I have hesitated to share my news with the group, as I know how receiving someone else’s good news feels. However, I believe my struggles and success may help others and therefore I share with you today. I am almost 9 weeks pregnant. (Laura gave birth to a baby girl in September 2000 and then did another cleanse and had a baby boy in 2004) If you bear with me, I’ll share my story as best I can. These are her words.
My dh and I are both 35 now and have been ttc #1 for 2 years. We have/had unexplained infertility. I did see an infertility specialist (RE: Reproductive Endocrinologist) after 6-9 months without success. When I first started seeing the RE I had little knowledge of my own body or general reproduction. I am in the health field (dietitian), however and therefore understand basic medicine. We did the usual tests.
Hormones, checked for anemia, thyroid and other unusual labs. Everything was normal. My dh also did a standard sperm analysis and this, too, was normal. It was then suggested we do an HSG (dye test to see if my tubes were clear). We did it and it, too, was normal. My cycles were deemed regular (29-31 days always) and to the best of my knowledge I always ovulated. My weight has always been good, I routinely exercise. I eat a generally good, mostly vegetarian diet.
So, it was then determined that we had unexplained IF. At this point, my RE suggested Clomid. I asked why and she said, it could boost my ovulation, provide a stronger egg(s). I hesitated, but decided to try. First cycle, nothing. So, then the RE upped the dose the second month and I began to have my doubts. But, combined with this second cycle, my RE thought that an IUI (Intrauterine insemination) would be worth a try. She had determined I had a slightly narrow cervix and possibly giving the sperm a push (they inject with a syringe) may help. This, too, didn’t work.
Third cycle of Clomid, we did another IUI and this too, produced no results. This was really weighing on me now, as I really doubted the effects of Clomid, since I ovulate on my own and that’s it’s main purpose (to produce ovulation). I admit I did not pray enough about this course of treatment. But, after three trials I knew I would do no more. I began my research and realized the potential long term consequences of Clomid and I wished I had never tried it. We ended up completing 5 IUI’s (three with Clomid, two without).
None of them ever worked. This is someone that should not have problems getting pregnant.
At this point, the RE began to lose options. She said the next option would be injectables (strong fertility drugs) or In-vitro fertilization. She said, “I don’t know what to do for an unexplained IF.” This is when I/We said, enough. This is not the way for us to go. We prayed and I said, there has got to be a better way. I told my RE I needed a break and didn’t really go back, except for an annual pap.
This is when things began to change. I still do not know how I found this list and Brenda (I believe it was divine intervention), but nevertheless I did and it has made all the difference. Brenda doesn’t ask for praise and actually down plays it when it happens. But, I must say, she and her knowledge led me to take charge, research on my own, discuss options and keep trying. She has been my teacher, my cheerleader, my motivator, my friend, my prayer partner and I can only thank God for her. Ladies, listen to her, God works through her. She’s a blessing to me………..
Now, to what I learned and did. Despite my diet, I struggled with constipation. She started me on Herbal Fiberblend™ and this is a wonderful product that did a great cleanse for me and regulated my bowels. Can’t speak highly enough about it. It doesn’t taste great, but mixed in a morning smoothie and you hardly know it. Next, I added Barleygreen™. I drink this every morning first thing (3T). I reduced my white flour and sugar content even further and kept adding more live food on a daily basis and this too aided the constipation and overall health.
I also added better fats to my diet through nuts, seeds and flax oil. These EFA‘s are critical. I also began juicing carrots especially and can’t sing these praises enough. Somewhere along here I added my soy/fruit shakes daily in the AM, as I’ve mentioned in the past. I also found the book TCOYF (Taking Charge of Your Fertility) and this educated me completely on the reproductive system and helped me learn about my own body. Buy it. I had already been taking my temp and tracking my cycles, but I continued to do so. (Very important–do it).
Through this, I confirmed that I indeed ovulate every month, but noticed I had a delayed thermal shift. Took a few days for my temp to rise after ovulation. I also noticed that my cervical fluid was not as it should be. The book explains all this as does the booklet in the Fertility Tracker saliva monitor.
I’d like to say, I didn’t figure all of this out at the same time. Just when I’d think I figured something out, try to fix it, I only then realized maybe it was something else. This was the biggest struggle for us. We just could not pinpoint the exact problem, in essence we had no problems, yet I couldn’t get pregnant. The more and more I read, and talked with Brenda, we couldn’t quite figure it out. So, we tried different things, only to wonder if I was jumping around too much from one regimen to another. I tried herbs such as Vitex, vitex elixir and dong quai. I’d like to add, Brenda was not the one trying to jump me around, I was the one seeking the knowledge, attempting to try. I can say, I fee lI have been fairly patient throughout this ordeal, otherwise I would have jumped more strongly on the medical route with the doctor.
