Coping with the 2 Week Wait

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The two-week wait is the time between ovulation or the fertility treatment you’ve gone through until your expected period or pregnancy test.  Surviving these 14 days could really be tough.  You keep on worrying on whether or not you have ovulated and did you have intercourse on the right time and so on and so forth.  And also you want to know, whether or not you were successful in getting pregnant.  It seems odd to think that in our modern time where everything can be access instantly, it takes that long to find out something so important...

So you have no choice but to wait.  So over the two weeks while you wait to find out if you are pregnant, all you can do is to relax as much as you can and to stop worrying.  Here are some survival tips for you and also for me as we wait for THE DAY. 

Take care of yourself

Eat healthily, drink lots of water, and sleep well.  You’ve already given up caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes, so there is no problem with that.  Take it easy and get as much rest and relaxation as you can.

Keep yourself busy

It is easier to pass time when you are busy with something.  You might notice that time seems to slow down when you are waiting for something, so to help time go faster or at least in a normal speed, keep yourself busy with anything.  You can see a movie, learn a new hobby or read a good book.  It doesn’t matter how you fill the time, just fill it with something.

Try yoga or acupuncture.

Use relaxation techniques to make you feel calmer.  You can try yoga or acupuncture.  Both are stress-busters and may help improve fertility. 

Avoid unnecessary stress.

Don’t jump back into a hectic lifestyle after your fertility treatment.  Stay at home.  Avoid going to malls if not needed.  Avoid all the “extras” that can cause stress like extra work, extra partying, etc.    

Be optimistic.

Focus on the positive.  Instead of thinking you will never get pregnant, reprogram your thoughts into you CAN get pregnant and you WILL get pregnant.  Feel it and believe it.  It will surely happen. 

Pray.

When it seems that you have done everything, God is your only hope. Lift it all up to Him.  Have faith.  Pray to Him and trust that He’ll answer your prayers. 

Hopefully this will make the 14 days more bearable for you and me.  You can also check this out for more tips on how to cope with the two week wait.  If you have any other suggestions on how to cope with the two week wait, feel free to comment below.

Update On My Infertility Story: IUI#4

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As I have said in my previous blog, we are having a stimulated cycle alongside IUI for this cycle.  So, here are what I have done so far:

Day 1 – May 15, 2011 – First day of my period.

Day 2-6 – May 16-20, 2011 – Took 1 tablet of Femara 2.5mg per day for 5 days. Cost: Php365.75 x 5 = Php1,828.75

Day 10 – May 24, 2011 – Follicle Monitoring. Cost:Php500

Result: 1 dominant follicle on the left ovary, size 2.1cm; endometrium lining, .8cm.

According to OB, the follicle size is good enough already so she injected me with Ovidrel (an HCG trigger shot), to help follicle mature and trigger ovulation. Cost: Php3,000

Day 11 - May 25, 2011 – IUI was performed at Cardinal Santos Medical Center. Cost: Php10,000. For a more detailed procedure of IUI, please check this.

Total Cost of this IUI cycle: Php15,328.75

Pregnancy test to be done on June 14, 2011.

So in the meantime, all I have to do is wait, wait and wait…  Happy Waiting for me! 

And please do pray for the success of this IUI. Thank you!

10 Things To Do While Waiting For Your Fertility Appointment

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Waiting for your turn during a fertility appointment can be very stressful and boring.  Imagine, you have to wait for an hour or two before your consultation with the doctor which usually lasts for only 15-30 minutes at most.  This is what I dread the most in seeing the doctor and this can cause a lot of stress for me.  This goes not only for fertility doctors, but in almost all appointments with the doctors.

So let us turn the table and make this fertility appointment less stressful and less boring as possible and make it more worthwhile.  Here are some of the things you can do while waiting for your fertility appointment:

1. Read a book or magazine.

It is better to bring your own book or magazine to read.  The magazines that you find in the waiting area are not usually the ones you truly want to read, so better to bring your favorite magazines at home with you and read it here while waiting.  I am sure you have piles of books and magazines at home that you haven’t read because you have no time and are too busy to do so, so now is the time to catch up with your reading.

