DHEA

[leo1980]

Hi ladies. Are any of you taking DHEA. Did you have your testosterone levels checked before. Any success stories. I think my egg quality is pants (but I am also turning 40) so it could be anything! But I need to do something to improve my egg quality before next cycle in September. I have a nutritionist (so covered on food) and supplements I just think I need something a little bit extra. What do we think? Shall I push for it? What are the side effects? Thank you

[Lilly12255]

The side effects are small but I have had no benefit comparing before dhea and after taking it for 6 months. I am above 40.

[leo1980 in reply to Lilly12255]

Thank you so much! I wonder if egg quality andNormal Chromosomal Eggs are the same - otherwise us ladies in the 40’s are just making very good quality abnormal eggs!

[Lilly12255 in reply to leo1980]

From what I understand, egg quality is the ability to generate good quality embryos. But chromosomes is a different matter I think. So you could have 100% good eggs leading to 100% top quality embryos and 90% of them could be abnormal. Or you could have poor embryos but most of them having normal chromosomes sets. I am not a doctor but that is what I was told.

[leo1980 in reply to Lilly12255]

Thank you! Super helpful! I am defo going to ask for it!

[Rainbow_leopard]

I took it on the advice of my clinic and from reading the same thing in the book “It Starts With The Egg” . My testosterone had already been checked but never my DHEA. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have helped as for both cycles my day 5 embryos were not of very good quality. I think I will have my DHEA checked before taking it again. As for side effects nothing major but it’s possibly made my acne worse (it’s hard to say what caused it with other ivf drugs) I would see what your clinic think. Best of luck x

[leo1980 in reply to Rainbow_leopard]

Thank you so much! I read that book too and it really stressed me out. Was your testosterone in normal ranges?

[Rainbow_leopard in reply to leo1980]

For my first cycle I followed some of the advice in the book and for the second (3.5 months later) all of it and that cycle was actually slightly worse 🙈. It does seem to work wanders for some people though. Your reply above is interesting I was wandering myself if it’s reduced aneuploid embryos but the quality based on appearance is unchanged. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It’s on my list of questions for my consultant if this round fails. My testosterone was normal yes.

[leo1980 in reply to Rainbow_leopard]

Thank you for your response. Was your tester one normal before you were prescribed DHEA

[Rainbow_leopard in reply to leo1980]

Yup I don’t think they were bothered. I think they’d of suggested without testing (it was tested for a different reason). In the book she says to check it along with DHEA. X

[leo1980 in reply to leo1980]

I will call my clinic and ask tomorrow.

[littlemisstired80]

I took DHEA 2 cycles before conceiving my son. I was told I had little chance of conceiving even if I had IVF. My egg reserve was low, I had high FSH at 9.9 and low LH of around 3. I wasn't ovulating every cycle either and struggling with low progesterone. I had a chemical pregnancy and researched a few supplements after reading a fertility book and dhea was one I was taking when I tried again. I did AI at home with frozen sperm shipped from Denmark. I now have a little boy who turns 3 in October. I am 40. I took cyclogest from positive pregnancy test till 8 weeks pregnant due to my progesterone not being great. If I can be of any help at all feel free to message xx

[leo1980 in reply to littlemisstired80]

Congrats on your little boy! Very helpful thank you - how did you get DHEA? Did you get tested for it before you used it

[Cinderella5]

Hi Leo, I have taken DHEA and I think it helps....could have been coincidence too but my embryos were better. I didnt test my levels. I asked my NHS consultant and he wasnt fussed either way (naughty but Id already started taking it)......interesting after my failed cycles they actually recommended it to me but said they couldnt prescribe. Have you seen Dr Robert Gleicher....he has a few videos on DHEA on you tube....interesting stuff.xx

[leo1980]

I am so torn as to try it or not... thank you for this. I will watch the videos. How are you doing

[Hidden]

Hi there, I was taking DHEA for a long time but then stopped because tests said my levels were in the high end of good. I think all my hormone levels were tested back then (??? but maybe not???) but it wasn't recommended initially based on those, just as a general thing that was good for women of my age to take. I did not experience any side effects. I also took vitamin D for a long time and still take CoQ10.