Chinese Accupuncture

[Briss]

I have these two at the moment:

https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Fonda-C...42593&sr=8-12&keywords=jane+fonda+workout+dvd

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-W...41598&sr=8-12&keywords=jane+fonda+workout+dvd

the price is a bit ridiculous though they were 20 pounds when i got them

outfits and hairstyles are just so funny! and the moves as well, some of them make me laugh but I guess that's the whole point, I do not take it seriously and have a lot of fun and that's why I stick to it. they are structured quite cleverly so you can pick and chose which bits you want to do and mix and match aerobics and weight lifting exercises.

I also just ordered her very old ones but not sure they will work here (I'm counting on my DH's genius to make them play here somehow):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jane-Fonda...441598&sr=8-4&keywords=jane+fonda+workout+dvd

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JANE-FONDA...441598&sr=8-5&keywords=jane+fonda+workout+dvd

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jane-Fonda...441598&sr=8-6&keywords=jane+fonda+workout+dvd

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JANE-FONDA...41598&sr=8-11&keywords=jane+fonda+workout+dvd

they are all about 10 pounds each and I think any one of those is good but I like variety. If I remember the sequence it stops being fun so I change the routine (or simple forget as I do them like once a year...)

so that price is the same regardless as to where you go City or Prague? I am putting together all my notes and forms and just wonder whether i should send it to CR email address or the City one?

Just counted 30 grapes for a snack

 

[Blythe]

Brill thanks for links and recommendations.

Yes same price.

I love Fonda!! I'm going to get one or see if I can download from iTunes.

I had a handful of Brazil nuts today and a large number of herbal teas and miso soup to make it through the day. I went beyond hunger but then had chilli when I came home. Still I have eaten half of what I usually eat and I feel better. I will continue counting calories and hopefully see some resits soon.

 

[nobump]

You girls are doing great with your diets.

I'm not counting calories but made large pot of soup and been eating that for the past 2 days at lunch and with dinner. Dinner was soup and something. Slice quiche or a few chicken pakora. So probably blew calories with the something. Oh and jad some fruit cider last night.

Feel like AF is round the corner. Hoping it will come early. Want next month's to come earlier otherwise it will hit while we are away.

Dont really remember Fonda. Have got a dvd that Marteen from EE did a few years back which I like as it is split into 5 to 10 min sections so you can do all or warm up, any sections and cool down. Need to dig it out.

Xx

 

[Blythe]

Oh yes i remember Martine mccutcheon - i remember also borrowing an exercise video off a friend - it was Patsy off EE - it was actually really really good. It was set in a nightclub so should have been awful but i remember doing it for months!

I have been eying up some of the davina dvds - the new one is 7 minute sections but last years was 15 minute sections - it has lots of good reviews on amazon.

i have been doing this quite a bit and it works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGv6BM9YTRs

I feel like making a nice big pot of stew - it feels like it might snow today so soup would be perfect. I will trawl my new cookbooks later and make something new. this one looks pretty hearty:
https://ohsheglows.com/2012/11/30/black-bean-sweet-potato-and-red-quinoa-soup/

I woke up hungry this morning and that felt really good.....

 

[Blythe]

Briss - are you ok? I meant to say yesterday about your cycles that I'm so sorry that you won't be going over to Munich. I see you did manage a bd before ovulation which is good.

I wonder if the UK progesterone will be bettter suited to you. It was comforting to see that other lady who had the same issue with progesterone is now pregnant.

I know there are no silver linings but this extra couple of weeks will give you time to get down to your ideal weight ready for your pregnancy. It's going to be a good year briss and I know it will result in pregnancy for us.

 

[Briss]

I noticed a bit of weight loss this morning but hard to say whether this is real, it keeps going up and down but I need to stick to this diet for at least a month before making any conclusions. tomorrow will be two weeks.

