The Infertility Cure - Page 5

[mamimapster]

I'm 7DPO, but fairly cirtain I'm not pregnant I though maybe because I've been verrry sleepy/napping every chance I get, but yesterday/todayI've had pre-AF signs (sore back, light spotting etc.)I'm still tyring to keep to the diet though, and this marks two weeks of no coffee (other that a small cup of decaf here and there), and none at all in the past week. I did cheat with a small ice cream sundae fri night, and a root beer float last night. I did cut out the maple syrup on my oatmeal though, so maybe one balances out the other I do feel better on the diet, and some of my pre-AF signs are lower than usual. I've never made it past 11dpo without AF though:

[OTMomma]

Leslie- Glad you had a great time camping. Have fun grocery shopping.

mamimapster- Have you considered progesterone cream? Starting to spot at 7dpo is usually due to low progesterone (I bet you had Kidney Yang def?) They make some with wild yam root that is supposed to be good, I think the book even recommended it. I keep debating doing it myself, probably will next month.

[OTMomma]

I am doing as good as I can with the diet. I haven't avoided the wheat or dairy like a food allergy would- a little has found its way in (like breaded chicken), but I think I'm doing really good. And I can tell I feel better. Sugar is still hard, but I'm eating way less than I was, so that's something.

I can't wait until I get back to my own home so I can cook again, and try the foods you all keep suggesting. I love the recipes!

[mamimapster]

Originally Posted by OTMomma

Leslie- Glad you had a great time camping. Have fun grocery shopping.

mamimapster- Have you considered progesterone cream? Starting to spot at 7dpo is usually due to low progesterone (I bet you had Kidney Yang def?) They make some with wild yam root that is supposed to be good, I think the book even recommended it. I keep debating doing it myself, probably will next month.

You are totally right about the Kidney Yang, I answered almost every question for Kidney Yang with a Yes- I've already been Dx'ed with low progesterone and short Luteal phase, and have been taking daily progesterone in the 2nd half on my cycle for the pst three months. Mayyybe (very slim chance) the spotting was implantation: I've eaten almost two whole pineapples in the past week (a little every day) . After reading TIC I asked my clinic (Chicago Women's health center- they totally ROCK), about the cream and they explained that the way I was using it was more "direct"- My script is for a natural progesterone, not a synthetic which as I've been told causes all kinds of side effects-the natural cream, and the script don't-I've never had any side effects from it, however it hasn't stopped the midcycle spotting and short luteal phase either- well, if this month didn't work next month were on to clomid (continuing the actupuncture, diet, lack of coffee and chocolate.

[Dena]

Originally Posted by OTMomma

I am doing as good as I can with the diet. I haven't avoided the wheat or dairy like a food allergy would- a little has found its way in (like breaded chicken), but I think I'm doing really good. And I can tell I feel better. Sugar is still hard, but I'm eating way less than I was, so that's something.

Sugar is so hard, because it seems to be in EVERYTHING. Yipes. I am not eating sugary snacks (thank goodness for seasonal fruits!), but I know I am still getting some sweeteners in crackers, bread, and cereal. Other than cutting those things out and going to an entirely whole foods diet - which is more of a challenge than I am up for personally - I just don't see how we can completely cut sugar.

It sounds like you are doing great, Laura. And it must be doing something if you are feeling better! AND, I don't think a little here and there is going to completely destroy all your other hard work.

I am doing a 7-day detox right now, just in case there are any drugs left from our last three IVFs before we head into our FET in Sept. I am sooo tired, but I noticed my feet have been warm for the last two days! There is both spirulina and chlorella, as well as wheat grass, in the detox mix, so I am thinking I need to go get some supplements!

[OTMomma]

Mamimapster- That's a shame that the progesterone hasn't helped so far. I'll send you lots of good thoughts that it is implantation!

Dena- That detox sounds really neat. I hope it leaves you feeling refreshed and wonderful! Thanks for the encouraging words-

[Dena]

Ok, now I'm confused...

