Premature Ovarian Aging/Diminished Ovarian Reserve

[SignoraL]

Has anyone been diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Aging and Diminished Ovarian Reserve? I'm 30 years old and the RE that my DH and I are seeing diagnosed us last week. He said it's very likely that the other women in my family have had this (my mom, grandmother and great-grandmother all began menopause in their late 30s).

In order to improve the functioning of my ovaries and egg quality, I'm on a regimen of CoQ10, Isositol, Melatonin and L-Arginine. He also prescribed DHEA for me and Vitamin D (he said I was a little deficient). He also recommended acupuncture (his practice works with an acupuncturist).

Did anyone's RE recommend any of these and did you see improvements? How long did it take before it took effect? Our RE said he's going to put me on this regimen for a couple of cycles to see if I improve and if we become pregnant and if not, we will be looking at IUI or IVF.

I'd appreciate any advice you can give!

 

[heavenly]

Has anyone been diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Aging and Diminished Ovarian Reserve? I'm 30 years old and the RE that my DH and I are seeing diagnosed us last week. He said it's very likely that the other women in my family have had this (my mom, grandmother and great-grandmother all began menopause in their late 30s).

In order to improve the functioning of my ovaries and egg quality, I'm on a regimen of CoQ10, Isositol, Melatonin and L-Arginine. He also prescribed DHEA for me and Vitamin D (he said I was a little deficient). He also recommended acupuncture (his practice works with an acupuncturist).

Did anyone's RE recommend any of these and did you see improvements? How long did it take before it took effect? Our RE said he's going to put me on this regimen for a couple of cycles to see if I improve and if we become pregnant and if not, we will be looking at IUI or IVF.

I'd appreciate any advice you can give!

Hi there, Well I haven't been diagnosed with it yet........but at 46....it's pretty likely!! Getting my AMH results back this Monday.

I am already taking a shed load of stuff (check sig), and waiting to take DHEA because I need to know my AMH results first. I am starting acupuncture in April.

I am sorry you got that news at such a young age, but on the flip side, you have found out now and have time to decide what you are going to do, and if the first course of action doesn't work, there will be other options.

I wish you loads of love and luck in your journey. xx

 

[SignoraL]

Thank you, heavenly. I appreciate your kind thoughts. Best of luck with all of your results! Love and luck to you, too!

 

[heavenly]

And to you.

 

[BabyOnMyOwn]

Hi There! I am so sorry you got that diagnosis, I KNOW how hard it is to hear. I am still single and just turned 36 a couple of weeks ago. Last fall I decided I was ready to start trying to have a baby (with donor sperm) and went to a RE. He ran a million tests (including the clomid challenge) and told me I have Diminished Ovarian Reserve and that chances of me having my own baby (without Donor eggs) was less than 5%. I was DEVESTATED!!! I went back to my OB who was angry with the doctor because he didn't try anything other than clomid. She put me on Letrezole (femera) and I responded to that much better than the clomid. I just had my third IUI on Friday and am hoping this one works out timing wise. I have had 2-5 follicles each time on the letrezole.

I am taking a few of the supplements you are and have been going to accupuncture wvery week. My accupuncturist has me taking wheat grass and spirila (sp) as well. I'm hoping it all works out for both of us!

 

[SignoraL]

Thank you, BabyOnMyOwn!!! I appreciate you sharing your experience with me! I just began acupuncture yesterday and loved it. I hope it will help.

I'm glad that you sought your OB's opinion. That sounds completely irresponsible of the RE! I know you said you have done two IUIs already - did you go to a different RE? I hope that this time works out for you!!! Please keep in touch and let me know how it goes.

 

[BabyOnMyOwn]

Thank you, BabyOnMyOwn!!! I appreciate you sharing your experience with me! I just began acupuncture yesterday and loved it. I hope it will help.

I'm glad that you sought your OB's opinion. That sounds completely irresponsible of the RE! I know you said you have done two IUIs already - did you go to a different RE? I hope that this time works out for you!!! Please keep in touch and let me know how it goes.

I have not been back to the RE at all. My OB has been doing everything. We decided we would try three medicated (with letrezole) IUI's before I would talk about going back to a different RE. I refuse to even go to the practice the other one worked in. He was too insensitive. If needed, I have a couple of friends who have used a WONDERFUL RE so I will go to him instead.

 

[SignoraL]

Thank you, BabyOnMyOwn!!! I appreciate you sharing your experience with me! I just began acupuncture yesterday and loved it. I hope it will help.