I did some more aerobics and stretching today, and I actually felt more energetic. I was expecting to veg on my sofa all day after the exercise but instead I went out and walked for about 2 hours! I popped into H&M on my way back and bought a skirt size 12 I felt I needed to treat myself and also I think my limited wardrobe is becoming apparent in the office. I have literary been wearing the same 3 things since my IVF in August.

nobump, soups are the best food for losing weight so I am sure this will work. I have not seen Martine mccutcheon's dvd but any dance workout is fab I think

Blythe, that arms workout is great! My arms are a disgrace so flabby I do not know why but I tend to get most of my extra weight around tummy and arms.

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Red Quinoa Soup looks really good! have you made it? Unfortunately I do not really cook. I can only make super simple things. today we had greek salad and some smoked salmon it was cold but I was so hungry after my walk I found it super delicious

unfortunately we did not BD (it was a BJ but I put any ejaculation as BD on my chart so I know how often sperm gets "reviewed"). zero chance this cycle. even if we BD I am not sure it would make any difference because day 8 is just too early for things to grow/mature properly. am quite upset by the whole thing but I am trying to focus on my diet/weight loss to distract myself from what happened.

Dovkav was able to do natural IVF every cycle but I actually noticed that since she started he ovulation/EC moved to day 11/12. so I think it's similar to what I have it's just I ovulate on day 11 to begin with so it shifts even earlier to day 8 after progesterone. but I am convinced it's to do with progesterone or ET. I need to discuss it with somebody and make certain adjustment to my hormones after ET because I just can't miss out like that every other cycle. I am literally counting every egg at this point.

btw that other lady is pregnant with donor's help, so that does not really help my situation. but at least I know she was not able to proceed with natural IVF every month because of similar issue.

I may try UK progesterone, I still have a lot from my failed NHS cycle or maybe get a German one in Munich or maybe none at all because when I had EC with no eggs my LP was still 14 days so my body is able to produce progesterone after EC.

I have a moral dilemma. I friend of DH's was complaining to him the other day that I never visited their newborn. it's their second son and he is now 3 or 4 I think. It's hard cos it's DH's best friend but even then this visit will course unbearable pain to be sure and the recollection of this visit will torment me for many weeks to come. I do not visit my own friends' newborns leave alone Dh's friends. I probably come across as very unfeeling person but after the nervous breakdown I had last year after such a visit. I just can't do it to myself. and yet I cannot explain as none will understand or find my reasons justified because they are popping out babies like there is no tomorrow and just can't relate to my pain.

 

[Blythe]

Briss - i had not thought of that but you are absolutely right re progesterone - why bother at all as you have never had issues re prog have you? I think its a necessity with medicated IVF to help turn the tide of taking those shitty stims. That is one of the great things about working with natural cycles.

 

[Briss]

they told that when they do EC there is a possibility that the follicle won't be producing progesterone normally as in case with natural ovulation but I think i could ask if maybe worth while do progesterone blood test to check the levels and if they are low then add some progesterone. just something to discuss next time.

in stim cycles you get disbalance between oestrogen and progesterone: you get many follicles are producing oestrogen so there is a lot of it and then some of these follicles will not be producing progesterone and also some continue to grow and produce even more oestrogen. every time I had stims and did not take progesterone because there was no ET I had shorter LP, last time it was only 10 days. but in a natural IVF it must be more balanced.

DH did not push me at all, I told him I simply can't go because I won't be able to and he said it's fine but I just know his friend will think I am being really rule or I am trying to break their friendship or something like this. I have been telling DH that we will go visit them once I am safely pregnant but it's taking years ...

A friend just called me, I was dreading this call for days. She has a 4 year old and I find it hard so I never call her. last time we spoke was 1.5 years ago. I was afraid she will announce another baby and will ask about mine. we did talk about her daughter for a bit but mostly she wanted to hear about my life my career my travels and it turns out I have a good life I am so miserable in my TTC nightmare that I do not realise that actually compare to somebody who gave up her career to look after her child I have pretty interesting life. it's just seems so strange but I am happy we did not talk about things that cause me pain, things that really matter to me

 

[Blythe]

Vonn - i have been reading this book:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Fertility-Diet-Sarah-Dobbyn/dp/1847372007

you will see there are mixed reviews and i have to say i agree with some of the points raised in the more negative reviews. However, some useful stuff in there. You may already know all of this but i thought i would tap it out just in case.

