June 5th, 2010
“Gina, You’re Too Tired To Get Pregnant. That Will Be $470 Now Please…”
Last month I decided to switch our family to a naturopathic doctor. I’ve grown sick of the standard medpros pushing prescriptions for everything I have a question about. The kids needed their yearly visit anyway, and after a few months of not getting pregnant, I wanted to see someone more holistic for my well-woman care in hopes that she could help me figure out why I’m not getting pregnant as easily as I once did.
In February I had a horrible experience with an endocrinologist who scolded me multiple times during my visit over the fact that I’m still breastfeeding my younger son (don’t even get me started on that whack job.) I went to her because I used to have hypothyroidism, and thought that might be interrupting fertility this time. As it turns out, my thyroid function is fine, but others suggested that only a naturopathic doctor could test for things that mainstream docs never bother with – like vitamin deficiencies, liver function, and such. Since I know a naturopath wouldn’t scold me for extended breastfeeding, I thought that would be a perfect fit.
The naturopath spent an hour with me asking me ten million questions about my diet and my poop. I was expecting a physical exam – just as most doctors give during a well-woman visit – but she never touched me other than to check my ears, nose, and throat.
After 60 minutes she announced that I had “adrenaline fatigue” (which I can believe) and that poor digestion was the cause of all the world’s problems. She put me on a “blood type diet” and gave me a list of all the things I could and couldn’t eat.
Here’s the short list – the things in bold are my absolute favorite foods that I normally eat on a daily, if not weekly, basis:
| Food Allowed | Food NOT Allowed | |
| Meat | Wild fish | Chicken, Beef, Shellfish |
| Nuts | Peanuts, walnuts | Poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds |
| Dairy | Goats milk products | Cow’s milk products |
| Vegetables | Broccoli, Beets, Cauliflower, Celery, Green Leafy Vegs, Cucumber, Eggplant, Garlic, Sweet potatoes | Artichoke, Avocado, All types of Corns, Lima Beans, Black Olives, All kind of Bell Peppers |
| Fruits | All kinds of Grapes and Plums, Berries, Cherries, Pineapple | Mangoes, Guava, Coconuts, Bananas, Oranges |
| Spices | Kelp, Miso, Curry, Garlic, Horseradish, Parsley | Vinegar, Pepper |
| Beverages | Coffee, Green Tea | Distilled Liquor, Sodas,
Black Tea |
Essentially, everything on the “Not Allowed” list was the food I live on, and according to this doctor, my body couldn’t handle any of it. Seriously – BANANAS are no good for me? Black beans too? How can this be? All of this leads me to wonder how in the world people are supposed to live healthy diets if even healthy food – like vegetables, beans, and nuts – are supposedly slowly killing them? Growing up poor, I know how impossible it is to eat healthy with no money, and I thought I was doing a really good job with my family’s diet lately. If I’m killing myself with freaking bell peppers, what hope do impoverished families have of ever being healthy given that most poor people don’t even have access to fresh fruit? This whole game seems so elitist and priviledged, and having come from desperate poverty myself, it all really pisses me off.
Well, after I got my blood work back, it turns out that the only deficiency I had was a Vitamin D deficiency, which I probably could have diagnosed myself given the very obvious mood and fatigue symptoms I cart around. She also said my white blood cell count is “shockingly” low – so low that an MD would diagnose me with an immune disorder. According to her, the low white blood cell count indicates that my body is working so hard to digest food that it’s drawing resources from my immune system to get the job done. Apparently a simple digestive enzyme supplement will fix that right up.
After all of that, I said to her “So doc, do ANY of these lab results explain why we’re not conceiving?” And she said “My opinion is that you’re just too tired to get pregnant.”
A week later I got a bill in the mail for $470.
Gee. Thanks. After my panic attack, I called the office, then the insurance company, trying to figure out why in the world I’m being charged $470 out of pocket for a simple office visit, especially when I knew that every dollar of the lab work was covered by insurance. As it turns out, the office visit actually cost a whopping $535, but insurance picked up $65 of that because I had a few bucks left in my “Health Care Account.” The rest – as bad luck would have it – was NOT covered as a well-woman visit the way I thought it was going to be, and the office never told me they charge half a month’s rent just to walk in the door.
So now what? I don’t know any more about my situation than I did a month ago, except that my insurance isn’t going to pay for me to try to figure any of it out. I’d like to try acupuncture for fertility, but insurance won’t cover the $60 weekly visits. They WILL cover $10,000 IVF treatments though! Someone explain that backwards nonsense to me. We’re nowhere near that point, but I’m starting to wonder if I’ll still be blogging about fertility issues this time next year, in which case, IVF is exactly what we’d be looking at.
This is all getting so depressing, I just can’t even stand to think about it any more. And we’ve only been trying since January. The problem is, it’s now consuming most of my waking thoughts. I don’t know how others, who’ve been trying for YEARS, can handle this. The frustration, and the uncertainty, is eating me alive.
My readers seem pretty smart – what do you think of the doctor’s “diagnosis?”
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FYI: I am 15 DPO, no AF yet, but temp dropped Thursday and all tests are negative. It’s imminent.
UPDATE: AF arrived at 11:30 pm tonight. I knew she was on her way. I welcome the start of a new cycle.
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Hmm, I don’t know how to feel about that doctor. I have never been to a Naturapath either to compare. In my area we have a ‘community accupucturist’ that charges 15-35 a vist with drop ins. I think if you were able to find a practice like that you could do that instead of the IVF. It took us over a year to get pregnant the second time and I think you are about the same age as I am….but you certainly are under more stress!….. you likely handle it better then I do.
Naomi´s last blog ..I’m Getting a Cold and That Sucks 
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I’m so sorry for your everything you are going through, Gina. I wish I could have some sound advice for you, but I don’t. Just virtual hugs, love, and admiration.
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Gina – I just had a look at my blood type diet and this is what I think. It’s one of those internet games where somehow, by witchery or hocuspocus, the chart always shows that you can not eat ANY of the foods you love and consume on a regular basis.
I agree that it’s hard enough to feed your family healthy food on a budget without also having to cut out whole categories of food that could potentially be cheaper (or say, better for the environment) than what you’re allowed to eat.
I think you have to pick your battles. I am sorry that you are so tired though. I know how that goes. I’ve ben chronically exhausted since I was like 20. And my heart goes out to you for your TTC struggles. We tried for 11 months for our first and it was hard.
I hope that something works for you and that bill gets sorted out too!!!
Alison´s last blog ..Briefly May
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You know, my sister got the SAME diagnosis from a holistic doc. I wonder if it’s the diagnosis du jour… and I’m not sure giving you a diet you won’t follow is going to do any good. I feel for you. We’re using out-of-pocket chiropractic for my son’s chronic ear infections. Super hope it works!!!
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With all due respect to the doctor I think that it is BS. If you are having digestive problems and most of us do, I don’t see how the diet she has prescribed to you will really help. You need to eat things that have digestive enzymes in them and example of this is raw milk (as long as you are not lactose intolerant). I am not a doctor but I have had similar problems in the past. I find Sally Fallons Nourishing Traditions very helpful. It is a cook book but also explains how to improve your digestion and build up your vitamin stores to help you get pregnant.
I am sorry your doctor visit was so much and really seems less than helpful. Good digestion is really important to good health. Find out as much as you can and trust yourself. If something doesn’t feel right to you even if a “doctor” says you should do it, don’t!!
Kelly Klassen´s last blog ..This weeks You Capture….Your Favorite Shot
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The diagnosis might be right on, but you could have gotten it for free in any number of internet email groups/message boards. Financial matters should be discussed upfront, especially if the fee is not – as the insurance companies put it – “reasonable and customary”.
15 DPO and no AF? I’m no expert, but wouldn’t that tell you something?
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WOW. You should call the office and ask if they will give you a discount because of your situation. I’ve found that sometimes doctors are pretty helpful when they know you have to pay for it yourself. 
