Introducing Allison
Starting today, Allison from alli-n-son.com will be sharing a series of “in real time” guest posts as she not only deals with the struggles of infertility, but starts her journey towards a whole new lifestyle.
Introducing…Allison, and her fertility struggles.
You know how it is, you go along thinking all of your life that you will have kids when the time is right. And you will be the one to decide when the time is right. Because that’s how life works, you plan and it falls together. Right? Right?!?!?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t. I learned that the hard way when my husband and I decided that it was time for us to have kids. After 9 long years I went of the birth control pill, and anxiously waited for the return of my cycles. Only they didn’t return. At least not right away.
Those first few months of zero cycles were filled with high hopes and crashing disappointments. Thoughts that I was one of the lucky few to get pregnant right away without really trying, floated happily through my head. Only test after test proved that this would not be the case for us. In fact, the next 9-10 months were filled with uncertainty, stress and feelings of failure as I tried to figure out what was going on with my body.
After a round of Provera, my body s…l…o…w…l…y began to get back to normal. But by normal I mean sporadic cycles ranging from 60 days to 90 days to 80 days. There was no rhyme or reason to their length. I became a dedicated temperature taker and charter, waking dutifully at 5:30 every morning and analyzing, analyzing, analyzing. I may have bordered on obsession. Even though charting caused a lot of stress and headache, it also tuned me in to my body. I learned the signals of when I was getting ready to ovulate, and charting a ovulation prediction kits offered confirmation that it had happened. Which gave us the small window of opportunity that we needed to conceive our wonderful son.
Since doctors didn’t have an answer to my wacky cycles, and basically told me to wait it out until things normalized, I started looking for alternative ways to regulate them. I decided to start acupuncture, but wouldn’t you know it, the weekend after I had my first session, I found out that I was pregnant. I continued going for a few weeks, hoping that it will help stabilize my pregnancy and reduce any morning sickness. I never did have the chance to see if it would indeed help with regulating my cycles.
Now, almost 2 years later, including 8 months of breastfeeding, we’re back at square one. We want another child. And of course I’m having the same troubles as last time. Actually, it’s worse, no cycles since I gave birth (other than when I tried Provera again). That’s almost 2 years. My doctor can’t find a reason, all of my blood work came back within the normal ranges, I’m not going into early Menopause, all of my hormone levels are fine. There is not medical reason that explains what is going on. So, as recommended by my doctor, I went on the birth control pill for two months with the hopes that it would remind my body what it needs to do. But I know my body, and I don’t think that this is the answer. The only other option my doctor gave me was to start ovulation-stimulating drugs and I’m just not conformable with that. Why pump my body full of drugs if there is a natural cure?
So this is my journey. I’m starting acupuncture again. I’m going to change my (and my family’s) lifestyle and eating habits based on the recommendations of my acupuncturist. I’m sure that this is going to be a real eye-opening experience. And probably a lot of work. But… It’s. Going. To. Work. I know that it will. I’d like to share my journey with you. The successes, the frustrations, and everything else that comes along.
Thank you so much for sharing. I am very interesting in reading about your journey since it is similar to the journey I’m on. 3 yrs ago I started to miss periods (along with some other unpleasant symptoms) until I ended up only having 3 in a year. My doctor put me on provera and then birth control which I took for a year. I stopped taking the birth control and my periods stopped right away. Like you, my tests all came out normal. The only thing they showed was that I wasn’t releasing eggs but we don’t know why. So I took the provera again and just finished a round of Clomid to induce ovulation. We are in the process right now and should know in a month or less if it worked. I am trying to change my family’s eating to a more traditional, slow food diet and in researching it have read that it can help infertility. I am very interested to see how this goes for you and am praying for success!
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Take heart Allison, I am in the same boat as you. One beautiful three year old girl and three misscarriages trying to have another baby. I was finaly diagnosed three weeks ago with PCOS. Hang in there girl! We are al in this together and I am praying for you! Thank you for sharing your story. It helps me feel like I am not alone when others share thier stories! Take Care.
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thanks for sharing, Allison…that story is sooo close to home! I’ll be praying for you on your journey as well, and I can’t wait to read your blog more!
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I feel your pain as well. I’ve been married 4 years, and I was on Nuva-Ring for 10 months…that’s it. We haven’t gotten pregnant. The year we got married I discovered WAPF and this year I’m determined to fully immerse myself in WAPF ways of eating, where I wasn’t 100% before. I need to lose some weight (quite a good bit), I know this…but it’s frustrating when you know other people who are even larger than you who are getting pregnant. I’ve charted my cycles in the past (when I came off bc, I went almost 80 days with no menses), and I’ve got consistently low BBTemps and I’m pretty certain I’ve got thyroid issues (though past blood tests have said it’s a tad low but not abnormal), and estrogen dominance. So I need to recommit to charting and get healthier.
