Prednisolone and dhea+ubiquinol - Fertility Network UK

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Prednisolone and dhea+ubiquinol

Paris1771 profile image
19 Replies

Hello there

I have been through a tough time since I had an abortion 2weeks ago coz the fetus didnt grow and my pregnancy was natural for the first time! My hospital is pushing me to start my last round ivf by the next month coz Im turning 40 in April and their fund doesnt cover it anymore! I know that my body is not ready for that but cant do much except for cancel it and pay for a private one with the same service!

I wanted to ask u a question! I am supposed to use prednisolone this time for my ivf and if I get pregnant I must use fragmin injections(a kind of blood thinner)! I want to use dhea for the first time and ubiquinol(I used before)!

Does any body have any experience of using dhea,ubiquinol and presnisolone at the same time?! Wouldnt they interfer each other? Which dosage do u reccomend?!

Your replies are sooo apprecciated!

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19 Replies
DianeArnold profile image
DianeArnoldPartnerNurseFertility Network UK

Hi Paris. Just really wanted to wish you well with your forthcoming IVF cycle.As you have been prescribed prednisolone, I wouldn't think you wouldn't need DHEA as well. DHEA is a form of steroid too, so might interact. You would need to speak to your specialist about this. Fragmin is a form of heparin which should help keep a nice blood flow to your ovaries, womb and it's lining, and is believed to help with implantation. Hope all goes well, and I do hope you had plenty of support when you lost your last pregnancy. Thinking f you. Diane.

Paris1771 profile image
Paris1771 in reply to DianeArnold

Hi dear Diane

Thank u so much for your kind words! I have been prescribed to use prednisolone 5mg but about dhea and ubiquinol, they said they had no idea about using them! I decided by myself and last time I used ubiquinol for about 2and a half month and then got pregnant for the first time in my life! So I just guessed maybe it helps! But I never used dhea and just read about it in the forum and net! So if it might interact with prednisolone I wouldnt use it at least not for ivf!

I had a great support from my husband actually but had been through a bad depression! So far I feel much better and went back to work after a few days and it really helps!

Thank u again and I wish u all the best in the world! xxxxx

DianeArnold profile image
DianeArnoldPartnerNurseFertility Network UK in reply to Paris1771

Hi Paris. Yes, I agree that as you’ve been prescribed prednisolone, you don’t really need another source of steroid. The ubiquinol is your choice, and shouldn’t be harmful. Fingers crossed. Diane xx

Paris1771 profile image
Paris1771 in reply to DianeArnold

Hi dear Diane

I just wanted to ask u another question! Maybe we dont do ivf for a few months and I wanted to know if I can use dhea for ttc and then if I get pregnant I can stop dhea and switch to Prednisolone till 12 weeks of pregnancy or not?

Sorry for taking your time! xxxxx

DianeArnold profile image
DianeArnoldPartnerNurseFertility Network UK in reply to Paris1771

Hi Paris. As you have discussed it with your specialist, you could try them, just not both together. Diane

Paris1771 profile image
Paris1771 in reply to DianeArnold

Thank u so much for your help! xxxxx

DianeArnold profile image
DianeArnoldPartnerNurseFertility Network UK in reply to Paris1771

xx

Cinderella5 profile image
Cinderella5

Hey honey, how are you doing? I took most of those apart from ubiquinol....or I did on my last cycle and as you know thats the first time we've had a BFP. My circumstances are slightly different in the fact that Im doing FET's with DE but I feel the DHEA helps prep my uterus. I would ask your clinic if they have any objections and if not then go for it. So harsh that they would push you to start so soon after a miscarriage even if they have an age limit but you have to do what is right for you. My clinic have said I can only start on my 3rd bleed so cant do anything until then and I havent even shed my lining from my miscarriage yet. Oh I took 75mg (3x25mg) daily of DHEA. xx

Paris1771 profile image
Paris1771 in reply to Cinderella5

Hiii dear

Thank u Im much better now! Hope u r doing well! I asked them about ubiquinol and dhea but they said they dont know these supplements and dont reccomend anything! Since I got my first bfp last time with trying ubiquinol,I just thought it might help again but as diane says above , using dhea and prednisolone might interact with eachother! Did u use dhea and prednisolone at the same time on your ivf?!

I am tired of them pushing me through this! Your clinic is completely right coz your body need to rest at least 3 months and your lining must be prepared for the next round! Have u started any supplements yet? I just started my pregnacare from today!

Wish u all the luck and fingers crossed for us! xxxxxx

Cinderella5 profile image
Cinderella5 in reply to Paris1771

Im so glad that you are feeling a bit better! Ahhh I see, I guess some clinics are still catching onto some things. Well when I did my NHS own egg IVF my clinic said that although they had seen some promising studies with DHEA but the numbers were small and they couldnt prescribe but didnt mind me trying it. At the end of my cycles they had started telling patients to give it a go proactively. If I was doing IVF again, I would take it in a heartbeat as Im sure my embryos did better and another girl I cycled with had improvements and got twins. So when taking the DHEA I would normally have stopped this at egg collection as after all its to boost estrogen naturally and help with egg quality, usually taken for 3 months before to get the benefit. I decided to take it to boost my lining in my DE cycles as my lining was much better on it and I sure it helped. My Greek clinic recommend starting prednisolone at the same time as progesterone so no I didnt have to take them together as you would start progesterone after egg collection if that makes sense!

