Preparing Your Body

[crystal443]

I take Prenatals, Folic acid, B12 injections, EPO, Maca, quit smaoking about a year and a half ago, I do have caffiene It is evil...however I can't seem to wean my self off I don't drink and we try to eat as healthy as possible..that's about all really..Hubby is on a low dose of Effexor, he had anxiety from his job about 5 years ago and ended up going on them but his doctor told him to stay on the low dose and wean off once we get pregnant. That was two years ago so he'll wean off at some point

 

[Suki73]

I take Prenatals, Folic acid, B12 injections, EPO, Maca, quit smaoking about a year and a half ago, I do have caffiene It is evil...however I can't seem to wean my self off I don't drink and we try to eat as healthy as possible..that's about all really..Hubby is on a low dose of Effexor, he had anxiety from his job about 5 years ago and ended up going on them but his doctor told him to stay on the low dose and wean off once we get pregnant. That was two years ago so he'll wean off at some point

Hi Cyrstal, I've been hearing about Maca, what is it??

Props to you for giving up the ciggies!!!

Coffee is the worst - I love everything about it, the smell, the taste, the effects, the ritual, the paraphernalia (I have about 4 different coffee pots). I really am like a junkie. But I haven't had a cup since Friday, and counting...

I don't think your husband being on Effexor should make any difference - as far as I'm aware it has no effect on sperm production, it's more to do with the uterine environment and the developing foetus being exposed to it over time. If the Effexor works for your husband he's probably better off on them. I'm not one of these people who thinks SSRI's are a bad thing; they've done wonders for me in the past, really improved my coping and quality of life. My OH is on St. John's Wort and he finds that very effective at dealing with mild anxiety. You can't combine them though, it's one or t'other.

 

[velo]

Velo, Suki, are you actually receiving counselling for your depression as well as medication?

I am seeing a psychiatrist about once a month for CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) Thanks for the reminder I should call and see if he is doing appts again - recently he was in an accident so he cancelled indefinitely.

 

[velo]

Velo, I'm worried about coming off meds too. I have made 2 or 3 attempts to come off them over the past five years or so and each time the return of symptoms has made me go back to my maintenance dose. I agree about untreated depression/anxiety being worse for ttc - stress is one of the biggest factors in failing to conceive for a lot of people, I'm convinced. And stress hormones are arguably as harmful to a foetus as anti-D meds. It really is a question of taking it slowly and doing whatever you can to avoid depression recurring. I find exercise works wonders, it's like taking a happy pill But I have to overcome my natural laziness first.

My BMI is about 19.5 - 20 too and have suffered with underweight in the past, which really adversely affects fertility. My BMI has dropped to about 16.5 on occasion (directly linked to depressive episodes). I also had an ED in my late teens which caused my periods to stop completely for about a year. Thankfully I recovered completely from that, but I occasionally wonder whether it has had any lasting effects on my reproductive system.

I feel well at my current weight, however, and I know I'm eating enough good stuff. It is slightly alarming how much weight I lose when I stop tippling, it really makes me feel I've been overdoing it

Chocolate is another matter though

Hi Suki,
I had come off meds entirely before starting TTC and I had a relapse not long afterwards. I don't think the stress of TTC helped any on that Yes exercise is a good happy pill but yes there's the overcoming inertia - and you usually have to do it before it sets in too bad, then there's no overcoming the laziness. It helps now that its summer and nice weather for outdoor activities.

I've become too thin during depressive episodes too, but when I was single. Now my hubbie makes sure to feed me well. For me its more that I don't feel like preparing food for myself when depressed but if you put it in front of me I'll eat it

Let me know what you are doing to try to get off the meds successfully. I am focussing on eating lots of fresh fruit and veg (as much organic as I can - I feel I am sensitive to pesticides, food additives, etc.), trying to get regular exercise, getting b12 injections (they seem to help a bit), my GP gave me some homeopathic remedy that is supposed to help, going for CBT, trying to learn how to meditate, doing yoga, and getting acupuncture (I find it has immediate feel good benefits but seems to not last as long as I would like) - but reading books on acupressure so I can do something myself when I am tense. I'm reading a good book now Full Catastrophe Living that uses a mindfulness meditation approach to dealing with life's stresses.

