Juice Diet before IVF

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys! I really do appreciate the comments. My husband's last physical mentioned discoloration and off smell of his urine. He has to go back for a repeat exam to look at kidney function. His doctor in part suggested increasing his water intake through electrolyte water and juicing (for additional vitamins he doesn't get through his diet). That is the number one reason we are doing this. My hope is that it contributes to the tipping point of turning the day 4/5 eggs we have been consistently getting into blasts. I know it's not a formula or backed with some research. I wanted to post here to see if anyone has changed their husbands diet to get better results.

We started this process when I was 37, 1.3 AMH, 6.5 FSH, 15 antral count, normal thyroid, vita D. etc. I had an ectopic so with being down one tube we went straight to IVF. Of the 50 eggs we have retrieved, almost all fertilize and make it to day 4. Then they drop off. It takes two to tango and I am older but something ain't right here and it's not all egg related.

If nothing else, the 5 days of juices with two days including protein shakes and grilled chicken, my husband says he is sleeping better and has more energy that he can ever remember. He has lost 4 pounds.....there's nothing desperate or drastic about this. And I'm not forcing this on him.

I told him what you said about a ketogenic diet and he is working on a menu for that for next week.

I dropped my 3 year old off at school this morning after playing in the sand box with him this morning. I love every bit of being a parent and if that's only to one child then so be it. I'm very lucky to have him and I don't take that for granted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried PICSI and co-culture?

FWIW, I have the same problem. My RE said he doesn’t agree with the thinking that after Day 3 it’s the sperm causing the demise of the embryos. If it’s an issue with mitochondrial energy, then it seems most people focus on taking ubiquinol.

L-carnatine is also a good idea. Google "mito cocktail" for a list of mito support supplements. Whether you choose ubiquinol or CoQ10, look for a water-soluble form for better absorption.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried PICSI and co-culture?

FWIW, I have the same problem. My RE said he doesn’t agree with the thinking that after Day 3 it’s the sperm causing the demise of the embryos. If it’s an issue with mitochondrial energy, then it seems most people focus on taking ubiquinol.

L-carnatine is also a good idea. Google "mito cocktail" for a list of mito support supplements. Whether you choose ubiquinol or CoQ10, look for a water-soluble form for better absorption.

Thank you!! Will do!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The doctor actually suggested the 7 day thing because it will (not medical terms lol) turn the sperm over so they are the newer younger ones.

My husband eats like shit. He thinks he's the man because his sperm analysis was pretty good. But, he literally doesn't eat a vegetable. He eats meats and starches--god forbid the waiter forgets to ring in no parsley on the plate. I figure this could change things. He is two days in and says he already feels different.

We did PICSI the last retrieval and I think that helped too! What's co-culture?

My wife did co-culture a few times with Cornell (it originated with them). They scrape your uterus the month before the retrieval to get a "culture" in which your embryos grow. For those that arrest after day 3, the idea is that they do better in this culture versus what the lab uses.

We did have success with this and Braverman's protocol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The doctor actually suggested the 7 day thing because it will (not medical terms lol) turn the sperm over so they are the newer younger ones.

My husband eats like shit. He thinks he's the man because his sperm analysis was pretty good. But, he literally doesn't eat a vegetable. He eats meats and starches--god forbid the waiter forgets to ring in no parsley on the plate. I figure this could change things. He is two days in and says he already feels different.

We did PICSI the last retrieval and I think that helped too! What's co-culture?

Co-culture is when all the embryos develop together in one dish. Supposed to help them maintain energy for growth.

That's not what co-culture is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The doctor actually suggested the 7 day thing because it will (not medical terms lol) turn the sperm over so they are the newer younger ones.

My husband eats like shit. He thinks he's the man because his sperm analysis was pretty good. But, he literally doesn't eat a vegetable. He eats meats and starches--god forbid the waiter forgets to ring in no parsley on the plate. I figure this could change things. He is two days in and says he already feels different.

We did PICSI the last retrieval and I think that helped too! What's co-culture?

Co-culture is when all the embryos develop together in one dish. Supposed to help them maintain energy for growth.

That's not what co-culture is.

https://ivf.org/treatments-and-services/advanced-ivf-techniques/endometrial-coculture

[Anonymous]

Ok, sorry if I used the wrong term. My RE had all of my embryos grow in one dish together. Not sure what that’s called.

[Anonymous]

juice doesn't cleanse you. Your liver and kidneys do. Have him eat better. Juice diets are a huge waste of time and money.

[Anonymous]

It's vegetable juice. It can't hurt. He does not consume vegetables. I agree that juicing doesn't help a person already eating fruits and vegetable. But drinking spirulina and kale juice has got to help something don't you think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand your frustration. I had DOR and faced these kind of repeat failures in my early 30s. The honest truth is that, with a normal sperm report, the problem is in the eggs. It’s not your fault, it’s nothing you did, it’s just that they are the much more fragile reproductive mechanism. If you succed this time, it won’t be the juice, it will be finding your one lucky egg. If it doesn’t, consider moving on to donor eggs. I’m waiting for my two DE children to wake up so I can make them pancakes and take them to school. Move beyond this process and get on with the amazing business of being a parent. Good luck to you.

Exactly all this.

After 6 retrievals (60-72 eggs; 48-58 eggs fertilizing and growing) and zero embryos to use, you need to consider the possibility that it might be the health of the eggs. Good luck to you.

Same here. 6 Fresh IVFs. OP, juicing the husband does not cancel out the fact that you're 39. Snake oil is a seductive thought, but try to stay sane. Do extra testing on DH if you must - there are more sophisticated tests for the sperm beyond the basic one. It may also have to do with his age. If juice fixed infertility we all wouldn't be here...

[Anonymous]

We did our retrieval today with my husband doing TESE. We got 15 eggs. The most we ever have gotten but we won't know how many are mature. Columbia Fertility used to tell us on the day of retrieval how many eggs were mature. Not sure why SGF doesn't tell me.

I can't say enough about Dr. Shin at SGF. He did the TESE procedure and he was awesome--- so good with my husband who kept repeating that he felt like he got kicked in the balls. Have a retrieval hubs and then talk to me. Dr. O'Brien did my retrieval and I felt the best I have ever felt after a retrieval. She is so positive and so realistic all at the same time. Highly recommend the two!

We will see if a change in diet and vitamins does anything--retrieval (lucky) number 7!!!

[Anonymous]

Glad to hear this news, OP! Keep updating us!