Community post

Hi Paradise,
I hope you find some people who are waiting. But I wanted to send you some support. I'm 39 and just had my first miscarriage. Same deal... Baby stopped growing at six weeks. I was doing a fertility monitor for the first time on the cycle I got pregnant, and it went straight from a series of low readings right to peak. I got no highs. I can't help but think maybe my estrogen was a little low that month, and maybe it affected how the chromosomes divided in my egg. Ive been doing a lot of reading in the medical journals, and I decided to do a course of DHEA. I know a low of women have decided against DHEA. But for me, it was worth trying it out. I started taking the supplement right with my miscarriage. Now I'm gearing up for ovulation, 8 weeks later. I'm using my fertility monitor, and I got high readings starting on day 8 of my cycle. Maybe it's coincidence, maybe it's not. I just want to do everything I can to help the quality of my eggs for this next baby.

If you haven't read it, I suggest the book The Impatient Woman's Guide to GettingPregnant. She outlines the research evidence behind all the various things women try to assist their fertility. Best of luck to you on your break. I hope the time goes quickly for you!

Thank You so very much for your reply. I too am wanting to try the DHEA but am a little fearful of it. What dosage are you doing? I have heard a lot of women start out with the 25 mg. I decided to start the CoQ10 since I haven't read about it having any side affects but good things so I am taking 100 mg twice a day of that. I wonder if it would be good to take DHEA and Coq10 together? I also use Royal Jelly and take a baby aspirin daily. Anyway, that is awesome that you are about to ovulate already! That shows the DHEA hasn't messed with it then. My main thing is a change in my diet and I will do this for the next few months to hopefully build a healthier egg. I think I have had so much sugar in my body that it has made it very acidy for a baby to thrive in there from everything I have read. Anyway, good luck and would love to know your outcome with everything. Thanks again for your reply.

I have the same story starting when I just turned 38 and I am now 40. I had a MC at 12 weeks (Trisomy 21) 9 weeks, 2 weeks and 5 chemical pregnancies. I have had blood work, sonograms, ultrasounds, genetic testing, endometrial biopsy. My husband has also been check and had a genetic profile completed as well. I always have a 28 day cycle. I always get a happy face on my clear blue easy (day 13 or 14) and it has been check with labs and ultrasound to make sure I am ovulating. My only abnormal result was MHFR (677 and 1298) with a normal Homocysteine level. I have consulted with 2 RE's who had the same opinion that I should take baby aspirin and Neevo- DHA. and that my eggs are probably "old". I have since completed 2 rounds of Clomid as it is suppose to make my eggs a better quality and perhaps maybe more then one egg and the thought is one will be good. They suggested no DHEA as my labs are "perfect" and it could cause issues with ovulation. I tried acupuncture but it did not work. I gave up caffeine and that has not helped either. Both physicians are not recommending IVF as there is no issue with fertilization, but would do it if I wanted it. I was fortunate enough (I guess) to be able to have a fetal sample on MC #1 due to the need for a D&C as it does not leave me wondering what went wrong or if it was preventable. It also lets me know that I am older and perhaps there are issues with aging at play here. No one has had an answer just educated guesses. I did start taking myo-Inositol as I read a few medical articles that believe it may support improved follicle fluid with egg development, but it has not worked. I wish you lots of luck as it is extremely disheartening to get pregnant repeatedly and see 2 lines or a a heart beat and then it all goes away. I would suggest you consult with a good RE and then get a second opinion.

You ladies are so knowledgeable! I'm not entirely convinced that DHEA didn't mess up my ovulation... I'll know more over the next couple of days. Tomorrow is day 14, my regular O day. Fertility monitor still says high, but I've had a few temps near and just abov my cover line. So who knows what is going on!

Im taking 50 mg of it daily, paradise. That's a little less than I read you should take (75 mg), but I figured better safe than sorry since I'm self medicating! This whole process is just so frustrating!

Testing again, I'm so sorry for everything you've gone through! What is the MHFR finding? Is that a genetic problem?

We need some good eggs around here!!