Mrs. Money´s last blog ..How to Make Hair Conditioner
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You know what, I think she is right on the money, but the cost is outrageous. You could get the same advice, more attention in the form of health coaching from the Laughing Sage Wellness Group. Alyssa is absolutely amazing. I get her free newsletter and have more or less fixed my adrenal exhaustion based on that advice alone. http://www.laughingsagewellness.com/
Karen´s last blog ..Partners in Perinatal Health Conference, May 2010
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Did she mention anything about folic acid? Someone on a pg group I belong to mentioned her doc prescribed high dose folic acid to aid fertility. I don’t know much about it, except that this mom has two children now after multiple miscarriages and general difficulty getting pg.
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this is the problem with getting medical help… it’s so frustrating. i went to an acupuncturist for 3 months in the hopes that we would be able to conceive but after that long without our insurance help we just couldn’t afford it.
i think what finally helped us conceive was the basic thing that everyone needs… healthy eating, exercise and rest. who would have thought!?
ps. while seeing the acupuncturist, he told me to follow a basic diet of 60%protein, 30%carbs, 10%fat, plenty of water, eat an apple a day, go to sleep by 10pm each night (basically get 8-9hrs sleep), exercise 20-30min a day and to have my husband start taking vitamin E to help his swimmers swim faster 
good luck!!
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Hey Gina,
Just wanted to say that it can take a couple with no fertility problems up to a year to conceive. It took us 10 months to conceive our first baby – we were REALLY trying and I was REALLY frustrated each month when my period showed up. Once we stopped charting and putting so much pressure on ourselves, I got pregnant. I’m not saying it will work for everyone, but it sure can’t hurt.
Just eat well, get some rest and exercise, and try to not stress over it.
Leslie´s last blog ..Let Go/Be Still: The Art of Balance
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Ok, just taking a look at this “blood type diet” website, I have to say that it’s total BS. According to the website, if my type O husband wants to lose weight, he should avoid CAULIFLOWER, but BROCCOLI will help?? They’re the exact same plant! They’re practically genetically identical!
Personally, I don’t think TTC since January is all that long, honestly. It took me about that long to conceive my 4th, and my dh and I are pretty darn fertile. (We had five kids in 7 years.) All of the TTC websites say don’t even start to worry until you’ve been trying a year. I say relax, have fun, and try something kinky! 
Michelle Potter´s last blog ..Today on Twitter: If DH, in spirit of adventure,…
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I’m not an expert on plant genetics or the blood type diet. I’m not writing in support of the blood type diet. However, major difference between broccoli and cauliflower is that broccoli is high in vitamin K and cauliflower is not. Apparently type O folks benefit from more vitamin K.
http://www.drgourmet.com/warfarin/vegetables.shtml
This sight is not connected with the blood type diet, but does offer info on vitamin K foods.
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“but insurance won’t cover the $60 weekly visits. They WILL cover $10,000 IVF treatments though! ”
I just vomited in my mouth a little. actually a lot. I need a new keyboard.
No advice. Just have lots of fun sex.
Noel´s last blog ..
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Oh, PS. I second the recommendation for Nourishing Traditions. A bloggy friend of mine, Anna, is a trained nutritionist and she recently did a review of this book. Here is a link to the introductory post for the review (there are three more posts): http://ccostello.blogspot.com/2010/05/nourishing-traditions-very-interesting.html
Michelle Potter´s last blog ..Today on Twitter: If DH, in spirit of adventure,…
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Wow – that’s a real bummer.
I know my opinion doesn’t really matter to you, but I’m not so sure about naturopathic medicine anyway. I believe that health and the human body are inherently very complex issues that can be best addressed and managed by a capable doctor, one who has skill and capability to differentiate between issued which are best treated through medication/surgery and those which can be handled through diet and lifestyle changes. To go too far in one direction or the other seems, to me, to not be taking best advantage of your body’s capabilities and the full range of treatments available in the modern world.
Have you explored the option of an Osteopathic Doctor? I’ve been seeing them for years and have always been exceedingly pleased with the quality of treatment – when I was having problems with my knee during college, my DO said, “I can either give you a knee brace to wear, or you can do these simple exercises” and worked with me to teach me how to do them, and how to tell if they were working. More recently, I discussed with my (current) DO the option of alternative birth control methods, indicating that I’m growing a bit wary of hormonal BC. After much discussion and weighing the different options, we agreed that continuing on The Pill was my best option, but she switched me to a lower dose option. She is conservative and judicious in distributing prescriptions, but never hesitant when the situation truly calls for it – sort of a “best of both worlds” practice!
If you do decide to stay with a naturopathic practitioner, I’d definitely switch to a different doctor – that one sounds like a real whackjob!
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i’ve heard cold medicine has helped a number of couples conceive. I am not sure if you get the same medicines in the US, but the article might be worth a read.
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Are you guys still trying for a girl? I’m not any sort of expert, but it seems that if you are limiting the days you are having sex, you are limiting your chances at conceiving altogether.
It looks like your temps are rising so you should be ovulating. Plus, your luteal phase is longer than 10 days so you should be able to have a successful implantation. Maybe the problem isn’t with you, but with the HH’s spermies?
As for the Blood Type Diet, it seems like one of those typical internet diets to me. Maybe if you had been diagnosed with IBS or some other gastro-intestinal issue it would make sense to limit certain foods. Apparently, I’m not supposed to have wheat, diary, meat or beans. Um, what am I supposed to eat then? Veggies, sure, but that doesn’t seem all that well-rounded to me.
Anyways, sending sticky baby dust your way!
Jen @ Two Embrys´s last blog ..Brand New Jumperoo!
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No, we stopped trying for a girl after the first cycle.
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I’m actually vaguely familiar with the blood diet. I’ve heard of people using it to lose weight. For fertility? Not so much. I’ve never felt really comfortable with it either. Any diet that cuts out that much food is a warning sign to me. I’m all for taking the natural route (luckily my insurance covers my acupuncture visits), but I don’t eschew medical intervention either. If your weight blood cell counts really ARE that low, it might be a good idea to make sure you don’t have an auto-immune disorder because those are NOT cured by digestive enzymes (although those enzymes can be great for other things!).
If you’re anemic (you didn’t mention, other than to say you’re tired) you might want to make sure you don’t have celiac disease (contrary to popular thought, there CAN be no other symptoms than fatigue, anemia, and vitamin deficiency). It’s just treated with a gluten-free diet and, at the beginning, vitamin supplements. I have no idea if it would affect fertility but that came to mind, as my husband was diagnosed with it 8 months ago.
Also, I don’t know if you do this or not, but I interview doctors ahead of time. Some will do it by phone, others at an office visit. I let them know my philosophy and find out theirs to see if we’ll mesh before I start spending a lot of money with them. I’ve run away from many, but found a few good MDs who are pro natural methods.
And, I second the person above who said to find a doctor of osteopathy (DO instead of MD) if you can. It’s not a guarantee, but USUALLY they are much more holistic in their approach (at least if they’re a general physician, as opposed to say a cardiologist). My husband’s uncles and one aunt are all DOs and I’ve noticed a very diff. way in which they approach the trade of medicine.
MarfMom´s last blog ..Friday Favorites
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I wanted to share two things.
I had gotten pregnant in the past always with no more than 3 months of trying and then suddenly had 18 months of not being able to, it was maddening. I put myself on a blood type diet and saw a chiropractor and got pregnant in 2 months. So if I had issues again, I would try that.
Also, I went to a naturpath a few months back to get cleared for a homebirth. (State I live in says any baby past 5 that you want a homebirth for you have to be cleared by an OB to have a midwife attend….)
The nature path spent 90% of time lecturing me on diet and working out as I am a bit fluffy. Looking at her office, filling out all the papers on diet and poop, I could have seen that coming! I think the nature path way is correct with diet and life style. Not what I am used to. For that $$$ though I would follow the advice and not stress about it as stress could add to it all.
