Is it possible to improve egg quality in three months?

[GlummyMummy]

I've just been for my review after a failed round of IVF (trying to conceive child number 2), and consultant reckons our problem might one of embryo quality. Partner's sample was good so possibly poor egg quality?. We had 7 eggs, 4 fertilised but only one day 5 blastocyst which was put back. I had a heavy bleed 5 days after ET however.

Doctor said that although the embryo which was put back was top quality, the rest were all below quality, so on average our quality isn't great.

Any ideas as to how I can try and rectify this naturally before our next go in three months time? I've been on CoQ10 since the start of the year, and now started Vitamin E and a pregnancy multivitamin. I have low AMH so this might be our last go, really keen to try whatever we can to help things along!

I didn't have any noticeable side effects. I was worried about hair loss as I don't have a lot as it is but I can't say that it had any effect in that area thankfully.
In respect to evening primrose oil, when I was first ttcing, I was on for a year. I don't rate it at all and my cycles seemed to get worse on it.
Bananafish, I'm so impressed by your knowledge.

Before my second cycle, I asked my ivf consultant if he heard about dhea. He seems pleased that I asked. He said that he is not allowed to recommend it as it is not approved by NICE but he had a patient who took it without telling him and the difference between that cycle and earlier ones was significant. He is taking it himself.

Same for me Sweethearty

I asked my consultant and he said he was more than happy for me to take it

Lister do actually formally advocate it for low AMH-ers judging by a handout they have for strategies for poor responders that's on their website

Clinics like ARGC and Create are apparently very anti it

I'd recommend getting your levels checked first. I was a really good candidate for taking it as my testosterone was practically undetectable before I started it. CHR clinic - who pioneered the use of DHEA - say you want to get your testosterone into high normal range

Think it's a bit like goldilocks - too little testosterone isn't good for ovaries, neither is too much. You want it juuuuust right!!

Reading with interest as we're planning cycle two...

Supplement-wise, is anyone aware of the ones listed above being no-go for endo sufferers? Think I remember reading previously one was horrendously bad and should be avoided, wish I'd made a note now .

Think I'll def download the egg book

Hi tap think I remember you from the Jan cycle buddies thread. I'd imagine DHEA might well be a nono for endo because it's converted to oestrogen which I'd have thought would be less than ideal for endo. Check with your Dr though as I could well be talking out of my arse here... Xx

Interesting some consultants are recommending dhea-it's helpful when they give you some tips like that, my clinic are very much by the book which is sometimes frustrating!!!

I've been on evening primrose oil for over 20years now, but have stopped for just now as read you should only be taking in first part of your cycle. Not sure....

Has anyone taken alpha lipoic acid? It's another one mentioned which might help

Thanks banana. After my initial BFN I went on to get a BFP but sadly only lasted until 4w5d

Trying to take the positive from actually getting pregnant, still waiting on our review to hopefully find out what happened (this was our NHS cycle).

Planning on the Access refund program next.

Hope you're keeping well also

I drank wheatgrass.

I harvested 13 eggs after being told by another I would harvest any and to think about adoption

Hi all - to those who've read 'It Starts with an Egg' - could you tell me what she says about coffee drinking?

At the moment I'm having one small cafetiere a day, which is about two small mugs worth.

I'd just like to know if this is buggering anything up.

One other Q is - does she advise against gluten and dairy too?

Thanks for any info!

I did wheatgrass shots before my last cycle

Doing them again

No idea if it's anything other than Internet woowoo

The theory is that it's good from high FSH er like me cos it's a phytoestrogen that artificially suppresses FSH so we respond better to stims

I've ordered a load more - I get them frozen from the big juice company

Tastes like grass cuttings but figure it's in the class of 'if it tastes vile it must be doing me good'

I had FSH of 17 and AMH of 1.5 and we got 17 eggs and 5 blasts which no one understood how it was even possible. One blast was transferred, but sadly I miscarried at 10w. However the tissue testing showed the foetus was genetically normal so it wasn't an embryo quality issue. We have 4 blasts on ice but are doing another fresh so we can try and do PGS this time.

