Supplements- Whatcha' taking and Why?

[MacKinnon]

OK- so I'm on a TTC "pause" while we get blood work done due to my second confirmed (and third suspected) early loss. We were on the third month of actively TTC and two months of no protection for baby #3. Background- I have two DC, chem. pregnancies before and after each. I had low HCG levels and low progesterone in my full-term pregnancies. I have normally regular cycles, 31 days with O around day 17-19. Very heavy, clotty periods. I had post-partum thyroidites with DS but no other history of thyroid problems. Not sure it's relevant, but I was a kidney donor in 2006. I'm determined to use this time off to be in the best possible health to be pregnant again. So- Medically- we are getting labs done to check thyroid/progesterone/etc. Physically- I hope to loose some weight and work on eating better, etc. Nutritionally/Supplements.... I've been taking nothing. Not one extra thing. So, where would you start? And why?

[miriam_bat_avraham]

Well, I may be overzealous with my supplementing, but here's what I take:

MORNING: Actos (for testosterone levels and any potential insulin resistance as a result of PCOS), spironolactone (for DHEA/testosterone levels-- hmm, maybe I don't really need both), 1,500 mg Maca, 1 fish oil, 1 multivitamin, 1 Zyflamend (anti-inflammatory for joint health) and 1 general pro-immunity blend, plus 1 tsp elderberry extract to protect against flu/H1N1. I've also been drinking a small glass of Kefir for the live cultures.

EVENING: A second spironolactone, 1,500 mg Maca, 1 fish oil some days.

I'm also doing a lot-- a LOT-- of guided meditation and fertility visualizations. Consider it anti-stress/pro-fertility spiritual supplements

[rhiandmoi]

AM - Wheat grass (supports red blood cells, uterine lining - I have very light periods), Royal jelly (improve follicle for both pre and post O), 1/3 of mulit vitamin with B complex and probiotics (it's a 3 pill multi, but they're all the same), 1/3 of cal/mag (also a 3 pill deal)

PM - Vitex (I have elevated prolactin, the vitex helps reduce this by supporting the pituitary, and supports the luteal phase also), the rest of my multis and cal/mag and a fish oil, although I am probably going to switch the vitex to the morning now that I am on a new cycle. It is supposed to have a greater effect when taken in the morning.

[Virginia884]

I'm easy on the supplements.
AM- 1000mg Maca
PM- 1000mg Maca, folic acid

I've been drinking green tea to increase EWCM. I've been meaning to look into spearmint tea for testosterone and I also want to check out EPO. Hope that helps!

[bunziemom]

AM Vitex, (very long cycles with weeks long AF without) Milk Thistle (liver cleanser to help me process hormones more efficiently), Acai berry (antioxidant)

PM Pre Natal Vitamin, Milk Thistle, Acai.

Pre O Green tea (increase EWCM), preeseed (just started this after noticing scant amounts of EWCM)
Post O RRL Tea (uterine tonic)

[enigo]

Oh don't even go there, I seem to add a new supplement every few days.
I take
Evening primrose oil- really helps with normalizing cycles and EWCM
Fish oil
Multi
Spirulina
Wheat grass
Royal jelly
zinc
Vit E
B complex
1000 mg C
Maca
Vitex extract
Floradix Iron (since the mc)
Green tea
A preconception tea w/ RRL and Red clover

Oh there's probably something else I forgot.

[Lily Bea]

Green tea increases EWCM? Good to know. I should probably cut down on coffee to 1 a day, and have green tea after that. How much green tea?

[bunziemom]

Originally Posted by Lily Bea

Green tea increases EWCM? Good to know. I should probably cut down on coffee to 1 a day, and have green tea after that. How much green tea?

I usually drink a cup twice a day.

[samy23]

I take Evening Primose Oil from CD 1 until CD 14 as it's supposed to help you produce EWCM, which I was producing before, I just figured it could help anyway.

Pre-natal vitamins are in a drawer ready and waiting for the BFP. -I felt too sad taking them before I get a BFP, so I don't bother.

Fish Oil capsules for omega 3's. -not for ttc purposes just for general health.

Cranberry extract to help prevent UTI's.

And I would like to find something that's specifically for the immune system to help me through winter. I always get the flu etc.

Maybe some anti-oxidant type would be good too.

[Lyndzies]

Green tea and grapefruit juice at beginning of cycle thru O (to help w/ EWCM) and usually pop a Mucinex the mornings I insem (for the same reason)... but forgot this cycle! Oh well. Had plenty of good EWCM, so no biggie.