I'm glad that you sought your OB's opinion. That sounds completely irresponsible of the RE! I know you said you have done two IUIs already - did you go to a different RE? I hope that this time works out for you!!! Please keep in touch and let me know how it goes.

I have not been back to the RE at all. My OB has been doing everything. We decided we would try three medicated (with letrezole) IUI's before I would talk about going back to a different RE. I refuse to even go to the practice the other one worked in. He was too insensitive. If needed, I have a couple of friends who have used a WONDERFUL RE so I will go to him instead.

Ugh, I'm so sorry that you had that experience! It's so tricky knowing who you can trust because we're very vunerable in some ways right now and it's tough to know what path to choose and who to believe.

Our RE was one that our friends went to (they became pregnant after their 2nd IVF cycle). I had read a great book called "Making Babies" about using a holistic approach when it comes to infertility and I was nervous at first that we'd get pushed into doing IVF (my mom had a friend who went to a different clinic and she was 39 but very healthy and she was treated like they were trying to fill their 35-39 quota - they really pushed her toward IVF - and lo and behold, she left the clinic and didn't go back and got pregnant naturally a few months later, after years of TTC). However, when we went in for our test results, our doctor told us that he prefers the holistic approach - diet, acupuncture, exercise, supplements, etc. and that made me feel much better. We're still open to IUI or IVF if we end up there, but I appreciated that he felt there are things we could fix in these next few months.

Just out of curiosity - I see you're from Washington - D.C. or Washington state? I live in Virginia.

 

[BabyOnMyOwn]

I am from Washington State, ot DC. Where in Virginia are you? I lived in Springfield for awhile when I was growing up.

I fully agree, we are more vulnerable at this point. I LOVE the accupuncturist I work with. She has given me things to eat and supplements and everything as well. I fully recommend all of it to anyone trying to get pregnant.

Are you going to try to get pregnant at the same time as all the new changes (diet, supplements, etc) or are you going to wait a few months? My accupuncturist wanted me to wait, but my ob said she wanted to try three cycles then we can talk about something else. I decided that if this cycle doesn't work, I am going to take a break for a few months. I need to let some of the hormones out of my system. I go in tomorrow for my progesterone check and see how that's going. I'm (obviously) hoping that all went well and I'm pregnant, but we will see.

 

[SignoraL]

I am from Washington State, ot DC. Where in Virginia are you? I lived in Springfield for awhile when I was growing up.

I fully agree, we are more vulnerable at this point. I LOVE the accupuncturist I work with. She has given me things to eat and supplements and everything as well. I fully recommend all of it to anyone trying to get pregnant.

Are you going to try to get pregnant at the same time as all the new changes (diet, supplements, etc) or are you going to wait a few months? My accupuncturist wanted me to wait, but my ob said she wanted to try three cycles then we can talk about something else. I decided that if this cycle doesn't work, I am going to take a break for a few months. I need to let some of the hormones out of my system. I go in tomorrow for my progesterone check and see how that's going. I'm (obviously) hoping that all went well and I'm pregnant, but we will see.

I live in Centreville, so also in Fairfax County, but grew up in Fredericksburg. Where in Washington state do you live? I've only visited once to visit some friends in Olympia, but it was beautiful!

My RE wanted us to take the next three cycles to try to get pregnant naturally (with the new diet, supplements, acupuncture, etc.) I might see if I can push it to four. Then if that doesn't work, he wants us to consider IUI or IVF. Since he said that either would be an option for us, my preference would be to do IUI. Our insurance doesn't cover infertility so we'd obviously be paying out of pocket. However, if we do have to do IVF, our RE has a payment plan where you get seven IVF cycles and if you don't succeed, you can get money back.

That sounds like a good plan. I'll be praying that everything goes well for you tomorrow and that you are pregnant!!! Best of luck!!!

 

[SignoraL]

Hey BabyOnMyOwn! I've been thinking of you! I hope that everything went okay with your progesterone check.

I'm expecting AF any day now. I figured that this month may be a bust since I haven't been on my supplements and DHEA, or doing the acupuncture, for very long. But hopefully things will improve for the next few cycles.

 

[BabyOnMyOwn]

Hey BabyOnMyOwn! I've been thinking of you! I hope that everything went okay with your progesterone check.

I'm expecting AF any day now. I figured that this month may be a bust since I haven't been on my supplements and DHEA, or doing the acupuncture, for very long. But hopefully things will improve for the next few cycles.

Hi There! Unfortunately, this month was a no go for me. AF showed up yesterday. I pretty much expected it as my progesterone was really low last week. I am going to take a couple of months of to let my body get some of the hormones out of it and to let the acupuncture and supplements do all they can. I think I am going to go to an RE next month.

