I need some advice on DHEA and whether this is a good idea to take and whether there are any side effects? Also can the fertility clinic refuse to start your treatments if you are taking this? One of the consultants at my clinic is against this medication but another is really for it. Unfortunately I am dealing with the consultant who doesn't like it. 😕😕😟😟 He told me that my egg number and my amh level is unlikely to change ever but I just find this really hard to believe. (Only had 2 eggs collected on ICSI and both failed to fertilise.) 😔😔🙁🙁 But I desperately want to try everything I possibly can. I have also been told to take Ubiquinol. The other supplements I have been advised to take are vitamin D, omega 3, magnesium and drops of tocopherols (vit E) plus a B complex. Any help much appreciated. Xx
Info and advice on DHEA: I need some... - Fertility Network UK
Info and advice on DHEA
The advice and info also on where to buy it and also how much to take would be much appreciated as I feel like I cannot ask my clinic. 😕😕😕😔😔 xxx
You can buy it on biovea.com. It does take 7 days for the delivery. After lot of arguments with the nurse, she gave me a leaftlet which has some info about dhea and where to buy it from.
When I started taking, I had a period like pain and it was a constant pain so I stopped it.
I think its best to search about DHEA tag in this forum, you will get lots of info 
All the best.
Hiya
The consultant we are seeing is very against it too but I agree that it then makes it feel difficult to ask about it and make an informed decision. I got my DHEA levels tested (and they were high so i didnt take anything) so you could always do this to see what your levels are first? I'm sure some of the others on here will be able to advise if you do decide to take it xx good luck
Would the clinic be willing to test my DHEA levels or could I contact my GP to have this done? Thank you for your helpful comment. Xx
I'm not sure but maybe worth asking them. I googled it and paid a company privately. Let me know if you want the name and I'll pm you. think it was about £40 xx
Hi there, sorry to hear about your ordeal. I know it just taked one viable embyo to stick and make it the whole 9 months to get your baby dreams fullfulled but then more the numbers of eggs the chances of success looks more promising. As per the copious amount of digging on the internet due to my own infertility and from updates that I hear both on forums and in person... DHEA works for sure. It improves the egg quality though and don't have much on numbers of eggs. It's usually finding the right ovarian stimulator and incresed dose paired with either DHEA or Ubiquinol (CoQ10) that triggers the body to produce more numbers of good quality eggs. Well different practitioners have different treatment protocols that they follow and often are resistant towards trying something that they havn't been prescribing so far. Maybe you should try to reason with him that why not just try... even if it doesn't imporve anything there's nothing to really lose. Nonetheless, sometimes women find success with even just 1. So yeah while you seek how you can improve your chances best to stay optimistic all the while with or without the DHEA.
Hi I'm not having IVF but have used DHEA I took it for 3 months and conceived naturally the 3rd month. I had 2 mc prev and wanted to give myself the best chance so took DHEA ubiquinol pqq and other supplements like royal jelly maca omega 3 fish oils. BUT we still miscarried again I was devastated it happened again I thought these supplements would be the answer.
Thank you for sharing your journey. Xx
Sorry to hear this xxxx
In the same breath I am taking DHEA again even tho I feel its thinning my hair I'll take the rest of this bottle and I'm done lol Im a sucker for supplements I've been using cassanovum boost this mth has cassava root, vitex and other stuff. My partner thinks im nuts but he keeps buying them for me regardless lol
My clinic say they are “traditional” so don’t recommend it, but allowed me to take it providing I have monthly blood tests. I’m taking 30 mg per day. I only got two eggs last time so figured nothing to lose. I’ve been taking it 2-3 months and at my baseline everything looked exactly the same, so I’m not hopeful that it’s done anything. I know a lot of people take 75mg so I might up it after this cycle when the inevitable happens.
I got mine shipped from the US. I haven’t had any side effects thankfully.
