At the age of 25 I suddenly gained 60 pounds in about 6 months. Easy: hypothyroid...a little thing called Hashimoto's syndrome. A little blue pill each day...no big deal. I weighed 200 pounds on my wedding day in 1998. Then the carpal tunnel started, and losing the feeling in my finger tips when I was driving, I couldn't sleep at night for the pain, and gradually developed more pain in the toes and ankles, and occasionally in other joints. I saw a battery of specialists and still no official diagnosis....most likely a form of rheumatoid arthritiis or lupus that would deteriorate my joints over time. Tried a cocktail of drugs to treat the symptoms and very little helped until August 2008, when I tried Prednisone. It made me feel invincible, but strung out, weepy, easily upset, etc.
A little over a year ago I started seeing a naturopath recommended to us by colleagues who had also experienced infertility. Within 3 months, I had reduced all the swelling in my body. I'm at 182 pounds now and feel better than I have in a long time. I've changed my eating habits, and have been trying a combination of acupuncture and herbal remedies. The naturopath then said that I'd be pregnant within the year. I'm not.
I don't know why I'm suddenly making the leap to the fertility clinic. It's probably because of the large tick-tock sound in my head that seems amplified around the time of my birthday. Our benefits cover a certain portion of the treatments. But the invasiveness seems to oppose the natural approach I've been taking to the rest of my health.
I wish I could get my head in the game for tomorrow's first consultation. I think I'm philosophically and psychologically uncomfy with most of the treatments, but I feel helpless and more desperate day-by-day. I wish I could just be happy with the other blessings in my life....but I still want another baby and I think I'd always regret not trying the clinic approach, if I didn't go.
Wish me luck.
You have to at least try, Alanna! No, it's not the way any of us, who are having problems, want to get pregnant, but if it could give us a bundle of joy, we have to go for it!
ReplyDeleteI've changed my diet,too. I've been reading up a lot on nutrition, even taking a course, and I'm steering clear from any processed food. Yep, I've gone all traditional, where I make everything from scratch. Nothing with additives or preservatives. I'm eating grass fed meat, whole fat, unpasteurized dairy. I cook with only butter, coconut oil and olive oil. I eat some protein at every meal, and only whole grain carbs with veggies topped with butter. I know, you're thinking, but that's so fatty. My response: I'm not gaining weight, I'm actually losing weight (5lbs in a month). I'm less hungry. I eat less because the protein and natural fats curb your appetite (I can only manage one serving). I'm getting all the proper nutrients. The body needs fat (NOT vegetable oils!) to absorb the fat soluble vitamins like A, D and E and to aid in digesting protein. I can't describe the boost of energy I now have, and...and, I'm in a better mood! I'm less weepy, irritable and negative. Staying away from sugar (the occasional treat is fine), refined flour and industrial food feels great! To read more I first recommend, Nina Planck's, "Real Food: what to eat and why" and "Real Food: for mother and baby".
bon courage ma puce!!