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 for me knowing outweighs the negatives I think, I'd hate to think if I had an issue with implantation (which I might) and then not realise I've had chemicals and take action using that knowledge instead of guessing.. I might change my mind depending how long this goes on for, that probably is part of it too.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 we're seeing OHs family today and going for brunch before.. when we first started trying I thought (naively) we'd have a child by now and then the closer we got to lockdown easing off I thought we'd be at least pregnant by the time we start seeing friends and family again. And of course that's not the case so it's a bit difficult for me starting to see people and it still hasn't happened. Hoping nobody decides to ask us about it.. but it should be a nice weekend and doing something different than normal.

How's your weekend going?

@choccrumpet hope you have a lovely day! Brunch before sounds great also.

Good had a late night and some cocktails yesterday 😋 going for a long walk today. Got a 2nd peak on opk today so apps pushed my ovulation back to a more normal time, but means more effort this weekend 😩

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 do you think you’ll do soy on your next cycle if you don’t get a BFP this time?

I’m currently CD81, we’ve decided to stop actively trying and take a step back. Still can’t have my second blood test until after AF, I could have sworn it was coming as I had so much spotting for a few days but it’s been over a week now with no spotting. Just really disheartened and fed up, I’ve not had a cycle this long since we started ttc ☹️

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I GOT MY REFERRAL LETTER!!! Omg I shouldn't be this excited to get a medical appointment 😂 it's for the end of august but that so so much better than a phone appt in November like they said it would be! So I prob won't bother with the amh as they may do it there anyway

@choccrumpet that's the part of me that says I should tests but once it's been going on for so long it just gets too much!

@Riverskye it must be so disheartening for you, I've had a couple of long cycles - 57 and 66 days and I was so frustrated kept getting bfn but still no af my oh was convinced I must be pg which didn't help as it kept getting my hopes up when I knew I wasn't! 🤦🏼‍♀️ do you have pcos? (Apologies if you've said before, I'd have to keep a not book on everyone on mn to remember)

Anyone thinking about medi checks I got a progesterone test done from them. It was hard it took me about an hour to get enough blood into the tester tube but I got there eventually..just had to keep squeezing and squeezing.

My results came back at 19.8 n/mol at 7 dpo I.e ‘inconclusive ovulation’ as should be over 30 for ovulation, but I know I ovulated as I chart and got my lH surge and sustained temp rise, therefore my suspicions have been confirmed that it’s low progesterone. It’s great knowing the problem but how to solve it now? GPs don’t want to know about short leutal phase / progesterone deficiency...

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 ah at least you're peaking at a decent time and no waiting around! Fingers crossed for you!

@Riverskye I'm sorry that must be so frustrating 😞

@Marvellouslymadmum maybe I wished it into happening 😉 I'm very happy for you!! You must feel so relieved to have something to aim towards now.

@Slk3558 have you tried showing your GP those results? If they can't prescribe maybe they can refer you to someone who can? Otherwise I've heard of others going private and getting it there but it sounds quite expensive

@Riverskye can you get anything from Dr to force it to start? That is so frustrating. I think I will give it another try, I just had more cm on it, and a stronger feeling ovulation I think.

@Marvellouslymadmum oh that's sooooo exciting!!!!! Brilliant news, and really not too far away! Might as well wait and see what tests they want.

@Slk3558 I've heard Medichecks is really tough to get the blood out. Sorry this is a patronising question, did you do it exactly 7 days past ovulation rather than on day 21? Have heard of people getting lower amounts because their Dr insisted on taking it at day 21, but they don't ovulate on the standard day 21. I'm taking 1000 mg vit C for progesterone, but I don't know how much it helps

@Slk3558 gp can definitely prescribe progesterone for you, I'd tell them what the results were and if they won't trust them
They can do their own tests and go from there?

@choccrumpet maybe that was it! In which case thank you 😊 it's so nice to know what's happening and I can make lots of notes to bombard them with beforehand lol

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I'm much happier with a 3 month wait! I just hope they're helpful and not dismissive!

@Slk3558 meant they don't ovulate on the standard day 14 sorry!

@choccrumpet and @Marvellouslymadmum its brilliant you're getting somewhere with investigations, must be a weight off your minds!

