Realism or Pessimism - Ovulex
6 Replies
Clowder8 - March 25

I'm brand-spankin' new here, so bear with me. Let me start with the back story:
I'm 37 (38 in April); Hubby's 41. He's fine, in excess of fine actually - our doc is amazed by his count.
Me? Well, I've been irregular since I was 11 (puberty-from the very FIRST period). Because of that, I always had MAJOR cramps, causing me to fail midterms and other things sometimes when I knew the topics cold. Also as a result of the irregularity I found myself pregnant at 17, something that me, the father or my family could NOT have - so I had an abortion. It seemed to me at that time that I was still getting a period (at least twice, for 2-3 days), so I was not aware (read in denial) that I was pregnant at all.
So I know my body is quite capable. Or at least it was. Here I am, still with the cramps, PMS and zits that my health teachers said would go away after puberty - HA!
The twist? I now have PCOS. We know my tubes are clear because of the lapriscopy/hysteroscopy I had done last year.
We had been trying - or 'just letting it happen' - for like 2 years and then finally sought help with a fertility specialist OB/GYN - who is wonderful. Just over a year later, here I am - and the only children I have are feline. We tried the clomid, the Gonal-f, the Pergonal, usually with an HCG shot as well - no dice. Then we combo'ed all those methonds ALONG WITH sessions of IUI - 4 of those; no luck. I'm on glucophage, to help with the cysts. The last few cycles, even the doctor thought we had it in the bag - everything lined up, perfect circumstances, I ovulated, my hormone levels were great - the whole kit.
Then last week sometime he tells me that either my eggs aren't good or my tubes are damaged (which can't be detected by last year's surgery).
My thing is this: I came across the Ovulex and I've searched high, low and side to side to find something to get me to buy the stuff or to forget it. The problem is that I find a TON of people talking about it, that are on the stuff, but the only 'success' stories i can find are direct copies of the 'successes' on their very own website. I can't really find anything bad about it, but it doesn't seem like there is anything bona fide on the good side either.
Could somebody please either talk me into or out of purchasing this stuff. I am a believer in herbals & things, I am just so TIRED - of the rollercoaster of emotions. When should we stop trying? Am I reaching here, or is there still hope - any at all?
Thanks to any who have input.

 

sblanton2 - March 25

If it is a possibility of your tubes being blocked why not move to IVF? Just a question, that bypasses the tubes altogether. It is invasive with all the hormone shots but you have been going through that anyway. Have you talked to your RE about IVF? I do not know about ovulex, but there are women on this site who swear by ovulex and green tea. If you scroll through the other boards you will find them. Best of Luck to you.

Sylvia

 

DianaEvans2 - March 25

Hello Clowder 8: so sorry to hear about all your troubles....I will be direct here and as clear as possible and please forgive my frankness. I wish somebody had shouted things at me to get me moving in the right directions faster and sooner.....

May I recommend to RUN (RUN FAST) to a second opinion Reproductive Specialist. Do NOT loose time. You are ok at 37 but time is slipping fast.... I lost too much time at 41/42 with none-cutting edge clinics. I switched fast because my gut said so. I got pregnant at 42.9! PLEASE CONSIDER GOING (RUN FAST) to the nearest world class clinic (I'd say LA, Chicago or NYC as centers). Look at it this way....either your insurance or you is paying a good chunk of change now....pay just a little more and get the best care possible.

ALSO, your phsyicians should tell you FACTS not off-hand comments. FURTHER, get a copy of ALL of your records (FAST). As a patient you are entitled to them. If you have to, pay the small fee for the photocopies if your clinic is that narrow-minded. READ your records inside and out. I know a lot of it, is clinical and mumbo-jumbo....but make a list of questions.....ASK the questions. Just the fact that you got to this site, is an excellent start!!! Read as much as you can. I found excellent current books at my local library to augment what I found on the web.

As to Ovulex...I'll be a broken record here.....I had base line blood work done. My E2 was 110 and 126 two months in a row. I was not permitted to start IVF cycles since it was said that they were too high (need E2 of 60 or lower). I took one month of Ovulex and did NOT change any other variables in my life (ie same food, same exercise, etc). After one month of Ovulex, my E2 by blood work was 25. Since no other variables changes, it seemed to work. I became pregnant GIVEN IVF with ICSI. My age demanded IVF. My husband's minor problem demanded ICSI. I think Ovulex INdirectly helped in setting the stage to become pregnant. That being said....I still stand by my comments posted below and previously.....

Re:Ovulex VI
« Reply #281 on: 03/19/06, 23:03 » |

-----------------------------------
------------------------------------
All
:
tying back to my posts #184 and 163 about Ovulex ingredients and its effectiveness in acheiving pregnancy.

Ingredients are NOT documented.
Results are NOT quantified by a statistical, analytical study based on blood tests on a controlled population.
Again, if a forensic chemist took apart Ovulex and analyzed the composition, there might be better clarity about the ingredients in question.

Your physician/REs might be in a more knowledgable position about the interactions of Ovulex with any other medications you might be taking as part of your IUI/IVF protocool.

