Slideshow

My Story

Hi there, welcome to my blog. Yes I am a drama queen and yes I have been deemed “infertile” by a few of the medical experts in the great State of Colorado but that hasn’t made me give up my quest to have children quite yet. My husband and I have been on the emotional roller coaster of infertility since March of 2009 when I stopped taking birth control after being on it for ten straight years. I have been keeping a journal since the start of this process and thought I would share it with all of the other incredible women out there who may be going through the same thing or similar thing that I am. At age 28, I have been diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure (POF). With no history of fertility problems on either side of my family and normal periods before going on the pill, I was left to accept that I have this condition and that there is no medical explanation for it. Since receiving this diagnosis from a fertility specialist in May 2009, I decided I simply wasn’t going to accept that I wasn’t going to have children with my own eggs. I jumped into the world of Eastern Medicine, worked with an Endocrinologist and even went on a fertility diet trying to get my ovaries to start functioning normally. The conclusion I have come to is this…..having Celiac Disease (Gluten/Flour intolerance) and continuing to eat flour throughout most of my childhood and part of adulthood caused my body to produce anti-bodies that have now started attacking the organs/glands in my body. After a visit to an endocrinologist in December 2009, it was determined that I have ovarian antibodies which are essentially antibodies produced by my body that only attack the endocrine system. No doctor has actually confirmed my self diagnosis that the Gluten Intolerance caused this but Celiac Disease is an auto immune disorder and any auto immune disorder can cause your body to attack itself. I am currently waiting to see a Reproductive Endocrinologist to see what the next steps for me will be. I have read that doctors can try and stimulate the Pituitary Gland to get your Endocrine System running again or that you can be given steroids to help restore ovary function. I am hoping to receive one of these treatments in the near future but only time will tell. In the past 10 months, I have watched many of my close friends become pregnant while I remain a sad statistic. This blog contains my thoughts as I struggle through the process of figuring out what in the world is going on with my body and how I continue to try to stay upbeat and positive about my fertility and enjoy my life. I hope that my blog can help others would love to hear from other women going through the same thing, inspiring stories or anyone who just needs encouragement. I know and understand how difficult every day can be once you have received the POF or infertile diagnosis and want you all to know that I am here for you. Please note that some of you may feel I am sharing to much information (TMI) and for that I am sorry. If you want to read my blog…you get all the details. You never know what will be helpful to someone else right? God bless everyone and I wish you luck on your fertility adventures:0) Remember mind over matter!

My intent is to raise awareness of the issues. Please do not rely on this or any other article when making decisions that will affect you and your health. These are things I have decided to try after much research.
I am sorry I have to even ask, but this research stuff is starting to get expensive. I am just asking for $1.00 donation for posts you feel have helped you. I will use all donations to help fund my research and doctors appointments and of course report back to you. Baby dust to all of you and dont worry we will all find a way to have children.

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Save the carrot shaving from your juicer and make carrot cake or carrot muffins yummy! You can also save them to put in a salad.




Infertile – a horrible word used to make women who are already feeling bad about themselves want to jump into a pool of chocolate fudge and eat their sorrows away only to realize that not only can they not get pregnant but now they don’t fit in their clothes. A word so easily tossed around by doctors that they don’t even realize they are saying it and a word that you never under any circumstances should google unless you want your brain to explode.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Relax....and take a deep breath

So much to share today. Last week I continued to have cramps up until about Saturday. Well I thought they were cramps but maybe they weren’t?? Seems that only felt a pain/cramp from my left ovary from Weds-Saturday. On Thursday during an appointment with Mrs. W, she had me take part of the ionic footbath and set them on top of my skin where I imagined my ovaries were. Then she explained that I needed to control the switch that controlled the footbath and the separate pieces over my ovaries. Basically I was to move it up until I felt twitching or tingling and that meant I had come across an area that needed some work. The results of my footbath were that I had a lot of metal (black) and mucus and I even had some color come out of my skin where I was holding the other two tools kind of a brown light brown color?? Mrs. W said that was very strange….is that good you think? I have never been what you call normal so I am going to go with strange is good. After this appointment, my left ovary was on fire. It literally felt like it was pulsating. On my way home, I recalled a chapter in a healing book I had recently read about a woman who was involved in a bad car accident and was thrown from her car. As she arrived at the hospital and they ran tests, she was told that she had a lot of internal injuries. One of her lungs was collapsed and her spleen was ruptured. The doctors wanted to remove her spleen but couldn’t operate until she stabilized. Feeling helpless laying there waiting to see if she did in fact stabilize, the woman decided she was going to do everything she could at that moment to help herself. Being that she was not able to get up from the hospital bed, she began trying to take deep, deep breaths. At first it really burned and she couldn’t take very deep ones, but as she worked at it she found that she was able to breathe more deeply with every hour she worked at it until she was taking complete breaths. The next day the doctors came in to check her vitals, did some x-rays and found that her lung had repaired itself and that the lesion on her spleen was also better. She had healed herself by taking really deep breaths and relaxing herself. I know what you are thinking, “yeah right”. The doctors involved confirmed this happening and if you search “the healing power of deep breathing”, you will be amazed. How can something that should be so obvious for us to do on a daily basis be missed by so many? I used to think I breathed the correct way but in order to take one full, deep breath, your lower abdomen should come out and your lungs should almost burn. As you take the deep breathe you will notice that your mind is clear because you are focusing on taking the breath. This is why the experts say deep breathing is so healing, as you focus on taking the breaths, you stop stressing and your mind is at ease. Your body takes in all of the oxygen, relaxes and you feel more at ease. Try it the next time you are sitting in traffic or having trouble falling asleep at night. It has helped me fall asleep a few times since I have incorporated into my getting ready for bed routine which was already quite lengthy but breathing my 10 breaths takes less then 3 minutes. As I stated previously, I am taking the time each morning before I get out of bed to take 10 deep breaths and then doing 10 more before I fall asleep. The point of this story is that I believe that what I was feeling last week wasn’t a period, it was my ovary healing. My left ovary has never been able to be viewed on any of my ultrasounds. The fertility specialist said it was probably because it was either to small with no follicles or because it had collapsed. My new OBGYN, Dr. S, said it is because it hides behind my bowels. I think Dr. S is probably the closest to the real reason mainly because the fertility specialist also told me my right ovary was collapsed with no standing follicles which we all know is not true. I think what I felt last week was my left ovary healing. I talked it over with Mrs. W and she believes that as well. She said we shouldn’t feel any of our internal organs from the outside unless something is going on good or bad and given all of the positive changes I have seen lately, she believed the pain was good. She said it seems like my body is really cleansing and healing quickly and that it seems ready to be healthy again. On Saturday, during a trip to the bathroom, I noticed some strange CM that resembled a thin piece of paper followed by some clear stretchy CM. The thin paper like CM was in a round shape and the size of a pencil top eraser. Alarmed I called my husband which I am not sure why I did that because he had no idea what to say and then all I did was worry him. He then wanted me to take another HPT but I told him that two in one week was enough and that those things aren’t cheap. If it were up to him, I would take one every morning. The strange CM was gone after Saturday and so was the pain on my left ovary. “Things” have been dry since Saturday and I am anxious to see what changes happen the next two weeks. I have marked in my calendar when I think I could have ovulated last month and am hoping it happens again this month. Speaking of ovulation, my husband and I have decided to cancel our appointment with the fertility specialist in August and make an appointment with a new fertility clinic called Conceptions. My mother had read about this clinic in a local magazine and saw them on the news and one of my followers on this blog also recommended them. We decided that the other clinic had bad karma and didn’t think that we couldn’t go in with a positive attitude even with all the positive changes after how mean the ultrasound tech was to us that horrible day in April 2009. Conceptions will give us a new start, new positive karma and a better chance at successful IVF. It is a good decision for us and Conceptions has a pretty good success rate so I don’t feel like I am losing anything by making the switch except for the bad karma which I will gladly leave behind. I hope that Conceptions will make us feel welcome and maintain a positive attitude throughout our IVF process (should we have to do that).

Learning to say NO and how to de-stress

Weds., June 9th

After reading a great and inspiration book called “the Fertile Soul” by Randine Lewis on my recent trip. I am now convinced that part of the reason my body shut down was because of stress that has been building up internally for many years…..I also believe the other reason for my fertility issue is taking the pill for over 10 years. The book discusses how stress can and has caused many women’s fertility to not work properly or stop working all together. Until recently, I have always been a people pleaser, afraid to say no, afraid to make someone mad, afraid to go against the norm. I would just let things happen and not say anything, say yes to every party/dinner invitation I received and rushed around trying to please everyone….everyone that is but me! This has caused me to hide and harvest a lot of internal anger when people don’t reciprocate the same actions towards me…in other words in acting a certain way, I expected my friends and loved ones to return the favor….and when they didn’t I would get upset but wouldn’t say anything because after all they were my friends and family and I didn’t want to upset them. This book has taught me that I can’t do that anymore because in pleasing everyone but myself, I am loosing myself. I need to say no when I want to, express emotion when I need to and learn to not get upset when everything doesn’t go perfectly. I also need to take time to take deep breathes, message my hands and feet and embrace how truly lucky I am in life and love. For almost a month now, I haven’t been focused on my fertility problems. One because I can feel my body healing and two I just cant worry about it anymore, I need to move on. I feel great, like a new woman and I am ready for whatever life throws my way. Having said that I still need to report that both yesterday and today, I have had thin, clear, water like CM. I haven’t had anything like this since going off the pill so this is another change. A very good friend of mine had her baby this morning so after work I am off to see the new bambino and welcome him into this crazy place we call life and then will be off to help the hubby start packing up our first home together so we can buy our first home together.

To eat processed foods or not to eat....is the question

Being with my family the past week has illustrated how unhealthy today’s society truly is. Although I love them all, with the exception of one of my cousins and my grandmother, processed foods rule their worlds. Nothing green or anything resembling fruit ever covers the buffet line at any family gathering unless it is covered in some kind of sauce (ranch included). A few of my relatives have symptoms like non stop hot flashes, excessive sweating and restless leg syndrome but refuse to take things out of their diet even for a few days to see if they might be having a reaction to one of the foods they eat on a daily basis. I really wish they would. Knowing first hand how diet can cause your body to shut down or prosper (depending on what you eat), I am really worried on the health and well being of my family members. I tried to help them out by mentioning their reactions could be from what they are eating but people are always resistant to cutting things out of their diet especially products made with flour. Most people are fine with not eating as much chocolate or cutting out a few drinks a week but when it comes to cutting out pizza, bagels or fresh baked bread they are just not interested. I cant judge because I was the same way. It wasn’t until my POF diagnosis in April of 2009 that I took my celiacs seriously and decided the sacrifice was worth living the rest of my life healthy and happy. People have to get to a breaking point to make a big change like that. I am lucky that mine was before I turned thirty, a lot of people don’t find out until its to late. They have cancer or another life altering health problem caused by eating foods their bodies couldn’t process throughout their entire lives. If only health insurance covered the tests necessary to determine whether a person is allergic to wheat/flour. It seems it isn’t important enough to Americans to demand for insurance to support celiacs disease.