I hope all is going well with you!

 

[SignoraL]

Hey BabyOnMyOwn! I've been thinking of you! I hope that everything went okay with your progesterone check.

I'm expecting AF any day now. I figured that this month may be a bust since I haven't been on my supplements and DHEA, or doing the acupuncture, for very long. But hopefully things will improve for the next few cycles.

Hi There! Unfortunately, this month was a no go for me. AF showed up yesterday. I pretty much expected it as my progesterone was really low last week. I am going to take a couple of months of to let my body get some of the hormones out of it and to let the acupuncture and supplements do all they can. I think I am going to go to an RE next month.

I hope all is going well with you!

I'm so sorry, BabyOnMyOwn. I hope you're doing okay. Sending you lots of and prayers. I think you have a good plan for the future. I'll actually be doing the same thing. AF showed up on Monday. I kind of figured she would, as I've only been doing the DHEA and supplements for a few weeks and only did the acupuncture once. So hopefully we can improve together in the next few months.

 

[chubbygirl]

I often pop in here to see if I can bring some hope to ladies with premature ovarian failure as I was told the same thing last year and that I would need to adopt or use donor eggs to conceive at the age of 29. I went to acupuncture twice a week for 3 months and began my path to getting healthier - lots of supplements, exercise, yoga, no cold foods or drinks (warming up my uterus), tracking my cycles, taking ovulation tests, taking my temps, timing intercourse and within those 3 months I was pregnant! The doctor that told me I would need donor eggs was shocked and never thought it would last for me and was always negative. I'm happy to say I'm in my third trimester and I will never listen to a doctor again. Do your research and never give up!! Good luck and keep up the acupuncture! If you have any questions I'd be happy to help.

 

[SignoraL]

Thank you so much, chubbygirl!!! You definitely give us hope!!! Congrats on your pregnancy!!! When are you due?

 

[BabyOnMyOwn]

I often pop in here to see if I can bring some hope to ladies with premature ovarian failure as I was told the same thing last year and that I would need to adopt or use donor eggs to conceive at the age of 29. I went to acupuncture twice a week for 3 months and began my path to getting healthier - lots of supplements, exercise, yoga, no cold foods or drinks (warming up my uterus), tracking my cycles, taking ovulation tests, taking my temps, timing intercourse and within those 3 months I was pregnant! The doctor that told me I would need donor eggs was shocked and never thought it would last for me and was always negative. I'm happy to say I'm in my third trimester and I will never listen to a doctor again. Do your research and never give up!! Good luck and keep up the acupuncture! If you have any questions I'd be happy to help.

Thank you so much for your positive story! I have been doing acupuncture, temping, a bunch of supplements, yoga, and diet changes. I am going to a different RE next week because the first one I saw was AWFUL!! I'm hoping to hear something a little different!

 

[Tarotempres]

Ladies,

Thank you for this thread. My husband and I have been trying for 2 years now to get pregnant and I have been diagnosised with POA and DOR. We just did our first cycle of IVF but I only produced 2 eggs with infertility drugs and on DHEA. We did get pregnant but unfortunately it didn't last for long. I just feel like we are not trying everything we possibly can be doing and I don't want to use donor eggs which is the direction I feel like I am being pushed in. Can you guys share what you guys have been on and trying. Best of Luck to both of you.

 

[SignoraL]

Hi Tarotempres, I'm so sorry about your loss. I was on DHEA too, but also CoQ10, Inositol, L.Arginine and Melatonin. I also did acupuncture and ate a mostly organic diet. I didn't get tons of eggs at my ER (just 9), but 8 were mature and 7 fertilized and then we had two - a blast and a morula. So we may not have gotten tons, but I believed that regimen helped a lot. I recommend chatting with your RE about these.Don't give up! If you ever have questions, please let me know.

 

[Toptack]

Hi SignoraL, congrats on the BFP, I hope all is going well. Could I ask what dose of the supplements you were taking? We're just starting to try for baba no. 2, after being diagnosed with diminished ovarian reserve first time round... No idea whether we'll have any luck, but I'd like to give ourselves the best possible chance. X

 

[Tarotempres]

Thank you. I am not giving up hope. I just feel like I could be doing more but I feel like I don't know where to turn. I have made appointments to interview two new doctors in hopes they will help me figure this all out.

I joined weight watchers in january and have been sticking to plan very strictly and lost a lot of weight. I try to stay away from anything canned and try to eat more all natural foods. If there are any other suggestions you may have please do not hesitate.

I truly appreciate everyone's help.