I/We stepped back and slowed down. Yet, in reflection, there were moments I was less patient than I could have been. I even tried an estrogen patch that worked for someone else in the group (since gone) and this was horrible as it messed up my cycle. I do not recommend this course and it’s not natural, but not as medicinal as clomid. But, ladies, use my experience and avoid it. I won’t even go into the reasons I tried it, they ended up being wrong. I admit, I have made mistakes along the way, but through prayer and better knowledge, I waited my turn and I/We were blessed.
To help the CM: I tried B6, bee pollen, Robitussin, beta carotene supplements, and licorice root. I can tell you, FOR ME, none of these worked. I continue the bee pollen due it’s complete protein content but not for the CM. What ended up helping my CM was black and blue cohosh, that helped M (doesn’t want her name mentioned but you can see her testimony), too. But, again, talk to Brenda before trying.
To help my overall cycle, even though it was regular, I did straight vitex. I do believe this is helpful for me, rather than the elixir. I think it may have helped with making the ovulation stronger. Since I noticed the delayed thermal shift, we felt the vitex may help, since a weak ovulation may make it harder for the temp to rise. Again, this is a theory, there is very limited, more like nothing, written on ‘delayed thermal shift’. I also added red raspberry leaf tea (This great advice came from a girl Linda, who has left the list but wanted to give her some credit. She helped me a bit a few months ago). I drink cool everyday to help relax my uterus. To also help the thermal shift, I wore eye blinders during my cycles except for days 13-15 when ovulation was due. Too much light early in your cycle may disrupt ovulation. So, when ovulation was due, I took off the blinders and either slept with the curtains open to let in the moon or used a night light. This is when you DO want light. I think this may have helped, too.
I went through periods of trying many different vitamin combinations, only to feel I was the pill queen. I’ve gone back and forth on their worth. The processing is the key. Most are junk. I believe the best are made from wholefoods. But, for the most part, I take very few now, even prenatals, as I drink BG (Barleygreen™) and use nutritional yeast and bee pollen in my AM shake and eat and juice well.
So, in the end, I used straight vitex, black and blue cohosh, eye blinders, BG,HFB, raw juice, Soy/fruit/flax/yeast/bee pollen shakes and red raspberry leaf tea. My successful cycle had the best thermal shift ever (day after O as it should be), however it wasn’t the best CM I ever had, but enough to do the trick. I can’t say I can pinpoint exactly what worked this particular month as it’s not that clear cut, but I do feel this regimen created the most beneficial situation for me.
Also, I must give the most credit where it is due. My Lord, Jesus Christ can make all things possible. And, throughout this period I gained comfort in this. This was VERY hard most of the time and I/We do not deny it. But, I/We just kept praying, elicited others to pray for us and kept the faith. But for some reason, we were meant to have this trial and it has made us stronger. Brenda’s and others faith’ helped us as well. The more and more I researched and studied with Brenda, the stronger I felt about utilizing God’s natural ways.
And, I AM PROOF THAT IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!! Ladies, it can. It’s easy to go the traditional/medical route, but believe me it doesn’t always work. Really, it only works 30-40% of the time and the numbers go down fast after age 30 and dramatically after age 40. Don’t let the Docs make you think otherwise. Reality is, it doesn’t work more often than it does. That’s no matter what course of action you try. Besides, you could try it with no luck and still end up with cancer down the road. Or worse, it works, you have a baby and then die 10 years after he/she is born. Seems dramatic, but I’m not convinced I’m far off the mark. God led me to this verse and I held tight to it. Philippians 4:6 “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for the answers.” Right there, was the answer all along. M reminded me of this on a few occasions. She’d say to me “Don’t worry, remember God told you”. Yes, I had my doubts, I am human, too. But, I thank the Lord, he has blessed us fully. And, you bet, I’m proud I did it naturally. I went in to my RE a few weeks ago and she confirmed with a blood test, that I indeed was PG. and she said “you’re trying to make me look bad”. But she chuckled and you know what? She said……… send me your info on vitex and your other herbs!!!…….. I call that POWER……….. more like Brenda power!!! Blessing to all you ladies……… I carry your burdens. Please hold strong to what YOU think is right. I’m glad I did. Laura
Laura, her husband and their 1 year old daughter flew in to meet us and it was so lovely to be able to meet one of “my babies.” Since then we have met many of the children of the parents we met and it is worth all the time we put into this website and our support group.
A sad fact is that Laura’s friend, who had told her about Clomid, got ovarian cancer from too many rounds. She gave birth to twin daughters before she died in 1999.
Laura and her husband were truly an “against all odds” testimony in overcoming infertility naturally. She now has 2 beautiful, healthy children and continues on a very active, full of juice and Barleygreen lifestyle. We continue our contact and friendship.
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