I would be upset if costs had not been told to me up front. My hour long visit was only $60 but I made sure of that before I went. Do better recon next time and do call and let them know they never told you upfront the costs and you can’t pay all that right now!
Kimberly´s last blog ..The Magic of WestMama!
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I’m all for naturopaths, but I do NOT buy the blood type diet. I think its wacky. Joel Furhman has a whole section on why its silly in his book Eat to Live. So don’t stress about eating black beans!
Katrina´s last blog ..36 weeks
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I’ve heard about the blood type diet. Technically I’m in the category which would basically see me eating like a carnivore. I’m vegetarian.
Sometimes though, when we eat a certain amount of food alot we can develop an intolerance to it and a period of time eating differently can rectify it. When I first started menstruating I used to faint alot and experienced more pain than is normal. The naturapath took me off wheat, sugar, dairy and highly acidic foods for three months and then reintroduced them. And I had very positive results.
That being said, I’m dubious about certain things like diet increasing your fertility chances, particularly if you’ve had no problems before. In all honesty, when we got pregnant with our first I had a crap diet, was drinking and smoking.
It’s so, so frustrating. And I’m all for improving health, which can only be a good thing with a pregnancy. But I don’t really buy all that stop trying/just relax/eat this/don’t eat that method of conceiving.
Zoey @ Good Goog´s last blog ..Parenting Choices are Not Mistakes
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That being said, I’m dubious about certain things like diet increasing your fertility chances, particularly if you’ve had no problems before. In all honesty, when we got pregnant with our first I had a crap diet, was drinking and smoking.
That’s EXACTLY what I said to her. I was all “lady, I used to eat WAY worse than I do now, and my husband knocked me up practically by just looking at me. What’s changed?” And she said that having kids takes a huge toll on your body. Okay, that makes sense, except tell that to my grandma who had 7 boys in 9 years and ate nothing but pasta.
For real. I don’t know WHAT to believe anymore.
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That is so incredibly frustrating! I have recently diagnosed myself with adrenal fatigue (I don’t know if that is the same thing as adrenaline fatige and I don’t know if it affects fertility) but it may be worth looking into for you. I was able to get ahold of a book called “Adrenal Fatigue: the 21st Century Stress Syndrome”. It took me through a self diagnosis.
Also, I’m not sure about that NP dr. That is such a steep price to hear that “you are tired.” You need answers. I wonder if there is a midwife that could possibly give you some ideas and directions in which to go in as far as treatment. I would think a midwife would be cheaper also. (not covered by insurance, but definately cheaper) and you may even find one that could consult you over the phone free of charge.
I would look into acupressure also. Sometimes you can have your partner help you with that and it’s free!!
Katelin´s last blog ..Just a little Birth Activism for the Weekend
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My midwives actually are covered by insurance, but they just told me to see the endocrinologist – who berated me for breastfeeding my kid. *sigh*
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Wow – As an MD, I think your naturopath is a whackjob, at least in this instance. It is remarkable how a alternative practitioner can charge over $500 for an hour of work and some labs while an MD would be lucky to get $100 from an insurance company. Insurance doesn’t cover much naturopathy because it isn’t “medicine”, which works out great for naturopaths because they just consider themselves out of network and charge whatever they like.
Did your endocrinologist suggest you stop breastfeeding because you were having trouble getting pregnant? Breastfeeding does decrease fertility substantially, to the point of near total infertility if one is feeding exclusively. Its nature’s way of keeping one from having babies too close together (through upregulation of prolactin and subsequent suppression of ovulation).
Happy to hear you finally got pregnant!
Nicholas Fogelson, MD´s last blog ..Why doctors have to pay attention the business of medicine
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I hate to break it to you, but adrenal fatigue is one of those made up things that homeo/naturo/osteopaths diagnose you with in order to sell you supplements. I totally understand how frustrating it is to not get pregnant. I’ve been there, plus I’ve dealt with multiple miscarriages. Charting, which it sounds like you’re doing, is the place to start. You can see if your temps are too low overall, if you’re ovulating, and if your luteal phase is too short. You might also ask for your progesterone level to be tested. If they’re too low then you can have problems conceiving. Time release Mucinex will help to improve the quality of you cervical mucus. You can take one per day as soon as you notice any cervical mucus, and continue for 2 days after you ovulate. Yams will increase your fertility. Not some sort of yam supplement or anything weird, just plain on cheap yams, one per day. Have you taken your BBT charts to an OB/MD?
Limor´s last blog ..Preg-O-Rama News
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Hi Gina,
First of all, I love your blog, and I’m so sorry to hear that you’re having such a hard time.
Second, because you are in a state which does not license NDs, anybody can call themselves by that title. From your description, I’m skeptical that you saw a properly educated naturopathic doctor.
I am an ND practicing in Colorado, another unlicensed state. I went to NCNM, one of five accredited naturopathic medical programs in the US. If you want to know what kind of naturopath you are seeing, it’s important to find out where they went to school. You can find out more about this on our national association website, http://www.naturopathic.org , your state association website, http://www.ilanp.org , or my website, http://www.drlorrainecaron.com .
The person you saw charges several times what I do for a new patient visit. Granted, I’m in a small city, but I don’t think that would explain the difference. I always discuss money up front and patients pay at time of service.
In an unlicensed state, NO insurance company will cover naturopathic care. If you would like this to be covered, fight for licensure in your state! HSAs cover any health care at your discretion, usually, so that’s why that part of your care was covered.
For those of your readers unfamiliar with the training of a naturopathic doctor, I’d again refer them to the above websites. Just like MDs, DOs, and DCs, we attend four-year, residential, post-graduate institutions and then take rigorous board exams (NPLEX) in order to be eligible for licensure in those states which offer it.
In unlicensed states, NDs have to practice under a very limited scope of practice to avoid “practicing medicine without a license”, but we are trained as primary care doctors. If your naturopath is a properly trained ND who chooses not to do well-woman exams or PAPS (considered “diagnosis” and therefore medicine), she should have told you right from the start.
In the meantime, you have one of the naturopathic medical programs near you, at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard. They have three health care centers in the Chicago area offering less expensive visits on student shifts (always overseen by licensed doctors). Here is a link to the NUHS website page describing the centers: http://www.nuhs.edu/show.asp?durki=187
Best wishes on your healing journey,
Lorraine Caron, ND
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Lorraine – that you so much for all the information. Surprisingly, this Naturopath IS actually covered by BCBS IL, I know this because my friend referred me to this doc. She takes her son there because he’s on the spectrum, and she does all the diet & supplement stuff to treat him. BCBS IL covered her visits 100% – AND the doctor’s website specifically lists that they accept BCBS IL. When I went there, I gave them my insurance, and they said it wouldn’t be a problem, which is why I was SHOCKED to get a bill in the mail.
I also took my two boys to see her, so I owe her another $1070 for their two office visits alone. I told her there’s no way I could pay that. We’d be homeless. The whole thing makes me want to throw up.
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You’ve got to tell her that you only took the visit because they said your insurance wouldn’t be a problem. I’m sure she can come up with a reduced rate for you.
If she won’t budge, you can always threaten to tell your story to the better business bureau and the local media. That ought to get her attention.
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Based on your statemets and responses to the statements of others, I’m assuming that you’re charting and temping, which means you know that you are infact ovulating. Did you use different birthcontrol between baby 1 & 2 and between 2 & now? Is your diet the same as it was for either other conception? Did you breastfeed 1 the same amount of time (it would be highly unlikely to impact conception, but it’s not unheard of)?
It could be more than one thing, and probably it is. I hope things work out soon!!
Emily´s last blog ..Poolside
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I used to work in Reproductive Endocrinology. They always said that if it hasn’t taken you more than 2 years to successfully conceive, just keep waiting. Especially since you already have children that tends to knock off the big reasons from the list. The NPs and Docs I worked with always recommended maintaining a healthy weight, drinking adequate water, baby aspirin or glass of red wine a day (especially if you have PCOS-but check with a doc before starting regular aspirin), exercising in moderation, and using relaxation techniques. You could always get a semen analysis done or hormone workup, but otherwise I’d wait it out for awhile.