I find winter when its grey and rainy the worst - so I think this year I'll try a SAD full spectrum light.

 

[NorthStar]

Velo, Suki, are you actually receiving counselling for your depression as well as medication?

I am seeing a psychiatrist about once a month for CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) Thanks for the reminder I should call and see if he is doing appts again - recently he was in an accident so he cancelled indefinitely.

No worries, was a bit concerned that Suki's doc has been writing her a script for anti-depressants for 6 years without referring to anyone to treat the actual cause for the depression, anti-depressants are great but they are not supposed to be the sole answer.

 

[radiochic]

Hi ladies! I'm new here and so grateful this site exists! I'm 38-my husband is 36 & we just got married this past Valentine's day. Neither of us has been married before, no kids. I've never been pregnant-never tried to be before. I've been on the pill since I was 19-as I'm allergic to asprin/ibuprofen and my cramps used to be unbearable before & my period was all over the place. Since I'll be 39 in Sept-I've basically been on the thing 20 years...so I don't even know what to expect coming off of it. This Sunday is the last of the pack & we're gonna hope for the best after that!

I had no idea what to do to 'prepare' except try to ween myself off of caffeine. I only have 1 cup of coffee a day-but maybe 3 diet cokes. Is it ok to just have the one cup of coffee? I've tried to totally quit-but the migraine headaches are blinding-even without having tons of caffeine in a day.

When I asked my Dr. what vitamins to take because I'd heard Folic Acid was good, she said "Just a multi-vitamin." That just doesn't seem enough... I saw people here say they take that-are there any side effects? Does your Doc recommend that? And I saw some ladies talk about a B vitamin too? And what is Guaifenesin? Sorry to be so clueless, but I appreciate your help/advice SO much!

 

[NorthStar]

Hi ladies! I'm new here and so grateful this site exists! I'm 38-my husband is 36 & we just got married this past Valentine's day. Neither of us has been married before, no kids. I've never been pregnant-never tried to be before. I've been on the pill since I was 19-as I'm allergic to asprin/ibuprofen and my cramps used to be unbearable before & my period was all over the place. Since I'll be 39 in Sept-I've basically been on the thing 20 years...so I don't even know what to expect coming off of it. This Sunday is the last of the pack & we're gonna hope for the best after that!

I had no idea what to do to 'prepare' except try to ween myself off of caffeine. I only have 1 cup of coffee a day-but maybe 3 diet cokes. Is it ok to just have the one cup of coffee? I've tried to totally quit-but the migraine headaches are blinding-even without having tons of caffeine in a day.

When I asked my Dr. what vitamins to take because I'd heard Folic Acid was good, she said "Just a multi-vitamin." That just doesn't seem enough... I saw people here say they take that-are there any side effects? Does your Doc recommend that? And I saw some ladies talk about a B vitamin too? And what is Guaifenesin? Sorry to be so clueless, but I appreciate your help/advice SO much!

The jury is still out on caffeine, there is less than compelling evidence, so I'm sure your one cup of coffee a day should be fine, not sure about diet coke as I'd never drink the stuff (shudder) there are certainly worries about the artificial sweeteners used not just for those TTC but general health.

Guafenesin is cough syrup, which also thins your cervical mucus.

A simple multi vitamin would probably be fine, we just all like to increase our odds LOL, main thing is folic acid supplement which you should start taking 3 months before TTC and keep taking once pregnant. It costs next to nothing and you can buy it in the supermarket.

 

[radiochic]

NorthStar-Thanks so much for the info! Totally irritates me that I asked my OBGYN 6 months ago about folic acid & she said 'not to worry about it' and that it wasn't necessary and here you are saying women should take it 3 months before TTC! I thought so-but what did I know? I'll start today & hope it will do whatever it's supposed to do.

I already told my hubby that I am cutting out Equal as of next week. I'm weening off of that now because I'm like a lab rat with that crap. I use it in iced tea, coffee, etc. and I will not have anything with artificial sweeteners while TTC. I should have stopped it long ago, but it's the only 'bad' thing I really do to myself. I go to the gym 5 days a week & I am pretty healthy in general. Hoping for the best!