[u][/u] IT would be a god- send to the thousands of women reading these sites to actually have real homework done by a real forensic chemist. I would do it, if I had access to a lab and was not 20 years rusty in my analytical chemistry techinques...THANK YOU!

 

Clowder8 - March 25

To Sylvia & Diana - I sincerely thank you.
Maybe, with my long-windedness, I didn't get across everything. We BOTH LOVE my doctor. I must say that he's the best doctor I think either of us have ever been to in our lives. The man was prepared to come into his office on Christmas Day (which was also a Sunday) in order to begin our next leg of treatment; turns out we were out of town. He's come in soley for us on many a Sunday. He's incredibly dedicated to his patients; you're not just a number, or on a medical assembly line of people. And for 10 days next month, he will be doing a tour of Russia - teaching seminars on infertility.
So he's no fly-by-night guy. I also should mention that we live in the middle of nowhere in the Catskill Mountains - NYC and Albany, NY are each about a 2-hour drive. The Doc has actually tried to talk us into the IVF thing. We decided together that we did not want to go that route. Not covered by insurance, very expensive, and very invasive. Quite honestly, I'm starting to believe that's 3/4 of my/our problem - the regimine and scheduling of it all. My body constantly rebels against all the clinical 'rules' and does things when it's really not supposed to yet; or slightly prematurely. I think I am the Doc's personal science project at this point.
But again I seriously thank you for your replies and support. and as a side note, we did order the Ovulex this morning. It will be worth it to both of us if all it does is clear up my skin, and bring me back to the world of the Sane and Logical.
Thanks guys!

 

DianaEvans2 - March 26

Hello Clowder 8! thanks for sharing. Sounds like your doc has the right personality for you/your husband to support you through your progress. That's very helpful!

2 hours to NYC is nothing, in my opinion. Folks fly in from Singapore to my clinic. In my cycle, I got up at 430am, drove into NYC, had my blood&sono work done and then drove back to work by 930am. I did that for 10 days. I was very motivated to put up with the trucks on the highway, as the distance didn't bother me.

As to IVF or any other procedure in the reproductivity scheme...I do believe there is a fundamental basis of following the protocol as closely as possible. SInce 40,000 babies were born by IVF in the last collected data year (2002, I believe), there is a wealth of information about staying on track with the protocol prescribed by the doctor. To the extent that you can, keeping all your variables under control will only assist your physician in analyzing the data and making next step decisions.

For example, my protocol called for Microdose Lupron twice a day. I religiously took it at 8AM and 8PM to provide my body that consistant dosage. I also took my other drugs exactly on time. My world revolved around those 15 minutes of drugs and it was only for 10 days. I approached myself as a science project and did everything possible to maximize my results. While biology and DNA are huge factors, my analytical chemistry background has helped me understand lots of the information and data.

Not sure if the shared experience is helpful to you, so it is what it is. All the very best and good luck!

 

beans - March 26

Clowder - Good luck with the ovulex. I hope it helps you. I've been taking it for over 4 months. Since I havent had any pms and it brought my cycles closer together 32 to 28 days. As far as the doctors, I would continue with your doctor. Its hard to find someone your happy and comfortable with. I had been to 3 fertiltiy clincs in NYC. Ive done several IUIs and 3 IVFs, starting my forth this month. unexlained infertility, never had BFP. I first went to a clinic even though they didnt accept my insurance because it was known as the top doc/clinic. When I could no longer afford it, I went to top university, which I wasnt very comfortable with but they had a great reputation and accepted my insurance. Now I am with a smaller practice, very comfy with the staff and had the most optimistic results yet. (first 2 IVFs were day 3 transfers w/ average to poor embryo quality and 3rd cycle with new dr. had a day5 transfer w/ good quality) I was taking ovulex during the 3rd cycle. Ive been going to dr. for over 3 years now and it seems to me the protocol is very much the same. I wouldnt stress yourself with travel and expense, especially if your happy with your doc and its a reputable clinic. I wish you the best with whatever decision you make. Good luck.

 

Clowder8 - March 29

I appreciate all the support I've found here, be it direct or indirect. After a while, you start to feel like it's all you, y'know?
Even though I have two cousins (both younger than I) who also have had problems - one is currently expecting twin boys - after a miscarriage and a death in Utero (she was about 6months and had to deliver). The other just can't seem to conceive either.
And then there is the other extreme - I also have two OLDER cousins - one has 2 children, the other 3; her youngest she had when she was 38, same age I am fast approaching.
My conclusion? There was definitely some weird chemical experimentation going on in our collective environment in the mid-seventies. I'm thinking it was those big mosquito spraying trucks. Anybody remember those?
Anyway, here i sit, waiting for the period - AGAIN. And the PCOS is so not helping. i get all these wierd sensations - stomach pain, back pain, really bloated, really tired, just really frustrating.
Again, I thank you all.
And i wish you all the Best of Luck and lots of very fertile thoughts!

 

Message:


You must log in to reply.

Are you New to the forum? Sign Up Here! Already a member? Please login below.




Forgot your password?
Need Help?  
New to the forum?

Sign Up Here!


Already a member?
Please login below.





Forgot your password?
Need Help?