PCOS and Infertility

Here is a link regarding PCOS and it's affects on infertility. Check it out there is also an additional article regarding questions to ask if you are diagnosed with PCOS.

http://www.resolve.org/diagnosis-management/infertility-diagnosis/polycystic-ovarian-syndrome.html

More diet success....

I failed to mention the other day about the clearing up of most of the rosacea problems I've had for the last 2 years. Yay!!!! I'm not red anymore. :) I'll post before and after pictures in a little while.

Believe video

The following is a link to a video about keeping the hope when struggling with infertility. I love it! Let me know what you think.

New Diet Success so far - No wheat too many carbs?

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was looking into some basic diets for infertility.  Along the way I had a moment when I thought, "hey, I might have a wheat sensitivity."  So I started looking into what that means and how it potentially affects me.  What I found was that there is a correlation between wheat sensitivity and rosacea, digestive problems, weight fluctuation, abdominal pain, bloating, bowel disorders, colitis, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, IBS, stomach cramping, drowsiness, food cravings, infection susceptibility, lethargy, mouth ulcers, edema, infertility, menstrual disorders, miscarriage, urinary tract infection, anemia, iron deficiency, mineral deficiency, arthritis, bone density loss, joint pain/swelling, muscular aches, neck pain, rheumatic pain, autism, behavioral problems, depression, headaches, learning disability, mental confusion, migraines, poor memory, asthma, breathlessness, bronchitis, cough, ear infections, itchy nose, nasal congestion, post nasal drip, rhinitis, sensitivity to chemicals, snoring and sleep apnea, wheezing, dermatitis herpetiformis, eczema, fungal infection (skin and nails), hives, itchy flaking skin, psoriasis, rashes, itchy watery blisters and I'm sure there are more items that could be added to this list.
After looking at that huge list, remember that any one of those items could be just a simple issue and may not be a food allergy/sensitivity at all. 
I also read a blog by Cindy Baily at http://www.fertilekitchen.com/.  In her blog she mentions that wheat and dairy are two of the most difficult foods to digest.  She feels that they should be removed from the diet of someone trying to conceive.  This news just added to my decision to try a wheat free diet. (Personally I think it is best to try to remove only one item at a time for better results.)

So, it has been 2 weeks since I started avoiding wheat products.  In this time I have managed to a) get a period and b) feel less bloated.

These are just about miracle results for me.  I have had multiple dnc’s over the last 3 years and several attempts at chemical dnc’s with pretty much no luck in having a regular period.   This started just as I began to avoid wheat products.  The shocker for me was (believe it or not) that flour is wheat!    I feel incredibly dim witted not knowing that all purpose flour is a wheat product.  That made me feel as though pulling wheat out of my diet entirely (or at least 90+%) would be impossible.  I was at a local grocery store that has a great selection of gluten-free products and cookbooks and found lots of recipes online as well.  Fear not cupcakes and cereal are still on the menu.

The problem comes in when I realize how many carbs I’m ingesting in a single sitting because I’m on the search for carbs that are not gluten rich.   So now my new concern is making the gluten free diet fit in with healthy balanced meals throughout the day.  I’ll write back as I figure out more things. J

Jen

Video clip

I am so excited today to see that my fertility specialist, Dr. Sher was on the news out in Las Vegas. I wanted to share this clip with you all as well as suggest you listen to what Tracy, the mom to be on this clip, has to say about fertility treatments. :)  enjoy!

The Top 5 tips for dealing with the social difficulties of infertility.

I'm still in CA and still looking for work.  My husband and I have started looking into adoption and how it works here in Southern CA.  We are still planning to try IVF again, but it never hurts to have more than one option.  The last posting was quite a while ago and I found myself wondering if anyone was even the slightest bit interested in what I had to say.  I know, intellectually, that there are others out there who are suffering through this very same process, and naturally started to question whether it was just me who they weren't interested in hearing from. 

Yesterday I had a great conversation with a friend of mine who offered me some advice.  She suggested that I should keep writing even when I feel that I may have nothing to write about or even when I think no one is interested in what I have to say.  She gave me the much needed boost to prompt me to start writing again.  I sincerely hope that I can help at least one person through her time of need.

So, enough about me, let's talk about you.  What should you do when you think the world as you know it is coming to a halt and starts spinning in the other direction? 

First let’s talk about what that might mean to you.

1. Some of you may have family that is forever asking if you're pregnant yet.  They are usually well meaning and loving people who want the best for you but are just not aware how much pressure and hurt you feel every time you hear that question. 
2. Some of you may have just found out that a loved one has just gotten pregnant (either intended or not) while you are still "trying".  Many times this could lead to feelings of failure and wondering if the forces of life (whatever they may be) are trying to tell you something such as you shouldn't have kids or maybe you wouldn't be a good parent.  First off let me say THAT IS NOT THE CASE.  The mere fact that you are even thinking about the kind of parent you may be shows that you have the potential to be a GREAT parent.
3. Some of you may have just received the news that you are not able to conceive without help whether that be through IVF, IUI or some other means of assistance. 

I'm sure there are some other issues you may be dealing with that I did not include in my much abbreviated list but the following tips are for all of you. 

