Consultation With My Immunologist

I went to Dr. Lara Theresa Alentajan-Aleta, my immunologist at the Don Santiago Bldg. across PGH in Taft Avenue last July 10, 2012.  I presented to her the results of all the blood tests I’ve done and here was her interpretation.

My LAT was back to negative. 

My KCT was high.

My NK Cells was also high.  (Though it was within normal range, according to Dr. Aleta, the cut-off should be 12.  Mine was 14.39.)

So, my options are the following:

1. LIT – Lymphocyte Immunotherapy Treatment (solution for Category 1 and 5 problem)

2. IVIG – Intravenous Immunoglobulin (solution for Category 1 and 5 problem)

3. Intralipids infusion (solution for Category 5 problem)

4. Take aspirin 80mg once a day (solution for Category 2 problem)

I told Dra. Aleta that we are planning to have IVF in Taiwan by September 2012.  So, we are doing this in preparation for the IVF.  

According to her, we can either have IVIG before going to Taiwan or have LIT. 

IVIG is more expensive and it will only stay in my body for a month.  LIT, on the other hand is cheaper (but will need at least 4 sessions or more depending on my body) but once my LAT is up, it could stay in my body for 6 months.  If within 6 months, I don’t get pregnant, I have to have booster shots to maintain the LAT. This, I wasn’t able to do before, that is why my LAT returned to 10% and 5%, which is considered a negative reaction.  So, it is very important to remember this: Booster shots within 6 months if you don’t get pregnant to maintain positive LAT.  If not, you’ll have to do it all over again, just like me.

So, Dra. Aleta and I agreed that we will have LIT since I still have time to do it before going to Taiwan.  So our schedule is this:

July 17 – LIT using 2 donors

July 31 – LIT using 2 donors

August 14 – blood test

Then we will decide from there if I need additional LIT and if I still need to have intralipids infusion.

Another thing I asked Dr. Aleta is how can I increase my LAT naturally.  Her answer: Avoid xenoestrogens.  Avoid processed and canned foods.  Avoid using styro and plastics.  Do not use fabric softeners.  Stop using make-up and lotions that contain paraben.  Avoid eating meat.  It is ok to eat fish, vegetables, fruits, seafood, organic eggs and free range chicken.

She asked me if I am taking any vitamins and I said I was taking Usana Essentials, Calcium, Biomega and Proflavanol.  She asked me to continue taking the vitamins and on top of this, she prescribed Glutathione 500mg, 1 capsule daily.  The brand she prescribed was Cosmo Skin which can be bought at Watson’s for Php45 per capsule or Php1350 per bottle of 30 capsules. 

That's it for my consultation with Dra. Aleta.  

I'll be posting my LIT session soon.

Have a great day ahead!

USANA Apple Test with Prenatal Vitamins

Supporting Fertility with USANA

I have heard of USANA vitamins and minerals before, but since I was already taking another set of vitamins (Healthy Options Concentrated Omega 3, Ester C and Prenatal Once Daily), I didn’t give much attention to it.  Not until recently, when I was looking for a new vitamin to try did I research more on USANA.

USANA is the brand of fertility supplements recommended by both The Fertile Soul (Randine Lewis, author of The Infertility Cure, the Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies) and Fertile Heart (Julia Indichova, author of Inconceivable and The Fertile Female) sites.

Some OBs here in the Philippines have also started recommending USANA to their patients who are trying to conceive as well as to those who are pregnant already.  According to them, they have seen many pregnancies achieved with the help of USANA supplements. 

USANA uses high quality ingredients.  It is more potent and is easily absorbed by our body.  The fertility supplement formulations increase overall health and energy and allow the internal pharmacist to attend to the delicate task of balancing the reproductive system rather than focusing on specific hormone levels. 

So to increase my fertility and enhance my overall reproductive health, I have started taking the following:

Essentials – a potent combination of two products packaged as one: Mega Antioxidant and Chelated Mineral.  These two products work synergistically, protecting the cells from oxidative damage and providing a broad spectrum of essential nutrients.  A high quality multi-vitamin and multi-mineral, which supports overall pre-natal health (pre-natal vitamin replacement).

BiOmega—produced from cold-water, deep-sea fish oil, this formula delivers a balanced daily dose of two key Omega-3 fatty acids in 2 capsules a day. Each capsule also contains 2mg of mixed natural tocopherols, which minimize oxidation of the Omega-3 fatty acids. The added lemon flavoring saves you from fishy aftertaste. 

Proflavanol –acts as a potent anti-inflammatory agent, providing a combination of high potency grape seed extract, magnesium and zinc. This formula also helps retain capillary strength, healthy circulation and protects plasma LDL from oxidation.  It is a useful formula for women and men with impaired immune function.  This is also a must for anyone who has been over treated with antibiotics. A wonderful formula for fertility related issues linked with endometriosis; also helpful with implantation support, as poor implantation is sometimes linked to uterine inflammation. Proflavanol is an excellent fertility supplement to be used in conjunction with IVF treatments, most specifically after embryo transfer.

As for my husband, he's taking Essentials and BiOmega.    

Men aren’t off the hook... Sperm cells take 90 days to develop. During sperm production, high levels of antioxidants (found in seminal fluid) protect and support developing sperm. In the absence of antioxidants, oxidative stress can damage developing sperm.  Environmental toxins, stress, heat, and lifestyle choices affect the development of sperm cells also.

One way to combat the effect of oxidative damage is to eat foods that are high in antioxidants and to choose a high quality nutritional supplement.  According to third party research, USANA nutritionals have been found to have the highest absorbable and utilizable form of proflavanols, antioxidants and superantioxidants available in the market. These nutrients support healthy sperm production.

I was hesitant to try this at first because of its multi-level marketing approach to sales.  But with the good feedback and testimonials, I might as well give it a try.  

Hope it works for us...  

To learn more about USANA, you can visit www.usana.com.


NOTE:


I've added Active Calcium to complement with Essentials.  It contains calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D.  Calcium is key to producing and activating enzymes and hormones that regulate digestion, energy and fat metabolism.  Vitamin D functions both as a hormone and a vitamin, influencing the utilization of phosphorus, another mineral important for strong bones.  Vitamin D deficiency is implicated in a host of immune and nervous system disorders.  

I've changed my Proflavanol to Proflavanol C100 as Proflavanol will be phased out already here in the Philippines. Proflavanol C100 is a powerful combination of grape seed extract and Poly C, USANA's highly absorbable form of Vitamin C.