2. Listen to your iPod or MP3 player.

Listen to your favorite music with your iPod or MP3 players.  Music has a positive effect on our mood.

3. Play games with your iPad, iPhone, Playstation PSP or Nintendo DS.

Haven’t passed a specific level in Angry Birds?  You have all the time to think of a solution now.  You can finish other games as well.  Go ahead and enjoy playing.

4. Exercise your mind.

Bring along a Sodoku or a crossword puzzle book to stimulate the brain while waiting for your name to be called.

5. Talk with other patients.

Smile and get to know other patients.  Share your story.  Listen to their stories.  Some are in this infertility journey like you, while others have been successful in getting pregnant already.  Both have inspiring and encouraging stories to tell and you will definitely learn a lot.  Plus, chatting with them makes waiting time seems shorter. 

6. Befriend the secretary of your doctor.

Talk with the secretary and learn more about your doctor.  Ask her anything you want to know but are afraid or shy to ask your doctor.  Most of the time, she can give you answers to your questions.  Check with the secretary as to the rules and policy of the clinic in terms of scheduling appointments.  Others allow you to call one day in advance for appointments, or if it is a first come first serve basis, maybe you can ask someone to list your name earlier for you.   

7. Bond with your husband.

Going to the doctor for me equals bonding time with husband.  My husband always accompanies me in all my fertility appointments.  This is one thing I am thankful for because not all women going to infertility treatments come with their husband.  Encourage your husband to go with you in all your future visits to the doctor.  Get him involve so that he can better understand your situation and both of you can share in this journey.  This is not only about you, it is about the two of you.

8. Organize your To Do List

This is a good time to think about the things you still need to do.  Cross out the things on your To Do list that you have accomplished, add new ones and check if you have forgotten anything.  You can also make a list of the things you need to buy.  This waiting time is a chance for you to quiet your mind and organize your life.

9. Write your gratitude journal.

Have a paper and pen with you.  Write down your thoughts and feelings or better yet make a gratitude journal.  Think of the things you are grateful for and jot them down.  Journaling can help relieve stress and make you feel happier.  This is very easy to do and can easily be done while waiting for your fertility appointment.

10. Meditate.

Close your eyes.  Relax.  Concentrate on nothing but your breathing.  Breathe in and breathe out deeply and slowly.  Focus on each breath.  You will definitely feel calmer and more relaxed.    

So there you have it.  10 things to do while waiting for your fertility appointment or anywhere else where you have to kill time.  No need to sit there bored?  You can do something constructive with your time while waiting for your name to be called.  Happy Waiting!

Acupuncture For Infertility: Could This Be For You?

Acupuncture for Infertility: Myself with Needles on the Head

From the time I posted my infertility story, many of my friends have sent me messages and most of them are asking me to try acupuncture with Sr. Regina Liu of St. Francis Health Care clinic located at No. 19 Panay Avenue, Quezon City.  Many have tried and were successful in getting pregnant in just 2-3 months of acupuncture.

I have personally tried acupuncture with Sr. Regina Liu, way back in 2009.  My OB recommended me to try acupuncture, which I did.  I have been under her care for 7 months, but was not successful in getting pregnant.  This was before I had my immunological work up (LIT).   

Acupuncture for Infertility: Needles with Moxa

According to Sr. Regina Liu, everything is okay already.  Even she did not know why I don’t get pregnant.  Anyways, after treating me, she requested that husband be treated as well.  My husband tried it for a few times only, but was not patient enough to get treated.  This could probably be the reason. (Oops… )

It could be better if both you and your husband will try acupuncture alongside the infertility treatments with your medical doctors.  This could maximize the effect and help you get pregnant faster.  