I'm still technically pregnant even though my ERPC was 5 weeks ago as we think there may be tiny fragments of retained products that can't be detected on the scan. hCG is still over 200 FFS.

But apparently pregnancy suppresses FSH so maybe that will be beneficial when I start stims (as soon as my hCG is down to zero)

From my memory, ALA is good for pcos sufferers and those with insulin resistance. Too much insulin is bad for egg quality. There was little or no improvement for those with a normal metobolism if I remember correctly from it starts with the egg x

ARGC tell their patients to drink a litre of milk a day during stims!

Zita West says a serving of full fat dairy every day is great for fertility

Gluten is only an issue if you have intolerance as if you have high TNF alpha then going gluten free can help reduce inflammation. Don't know of any reason to give it up otherwise

Thanks banana that's helpful. I am a Greek yoghurt fiend so that's good to hear.

Any thoughts on the coffee?

I will google TNF alpha so as not to annoy with too many questions!

(I know I should read the book myself)

TNF alpha won't be in the book it's an immunes thing - only if you're having immunes treatment and have had all the Chicago tests! Basically - don't worry about it!!

Greek yogurt is ace. High protein is awesome for egg quality so I have some Purition protein powder (wholefoods, no nasties, doesn't taste like cardboard like most protein powder) mixed in with some honey and it's a great high protein breakfast that's really quite tasty too!

I'm terrified of going near dairy as (apparently) it's another endo enemy

Harold- I know nothing about this but to be honest, if you feel able it might be worth giving up the coffee anyway. They recommend you reduce it in pregnancy - I'm currently very anxiously and cautiously 6w post BFP from IVF and having to give up coffee after the BFP was horrible - I got awful withdrawal migraines which I then couldn't take pain killers for. Annoyingly (because I love coffee) I actually feel loads better without it too - I was a 3 cup a day girl but literally couldn't function before without my first 2 cups.

I've no idea if it inspects success rates though, I heard it does impact sperm so maybe it impacts eggs? The NHS claims too much caffeine increases the risk of miscarriage so there must be something going on there?

Tapdancing, I have endometrioma and I found relief from taking pycnogenol after a couple of months. Serrapeptase and nattokintase is also supposed to help by eating away at scar tissue and reducing inflammation x

Funny you should mention Serra, sweethearty as I've been obsessively reading about it for the past week - do you know of any good experiences with it?

wheatgrass is an interesting one, will have to have a look for that.

Does anyone know about antihistamines on the male side at all? are these a no-go prior to treatment?

Thanks banana.

Blue I will try and wean off the coffee... Maybe go down to one a day, then, miracle of miracles, none a day!

My Dr said loads of protein and this research by the American society of gynaecologist suggests higher protein diet can make a big difference to egg quality

m.acog.org/About-ACOG/News-Room/News-Releases/2013/High-Protein-Low-Carb-Diets-Greatly-Improve-Fertility

glummy it didn't taste great - like I was chugging back actual grass. Well it is really. It's supposed to help make new blood and cells.

DHEA = brilliant for low AMH, absolute nono for PCOS

Inositol = brilliant for PCOS, best avoided if taking DHEA because you don't want them working against each other

Low AMH and PCOS are basically opposite ends of the spectrum

Low AMH = not enough follicles and generally low testosterone

PCOS = very many follicles and too much testosterone

Both too little and too much can affect egg quality

So DHEA is great for us low AMH-ers for topping up our testosterone, to encourage more follies to grow

For PCOS Inositol is like metformin, it's an insulin sensitiser which aims to reduce the levels of testosterone in the ovaries and thereby improve egg quality

So depending on your issue it's one or t'other but not both!

has anyone been on royal jelly? if so, how much did you take?