Cycle #31, that's where I'm at right now. I called the clinic on Jan 6th (CD1) to let them know I wish to continue being in line for the IVF treatment. I have my first appointment of the year next week. I believe we'll just see how things stand right now and map out the plan to take over the next 4-6 weeks. I'll also be asking the myriad questions I have.
During the mean time, I've decided to try a few things of my own to see if they help with getting pregnant. They can't hurt at least:
1. Homeopathy
2. Gluten free diet
3. Mayan Womb Massage
1. I went to a homeopathic right after cycle #30 started. We discussed a lot of things about my health, body and so on. And from that we came up with a plan of what to do. She gave me some multi-vitamins and some calcium carbonate "sugar pills". (At least that is what I think they were, I can't remember their name in English.) I've been taking 4 of the little things on Wednesday and Saturdays. I don't eat or drink 30min before or after I take them.
But, I'm going to cancel my next appointment and not continue this line of pursuit as I just don't feel this is something I want so spend money on, nor do I feel it is the right thing for me. As hubby says, the sugar pills are just that, sugar (or whatever they are made out of) that have been waved in front of a bottle of the X-ingredient. That there isn't even anything left that resembles what they are claiming it to be.
2. I've heard and read that following a gluten-free (GF) diet can potentially help a woman get pregnant. Now, I've done a home test for Celiac disease and it came back negative. Plus, I don't really have any of the symptoms listed for Celiac disease, nor have I had any miscarriages. Although, I do have endometriosis, which if you have a sensitivity to gluten, that could make endo worse. Who knows! So far, in my week of of being GF I haven't really noticed too many changes in my mental or physical state. I think for me, the most noticeable change is that my stool is softer. (Yeah, I know, TMI. lol).
In addition, I'm not being a GF-Nazi, but rather just trying to avoid gluten items as much as possible and where it is easily visible (bread, cookies, cakes, pizza, sauces, etc). It's actually quite easy once you start looking at food labels. Stores here have a decent amount of GF products and restaurants generally mark their menus as gluten-free, lactose-free & vegetarian, etc, which makes it easy to eat out.
There is no evidence showing that a gluten-free diet will help the fertility of a woman that does not have celiac disease, though there is significant evidence that those women that do will benefit greatly from the change in diet. Not only can switching to the gluten-free diet help to improve the ability to conceive, but it also improves the woman’s ability to carry the pregnancy full-term.
Above paragraph taken from Natural Fertility Info.com
3. I briefly mentioned Mayan womb massage/Maya abdominal massage in my last post as something a friend told me about. I've Googled more on it and I've started doing it on myself. Mayan womb massage (Mwm) is a "gentle, external technique used to return the uterus to its proper position within the pelvis". It can help ease menstrual cramps and prepare the body for conception by helping to realign your uterus back into the correct position within your body.
I found an article from Mothering.com (March-April 2010) that explains about Mwm and a DIY-guide to boot! In this article it mentions the different positions our uterus could fall to and some of the repercussions of it. I've been told for years that my uterus tips backwards (retrovered), which is the same for the lady who wrote the article. And she tells that her doctors said it means nothing in the way of fertility, which is what mine have said also. Some of the symptoms from a retroverted uterus are blocked movement in the colon (resulting in chronic constipation, especially around the time of your period), the uterus can also put pressure on the sacral nerves creating low-back pain, which can also be intensified around the time or your period. While I don't think I am constipated, I do know that sometimes it is a bit hard. (I've always just assumed it was from the magnesium tablets I take for leg cramps.) And I have had low back pains as long as I can remember. I vividly remember having major pain in my lower center spine when my periods very first started.
I've felt some tiny cramps (not bad) and twinges in my abdomen area during this last week. I don't think I've had sensations exactly like this before. Sometimes they are short intense pangs and other times they are more dull.
Whether any of these things will work and help me get pregnant without added hormones, I have no idea. In any case, eating a GF diet and doing the Mwm is simple, not expensive and takes only a few minutes extra each day.
My next step, in addition to going to the clinic for IVF treatments, is to look into acupuncture.
