# New to FF...seeking advice on how to lower scarily high FSH.



## jules-m (Dec 12, 2011)

Hello,

I found out in November that my AMH is 1.7 p/mol which was a real shock.  since then we've been to the Lister Clinic for an initial appointment & have had lots of other tests.

My FSH is 32!  Can anyone recommend how I can lower this - I'm taking Wheatgrass, pre-natal vitamins & omega oils. 

If you lower your FSH will this help improve our chances, or is it simply like turning the fire alarm off.  

The lister clinic have said we can proceed with IVF - we only have a 5% chance of success, but that is better than nothing!  I'm now on day 7 of OCP and go for a scan on 1st Feb to see if I can proceed with D/R. Is anyone else on a similar protocol ? 

thanks for any help you can give

Jules


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## Betty-Boo (Oct 14, 2007)

Hello and welcome to the madness that is Fertility Friends.
   I've included some links to other areas of FF that will be able to support you in your journey    for this cycle:

*Cycle Buddies ~ *CLICK HERE

*IVF Boards ~ *CLICK HERE

*Poor Response/Low AMH/High FSH ~ *CLICK HERE

Have a look round the site and if you get a little stuck with the navigation side of things - please shout!

We also have a chat room - which is a fabulous place to 'meet' and chat with others. Our newbie chat is every Wednesday. A great chance to meet other new members and find out a little more about how the site works.

*Newbie chat ~ *CLICK HERE

All the best - our paths may cross again in other areas of the site.
Good luck,

  

Mini xx


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## BluMariposa (Dec 19, 2011)

Hi Jules-m,
Welcome to FF.... I too have a very high FSH, mine is 32 and my amh is 1.5, I had a blood test yesterday so I'm praying my FSH has gone down as it apparently varies from month to month. I've heard DHEA is good, I will be ordering some this week if my results have not improved, and I haven't been brave enough to try wheatgrass...r u taking wheatgrass shots or the powder? I'm taking the usual prenatal vitamins and just had my second dose of acupunture.

Who did you see at Lister? I have an appointment with them as they are suppose to be good if you have high FSH.  Let me know how you get on.

FF offers lots of info on different things you can try, good luck for 1 Feb.

Bluxx


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## jules-m (Dec 12, 2011)

Hi Blu,

I saw Dr Faris.  He was great, very matter of fact which was what I needed at the time.  My FSH combined with AMH means we have a 5% chance of success based on previous treatments they have run.  Apparently Dr Jaya Parikh is also very good and specialises in women with high FSH/low AMH.

However he said its all about how I respond to treatment, so we've decided to give it a go & see what happens.  Fingers crossed!!

I'm also going to order DHEA.  The wheatgrass is the power form - I mix it in orange squash.  Looks & tastes vile but supposed to be good for you.  I'm intending to start acupuncture as well - guess now is the time to get over my fear of needles 

Good luck, when's your appointment ?

Jules


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## BluMariposa (Dec 19, 2011)

Hi Jules,
My appt is 10 Feb....so fingers x for both of us.

I tried wheatgrass shot a few years ago when I was in New York and it was VILE, but I think the worst things taste the better they are for us ,
Don't worry about the needles, they are usually really fine so you hardly feel a thing....big hug for you.

Bluxx


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## daisyg (Jan 7, 2004)

Hi,

The most important factor in ivf is your age and the skill of the clinic.  Was your E2 measured at the same time as your FSH on days 2-4?  These 2 numbers will give you a bigger picture.

FSH can indicate how well you may respond to the injectible FSH which you are given during ivf.  The higher your FSH, the higher the dose needed to kick start your ovaries to produce follicles.

How old are you?  What is your fertility history and have you ever had an antral follicles count.  All these will build a fertility picture for you.

I would also recommend that you check you and DH are in good health with some basic testing that the GP can do... e.g. thyroid, clotting, infection, uterine checks etc etc.

Have the Lister given you any reasons why you cannot conceive naturally?

You really need to be proactive on this journey and ask as many questions and get as much knowledge about this process as poss.  Don't be afraid to write down your questions and make sure your consultant keeps you informed every step of the way...

Best,
Daisy
xx


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## jules-m (Dec 12, 2011)

Hi Daisy

thanks for your reply - I'm a bit bemused by it all, so need to ask lots more questions when I go back to the Lister.

I'm 36, and I have no fertility history as such - hence finding it hard to get my head around everything.  We only just started trying & found out about my low AMH as part of a Bupa Healthcheck - ironically everything else in the health-check was positive for us both.  There is no male factor.  