A Good Dose of Laughter and some deep thoughts

It has been a long time since my last entry and I feel like I have been through a lot since then. After my delayed return home from my last business trip, I was able to spend a few hours with the hubby before he was whisked away to Arizona for a few days of golf and lavish dinners on his company. I was left at home to take care of the Chihuahuas a hope that I didn’t ovulate the few days he was out of town. The first day my husband was gone I noticed I had a large amount of white and clear CM but nothing stretchy, the second day was the same but it started to get thicker and a bit clumpy and the third day it got even more thick and was stretchy. The bad thing is that it happened while he was out of town, the good thing is that it finally happened. That is another positive change in my body since starting the diet and life style changes in April of this year. I haven’t had changes in my CM like that throughout this whole process and nothing stretchy like that since last October. Things are definitely getting better, I am positive I will either be seeing a period by the 15th of this month or a pregnancy test (two weeks from when I appeared to have ovulated). This past week I have been visiting with family in St. Louis which has been so nice. I seem to smile and laugh so much while with my family and that is such good medicine. My abs are actually sore from laughing so hard so you know that it must have had other positive side effects on my body. Laughing and enjoying life is so important for anyone to do but is extra important for someone who is trying to heal. I am so lucky to have my family. They are all such a wonderful and important part of my life and I really wish I could see them more. My cousin (one of four of my bridesmaids who have had babies this year) spent a lot of time with me and I got to hold her brand new baby son a few times. I have read that holding a baby can amazing effects on a woman’s body. Perhaps it jump started one of the missing links to my fertility? While on this trip I stuck to my diet and was sure to go on a morning job every morning. I feel really good and for the first time ever, I am returning home thinner then when I left. I am usually barely able to zip my pants as I get ready to go to the airport. As I got ready this morning, I slide right in to my pants and zipped and buttoned them with no problem (not that you care about my pants). The day before I left for this trip, I went to see Mrs. W who gave me the works again. My ionic foot bath had similar results as my last one only this time I actually had clumps that wouldn’t break down in the water that were a very dark read and even more black specks. My body seems to be letting go of a lot of toxins. Mrs. W also recommended some panty liners that have an ionic strip on them that are supposed to help counteract bacteria and promote healthy menstruation. She used them to help re-align her cervix after her last pregnancy and thought they may help my periods not only re-appear but also become more regulated. I have been wearing them while I sleep at night for almost a week. The brand of the liners is Anion and they are not thick and uncomfortable at all. I figure it is one of the less weird things I have tried throughout this whole process so why not? On my flight to St. Louis, I read a book “the Healer Within” which discusses how to heal your body from the inside out. This book explained how to rub hands, ears and feet to help your body heal and also discussed the importance of deep breathing. The past few mornings, I have started my day by taking 10 deep breaths and massaging each of my hands and ended my day by taking 10 deep breaths and rubbing my ears. The book said the most difficult task is working the rituals into your daily routine so now that I have that done…..let the healing begin. Perhaps it is starting to work because I feel even more relaxed then I did before and woke up this morning with cramps. We will have to see, who knows maybe the 15th was the wrong date to be waiting for. I took a pregnancy test last Thursday before I left on my trip so I think I will wait until at least June 15th to take another but maybe my period will come before then?? Only time will tell, I will be interested to see what happens in the next week. As I sit here in the airport waiting for another flight, I am waiting to hear back from a good friend of mine (another bridesmaid) who went to the hospital this morning, 1 cm dialated, ready and willing to give birth. She was sent home after no further progression a few hours ago so I am thinking of her and hoping that she is not in much pain. I know that I will be in the same boat soon and will be interested in everything she goes through.

Entry from May 24th...forgot to post but has

I have always been a true romantic at heart. Don’t let my writing fool you. From my writing, you might think I am a feminist who doesn’t need a man to sweep me off my feet. Well I do need it and deep down I secretly hope that my husband will surprise me and most of the time he does. That is why as I write this I am sitting in an airport. You see I was out of town on business and wasn’t scheduled to leave until tomorrow morning around 10:00 AM. I finished my business early and called the travel agent to see if there was a flight out today. I figured my employer would appreciate me not staying any longer then I needed to and I wanted to surprise my husband. The travel agent said there was a flight out at 6:55 PM. That meant I could be pulling into my driveway around 7:00 PM at home surprising my husband who isn’t expecting me back until tomorrow. I thought I was such a genius! I got to the airport early around 4:30 PM and was happily working away on my laptop until I glanced up at the check in desk and saw the words DELAYED followed by the new departure time of 10:15 PM!!!! Thinking it must have been a mistake, I walked up to talk to the airline employee who confirmed that my flight was indeed delayed 5 hours due to weather in Denver. So here I sit. It is now 6:30 PM. The airport I am in reminds me of the one in the movie “the Langoliers”. It is a small airport and there are not many people in it. One might even think the airport was closed looking outside in. I have been sitting in a row of chairs that each have two plug in stations (one for my cell phone and one for my computer, now is a good time to thank God for reminding to pack my charger in the bag I am carrying on and not with the luggage I checked). My chair is on the end and is right next to one of those gumball machines that when you put the money in the gumball follows the track in a spiral motion from the round top part all the way to the bottom. There have only been about twenty people who have walked by since I sat down two hours ago and would you believe that half of them put a quarter in the gumball machine, watched it roll to the bottom, commented on the color they got, giggled and walked away. If you were thinking that most of them have been children ….you are wrong! Not a single one of them was below the age of 18. I am amazed that so many people want to waste a quarter to get a gumball that will only have flavor for maybe 5 minutes. Is it really necessary to watch and move your head with the movement of the gumball? I never knew the gumball dispensers were so popular. Perhaps I should invest in some and put them in my office at work?? I am sitting here wishing I had just stuck to my original plan and flown home tomorrow morning and hating on the gumball people. Am I the only one who thinks a huge gumball for twenty five cents is a waste of money? Granted it is only twenty five cents but three more quarters and you have a taco or some other item off a value menu at a fast food restaurant. On to news….I have weird cramping in my lower abdomen and am wondering if it is the gross airport salad I ate or something else. I pray it is something else. I know I will be pregnant soon, things just keep improving. How could they not continue until my fertility is completely restored? Our bodies are capable of healing, after all Kris from “crazy sexy cancer” healed her stage 4 cancer….if she can do that, I can get my ovaries to work again. I really think that this was all from taking birth control for 10 years. 10 years of synthetic hormones, suppressing my natural bodily functions was bound to cause some damage. I am sitting here feeling lucky that I did not get any worse side effects such as a heart attack or blood clots. All this time I thought the activists speaking against birth control were bible thumpers who didn’t want to support sex before marriage never in a million years did I consider the fact that they might be concerned with people’s health being compromised. How did I not consider that? I feel so stupid! And I feel a bit mislead. How could doctors across the United States continue to prescribe birth control to their patients knowing the possible danger? A woman my mom works with is 30 years old and recently was in the hospital with gall bladder issues. As they were releasing her, one of the nurses noticed that she had written down she was taking Yasmin. The nurse suggested my mom’s friend speak with her OBGYN about switching since Yasmin is known to cause problems with the gall bladder. My mom’s friend made an appointment and was told by her doctor that it was fine and the pill had not caused it…..so she continues to take the prescription. If it were me, I would have thrown the prescription away the minute I got home from the hospital. My research and experience makes me want to stand in front of high school assemblies to lecture young women on birth control and how not wonderful it is. I have to do something about this!


I have made it home and am sitting at work functioning pretty well on my four hours of sleep. I have cramps today and have very thick, half clear CM that is kind of clumpy. Still waiting for the stretchy transparent stuff to appear. While we are on the CM subject…..for those of you who don’t seem to have much CM when you wipe, I read that you should check up by the opening to the cervix to get the best sample. You can do this by sticking your “clean” finger up. Don’t worry it’s not that far and believe me it could be much different up there then what is showing up when you use the rest room. I found that to be true this morning so suck it up and do it. While sitting in my hotel room a few nights ago, I read a book called “the raw food detox diet”. In the book, the author explains the reasons why people are so afraid to give up their current comfort foods and replace them with more nutritional ones. She also explains how the human body isn’t made to break down processed foods and that is why it is so important to eat mostly natural products such as fruit and vegetables. The author rates people’s diet and lifestyle into 5 stages with stage 1 being the most healthy. I am currently a stage 3 and plan on staying at this stage for awhile since I enjoy cooked food for dinner and don’t eat all my meals raw. There are recipes provided for all of the different stages which I plan on attempting with suggestions on what to do when you eat out and travel. One of my favorite recipes in one for a drink the author suggests you drink some kind of version of at least once a day in the morning on an empty stomach. The drink/juice is loaded with all kinds of veggies but also includes a lemon (to get rid of the green taste). I tried adding half a lemon to my juice this morning and it worked! The author is a genius! I will be adding lemons every morning. One of the other things I am incorporating to my diet is to only eat raw fruit and vegetables in the morning (whole or juice form), a green salad (raw) for lunch and dinner with cooked vegetables (can include organic fish or chicken). Not to discuss elimination again but if you only give your body raw fruit and veggies in the morning, you give it a chance to eliminate the waste from the previous day before you start loading your system up with the new day’s food. The author also discusses colon cleansing and how good it is for you, especially for people who are new to eating clean and organic. If you don’t clean your pipes, the new diet will start detoxifying your body and that toxicity (waste) will not be able to leave the body because older waster will block it. The result is what happened to me…..stomach aches and gas and no one wants that. Basically I think that author of “the raw food diet) is amazing and I am so excited to try the recipes.

Monday, May 31, 2010

I am a Fertile Mertile

Repeat after me...I am a fertile mertile!