 

[NorthStar]

I like your avator radiochic, what a cute little dog.

We talk about our doggies a lot on this forum ha ha.

I'm totally shocked and stunned that your OBGYN didn't tell you start folic acid before TTC, that is really pretty bad, as it's one simple pill that can make a huge difference to your babies health. Anything else you put on top of that is an optional extra, unless you've got a particular medical condition which needs additional resources to manage.

Have a trawl through some of the recent threads there is tons of info on the forum and in particular in 35+ there are lots of really great women who are also very well educated and there is some great info on here.

 

[radiochic]

That's so funny because I meant to write you how cute your doggie is! Thanks for the info..I'm happy I found this site.

 

[velo]

Hi ladies! I'm new here and so grateful this site exists! I'm 38-my husband is 36 & we just got married this past Valentine's day. Neither of us has been married before, no kids. I've never been pregnant-never tried to be before. I've been on the pill since I was 19-as I'm allergic to asprin/ibuprofen and my cramps used to be unbearable before & my period was all over the place. Since I'll be 39 in Sept-I've basically been on the thing 20 years...so I don't even know what to expect coming off of it. This Sunday is the last of the pack & we're gonna hope for the best after that!

I had no idea what to do to 'prepare' except try to ween myself off of caffeine. I only have 1 cup of coffee a day-but maybe 3 diet cokes. Is it ok to just have the one cup of coffee? I've tried to totally quit-but the migraine headaches are blinding-even without having tons of caffeine in a day.

When I asked my Dr. what vitamins to take because I'd heard Folic Acid was good, she said "Just a multi-vitamin." That just doesn't seem enough... I saw people here say they take that-are there any side effects? Does your Doc recommend that? And I saw some ladies talk about a B vitamin too? And what is Guaifenesin? Sorry to be so clueless, but I appreciate your help/advice SO much!

Hi and welcome! My first cycle coming off the pill (Though I had only been on it less than 2 years), I charted to see when ovulation came back, so you might find that helpful.

If you specifically get a prenatal vitamin it will contain enough folic acid. That's what I am taking. You might notice side effects from the iron depending on how much the particular brand you get has - some find it leads to constipation, but the prenatals I bought I notice no side effects whatsoever. Some women are taking a B vitamin that have a short luteal phase - once you chart a few months you'll see how long your luteal phase is. Guaifenesin (aka Mucinex) is an ingredient in Robitussin cough syrup. It thins mucus in the body so it can also thin cervical mucus. Some women find it helpful that don't have much if any egg white cervical mucus (the stuff that's really stretchy). The pill can dry it up and its important for carrying the sperm. I would monitor a few cycles first before deciding to try anything.

I'd say if you are going to keep one of the coffee or the diet coke, keep the coffee. Both aspartame and the acidic of soda are extra whammys other than caffeine for TTC. One coffee a day should be fine for TTC and for being pregnant for that matter. But some women are more sensitive to caffeine and find it best to cut out entirely.

 

[Indigo77]

Agree with everything Velo wrote.....

 

[Indigo77]

NS & RC.....both your pups are ADORABLE....

NS.....did u find your next pup?

 

[Suki73]

NorthStar-Thanks so much for the info! Totally irritates me that I asked my OBGYN 6 months ago about folic acid & she said 'not to worry about it' and that it wasn't necessary and here you are saying women should take it 3 months before TTC! I thought so-but what did I know? I'll start today & hope it will do whatever it's supposed to do.

I already told my hubby that I am cutting out Equal as of next week. I'm weening off of that now because I'm like a lab rat with that crap. I use it in iced tea, coffee, etc. and I will not have anything with artificial sweeteners while TTC. I should have stopped it long ago, but it's the only 'bad' thing I really do to myself. I go to the gym 5 days a week & I am pretty healthy in general. Hoping for the best!

Hi Radiochic and welcome!

