Hi

I've taken OPC (Isotonics OPC-3) for a few years. It has grapeseed, red wine, pine bark/ pycnogenol, bilberry, & citrus extracts. I love how I feel on it, but I'm wondering if maybe there is some contraindication??

OPC is suggested for Autoimmune Infertility per Randine Lewis (IF cure book), but so is wheatgrass.... I have gluten/wheat allergies, so I can't take wheatgrass. Maybe there is some reason OPC is contraindicated for some? Maybe they mask some problem, or some other unknown reason....I have been having irregular cycles since using OPC (but it could be b/c of MC, ttc drugs, etc....). It seems others, like Nancy, may be having problems with it too...

I recently added Resveratrol (red wine extract) & I love it even more than OPC: more steady energy, my few grey hairs are turning brown, I look & feel younger, my muscles are never achy, my skin looks great, my hair is thicker, etc....So I thought it must be good for ttc.....but who knows, since when my cycles were perfect, I often felt less perky- so maybe its focusing my energy to the wrong areas- and not my ovaries ...

I can't remember names, but I think someone here credited Resveratrol for her pregnancy recently. OPCs are not talked about as much...Just wondering what you guys think...

TC

A friend at work was raving about pycnogenol so I decided to give it a try. I'm taking something called Ultra Pycno Grape ACE 1500+ which has 6g pycnogenol, 5g grape seed extract, and smalller amounts of a bunch of other things like St Mary's Thistle, Green tea extract (1g) and small amounts of zinc, selenium and so on (those last ones are already in the multi my naturopath/herbalist gives me). I also added Co Q 10 this time around (100mg 3 x daily).


No idea if any of it works yet - egg retrieval is tomorrow so not sure yet if it makes any difference to egg quality. I've done a BUNCH of stuff to get healthier for conception though - got a personal trainer (read that resistance training naturally builds DHEA and GH levels and as a former cancer patient I was reluctant to inject or swallow supplements for either), have not had any alcohol for 12+ months (good grief !) and take vitamins, herbs and so on (including wheat greass, spirulina etc).

Not sure if any of that's helped (certainly didn't on my last IVF cycle in May) but will let you know if it does This IVF has been wierd though....have used Lupron for downreg (my first time) and my E2 levels have struggled to reach anything like my old "normal"

good luck !

Al
43
TTC #1 for 3 years
3 IUIs
8 IVFs

I hope you're e2 rebounds soon. It sounds like you're on a good supplement protocol - including OPC. Apparently, no one is having problems with OPC (she meant to type BCP, not OPC), and its fine to take.

I saw a jump in my DHEA and testosterone levels ( about 30 pts) with regular walking and yoga. Thanks for reminding me I really need to add weight bearing exercise. Btw- I have a friend who was also a former cancer patient, and she went on to have 3 kids. Best of luck to you too!