I only have one thing to say, I have fertile CM today!!! So freaking excited, the girls are working hard to make a come back and this one is going to be better then Britney's! No bad dancing on the VMA's for my girls, they are going for the best performance in ten years :0) Just got back from a jog and noticed it when I was getting ready to take a shower.  I called to my hubby and told him who is a bit squimish when it comes to mucus talk. He said he was excited and that we would take care of things when we got back from the grocery store....so romantic...be still my heart.  Oh well, guess romance was thrown out the window once I started discussing CM with him.  Hope everyone has a great holiday.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

A positive change!

It's been awhile since my last posting and a lot has happened since then.  After the foot bath I wrote about on my last posting, I experienced what appeared to be "Early Cervical Mucus" and "transitional cervical mucus". What I am not sure about it whether or not I had the "Fertile Cervical Mucus". Even if I didnt this month, guess what? I havent had changes in my CM since my last full cycle in November so any change is good news to me. I mean, I dont really expect the girls (my ovaries) to just jump start their engines, they need to ease into this.  After my good results from the doctor, the changes in how I feel and the changes in my CM, I know it is just a matter of time until my body is back in full swing. Another thing, it doesnt hurt to have relations with the hubby anymore! For those of you out there reading this with fertility issues you must change your diet and follow what the author of "Crazy Sexy Cancer" did. I am tellingl you, I feel like a new woman! My headaches are gone, I am no longer tired of the time, I feel clear headed and positive all the time and I am not on hormone replacement drugs. All of these things wouldnt be possible if I hadnt made the lifestyle change.  The first day I noticed the transitional CM I was in the restroom and noticed that there were what looked like small clear balls floating in the water. When I stood up to flush the toiled I realized it was my CM. You can tell if your mucus is fertile because it doesnt breakdown in water..just an FYI for you.  I took a test yesterday and it was negative but I have a feeling that we will not need the appointment with the specialist in August. For the kind follower who recommened Conceptions, my husband and I recently read an article on them and have been thinking of switching over to them however I am not comfortable going to see them until I get my FSH down. Thank you for your recommendation it was very kind of you to think of me.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Disturbing research and an interesting foot bath

Not even 24 hours after I last wrote on birth control and how dangerous it was (specifically Yasmin and all of the different generations of this pill) there was a news investigation that broadcasted on a local Denver news station. The investigator interviewed three women living in the state of Colorado that have had deadly side effects from Yaz or Yasmin. Watching this on television (twice) reminded me to post my research. The first bit is from http://www.usrecallnews.com/2008/12/yasmin-birth-control-warning-risk-of-heart-attack-stroke.html “First put on the market in the United States in 2001, Yasmin birth control has since been under heavy scrutiny for possible links to serious side effects like heart attack, stroke, and thrombosis. That, however, hasn’t stopped it from growing in popularity with revenue generated by Yasmin reaching nearly $500-million last year. As of 12/10/2008 there has been no Yasmin recall by either the FDA or the drug’s manufacturer. Like all prescription oral contraceptives (ie birth control pills) Yasmin is associated with increased risks of several serious conditions, such as: myocardial infarction, thromboembolism, stroke, hepatic neoplasia, gallbladder disease, hypertension, tender breasts, mood swings, depression, weight gain, edema, and others. Yasmin contains the estrogen ethinyl estradiol and the progestin drospirenone, which can can work against the body’s normal mechanism for regulating salt and water balance, a situation that can lead to potentially serious heart and health problems in some high risk patients.”Ok, you know that I can’t not comment on something like this. I mean maybe I am bordering on the “old” side of opinions but doesn’t it seem silly for women (including myself) to even risk having one of the serious side effects happen to them just to get their periods more regular or keep them from getting pregnant? The news investigation that was tv quoted a women as saying “if I had known what I was putting in my body could cause blood clotting then obviously I wouldn’t have kept taking it.” This women continued taking yasmin under doctors orders so she thought she wasn’t doing anything wrong. That is why I find the number from the research above very frightening…yasmin generated nearly $500 million dollars last year and is the most popular birth control pill. Why is this? Because of advertising? Are the American people so easy to manipulate that we will select one birth control over another simply because it is mentioned on tv more? Forget taking or prescribing the ones with less serious side effects or ones with less hormones like the Nuva Ring. In the tv investigation, they quoted the maker of the product in saying that none of the conditions the women involved in the lawsuit against are claiming to have had are a surprise to them. They are all mentioned in the fine print as possible side effects. So basically what that quote means is that they are trying to trick people by printing the words heart attack and liver failure in the teeny tiny print on the pamphlet that comes with the pills…do they really think that makes it ok? My question to the maker of Yasmin (who will not be named….at least not right now) why would you distribute a pill that could cause things like blood clotting, kidney & liver failure, heart attacks and gallbladder disease so widely to the point that you are making $500 million on it every year? Have you no conscience? One of the ingredients in Yasmin, drospirenone, has been the subject of many debates. “Research on the issue is divided. Some studies have found drospirenone to pose no greater health risk than other birth control pills; some studies show a sixfold greater risk of getting blood clots, even in young, healthy women. More research is being performed on the safety of the contraceptives, but for now, women considering taking the pills will need to weigh the contradictory information themselves.Oral contraceptives control unwanted pregnancies by using hormones that block ovulation. The first of these pills, introduced in the United States in the early 1960s, contained high doses of estrogen. They were quickly found to raise the risk of stroke, blood clots and heart attacks. Second-generation pills introduced in the 1970s contained lower amounts of estrogen combined with synthetic progestins, including one called levonorgestrel. These reduced the risk of blood clots but caused side effects such as weight gain and acne in many women. The 1980s brought third-generation pills containing different synthetic progestins, such as one called desogestrel. These were later found to be associated with a higher risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The fourth-generation pills — Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, a generic version — contain estrogen and yet another progestin, drospirenone. They were created not just to prevent pregnancy but to also reduce the side effects of previous pills and to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (severe cases of depression, anxiety, headaches and other symptoms). Yaz is now the No. 1-selling birth control in the United States, grossing more than $391 million in the first half of 2009, up 44% from the same time period in 2008, according to health data provider IMS Health. Bayer received a warning from the FDA last year for overstating Yaz's effectiveness in treating PMDD and acne while minimizing the risks of the medication on its website and television commercials. In response, the company altered its advertising. Now the contraceptives are not just the subject of lawsuits, they're also under scrutiny by groups such as Public Citizen over their safety. The FDA is testing the safety of Yaz and other pills in an ongoing study.” http://www.healthkey.com/sns-health-birth-control-lawsuits,0,4710881.story.
After watching the tv investigation and doing some research I was really upset with myself for taking Yasmin for over 5 years just to regulate my periods. I was also convinced that what has been going on with my body for the past year is most definitely side effects from taking “the pill” and what I learned from Mrs. W confirmed that my feelings were accurate. I got the works at my last appointment with Mrs. W. We started with the mignun bed and as I let the infared light shine in, Mrs. W and I talked about research I had done on the birth control pill and the new items she had brought for me to try. Next, we the ionic foot bath. This time my feet twitched a few times while the bath worked its magic. About 30 minutes later Mrs. W lifted the lid of the bath and I was kind of grossed out at what I saw. There was what looked like big flakes of black pepper, white cheese like stuff, lots of bubbles and the water was kind of yellow around my toes and red near the back of my food. Below is a picture of my bath and a key that helps explain what I released during the foot bath.

Black or brown water is the liver.
Orange; the joints.
Dark green; the gallbladder
Yellowy green; kidneys, urinary tract,
White foam; Lymph nodes draining
Red flecks; blood clot material
Black flecks; heavy metals
The color of the water may be different

With my first ionic foot bath, the water just turned a burnt red color. Mrs. W said that all of the other stuff coming out of my body is a sign that I am detoxifying and releasing more of the toxins.  For all of your non-believers of the ionic footbath out there here is a question to you....why, if you can't release toxins this way, would my water be so drastically different in my last foot bath compared to my first one? Wouldnt the results be exactly the same if I used the same bath, water out of the same tap and didnt have on any lotion or anyting else that could have effected the results? Take that you non-believers! To top off this visit, the next day I had an unbelievable amount of CM. It was bad, I felt like I was having to walk funny to keep things from moving around down there (TMI I know but just trying to get the point across). The past couple of days have been pretty dry but I am not discouraged.  This weeks appointment with Mrs. W is going to start off with some behavorial therapy. She is going to work with me on keeping negative thoughts out of my head. I am really looking forward to this as I still have those moments once in a while where I sit for about 5 minutes feeling sorry for myself. Learning strategies on how to keep my brain from traveling to that place will be very helpful.  For those of you who live in Denver, Mrs. W is holding a class series the next three Saturdays called "Detox & Dance". If you are interested you can go to her website for more information http://www.100thmonkeyresources.com/.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Annoying Neighbors, a Project Extension and Facts of the BCP Yasmin

