Delay cycle to allow extra month of supplements at 43?

[km307]

I am shortly going to be starting a fresh cycle after my last FET ended in an early miscarriage. I started taking egg quality supplements about a month ago, and had been expecting a long protocol, with egg collection in about 7 weeks, which would mean I’d had almost three months of supplements. I’ve now been told I’ll be doing a short protocol, which could mean egg collection in only a few weeks.

I’ll be 43 at the end of this month and conscious that any delay could impact success, but do you think it’s worth waiting one month to give myself an extra month of supplements? Also, has anyone tried melatonin for IVF?

[Lamagarden]

Hello, I asked my consultant this after a MC and he said there is no evidence that taking the supplements for 3 months has any impact! Although, he does recommend a list of supplements. He said that women who have come from extreme circumstances (eg. Cancer treatment) and those who have been on health retreats for 6 months prior, statistically have the same results/outcomes. He said a wellness industry has grown around fertility and his advice is not to wait. I have also used melatonin at his recommendation. No ultimate success yet. Best of luck whatever you decided xx

[km307 in reply to Lamagarden]

Thank you, that’s really helpful. Can I ask when you took the melatonin, e.g. how long before egg collection? Wishing you every success with future treatment xx

[Lamagarden in reply to km307]

I took 3mg at night, before stims and during stims, I stopped at egg collection. I felt it helped my sleep in a subtle way. Thank you for the good wishes, same to u xx

[Football61]

Hi - I’m 44 and in exactly the same boat as you. I asked my Medical Director whether I should delay my next cycle by a couple of months so that I can guzzle more supplements and get my body ready. I told him that I had read that DHEA is only effective if you take it for three months. He said that one month’s prep is fine. So - I’ve decided to do my next cycle at the end of this month (also aware that my egg reserve is dwindling every month). Best of luck x

[km307 in reply to Football61]

Thanks, I’ve now been told the short protocol was a mistake and I’ll be doing long anyway… Just have to hope my period doesn’t arrive before my nurse planning session next week and delay things anyway…

[Twiglet2]

I think time is of the essence for us over 40s and my consultant has said ‘get egg collection done asap’ and I will have had only 8 weeks of a new supplement I’m trying by then I am personally not going to wait to take the supplements longer as they are unproven and the fact my egg quality declines quickly at this stage is a scientific fact. Just my thought process though xxx

[Bebe294]

Hi dear we had the best results100% fertilization and blasts when I just turned 45. The regimen was both me and DH took myo inositol with folic acid twice aday, 2000 + 400 folic acid ( there are some ready formulas brands out there) plus combination fertility supplements both for men and women ( FH pro I guess I can search the exact name if u want pm me). Plus ubiquinol 300 for me 100 for DH , plus 20mg PQQ for me.

Dr also gave me growth hormone injections but I had reactions after second dose so we stopped.

My protocol was mini ivf this time with much lower drugs they said its better working for older women. And I guess it worked perfectly for us.

I think I did take 25 mg of DHEA 1 month and half up until my egg collection day . My DHEA normal and my insulin resistance was normal too just a bit on the higher side of normal that us why myo inositol wirked great I guess. The only thing for myo is that it reduces the number of eggs but increase the quality and with mini ivf protocol I had only 2 eggs retreived by both mature fertilized and turned to great quality 5 day blasts.

I wish I had done these regimen when I did my first cycle in 42 years I had 10 eggs 9 mature and 7 fertilized with two average quality blasts at the end. So definitely supplements worked in our favor 3 yrs after.

The thing abt DhEA should b careful it may harm eggs if it is in excess, my second cycle 43 yrs old I had DhEA prescribed 75 mg for 2 month plus 6 weeks of androgel and despite having 12 follicles, retreived only 5 , 3 mature no blasts. All money and effort in thT cycle went to waste 😢

So I say choosing the right supplements for you is important and taking a month time definitely is helpful but still depends on each person’s body and conditions.

Good luck with your cycle. All the best

[Bebe294]

btw the Fertility supp we took is a very expensive one but had everything in it including melatonin myoinositol l arginin etc.

if you take fertility supplements be careful not going over the dosage for myo inositol bcuz some have it in them. Max dose for aday is 4000 devided in two taking 12 hrs apart. It works on insulin resistance similar to metformin but bettef with less side effects. If you have low blood sugar be careful and talk to your dr before taking.

This supplement was studies for PCOS patients and worked great. As I said I wasnt PCOS but my dr agreed to take it temporarily for the first cycle. I discontinued for the cycle after but the effects were still there i believe bcuz it was back to back. We retreived 4 eggs this time but inly one blasts at the end.