I thought it would be a fine idea to go back and re-take the tests in the book to see if anything has improved... ha, silly me. :

Now I think I have BOTH kidney Yang and Yin deficiencies, in addition to the spleen. Is this possible? I am answering yes to about a third of both categories, but what confuses me is that some of the advice appears to be a little conflicting - i.e., warming foods with cinammon and ginger for Kidney Yang, but avoiding dry, pungent spices or anything too spicy for Kidney Yin. Am I totally overthinking this? Are ginger and cinnomon not dry or pungent? AAAAGH!!

I would totally appreciate any insights y'all might have...

(BTW, I found some yummy tea at Trader Joe's - organic decaf chai green tea, with cinammon, ginger, and anise. Tasty!)

[mamimapster]

Originally Posted by Dena

(BTW, I found some yummy tea at Trader Joe's - organic decaf chai green tea, with cinammon, ginger, and anise. Tasty!)

I'm not sure, as I didn't think is was possible to be both Yin and yang def, but the spleen does make sense, if I remember correctly when the Kidney yang is deficient it can borrow energy from the spleen. Also the tea sounds great, and is all things I'm supposed to have. However, is the anise taste strong? I loathe the taste of anything "licoricy" and anise flavoring =licorice in my universe.

[Dena]

I did find a section in the book where old ladies like me often are deficient in both yin and yang in the kidneys. I take some comfort in the fact that the symptoms I have pointing to that appear to be the milder ones, and not the "classic pattern" she talks about for aging women. The spleen, I think, is my biggest issue, and I believe something to concentrate on in my next energy healing session on Thursday. It makes sense that the spleen could take energy from the kidneys, so if I can get that calmed down, the kidneys may well follow.

I am drinking the tea right now, and I don't think the anise taste is terribly strong - it is star anise, which I think is a little milder than regular anyway. The predominant flavors are ginger and cinnamon. Of course, I don't mind anise, so maybe it is just that. If you like typical chai you would probably like it. I am missing the sugar I usually put in tea, though.

I have been talking to my baby to be recently, telling him (don't know why, not a preference, just think its a him) that I hope he appreciates all this!

[OTMomma]

Dena- that tea sounds neat!

Well, my AF is at least a little improved this month, only 1.5 days of spotting before flow started, instead of 4 days of spotting like last month. And the flow seems improved in quality (sorry if TMI) red instead of pink. So that's something.

[Dena]

Awesome, Laura! That is great to see so much improvement so fast!

[lesliesara63]

Well I've been eating much better, still cheating a bit but a heck of a lot better than a month ago. This week I made a yummy corn/black bean/pepper salad & dh decided to add quinoa to it. Also I'm going for my first acupuncture appt on Tuesday. How sick is it to be excited about getting needles stuck in me! How is everyone else doing?

[Dena]

Oooh, have you ever had acupuncture before? You are in for a treat! I thought the same thing, but you don't feel the needles at all and you feel soooo good afterwards. I always told my acupuncturist that if I ever won the lottery I was going to keep him on personal retainer so I could have appts ever day!

Doing good here, though a friend brought over some Fig Newmans today, so I did cheat and ate one. Yum. Oh, and then there was the "I'm feeling sorry for myself because I have a headache and have to work and don't want to stick to this stupid diet because I'm probably not pg anyway" McDonald's breakfast on Monday. I felt pretty sick after that one.

[CorbinsMama]

Leslie,

Accupuncture is soooo wonderful! Every single time I almost fall asleep and I feel so good afterward.

I had accupuncture on Friday and finally got my Lupron period on Saturday, so things are moving along. He has been hitting all the recommended points in the book. The point right below my belly button for bringing blood to the uterus bled a lot when he took out the needle, so it was really working!

[OTMomma]

Leslie- enjoy your accupuncture session! I haven't tried it yet, but that might be something to try next month (too crazy right now).