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This is the worst advice I’ve ever heard! I would walk right out of the office of a reproductive endocrinologist that said something so unsupported by science. Infertility is defined by th American Society of Reproductive Medicine as 1year without conception for women under 30 and 6 months for women over thirty. This snit random but is based on statistics that show 98% of all couples will be pregnant in the given time frame.
If you’ve ever read my blog you know it took me 10 years to conceive my daughter with IVF. With the bias of those years of pain let me say Gina that telling someone they are “fatigued” or to “relax” is both idiotic and rude. Of course eating healthy and exercising will make your body, including your reproductive system (and your husbands) work at its best. But blaming a woman’s diet for fertility problems is totally sexist in my opinion.
In my years of research only 2 alternative medical methods have proven benefit in conception: aspirin and acupuncture. I can get you some articles if you like.
I know ttc is difficult and I know I waited much longer than I should to seek help because I erroneously thought I was being impatient. You aren’t being impatient – my advice? Get thee to a reproductive endocrinologist! Preferably not one who would tell you to wait 2 years.
Paige @ baby dust diaries´s last blog ..10 Things NOT To Say To the Parent of an A.R.T. Child
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Thanks for the tip Paige. Tonight was the first I’d ever heard of a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Would this person test my progesterone levels? I really think I have low progesterone, probably from still breastfeeding, and I thought the naturopath was going to test me for that when she ran the zillions of other tests, but apparently not. I made it clear that I thought progesterone might be a problem, and we even talked about the fact that the regular endo I saw wouldn’t test me for anything except thyroid because she said “Oh, we can’t test you because we don’t have any data on breastfeeding women, so we have no idea what your levels are supposed to look like.” WTF WTF?!?! I told that endo “What, do you think I’m the only woman who has EVER breastfed her baby? You’re telling me you have NO DATA on women like me? What – like nobody’s studied ‘my kind’ yet or something?!?!” She was just totally annoyed that I was still breastfeeding, despite my insistence that the WHO says until at least 2. UGH! Anyway, the naturopath knew all this, which is why I thought she was testing me for that stuff, but I was wrong.
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Yeah, that is insane. Your progesterone might be different because you are breastfeeding but there are excepted guidelines on what is necessary for implantation of an embryo and that is what you need to know.
I would really recommend an RE. They work solely with women trying to conceive so they are very knowledgeable and often much more sympathetic to how difficult wanting to get pregnant but having it not happen can be.
REs will typically ask you to come in on cycle day 1-3 for bloodwork and/or other tests (ultrasound, hysterosalpingogram, etc.). These are all to find the baseline – i.e. what might be preventing your conception. Stuff like progesterone, FSH levels, Thyroid function, etc. They’ll also have your husband get a sperm analysis if he’s never had one just to rule that out. Without this information they’re just shooting in the dark on treatment. If it ends up to be a leutal phase issue or progesterone levels then they can supplement progesterone (vaginal suppository – fun fun).
If your insurance covers IVF (so jealous!!!) then it is a good chance it covers these initial tests. If anything it will put your mind at ease. You can find an RE here: https://www.asrm.org/euclid/detail.aspx?id=2328 From years in the infertility blogging and message board community nearly EVERYONE I’ve ever talked to says they wish they’d gone to an RE earlier.
Paige @ Baby Dust Diaries´s last blog ..10 Things NOT To Say To the Parent of an A.R.T. Child
But these tips work for most women. And many women still go by the general guideline of 14 days as ovulation time without properly learning to chart and read their bodies signals of cervical mucous, cervix position, and sometimes body temperature (though breastfeeding and other things can alter that a lot). I’m not saying that’s what every RE does, but that they would usually recommend you work with an OB/GN until you hit that 2 year mark because most people conceive before them and it’s not worth thousands upon thousands of dollars not covered by insurance to just skip ahead. It depends on age and history, though. Patience can be a good thing. People with a history of taking a long time to get pregnant, miscarriages, or above certain ages (depends on practitioner) would be seen earlier as those things indicate something other than mis-timing ovulation.
I’m sorry you think that my advice is idiotic and rude. It’s just a professional opinion (or not so, since it is just what my practice did, not something I was involved with researching-I”m an andrologist) based upon what works for most women. I don’t find it sexist at all, either. Stress can be directly linked to issues in your body. For both sexes. So can diet-trust me, I’ve studied a lot of semen. However, a blood type diet is quite hilarious to me. I like research, though, and love alternative stuff-we don’t vax, eat organic, use homeopathy on occasion, but that diet is one that sounds like snake oil to myself.
From what I recall (I did the phlebotomy but only rarely helped go through bloodwork results) REs will test progesterone levels. http://www.inciid.org/article.php?cat=infertility101&id=262 This will tell you what some REs do during a workup and which tests are regular. That is just crazy that they wouldn’t test you for progesterone! It’s a common issue with women, breastfeeding or not.
I faced infertility, too, after being told I would never have children due to severe scarring in my uterus after having a grapefruit sized fibroid removed. I went through what seemed like a thousand invasive and painful procedures what I now see as unnecessary. If your doctor isn’t working, find a new one. Are there any Nurse Practitioners in RE up near you? I would imagine so-I used to work just downstate from you and there were then. I would shop around for someone worth their salt. I had to go to grievance through my insurance to not have an instant hysterectomy and get a chance at having children. Peace.
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I would say come see my chiropractor who is amazing with all things healing and she doesn’t charge so much money.
Holy cow, that is a big bill to have to pay!
Sheridan´s last blog ..Warning: This is my longest birth ever! Part 3 (I warned you!)
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You can search for cheaper acupuncture treatments on http://www.pricedoc.com – http://www.pricedoc.com/otherhealth/ I’ve had really good luck with this website.
Lena´s last blog ..Sophia’s newly mastered skills
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I haven’t read all the responses so forgive me if I’m repeating something here …
After our first was born we wanted to get pregnant again right away (I know, I know … really, it was probably a good thing that it didn’t happen right away). I was breastfeeding and expected that it would take longer than the first time (3 months) to get pregnant. It took over a year. It was awful.
For me, I think breastfeeding was the issue. I knew I didn’t want to stop breastfeeding and so I joined a Yahoo group whose focus was trying to conceive while breastfeeding. That group was very helpful. After a while I started charting my cycle and learned that my luteal phase was too short — apparently this is not uncommon when you’re breastfeeding. So, I started taking a B6 supplement (somebody on that Yahoo group recommended it). The next month I got a negative pregnancy test and I was fed up — so I gave up for a month. No charting, so sex unless we *really* wanted to and wouldn’t you know it, I got pregnant. I’ve heard that sometimes when people stop thinking about it, it just happens.
So, I don’t know if all that was helpful or not. Hugs to you Gina, I know how this can consume a person.
FamilyNature´s last blog ..Journey to the Dark Side
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Thanks. I tried that “give up” approach last month. No charting, no temping, no nothing. Yeah, that didn’t work – so back to the charting I went.
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Not sure what I can tell you other than give it a rest for the summer. Give yourself a vacation from trying. Try not to think about it and in the meantime make some healthy changes. I know of at least 5 people, 3 who were struggling with fertility, who have tried the blood type diet and it has changed their health completely. Including 3 pregnancies! I am a firm believer in the diet, although I admit I do not have an ounce of the discipline needed to follow it. I am with you, my blood type has me eating everything I hate and avoiding all that I love. It would probably stabilize my autoimmune disorder, but I have not had the willpower to stick with it more than a week.
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PS to this:
The doc who developed the diet has studied the diets of people from all around the world. Our blood types evolved over time and thus, in theory, our bodies respond best to the types of food our ancestors ate.
The reason some similar foods (broccoli/cauliflower for example) are on opposite lists is because of how the plant evolved over time. Broccoli was gathered by ancient peoples as a wild plant; cauliflower was cultivated as a new plant by farmers.
