Do I need to take Special Vitamins for IVF?

[nimbec]

Hi all

I'm eventually starting a short protocol round of IVF in the next few weeks after a very long rollercoaster of events.....i was due to start this time last year but it was cancelled - planning appointment next week so will have exact dates then. It been a long time coming and for a long time i was on all sorts of potions and lotions. However having taken a step back i stopped them all and now typically we have ended up doing a cycle quickly and i'm worried i haven't prepared well enough.....

what should i be taking to help?

Also read lots on diets but what are the KEY things - i'm no master chef and also have a nut allergy so thats a no no

I've started prenatal vits today for me and well man for hubby (his count is fine its me that has the problems!)

Thanks everyone in advance and wishing you all lots of luck!!!

 

[MoBaby]

Hey nimbec! Good to see you again. I only took prenatals. Limit caffeine and alcohol. Just eat healthy. Some people avoid dairy and gluten and stuff but it's not really necessary unless you have an intolerance.

Most vitamins and supplements take several months to have an effect anyways. I'm not sure if there is anything you can take in the short term. Hopefully others can chime in

Good luck!! I'm almost done stims so retrival this week for a freeze all.

 

[nimbec]

Hi mobaby! Good to see you too, sorry you are still chasing the Bfp

Is this your first round at a new clinic? Hope stims are treating you well...

Thank you for taking the time to answer, I just want to maximise chances as everyone does. I'm actually nervously excited but so happy to be making positive steps forwards at last

 

[MoBaby]

Yes my first round at new re. I've paid for 2 cycle program in case we need to bank embryos and we will do genetic testing.

Understandable being nervous. It's a tough process but worth it in the end

 

[miranda007]

Good luck!! We had great results in our egg extractions and lots to freeze. We were taking Coq10 but these take a while to kick in.
Try just to eat good healthy and nutritious food. I did a bit of research and it seems like you have to keep the protein up and sure ensure you're having lots of fruit and veggies and good carbs like whole grains and don't fill up on too many carbs. (Some studies show higher protein and lower carb ratio is beneficial). Think women we're eating toast for breakfast and sandwhich for lunch etc.
I also read it helps if you're body is more alkaline. A body does better in these conditions anyway. All the acidic food like meats, eggs, dairy etc, coffee I completely stayed away from. But I stay away from them anyway and eat more a plant based diet.
Another study I read said try to avoid saturated fried foods. As long as you're aware etc. saturated fat isn't the bes - mono saturated fat is and they've done studies on avocados being helpful - so had them with chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts etc.

Jut try to relax, keep calm. I did a few sets of deep breathing in the morning.
I grated fresh ginger in my tea to help with digestion/ circulation/ inflammation. Added turmeric to stir fries. I did have about 3 litres of water a day. Try to get it in before dinner time otherwise you'll wake to pee all night. Get good sleep.

Try not to worry about it. I was super scared going into it. The build up of staring was worse than actually doing it. I was fine. I had no symptoms at all other than a bit of bloating!

 

[nimbec]

Mobaby that sounds like you have a great plan although I really hope you don't need to use both rounds fx!!

Miranda thank you and good tip about the water before bedtime! I will make a start on changing my diet a bit I definately eat too much carbs and sugar! I don't drink tea or coffee but am a chocoholic lol. Are you ttc currently?

 

[messica]

At the time we did IVF I was pretty big into "clean" eating. If I didn't know what an ingredient in a given food was, I usually didn't eat it.

My RE told me to enjoy wine during stims/before transfer, and I drank coffee nearly everyday. I personally think both improve circulation.


I took no special vitamins, but later I found I was very D deficient, which I later learned *can* effect fertility (and is super important for fetal development).

Good luck!!!

 

[FrancesO]

Hey Nimbec,

I also heard that exercises especially walking helps a great deal as well as protein based diet. I've read a lot of great reviews about pregnacare conception. It contains L-Arginine which they say helps with implantation. I'm taking and I've noticed a great deal of changes with my hormones. You may want to take some time off work if your job is demanding, looking back now, that's one thing I didn't do with my failed cycles as my job was very demanding. In general, everyone recommends taking things easy, just relax and enjoy the ride (lol).

I wish all the best and a BFP.