I am also considering buying this herbal fertility supplement that a midwife-in-training friend told me about, she herself has used as well as several people she knows, that has helped them, called FertilAid.
It’s such a struggle. I feel so horribly jealous as friends or relatives get pregnant. Many times I’ve just sat and sobbed.
And so this year my goal is to just get my body to optimal preconception point, and keep praying and giving it up to God that it will happen when He wills it, and to fill me with peace and patience in the meantime.
Thanks for sharing your journey Allison – it’s comforting to have other women who are struggling as well, to lean on and uplift.
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HeatherG Reply:
February 19th, 2010 at 11:14 am
@DevonH, Before I found WAP I used FertilAid to get pregnant with my son.
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Allison Reply:
February 21st, 2010 at 4:24 pm
@DevonH, I completely understand the jealousy as others (especially family) get pregnant. I went through all of that the first time around. I hope that I can share some tips with you that will help your situation too. Hang in there!
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Allison,
Thank you for having the courage to share your journey. I see so much of my own pain in your story. Like you I was in the pill for nine years. It took accupuncture and herbs to get pregnant, twice, but it didn’t last. My doctor ran, I thought, every test in the book. All he could offer as a reason was “sometimes it just happens”. After getting pregnant a third time and not being able to get an appointment with the doctor until AFTER history had shown I would lose my baby I sought out a well known local midwife. She ran one more test and found I produced insufficient progesterone due to my years on the pill. She supplemented me through the first trimester and focused on nutrition and fitness for my entire pregnancy.
Now I’m 7 months into nursing and my son’s growth has slowed drastically, he has never slept deeply and he is difficult to the point that his own grandparents can’t watch him for more than an hour or so. After a month of research I’ve decided that my “healthy” diet is a major cause. Like you I am beginning my journey to reclaiming my health. I look forward to more of you posts and wish you luck and health on your journey.
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Allison Reply:
February 21st, 2010 at 4:26 pm
@HeatherG, Congratulations on your son and for nursing for 7 months. I hope that I can share some tips that will help you regain your healthy diet. It’s so hard to eat healthy when you have a baby.
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Thank you for sharing Allison. Although my story is quite different than yours, we too have not gotten pregnant with our second child. I appreciate your willingness to open up and share what you are doing and the heartache. I pray that God will give you wisdom as you decide your course of action and I look forward to hearing what you discover and learn.
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I too am trying to conceive. I just recently (tuesday!) found out I may be gluten intolerant, which causes unknown infertility. We have been trying for 3 years to conceive. Hopefully this is it.
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Allison Reply:
February 21st, 2010 at 4:27 pm
@Laura @ Rejoicing Evermore, That’s great that you may have found the cause for your infertility. I hope that you soon have luck conceiving!
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Allison, thanks so much for sharing. I read your blog & love all your healthy recipes. In fact, your BBQ pizza was on the menu tonight until home repairs ended up taking all our time and we ate leftovers instead. Tomorrow we’ll do the BBQ pizza though! AND I’ve been reading up on Weston Price in the past year or so and very interested in his diet suggestions. I got pregnant immediately with my first son, but have been trying for 6 months now for another baby with no luck. Don’t know if it’s diet, medical, or simply nature taking her sweet time. I do appreciate reading about your journey though. Thank you!
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Thanks for being so open about your struggles, Allison. We’ve had our share, too. Three years of infertility before our first was conceived, and spotty problems since.
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Thank you for sharing your story. We have been TTC for 3.5 years and last year I was told I had diminished ovarian reserve and less than 1% chance of conceiving. I refuse to believe that I can’t have children since my cycles are regular and I know I have some eggs left. I really do believe that I need to stay on course for a natural, whole and organic way of eating. I am happy to find some other women who are blogging about their experiences with infertility and also with changing their diets/lifestyle. I’ve even considered changing my blog to write about my journey to a healthier lifestyle also! Good luck to you!
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Allison Reply:
February 21st, 2010 at 4:29 pm
@Noelle @ Untangle Me, Keep at it! You never know what will happen, and what life has in store for you. Good luck!
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I have two healthy boys. One I had when I was 19 and decided to take responsibility for my carelessness. The other I had while married 4 years later. It’s been 9 years since the my 2nd child and 6 years since my divorce and I can safely say that I am now with the one I will die with. He wants kids, I should be able to have them, right? We’ve been trying for 15 months with no luck. My cycles are regular and I refuse to take drugs, just as you do. The issue I thought I had was Ashermans from having an IUD after my 2nd child. Just found out that my uterus is scar free and my fallopian tubes are clear. This is the most frustrated I’ve ever been and I know the stress isn’t helping me. That’s my truncated story.
I look forward to reading your progress. I wish you all the luck in completing your family.
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Allison Reply:
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:32 pm
@Lindsay, I think that unexplained fertility is one of the hardest things to deal with. How can there not be a reason? I really recommend looking into acupuncture. I think it’s going to make a world of difference for me.
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