How much DHEA should I take?

I was advised discreetly by the consultant at our fertility clinic that it would be a good idea for me to take DHEA but as it was not that clinic's policy to advise patients to do this he couldn't give me any more information. Has anyone been prescribed this by their clinic & if so what is the daily recommended dose? Thank you in advance everyone xx

[poochi]

Hi I've read that the dose for women recommended to use it is 75mg a day which will be 3tablets as they are normally 25mg a day. I'm only taking 25mg a day as I'm 36 but otherwise I've no known reason to take it. It's also recommended to take for 3months prior to treatment. Good luck x

[poochi in reply to poochi]

I mean 'normally 25mg a tablet'

[Hidden in reply to poochi]

Thanks Poochi!! I think the reason it was mentioned to me was probably my age. It was really annoying to hear that it was something the consultant though I should try but that the NHS wouldn't allow them to officially tell me that, even though I would have been paying for the next cycle. I just want to try everything possible now while we're saving for round 4 to maybe have a miracle naturally xxx

[poochi in reply to Hidden]

Yeah that is frustrating but I think it will be as DHEA in its drug form is not legal in the uk but in its herb form it is... I think the only difference is how it is classed. It's used in America as a prescription drug & I imported mine with no issues, I got mine from biovea. Good luck x

[Cinderella5]

I've started taking 75mg daily. No side effects so far but it's only been a week! We're not sure when our next cycle will be, but they reckoned a few months so hopefully this will help.x

[Hidden in reply to Cinderella5]

Thank you for your reply, that's a great help. Good luck with your next cycle xx

[72cloud9 in reply to Cinderella5]

Can I ask do you take 3 at once or spread out over the day-I've been spreading it out but just occurred to me I could probably take all in one go!!

[Cinderella5 in reply to 72cloud9]

Hi, I usually take 3x25 over the day as the others have said. Doesn't make me ill if I haven't eaten yet though. Good luck!x

[Hidden]

My new consultant promotes this aswell, I take 75mg split into 3 X 25mg per day spread out over the day X

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you button Have you had any side effects at all? Xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I haven't had anything so far so good x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

That's good news x

[72cloud9 in reply to Hidden]

Did they tell u to spread it out? I have been but sometimes forget so wondered whether it made a difference to take all at once x

[Liz22]

Hi my amh is very very low so i was recommended dhea by my consultant. I take 75mg in the evening after food as it makes me sick if i havent eaten.no other side effects from it. It's ment to improve egg quality apparently. I was also told to take it for 3 months before egg collection, u can buy it from biovea website. Hope that helps and good luck xx

[Hidden in reply to Liz22]

Thank you Liz, I will make sure I take it with food just in case!! Good luck to you too, have you found it's made any difference to your AMH at all? Xx

[72cloud9]

I'm taking it although my clinic also said they don't prescribe it.i think my doctor at the clinic felt no harm in trying it but bcos of my age, low AMH and at first IVF, no eggs at collection, she still feels strongly donor is the better option.i am really tempted to have one more go tho given the positive reviews people have given about DHEA x

[Hidden in reply to 72cloud9]

Oh bless you, sounds like you've had a similar sort of experience to me. Low AMH, high FSH & nearly 40. My 1st round I only had 1 egg collected & it was such poor quality it cracked & didn't fertilise. The 2nd round I had 6 collected, 4 fertilised & 2 made it to transfer but had BFN my 3rd round (which we did in Spain) I only had 2 collected, had a 2 day transfer "just in case" & BFN again. We have used all of our savings now so can't start again yet but we've been advised to try egg donation next time. That's why I really want to give myself the best chance I can naturally. It's heartbreaking & frustrating.

Do you have another NHS funded cycle? Xx

[72cloud9 in reply to Hidden]

Wow! U have had to deal with a lot of disappointment you poor thing. I found it hard dealing with it one time!! I think that's what the doctor thought for me-take the DHEA & see if a natural miracle happens but I'm 44 nearly 45 so time is not on our side at all! We r struggling to decide whether donor is something we can get comfortable with-our councelling session with the clinic did not help at all!!

I'd be very interested to know how you got on in Spain...where, cost etc. I wondered if it would be a lot less given that we have to counter in flights, accommodation etc. also the time as I'm self employed but my partner has limited annual leave.

I never had any NHS funding -they started testing me, just basic tests & then told me I needed more tests but I'd hit the age thresh hold so wasn't eligible under NHS any more.we had no money to continue back then.

I just ordered another bottle of DHEA - a lovely lady on this forum gave me my 1st bottle.theres a first time customer discount so for 180 25mg capsules it was just under £24 incl postage which is 60 days supply. Not noticed any side affects -possibly a little hairier lol!!

Xxx

[Hidden in reply to 72cloud9]

Oh no, hopefully we don't all start growing beards!!

Our 3rd cycle was with the Eugin Clinic in Barcelona. They were amazing but they are so thorough that they ask for blood tests & follicular scans every other day. If you are over there you can go into the clinic & have these all included in the cost, however if you aren't then you have to have them done privately over here which cost us an extra £1,500 on top of the £3,500 for the treatment. I would still use them again though, it's a completely different experience, very personal. The treatment is tailored for the individual, they don't have to follow UK protocols.

They also do require you to have many tests before treatment, we had Karyotype tests & my hubby had a DNA test on his sample - turned out he had a high level of fractured DNA strands so he had to have an antioxidant prescription for 3 months before they would consider doing the treatment.

The other thing you need to factor in is the cost of the drugs, I paid just over £700 using a company called Biodose, they were the cheapest quote I received & very quick to deliver.