After receiving my new and improved blood test results, the rest of the day passed by in the blur. I don’t know where the day went but before I knew it I was on my way home from work. Traffic was not bad and I managed to make it home fairly quickly. As I pulled up to my house I noticed that the neighborhood kids had continued their annoying pranks and had rearranged some of the items in my yard for the second day in a row. When we were first married, my husband and I were given a solar rock with our address on it. It sounds tacky but it was actually very cute and was a nice way for people to identify our address at night (when our front porch light was turned off). The numbers were removable so the neighborhood kids would rearrange the numbers while my husband and I were at work. Although it was funny at first that started to annoy me. Around Christmas last year, I came home from a family function to find one side of the solar rock had been bashed in! My husband and I decided to still leave it out because the part where the numbers where was still intact. About a week later we came home from his parent’s house to find that the rock was still there but that all the numbers had been taken off and were no where to be found! Now we were forced to throw our rock away and thought it would be the end of the pranks….we were wrong. I came home the next day to find that someone had broken two long branches off of our tiny tree in our front yard and stuck them in the two empty flower pots (because it was winter) so they were standing straight up. So now they were ripping branches off my tree…great! It is now May and it had been a few months since the pranksters had struck. Now that we are all caught up…last weekend my husband built a cute planter around our tree in the front yard. Since I purchased the home a few years ago, I have always had a fake rock with a prayer on it that can hold a spare key sitting somewhere in the front yard. It usually sits by the flower pots but we recently moved the pots into the backyard which left the rock sitting by itself not to worry because the neighborhood kids took it upon themselves to sit the rock on the nice, newly planted flowers in the planter the last two days. I also found a flattened, dead, baby rabbit sitting perfectly in the middle of our back deck. Unless the rabbit decided to climb onto our roof and commit bunny suicide, the kids put that there too. I have been trying not to get upset about things lately but the bunny was the straw that broke the camel’s back! I am going to take a day off of work in the next few weeks and wait for the kids to come walking along. Once they are on my property…I am gonna….well I don’t know what I am going to do but something needs to be done. Why would they do that? It’s not like my husband and I have been the neighborhood trolls always complaining and yelling at people. I was tempted to leave a nasty note in our yard so that they found it today but my husband said that would just add to fuel to the fire. I am jotting down a mental note right now to make sure my children know that vandalizing other people’s property is not acceptable. I would have never even thought about doing something like this as a kid or young adult. Now my opinion of every kid between the age of 10 & 20 in my neighborhood has been tainted. Everytime I see kids walk by I think to myself “I am watching you, my little pretties…and your little dog too.” I swear that if my plants are vandalized or taken out of my yard I will call the police and have them search all the homes in the area for kids shoes covered in dirt from my garden! Ok now that I got that out of my system…..the fact that I do not have to go on hormone replacement has hit me and I am so happy. Since by bone density test came back higher then average there will be no fake hormones for this girl! Not only am I happy that my bones are in good shape but the higher then normal readings mean my body is producing a pretty normal level of hormones….now all we need to do is get the hormones to follow the full path to ovulation each month and I will officially be the happiest woman in the world! I still have the clear cervical mucus and am wondering how long it is going to last (not that I am complaining). With my FSH still a bit on the high side (43) I don’t know if I am quite ready to get pregnant but I will take what I can get. Besides the author of “Inconceivable” conceived during a month where her FSH was in the 30’s. If I thought I was being strict on my diet before…there will be absolutely no cheating in the next month. I am determined to get an even lower FSH reading on June 18th and will not take any risks. Which reminds me of a little business I need to take care of..Dear body, I know I gave us a deadline of June 15th to get pregnant but all of the hard work and effort we have recently displayed has convinced me that 1. we are not quite ready to nuture and grow a baby inside us and 2. An extension to August 15th is only fair. You now have two deadlines with two different areas of focus. 1. Have at least one period before July 15th and 2. Get pregnant by August 15th. I know with the way we have been feeling, the positive changes in us and the recent good check up that we will make these new deadlines and make it look easy. Keep up the good work, I guess we found out what God was trying to tell us….get healthy and please start taking care of yourself! Taking Mrs. W’s advice, I have been doing some research on Yasmin and the reasons for the recent lawsuits against the maker of the birth control pills. What I found is that out of all the crazy possible side effects, there is a long list of very serious and deadly ones. It shocks me that so many doctors seem to be pushing birth control on young women like they are candies these days. Why would they do that if it could cause liver and kidney failure, Heart Attack, Stroke, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Pulmonary Embolism (PE), Gallbladder Disease and Sudden Death (just to name a few)? It is not like there are only a few people involved in the lawsuits, there are thousands and the cases just keep coming. Now I am the first one to admit I took the magic pill for over ten years but I also didn’t do my research before I started drinking them down. I understand the need for protected sex in today’s society but I am thinking a condom and a diaphragm have got to be better then causing your blood to clot or your liver to fail just for a few fun nights. I think the maker of Yasmin and any other birth control pill should have to write in very large letters the toxic side effects of their product on the front of the packaging. Then maybe we wouldn’t continue to have hundreds or thousands of teenage girls across America start birth control prescriptions every day. It’s like society is saying “welcome to adulthood honey, now take this pill to suppress your reproductive system. It may make your blood clot, give you a stroke or cause you to go on kidney dialysis at a young age but you wouldn’t want to get pregnant at to young of an age would you?” I have some research on Yasmin I will share tomorrow. Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

More then a feeling.....

I anxiously drove to my doctor’s appointment yesterday ready for what results would be uncovered from this visit.As I drove up to the hospital, I turned the music down and had a quick pep talk with my body. “This is it, we have been working the last three months for this moment. It’s go time! Let’s get a good report so we can keep on improving without anyone doubting us. I am so proud of us for how much we have already accomplished and know we will get a good report since we feel so great.” With that I pulled out my keys, closed the door and started walking toward the building.As I walked across the crosswalk I felt like there was a tractor beam carrying me across the path, through the doors and landed me in front of the guest services desk.It seemed like I got to the desk very quickly, so quickly I could feel my feet. Having only been to this doctor one time before I had forgotten what floor they were located on. Guest services pointed my in the right direction and I took a deep breath as I walked out the elevator and onto the floor.I paid my copay and had only been sitting in the waiting area for about 5 minutes when the nurse came to get me.She took my weight and asked me a list of questions, including the one I dread “what is the date of your last period?” and then escorted me to the Dr. S’s office where we would be first reviewing results of my bone density test (taken last week) before she examined me.Dr. S was on her computer when I walked in and I took a huge deep breath in as I sat down and watched my results pop up on her screen.I released it as Dr. S said “these are really good.”It seems that my results were better then the average for a woman my age (without POF) and much higher then the average for a woman my age (with POF)!Dr. S said that this could be because things are starting to work again or that it could be because I am producing just the right amount of estrogen to keep my bones healthy. I will take either of those options, both are really great. As she explained this to me, my mind started to wander. Could this good result have anything to do with my diet and lifestyle changes? Could juicing things like broccoli, kale, wheatgrass and all of the other green vegetables actually be improving the quality of my bones?Why not? As I have already shared with you, Wheatgrass has an amazing list of health benefits, I am sure helping bone density is on the list as well.I gave my body an invisible pat on our back as we got up and walked toward the examination room with Dr. S.One test down, two more to go.I was handed a gown and asked to undress with the open side facing up. I changed, sat down on the examining table and the doctor and the nurse came in.I slid down to the edge of the table, put my feet in the stirrups and waiting for the exam to start. As Dr. S examined me she said that I seemed to have a lot of clear cervical mucus so it seemed that I was in the middle of a cycle. I told her I had seen a lot of it lately and she said that was a good sign. Next she felt my ovaries and said that the left one felt normal and that my right felt really large which usually means you are about to ovulate or have recently ovulated!This was good news, although I know that with POF my body can stop the process at anytime.“Keep going” I silently said to my ovaries as Dr. S finished the examination. Dr. S said that things seemed to be working and for me to call if I wanted to come in and check my FSH every so often. I got dressed and was escorted to get my blood drawn for a Thyroid and FSH test.The nurse that weighed me at the beginning of my appointment was also who would be taking my blood. She was really nice and funny and while she was taking my blood, we were discussing how we though 30 was the new 20 (not it’s not because we are both floating close to that current). It seems that through most of our twenties, none of us really know what we want in life, how to be completely responsible or just plain get adulthood. At 29, I feel like I am just now grasping what it means to be an adult.We laughed all through the blood draw which I was grateful for so that I didn’t have time to think about the last blood test results I had gotten in December. The nurse wrapped my arm, told me to call the next morning for my results and sent me on my way.On to the next appointment….another cleanse which went very well. I was excited to tell Mrs. W all about my good checkup. After my cleanse, she sat next to me while I laid on the Migun bed and we talked about my symptoms from doing the cleanse a few days before and the law suit that was pending on the birth control I had been on for many years. We decided I should look into side effects some of the people involved in the suit had just to make sure I didn’t fall in that category….probably a good idea.Mrs. W said she was going to start me on a superfood mix and a metal cleanse at my next appointment (which sadly I am excited about). I left my second appointment feeling great and ready for dinner.I managed to fall asleep and get ready for work without thinking much about my results. I had a feeling everything was going to be fine being that I have been feeling so incredible lately. I made my juice, drove to work and did my morning duties without giving my results one thought. After my morning meeting, it was time to go to Jamba Juice for my wheatgrass shot. I decided I would call on my to the juice place to get my results. Of course I got a voice mail! Man! I left a message with my cell number and patiently waiting for my turn at the Jamba Juice counter. I took my shot, drank my water chaser and was on my way back when my phone rang. It was the nice nurse who had taken my blood. She said my thyroid was normal (so no more of the thyroid supplements, seems that I don’t need them) and that my FSH was high, I gulped, she then said it was a 43. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and replied “well it was an 89 only 4 months ago so that is a huge improvement.”She agreed and said for me to call when I was ready to test again.My FSH has dropped over half since my last test, my thyroid numbers and bone density tests looked great and I feel better then I have in a long time…all in all life is pretty great. I can’t wait until this time next month to see how low my FSH will be then….I knew that I had more then a feeling!

The Passion Pen (Post from Monday 5//17)

As I got ready for work this morning I decided to switch out my purse and carry the nice one my husband got me during our last vacation. As I poured the contents of the older purse into the new one, I found a pen that a coworker had given me. He is an older gentlemen who is one of the most caring people I know. This pen has three different settings on it and each setting displays a different flashing red light. He had given me the pen a few weeks ago and told me that it was a “passion pen” to be used when my hubby and I were trying to make a baby.  I laughed and took the pen home to show to my husband who laughed it off and put it back in my purse.  Man do I wish I could just flip the switch on the pen and get pregnant…wouldn’t that be nice?? Finding the pen this morning reminded me how refreshing it is to have people in my life who genuinely care about me.  In the past few weeks, I have been overwhelmed with nice messages and I just want to say thank you to all of you…you know who you are.  I am happy to report that the new positive me still remains. I have yet to get sad since the last breakdown over 7 days ago. I co-hosted a baby shower over the weekend and didn’t get sad once. I did however get a few comments regarding a change in me.  One of my friends mother said I looked great and that there seemed something different about me.  I thanked her and explained all of the changes I had made and told her to read “Crazy, Sexy, Cancer.” She then said that if she didn’t know better, she would have thought I had a pregnancy glow. I laughed and said that I wasn’t pregnant yet but that it was great to hear she could see a difference. So I can’t remember if I have shared these few differences I have noticed since the diet change and starting the cleanses…..I have noticed that I am not growing as much hair under my arms or on my legs (not that I am making a habbit out of not shaving but I skipped a few days and didn’t even have anything to catch up on when I got around to it), I can go more time in-between hair washes (I said hair washes…not showering…please note I still take 1-2 showers a day) my hair just doesn’t get as oily as it used to, my coloring is improving and I no longer resemble the color of a banana, I feel really happy and positive…even when I shouldn’t (like when I am driving with someone and they get a ticket), my daily headaches are gone, I am not as hungry as I used to be, food tastes different and last but no least my skin is glowing. Have I convinced you to change your diet yet?  Yesterday,Sunday, was my liver cleanse day.  It doesn’t sound fun and believe me….it wasn’t.  You get up and drink a cup water with 1T Epson salt. An hour later you drink another cup of the mixture and then two hours later you drink ¾ cup grapefruit juice mixed with 1 cup olive oil….then you wait.  It seems that my liver is in really bad shape because I didn’t start “eliminating” until today (while at work)…lucky me. All day Sunday, I had other side effects of the cleanse such as nausea, sweating, exhaustion and a headache. Mix that together with the fact that I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink anything other then the mixes all day and that made it very difficult for me to not snap at anyone who was trying to have a conversation with me. It will all be worth it once I get to my cleansing appointment this afternoon.  My side effects and how long it took to eliminate will allow Mrs. W to have an idea of what is going on with my body.  I am very curious to see what she has to say and promise to take very good notes.  Before my cleanse I have an appointment with the reproductive endocrinologist that I saw in April. I have an annual appointment, ultrasound and lab tests scheduled.  I am excited to see how much my FSH has dropped since the dreaded results in December and to see what my ovaries look like.  I am sure I will have some positive information to share tomorrow.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