@Marvellouslymadmum realistically I very much doubt it but I'm so pleased for you! 🤗 I found my first appointment quite overwhelming actually and didn't end up asking many questions because she spoke about so many tests and didn't have access to my info so it felt more general. So definitely prepare what you'd like to ask about!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 on a deeper level I feel more relaxed going into this cycle I think because people are listening to me and things will be happening at some point soon. I'm still not allowing myself to get excited because I don't want to be disappointed so that part is difficult. But I am really hopeful.

@Marvellouslymadmum I think from reading these threads sadly the only way to get anywhere with the NHS is to go in with your list of questions, and be firm about what you want investigating. You know your stuff, so just stand your ground, even if its uncomfortable. You've waited long enough for the appointment!

My dad died at the start of lockdown, he was terminally ill, and the only way to get anywhere with the NHS was to do all of the research, demand particular pain meds or anti vomiting meds, pay private consultants to write up what care he needed and when etc - was genuinely horrified how poor the care was and so was the consultant. They missed every target, and I just looked around at the patients who didn't have advocates being really firm for them and just wondered how much poorer their care was. I don't have any faith in the NHS really

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 Yes did on the morning on 7DPO so was expecting it give me accurate result . I reckon my progesterone was either low to begin with or dropping too soon as got my period evening of 11 DPO.

@choccrumpet @Marvellouslymadmum my GP said they don’t do progesterone tests until 3rd miscarriage. I despair with them. It’s as though they don’t believe in low progesterone.

I wouldn’t mind doing a private GP consultation if it meant I could show them the results and get the progesterone to take after ovulation. I’d happily pay for a consumption and private prescription so long as it wasn’t too pricey like £100 . Does anyone know of any online private GPs who do this?

consultation *

@choccrumpet that's brilliant! I def think it brings more peace having someone do all the tests, and knowing they'll be able to help. Takes the pressure off this and the next cycle

@Slk3558 I don't know, you'd have to phone ahead and check they'd be willing to prescribe it, so it wasn't a wasted consult. My private GP through work is about £90, and you'd have to pay for the meds on top I guess. Has anyone tried the progesterone creams?

@Slk3558 someone on MN recommended nova fertility as they got a prescription through them but it was very expensive, consultation was about £150 and then progesterone on top of that and I know that was a lot as well. Unfortunately it doesn't seem straight forward / very accessible. When I researched progesterone, I read that checking it wasn't very reliable because your levels go up and down multiple times a day so you'd have to do several tests to get an average / more accurate reading. Is that not right if you're going by one reading? I might be completely wrong!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I'm so sorry your dad and your family had to go through that, I can't imagine how difficult that must have been for you. I don't blame you for feeling that way after experiencing that. No one should ever have to fight to get the right healthcare they need.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 no ovulation symptoms, OPK's slightly darker today so I think my O must be delayed x

Thanks @choccrumpet

@ploopypleepy okay phew, hopefully you'll get some symptoms. When you say none, what do you mean? No cm, no boob ache etc?

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I know ... I'm taking it as my period will come a little bit later. Yes, no changes in CM, no ovulation pain, no boob ache... I mean I know that doesn't necessarily mean I don't ovulate but I'd like to have some kind of sign 😂😂

@ploopypleepy def temp if you can, its so reassuring to me to see I do in fact ovulate!

@Marvellouslymadmum So great to hear you got your referral! My Dr thinks I've got PCOS but currently in the process of trying to get an official diagnosis, just waiting on AF so I can get blood tests done!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 sadly my Dr can't give me anything but they seem to be supportive of me getting tests done to try and get a referral to a specialist. Just have to wait and see I suppose, we're considering going private depending on what the blood test show and wait times.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 @choccrumpet it's definitely a weight off my mind, but as I know I'm not eligible for ivf I'm just hoping they won't dismiss me on the infertility front! I will definitely have everything written down about the ttc journey and endometriosis too

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I'm so sorry about your dad, I lost mine 6 years ago with a similar experience and to be honest none of us have ever got over how it all happened with the nhs.

@Slk3558 I'm not sure about private gp consultations but when the gp I was dealing with dismisses me and told me there was nothing more she could do I asked to speak to another gp in the practice and she did loads more for me and referred me to gynaecology for more tests too

@Riverskye my doc has booked me in for a scan I think that's to look for pcos as she's trying to rule everything out.

@Marvellouslymadmum I’m really sorry, it honestly is the worst x

I’m now on my third day of a positive digital opk, still low temps. I’m not sure what is going on 🤷‍♀️