Most of the doctors also recommend acupuncture as a complementary therapy.  Research has shown that acupuncture helps to reduce stress hormones that interfere with ovulation, normalize hormones that regulate ovulation so an egg is released, increase blood flow to the uterus, improving the chances of a fertilized egg implanting, improve ovulation cycles in women with PCOS, which makes getting pregnant difficult and improve pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF.  Acupuncture may also help male infertility by improving the quality of sperm.

With that being said, I made an appointment with Sr. Regina Liu again for May 30, 2011.  She is currently out of the country right now and will be back on May 26, 2011.  And as always, her schedule is full already.  So, if you are interested to consult with her, make an appointment earlier… at least 2 weeks before.  You can call her clinic at 373-5503.  Each session costs Php700 (will verify again when I get there).

To know more about acupuncture with Sr. Regina Liu, here is a link shared to me by Jenny  (Thanks Jenny!).  

Sr. Regina Liu: Helping Couples Have Babies Through the Natural Medicine of Acupuncture by Justine Camacho-Tajonera

Read on to find out more about this nun and acupuncturist who has helped a lot of couples conceive... 

This could be the answer to your infertility problems... Happy Infertility!

A Must-Read Poem for Infertile Women: I Will Be Better

Here’s a poem I chanced upon while surfing the net and I would like to share this with all the women who are trying to conceive and are in this infertility journey like me.

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I WILL BE BETTER

There are women that become mothers without effort, without thought, without patience or loss and though they are good mothers and love their children, I know that I will be better.

I will be better not because of genetics, or money or that I have read more books but because I have struggled and toiled for this child. 

I have longed and waited.

I have cried and prayed.

I have endured and planned over and over again.

Like most things in life, the people who truly have appreciation are those who have struggled to attain their dreams.

I will notice everything about my child.

I will take time to watch my child sleep, explore and discover.

I will marvel at this miracle every day for the rest of my life.

I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of my child, knowing that I can comfort, hold and feed him and that I am not waking to take another temperature, pop another pill, take another shot or cry tears of a broken dream. 

My dream will be crying for me. 

I count myself lucky in this sense; that God has given me this insight, this special vision with which I will look upon my child that my friends will not see.

Whether I parent a child I actually give birth to or a child that God leads me to, I will not be careless with my love.

I will be a better mother for all that I have endured. 

I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter, neighbor, friend and sister because I have known pain.

I know disillusionment as my own body has betrayed me.

I have been tried by fire and hell many never face, yet given time, I stood tall.

I have prevailed.

I have succeeded.

I have won.

So now, when others hurt around me, I do not run from their pain in order to save myself discomfort.

I see it, mourn it, and join them in theirs.

I listen.

And even though I cannot make it better, I can make it less lonely.

I have learned the immense power of another hand holding tight to mine, of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth and when life is beyond hard.

I have learned a compassion that only comes with walking in those shoes.

I have learned to appreciate life. 

And yes I will be a wonderful mother. 

-UNKNOWN

And yes, we will be wonderful mothers… =) Stay positive and we’ll get through this in due time!  Happy Infertility! 

A Video on APAS (Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome)

To help you understand more about APAS, here is a video from the Probe Team.  The obstetrician-gynecologist (OB), Dra. Angela G. Sison-Aguilar and the immunologist, Dra. Lara Theresa Alentajan-Aleta interviewed in this video are both my doctors right now.        

If you are interested to consult with them, here are their schedules:


Angela G. Sison-Aguilar MD FPOGS FPSREI
Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Menopause and Pediatric Gynecology, Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy
1. Cardinal Santos Medical Center
    Rm 277 MAB 3 Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan, Philippines
    Tel. No. 727-0001 loc 2277
    MWF 10am-12nn
2. St. Luke's Medical Center
    Rm 622 Medical Arts Building, Fort Bonifacio, Global City
    MWF  5pm-7pm
3. Friendly Care Clinic
    710 Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong
    TThS  12nn-2pm
    722-2968, 722-2990
4. Healthpoint Clinic
    577 Padre Faura St. Ermita
    TTh  4pm-6pm
    527-4290, 527-4268

Lara Theresa Alentajan-Aleta, MD
Internal Medicine, Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
1. Room 215 Don Santiago Bldg. (across PGH), Taft Avenue
    Tuesdays  10am-12nn  
    3915279
2. St. Luke's Medical Center - Suite 1502 North Tower, CHBC
    TTh  3pm-5pm
    721-3498

Happy Infertility!