I really suggest reading the book – you just might be amazed at how spot on it is.
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Gina, I second Nourishing Traditions!
I am so sorry your having a hard time. Hang in there. Like others have mentioned, relax and have fun. I wouldn’t stress just yet. It can be completely normal to have to TTC for a year. Have you looked into The Nest? It’s in Chicago & many women love this place for well women visits, pediatric care, fertility ect http://thenestchicago.com
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The diet sounds like a bunch of crap.
Why did the endocrinologist have a problem with extended breastfeeding? Just their personal opinion? Sometimes breastfeeding can suppress ovulation, but you wouldn’t have periods, so that’s not it. Did the endocrinologist order any blood tests to make sure you’re ovulating?
I got pregnant in 3 months while breastfeeding (had a miscarriage), and now we’ve been trying for 5 months with no luck. I know how you feel. I’m thinking of going to a doctor soon, too.
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Big hugs, I’m sorry. You are in a really frustrating spot. When something sound a little kooky to me, I always check what Dr. Weil says (and some people think he’s a kook). I like him because he is trained in Western medicine but also is open to eastern/other stuff as long as there is some evidence to support it. I go to http://www.drweil.com and just type in the key words into the search bar and see what pops up.
He thinks the blood type diet is BS: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400179
If you like him, you could type in fertility or other issues you’re curious about. I’ve also read his book ‘eating well for optimum health’ and like it.
Hugs and good luck….
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PS as for the bill, hell, just pay off $10-$20/month if you have to.
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Personlly, I think the blood type diet is a lot of BS, mostly because I’m not an evolutionist. I think that pretty much any diet will help you if you stick to it, since most of them are still better than the average American diet.
I would Freak Out if I got a bill like that from someone who told me I was “too tired to get pregnant” and to stop eating all of the food that I love. (especially the healthy ones!) I know that I wouldn’t be able to stick to that list of foods!!
I don’t know what I would do if I was trying to get pregnant and couldn’t. According to my charts I wasn’t fertile at all (super low temps, short luteal phase), and I still got pregnant and had a beautiful daughter. I want to have at least one more, so I am curious how long it would take to conceive another….
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You got scolded for breastfeeding??? I don’t get it. And that dr’s bill is insane. Ugh. I’m sorry you have to go through all that.
Candice´s last blog ..Learning how to love and cry
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It took us well over a year to get pregnant with our first and then a friend of mine gave me a tip which did the trick. She told us to have sex every other night for two weeks, beginning on the last day of my period. We did this successfully for #1 and #2 and then #3 was a we-hadn’t-decided-about-another-one-but-no-one-was-jumping-up-to-get-the-birth-control-either-baby;)
Just so you know……
Tracy Helgeson´s last blog ..The Sky is the Limit!
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We tried for our first for over a year and went though all the song and dance about why we couldn’t get pregnant, we did all the things suggested and nothing worked. Ultimately I was told I was too active and too thin to ovulate regularly.
You know the whole ballerina types who don’t get periods thing… Except I got a period just anovulatory cycles and all that jazz.
Did FAM to try conceiving for a year and a half. Was told to gain weight, reduce stress and take better care of my self nutritionally but it didn’t work.
You know what did work? We got engaged, began planning our wedding and my partner got a better job 1800 miles away so we moved cross country. The most stressful, busy time of our lives! A month after we arrived in our new home town I was knocked up.
Talina of Harvest of Daily Life´s last blog ..Updates and such, a photo essay or Belated Wordless Wednesday
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I don’t know anything about the diet, but I will say that if it’s forbidding all of your favourite foods, then you’re probably not going to follow it long-term. I know that I would ignore a diet that said I couldn’t eat cheese, for instance.
I had a difficult time conceiving my 2nd child. It took me 7 months and progesterone supplements. Which I got from a naturopath, but I think I could have gotten from a regular doctor as well. I personally think that it was because I was breastfeeding at the time.
It is possible to get your period back but not have full fertility, and I’m pretty sure that’s what happened for me. Luckily, with the supplement I was able to conceive without weaning. There are some people who get pregnant unexpectedly when exclusively breastfeeding their 5-month-old. And there are some of us who, even when we’re nursing a toddler a few times a day, are affected. I’m just throwing that out there because (as I understand it) you weren’t breastfeeding the other times that you got pregnant, and so it could be changing things this time.
And I’m sorry about the bill – ouch!
Amber´s last blog ..Driving in the City
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Amber, I have a sneaking suspicion that if I wean him, I will get pregnant easier. The problem is I just don’t want to wean. First of all, he is SO NOT READY. Second of all, it’s my go-to parenting tool any time he’s needy. I don’t know what I’d do without it! But dang, he IS over two… it’s not like I’d be weaning an infant. I’m so conflicted. I just wish he’d instantly wean himself so I wouldn’t have to feel guilty.
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I’m with you on the breastfeeding thing – on all counts. This is completely anecdotal but – I was able to get pregnant while bf, but miscarried both times. Two months after weaning (he self weaned at 13 months) I was pg again and carried to term. All this at “advanced maternal age”.
I can say for sure that I missed breastfeeding my son during those difficult toddler years as I had with my daughter. I remember looking at him as her thrashed on the floor – feeling completely at a loss, and wishing I could just gather him up in my lap and let him nurse all his worries away.
That said, I have a friend who is a marathon runner (read – very thin) in her late 20s (she ran a half marathon while 20 weeks pg – that is another story) who got pg twice while bf before 6 months postpartum and went on to have healthy babies while breastfeeding all the way to term.
So, you just never know. I’m with Amber – our bodies are all so different. I’m all for the scientific method – but we aren’t machines. What works for one might not work for another – which doesn’t help much, but I do wish you the best – hugs!
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I weaned my first just after 2yrs because i thought that was keeping me from getting pregnant……then while nursing my second child we got pregnant when he was 14 months. I misscarried, which was sad but that pregnancy wasn’t intentional. A few months later I did conceive intentionally (stll nursing my second) and I have a 1m old baby girl now after two boys!
Naomi´s last blog ..I’m Getting a Cold and That Sucks
I don’t know about the other stuff, but I was actually too tired to get pregnant! I used to work 3rd shift, which messed up my biorhythms, and I was a mess trying to keep the herd running. Meanwhile….nothing on the baby radar. We decided that my body could not continue the unnatural schedule and after a month of good sleep and food ( I ate poorly because I was not hungry at night) we got pregnant. You have a lot on your plate, Gina, and extreme stress is not good for the system. BTW, that diet looks like BS. All your verboten foods have essential nutrients in them and a good mix, too.
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Honestly, I think you’re doctor is full of it. I looked at those blood type diets, and I’m with you…how can “good” stuff be bad? Besides, were you eating this well when you got pregnant before? You’re probably more conscientious now about what you eat because you’re feeding two growing boys. My father did Atkins…holy cow! I was eating some carrots and he told me that he couldn’t eat them on his “diet” and then he proceeded to chow down a bag of pork rinds. Hello!?
You might be tired, and you are stressed about being stressed…I’m sure that the huge bill didn’t help. An hour? Really? I would call and complain every single day…I actually did once over a $500 doctor bill, and they dropped it to $100. I also know that when I was uninsured and I paid up front, it was $56 to see my internist. I really wonder how they get away with these blanket financial agreements and then turn around and gouge people.
I love accupuncture, totally worth it. Good luck!
Oh, and the breastfeeding judgement is unjustified.
Heather (qtberryhead)´s last blog ..Rochambeau…Or The Reason Why I Didn’t Get To Speak At My Graduation.
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sounds like a psychic stating the obvious.
Also, change doctors. My dear friend is going to a naturopath. They’ve been TTC for the same amount of time as you. They’ve figured out her cycle is 22 days and it might be affecting things. So they’re trying to regulate things a little better. She’s thinking the mirena she had caused it.
I hope you find yourself pregnant soon enough. =)
mommymichael´s last blog ..Deployment Recap
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Gina,
No advice for you here. Just lots of sympathy. Not sure about the blood diet, as others have said, and it seems like you are eating a fairly good diet.
