, induced at 39 weeks)
----- TFAS! FET #3 Dec 2019 (natural cycle w/o trigger, w/P4 support) of one PGS normal 3BB XY 12/16/19 - Beta #1 12/24/19 (139), Beta #2 12/27/19 (482)
I'm taking CoQ10 which my first RE recommeneded, prenatal, E, B12,C,D,zinc and A. I also heard DHEA but my Re didnt recommended it for us but I may start taking it anyway.
I've tried cutting sugar and changed my diet. I was doing so well for the longest time but with the stress of this whole process I haven't been really good. I'm an emotional eater.
@artemis618 wow that's quite a list! the fish oil i was going to ask about because i've read some things about it.. and i believe it's just overall good for you
regarding prenatal vitamins, does anyone know if there is a difference between all the brands....? I am taking one, but it is a generic store brand I don't know if I should switch to something else
Me: 36 years old DH: 42 years old
Married: 05.2012 TW:
TTC #1 Since April 2016 HSG/FSH/AMH/E2/SA all normal DX: unexplained IF spontaneous BFP 01/01/2017- Alexander was born sleeping 04/13/2017 at 19w1d ic/chorio September 2017 HSG #2 & Gonal-F/Femara/Ovidrel/IUI #1 = ep (Salpingectomy of left fallopian tube) spontaneous BFP 01/02/2018 EDD Aug 30th It's a GIRL! Cerclage placed on 03/02 Cerclage removal 08/02
I take a prescription prenatal called prenatal plus. I asked the pharmacist what the difference was between over the counter and prescription and she said that prescription is better. I haven't bee interested enough to compare. I've been taking it for over a year and tolerate it well so why mess with a good thing?
***TW*** Me: 36 DH:35 Married: 7/10/2016 TTC#1 - May 2016 BFP 9/6/2016 - Missed MC 10/20/2016 BFP 5/5/2017 - CP IVF #1 - June 2017 - Transferred 1 fresh 4 AA embryo. 7/9 Beta #1 - 161 Adam Born on 3/18/18
Re: supplements for egg quality
I spoke with a genetic counselor yesterday and she said at age 36, 44% of the eggs are bad
Me: 36 DH:35
Married: 7/10/2016
TTC#1 - May 2016
BFP 9/6/2016 - Missed MC 10/20/2016
BFP 5/5/2017 - CP
IVF #1 - June 2017 - Transferred 1 fresh 4 AA embryo. 7/9 Beta #1 - 161
Adam Born on 3/18/18
Cutting out alcohol and cutting way down on sugar and simple carbs may have also helped. We've both leaned in the direction of a Mediterranean diet.
7 IUIs, 7 BFNs.
2 IVF attempts, both cancelled and converted to IUI, both BFNs.
Decided that my tired old ovaries are ready to retire.
Next step- reciprocal IVF, using my wife's eggs, my uterus!
fresh 5 day transfer (2 embryos) 4/17/17- BFP!
Identical twins "due" 1/2/17 (but anticipated arrival sometime December)
@KLake42. **tw** I cut out carbs and sugars while I was pregnant- since my loss I've struggled a little with diet but I'm working on cleaning it up again.....I'll look into the Mediterranean diet
i've read a lot about CoQ10...I'll be asking my RE about that and I'll add DHEA to my list....thank you!
TW:
HSG/FSH/AMH/E2/SA all normal DX: unexplained IF
spontaneous BFP 01/01/2017- Alexander was born sleeping 04/13/2017 at 19w1d ic/chorio
September 2017 HSG #2 & Gonal-F/Femara/Ovidrel/IUI #1 = ep (Salpingectomy of left fallopian tube)
spontaneous BFP 01/02/2018 EDD Aug 30th It's a GIRL!
