So my last couple of posts have been rather amusing, eh? Good to have a giggle or two isn't it?
In all seriousness, I've started to take DHEA because Dr. Eyebrows is so very chuffed about it. Apparently it makes ovaries rise from the dead and shine like chrome, instead of the rusting and creaking currently on display. I had to send away for it because Health Canada has themselves all in tizzy over it. You need special access permission to import it to Canada or something. Silly me, I thought we already had a permission system for drugs, called "prescriptions from medical doctors."
Yep, good enough system for prescribing percocet, but not good enough for DHEA.
So, I've googled searched, sent out an email, and still am not sure if I'm taking enough. I'm only on one 25 mg pill a day which seems to low based on some examples and some studies which claim that egg production and quality increased dramatically. (Fewer chromosomal abnormalities apparently) I'm not just interested in fertility here either. I am kind of hoping it will help knock my body back into normal hormone territory over the long term.
This place seems to have a large number of women in a study already. Any opinions?
Dr. Eyebrows has lots of women in his yet to be finished study who seem to have spontaneously become pregnant, but I don't know how many were POF like me, or if they all seem to be 35+ women who are naturally entering menopause but still have lots of antral follicles. I have pretty much none of those.
On Day 3 you all seem to have 20-30 antrals. A year ago, the last time I let anyone count the buggers, I had two, one on each ovary. I used to believe that was okay, cause all you need is one, but we apparently need more than that to end up ovulating.
So my last two hopes are on DHEA or on using estrogen or both. Any opinions? Assvice? Help?
There are studies that say that taking low doses of DHEA does help not just quantity but quality of eggs produced. Good luck with adding that to your protocol. I'm currently taking 25mg in the morning and another at night. My concern is more quality, as I've had two miscarriages for genetic reasons.
ReplyDeleteAnother supplement to ask your doctor about is L-Arginine. I'm currently taking 1000mg in the morning and night. It is supposed to help with increased blood flow to the ovaries.
BTW, I get all my ideas for diet and supplements from the book The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis. The book is about traditional chinese medicine, which is how I'm currently trying to get PG (I've been two the REs for some time and got one DD out of it, but not a second). I debate on going back to the RE now that I've learned all this stuff about acupuncture, diet and supplements.
Good luck
I haven't a clue but the suggestion of Heather's above was what popped into my mind before I even read it - double the dose of DHEA - but I am no doctor and certainly no expert in this area. When do you get a recount on your antral follicles? I can't even imagine how they do that!
ReplyDeleteCan you have a consultation with the doctors in Chicago or New York? Or would that be too difficult/expensive for a Canadian? Have you done their "free email" consultation?
ReplyDeleteI am actually about to embark on the same path, recommended by my RE, but no dose given by him yet. I've read Center for Reproductive Health's site, AND was lucky enough to find another blogger who actually saw a Dr at that clinic and discussed DHEA. She informed me the dose she embarked on was actually 25mg THREE times per day. Now I am NOT a Dr and can not necessarily say this is safe or advisable -- but that is the info I got. I also did some reading abt side effects and the scariest concern seems to be risk of cardiac arrhythmias, esp if you have any history of problems.
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to post all this info and links to pages I've found, so I'll try really hard to do that tonight. You can also find my email on my profile.
Tag!!
ReplyDeleteHi Aurelia: I'm a long time reader who hasn't ever commented here before. I just wanted to pop in and give my two cents. I consulted with Dr. Glei.cher in NYC. He is the one who started the original studies on DH.EA for egg quality/quantity in the "older" patient. He prescribes 25mg 3X per day. He actually has his made for his practice the reason being is that DH.EA is not regulated in any way. Therefore, different processes for making/packaging it can vary quite a bit. I decided not to cycle with Dr. Glei.cher for a variety of reasons but took to heart his advice about DH.EA. I decided to order one type (brand) from the same batch so that at least my dose would be consistent. So far so good. I've been on it since December 2006. My first IVF, prior to taking DH.EA, I only got three eggs with 30% fert rate. My second IVF, after 3 months of DH.EA, I had 8 eggs with 80% fert rate and the IVF I just did we got 10 eggs and 80% fert rate again. Dr. Glei.cher recommends 3 months of the process then IVF. For older patients he will cycle you at 2 months though. My current dr. knows I have been on DH.EA and although he doesn't mind that I am taking it he feels their just needs to be more information from the studies being done before he buys in. I'm sold on it. Sorry for the long post just wanted to share.
ReplyDelete25 mg. 3 times a day. I read it somewhere . . . but don't remember where.
ReplyDeleteIf I find it again, I will send it on.
I hope the insomnia doesn't get you too!
I have no idea about DHEA but wanted o wish you all the best regardless.
ReplyDeleteI can't help with the DHEA, but I'm on a bulletin board participating on a thread with six other women (aged up to 41, I believe), only two of whom seem to get more than 10 antrals. Since getting together at the beginning of the year, all are pregnant but two, and one of those is being held back by her RE (not being allowed to cycle) to bring up levels of a particular factor. I know that doesn't help your situation, but I felt compelled to point out that you don't need 20+ antrals.
ReplyDeleteOn my most recent cycle I took the advice of one of the women on this thread and supplemented with wheatgrass, CoQ10, whey protein shakes, and B6 (I think). I also did acupuncture, which I've never done before. I don't know whether these were contributing factors, but you kow where things are at, anyhow.
I'm out of DHEA league, but SHUT UP! This sounds so exciting! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThank you xxx, I appreciate the good wishes. I wish you had an email or a blog, so I could reply...oh well.
ReplyDeleteI am so buying a bottle of that stuff and swallowing it like candy. Hot damn.
ReplyDeleteHi nice post, but i want to know what is DHEA?
ReplyDeleteCan any one reply answer for this.
Stacy
Pro Argi 9
Thank you for the post, I came across it while searching about Premature Ovarian Aging.
ReplyDelete