Ive started DHEA again, vit C , vit D (clinic feels this is an important one these days) and folic acid so Im back on the waggon. Im not feeling too bad actually thanks, if I could I would probably want to start on my cycle asap but they did say 3 bleeds (Ive not even had one yet and didnt really bleed with miscarriage) so will just have to be patient. Wishing you so much luck too!xx

Paris1771 profile image
Paris1771 in reply to Cinderella5

Hi dear

Thank u so much for useful info! I am prescribed to start my prednisolone5mg at the day of starting my ivf injections( so it’ll be 1or 2 weeks before egg collection).

Maybe I can use dhea till then and stop it before using my prednisolone! However I had a call from hospital this morning that if I get period in march, they would do the ivf directly by this mens, othervise they wont cover it at all! So me and hubby must make the decision soon and I still dont know if my period will come again in this month or not! Coz it just finished and still comes some clots sometimes! Maybe I try dhea and ubiquinol for ttc naturally like last time!

Im just too confused with the whole process and they r making me more stressed!

Hope we chose the right way to have a lucky ending!

Sending u lots of love honey! xxxxxxx

Cinderella5 profile image
Cinderella5 in reply to Paris1771

Its a really hard decision to move forward when you dont feel ready but it may give you another go withour having to pay privately so is perhaps worth thinking about a bit more and talking with your OH. You could always try the DHEA up until then and cut it our once you introduce prednisolone. Tough decisions ahead for you but you have to go with your gut feeling!! Best of luck and love to you too.xx

Paris1771 profile image
Paris1771 in reply to Cinderella5

Yes this is what exactly we r thinking about and it is so hard to make the decision!

By the way, which brand of dhea do u reccomend? It there any softgels as well or not? There r plenty of them online but couldnt find any softgels! Sorry for asking too many question! Xxxx

Cinderella5 profile image
Cinderella5 in reply to Paris1771

If you can get micronised DHEA this is meant to be best for absorption but you cant get it in the UK, it needs to be shipped from the USA and sometimes gets stopped at customs. Im not sure what is available to you in your country but I use the Biovea ones which isnt micronised and these are tablet form.xx

Paris1771 profile image
Paris1771 in reply to Cinderella5

I’ll look at biovea ! We have it in Sweden as well! Othervise maybe I can find the micronised one in other websites! Thank u so much lovely! Xxxxx

Caroliono4 profile image
Caroliono4

Hi Paris

I've used DHEA and ubiquinol (co enzyme q10) together to try and improve my egg quality in advance of trying naturally. I tried to use for 3 months beforehand to coincide with the development of the egg and then stopped the week before my fertile period.

I have also had prednisolone for my ivf cycles but this had always been started on or around cycle day 14. I had this recommended through the recurrent miscarriage clinic but recently have been told by my consultant not to take it as my NK cells are fine and he thinks it might be causing other problems for me. I have also taken blood thinners at the same time as the prednisolone.

Your consultant or the nurses will give you the correct dosage and tell you when to take them.

As Diane has said, ask them if you are planning to take any other medicine.

Paris1771 profile image
Paris1771 in reply to Caroliono4

Hi dear Caroliono

Thank u for your response! It is a good information about how to use them! Actually I have slightly rised NK cells as it comes from my immune system and it can get activated when I get pregnant! Last time the problem was not for this reason coz the fetus stopped growing too early but the dr recommended me prednisolone and fragmin or heparin injections!

I asked him about ubiquinol and dhea and they dont know about it and dont reccomend anything!I would start with vitamins and ubiquinol but if Im goung through ivf I wouldnt use dhea and will only take prednisolone! Hope it works this time!

Wish u all the best and thank u for giving me your time! xxxxx

sandy112 profile image
sandy112

Hi Paris I am only seeing this now

I do not remember the names of what I used but soon as I get home I will have a look at my record. But I think your clinic are very rude to force you into starting IVF so soon I remember when we had a failed IVF I had to have 3 bleeds before going again and we had our miracle baby girl. If you think your ready then go for it but only if your ready. My situation was different as I had an operation to remove my endometriosis. If u need any advice and if I can help in anyway let me know good luck hunnie x

Paris1771 profile image
Paris1771 in reply to sandy112

Hi dear Sandy

Thank u sooo much for your help! I had 2failed ivf and now we r waiting for the third one but it is a free medical service and they just said they have a very restricted age limit and wont cover the last one if I turn 40! I know that there r exceptions and they can pistpond my case for a few months(as I spoke with 2of the proffessors there during last month) but Im too week and desprate to struggle with them!

I had an operation 2years ago as well! I had fibroids! Im just confused with the medication that I gonna take! If u have any experience on it to share with me, I would be so grateful!

Im sooo happy to hear about your success and your little angel! God bless u! Xxxx

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