I'm on a highway to health!

http://fertilityfile.com/2008/04/27/how-do-i-lower-my-fsh-level/


“FSH is the abbreviation for FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE. It is a substance created from part of the brain called the pituitary gland. In a young, healthy woman, a small wave of FSH released at the beginning of the cycle will get her follicles to start developing for that month. Why only a small amount? Because a young fertile woman’s ovaries are very sensitive. They don’t need much to get them going. After getting just a tiny whiff of FSH, they will start to do their thing. As the follicles do their thing, they start to grow bigger AND they will produce another hormone called estradiol. The news that estradiol is rising goes back up to the pituitary and tells it the good news that "OK, things are moving along just fine. You can ease up on the FSH production. Thank you very much. Talk to you later." The FSH factory supervisor gets this message and tells the production crew to slow down, get some rest and wait until next cycle. In physiological terms, this is known as NEGATIVE FEEDBACK, which is not a bad thing here, unlike the way it is when you’re talking about your EBay rating. In a woman who is 45, the follicles are few in number and poor in quality, so a different scene plays out. The story begins the same way. At the beginning of the cycle, the pituitary faithfully sends out pulses of FSH and waits for a negative feedback estradiol signal from the follicles that will tell the pituitary to rest again. However, because the follicles are bad, they won’t develop as vigorously, if they even develop at all. So while the follicles struggle to grow and develop in a healthy manner, they will not send out a strong estradiol signal. Meanwhile, the pituitary starts to get a little nervous. "Hmm, it’s been several days and we still haven’t heard back from the follicles. Maybe they need a little more juice." The pituitary then makes the decision to crank up the FSH production and the FSH level goes up a bit. If the follicles eventually respond to this new increase of FSH, then the estradiol signal will arrive and the pituitary crew will breathe a sigh of relief. However, in a worst case scenario (for example if the woman is completely menopausal or if her ovaries have both been surgically removed), then the pituitary is in for a big surprise. The estradiol signal will never come. So what happens is the pituitary will frantically shift into panic mode, going full power and pouring out tons of FSH. The FSH levels will skyrocket!This second scenario doesn’t just happen in 45 year-olds. It can also happen in some younger women whose ovaries for some reason or other are behaving much older than they really are. This is a condition, known as diminished ovarian reserve or in an extreme situation where the follicles have completely shut down, it is known as PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE.”

During my breakdown last Friday, I pleaded with God to help me let things go and be able to go back to being my old self. I asked him if it was going to be awhile until I was better, if it would be possible to help me move on from the awful rut I had been in for over a year and be able to be happy again. I don’t think I have ever cried that hard or felt like I have been that connected with God during a prayer. I felt like he was really listening and feeling my pain. I know all of you “non-believers” are rolling your eyes right about now but since that day I have felt completely different. Happy, light hearted and my heart no longer drops to my feet when I get an email with a picture of a friend’s sonogram or pictures of a family member’s new baby. In fact, while shopping for a good friend’s baby shower (which I am co-hosting this weekend) last night with my mom, not one moment of sadness came over me. I was able to shop, be excited for my friend and enjoy my mother’s company. I will admit I have been frustrated and at times plain mad at God in the last year but he did answer my prayers from last Friday and I am eternally grateful for that. I know that everything is going to be ok and until things are back to normal, I am now able to smile (without forcing it), walk (without dragging my feet) and inquire about close friend’s pregnancy or children (without feeling sad for myself). I am back to normal (well at least as normal as I can be). I feel great, have lost about 5 pounds and have removed the huge mother of a cloud off my heart. Feeling amazing today,(even after waking up 5 minutes before I had to leave for work) I decided to look up some success stories on women who were in similar situations as me and conceived and lowered their FSH.



http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Pregnancy-35/High-FSH-Levels/show/100478

“I went through a depression when my doc said that my FSH was a 13 and I'm 30! What it really means is that your body wont make as many eggs (with fertility treatment) as someone with a normalNormal saline flush FSH. With repronex and IUI I made 6 mature follicles....got pregnant and am 13 1/2 weeks along!!! I thought that this was the end of the world but it's NOT. My friend who's 27 has an FSH of 21...she's close to entering menopause at 27. Our RE gave her lots of drugs and with IUI she now has a 7 month old

“I started taking wheat grass pills and after taking them 2 months my FSH dropped to an 8 and I stimulated better with repronex. Also took Damiana which strengthens the egg...and with higher FSH you want to find the best eggs.”

“There is a great book, called "Inconceivable" by Julia Indichova. She was diagnosed with very high FSH's and tried many different natural remedies when conventional medicine couldn't help her. The month she conceived, her FSH was over 30. She had been flatly told this was impossible. The book goes into great detail about the things she tried.”

“I feel for anyone who had the FSH level testing and was told that their level was too high to ever get pregnant with their own eggs. I am 43 and my levels were 25.5 and 45.5. I was told that I would never have my own baby, and egg donation or adoption would be my only option for a child. I was devastated, but after a few hours I decided that I wasn't going to only take his word. I found a much more compassionate and knowledgable fertility specialist who said my advanced age is the real factor, not the FSH levels, which may or may not play a role. IVF was discussed and the question was whether to try with my own eggs (a 5-10% chance of pregnancy) or a donor's egg (a 70% chance of pregnancy). We didn't have the money for IVF so for the time being, I turned to Chinese medicine - acupunture and herbs. I started doing the home ovulation testing (HIGHLY RECOMMEND!) which showed that I ovulate very early for a 28 day cycle. It's been about 4 months since those FSH tests, and I found out 4 days ago that I am pregnant. It's very exciting, but scary at the same time because I am 43. I have to believe that this gift have been given, is a mircle in itself and if I've beaten the odds so far, I will beat them all the way through my pregnancy and have a healthy baby. It's so important to find positive doctors, and to turn to other natural/spiritual types of healing practices. And to anyone who was given similar "you can't get pregnant" news, a doctor is only human. They can't really know, so be proactive, research yourself, and shop around for the doctor that you click with. :o)”

“Hi ladies. My fsh level peaked at 13 at the age of 34. I was devestated and thought all was over. I am happy to announce that I had my twins (via ivf) on 10-27-07! It can happen so don't give up. Just find yourself a good RE who is well versed in how to treat high fsh'ers!

“i'm 42. earlier this year i had an fsh of 9. next month i spiked to 39. bought "inconceivable" and followed verbatim, including shot of liquid wheatgrass from juice bar every single morning. one month after 39, got a 15.9, one month later 14.2. i highly recommend this book. it's not just good for your fsh, it's good for your overall health and soundness of mind as it stops your helplessness and puts you back in the driver's seat of your own life. good luck! update: had my fsh taken again today and i am now a 6.5. from 39 in july, following the "inconceivable" lifestyle, to a 6.5 today. read this book! and good luck...”

I read through posting after posting feeling more and more inspired as I read. Then I found this one entitled “Nourishing the ovaries back to health .”

“When we are trying to have a baby hear from the doctor that our FSH is too high it sounds like the death knoll. Is FSH really the only accurate measure of egg quality? It is not the final measure. Real egg quality is only measured by one thing: a baby. Also, remember hormones fluctuate. Your health is not the snapshot just taken of your FSH level. Your health is a moving picture. And you can start moving the picture in a new direction. You can restore and enhance your fertility. Your doctor can not. This is not an unreasonable or outrageous statement. If you were getting sick every month, one headcold after another, what could your doctor do? He or she could offer you antibiotics, but can the doctor build your immune system? Can the doctor make you stronger? No. But you can. There is a parallel here. The doctor can overstimulate your ovaries, putting everything on fast forward, but can he actually build your fertility? No. But you can. You can do things to enhance your fertility that your doctor, as much as he or she may want to, can not do. You can build back your energy, renew your cervical mucus and sexual fluids, eliminate PMS symptoms, sleep better, bring back a normal flow for your cycle. Oriental women have know how to do these things for thousands of years. They use herbs, healing foods and special exercises. These are things you can learn with only a small investment of time and expense. You can nuture your body and renew your fertility, and in the process your FSH levels will fall. We have helped many women to lower their FSH. A high FSH reading is merely a measure of your ability to respond to FSH drugs. High FSH (above 10) is an obstacle for Western Medical Reproductive Technology because it means your body will not tolerate the drug stimulation. But according to the clinical experience of expert Chinese herbalists FSH can be above the Clomid Challenge test minimum and not inhibit the ability to get pregnant. Also, FSH can be artificially increased by treatments such as Clomid. According to Traditional Chinese Herbalism, fertility drugs deplete the body's yin energy, sometimes creating what the Chinese call Yin Deficiency combined with Liver Chi Stagnation, bringing symptoms such as hot flashes, irritability, mood swings, headaches, insomnia. If your body is given the proper support through special energy exercises, the best herbal nutrition and recommended healing foods added to the diet, high FSH caused by pharmaceutical drugs will usually rebalance in as little as 2-3 months. It is rarely difficult. And this artificial imbalance can rebalance for women of all ages. A woman with high FSH is often told that she has “premature ovarian failure”. However, if the ovaries are actually healthy ,with the right herbal formulas, exercises and maybe some acupuncture or acupressure you can do yourself, we often see the ovarian function spring back, produce higher levels of estrogen and produce that true measure of healthy eggs – a baby. It is important to learn how to keep your body strong and balanced. Instead of focusing on individual hormones you learn the art of bringing balance to your entire endocrine system. This rejuvenates the complicated cascade of hormones leading up to the implantation of the fertilized egg. A Radiant Wonder Fertility Program will enhance your fertility dramatically. Will you get pregnant right away? Maybe, and maybe not. But you will know deep within that you are preparing yourself for that baby. The Chinese talk about a 100 day cultivation period. That is about three months. And it takes three months for the blood supply to completely replenish itself. Within three months you should see visible hormonal changes. I say this because I want you to understand that this is not a quick fix, but despite what I say, some of our customers actually become pregnant the first month.