Testing again: Wow, you have really been through a lot! And still don't have a definite answer as to what could be causing the problem! That is what makes it so frustrating. I finally got the call last night from my doctor that I have been waiting on for 2 weeks and they did find a problem; He told me that there were two things that were elevated; Free Protein S Activity and Antithrombin III Activity. He said that they were both a blood clotting disorder which is keeping blood from going to the baby. He didn't tell me that this was a definite answer but is more than likely contributing to the miscarriages. He also said that it could still be the quality of my eggs too. I told him that I think a lot of it is the way I have eaten for years but he disagreed there. He just said it would be my age. Ok, but if it's my age, then wouldn't the way I have eaten for years be affecting those eggs? He said I would have to take blood thinners, either 2 baby aspirin daily once I get a positive on a pregnancy test or a baby aspirin and Heparin (sp?) or Lovenox (sp?). He said that the Lovenox is very hard to get and very expensive (didn't say if my medicaid would cover it or not) but he told me that I should wait til after Christmas to try again and then once I am pregnant to call his office and they would take the appropriate measurements. He also keeps saying that my progesterone may have a lot to do with it too but I was on prometrium starting out at twice a day and then upping them to 4 times a day plus a baby aspirin daily and still miscarried. He said I should have been on 2 baby aspirin from the beginning. He did up those to 2 times daily also but by the time he did maybe it was already to late. I just don't get it. I really do hope that what they found on the blood test is the main problem and it can be fixed with those shots or baby aspirin. I asked him about the Coq10 and the DHEA and he said it wouldn't hurt to take them but I am still leery of the DHEA. I think I will stick with the Coq10 for now and my prenatal vitamins daily, a baby aspirin daily, Royal Jelly twice a day, and just eating right this tiime more than anything. Testing Again: I also tried cutting out caffeine, you name it, I tried it, I turned off my electric blanket, no hot baths or showers, took it easy, etc, and none of them helped I guess. That's why I am going with my instincts on this and thinking it is mainly rotten eggs. I want to start trying again as soon as I know I am ovulating, but from everything I have read, it takes 90 days to make a good quality egg so I am thinking what if I still have a couple of bad eggs in there right now and to just wait it out a couple months. What do you ladies think on that? The Coq10 takes a few months to affect the energy in an egg too from what I have read as does eating healthier. I am just so confused with all of this. I don't know whether to wait it out awhile or start trying as soon as I get my periods back to normal. Please give me your thoughts on this. Beatricebythesea: Please let us know how your ovulation goes with the DHEA. Thank you so much ladies for all your thoughts.

Wow, Paradise, that's a lot to process! But it seems to me that any news is good news. You have a finding that can explain the losses. Sure, it might be both egg quality and blood not getting to the baby. But egg quality comes and goes. For example my grandmother had my dad at 44. So that egg was clearly good. I think with age, some eggs have chromosome problems, but not all of them. It just depends which one gets released on the lucky month. Either way, reduced blood to the baby is bad. So if you can address that, you are back in the lottery with your aging eggs. Personally, I'd keep trying. Yes you are making changes, but none of those changes is guaranteed to help. Meanwhile, your eggs are getting older each month. What if this blood problem is the only thing keeping you from a healthy baby? That is definitely a possibility.

AFM, I got a peak on my fertility monitor yesterday and a positive OPK. Today's temp is still low. I should have a temp rise tomorrow. If so, I'm right on time this month. Exactly the same schedule as the month I got pregnant. Peak day 14, O day 15, temp rise day 16. Fingers crossed!

Hi paradisein2011

They are putting you through the ringer as well. I don't understand why your doctor is telling you your progesterone "may" be a problem. This is something that should be known all it takes is a few labs. He can also check your egg reserve but that answer is just a educated guess based on your labs. As far as the aspirin by the time you get a positive test the "baby" is all ready attached so if you are clotting one would think you would want to take the aspirin ahead of time. MTHFR is a defect in DNA which may make it difficult for me to break down folic acid which is why I take the Nevo-DHA pre natal as it can also cause clotting issues I take an aspirin every day as well. That will be for life not just while trying to get pregnant. As far as you trying I really don't understand why he would tell you to wait until after the new year. That is 2 cycles? Women who have babies don't even have to wait that long. I did not have to wait that long after my D&C to have intercourse. To me that seems very old school and not rooted in factual medicine. What did he base that recommendation on? Did he tell you why or was just generic like your body needs to rest/recover ect.? Personally, once I had an period I would then try that cycle because we are not getting any younger. As far as the Lovenox verses Heparin. Lovenox is a very common drug but it is expensive. You could call your insurance and ask if it is covered and if so what your co pay would be. Heparin is cheap and you would obtain a multi use vial. Eating healthy and exercising is great no matter what and it can not possibly hurt to be as healthy as you can be. I would not worry about what you at in the past. I would not get too excited about finding the perfect voodoo combination of food and supplements as there is not one or we would all be taking it. I would definitely go for a second opinion though because it is always wise to be assured everything is being done properly and you don't know until you ask someone else. Remember the doctor works for you not the other way around. I hope you get a lot of good eggs.