My sister’s been trying for 3 years, so I know how incredibly frustrating it can be.
Best wishes and luck to you. We hope to hear something different on this front soon!
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I went to a naturopath a few years ago for something completely different and I was given the same food list and the same diagnosis. I repeat – my issue was not at all related to not getting pregnant. Actually a different friend of mine had the same diagnosis as the two of us for something else too.
I gave naturopathy an honest try for over a year. In the end my problem was not solved and instead I spend thousands of dollars on visits and supplements that weren’t covered by my health care.
I don’t know enough about natural medicine to fully dismiss it but I find it disheartening that it cost me so much, didn’t solve my issue and others have been told the same thing.
I also had trouble getting pregnant. In my case my doctor prescribed Metformin which is a diabetes medication that is often used for non-diabetics as a minor fertility drug. In my case I had the extra bonus of actually being diabetic (WOOHOO) but I know other non-diabetics have used it with some success. My doctor told me it was safe to take while breastfeeding.
Marilyn´s last blog ..Ah-Mah-Gah Did I Just Do That?
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I think people should eat close to what they would in the wild. It’s why I don’t buy vegetarianism. I eat way more processed food than I would like (or like to admit) and obviously the way we prepare food is different (plus we have more toxins in our environment) BUT I don’t think animals know what their blood type is. I believe in aspects of holistic and traditional medicine but that stuff sounds so so bogus to me, and shit like that is the reason so many people don’t believe in holistic meds at all.
If doctors don’t find something definitive or ‘fix’ you, they shouldn’t be allow to charge over a certain amount IMO!
I don’t know anything about fertility specifically, luckily, but if nothing is medically wrong I think you’re right to go with your own instincts. Actually, I think your own instincts are the way to go period, even if it’s against what doctors say. I do know that much from experience.
Janine´s last blog ..Things I Want Now
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Gina, you might want to consider seeing a good reproductive endocrinologist for a basic workup. He/she could do some labs/follow your cycle for a month to see what’s going on – e.g. look at your progesterone levels through the month, your FSH/LH, etc. It usually involves a lot of early morning lab visits for a month or so but it would give you some good basic info.
Maybe you could go on Mothering.com to see if someone on the “trying to conceive” message board had a recommendation for a reproductive endo. in the Chicago area – maybe someone might be able to suggest a doctor who is more knowledgeable/supportive about breastfeeding than that sucky endocrinologist you had to see before?
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blood diet = bullshit. This person sounds like a charlatan – maybe she believes what she’s selling but she’s still swindling you.
by all means up your Vit D intake (with supplements, if necessary) and go back to another doctor if you’ve had no success in another few months.
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I am not a professional by any means, but this happened when DH and I were trying to get pregnant with our oldest. I started a couple simple supplements and completely forgot about TTC besides taking the supplements, and BAM that month I got pregnant with Camden.
I was taking Femaprin (http://www.vitacost.com/Natures-Way-Femaprin-60-Capsules) 6 a day, I broke them up into 2 at each meal so it was easier to digest.
I took 1000mg of EPO orally daily until ovulation.
Then just a regular folic acid supplement, and we were good to go.
I hope that little bit may be able to help you.
I know it got my best friend preggo after almost a year of TTC their first.
Danielle´s last blog ..Ergo Baby Carrier Giveaway!
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Hi Gina,
Sorry to hear about your troubles, its so frustrating isn’t it. We had the same problem, though we were eventually successful(almost 5 years later O.O)
I saw that our vitamin D results came back low, I would suggest you really work on getting them up to optimal levels. Low vitamin D levels can affect many things in your body, we’re finding out more and more every day.
The suggested doseage is 1000iu per 25lbs (eg. 100lbs person would take 4000iu.) of vitamin D3(cholecalciferol)preferrably in a gel cap though a tablet would work if taken with some type of fat.
Some link love : http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/treatment.shtml
*hug* and good luck
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*sorry make that your vitamin D results came back low*
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So sorry to hear about your trials and tribulations with both the mainstream and alternative docs. My personal opiniion — the reason you’re not getting pregnant as quickly is that you’re 37 — fertility steadily declines after about 25, and that eliminating a lot of perfectly nutritious food from your diet won’t do anything but increase your chances of borderline malnutrition. Again — only my opinion — but I’d prefer to spend what you shelled out for the naturopath’s visit on a romantic getaway and a nice bottle of wine!
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Wendy – I’m 32. Don’t age me more than I already am!
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A few years ago we looked into the blood type diet and just really could not be convinced.
We don’t see regular docs b/c they are pill pushers and we spent a few years paying out of pocket for naturopaths, but it got way too expensive and not enough help.
I would focus on what you know: adrenal fatigue and vit D. Boost those. Are getting enough good fats? Coconut milk, a good fish oil (which would help with vit D), avocados, raw milk/butter if possible? I remember nursing my second and being completely wiped out and a nutritionist friend of mine assessed my diet and explained that when we make babies and nurse it pretty much unloads all of our essential fat. I started making a smoothie every day with a half can of coconut milk and taking a fermented cod liver oil (yum and it drastically changed my mood, health and energy levels. I had been diagnosed adrenal fatigue earlier.
Another supplement I hear everyone should be on is acidophulus (sp???) for help with digestion.
Good luck. I’m going to say my overall thought/advice (which you obviously don’t have to take is to try and not think about it too much. Do what you can do–focus on feeling your best and try not to get lost down the rabbit hole that is the gap between western and eastern medicine. It can get so damn confusing.
hillary´s last blog ..hillaryboucher: new post! RT @flowers13 Give and Receive http://bit.ly/ds3Il3
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I discovered coconut milk products after she told me I couldn’t have dairy anymore. Then, at my next visit, I proudly stated how many coconut milk products I’d found and she says “You can’t have coconut milk either.” WHAT?!! Yeah, apparently coconut milk is super high in “bad” fats, and it’s also on the “not Allowed” side of my blood type diet.
WTF WTF.
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Holy crap! I feel like you’re living my life. We just rubbed shoulders (I swear it’s true) and conceived our first two. Now all of a sudden our swimmers need a gps to get to my egg or somehing. I’m still bfing my 15 m/o, I bred trough my entire pregnancy with number 2, and it obviously wasn’t a problem. I have lpd this time so I’m on 100mg of b6 and I just started progesterone cream 2x daily this cycle. We’ll see. Lots of kinky luck to you; wish I had some advice for you, but hopefully empathy will suffice–it’s all I’ve got.
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The blood diet can be found under a book called, Eat Right for Your Type. http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Right-Your-Type-Individualized/dp/039914255X
Both my husband and I are eating opposites diets when it comes to that blood diet. And so far we feel fine, in fact my husband who has ‘gone vegan’ for the last 3-4 months can now breath freely, and he is feeling “normal for the first time in over 10 years.
I do like the book, Skinny Bitch. Now those ladies are great.
As for the office visit, how much did they ‘write off’? In my Mum’s office they end up writing off a lot, especially when insurance doesn’t cover it all.
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Take a deep breath, and a nap… and snuggle up to your man! I really think the quack with the $470 has a point about sleep and rest. the 1st two times you got prego… you didn’t already have two kids to take care of, lol. Just out of curiousity- were you still nursing your oldest when you conceived the youngest? I’m all for extended nursing, I plan to do the same (my son is only just shy of 11 months)but couldn’t that interfeer with getting pregnant again? I really don’t know if it would or not it’s just a thought that crossed my mind! In any event it will happen when it’s meant to- best of luck and keep your chin up
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Have you tried ovulation predictor strips? I bought them from babyhopes.com and they worked for me.
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No avocado? FORGET IT. I’m sure your new doctor is just being overly cautious but you paid a hell of a lot for her advice so you may want to follow it. You will make a baby dammit!
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This blog has been a real eye-opener for me about alternative medicine. http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org
I’m sure you will get pregnant soon, hang in there!