i was reading the section on thyroid....

foods to optimise thyroid function:

calcarea carbonica
cayenne pepper
coconut
pure water
radish
sea veg/iodine [healthy level 500 mcg] - see below
thyroid glandular supplements
tyrosine - see below
zeolite - can be used to remove heavy metals from body
thyme
tempeh

foods to avoid:
stimulants
food and products containing iodine - see above
foods containing tyrosine - see above
cough and cold meds containing decongestants

there are caveats to above but too much to note here - im quite sure you have read most stuff about optimising thyroid function.

she also has a section on sunlight. I went on a mini fertility retreat a while back and one of the ladies recommended getting natural light for at least 20 mins a day - without glasses/contacts etc. i spend most of my working day in a windowless room and have short lunches. I also wear contacts - so a bit buggered on this front really. Its all linked to the pineal gland, melatonin, vit d intake etc Its hard to go and sit outside at lunchtime for 20 mins when its so darn cold!!

There is also a section on lunaception and circadian rhythm - it sounds fascinating really and i am going to try and find out some more.

How did the consultation go?

 

[Briss]

Just compared my average weight for last week vs this week and I lost about 260 gm in a week - how disappointing

 

[Blythe]

Hey Briss - do you feel better though? i hope you are not feeling too discouraged and you will keep up the great work. i retain weight for ages then it just goes quite quickly, well it usually does when i stick to a healthy reduced cal eating plan.

i had acu earlier - she felt my pulses and i would usually quiz her afterwards but i dont want to hear anything negative at the moment so i just kept quite and wait for the nice head massage at the end. I then went to TK Maxx and tried on some tops - the 3 way mirror was too much and i could see back fat! i left with nothing...

 

[Briss]

I can't say I feel better, my tummy looks much flatter which is great but otherwise it's the same. I feel good about aerobics and more energy after that. it's only been two weeks so I just need to carry on.

i decided to let myself eat what I want today so had my favourite poppy seed pastry, followed 4 cookies and chocolate. I will have chicken and salad for dinner and probably some more chocolate. will probably get to about 1400 calories but then it's fasting tomorrow

had reflexology at my local chinese place. not a pleasurable experience but I just feel so good afterwards like I got new feet.

a friend invited me for lunch but I just could not go, she had IVF at the same clinic and the same time as me but she ended up with twins and I with intra abdominal bleeding. I can't spend an afternoon steering at her bump thinking it could have been me

I love TK Maxx! but I know what you mean about the mirrors, i still have 1.5 kg to lose before I will be my old fatty self. can't believe how things changed after that last IVF.

I am gradually getting my head around the idea I probably won't have second child, there simply won't be time. even if I get pregnant this year I will have a child closer or after I am 40 so will start TTC for my second after 41. considering the first child is taking 5 years.... maths is terrible I started TTC thinking I want 3 children... and then maybe one more

 

[Briss]

I am already over 1500 calories and can't stop eating I guess seeing no weight loss did play on my mind, my motivation just can't stand against hunger when I see no result despite adding exercise. very disappointing. hopefully I can still carry on tomorrow with my fasting days.

 

[nobump]

Have you tried recording your measurements. Waist, breast, hips etc muscle is heavier than fat you may more toned.

Can appreciate not wanting to meet your fiend. Its hard for me seeing my new neice with my mum... as she should have the granchild I bore in her hands...

 

[Briss]

I was a bit of a pig yesterday and reached 1800 calories!!! woke up hungry. fasting today

nobump, I measured myself yesterday and my measurements have not changed since last November. not an inch

I am hoping that this is my body not letting go of the fat but at some point it will and I will finally start losing weight. but it could possible be that this diet just does not work for me and I need to go back to 800 calories a day on chocolate. don't want to do that yet as I still want to make the dieting work around my natural IVF so my eggs are still good.

 

[Vonn]

Hi ladies!