1. First and foremost take a few moments to stop and think about your current situation.  Is it something you can control or is it completely out of your hands?  Is there something you can do to alter the outcome in the future?  In the first example you can have a conversation with those who know that you are actively trying to get pregnant.  Let them know how you feel when you are asked such questions. Be sure that you are aware of your responses to the various questions and how you handle those situations.  If you know that sometimes you are fine with the questions but other times you are not, set up a way that works for everyone, such as letting them know that you will broach the subject instead of them.  In the second example you should also do a check in with yourself.  What are you feeling in regards to their pregnancy?  It's natural to feel hurt, angry, happiness for them yet sad for your own family.  Once you know how you are feeling about it then determine how you can respond to them without hurting their feelings or being untrue to your own.  If you are caught off guard with the announcement, remember that sometimes it is best to say nothing at all until you are sure how to handle the emotions you are feeling.  A simple "congratulations" would not be amiss.  Finally for those of you in the third example.  If you have just found out that you are not likely to conceive without some sort of assistance - DON'T PANIC.  It's going to be OK.  Read up on the topic and try not to rely on web pages, blogs etc.  Pick up a book and talk to your doctor.  If you can find a group to join or you can ask if you can just sit in one night to get an idea of what's going on.  Get past the shock of knowing it won't be easy and start walking on the path of "what can I do to help this along".  This really isn't the end; it's just the beginning of a new era. 
2. For all of you out there with any situation, educate yourself.  As I mentioned earlier do not just read what's posted on the Internet.  Not everyone has good intentions, not everyone is really interested in helping you the individual.  Some pages are all about selling the latest and greatest diet for infertility or the new pill that will magically make you fertile.  Some are all about preying on your emotions and trying to coerce you into purchasing more pregnancy tests or fertility tests (like that's a hard sell for those of us trying to conceive).  Pick up a book, you don't have to purchase it, you can go to your local library or read it in the bookstore and take a notebook with you to keep track of your last page and notes on items of interest. 
3. The easiest way to educate yourself is to ask your doctor. Find out what they recommend.  Some of them are not that educated on what options you may truly have when it comes to reproductive medicine so if your doctor is limited in his/her knowledge find a specialist.  And remember not all specialists are created equal.  Interview the specialist and ask questions there is a great list of questions in "Infertility for Dummies."  Remember that your doctors are not responsible for getting all of this information to you.  They can educate you only so much the rest is up to you.
4. I would like to mention that if you think you are the only one, remember that there are at least another 7 million women out there in the US alone with impaired ability to have children (based on 2002 statistics from the CDC) and approximately another 250,000 couples in Canada (based on figures from a 2001 report from the Parliamentary Research Branch Library of Parliament PRB00-32E).  You are definitely not the only one.  Your circumstances are likely not very different than someone else's.
5. Talk to your spouse or significant other.  Take the time to talk to each other about how you're feeling and what your plans and hopes are for the future.  Make sure you are on the same page, but don't stop talking about other areas of your life.  It is especially important to talk about mundane things like "hey I found 4 bucks in the laundry" and "did you see what the democratic candidate did on the news this morning?"  Don't forget you are more than a one dimensional being.  Like a diamond you have many facets and the more you have the more you sparkle and shine.

There it is the top 5 tips for socially dealing with infertility.  Hope it helps and I'll write again soon.

Jen

musings

I've been staying at a friend's house the last few weeks while I look for work here in CA.  I don't have cable or TV set up at home because I really feel that there are better things  I should be doing with my time.  Now that doesn't stop me from watching television programs online, just watching them at the specific time slot the network assigns.  So while here I was flipping through channels and saw some video footage on the news about a man who killed his child.  These people infuriate me.  The idea that you would shoot your own child is so appalling to me, I don't think that I ever really thought about it until that moment.  It saddens me to think that so many of us who would love and cherish our children, could we have them miss out on the opportunity to love and watch a child grow,while people like this man, can have all the children he wants and cares so little he kills his child.

Another moment of watching TV brought me to TLC.  This was an episode of "I didn't know I was pregnant."  First off that's kind of interesting, not to know you are pregnant, but I do know that it is possible.  What got me was that the woman had PCOS and told her husband that she couldn't get pregnant.  There is a big difference between "I can't get pregnant," and "it's not likely that I'll get pregnant."  OK so to those of you out there that are not quite sure how sane I am when I make a statement like that, I have to say it may be a question of semantics to you but to those of us struggling with hope it is worlds different.  To tell me I can't get pregnant is blatantly incorrect.  I've been pregnant, I've miscarried, I've given birth.  It is just more difficult for me to get pregnant without assistance. I think this episode may be misleading to those who either just found out they have PCOS, or have known and are still trying to understand what it means to them long term.  It might give them the idea that this one woman was special and it won't or can't happen to them.  that isn't necessarily true.  My doctors have been wrong about so many things with me they have stopped assuming what the problem is and have moved on to looking for definitive answers where they can find them.    Hope is out there for all of us.  These two instances of TV watching leads me to question if what my grandmother used to say is right... television rots the brain.  Good night to all of you and I hope to write again soon. 

Jen