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i may be wrong. but i always heard that breastfeeding was natural birth control? is this not true or does it just not apply if the toddler is barely dependent on breast milk?
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TTC is hard and everyone has a story to share of what worked for them. I hope someone’s story gives you the information you need to get pregnant.
I read a LOT of diet books, and nutrition books, and allergy books. The Hormone Diet by Dr Natasha Turner may be worth a read to see what you can do diet wise to get your hormones in balance.
Allergy and addiction are flip sides of the same coin. I love dairy, the taste, consistency, almost everything about it; my guts hate it and I turn into my evil twin when I consume it. I understand the principle of the blood type diet but giving up food groups to meet my evolutionary diet needs is too hard when there are three of us in the house with different blood types. Having been on elimination diets, I know what foods make me unwell. Some of them do line up, others do not. We are each unique creatures.
Bf’ing does make a difference in some women in TTC. So does age. That being said, I had my first at 33 and two since while BF’ing. I’ve taken prenatals, D supplements, Omegas, a Cal-Mag and iron supplementation for the last 7 years. I sleep more than eight hours in a 24 hour period. I try to take long walks weekly, garden and shovel snow seasonally.
Your ND is a shark, and possibly her admin is incompetent, maybe they made a mistake with the zeroes, which would result in a far more reasonable cost for the consult. May I suggest getting quotes from other ND’s for their consults and going back to yours saying “This is the local standard I expected to pay and I will neither recommend you to my friends nor will I pay this until we come to an agreement on a fair fee.”
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What I think. I agree, to some extent, with the blood type diet. I’ve seen it help people get healthier too many times to doubt it totally. However – the price of that office visit is INSANE. I work for a chiropractor, and she does everything that lady did and a lot more and our initial visit fee is only $92, after that between $55 and $69 depending on what needs to be done. I’d say shop around – call and talk to people, ask what their fees are and what the doc does. Maybe you can find a doc like the one I work for near you. You’re not in the DFW area are you
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I don’t know if you read all these but I just talked to my doc a bit about your post and she said you need to read the book for the blood type diet – it will explain they whys of not being able to eat those things on the list. You have my email – if you’d like to you can email me and I’ll get you in touch with my doc either through email or on the phone.
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It took us 6 months of really really really TTC (like, poor dude called it “punching the clock” b/c we pretty much did every day around the week of ovulation) and it was IMMENSELY frustrating.
The month we finally did catch one, I’d done one of those POAS ovulation detection thingies to make sure I was even ovulating.
Coincidence or not, that’s what happened for us. Are you tracking the mucous and all that jazz?
FWIW, LOTS of my hippie friends get pregnant while breastfeeding and bf all the way through their pregnancies.
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I’m so sorry that you’re having a hard time getting pregnant. My heart goes out to you.
I’m no expert, but fairly well read on real foods and nutrition, and I would recommend looking into Nourishing Traditions, as other commenters have. My first recommendation, though, would be Real Food for Mother and Baby, by Nina Planck. It discusses traditional fertility diets, and it’s very contrary to what your naturopath told you. (She does an good job of explaining how different nutrients are essential for fertility, and how to get them from the food you eat.) It’s an excellent book and an easy read and I’d highly recommend it. Also, here is a link to some helpful articles on healing adrenal fatigue with real food.
http://www.organicthrifty.com/?s=adrenal+fatigue
I wish you all the best; peace, rest, healing, and a baby!
Rebeca
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Oh, and completely anecdotal, but I just had my fourth baby and am still nursing my two year old… no problems there. :>
Rebeca´s last blog ..Three Days
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I think the blood type diet is GARBAGE. I am prone to being diabetic, so i need protein, and my blood type diet would have me drinking lots of black coffee and be completely vegan. A diet I was on for over 2 years and I never felt worse. Eat a good balance, which it sounds like you’re doing. Maybe cut out sugar and white carbs. As close as to how the Creator made it seems best. Don’t worry about not getting pregnant. Your baby will come when she/he is ready. I think you should seriously fight the doctor bill-I have never heard of a Naturopath charging that much-most initials are 95, and go down to 50 after that. I would go to a chiropractor, though. Hang in there!
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I agree with those who have suggested Nourishing Traditions and Real Food for Mother and Baby. The latter especially for fertility.
Also, with your low Vitamin D levels, I would highly recommend NOT taking Vitamin D supplements, but instead taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil with natural Vitamin D. I struggled with Vitamin D deficiency for years and the FCLO was the only thing that actually left me feeling good (energy, no depression, no aches and pains), not just adequate or functioning like the synthetic did. Here’s where I get mine (it’s expensive, but well worth it!)
https://www.greenpasture.org/community/
(I get the Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil Combo in Cinnamon Tingle)]
Hope you’re able to get pregnant soon.
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I do think adrenal fatigue is an issue for a lot of women, who never get time to rest or recharge. My naturopath has given me something to boost adrenal function, and right now I am using the same remedy with my 4 yr old (i have seen lots of ND’s and never had a bill like that! mine have always been very reasonable).
But i bet the best thing you could do is attend to self care (not to say you’re not trying your best to do that now!). Thyroid function is tied in to adrenals of course, so maybe your body has tried to send you some messages a few times! Back when i was running on adrenaline i didn’t ovulate for a year at one time.
As for the diet, I think the blood type diet is pretty ambitious for a lot of people, and focusing on a plant-based diet that helps your body become more alkaline vs acidic is the best approach. Less gluten, dairy and red meat always helps with that. Good luck!
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I’m afraid I am not going to be a lot of help. It is hard to want to be pregnant and not have it happen right away – no matter now long that takes.
I’ve read that a serving of whole milk (or other whole dairy) a day will help. For me, charting was way too stressful. I had to stop, because it stressed me out really bad. Every time I’ve gotten pregnant (3 times) it happens the first month I “give up.” I will stress and stress, and after 5 months I’ll decide I’ve stopped caring then it will happen. The old get drunk and have sex hypothesis.
See? I told you I would not be helpful.
Meg´s last blog ..In Honor of LOST- Birth and Nursing on the Island
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I still can’t believe that. The only time I ever got a bill that high was when I had a prenatal appointment overseas and paid out of pocket for it. It was $500 but that included an ultrasound and several other tests. I cannot imagine any medical professional charging that much for a simple office visit– that seems not very legit to me.
I don’t know if anyone brought this up above, but the part about extended breastfeeding caught my eye… because just this morning I found out that my step-brother’s wife is pregnant again. They were like you, in that they got pregnant right away with their first, so she was shocked for it to take this long when trying for her second. It turned out she got pregnant the same month that she weaned her daughter. I don’t know if this is something you’ve explored yet, but breastfeeding does affect the same hormones needed for fertility and ovulation, and there might be a chance that it’s interfering with you getting pregnant? (I also know plenty of women can and do get pregnant while BFing, it just jumped out at me since I’d just heard this morning about her situation).
I have heard that acupuncture can help a lot with fertility… some claim it has an 80% success rate??
Good luck!!
Marcy´s last blog ..We won’t be homeless after all!
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(sorry, with their 1st they got pg the first month, I think… now their daughter is 16mo. This time it took them 6 months to get pregnant, and again it only happened when she stopped nursing– she was only nursing once a day, but apparently it was enough? Just to clarify details)
Marcy´s last blog ..We won’t be homeless after all!
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I’m 29 and was in a panic when I didn’t pregnant after trying for five months. I read this book: http://www.makingbabiesprogram.com/
I can’t say it did the trick, but I don’t think it hurt, and it made me feel better to at least be following some guidelines. The three months I tried to follow the diet pretty strictly, I didn’t get pregnant. Then I gave up on the diet part of it (I’m vegetarian, so I didn’t try to avoid soy) and kept drinking the raspberry tea, taking prenatal vitamins and a baby aspirin daily, and scheduling sex. And then I got pregnant.
Good luck to you–I understand the frustration.