Other than that, just the pre-natal! Want to have good amounts of Bs and Folic Acid waiting for the bean.

[TheDivineMrsM]

Pre-natal vitamins: for folic acid
Babyhopes.com pre-conception tea: has red clover, red rasberry leaf, danelion, oatstraw, peppermint allegedly for fertility and a vitamin and mineral boost. It's pretty good, and for someone that loves coffee but needs to cut caffine, it's great to have a hot drink in my hands.
If I dont get a BFP this month, I think I'm going to try adding maca and primrose oil to the routine.

[Maurine]

I take a prenatal, B6 100mg complex, 1000mg Vitex, 2000mg Maca, and 1 fish oil capsule a day. I also drink decaf green tea pretty much every day, not necessarily for TTC. For 2 days around O I drank a quart or so of pure organic grapefruit juice. Over the course of 5 days post-O I ate a fresh pineapple.

[Laggie]

A prenatal vitamin, folic acid, and cod liver oil capsules.

Also a probiotic and an omega-3 oil blend in my morning smoothie.

LOTS of green tea, trying to produce some EWCM although we used pre-seed this month because I hardly ever have any.

My naturopath is going to want to start me on a bunch more stuff if I don't conceive this month. Hopefully that won't be necessary because she has a tendency to go overboard with prescribing too many things at once imo.

[Laggie]

Maurine is there a reason for the grapefruit juice? I haven't heard of that one yet.

[FtMPapa]

Originally Posted by Laggie

Maurine is there a reason for the grapefruit juice? I haven't heard of that one yet.

Specifically unsweetened, white grapefruit juice alkalizes your blood, which is better for conception, and it's supposed to help with EWCM.

For CM problems, I used to drink green tea, lots of water, and take Robitussin (Guafanisen (SP?) is the active ingredient you want. Only that.) I would also drink white grapefruit juice and eat baby carrots. I also took evening primrose oil capsules from CD 1 to O day. I took one in the AM, two in the PM, ideally, you want one capsule three times per day.

I've since stopped caring about all that, because I've switched (back) to IUI more or less permanently, so CM doesn't matter. The great thing about the CM helpers is you can just do them the two days leading up to O, with no ill effects (with the exception of the EPO, you need to take that from CD 1 for max effect).

Otherwise, I take a prenatal, Rainbow Light, six pills, so I take two with each meal, ideally. I also take B vitamins, to help support my luteal phase. I take Vit D because I'm fat and fat people are more prone to be deficient, and I live in the freazing cold dark world of winter and SAD affects me a lot.

I take Omega 3 fish oil, too.

I think that's it, about three times per week I eat a Luna bar which is practically a prenatal in a brownie.

Even if you don't feel the need to take a prenatal right now, it's a good idea to supplement (at least) folic acid, aka Folate, to the level of 1 mg or 800 mcg, because it takes some time to build up in your system and the effects on the embryo happen nearly immediately. Once you know you're pregnant, you've already missed out on a lot of the benefits of folic acid.

[Maurine]

Originally Posted by FtMPapa

Specifically unsweetened, white grapefruit juice alkalizes your blood, which is better for conception, and it's supposed to help with EWCM.

Although sometimes I can't find white and drink pink. I had a lot more EWCM this cycle, so something worked!

[MI_Dawn]

Flaxseed oil
Calcium + mag
Maca
B-6
Vitamin D
Baby aspirin
Chromium picolinate

I think that's it on the supplements...

Prescription, I take folgard (homocysteine levels) and armour (thyroid) + a prenatal

[apostrohpe]

Right now I only take a Multivitamin, Maca and Fibre supplements in the morning. I've been considering taking some natural weight loss pills but not to lose weight. The ingredients are: Green Tea, Ginger, Ginseng, Cayenne, Niacin and Acai. Seems like a pretty healthy pill, what do you guys think? I really like the health benefits of cayenne but I can't eat foods with it for the life of me...

[rcr]

Originally Posted by enigo 

Oh don't even go there, I seem to add a new supplement every few days.
I take
Evening primrose oil- really helps with normalizing cycles and EWCM
Fish oil
Multi
Spirulina
Wheat grass
Royal jelly
zinc
Vit E
B complex
1000 mg C
Maca
Vitex extract
Floradix Iron (since the mc)
Green tea
A preconception tea w/ RRL and Red clover

Oh there's probably something else I forgot.

Yea, me too. I take everything on enigo's list, except the vitex and royal jelly. I also take CoQ10, l-argigine, and melatonin for egg quality. It is crazy the amount of pills I take. DH takes even more to improve his sperm.