Desparate times... things I'm doing differently this IVF Cycle

I may be swan diving jumping off the deep end... and I am starting to get nervous/excited for our upcoming (and more than likely last) IVF cycle.  I started looking into some natural things that I can do to help our chances.  I don't want to take any more supplements than I'm already taking (and the FS knows about them) because I don't want anything that can potentially interact with the prescribed fertility meds.  But there has to be something else that I can do...

Royal Jelly. Bee Pollen and Propolis

**Ok, does it need to be said that if you have a bee allergy this is not the stuff for you?
Pretty much it's the magic stuff that makes the Queen Bee produce all of those eggs.  There aren't any concrete medical studies that I was able to find but plenty (millions) of testimonials suggesting that that ingesting this really helps your quality and quantity of eggs.  Many acupuncturists recommend this to their patients and also a very popular infertility book, The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis, suggests this as one of the super foods to help beat infertility (I have not read this book so I do not know exactly what it says but many people referred to this book as the reason as to why they started taking it).  It also has many many other health benefits - just Google it!

Ideally you should start taking this at least 90 days before the desired cycle so I'm a little late to the party here.  But I did find quite a few people who said they started it not long before their ER (egg retrieval) and the Royal Jelly cycle vs prior cycles produced eggs that were noticeably better quality and more eggs than they ever had - even without changes in their medical protocol.  Most resulted in BFP's -big fat positives, as in positive pregnancy test- and those that didn't had other underlying conditions.  It's considered a food based supplement so there wouldn't be any interaction with any of the medications.  I've read that you take it only up until ER and you should not take it if you are pregnant or nursing.

You can take it in two forms - a capsule or fresh (jelly).  I got the fresh kind mixed with honey.  This came in the mail today (guess where I got it from... lol).  Many many reviewers said that this is what they took prior to their IVF/IUI cycles and credit this for helping them to achieve their BFP's)

 

It smells kind of like honey - but different.  It's very thick, like caramel.  It doesn't taste that bad.  You cannot mix it with anything hot so basically you just eat a teaspoon 2x a day (on an empty stomach).  You also do not put it in the refrigerator (although I read about some raw ones that can be found at some health food stores that need to be refrigerated).  I started it today... so we'll see!

Flax Seeds

Another thing that I read about are Flax Seeds.  They are really good for uterine health, balancing hormones and boosting fertility.  Well this is something that I already had started to eat almost daily (score), but will be bumping it up to 2 tablespoons a day (recommended for fertility). 
These seeds have been around since 3000BC but have started to really be seen in many products on the shelves in 2010 (that is the shelves not in the organic section and shelves outside of a health food store).  The health benefits of these little gems are astounding, Omega 3 essential fatty acids (the good fats that have been shown to have heart healthy benefits), Lignans and Fiber.

I have eaten a couple brands, this just happens to be the one I have right now.

I don't know the benefits of eating the whole seeds versus the ground- that's something I'll have to look into.  But for now I have the ground.  I don't recommend eating this plain, mix it in something like yogurt or oatmeal.  It adds a nutty flavor that I really like - I have added this to breads and muffins in the past... so many ways to get this into your diet.  But for the IVF purpose at hand - I will be eating it in my daily yogurt (usually a low fat Greek yogurt).

Raspberry Leaf Tea

Let me start by saying... this does not taste like raspberries.  At.  All.  Don't let the name fool you - it tastes like dirt.  LOL.  But I put a little honey it and it makes a world of difference.
This tea is something that some say to drink to help stimulate labor.  But drinking it while trying to get pregnant is said to help to tone the muscles of the pelvic region, including the uterus.  This tea is said to help improve uterine health where there is uterine weakness present- like for me having had the surgery to remove the septum (heart shaped uterus). This may also help to prevent miscarriage (when used when preparing for pregnancy).

This is the one that I am currently drinking.  You should drink at least 1 cup a day (some recommend 1-3) prior to ovulation.  It says that it's safe to drink during pregnancy as it helps to tone the uterus but I think I would be afraid to since if it helps to promote labor... wouldn't that mean it helps to start contractions?  I'll have to look into drinking this tea during pregnancy later on but for now I will stop once I take my HCG trigger shot (to make me ovulate).

Castor Oil Packs:

Ok, this might be where I am a little off my rocker jumping off the deep end (if I have not already).  A castor oil pack is a flannel cloth soaked in castor oil and applied to the lower abdomen which is thought to help circulation.  It is also thought to help ovarian, fallopian tube, uterine and egg health.

Castor oil packs stimulate 2 important parts of the body: lymphatic and circulatory systems.  The lymphatic system removes toxins and waste from the area stimulated by the castor oil pack.  Stimulation of the lymphatic system happen when you apply the castor oil pack externally over the reproductive system. This helps to cleanse the reproductive organs and promote healing of damaged tissues where the pack is applied.

The circulatory system consists of parts of the heart, blood, veins and arteries. It runs throughout the entire body.  The promotion of circulation by a castor oil pack will bring in fresh oxygenated, nutrient rich blood to the reproductive organs, including the uterus.  Hey - it's worth a try right?

This is what I have ordered (from my favorite online retailer).  How it works it you put the flannel cloth in a bowl and pour the castor oil over it - you don't want the flannel to be dripping but you want it to be saturated.  You lie down and place the cloth on your lower abdomen.  You then put a piece of plastic (like a cut up grocery bag) over the pack, then a heating pad.  The heat helps the castor oil do it's thang.  The castor oil will stain so make sure you have old clothes and an old towel under you.  Keep this on for 30-45 minutes.  After you remove it, clean the area with water/baking soda solution.  Store the pack in a covered bowl (or ziplock) in the fridge - one pack can be used 25-30 times.  This is also something you want to do up until ET (egg transfer).  After the transfer you don't want any sort of heat on the lower abdomen (no hot water bottles or heating pads).

So yeah.  This is what I'll be doing.  I'm also giving up caffeine and alcohol.  Yep - the entire cycle and a half will be caffeine and alcohol free.  I am mainly caffeine free already, except for the occasional half decaf/half regular or sometimes on the weekends the coffee just smells too good to resist a cup (the hubs drinks a lot of coffee).  But my wine... sigh.  That will be hard.  But once I get pregnant I'll be giving up both for a long time so no biggie, right?

**I am not a doctor or a health professional.  Also, any of the products that I talk about on here are things that I found through my own research and am not, in any way, compensated for using or talking about them**

xo j.