Brooke´s last blog ..My Wisdom Teeth; Or, Terrible and Ridiculous Things That Happen to Me
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Gina, this whole thing is waving red flags for me as a quack scam. First of all, I can’t find any studies into the blood type diet on Pubmed, and it seems to me that if there really was any decent evidence there’d be *something* in the peer review journals. Secondly, if your white count really is ‘dangerously low’ then she should be investigating that or at a bare minimum rechecking it to find out what is going on, rather than assume that it’s something that just conveniently fits her theory but, again, has no evidence for it whatsoever. Do you have the actual figure plus her lab’s normal range? If not, get those figures from her, plus the differential (the breakdown into different types of white blood cells with the counts for each) and e-mail me with the results and I’ll let you know what I think. If in doubt, find out whether you can get a full blood count from your own doctor (they’re inexpensive, even if insurance doesn’t cover it). This woman, as I’ve said, sounds like a quack. Meanwhile, good luck with getting pregnant.
Oh – the reason acupuncture wouldn’t be covered by insurance and IVF would is probably because IVF is known to work in at least a proportion of cases whereas acupuncture doesn’t seem to. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20053149.
Dr Sarah´s last blog ..…curtain.
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Hey Dr. Sarah – I remember my white blood cell count – it was 2.9. I only remember that one specifically because she made a big deal about the lowest she’s ever seen was 3.9, and 2.9 was “ridiculously low”, blah blah blah. She’s not going to give me a copy of my labs because she called YELLING (I mean YELLING) at me yesterday after I told her receptionist that I couldn’t pay that bill and they needed to work with me. Instead of working with me, she called spouting abusive nonsense to me about how she spent “7 hours” and deserves her money (She spent 90 minutes with me, whatever.) I could write an entire post about the total horsecrap she said to me in that phone call, but I’m trying to put it out of my mind.
So, does that white blood cell count tell you anything?
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Thanks! That looks a little low but not dramatically so, although it would obviously depend on the lab’s normal range (which varies from lab to lab due to variations in the machinery). If I had that result I’d just order a repeat in case it was a temporary blip for some reason. As I say, approach your doctor to see if you can get a repeat without undue expense. In the meantime, I wouldn’t be concerned about it. I strongly suspect she’s trying to make it sound a lot worse than it is so that she can make you believe that OMG YOUR BODY IS SO ****ED UP YOU CLEARLY DESPERATELY NEED HER EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE SERVICES. Sigh.
Oh, and ‘adrenaline fatigue’? A diagnosis that meaningless and that impossible to test for with one round of blood tests also rings major alarm bells in my Quackery Alarm.
The bit about the Vitamin D deficiency may well be true, though. I just started testing patients for that relatively recently after a rheumatologist told me it was a common cause of unexplained body pain, and it’s astonishingly frequent. Did you track down a decent supplement to take? Sunshine will help, obviously.
If you’ve got any more questions, please do fire ahead (I don’t promise you answers, but at least I won’t a) make something up when I don’t know or b) charge you exorbitant fees).
Dr Sarah´s last blog ..…curtain.
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I used to teach Fertility Awareness. Once on Twitter I offered to help you and the offer still stands. I’ve been pretty successful with women I have worked with. (I do it out of the goodness of my heart) I suffered with fertility issues and I overcame them and learned a lot along the way. (we have 4 bio children and 1 adopted)
I’m cheaper than the doctor you paid (free) and will give you more valuable advice that may actually work for you. Solid information to increase your chances of conception and you won’t have to eat some weird diet.
Kim
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Thanks Kim, but I’ve been doing FAM since January. This is how I know exactly the moment I’ve been ovulating (and THAT I’m ovulating, for that matter.) I think the problem is not with timing, but with the pregnancy sticking.
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That is possible. Does your charts indicate at all that conception has taken place? or that you have a short luteal phase?
Even though you have been ovulating, and your timing is good, conception may not be taking place for a variety of reasons. It could be egg or sperm quality, or the environment for the sperm to live, down to implantation and the lining of your uterus.
Also your timing could still be off – six hours made the difference between my best friend getting pregnant the last time. (It took her about six months to get pregnant the last time)
Goodluck.
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Gina, I’m so sorry hear that they aren’t being flexible about the bill. That is another red flag! I hope you can pay it off and be rid of the quackery!
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A little late on this, and too busy to read all the comments (lunch is only 1 hour, after all!), but I thought you might be interesting in checking out some info from the Vitamin D Council, specifically what they write about Vit D. deficiency and pregnancy. Here’s a link: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/pregnancy-and-gestational-vitamin-d-deficiency.shtml. Best of luck with continued attempts to get pregnant, my time is coming soon!
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I’m not going to read 97 comments, but everyone who goes to a naturopath has adrenal fatigue and Vitamin D deficiency. Some need to hot foot it over to a chiropractor, and a surprising number need to have colonic irrigation. A few even need to have their kidneys tuned up. What else? Oh yeah, yeast is trying to kill them, that’s right, like a cartoon arch-villain, Candida is stalking them and leaving clues like a note or a sequined glove mocking the detective/naturopath in the QUEST FOR JUSTICE (I mean health.)
Priss´s last blog ..Alejandro allay-allay-hand row
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will you be outing this ND? I would love to know who you saw since I am in the area. would love to make sure people do not go to her!
thanks
leslie
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I have seen some luck (as a functional medicine pharmacist) using progesterone to extend the luteal phase and/or vitex (chasteberry) to help reduce prolactin levels and extend the luteal phase. Breastfeeding is one of nature’s ways to help prevent conception, so you may find difficulty as you continue to breastfeed (unfortunately). Good luck in TTE regardless of your BF status and intervention usage , I believe it is possible!
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Also, your ND may be right about the adrenal fatigue. It is a very common problem, especially among women. There is a great book called Adrenal Fatigue: the 21st Century Stress Syndrome that is a great read on the subject. However, I have never been sold on the blood type diets. Anti-inflammatory diets make more sense to me (basics include removing dairy and gluten from your diet while increasing fruits and veggies).
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Have you read Inconceivable? Excellent book. May not be addressing your issue, but really good anyway. And TCOYF, of course.
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I didn’t read all of the responses b/c my 6 year old is at my elbow asking for the ice cream I said she could have about an hour ago…
Anywho…Even though your insurance does not “cover” that…they may still have an out of pocket reimbursement where they will pay a portion of an out of network doctor. I had to see a doctor twice during my last pregnancy that does not accept any insurances…I submitted a claim & got 60% back. Although…if the insurance company is saying you didn’t *need* the visit for whatever reason…that is where you fight back & remind them that they cannot decide what part of your healthcare is relevent & how it should be treated, since they are not your personal caretakers. I dunno if it will work, but it’s worth a try.
Maegan´s last blog ..A Day to Remember…
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Did you read Mother Food by Hilary Jacobsen? It’s for breastfeeding mothers, but it details the effects of diet on the system and absorption of nutrients. Simply changing foods won’t help much. It’s the balance of what you’re eating that counts. More greens, I’d say. The answer to most things is ‘more greens’ when it comes to bodily functions, I find.
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Hi Gina,
I’m Cynthia, I stumbled upon your blog by looking for some cloth wipe recipes (or something like that).
I don’t know if this has been suggested in the hundred comments you’ve received, but I wanted to share it with you–Mayan Womb Massage. My first issue of Mothering Magazine was the issue right after they spotlight Mayan Womb Massage and I read some letters from readers claiming how informative the article was and how MWM worked for them.
Here are two links I found on the Mothering website, you can also order the back issue from their online store.
http://www.mothering.com/pregnancy-birth/honoring-our-cycles
http://www.mothering.com/pregnancy-birth/secondary-infertility
http://shop.mothering.com/product-p/bi-159.htm
I hope some of the suggestions your readers provided will help. Good luck Gina!
Cynthia Krajcarski´s last blog ..Ooh-Rah
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I *just* blogged about this today. I will be praying for you; I know how crazy this fertility thing can be.
Pinky @ LaughAtOurLives´s last blog ..Why I Refuse To Try Again
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