Soy Isoflavones..yay or nay?

[moly39x]

Been doing some research on soy isoflavones & I didn't know what people's opinions are?

I have a 35 day cycle, ovulate between CD17-21 - currently 7th month in of TTC after 1 early loss at 5 week in October.

Do people have any experience with taking them? I read the following on an old thread here about with CD to take them..

My concerns are; I have little/none EWCM (have conceive plus lube) but I get positive OPK every month (temping just stressed me out which I decided would do more harm?!) and I'm sure soy iso is to help ovulate? But now I've read the below, it looks as though it can help the egg. I'm cautious about messing up my cycle so was just looking to hear other people's experience.

Here's the info I've read here (have lots more saved in my notes if people want to see about the dose etc if interest) :)

Thank you x

1-5 = you produce more eggs, and ovulate sooner, with a stronger ovulation.

2-6 = you produce more eggs that usual, but not as many as taking it 1-5. Eggs may be more mature, and ovulation will be slightly more strong than 1-5.

3-7 = The best of both worlds, a few more eggs, and all eggs will be strong & mature, and ovulation will be alot stronger than 1-5.

4-8 = No more eggs will be produced, but the ones already there, will be matured alot more than usual, and ovulation will be very strong. Ovulation may only be brought forward a teeny bit.

5-9 = You'll have one very mature strong egg, from the ones you already produced on your own. Ovulation will either happen when it usually does, or a few days later, but your egg will be of great quality.

@Marvellouslymadmum exactly and hopefully it won't get to that, but you'll be ready if it does. And if not, you can have a lovely holiday with the money! I'm saving too, for fertility testing etc in a few months, and whatever else might be needed after that.

Ohh that's interesting. Your results came back normal however? I forgot to mention, she asked if I'd booked into have fertility testing (she used to work at an IVF clinic) and said that the tests might come back with pretty normal within tolerance levels, but you can still have an imbalance, enough to affect your cycles.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 that's so interesting! I'm ticking away some of those things but not all. It makes so much sense but I suppose we don't put it together like that. It's great you're trying that out now, I hope it works for you!

@Marvellouslymadmum I hope things work out for you before you decide to go down that route! And you're right to be saving it for that and sticking to it, otherwise you could be trying lots of different things that don't actually help but want to try in case they do.

We haven't been trying for as long of course and I've been saving for potential maternity leave anyways but the thought has crossed my mind that we may have to use that money elsewhere when it comes to it. Keeping my fingers crossed for us all that it won't have to come to it

@choccrumpet me also, I ticked about four or five things from the list. Yep exactly I can keep you posted if you're interested, but at the moment I'm treating it as an alternative therapy. Nice if it has an effect, but we'll see! Also I'm not aiming to go beyond the six sessions

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 everything so far has come back normal but only had the basic tests done by the gp still waiting for my referral to get more tests done

@choccrumpet I'm hoping we all get lucky on the soy! 🤞🏻 would be so nice so spend the money on a baby rather than getting one lol

Will definitely be good to see how you get on with it, hormone imbalance is a definite probability for me and hoping to get the doc to do more tests when I speak to her tomorrow!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 yes please, would love to hear your experience! I love the sound of it but am not at the point where I'm ready to commit to doing something like that as we're giving ourselves a few months and then deciding our next steps. Don't want to put money towards something else just yet. But I love the idea of fixing your hormone imbalance as I'm pretty sure I would really benefit from trying that (if it works that is). I feel my energy levels are non existent some days, definitely something not right there.

@Marvellouslymadmum I know exactly what you mean! It's so difficult for me to think about babies coming easily to some people and others have to try so hard, mentally, physically, financially, etc such a hard one to accept! But again we're only 8 months in, you and others have been in this for much longer so I can only imagine what that must feel like

@choccrumpet it really is a nightmare, I know I'm older than most but I thought as I fell pg really easily with my two that are now teenagers it would be easy this time. But as he had issues conceiving his two teens it could be on his side! I've got to say I do get frustrated at the people who come on some of these threads after 2-4 months trying saying they just don't know what to do and they're desperate and then get their bfp and off they go! 🤦🏼‍♀️ especially when most that I'm on the forums with have been trying a long time with either no bfp at all or multiple losses like myself 🙁 but hey ho maybe one day!

@Marvellouslymadmum it's a tricky one, I think it might come down to that this isn't spoken about enough and based on movies and things that we do see we assume we can get pregnant first time without contraception - I certainly thought so, so if it doesn't happen immediately then you think something isn't right and it's taking longer than in should based on things you do hear about which typically isn't about people struggling to conceive. But I do empathise with you and can see how difficult it is to see people reaching out when they haven't been trying for long.

I feel like that myself sometimes too, but even my 8 months is probably on the lower end too. To me it seems incredibly long and difficult at the moment and I'm sure others won't agree and won't appreciate seeing me post about my experience either. Either way it's not spoken about enough, the statistics are out there but often not put into context.

It will happen one day and hopefully soon 💕

@choccrumpet it's not that I mind people reaching out so much as it's just frustrating when they act like its been forever lol but yes it's because we are all taught in school that you get pregnant very easily so when they doesn't happen there must be something wrong when that obviously isn't the case!

I'm so hoping we all get lucky on the soy!

@Marvellouslymadmum it does seem from what you've said that it might not be anything your end. Besides the vitamins and ubiquinol, are there other things men can do naturally to improve chances / sperm etc? Seems funny we are taking things and modifying diet and alcohol, and the men are mostly getting off scot free!

