DHEA - Someone please point me in the right direction 😊

[Ssteph]

I’ve just had my review meeting with the consultant and he has recommended that I delay my next IVF cycle and start taking DHEA. I’ve now been told to source this online! Anyone point me in the right direction of a decent site to order from and also how long to take it for. I’ve read anything from 6-8 weeks? Thank you

[Gempuddleduck]

Hi Steph, I took DHEA for a year and ordered it from Amazon but the US site. Think it came in a couple of weeks. Can send you the link if you like xx

[Gempuddleduck in reply to Gempuddleduck]

Just checked and it varies but most say 6-8 weeks

[Ssteph in reply to Gempuddleduck]

Thanks so much ☺️ Just sent you a message xx

[IVFat40]

Hello hun, I took DHEA and felt it helped my embryo development. The book 'it starts with the egg' gives really helpful advice about DHEA. If your Dr hasn't already I would recommend getting your DHEA-S and Testosterone levels checked first before starting on it (my clinic were able to do these blood tests). As your Dr is suggesting it I'm surprised they're not prescribing it, I got mine from dhea.com/ , but honestly would have preferred to have it prescribed if I could have. I think usually with supplements to help eggs the ideal is 3 months or more before egg collection, but it might be worth getting your levels checked as you go along to make sure they don't get too high. Wishing you all the best of luck.

[Ssteph in reply to IVFat40]

Hello, I’ve read the book you mentioned and totally agree with you, I’d thought and would like a test to see if it’s necessary but the consultant said he wouldn’t test! Strange after recommending me to take it. He said they don’t prescribe it in the UK and I would have to source. Honestly this IVF carry on absolutely baffles me at times. He didn’t want me taking aspirin as I would need certain blood tests but here I am searching for drugs of the internet 🤯🤯 xxx

[IVFat40 in reply to Ssteph]

I completely agree with you hun, I have so often thought for goodness sake could you guys not just stop putting hurdles in the way! Why Dr's won't consider prescribing DHEA is beyond me. You can get your testosterone levels checked privately through one of the online blood test companies (like Medichecks) if you feel it'd be helpful.

[Rol81]

I’ve gotten mine online from iherb. I’ve seen lots of ladies on here use the same site. think it’s took about 10 days to arrive from the US x

[Rol81 in reply to Rol81]

My doctor did give me a prescription but it’s was very expensive, over £100 compared to around £20 online x

[Ssteph in reply to Rol81]

Yeh I would definitely prefer a prescription but unfortunately it’s not a drug my clinic prescribes. Thank you for the invite info, I’ll have a look xxx

[Tarasunny]

I got mine from Biovea.

[Ssteph in reply to Tarasunny]

Thank you. I’ll have a little look xx

[wool12 in reply to Ssteph]

Me too…it’s very cheap and arrived within a week. Also go melatonin from there. I hear you, my clinic blindly recommend dhea, melatonin and ubiquinol to all women with low ovarian reserve but do not test. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Bella_Bee]

Hiya, I got mine from biovea too and genuinely feel it contributed to my success after a series of failures.

But just a word of warning that it's a classified drug in the UK. A lady on this site found out the hard way when HMRC got involved and she almost got a police caution. I've c&p'ed my response to her below. You'll see a chain under the title "Warning DHEA" in my replies for more info if useful.

"I was so shocked to read this. So I just spent an hour going through a judgement that I cant fckn copy and paste on this bloody website. Grrrrrr! Attaching a screenshot so maybe you can Google the case number. The judgement, by the way, went in favour of the appellant against Border Force.

Firstly, DHEA is called something else entirely in the classified substances list which you would have no way of knowing. Secondly, it is available on private prescriptions and your medical professionals had clearly advised its use. Thirdly you could actually bring it in yourself, legally, for your own consumption. [How does that make any sense?!??!] So you have a strong case to make to the police. Lastly, apparently there is a way to get a licence from the Home Office to import a controlled substance. Google "controlled drugs licence fees". It's £24. There is also a number to call to clarify which I would do if I were you.

I'm really horrified by this. It could have easily been me in your shoes alongside many many many other women I know.

Let us know how you get on. I really like dhea, I genuinely believe it made a significant difference in my egg quality.

BB"

[tryingfortwo]

Hi Ssteph, I took it for five months but didn't notice any difference, I didn't have any negative side effects though which is good. I did check my levels before starting it and every month for the first three months. I was 43 when I started it though so that's a contributing factor to not having success for sure. From reading recommendations on here I ordered mine from Biovea but it never came and eventually I got a letter from border control saying its a banned substance and it wouldn't be delivered to me. Then I ordered from iHerb and delivery was very fast, within about a week. Best of luck to you!!

[Rabbit89]

Hi, my daughter got her Micronised DHEA from Zen Healthcare in London. She needed a prescription for it and her clinic faxed one over , she rung and paid and they were delivered in a couple of days. She had ordered from America but they were taking so long . Good luck 🍀 And no side effects from the micronised. It worked too 😁

[Anisha29 in reply to Rabbit89]

Do you know how much it cost from.Zen heathcare? I am able to get a private prescription from my fertility clinic but it cost me £235 for 100 tablets so would rather shop around for my next set.

[Squeak1955]

My daughter ordered hers from the United States

[SlowAndLethal]

I ordered mine from iHerb. It took a couple of weeks. My clinic didn’t provide blood tests so I’ve ordered them myself via Medichecks. Some women say it “ruined” their IVF round some say it helped. It didn’t work so far for me but maybe I’ve been taking a dose that was too high as my levels sky rocketed v.quickly. I waited 2 weeks and they dropped so now just waiting for testosterone test. Certainly be careful and have your levels tested before you start taking. Too much testosterone is not good for egg quality (and DHEA is a precursor of it).

[Fifikoko]

Hi Steph

I ordered mine from iHerb or Biovea. Definitely got my melatonin from Biovea. They take a couple of weeks to arrive from the US. I think I took both for about 6 weeks before my 3rd and last fresh cycle and saw a huge difference. Went from collecting 9 and 6 eggs to 18 eggs collected in that last cycle. 10 fertilised and one resulted in my 20 month old son. Sending you love and baby dust ahead of your next go.