Egg donor cycles are very easy over there, however they are more costly. You have to pay for your own drugs - I've been quoted about £300 for mine. You have to pay the clinic for the donor's drugs which are around £1,500! To get the donor drugs here would be cheaper but they can't give you a prescription for them as they aren't for you. That is very annoying as you could save about £600 otherwise. I think we were quoted about £5,500 for the actual treatment.

However, the benefits to having the treatment there are that there is no waiting list for a donor & all mature eggs collected are yours - I think most clinics here limit it to 6 eggs & there's a waiting list. Also, the laws in Spain mean the donors are 100% anonymous in the future.

It's all a crazy amount of money to spend but maybe we'll both be lucky in the meantime.

If you are considering going abroad, despite the slightly higher cost, then I would definitely check out the Eugin website. I could even give you pointers on where to stay, etc

Xx

[72cloud9 in reply to Hidden]

Thank u, I will bare all that in mind. I was thinking of looking at clinics in Alicante cos my mums not far from there so she could maybe stay with me so my partner doesn't use all his annual leave.he can just be there when 'needed' lol!!

It sounds like IVF with your own eggs isn't cheaper away then (mine was around £5k for natural IVF here) but I like the idea that the approach is bespoke to your needs.i thought donor was cheaper but it's not much different then - I was quoted here £10k with fresh eggs!

I know most people like the anonymity abroad but that's the bit that bothers me-I'd like to offer that option to my child but the difference in price might not give us that choice.

You sound really well informed so it's clear I need to start spending more time researching. All I've found so far is a clinic in New York that I would love to deal with but can u imagine the costs there?!?! They love DHEA there!!!

I will definitely be asking u for more advice if and when we make the decision about abroad!!

Good luck with the DHEA-hopefully it answers both our prayers!! Xxx

[Hidden in reply to 72cloud9]

Krikey, I could only imagine how much it would cost to go to New York for treatment!!

Good luck to you & your hubby, please feel free to message anytime & thank you for responding about the DHEA - that's something I was a little nervous about taking without advice from others!!

I have ordered both that & another pot of the Q10 from Biovea now.

Take care xx

[72cloud9 in reply to Hidden]

Is q10 a good one to take? x

[Hidden in reply to 72cloud9]

I've read it's good to take along side DHEA xx

[72cloud9 in reply to Hidden]

I'll give it a ox

[72cloud9 in reply to 72cloud9]

Ill give it a go even!!

[Hidden in reply to 72cloud9]

Ps. I'll be rattling soon!! Xx

[Liz22]

Hi i never had my amh rechecked but thw eggs they collected were all good quality and went on to be good blastocysts sadly i had 2 miscarriages so we r going back for another fresh cycle later this year xx

[Hidden in reply to Liz22]

Oh, I am so sorry. I can't even imagine what it would like to get that far. You must have been utterly devastated, there really are no words so I will just send you all my love & wish you both all the luck in the world in the future.

It sounds really positive that things did improve for you though & I hope they continue to do so & that you get your miracle on your next cycle.

I honestly can't believe how many people there are out there going through fertility treatment, it is so unfair but all we can do is be strong & positive & look forward to achieving our miracles xxxxx

[Liz22]

Yeh im finding it all so hard, but am hopeful that it Will stick next time. Back on the dhea to hopefullt start again in september. Hugs xx

[Eggfreezer2015]

I took 50mg once a day, my side effects were facial hair, I felt irratiable and low tolerance - they kicked in progressively after a month or so. I did get a better result at egg collection but it's not conclusive as to whether it was exclusively attributable to the DHEA. The doctor should also test your hormone levels after you have been taking it. Also coq10 and Royal jelly are good to take as well, no side effects. Good luck!

[Hidden in reply to Eggfreezer2015]

Oh god, did the facial hair disappear again when you stopped taking it?? I'm a bit scared now! Xx

[Esmes2013]

Hi, just thought I would let you know I tried DHEA, I have very low AMH and have had 5 early miscarriages. Read all about it and decided to try it for a month, being brutally honest it really messed my cycles up, after getting positive opk's month after month I stopped getting them, it could have been nothing to do with taking it but that was the only thing different. Don't get me wrong I have read loads of great comments about it but I know its not agreeable to everyone. Its taken six months for my cycles to return to normal and during those six months plus I have not got pregnant whereas last year I got pregnant 5 times. Good luck to you though hope it works out for you!

[Hidden in reply to Esmes2013]

I'm so sorry to hear about your losses, you must have been utterly devastated. Were they natural pregnancies or are you having fertility treatment?

Thank you, I feel like I need to give it ago but things like that really worry me. However, I've never been pregnant & therefore I guess I need to do something I haven't done before.

Xx

[Esmes2013 in reply to Hidden]

Oh I know I was exactly the same! Just unfortunately it appears to have messed me up a little but it was my choice to take it......yes they were all natural so IVF or anything not even been discussed with me I've just been told to keep trying ! Have you had your amh / FSH / LH tested ?

[Hidden in reply to Esmes2013]

Hi, yes I've had three rounds of IVF so far, all were unsuccessful unfortunately. I have a high FSH & low AMH, was a poor responder to the drugs & 4 out of 4 embryos failed to implant. It's been a tough couple of years. We can't afford another round at the moment so are trying everything we can think of to see if we can have some success naturally.

Has your doctor not referred you to look into why you keep miscarrying? That seems a bit harsh just telling you to keep trying when it must be heartbreaking each time.

Xx