Get Pregnant Faster: Boost Your Fertility

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If you are thinking about getting pregnant, you can do many simple, effective things right now to improve your chances of conception, because lifestyle can have profound effects on the reproductive functions of women and men.  This means that increasing your fertility potential is something that you both can do without outside help.

Here are the things I am doing right now to boost my fertility and hopefully get pregnant faster.  You can start doing these simple steps to get pregnant faster too:

Step One – Change Your Diet: Adopt Healthy Ways of Eating

1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

2. Reduce or eliminate your intake of red meat, saturated fat, convenience foods, refined foods and foods high in additives and preservatives.

3. Choose organic food whenever possible.

4. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

5. Always eat breakfast and stop eating after 8pm.

6. Limit intake of dairy products.

7. Cut down on your caffeine and alcohol intake.

8. Take multivitamins.

Step Two – Change Your Lifestyle: Eliminate Habits That May Diminish Fertility

1. Get enough exercise.

2. Stop smoking.

3. Avoid tight underwear and tight jeans, especially for men

4. Avoid hot tubs, Jacuzzis and saunas and taking long, hot showers or baths.

5. Learn to reduce and manage stress.

6. Have sex at the right time and frequently.

7. Sleep before 10pm.

8. Limit computer and mobile phone time or take regular breaks

Small changes can mean a lot to our body.  Be good to your body!  Not only will it enhance your prospects for pregnancy but it will likewise prepare you for the physical work of raising a child.  Have a healthy lifestyle!

Gratitude Journal As Stress Relief

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Keeping a gratitude journal can help relieve stress and maintain greater levels of happiness.  Studies have proven that being grateful makes people happier.  Being grateful make us see the brighter side of life.  Many people who practice daily gratitude report that their life has improved.  They are more balanced, are easier to please and they generally feel a sense of calmness and peace.

But we know that in the stress of our everyday lives, it can be difficult to remember to give thanks for the good things in our lives.  We tend to take things for granted.  Moreover, we often look at what we don’t have instead of what we have and complain about it.

So that is why we need to make a conscious effort to give thanks each day for the abundance that exists in our lives.  There are definitely a lot of things to be grateful for.   We just have to take time to recognize it, note it down, or simply think about it, and then we will feel happier.  In fact, even reading about things other people are grateful for will make us feel happier.

So by writing this list of things that I’m grateful for I feel happier, and by reading it, you will too.  That’s a win-win situation for us… another thing I’m grateful for.  So here goes my list...

10 Things I Am Grateful For

1.     I Am Alive

I am grateful that I woke up this morning.  It is a blessing to be alive!

2.     My Husband

I am grateful for my husband who loves me so unconditionally.  It is definitely a blessing that I have this opportunity to spend my lifetime with him. 

3.     My Family

I am grateful for my family.  They are my support system… always there when I needed them the most.    

4.     My Friends

I am grateful for my friends.  I may not have many friends as some people, but that’s fine with me, because that means I have more time to focus on the ones I have.  Having good, caring, supportive friends are something not everyone has and I’m thankful I have them.

5.     A Peaceful and Comfortable Life

I am grateful for a peaceful and comfortable life.  With war and poverty all around, having a safe place to stay and able to live comfortably are great blessings to have.

6.     Financial Stability

I am grateful that we are financially stable.  We are blessed to have more than enough to provide for our luxuries and afford the fertility treatments needed to have a baby.

7.     Medical Breakthroughs

I am grateful for medical breakthroughs.  Endless opportunities are available for us today.

8.     Books

I am grateful for books.  It will not come as a surprise for most people who know me that I am grateful for books.  I love books… the “real” books, but right now I am starting to like e-books as well.  They provide knowledge and enable me to learn more every day.