Blythe--You're so well read on this front. Any general food tips that were especially cool to learn? Thanks for mentioning the thyroid diet stuff, I appreciate it. Some I was familiar with, some I wasn't. I had to look up calcarea carbonica. Some also match up with the anti-candida diet I am trying to be very diligent about. It totally sucks and I am scared about how long I will have to be on it. I am also scared that I may pass the candida on to my DH and to a baby, this thought just crossed my mind the other day. I can say giving up dairy, gluten, alcohol, nearly all processed foods and added sugar could be an effective weight loss tool. It's also awful. I just want to eat ice cream and cookies sooo badly!

Briss--any chance you could not weigh yourself for awhile? Just focus on how the exercising & eating less makes you feel instead. If it's true you are exercising more and eating less, the pounds have to start coming off at some point. You are doing a great job of reasoning with yourself that this is indeed the case. You are right!

My DH and I went to the RE last Friday. The dr wasn't outright mean, but was more old-school than I care for. He gives very little credence to the tests and vitamins/supplements my integrative dr has ordered. I believe her way of looking holistically at the body is the medicine of the future, so when he basically dismissed her work, my thought was, "Here we go again..."

I figured he would push IVF big-time, but he suggested three cycles of medicated IUIs first. He said we'd counsel after that to discuss next steps, if unsuccessful. I think he wants to see how my body responds to stimulated egg production. He kind of knocked IVF (with my eggs) for someone my age with most likely poor egg quality. He said it's often tough to stimulate enough egg production & natural IVF is very expensive for the chances. He talked about IVF using donor eggs as a great option for people in our situation and I started crying. Awkward. That option needs processing time.

I asked him about my progesterone and also asked about the use of melatonin, dhea & if there are any aids for egg quality. He totally blew me off. Said I wasn't seeing the forest for the trees. I said my take on it is that if there is anything I can do to help my situation, I will. He basically said there's nothing I can do.

So basically according to him, the only treatments that do any good are those that men like him in white lab coats have come up with in the last 50 yrs. How very presumptuous of him. Didn't leave me with a great impression. Of course, DH liked him, thought he was no nonsense. DH also thought it was positive that he placed the IUI chances at 9%. It made me feel defeated as the flip side is 91% failure rate. Ugh. But they are covered by insurance so we should definitely take advantage. We'll start next cycle as he wants to redo CD 3 tests.

I'm really trying to feel positive, next steps and all. But it is hard. This sh*t is hard. Sorry for the rant, but I really needed to get this out. Thanks for listening.

 

[Briss]

Vonn, I think most women have candida. I am certainly one of them. in our almost 5 years TTC I never passed it to DH. I do not actually think you can pass this on, it's not an infection it's your own cells there are just too many of them. as far as I know you can only pass it to your baby during birth, it seems similar to herpes in that sense if you have an outbreak at that time they would probably recommend c section.

I just hate it when clinics start pushing donor eggs at women! this is outrages! they are only thinking about improving their success rates. to me this is usually the sign that I need to change clinics as they have run out of options and have no expertise to help with my situation. next!

certainly look into IUI (9% is not bad at all!) but if he is going to stimulate you for IUI then why not IVF? ladies over 40 can have excellent results with IVF. natural IVF is not cheap but as you can see from my experience you can always find clinics willing to do that cheaper abroad. I am very sorry he made you cry. they lose their sensitivity after working for years in this business. do not take it personally, you are fine and you can get pregnant. you just need help preferably from somebody who knows what they are doing.

I have to say that there is a part of me that agrees with your doc re supplements etc, they may play their small part but they are weak compared to other options. for example, me taking progesterone screwed my cycle big time - i am amazed how powerful these meds are so if they are used correctly you can get great results and fast. you won't get that with vitamins. I spent a lot of time about 2 years on vitamins, lifestyle changes, TCM etc but in some situations more drastic measures are required. IVF is not always the answer but certainly something to consider. I am happy you started the process. a lot of ladies get lucky on their first go. fingers crossed!