Cerclage placed on 03/02 Cerclage removal 08/02
But because I need all the help I can get (based on my first IVF cycle, but also I'll be 40 in October), I take the following:
PNV (Megafood Baby and Me)
Ubiquinol (200mg 2x daily)
Fish oil (Carlson's Very Finest - I've been taking this for my cholesterol anyway)
Life Extension Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer (per label)
L-Acetyl Carnitine (this was an ingredient that was excluded from the Life Extension MEO new formula)
NAC (600mg 3x/day)
Vitex (between cycles to try to get balanced again - though I understand it's slow to work)
Vitamin C (500mg)
Vitamin D (5000iu)
Vitamin E (400iu)
Myo-Inositol (a teaspoon - not quite 4g - I take this with whole milk - supposed to be divided doses but it's kind of a pain)
Magnesium (400mg before bed - I get cramps in spin and dance class without it)
Melatonin (3mg while stimming - don't take this/this quantity if not going thru IVF - can suppress your LH surge which you need to ovulate!)
The bulk of this I started in desperation after my first IVF cycle went so poorly (around 2/9). I did read _It Starts With the Egg_ (have you read it?) before my first IVF cycle, but stupidly it didn't occur to me to supplement (more) till February. I suspect I can credit the protocol change for the improvement in my second cycle, in the meantime I'm making some very expensive pee!
Most of my diet's pretty good (especially when DH cooks for me), but I really need to be better about cutting out sugar
Married 6/18/16 (Me 42, DH 44), TTC #2
***TW***
As of 12/2016: AMH 1.42, FSH 6.1, AFC ~10
Self-benched Nov-Dec 2016 for
IVF #1 Jan-Feb 2017 (OCP, testosterone primed antagonist w/HGH - ER 2/2/17 - 12R, 7M ICSI'd, 3F, 0B)
IVF #2 Mar-Apr 2017 (testosterone primed agonist/luteal lupron w/HGH - ER 4/8/17 - 10R, 8M, 8F, 5B, 1 PGS normal)
IVF #3 May-Jun 2017 (testosterone primed agonist/luteal lupron w/HGH - ER 6/4/17 - 14R, 5F, 3B, 0 normal)
**New RE**
IVF #4 Sept 2017 (natural start microdose lupron flare w/HGH - ER 9/28/17 - 33R, 18F, 10B, 4 PGS normals!)
FET #1 (medicated) of one PGS normal 4AA XX 11/2/17 - Beta #1 11/11/17 (153), Beta #2 11/13/17 (324), mc at 5w1d on 11/19/17
IVF #5 Dec 2017 - Insemination of 9 frozen eggs from 2012 (8F, 1B, 0 normal)
Jan 2018 - Natural cycle ERA (normal/receptive) & stimming for
IVF #6 Jan-Feb 2018 (natural start microdose lupron flare w/HGH - ER 2/3/18 - 17R, 6M, 4F, 0 blasts)
IVF #7 Feb 2018 (natural start microdose lupron flare w/HGH - ER 2/26/18 - 19R, 9M, 9F, 4B, 2 PGS normals)
FET #2 Apr 2018 (natural cycle w/o trigger, w/P4 support) of one PGS normal 4AA- XX 4/5/18 - Beta #1 4/14/18 (67), Beta #2 4/16/18 (231)
Rainbow baby girl born 12/16/2018 (via c-section, induced at 39 weeks)
-----
TFAS!
FET #3 Dec 2019 (natural cycle w/o trigger, w/P4 support) of one PGS normal 3BB XY 12/16/19 - Beta #1 12/24/19 (139), Beta #2 12/27/19 (482)
I've tried cutting sugar and changed my diet. I was doing so well for the longest time but with the stress of this whole process I haven't been really good. I'm an emotional eater.
regarding prenatal vitamins, does anyone know if there is a difference between all the brands....? I am taking one, but it is a generic store brand I don't know if I should switch to something else
TW:
HSG/FSH/AMH/E2/SA all normal DX: unexplained IF
spontaneous BFP 01/01/2017- Alexander was born sleeping 04/13/2017 at 19w1d ic/chorio
September 2017 HSG #2 & Gonal-F/Femara/Ovidrel/IUI #1 = ep (Salpingectomy of left fallopian tube)
spontaneous BFP 01/02/2018 EDD Aug 30th It's a GIRL!
Cerclage placed on 03/02 Cerclage removal 08/02
Me: 36 DH:35
Married: 7/10/2016
TTC#1 - May 2016
BFP 9/6/2016 - Missed MC 10/20/2016
BFP 5/5/2017 - CP
IVF #1 - June 2017 - Transferred 1 fresh 4 AA embryo. 7/9 Beta #1 - 161
Adam Born on 3/18/18