Caffeine and Alcohol During IVF Cycle

[pep23]

Ok all, just thought I'd take a poll to see what your doctors told you regarding caffeine and alcohol while going through IVF? I've been on Lupron for 6 days and have been limiting myself to water, milk and juice but boy do I miss my coffee in the AM!! Decaf certainly doesn't have the same kick now does it??

My RE said that caffeine is fine in moderation and same with alcohol (with the exception of the 2ww) but I've heard and read conflicting things on this board. She said that less is better obviously but told me an occassional soda or glass of wine is perfectly acceptable.

Just wanted to see what guidelines you are all following or what you have been told. Am I being overly paranoid by cutting everything out?

Thanks ladies (and gents)!!

Steph

[kandice]

i haven't been told anything! i have been on lupron since 2/11/07 and stims since 2/20/07 and she didn't tell me to cut anything out.

I don't drink coffee and I drink diet soda anyways- but she never even asked!

[kholtan]

My Dr. didn't say I had to do anything until the day of implantaion but I just made a personal choice to quit the coffee and wine the day we started. I just felt like if I was doing everything I could to help this work that I need to give them up so my body would be in it's best condition.

It's been since Nov. 5th and I miss the social aspect of it but not the drink itself as much. I've treated myself to a few decaf coffee drinks here and there but you are so right that it's not the same! The other night a girlfriend of mine bought me some alcohol free beer to feel more part of the party but it's not really the same either. Nice thought though!

[pep23]

Thanks so much for your responses ladies!! I agree that it's probably best to condition your body but I also don't want to overanalyze things too much... like that's possible!!

[PMApsy]

Hello!

Don't know if it helps, but my acupuncturist, who is a reliable man and checked the proper studies, suggested me strongly to cut all alcohol right away. Studies show that it can lower fertility up to 50% in women. Though studies don't show a same decrease in men's fertility, taking a highly caffeinated coffee right before THE ejaculation can increase motility.

I think it's okay to cut on alcohol and coffee without being paranoid...

My two cents,

Sophie

[angelamw]

Hi

I am not sure if it helped me but during IVF I tried to really cut down on caffene and alcohol. I now drink caffene free tea and hardly touch any caffeene. I still have about a third of a glass of wine if we go out for a meal.

Good luck
Angela

[nicolamark]

I dont drink Coffee or tea anyway's but I do drink lots of Diet coke, which I know is addictive!!

I always felt good after drinking coke a cola!!
But read that caffine should be knocked on teh head when u do IVF, so i quit, and drank mainly water, bu also apple juice and mango juice and pineapple juice!! I did notice that, i had headaches after no drinking coke, but that soon passed!!

Anyway, I have had a stressy week, and Pep! you know that!!! after our chat at the clinic, I was so stressed, dh & i stopped off at a pub for dinner on the way home, and i had a glass of diet coke, and my god!! it was good!!! i downed it, and the stress i was feeling, faded, the coke made me feel good, in all i had 3 glasses (big glasses) that night, and again the next few days after, and guess what i thought to myself, coke is addictive!!!
Now i havent had coke and i have headaches again!! I am drinking water as i type here now, i know that caffine is bad!!

As for he alcohol, not had any since 31dec06!!! dont miss it at all!! x x

I would say, try to hang inthere, and cut out the caffine, til after the IVF!!!

[shantala]

pep - my clinic didnt say anything but i decided to give up coffee, tea and all fizzy drinks when i found out we had to go for IVF. like kholtan, it just makes me feel like i am doing everything that i can to give this the best possible chance. it was hard at first (i got night sweats and everything!) and i still dream about a fizzy cold drink on a hot day but i'm figuring i cant ever say "what if..."

xx

[meg12]

Pep--I'm going to muddy the waters here. I was a diet coke addict. I also enjoy a beer or two (or 5 or 6) on the weekends, but I quit both the caffeine and the alcohol when I started downregging and didn't have any at all during the whole ivf process, which ended in a bfn. After my bfn, I started right back up on the caffeine and alcohol---and got pregnant naturally. It just goes to show that you can't worry about every little thing. I know that it's hard, but I honestly don't think that a little caffeine is going to prevent you from getting pregnant. Now, obviously moderation is key here. (And I promise, I haven't had any caffeine or alcohol since the positive on the hpt!) Anyway, that's my 2 cents. I'm not a doctor. I just think the less you stress out, the better your chances are. And if having a little caffeine is going to help you be calmer, that might be the way to go! (By the way, my doctor never said anything to me regarding caffeine at all---just said to be very moderate about the alcohol.)