I'm with Northstar in being shocked at your OBGYN not telling you about the importance of folic acid. Wtf?!? I saw a women's health nurse a while ago and she couldn't stress enough to me the importance of ensuring your body has an optimum amount of this vit from way before you conceive!! The standard recommended basic dose is 400mcg a day, but there's no harm in taking 800mcg. This vitamin is involved in protecting the devloping neural tube of the baby - it makes a massive difference in the avoidance of spina bifida.

Quitting carbonated drinks is advisable for general overall health anyway; apart from the caffeine in coke, they contain phosphorus which can deplete calcium from your body, and obviously if you're building your baby's bones as well as maintaining your own you'll need plenty of that.

As the other ladies wrote, guaifenesin is an ingredient in cough syrup. Sometimes it's mixed with other ingredients; sometimes it's the sole ingredient. It's best to look for the latter type. Somebody told me on here (I think it was Natsby or Velo) that the pill can dry up the cervical crypts which are responsible for the production of fertile ("egg white") mucus. I noticed a big difference when I used it this month, but that's not exactly scientific proof lol. I'm going to continue taking it in the days leading up to ov in future cycles, just to see if there's a continued improvement. Guaifenesin is a product of the guaiac tree which has been used in traditional societies as a fertility enhancer (and a treatment for syphilis!!!).

I'm in pretty much the same boat as you - never been pregnant in my life, never tried, and I'm 38. So here's wishing for lots of luck for us both

 

[Suki73]

Velo, Suki, are you actually receiving counselling for your depression as well as medication?

I am seeing a psychiatrist about once a month for CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) Thanks for the reminder I should call and see if he is doing appts again - recently he was in an accident so he cancelled indefinitely.

No worries, was a bit concerned that Suki's doc has been writing her a script for anti-depressants for 6 years without referring to anyone to treat the actual cause for the depression, anti-depressants are great but they are not supposed to be the sole answer.

My GP is very traditional and he's a definite convert to the brave new world of SSRI's. He does make me have liver, kidney and other tests every couple of years, but other than that he just keeps writin' those scripts!

I'm already having some of the less pleasing withdrawals: increased anxiety, 'head zaps', dizziness, slight weepiness, but I'm determined to stick it out this time. Tbh, while there are many benefits to the meds, there are also disadvantages like increased emotional detachment, blunted emotional response etc.

 

[dachsundmom]

Suki- I don't mean to jump in, but I am always curious about this stuff...was flat affect (detachment, blunted emotions) noticeable on even a very low dose?

 

[NorthStar]

NS & RC.....both your pups are ADORABLE....

NS.....did u find your next pup?

I'm looking out for a rescue dog, as tempted as I am by supercute pups everywhere, two of my last dogs were rescue plus I did fostering so I think I'm going to practice what I preach, well that is the plan.

OH reckons we should wait and see what happens with potential baby, whereas I grew up with dogs and it wouldn't bother me to ahve a dog and a baby at the same time.

I might do some fostering though, just to keep my hand in as it were.

 

[Suki73]

Suki- I don't mean to jump in, but I am always curious about this stuff...was flat affect (detachment, blunted emotions) noticeable on even a very low dose?

It's noticeable on the therapeutic dose, which for me is 20mg daily. On 10mg I am a bit more emotionally reactive, empathetic, quick to tears etc., together with the downside of all that, which is increased anxiety, and an inclination to pessimism, lol. It's a bit like being wrapped in cotton wool, it muffles your emotions and protects you from them. On a zero dose I will no doubt revert to my basket-case ways, lol.

I am involved in creative work, and to be honest I find that 20mg has a huge effect on that. I realised that there is often an emotional spur to that kind of work and when I'm on the full dose I often don't feel inclined to 'go there.' SSRI's are also known to strongly affect dream sleep, so much so that neuroscientists consider them a disqualification for participating in sleep studies. If you consider there is a link between dreaming and creative work, which I do, it kind of adds up...

 

[dachsundmom]

Suki, you sound like a closet Freudian, lol.

 

[Suki73]

Suki, you sound like a closet Freudian, lol.

God, I do

It's like being a lapsed Catholic; your foot's in the door...