Would you suggest that I get in touch with my clinic and tell them that I am thinking of starting this? Are they likely to be unhappy with my decision? Also should I have blood tests with them? I do not have an appointment until the end of Sept so figured my treatment will start again Oct/Nov time. I want to give supplements and this time to get into my body because they said 2-3 months before treatment? Thank you for your helpful comment. Xx
Yes, I definitely would do it in conjunction with them. It’s important to understand your testosterone levels via a blood test. My clinic aren’t really fans, but it’s my choice so I just told them I was doing it and that I wanted the blood test, I am fully private so I guess that makes it easier. Good luck whatever you decide x
Hi, my clinic suggested I take this before my second round of icsi. I think I took it for around 2 months before my cycle started luckily with no side effects,but couldn’t take while going through treatment. Like you my first round ended in 2 unfertilised eggs. For this cycle I also had a double trigger shot and took menopur. I got pregnant with this round and have an 8 month old now. I don know what part helped us convince but I would definitely recommend. Good luck with your journey xxxxx
Hey Hun, I had a totally positive experience with dhea. No side effects at all, and from an absolute failure of a first cycle (3 collected 1 fertilised and none to blastocyst, day 5 transfer with an embryo that was being killed by the cells outside it) to 10 collected, 8 fertilised, 3 top quality in the freezer and 1 nestled inside my belly giving me a BFP yesterday. I took sooooo many supplements/minerals/vitamins
on my second round, dhea only on advice of my fertility specialist and 14 other tablets on research eg it starts with an egg etc. I delayed my 2nd cycle to 8-9 weeks so I could give dhea a good go. I can give message you a list if you like. It totally changed the course of my Cycle and my life! Good luck xxxx
Yes please. I would like a msg of list. 💖💖💖 Thank you for your comment. I did also order a copy of the book yesterday due to come in the next couple of days to have a read of to see if it will help me. Xxx
Hey crisps88, I’ve just read your post. Sounds like you’re on track for a great cycle! I’m a supplement junkie too, I swear by them but feel like I’ve botched this round...think I might’ve taken stuff I’ve shouldn’t have as well as overlooked a few important ones. I’m planning to begin preparing for another cycle after this one is done. I would love it if you could message me a list too? Good luck wherever you are in your cycle!
Hi dear, can you please send me the list of vitamins/supplements you took for your second round? Kisses and hugs
DHEA is a steroid, not a supplement. It is a controlled substance in England with many mixed opinions about its effects versus its side effects. Please do your research thoroughly
Thank you very much for your comment. I have just spoken to my clinic and they cannot recommend it due to it not being legal over here in the UK they said. 😕😕😕 Therefore they cannot recommend it and advise me on how much to take. They have said that they will still treat me as I due to go back the end of Sept to try 2nd round of ICSI. My AMH level was low at last ICSI and only collected 2 eggs and neither failed to fertilise and the consultant mentioned the words poor ovarian response and diminished ovarian reserve. After doing lots of research on this, I feel like this is something that I would like to try to help get those levels up. X
I'm really sorry about your last ICSI cycle. Consider board hopping across to an American forum maybe? I wish you the best of luck for your next cycle x
My NHS consultant recommended DHEA to me. I hadn't been taking it long when I did my 2nd cycle of IVF and only got 2 eggs (as opposed to 6 on my first private cycle, 1 of which was a top quality blastocyst). However by the time I got to my 3rd cycle, I had been taking DHEA for over 6 months. I had no side effects at all. I believe DHEA didn't work for me as on my 3rd cycle I only got 1 egg and that didn't make it to transfer. Most people I've come across who have used it have said it worked for them. But for me, unless it was a coincidence, my cycles actually got worse when I was taking it xx
Thank you for your comment. Xx
The one time I took it gave me my worst cycle ever however my stimming drugs were changed too from gonal f to Menopur so could’ve also been related to that .
I am hoping that I will have different stimming drugs next time due to the outcome of this first ICSI cycle I had. I was taking Menopur and Cetrotide. X
Up to my failed cycle I had always been on gonal f. My DR changed it to Menopur due to case studies saying best for quality and age however in my case I only got 1 egg poor quality. This time around I ditched the DHEA, took ubiquinol supplement only, back to gonal f and managed 5 eggs with 2 being very good quality x
HI
I took Micronized DHEA for 12 weeks before my 3rd egg collection and ended up with 4 healthy embryos which we froze at the age of 45 years old, so for me it was a God send!
Thank you for your comment. That is lovely news. Xx
On my 5th cycle I didn’t respond. So for my 6th and final go I tried everything including 75mg daily DHEA for 3 months. (I also went gluten free, organic, stopped pregnacare in favour of more natural vitamins and folate, got a nutritionist, acupuncturist (and kept up my ubiquinol and anti-plastics and perfume regime)) I can never be sure what made the difference but I responded to a more natural low dose cycle, had a day 2 transfer and i have a baby as a result... Good luck xx
Ps- My clinic gave me a prescription as there is one pharmacy in London with a licence for it but it’s expensive... I see people on here tend to get it on the internet
Hey Star26, my clinic recommend DHEA but otherwise allow me to take supplements if it makes me feel better. I would take whatever you feel you need and get your bloods monitored by either your GP, a naturopath or an integrative doctor, your GP can also prescribe DHEA for you (which you want pharmaceutical grade if you can get it)
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