Almost immediately you will experience more energy everyday. You will sleep well again. There will be a sense of calm and inner strength that tells you that you are working with your body to prepare yourself for not only receiving and carrying a child, but for raising the child. You can have a healthy baby in a healthy body. And that is the real goal. Open your heart and mind to the idea of possibility.... You can use Western Medicine, or Eastern Herbalism or a combination of both. The main thing is to take charge of your health yourself, not to expect someone else to make you pregnant. It is your body, your sexual vitality, and you have been given very strong intuition to know what is right for you. Our customers will attest to the fact that these individualized programs work. Fertility is enhanced. The chances of becoming pregnant are increased.

After reading through all of the stories, I am shocked at the number of 20 and 30 somethings that are getting such high FSH readings and an infertile diagnosis. It has got to be the lifestyle’s and nutrition of the typical everyday woman. Why else would we all of a sudden be hit with such large numbers of young couples having trouble conceiving? I have found hundreds of success stories on women who where deemed infertile, changed their lifestyle and eating habbits and not only restored their fertility but also conceived naturally. I am on the road to where I want to be, anyone care to follow me? Caravans welcome!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

A Whole New World.....Complete with Green Juice

I have decided that I am no longer going to be sad about my current situation. I don’t have the energy and I am wasting my life away feeling sorry for myself. I need to cut it out and enjoy what I have left of my twenties (1 year) and all of the blessings in my life. Right now I am changing my intentions, from this moment forward I am working to restore my natural body processes and am not at this time working towards a pregnancy, I am working towards getting myself healthy. After I have restored my health and gotten my body back in balance, I will work on the pregnancy. This new direction stems from the last breakdown I am going to have on this whole ordeal. I woke up last Friday hating the world and woke up the next day with puffy eyes and a new focus. I am done being sad and I am pissed at myself for even trying to play the victim card. I am better then that! I have never in my life been someone who gives up. I have always worked hard and eventually gotten to the goal I was trying to achieve. This is not going to be any different, so no more pity parties for me. This girl is going to focus on healing my body. With that in mind, I have a few things I have been researching that I have been told will help my body to achieve our current goal. One is going on a metal cleanse. Most prescription drugs contain heavy metals including birth control pills which I faithfully swallowed each and everyday for over 10 years. During my recent cleanse, Mrs. W suggested I do a metal cleanse the day before my next colon cleanse. She said it was very important for me to do since I was on birth control for so long and could be the culprit of some of the things I am currently seeing (aka my fertility issue). This suggestion from Mrs. W encouraged me to do a search on Google to see side effects of the metals in the pill and also see what other products I use on a daily basis also contain heavy metals. According to alternative-doctor.com birth control pills have copper in them. Side effects of copper toxicity include “acne, adrenal insufficiency, allergies, alopecia, anemia, anorexia, anxiety, arthritis (osteo & rheumatoid), autism, cancer, chills, cystic fibrosis, depression, diabetes, digestive disorders, dry mouth, dysinsulinism, estrogen dominance, fatigue, fears, fractures, fungus, heart attack, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Hodgkin's disease, hyperactivity, hypertension, hyperthyroid, low hydrochloric acid, hypoglycemia, infections, inflammation, insomnia, iron loss, jaundice, kidney disorders, libido decreased, lymphoma, mental illness, migraines, mood swings, multiple sclerosis, myocardial infarction, nausea, nervousness, osteoporosis, pancreatic dysfunction, panic attacks, paranoia, phobias, PMS, schizophrenia, senility, sexual dysfunction, spacey feeling, stuttering, stroke, tooth decay, toxemia of pregnancy, urinary tract infections, yeast infections.” Other products listed under copper are industrial emissions and insecticides…why would they put the same ingredient from bug killer in my pills? Come to think of it, why don’t I just go put my mouth over my car’s exhaust pipe? Mercury is another metal that is present in everyday women’s products such as skin lightening cream and most cosmetics. Side effects of Mercury include but are not limited to“adrenal dysfunction, allergy, alopecia, anorexia, anxiety, birth defects, blushing, brain damage, cataracts, cerebral palsy, poor coordination / jerky movements, deafness, depression, dermatitis, discouragement, dizziness, drowsiness, eczema, emotional disturbances, excess saliva, fatigue, gum bleeding and soreness, headaches (band type), hearing loss, hyperactivity, hypothyroidism, forgetfulness, immune dysfunction, insomnia, irritability, joint pain, kidney damage, loss of self-control, memory loss, mental retardation, metallic taste, migraines, nervousness, nerve fiber degeneration, numbness, pain in limbs, rashes, retinitis, schizophrenia, shyness, speech disorders, suicidal tendencies, tingling, tremors (eyelids, lips, tongue, fingers, extremities), vision loss, weakness. Mercury is also present in batteries, air conditioner filters, fabric softeners and floor wax….again why am I applying something on my face that contains an ingredient used to make batteries? This research confirmed that I will be doing a metal cleanse this Sunday. Mrs. W said that the worse you feel during and after a metal cleanse, the more toxicity you have in your body. I am excited to get the metals from the pill out of my system and see what happens after I do the metal cleanse. My husband mentioned a few months ago that my skin color has changed since we first met. I am wondering if the levels of metal in my body could be causing this? I guess Sunday will help me figure it out. Mrs. W gave me the instructions which I have yet to glance over but it didn’t seem to be that bad. I am also going to start taking shots of Wheatgrass every morning at the Jamba Juice by my work. Wheatgrass is mentioned in “inconceivable” as a way to lower FSH (and it worked for the author) and it is also mentioned in “Crazy, Sexy, Cancer”. If you search for health benefits of Wheatgrass you will be amazed at the list it is unlimited. Here is a list of only a few health benefits from taking wheatgrass supplements or drinking the juice.


http://ezinearticles.com/?Wheat-Grass-Shots---Benefiting-Fatigue-to-Fertility&id=776100

Helps prevent tooth decay
Neutralizes carcinogens
Cleanses blood by removing toxins and harmful chemicals
Detoxes liver, cells, tissue and blood
Lowers high blood pressure
Increases oxygen levels in the blood stream
Improved digestion
Creates balanced pH environment to prevent cancer
Increases energy
Provides healthier hair and reduces dandruff
Improved ability of the body to heal wounds
Chlorophyll found in wheatgrass can prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Has anti-aging abilities and can keep the hair from greying.
Successfully treat inflammation of the uterine

Helps fight:
Arthritis
Diabetes
Allergies (can make some completely disappear)
Premature aging
Increases fertility- The high magnesium content in the chlorophyll of the wheat grass juice actually builds enzymes that increase fertility hormones.

For me, the fact that drinking 4 oz a day is a proven way to lower my FSH and increase my fertility is a no brainer but now I am finding out it is going to keep me younger looking, give me better hair, reduce my risk for cancer and could help with me Celiacs! Wow, why doesn’t everyone have a bit of Wheatgrass every day? I bet there would be a less Cancer patients in the world if we did. Along the same subject of getting my body back in balance. Here is a list of things mentioned in “The Infertility Cure” to help restore the natural balance of a woman’s body. http://parenting.ivillage.com/ttc/ttcprep/0,,qzx3-p,00.html#ixzz0nctIG9Ge

1. Eat alkaline rather than acidic foods. Many contemporary sources advocate eating alkaline foods like noncitrus fruits, vegetables, sprouts, cereal grasses (wheatgrass, barley grass), and herbs like black cohosh and valerian root to help provide the entire reproductive system with the right pH for conception and implantation. Acidic foods (like meat, dairy products, and most grains) produce acidic environments. Acidic cervical mucus may become hostile to sperm, which requires an alkaline environment to survive. Since saliva can have an alkalizing effect, it is also recommended that you chew your food thoroughly and refrain from drinking liquids with your meal. Let your own salivary enzymes digest the food, rather than washing it down with fluids. I don't advocate strict vegan diets, but you should make sure the bulk of your diet comes from organic plant sources. Bioflavonoids, found in many fruits and vegetables, also help in the formation of healthy blood vessels, helping the uterus prepare for implantation and prevent miscarriage. – Wheatgrass just about covers this one for me!

2. Get plenty of essential fatty acids, preferably from unprocessed plant sources and deep-sea fish. The essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid are essential to every living cell in the body. They are also key in ovulation, specifically in the process of follicular rupture (releasing the egg) and collapse (allowing the development of the corpus luteum). Good sources of essential fatty acids are fish, fish oil, nonhydrogenated cold-pressed oils such as flaxseed and pumpkin-seed oils, eggs, soy products, raw nuts and seeds, and dark-green and winter vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, beets, carrots, kale, collards, cabbage, turnips, rutabaga, and Brussels sprouts. – I sprinkle flaxseed oil on my lunch and dinner every day, eat pumpkin seeds for a daily snack and eat broccoli, carrots and kale at least once a day via juicing.
3. Eat organic foods and hormone-free meats whenever possible. In natural-food circles, organic foods are touted as necessary for optimum hormonal functioning because many of the pesticides, chemicals, and hormones used to treat produce and animal products contain synthetic estrogenlike substances, which occupy estrogen receptor sites and have negative effects on our organ and endocrine systems. However, Chinese medicine provides an additional reason for choosing organic food: food loses its Essence and Qi as it moves away from its source. We all have experienced the truth of this: we know fruit off a tree tastes much fresher than fruit from a grocery bag, and vine-ripened tomatoes taste much better than those ripened on the counter. The processing most food undergoes eliminates much of the natural nutrition present in the original fruits, grains, and vegetables. When we eat refined pasta and white bread, we are consuming mostly processed leftovers; little of the original substance of the wheat is left. Processed fruit juices consist of mostly sugar, and sugar damages the Spleen, which controls digestion. Frozen meals are packed with sodium, which depletes the Kidneys. Most of the canned, prepared foods that form the basis of the typical American diet contain preservatives and minuscule original food value.
Overall improvements to dietary health can be made by consuming more of a macrobiotic diet, including mostly fresh, organic produce supplemented with small amounts of hormone-free meat and animal products. The typical Asian diet is macrobiotic -- meals consist mostly of fresh, lightly sautéed vegetables, rice, and small amounts of meat for flavoring.You also might want to consider how you prepare your foods. Traditional Chinese cuisine advocates chopping vegetables and meat to allow for the release of more energy when they are eaten, and lightly cooking vegetables rather than eating them raw to make them more easily digestible. It's also a good idea to stay away from the microwave. Microwaving food affects its structure and, according to some, decreases the Qi energy available in the food. Cooking on top of the stove or in the oven is preferable. – I am currently all organic (even my water). For dinner every night, I lightly cook vegetables in olive oil and then sprinkle my flax oil and add a little brown rice.
4. Add more cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower to your diet. Cruciferous vegetables contain di-indolylmethane (DIM), a compound that stimulates more efficient use of estrogen by increasing the metabolism of estradiol (one form of estrogen produced by the body). Excess estradiol is associated with breast pain, weight gain, breast and uterine cancer, moodiness, and low libido. Adding DIM sources to your diet allows the estradiol to break down into the beneficial 2-hydroxy estrogens, which don't have estradiol's negative effects. – I need to work on this one.
5. Supplement your diet with a natural, high-potency multivitamin and mineral complex with iron, folic acid, and B vitamins. The vitamins and minerals important for reproductive health (vitamins A, C, E, B complex, zinc, and selenium) enhance fertility yet are lacking in the usual Western, highly processed diet. If these nutrients were adequately supplied through the diet, many fertility problems could be avoided. Other supplements you might wish to try include the following:

Bee pollen and/or royal jelly is regenerative and tonifying. Bogdan Tekavcic, M.D., a Yugoslavian gynecologist, conducted a study in which the majority of women who were given bee pollen with royal jelly showed improvement or disappearance of their menstrual problems, while there was no change in the placebo group. Another study showed bee pollen significantly improved sperm production in men. Bee pollen, which is worker bee food, is rich in vitamins, minerals, nucleic acids, and steroid hormones, and improves health, endurance, and immunity. Royal jelly is modified pollen fed only to the reproducing queen bee, whose job it is to produce more infant bees. This nutritive tonic might be considered the bee equivalent of fertility drugs. Rich in amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes, royal jelly helps the queen lay millions of eggs and live longer than the worker bee.

Blue-green algae is the origin of life-giving nourishment on this planet. Microalgae contains chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and steroid building blocks. Chlorella is freshwater green algae; spirulina is saltwater blue-green algae. Chlorella and spirulina nourish the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems; tonify Qi, Blood, and Essence; regulate metabolism; and repair tissue.

Wheatgrass is tonifying and curative. It nourishes Qi, Blood, and Essence, enhances immunity, and restores hormonal functioning. Other cereal grasses like barley grass function the same way.

Vitamin B6 helps the body metabolize excess estrogen, produce adequate progesterone, and lower elevated prolactin levels. A Harvard study treated women with galactorrhea (lactation not associated with childbirth or nursing)/amenorrhea syndrome with 200 to 600 milligrams of vitamin B6 daily. Within three months all the women in the study had normal menstrual cycles and had stopped lactating.

Coenzyme Q-10 assists mitochondrial function, the powerhouse of each cell.

Folic acid is extremely important in cellular division. I am a proponent of supplementing your diet with folic acid for months before you conceive and throughout pregnancy. You should be aware that the adult daily minimum requirement for folic acid advocated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is well below the amount we actually should take. If you have a history of abnormal cell division, such as cervical dysplasia, you should eat foods with high folic acid content, like dark-green leafy vegetables and natural orange foods -- oranges, cantaloupe, yams, and sweet potatoes -- in addition to your folic acid supplement.

6. Eliminate caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants should be avoided, especially if you have Yin, Blood, or Heart deficiency with heat symptoms. The American Journal of Epidemiology reports nicotine is ten times more concentrated in the uterine fluid than it is in plasma. Nicotine ages the ovaries and makes the eggs resistant to fertilization. Alcohol is particularly damaging if you fall into the damp, heat, or Liver Qi categories of disharmony. One study reported that any alcohol consumed during an IVF cycle reduced its chance of success by 50 percent. Tea, especially green tea, is not as problematic as coffee. It contains about 20 percent less caffeine, and fewer volatile oils. Coffee constricts vessels while tea opens them. Green tea (and, to a lesser extent, black tea) has an antioxidant benefit coffee does not share. If you require assistance "revving up" in the morning, use green tea.

7. If at all possible, avoid unnecessary medications and drugs, including over-the-counter preparations. Even non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen can block the synthesis of prostaglandins and therefore inhibit ovulation. If you have scanty cervical mucus, you should avoid decongestants, antihistamines, and excess supplemental vitamin C. You may, however, use guaifenesin, an expectorant that thins all mucus secretions, including cervical fluid that is too thick. (While guaifenesin can be found in over-the-counter cough medicines like Robitussin, I prefer using natural sources such as beech wood, which you can buy at the health-food store and which contain no additives.) Avoid vaginal lubricants other than egg whites. – I need to look into taking this guaifenesin stuff.

8. Avoid junk food, excessive stress, too little sleep, too much exercise, or anything taxing to the immune system. In general, you should give your body every chance to be at its strongest and healthiest so that it can nourish your child. Late hours, bad food, or excessive stress of any kind means your body has to dedicate its precious resources to keeping you healthy instead of making a baby. Live healthfully until you conceive and carry your child to term. -  (this means you can't have any fun!....just kidding just relax and cut down on the dancing and drinks)

Ok I know you are probably on information overload. I have some info on yams but will save that for a later date. PS - my skin is starting to look amazing....not to brag on myself. I have had a few comments about it this week. Also, I tried quinoa for the first time and it was really good. It is also mentioned in "Crazy Sexy Cancer" as a great thing to eat for good health and it gluten free!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

A little lesson on fertility enhancing herbs...and no you can't smoke them

It happened again! I woke up soaked and burning up again last night. This hasn’t happened in so long which tells me one thing….my body is desperately trying to get it together. This also means that my FSH level is most likely raising through the roof right now :0( Tired and discouraged when I got up this morning, I walked up to the computer, took a deep breath and began an internet search on ways to naturally help your body ovulate. The soft cups I have mentioned before were mentioned in a few articles (I still don’t know if I can shove a cup up there and then remove it). Also listed were pre-seed lubricant which I am already using, Evening Primrose Oil or (EPO), something called a conception kit and Robitussin. The last one mentioned got me…..the last thing I need right now is to get myself addicted to cough syrup trying to get pregnant. The site I found the list on is http://www.justmommies.com/ and here what it said regarding Robitussin. “Robitussin is helpful for the same reason as preseed. Robitussin® is an expectorant. Expectorants help to thin out mucous. It is mainly used for coughing because once the mucous in your lungs is thinned out, you can cough things up easier and clear your airways. It is helpful to use when trying to conceive because not only does it thin out the mucous in your lungs it will also make your cervical mucous thinner and more slippery. This can be very helpful for women that are not producing slippery fertile cervical mucous.” I am going to have to pass on this….at least for now. I am however interested in the Primrose Oil here is what was mentioned on it “Evening Primrose Oil or (EPO) is produced from a wildflower called the Evening Primrose. This oil has been used for years to help with lots of things such as lowering cholesterol, natural labor induction, and fertility. EPO is thought to help with premenstrual syndrome and it may also help to improve the quality of a woman’s cervical mucous.” Intrigued, I copied the name of the herb and pasted into a search engine and added the word “for fertility” at the end and pressed enter. Here is what I found on http://www.babyhopes.com/ “Evening Primrose Oil - helps to increase fertile quality cervical fluid and also contains essential fatty acids which are good for the brain. You may take this EPO from menstruation to ovulation and switch to Flax Seed Oil after ovulation. Flax Seed Oil contains the fatty acids needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Evening Primrose Oil causes uterine contractions - which is why you should not take it after ovulation in the event that conception did occur.” There goes that possibility, I can’t take it because I dont have a way to know where I am in my cycle at any time. I did find some other items that are options on this site though. Red Clover “is also known as Trifolium pretense, restores and balances hormonal function and nourishes the uterus. Red Clover contains isoflavones (estrogen-like compounds) which promote estrogen production and which may enhance fertility in women and boost estrogen levels in women with estrogen deficiencies. In addition, the Red Clover contains calcium and magnesium which can relax the nervous system and improve fertility. Traditionally, Red Clover has been administered to help restore irregular menses and to balance the acid-alkaline level of the vagina to promote conception.” This one sounds like it is right up my alley or street. Perhaps I will consider it. Here are some others on the site and what they do. Ginkgo Biloba “has been used in traditional medicine to treat circulatory disorders and enhance memory – and recent scientific studies lend credence to Gingko claims. In addition, laboratory studies have shown that Gingko improves blood circulation and increases peripheral blood flow to the reproductive organs, maintaining healthy blood vessel tone. Gingko also performs a cleansing antioxidant function.” (I am not sure if I want to take an herb I cant even pronounce. How would I even ask the store clerk to help me find it if I can’t pronounce it?) PABA “is a B Complex vitamin that is synthesized in the body. PABA is believed to increase the ability of estrogen to facilitate fertility and increases the ability of some infertile women to become pregnant. A clinical trial reported that 12 of 16 previously infertile women were able to become pregnant after supplementing with PABA over several months.” (They had me at 12 of 16 previously infertile women were able to become pregnant…..I will be trying this and checking to see if it is in anything I currently taking) Antioxidant Support: “Vitamins C and E are important vitamins and cleansing antioxidants that play a vital role in repairing damage caused by the environment, aging, and in preventing cellular damage due to oxidizing free radicals. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant central to overall reproductive health and wellness. In a preliminary human trial, infertile couples given vitamin E showed a significant increase in fertility. Other studies indicate that pre-conceptional vitamin supplementation can increase fertility.” (At the request of my new OBGYN I am already taking antioxidant supplements but it is good to know why she suggested them) Red Raspberry Leaf “is highly regarded for its ability to tone the uterus and muscles of the pelvic region. A highly nutritive ingredient, Red Raspberry is a powerful fertility-promoting herb, especially when used in combination with Peppermint.” (Hmmm, one glass of hot raspberry tea with peppermint leaves coming up! This will be worked into my daily routine…like now!) Green Tea “is a powerful antioxidant that enhances reproductive health by repairing the oxidative damage that occurs naturally as the result of environmental toxins and aging. A study from the American Journal of Public Health found that drinking 1/2 cup or more of green tea daily doubled the odds of conception per cycle. Due to the inclusion of Green Tea, there is a very slight touch of caffeine (equal to just 1/25th a cup of coffee).” (I drink one to two glasses of green tea at work at day, so I can put a check next to this one…yay for me). Nettle Leaf “contains a wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals that are critical to good reproductive health, including Vitamins A, C, D, K, Potassium, Phosphorous, Iron, and Sulfur. Nettle Leaf also contains Calcium – a mineral that affects a woman’s ability to conceive and maintain pregnancy.” (Not sure if this is needed on top of my antioxidant supplements??) Here is the link to the page if you would like to see it http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/natural-fertility-boosters.html. Vitex/Chaste Berry was also mentioned. I was previously taking this supplement and was told by one of my doctors to stop taking it because it can reduce the amount of estrogen your body produces. I am thinking about giving it another try after reading this on babyhopes.com. “When Vitex or chaste berry are used and are successful it is based on the effect it has on the pituitary glands and the hypothalamus. It stimulates them to increase the production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and inhibits to some degree the production of FSH, follicle stimulating hormone. As a result, the progesterone levels in the body begin to increase. Chaste berry is not a hormone and does not increase progesterone levels on its own. Instead, it is an effect that this occurs. Many times women experiencing leutal phase defect have levels of prolactin that are too high. Vitex is an effective treatment for these women. Chasteberry or Vitex works really for women and usually by their third menstrual cycle major changes will be seen. Immediate results should not be expected, however. It may not be able to take effect, either for several months so this should be considered. Don’t expect the same results as taking progesterone because Vitex is not a hormone. Give it time and you should see your cycle regulate and hopefully ovulate!” I can’t decide if I want to start taking this again. At the time I stopped taking the supplement after a doctor’s recommendation, I hadn’t had a period for 5-6 months after going off the pill and had a period two months later so perhaps there could be some truth to what the doctor told me??? But then again I was also taking progesterone supplements which could have caused the period?? What I like it that it is said to reduce the amount of FSH the body produces which I need!! Decisions, decisions……. I am thinking I will look into the feriliAid or fertiliblend which are blends that include most of the items I have mentioned above. Seems like it couldn’t hurt to take a supplement that is jammed packed with things that are proven to help with fertility. I will stop on my way home today! And there is your lesson on fertility herbs….your welcome!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Hey FSH, you better have down..do it....or else!

