Any joy with DHEA supplements?

[Downonthefarm]

Hi-has anyone out there tried DHEA for egg quality and seen any improvement?

I first came across it last October when I read “it starts with the egg” - I started taking some of the vitamins it suggested pretty much straight away ( i.e. high strength pregnancy multi-vitamin, CoQ10, vit c,d,e & acety-l-cysteine ), however I didn’t take DHEA.

The reasons being:

a) my AMH seemed ok - had it checked twice, once in 2017 and then again earlier this year (where it was at 38.1)

b) ovarian response to the stims is ok and get enough follicles for a collection (averaged between 12–15 eggs on 3 fresh cycles)

C) worried it might worsen my endometriosis

We’ve a meeting with the consultant tomorrow (Friday) & I’m worried about what he’s going to say re our prognosis for a future cycle given we’ve had 3 chemical pregnancies from 3 fresh cycles now.

Also, I told him in February, before we started our last cycle, that I was taking all these supplements I mentioned above. He didn’t seem keen on the idea and suggested we only take a normal pregnancy multi-vitamin and Vit D, so I’m not really sure how he’s going to respond when I ask him about DHEA tomorrow?!?

Has anyone got any advice re their experience with taking DHEA - I’d really love to know how they found it and whether they had a positive outcome?

Thanks to anyone who’s read this far, I know it’s a really long post! Good luck to anyone starting cycles now.

Xxx

[Lozza8]

Hi, I took dhea before and throughout this round, EC was yesterday so I’ll let you know. Our history with ivf is bad, no embryos last cycle and one 2cc on the first cycle - unsurprisingly a BFN. I have high AMH and despite the nay sayers saying I don’t need it I went for it anyway but checked my levels regularly (dhea was on the low side surprisingly for someone with pcos). I don’t know if you have pcos but even if you don’t, search for Dr Gleicher’s work at CHR on hypoandrogenic patients with high AMH xx

[Jols]

I have taken DHEA for over 3 months before EC. After this my testosterone and DHEA levels were optimal (corresponding to those of the youngest age group as they want themto), I collected 2 eggs more than my last cycle. I will know tomorrow if the blastocyst rate is higher or any good at all. I was also taking Ubiquinol, vit D3, vit E, vit C, Omega, prenatal and melatonin 1 month prior to EC. My previous cycles were 1 and 2 years ago with no supplements as my old clinic didn't suggest I take any. My current clinic believes in them so I guess it depends on the clinic and Dr but I went with whatever was on the Start with the Egg book. Good luck!

[Pittuck23]

Hi, I took DHEA supplements for 3 months prior to my one and only round of Ivf. I have low amh and was told ivf was the only route to take. I took 3 tablets a day at 25mg, then after 3 months started my treatment. I had no real side affects to taking it.

I had one round of ivf 4 eggs collected, 1 died after day 1, 3 survived to 5 day blastocysts. My first embryo transfer resulted in my now near 4 year old daughter, my 2nd embryo didn’t work but my third and final embryo has now resulted in my week old son. I know this makes me a very special case but I put it all down to the DHEA tablets keeping my eggs strong and a good healthy womb to nurture those embryos! If I had to go through it again, I would use DHEA without question xx