I felt very depressed and stressed the other day and considered falling off the program all together. It had largely to do with the fact that I felt like my period was never going to end. I had a really light scant period early June, and the July one was much heavier and longer. I am guessing that is due to the diet and accupresser I've been doing, thankgoodness the period did finally end. I'm like Leslie, my diet isn't perfect, but its much better than it was. I'm also trying to take Royal Jelly daily, and I got a thing of progesterone cream to try later this cycle- since she mentions she recommends those for all her patients.

Dena- isn't it a shame that you can't really enjoy having a treat, as our bodies get used to this diet, other foods make us sick. I hate that.

[lesliesara63]

How is this for a romantic date? We gorged ourselves on Mexican food & margaritas's. OK that is the bad part. The good part was that we then went to Whole Foods! Very exciting since I live in Canada and the closest WF is 4 hrs away. Its so much fun to browse in that grocery store. Although my Canadian grocery has lots of natural products there are just so much more available in the US. Anyways I purchased some Yogi Dong Quai tea and was interested in what I read about it here:http://www.primary.net/~gic/herb/donquai.htm Don't know if it helped but I had been drinking 2 cups a day since Monday and when AF came on Friday my cramps were much more manageable. I also used my TENS machine immediately so that might be it. It tastes good though. I also bought some Impatiens from Bach Flower Remedies. I'll let you know how it works. Anyways I definitely need to cross the border more often to shop there.

[fierrbugg]

Hi All!!

Oh my goodness, you don't even know how glad I am to see this thread!! I have been looking online all day (literally) for ttc naturally posting boards. Seriously this is the first one I've found that seems to have an agenda anywhere close to mine. Of course it doesn't hurt that I'm currently reading The Infertility Cure. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. LOL.

Anyway, my name is Tiara, and I'm a newbie. Dh and I have been married for 5 yrs, not really ttc the entire time, but doing nothing to stop it either. I was dx w/ pcos in 02/2002, had a mc in 2000 - and the rest is a big old mess. LOL. Suffice it to say that with the help of herbs/supplements I've managed to get my cycles to around 35 days (down from 60-100+) and am now looking into TCM. We haven't actively ttc since 2004 - when after months of frustration (and years of glucophage-yuk), we finally just gave up. We're now looking at our first month of actively ttc and temping and everything that entails.

I hope I've found my niche.

~Tiara

[OTMomma]

Leslie- that is great that AF was better this month! That's a step in the right direction!

Tiara- Welcome! This board is an awsome source of information and support. There are people here doing everything natural (so far I'm in that group) and there are those who are doing everything up to and including IVF- but I've found everyone here to be respectful of the fact everyone's path is different. There are a lot of different group threads over in Trying To Concieve, and I'm sure you'd be welcomed into whichever one you feel you fit. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat.

[fierrbugg]

Laura - Thanks for the welcome. I did check out the ttc board. I posted in the ttc 1 month, but the posts that appeared after mine seemed a little different of a mind set than what I have. not in a bad way of course - other than that they are so optomistic, bless their hearts. It's not that I'm grumpy about ttc, but infertility (of any kind) changes the way you look at things, I think. Not bad, just different. I'll see how it goes though and if I don't feel that I fit, I'll just switch groups. LOL.

Thanks again for the welcome!!

You asked way up at the top of this thread how reading the book has changed people's lives. For me I have started to eat better, because after taking the test in Ch 3 (?) - I realized how completely OUT of control my body is. My hormones are insane. I think I scored above 25% on 6 areas. Clearly I need to make a change. I did call a TCM practice today to see what it would entail. Turns out they require a 3 month commitment (sounds fair, right?) and about $440/mo. Something to think about of course. It also sounds like some of the supplements the dr would recommend I'm already taking. So, that's good, right? Anyway, quite an eye openner.

[mamimapster]

Wow! where are you that going to a practitioner would be 440 per month-how many appointments does that entail? I'm going to a TCM college near me for acupuncture (they do herbs/consults etc.) and acupuncture sessions are 30.00. I was seeing someone earlier last year-not affiliated and it was 75.00 per session with 2-3x per month sessions.