afm, I am raging today like a boiling kettle one annoying thought after another and before I know it I am so angry I can scream. everything angers me tonight. I think it's too much Yang - I was thinking about what happened with my cycle after taking progesterone and also remembered how Dr E was going to change my herbal treatment: from trying to nourish my Yin to trying to cool down my Yang which was supposed to help increase Yin. so this got me thinking that progesterone (basically Yang) must have really affected my poor Yin (because I must have too much Yang and made it even worse by taking even more Yang in a form of progesterone) which is deficient to begin with - early ovulation is always a sign of deficient Yin so here you are mystery solved. I must have too much Yang and made it even worse by taking even more Yang in a form of progesterone. It makes perfect sense to me but obviously any western doctor will think this some kind of voodoo non-sense

I was properly fasting all day, had nothing but one cappuccino until about 8 pm. had plenty of chicken broth and chicken for dinner. chicken broth is so tricky in terms of calories I am not sure I got it right. I put it at about 40-60 calories per cup. hopefully I did not exceed my 500 today.

researching clinics in Spain. people seem happy with the quality of service and standards are higher than in the UK but it's not as cheap as CR or Germany and they are not super keen on natural IVF.

 

[Vonn]

Thank you, Briss! That was reassuring. I agree with you about the power of western medicine treatments, but I also think if other things (acu, vitamins, herbs, etc.) can help in small ways, all the better. I'm happy to add a bunch of small helps onto the big guns.

I'm not really in a position to fire this dr. Not yet, at least. I have fired 5 drs in the past year and a half, so if I say I don't want to go back to this one my DH will think I've gone off the deep end. It's the first appt he's been to and he liked the guy well enough. I'm glad he was there, but even so he still doesn't get how difficult it is to hear that your chances of having your own baby are very low.

I so look forward to the day when I can prove all these dang drs wrong!!!

nobump and alison--how are you two?

 

[alison29]

Hi Guys,
I am good got af the other day. I think i am going to do some femara cycles since relaxing isn't getting me anywhere. I think it could help me with my wacko hormones since IVF isn't in the cards for me I want to do something. I may also do some acupuncture though but not sure. The place i can use my medical reimbursement card doesn't say it treats infertility on website but I am hoping that they do anyway.

Briss it could also be the fasting causing mood swings maybe?

I have to travel for work next week and leave my kids for four nights it's the first time ever and I am depressed about it. Kind of a bad mood. I am going from sunny Florida to the midwest and it's dead winter there.

Vonn, Just stick with the old guy and do what you need to do on the side. I have a hard time trusting doctors too. Yesterday my dermatologist told me she promised i would get clear skin if I used the medications the way she told me to. I quit using them because they caused a big breakout. Now I have to trust that she knows best and use products that are going to make my skin horrible before it gets better. It really sucks but Idk what else to do but now i get to go thru my skin trying to readjust again and looking bad.

 

[TTC4+yrs]

Hi All,

I have been reading through this thread and decided to share my experience. My husband and I have been TTC for almost 10 years now, we are both Unexplained and I have never been pregnant.

After MANY failed fertility treatments we decided to look at other options. I now see my Chiroprator every Wednesday (have been for almost 3 years) and my acupuncturist every tuesday (5th month). When we first met with the Doctor, he told me more about our situation in the 2 hours he spent with us then any feritility clinic/doctor had in all of the visits / meetings / treatments - and believe me, there was SEVERAL .

I started with just the acupunture as I felt I needed to gain the trust of the doctor and the clinic. The acupuncture took me 3 rounds before I got it, and I mean GOT IT. On the fourth treatment I actually fell asleep. (Huge difference from after my 3rd treatment when I walked into my kitchen and my husband asked how it was and I started to sob and tell him it was torture!) Every since then, I am so excited on Tuesday knowing I get to go. After about 1 month of Acu, I decided I would start adding in the vitamins recommended (for myself and my husband) - they have actually helped.

Then it came to the herbs, it took me a while to really trust them to start taking these weird, VILE herbs but I realized I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I started the herbs and I am amazed at how different everything is... My sleep, my anxiety and stress, my periods, my ovulation.. My husband started taking his herbs because he saw the changes in me. He no longer has the anxiety (was so bad that he was vomiting every morning).

I have been taking the herbs to 2 months now and will continue to do so, I am not pregnant BUT I do believe that by doing what I am doing that I WILL get my BFP!

I just thought I would share

xo