Wishing you all the best of luck!

[pep23]

Thanks girlies!

Meg- Love your comment "or 5 or 6"...LMAO. I agree with you that moderation is probably key. Last night we went out for Mexican and DH had a big 'ol margarita and I was stuck sipping on a water feeling very left out. I decided that I will allow myself a glass of wine with dinner on Saturday to cheers my one-week injection anniversary!!

Shantala- Why fizzy drinks?? That's one I hadn't heard! I've been drinking decaf soda a little here and there but for the most part just juice and water. Yum

Nicki- You Diet Coke head you!!! I myself am a former Diet Coke addict!! And I know all about the headaches. That stuff is brutal when you are used to having it on a daily basis!!

Angela- Thanks for your advice and congrats on your BFP!! Love to see those!!

Sophie- Good thinking to ask your acupuncturist. Mine is always giving me little tid bits of advice. I'm really glad I decided to do acu because if I weren't already a pin cushion through IVF I probably never would have tried it!

Thanks again all!

Steph

[beachbaby]

Hi Pep, my pennies worth, my first consultation i was told by a registrar that if i am trying for a baby only 1 unit of alcohol a week, she told us both off for having under the weekly allowance. Luckily the consultant never said anything, i was advised to stop after ER ready for ET. However personally i cut all alcohol and caffeine out before starting, I always have a drink after my BFN's. My last drink was 1st Jan 2007.

[nimble]

hello, my name is Jackie and I am a former d.coke addict!!

Seriously, I was however I read in Zita west book about the sweetner in diet drinks lessons yr chances - me, I believe everything!! So, cut it out on my first cycle of IVF and haven't looked back...well, New Years Eve, I fell off the wagon but have since got back on.

I'm due to start d/reg on sunday and will cut out all wine etc from then. The clinic recommended it, however for me, I know that should the result not be what I want, I can not look back and think if only.......buts that me as I know I would beat my self up about that sort of thing.

for some reason though, I think this time cutting out drink feels a lot harder, don't know why, last year found it really easy,

Not really a coffee drinker so no bad thing there, tea is my only vice now and I normally switch to decaf.

nimble x

ps Angela -so great to see you...hows bump??

[ogr1]

my doc said
white bread, caffiene weekens the linning

also get your teeth fixed i dont remeber why but i remember it was important...

some where i had a list that they gave me i should go and get it out of the cedar chest....

[N77]

Hi everyone,
I am about to start a IVF cycle and use to drink about 6 cups of coffee a day, i love it and live on it. I hope you don't frown on me but i also smoke i am trying to give both up because i know i have to and i do want to give it everything i got to fulfil my dreams of being a mother.
I have gone from 6 coffee's to 1 and from 15 cigs to 3 and its going to end shortly i am finding it so hard though.
My Doctor didn't say anything about the coffee but jumped on me about the cigs although i did expect that. Is anyone else also trying to give up or has anyone got any advice about giving up cigs, would be great if you could share them with me.
Power to all you having to give up something you enjoy but the out come is far better.

[lara312]

Hi ladies i also read zita west's book she has a lot of good tips i gave up alcohol a year ago for our 1st ivf and also coffee not that i drank alot of either but thought anything was worth a go i do think its everyones own decision i was told about alcohol at my cloinic not not about anything else i just did it for myslef i always drink loads of water i do have the odd coke (caffine free) i just thought i would add my 2 pennys worth .I hope all your cycles go well and you get your BFP's
love Rachel x x