Lister said we should keep trying to conceive naturally as well.  My antra-follicle count at my initial consultation scan was 4 each side, which the consultant said was good for someone with my blood results.  So I've been put on a long day 21 protocol which is primed by a course of OCP & uses Menopur 375 IU.

I have a thyroid condition which is being managed by thyroxine & is reasonably stable.  I'm fractionally overactive which is good for trying to conceive.  My immunes are low so shouldn't cause a problem.

I think my E2 was 55 (would that make sense, there are lots of different scales) - the tests were done on Day 4 at the same time.

thanks for your help

Jules


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## Tommi (Jun 22, 2011)

Hi Jules 

I'm interested in what you say about being slightly overactive thyroid-wise and it being good for ttc. How low is your TSH? Mine is 0.29 (that's not treated, just as it is) and I was recently told that as long as it is above 0 it is fine for ttc. Is that what you've been told?

Good luck with everything! 

Txx


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## jules-m (Dec 12, 2011)

Hi Tommi

My TSH is 0.07.  Apparently its better to be slightly overactive than underactive if you are TTC, because if you get pregnant the baby doesn't produce its own thyroxine - at least for the first trimester.  Therefore it needs to draw on yours, so slightly overactive gives better support.  You should then get it tested asap to check your thyroid hasn't gone underactive as a result of the extra strain.

It can cause issues with the baby's development if you can't give it enough...hence more (slightly) is better.  I was very sternly told that I couldn't TTC until I had a normal or slightly overactive thyroid!

Good luck with yours,

Jules


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## Tommi (Jun 22, 2011)

Many thanks Jules, that's all very reassuring. I questioned mine with my doctor as it is below 0.4 and he was also very stern in explaining that it is much better that way!

Good luck! 

Txx


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## Vertigo (Jan 7, 2011)

Hi girls,

I have high FSH issues too & am also having my first appointment at Lister on 10th Feb, Blu! Am also seeing Dr Faris, Jules (cos Dr Parikh & Dr Thum weren't available until later, and time is of the essence...)! Glad to hear you thought he was good.  

I've been battling with high FSH for 6 months now & have seen a Zita West nutritionist (Claire) and doing acupuncture (first at ZW, now moving to London Acupuncture Clinic cos cheaper & highly recommended at FF), but haven't seen any effect yet. My FSH on day 1 bloods have been 12.9, 11.9, 14.5 and 11.9 (plus high oestradiol) in the past months - so not hugely high but still too much for my clinic (ARGC) so I'm moving to Lister.

Good diet with lots of protein, alkalising foods, no caffeine, lots of nettle tea, etc etc MAY help with FSH issues - there are great threads on diet somewhere on FF (sorry, couldn't find them at this instance...) I was also suggested to take Vitafem, Pregnacare Conception, omega oils, magnesium, vitamin B complex & vitamin D by the nutritionist. Seven pills a day!  

Be careful with DHEA - check with your clinic that they agree to treat you if you take it. Some clinics (ARGC springs to mind) refuse to treat you for 3 months after you have stopped taking it... It's quite controversial for what I've heard & the side effects don't sound very pleasant...!

Oh, and I hate needles too - but trust me, acupuncturists (at ZW anyway) really do know their trade, I was so surprised when I started it at how little the needles pricked and how relaxed they could make me feel...! Dunno if they are lowering my FSH but deffo lowering my stress levels.  

Good luck anyway to all!   

Vxx


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## ClarissaN (Jan 1, 2012)

Hi all

I'm starting on this journey and was floored to hear that our 2 agreed IVF cycles were now being taken away from us due to high FSH (17) on my last blood test in September.
It just feels like the end of the road before we even got started.

I'm being retested on my next period (which should be early next week) and if it's still too high it sounds like the door is being closed on us. 

Thank you all for the info above - I feel like I have some more questions to ask when I go back next week but getting nervous that between getting our results on Monday to the next blood test I haven't really got any time in which to try and 'improve' my score.

It's such a worrying time for everyone when we get these results


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## jules-m (Dec 12, 2011)

Hi Clarissa, how gutting for you re the clinics response. I hope they change their mind. I think the lister clinic are very rare in that they will treat low amh and high fsh. Good luck with your next blood test results. 

Hi Vertigo, good luck with your appointment at the Lister. I've started the first stage in our first ivf cycle and havre a scan next week to see if I can start d/r. 

Exciting but also stressful


Wishing everyone the best of luck

Jules


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