The Commitment...

Ever feel like you make too many excuses for yourself? Like you are "settling" on a life that isnt what you wanted? That you are too comfortable in this pattern of doing things and almost happy there? This is me! I've come to accept the fact that my "illness" makes me feel blah, fatigue, achey, bloated, & depressed. It gives me a giant belly roll I can't do anything about, headaches, acne. And I've come to accept that and I'm almost comfortable here!! If I wake up feeling like poo again, for the 3rd time this week, I almost don't give it a second thought. And I spend the day drowning in that feeling.. I'm too tired to dig my way out. There is nothing I can do. It's easier to focus on the negative and just keep feeling blah.

But this isn't who I want to be!! This isn't how I want to do things!! And I've decided I'm making a commitment. A commitment to change. A commitment to no more excuses. No more entire days, weeks, months feeling blah and tired and sickly. I'm going to make changes in the way I eat. And the way I allow myself to feel! And in my activity pattern!! I think if I can change my overall health, I can get the upper hand on PCOS, IR, & my hormones. And I think that I will have fewer and fewer days spent feeling so down and out.

I'm making a commitment to myself, for myself.

A More Natural Approach

Well, we have tried just about everything there is to try while trying to conceive, short of IVF, which we have discussed and have a skeleton of a plan for in the near future. We have two years of just everyday trying under our belts. And one year of trying with conventional medications. We have tried both of the most common oral medications Femara and Clomid. I also tried an alternative that can be bought at WalMart called Soy Isoflavonnes. I have been taking Metformin daily for over a year. We have tried intercourse sporadically all cycle long, as well as timing it to the days right before ovulation, and two IntraUterine Inseminations. We also have one cycle of injectable medications on our "done that" list. Our injectable cycle really was a beautiful one, we just didn't come home with a pregnancy. And our long term plans are to save up the funds to do two more of those cycles before accepting defeat and saving long term for IVF in a few years.

In the meantime, while were twiddling our thumbs and doing nothing productive because were "saving money" Ive been contemplating a more natural approach. My research has brought me to  Vitex Agnus-Castus, better known as Vitex for short and also known as Chasteberry. 

Vitex- is a fertility-promoting herb with a long history of human use. It was recognized for its herbal-medicinal properties in Ancient Greece and was used to treat a number of health issues. Women in Europe have used vitex to increase their odds of conceiving a baby, as well as to treat symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance, skin condition, or PMS. Proponents of herbal therapies for fertility believe that the benefit of vitex lies in its ability to work at the endocrine, or hormonal, level to decrease the secretion of prolactin. vitex is listed as one of the herbs commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to stimulate ovarian function. It can also be beneficial to women with low progesterone and luetal phase defects. vitex is not a hormone but has been show to stimulate the production of LH and gently suppress the production of FSH by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. So basically Vitex works by restoring the balance of hormones inside the body and that are involved in ovulation. It is also beneficial to women with short luetal pahses and can help with maintaining progesterone production and the corpus luetum cyst during the LP. Good website with info on Vitex -- http://natural-fertility-info.com/vitex

It appears that Vitex can come in both gel cap type pills and in a tincture and that both are pretty much the same so its whatever you would prefer to take and the dosing is pretty standard across the board. It appears to be safe to take all cycle long and it can take a few cycles to see any major results. Its not a fertility drug per-say but there is alot of buzz on fertility forums about its benefits and alot of women crediting it with getting their cycles regular and their BFP (Big Fat Positive/Pregnancy). Im thinking that this may be the path I want to take for awhile. I am already working on taking some vitamins and I do, when not supplementing, have a vitamin D deficiency which can effect fertility. 

GOAL:  Find Vitex. Give it a 3 month trial. Share on the blog. Remember to take my daily Vit D and B-complex and Prenatal.  :)

Fun With Fertility Symbols

Sooo.... Maybe it's just me & I'm crazy, but I love researching and finding symbols associated with fertility! I love finding objects and animals thought to represent fertility and also Deities, Saints, and Gods from other religions and Cultures. I think the stories are so interesting!! And Hey! It can't hurt to have one of each and cover your bases right?! :)



Hazelnuts- in ancient Ireland the Hazel Tree is considered a fertile being by the Celtics. They would string them together to wear as necklaces or carry one in their pockets. Interestingly enough, hazelnut oil can help naturally regulate blood sugars and insulin, which can aid in fertility.

Pomegranate- in Feng Shui, the pomegranate is a symbol of fertility because of its large amount of red seeds. Experts suggest placing a painting of a pomegranate with alot of seeds or an artificial pomegranate in your bedroom.

Lotus Flower- in the Hindu culture the lotus flower is the highest symbol of fertility. It represents purity because lotus flowers grow in muddy waters but remain untouched by the impurities.

Frogs- across South and Central America, depictions of squatting frogs are used to represent giving birth to new life. The Romans linked frogs to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and procreation. In ancient Egypt, large numbers of frogs appeared each year when the Nile flooded. Because Egyptian civilization was dependent on this flooding, frogs became a symbol of fertility.

Fish - in China, fish are a fertility symbol because they produce so many eggs. Fish are often pictured floating through clouds or leaping. According to Feng Shui, a double fish statue made from glass or metal should be kept in the southwest corner of the bedroom.

Venus- is the Roman goddess whose functions encompassed love, beauty, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory. In Roman mythology, she was the mother of the Roman people through her son, Aeneas, who survived the fall of Troy 

Saint Anne- in Catholicism, St. Anne is the Patron Saint of Infertility and Women in Labor. Her and her husband were barren for 20 years before conceiving their daughter Mary (the Virgin Mary). She is believed to be very highly favored and her intercession is invoked by other couples dealing with infertility. She believed motherhood was very important.

Kokopelli- is a Native American Fertility Deity usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player often with feathers or antenna-like protrusions on his head. He was believed to carry unborn children on his back and pass them out to women.

Ayida-Weddo- is the Haitian Voodoo loa of fertility, rainbows, wind, water, fire, and snakes. She is known as the Rainbow Serpent. Her ceremonial colors are white and blue. Appropriate offerings to her include white chickens, white eggs, rice, and milk.

I'm sure there are SOOO many more that I haven't found or just haven't listed!! If you know of any you want me to research and add, just comment below!!