Not much to say today (I know that is a first). All day yesterday I was full of air. Although according to my husband I am always full of hot air, it was really uncomfortable and a side effect from my last cleanse (I forgot to take my probiotics in the morning before I had my smoothie). It is suggested that you not eat extremely filling foods the 24 hours following a cleanse but at the new organic lunch place yesterday, I just couldn’t resist the brown rice, avocado and olive oil option that was calling my name. It was very yummy but just seemed to add air to my belly and went ahead and added heartburn to my list of symptoms. The same nutritional mistakes will not be made again today. I took two probiotic pills when I got up this morning and just took two more before starting my mid-morning snack. My stomach feels completely normal and I feel great! I am feeling a bit discouraged this morning after waking up soaking wet and on fire twice last night. I am not sure if this is because the temperature in our bedroom is always hot (and not in a good way) or if I was having hot flashes. Now I would like to go with the later but given that I haven’t had a period for five months perhaps my body was struggling through the hormone production process while I was sleeping last night. I can see it now a documentary called “while you were sleeping” this time the film would be about what the average woman’s body is doing while she is catching her zzz’s. I think it would be interesting to know what my body is doing all the time. In fact, the unknown is killing me right now! If I could get an ultrasound done on my ovaries everyday I would. I just have to know if there are non-maturing follicles in my ovaries again or if this time the follicles are going to be able to make it all the way around the bases and score this month. Here is what I have decided on the doctor appointment front……I will be going to see Mrs. W again as scheduled this Thursday but I will not be getting a cleanse (although it was recommended). I have been feeling really tired since Monday and I think my body needs a break. I will instead by doing the foot bath and the message bed which are also both good ways to detoxify. I have re-scheduled the appointment with the alternative medicine and spa clinic to May 20th. I just revisited their website and am going to give them a chance. They seem to have a good system down and have been recognized to have a 100% success rate at helping people conceive. On their website it states “We have spent years working with women on their journey to conceive and have developed a unique method to make this a process of growth and healing”. Your first appointment they establish a plan on how to help you conceive. They also offer a Maya abdominal and uterine message “this massage technique is a slow, gentle external massage of the abdomen and lower back that works to soften the muscles, and adjust the uterus to its proper position, enhance circulation of blood, lymphatic fluids and qi. It has been used successfully as par t of a holistic treatment for problems including painful periods, fertility issues, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts and low backache” and whole list of other beneficial services. I have re-scheduled the appointment with the fertility specialist for the first week in August. I have also scheduled my annual check up with my new OBGYN (the specialist in POF) for next week where I am going to have my FSH tested for the first time since December (the dreaded 89 reading) and another ultrasound. I am going to do everything in my power to relax, meditate and think positive before this appointment (translation I will be planting my herb garden, sleeping in, doing some bargain shopping and buying a skinny mirror this weekend).

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Oversharing is caring!

So I am still a bit upset about the mean posting on my blog yesterday. I just have never been able to wrap my finger around why some people are just mean and nasty to others for no apparent reason. It has always bothered me. I am always the person standing there with nothing to say after someone has stunned me with the nasty words gun. I have never in my life sought someone out solely with the intention of saying or doing something mean to them much less a complete stranger on the internet. I thought after I posted a response last night that I would feel better but I still laid awake last night with steam coming out my ears. My hubby said to just let it roll off my back and that some people were just mean. That is probably true but why does society accept behavior like that? Why is it ok for complete strangers to flip you off in public if you are driving to slow or not let you out of your seat on a plane before ripping past when they are not even trying to catch another plane? Most importantly, why did the poster think it was ok to post something mean? The frustrating thing is that the whole point of my blog is to share symptoms, feelings and experiences. It makes me angry that I shared my information with this person if they were just going to throw it back in my face. This person obviously has a complex of some kind and my guess is that “it” might be small. If you are reading this “Andrew”, please do not read my blog anymore and for your information cervical mucus (k__ter juice) is a predictor of ovulation and therefore important to my blog. If you and the so called other followers don’t want to read about it, then you don’t have to. I don’t make any money by sharing this information and am doing it to help others so please be my guest and elect not to follow me anymore if the mention of mucus sends you into revulsion. If you decide to keep following, please keep your nasty comments to yourself as there is enough negativity in the world without you opening your big mouth. I am helping people to see what changes they can make in their everyday lives to better their health and heal their bodies, what are you doing?


Yesterday afternoon I had my third cleanse, the experience was a bit different this time. Before my cleanse, Mrs. W had me lay on the MIGUN HY-7000 bed. http://www.migunworld.com/products.php . The bed is basically a heating message from head to toe and has two attachments you are to place on parts of body that need healing and they distribute far infrared rays and acupressure to that area. Studies show that infrared light can be helpful for enhancing blood circulation, reducing pain, strengthening the cardiovascular system, easing joint stiffness and inflammation, and revitalizing skin cells. It is the critical part of solar energy and the “good” part of a sun tan. The bed has different settings but the one Mrs. W likes me to do messages up and down to certain pressure points and holds them for a few minutes. The bed has the healing effects of acupressure, acupuncture, heat-therapy, chiropractics and message all rolled into one! Along with having all of the infrared benefits mentioned above, the heat therapy is what allows your body to more easily release pollutants trapped in muscles. It was really relaxing and Mrs. W explained that sometimes it allows you to relax before a cleanse and let go of more toxins. I went into the cleanse relaxed and about to fall asleep. It seems that my body has a large amount of “toxins” to get rid of and things got a little messy. It was not as bad as you are thinking but the cleanse was a bit stressful and my stomach was killing me as my body let go of all of it. It felt like I had some horrible stomach flu. I couldn’t wait until it was over but feel great today and although it wasn’t the most comfortable during the procedure, I feel like it was worth it because now all of that is no longer hiding in my colon. As I drove home, I could barely keep my eyes open. I was completely whipped out from the treatment and fought to keep my eye lids from closing the whole ride home. As soon as I got home I started making dinner which was planned to be pan seared scallops cooked in olive oil and garlic with brown rice, grilled eggplant, broccoli and carrots. I was so hungry that when it was ready I practically starting inhaling my food. About halfway through my meal, I slowed down and noticed that my food tasted really different. In fact, the taste of the scallops was actually almost making me sick and the broccoli which is usually my favorite also tasted grouse. I tried to work through the bad taste but ended up throwing away half my meal. I had just taken a HPT the day before so I didn’t think I was pregnant so it had to be a side effect from the cleanse. All I have had to eat today is my morning smoothie so I am not sure if my taste buds are back to normal yet. There is a new organic restaurant right by my work called Freshii I am going to try today. On the side of their building they have a small paragraph daring people to eat things that are good for them and to go ahead and order the onions. You can build your own salads or choose some combinations they have put together. I am going to try the antioxidant crunch salad today and then who knows maybe I will try a different one tomorrow. They were passing out samples of probiotic frozen yogurt yesterday. I tried a small spoonful (even though I am not eating dairy) and it was really good. There is another new organic place that recently opened up a few blocks from my work that serves the pho noodles that I want to try and I noticed while running an errand for my boss a weeks ago that there is a juice kitchen fairly close to my building as well. I am excited that the restaurant industry seems to be jumping on board to the new health wave. These places recognize that eating is for survival and not for entertainment. They make healthy food more enjoyable for everyone. Still trying to decide if I will be attending an appointment I made with an Eastern medicine clinic in Denver this Friday. They have 100% success rate but for just a consultation it is $130 and I am not sure I can trust someone’s opinion who seems to be taking advantage of their clients by charging so much. 100% success rate is very appealing and my thoughts are that I can see what they say in the consultation and make a decision as to whether or not I want to continue going there. I need to cancel by the end of the day tomorrow if I am not going so I guess I have a decision to make.

Reading Materials/Other Items That Have Helped Me

  • Inconceivable
  • Making Babies by Sami S. David, MD & Jill Blakeway, LAc
  • pre-seed Fertility-friendly Intimate Moisturizer
  • restoring fertility - yoga for optimal fertility dvd - you can feel it working!
  • Taking Charge for Your Fertility by Toni Weschler, MPH
  • The Infertility Cure by Randin Lewis, Ph. D.