Hey ladies, I wonder if I can join your little soy gang? A bit about me – I’m 33, came off the pill end of May last year after being on it a very long time. Didn’t have a period until September although bloods came back clear so I think my body was just sorting itself out. I then got pregnant in November, my next cycle (ovulated day 31) but sadly miscarried in January and had to have surgery. I waited a very long time for a period before trying again (53 days!!) and then my last cycle just gone I ovulated on CD27. After feeling devastated on Monday when AF showed up I’m now focusing on hopefully bringing ovulation forward because I’m just so fed up with having long cycles.

Decided to take my soy isoflavones CD2-6, 120mg, 160mg, 160mg, 200mg, 200mg. Today is CD4 so a few days into it now, no side effects so far. I’ve been reading as many threads as I can to try and educate myself. Hoping for good things but trying not to get my hopes up. Hope you’re all doing well! 😊

Hi @TheHotelCalifornia welcome! Sorry you've had a rubbish time of it too. Glad to hear you've not had bad side effects from the soy. Hopefully it works for you too to bring your ovulation forward!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 it may be something to do with me - old age and all that lol plus with my wonky Lp and possible pcos that may not help so I'm not ruling anything out but it could be both!! 🤦🏼‍♀️ I think for men the only way they can improve things is the vitamins, exercise (which he has started) protein (which he is taking) no smoking (he's recently given up) no binge drinking (he barely drinks) and not letting it get too warm. The only other thing is he gets a recurring infection in his epididymyal tube, which is the tube that transfers the sperm (I think) so it may be something to do with that too!

@TheHotelCalifornia hi and welcome, sorry to hear of your loss. I was on the pill for 10 years before I came off it in 2018 - it really does mess with you! 🤞🏻 the soy will work for you, I'm cd6 today, second cycle of soy and started cd3 so one more to go this month, no real side effects here yet so far either.

Hi @TheHotelCalifornia I'm sorry for your loss and that you've been having such a hard time 💕 hopefully the soy will help you regulate your cycles!

My back has been a lot better but still having lower back discomfort and twinges, again wondering if anything to do with soy. I've also been really tired, more so than usual, potential side effect? Otherwise nothing else. OPKs are still low so am excited to see what happens next

@Marvellouslymadmum the giving up smoking could have a real effect hopefully then 🤞🤞🤞 that's awesome he's given up! Okay yup got my partner on all of these things too 😁 Your tests are normal, you're not in old age!

CD9 today, no peak, going to buy some very unsexy Preseed I think

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I am for ttc 42 is positively ancient 😂 I'm waiting for a call from the fertility centre about his sa so hopefully will find out soon, I'm getting some
More blood tests Tuesday but the doc said that's literally all she can do as everything else has been tested that they can do there. Still a zero on my opk so far cd7 today, last month I got a flashing smiley on cd11 and static on cd12 so should be soon! Got the oh on a Sizeable dose of maca now which is supposed to help with libido as well as fertility - should be up for lots of bd in the fw 🙊

@Marvellouslymadmum good luck for the blood tests! Blimey he's going to be so healthy with all the stuff you've got him on 😂 O on my opk today also, CD10. Last month i got a peak at CD 12, so we'll see how it is with taking the soy a bit later this month.....

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 that's what I'm hoping! Mine was O again today too, I've taken soy one day later than last month so don't know if it'll change anything, ovulation was slightly earlier last month and I only got one day of high before instead of the few like normal 🤷🏼‍♀️

@Marvellouslymadmum good luck with the tests! It sounds like you're doing everything right, everything crossed that it does the trick!

I've had headaches yesterday and today, today's a bit stronger and can't shake it off, must be from the soy / whatever it's done to my hormones. OPK is still low today cd9, I'm using easy@home strips. Which ones are you both using?

@choccrumpet hopefully! I'm using the clearblue digital advance opk I have some strip tests too but don't get very good readings on them

@choccrumpet I had headaches the 1st time I took soy, none this time around fortunately. I’m using the clear blue digital pink ones which just have a 0 or a smiley. Nothing today, but I’ve been drinking grapefruit juice and had a lot of ewcm this morning - had hardly any last month so don’t know what’s going on 🤷‍♀️ Seems weird when I have no positive opk

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 ooh that's interesting. I normally have ewcm for a few days before I get my peak so you might get yours in a few days, that's positive though!

I've got watery CM but it is slightly peaky so I'm hoping that means I will see ewcm shortly 🤞🏼 I would normally be seeing highs on the CB sticks right now, I've got 5 of them left from previous months so am saving to use them in a few days 😆

No headache today and gassiness stopped as soon as I stopped taking soy 🥳

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 @choccrumpet I got a bit fat O again on the opk today, higher temp and no cm but I've not had much the last few months which is very frustrating, been taking epo but that doesn't seem to have helped yet, may try the grapefruit juice! Started dtd anyway as last month I only got one high day before peak and don't want to get caught out

Evening all - just thought I’d update you. Took the first of the tablets today - going for days 3-7, will keep you updated. Usually get a positive opk on day 15 or 16 x

@Twiggywinkle13 thanks for updating! Hopefully it does something positive for you.

Anyone else have any updates on how its going for them?

Hi everyone, on day 2 of the soy, I have had a banging headache since I woke up this morning - I really hope it’s a coincidence and not a side effect as I don’t think I’d be able to continue with them if it’s a side effect.