9.     Internet

I am grateful for the internet.  Having access to the internet enables us to keep in touch with people all over the world.  It also enables us to learn anything we want instantly.

10.  My Blog

I am grateful for my blog.  Through my blog, I am able to share myself with other people and make a difference in their lives.  It is also an outlet for me to release my stress.  I am grateful for moments to reflect and think about my life. 

Well, that’s my list for now.  There are still a lot to be thankful for.  Just learn to appreciate what you have and you will realize how truly blessed you are.

Practice Being Grateful Today

Develop an attitude of gratitude.  It only takes a few moments each day to look for things to be grateful for.  Begin each day with the words “Thank You” and make your last thought at night one of giving thanks for the day.  Be grateful under all circumstances, no matter what is happening around you.

You can create your own gratitude journal or post your gratitude thoughts publicly through your blog, Facebook, or Tweeter, whatever is most convenient for you.  Just do it!  Let the world know how much there is to be thankful for.

This is a great tool for stress management and is an effective way to strengthen our emotional resilience.  Try these ideas as an experiment, you have nothing to lose.

Just saturating yourself with gratitude will change your life beyond comprehension.  When you radiate and live with gratitude, you are activating the universal law of gratitude; the more grateful you are, the more the universe will deliver all the good matching the intensity of your gratitude.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie

Start this day to explore and integrate this gratitude attitude in your life and see the miracle you have been seeking for unfold to your wonder and amazement.

So tell me, what are you most grateful for right now? Can’t think of any?  Well, the first thing you can be grateful today is the ability to read this post!  Thank you for reading!

Femara for Infertility: A New Cycle, A New Hope

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Another fertility cycle has just started for us.  With every new menstrual cycle comes a new hope… a chance to start all over again, a chance to make the dream of getting pregnant become a reality…

For this cycle, we will be having a “stimulated cycle” alongside the IUI treatment.  Right now, I am taking fertility drugs, Femara (Letrozole) 2.5mg, 1 tablet a day for 5 days, so that is from Day 2-6.  Femara is a relatively new fertility drug.  It is actually a medication used for women with breast cancer.  It is an aromatase inhibitor meaning it suppresses the production of aromatase, an enzyme that is responsible for the production of estrogen in the body.  By doing so, Femara helps to decrease the amount of estrogen in the body sending a message to the brain to increase the production of the hormones, FSH and LH that stimulate the ovaries.    

Fertility drugs are usually used to induce an egg to develop and be released in women who are not ovulating on their own.  This is known as ovulation induction.  However, in my case, since I ovulate on my own, the fertility drugs are used to increase the number of eggs developing in my ovaries thereby increasing my chances of pregnancy.   This is known as superovulation.

Usually, clomiphene citrate (Clomid, Serophene) is the first fertility drug given by most OBs in the Philippines.  It is generally effective, however, it last longer in the body and may therefore have an adverse effect on the cervical mucus and uterine lining leading to vaginal dryness or cervical mucus changes that interfere with the motility of the sperm.   Some women, especially those with PCOS – polycystic ovary syndrome, also do not respond well with clomiphene citrate.  One important thing to take note in taking Clomid is that it should not be taken for more than 6 months at a time because studies have shown that there is an increased risk of ovarian cancer with 12 or more cycles of clomiphene.   

Femara, on the other hand is usually the second choice of infertility specialists using it only when Clomid did not worked.  Femara is also much more expensive than Clomid and has not been studied as much as Clomid for fertility use.  It costs Php365.75 per tablet in Mercury Drugstore. 

Some say that Femara is better than Clomid because it is metabolized rapidly in the body and is not thought to have significant levels in the blood or tissues for a prolonged period of time.  It is also less likely to cause the lining of the uterus to thin.  Let us see if it will work this time… 

By the way, side effects of both fertility drugs include headache, nausea, hot flashes, night sweats, joint pain, blurred vision, bloating, and fatigue.

I will update you again soon… Check-up with OB on May 24, 2011.  Happy Infertility!