Testing again: Yep, my doctor just doesn't explain everything like I need him to. It's like he's always in a hurry to say what he needs to say and move on. I was thinking last night about the blood tests that were elevated. They took those tests when I still had the embryo inside of me (knew it was dead though) so I was wondering if I should see about having those tests redone just to make sure they are still the same or could they even change. I mean, if I do have a blood clotting disorder, could that change, especially if I am taking a baby aspirin daily anyway. I am going to take one daily for life too. I don't think that will hurt at all. It's weird but my doctor actually told me I didn't have to worry about taking an aspirin until I got a positive on a test again but I think like you, by the time I start taking them then, it might be too late again, so I am going with that and taking them now, just one a day for now. I too would think that 2 of them during pregnancy would be too much. Also, I had one lad tell me that if they put me on Heparin, to make sure it is a low-molecular heparin and also a baby aspirin daily. I would hope my doctor would know this but she recommended me see a hemotologist about it. I am wondering if I should see a doctor that specialized in recurrent miscarriage instead. Beatricebythesea; I really really do want to start trying again as soon as I get one good period. I keep hearing about women getting pregnant just a few weeks after their miscarriage so maybe it's better but then I wonder if I should at least try to heal quite a bit, emotionally and physically? I get so afraid that my uterine lining might not be as thick and plush as it should be. That makes me feel better knowing that your grandma was 44 when she had your dad, so that goes to show that hopefully I still have a few good years left. So glad to know that you are ovulating again. Good luck! Testingagain: I don't really know why for sure my doctor would tell me to wait til after Christmas to try again, maybe because he was thinking I should have a good period or two before. Knowing how I am though, I will more than likely start trying again after I have my first period since the miscarriage. I mean, it's true, I'm not getting any younger and who's to say it may not take a few months or longer to happen again anyway. So, in the meantime, I can just be trying to get as healthy as I can. You guys are great support here and I sure appreciate you taking the time to listen.

Hey Paradise, I'm gonna join you too. I'm getting the recurrent miscarriage testing done whenever I get my next cycle. I go on CD3 for the testing, and won't get the results until the middle of December, so I'm technically on hold until at least January for continuing with clomid and IUI's.

I've also had at least three losses this year, two documented chemicals (but I have a suspicion of at least one more) and the ectopic I had in March. I lost my right tube to that one, so we are now dealing with that issue as well as DH's MFI. I always thought that our issue with conceiving was that his boys just couldn't get there to do the job, but now I know that with help we can conceive, but now I can't seem to stay pregnant. I've added baby aspirin to my vitamins now, so I hope that will have some impact on any future pregnancies I have.

I'll hang out here with you too, and we can keep each other company. :)

Hi Lisserb, so glad you joined me here. Been wondering about you. This just all sucks so very bad, especially to have to start all over from scratch again. But, this time, I have decided to go into it a lot differently. I have completely changed my diet now. Cut out all sugars, flours, caffeine, you name it, if it isn't good for me, then it's out! Don't know if that can help much, but figure it sure couldn't hurt. I've been reading on egg quality and such and everything I find says it takes at least 3 months to make a good quality egg so I am hoping that by this change in my diet and taking vitamins and supplements, that will help give me a better quality egg for next time. I would really like to start trying again as soon as I get back to ovulation, but at the same time, I am afraid that it won't be enough time to have gotten everything back to normal. My sister told me that I shouldn't wait because it may end up taking a while to get pregnant again anyways and that is very true. Although I got pregnant fairly quickly all last 3 times, it doesn't mean it will happen that quick again. I also went and filled out paper work to see a hematologist yesterday. I told the receptionist that I would like a second opinion on the blood results and maybe even have them redone again since I have changed my diet and started on the baby aspirin daily. Don't know if they can change but I do definitely want that second opinion and more information on what came back positive. This has all been really frustrating for me and I'm sure it has been for you too, especially having to deal with the fact that you only have one tube but you keep getting pregnant pretty easy and quick it seems like so looks like you are good there. From everything I have been researching, those chemicals can be related to low progesterone levels, just not enough to help the embryo attach good. I have had one chemical too back in November of last year, that was when I first started really trying to get pregnant and I would have never thought in a million years that I would be going through all of this, 2 more miscarriages later. I thought at the time that I would get pregnant and everything would be fine but boy was I wrong! I just really hope that what they found on my blood panel explains why I keep losing over and over and it will be fixed fairly easy with a heparin shot and/or baby aspirin. I also thought they should have taken that panel test on me on my cycle day 3 but my doc had me do it the day I went in and found out there was no more heartbeat. I know it should be on cycle day 3 to test for the FSH. I have a couple of home FSH tests here though that I will be using once I have my first period so we will see. I pray that I still have a good few years left to keep trying. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? I just turned 40 in October. We know by all of these forums though that we can still do it at this age and even a lot older. My doctor told me the other day that he has a 47 year old pregnant patient so that made me feel better about that. Well, so here we go into our next cycles. Hoping everything works out for us soon Lisserb, It will be so nice to be able to finally announce our pregnancies that we know are gonna stick!!!!