Detox countdown - why is it so important to me?

When I went to conceive my son, and I had to IUI cycles that had failed, I was at the point I was ready to give up. I did a detox, and the results shocked me. I blogged about it (on a private site) - and want to share what I went through then and why I am about to do it all over again! This is a snippet of what I wrote at the time! It will be interesting to see what happens this time!


Day 1

I never tend to blog, but after two failed IUIs and a realisation I probably have a problem in my luteal phase of my cycle, I have decided to try and take my mind off getting pregnant and trying to get my body right. I was going to take a month off anyway, now I have a focus for this month.

So a bit about me : I have PCOS, and my partner has MF. We went through two back to back IUI's which resulted in AF coming very soon after ovulation. I did a bit of research and found out about luteal phase defects, which would pretty much result in losing the lining before implantation was completed successfully. So I may have been conceiving but when my hormones dropped so did my chances of being a mum.

I have two choices - go for a third round (which I am sure will fail at this point) and move onto IVF (costly and I think still unnecessary). Or take a break and try and work out what is wrong with my body. I have had problems in the past healthwise, and my naturopath (G) changed my life. I got on the right track and I am back in her care for the next month, so we can cleanse my body and see if that kick starts and prepares my system for that long waited for pregnancy.

This blog will talk about my 6 week detox program. If it helps me maybe it can help you? I am hoping to show how easy and yum I can make it. I also hope if it gets me a BFP it may help get you one too! G did tell me she has a 42 year old woman trying for 5 years through IVF - and after this program got pregnant and is due in 4 weeks. I really do have faith in her!

Just be aware I am doing this supervised and with supplements and acupuncture (they help clean you out and replace your body with good stuff) - so see your health care provider before doing anything! First 2 weeks is remove, next 2 replenish, final 2 (and I should be stimming during this time) is renew! so I hope to lose weight, get cleansed and get knocked up .




The detox is made up of 6 small meals a day - with at least 2 litres of water a day during meal breaks. One small portion of protein at every meal, one serve of rice/grains a day and up to 2 servings of fruit a day. dinner was my start of my day! Poor DH gets to eat this food - but don't feel too sorry for him, he enjoyed quite a bit of it!

After first week :


Wow! Nearly a week has gone past! And I survived my first weekend on the detox diet! Along the way I found out some really interesting stuff (mainly from the amazing alternative therapies thread on the infertility site). There is a thing called the fertility kitchen , but there she discusses how diet can cause conception problems. Pretty much the essence of it if your body is stuggling with foods (such as sensitivites, sugars, pesticides), it will try and protect itself and leave the less essential parts of the body to fend for itself (such as your reproductive system). Really interesting read - and makes me feel I am on the right path.

I have lost all of the bloating from the last two months - which is pretty nice. i had my hair done over the weekend - and I am feeling more attractive than I have in months! I am interested to see if I have lost any weight. If I can lose at least 5 kilos, I think it may make a huge difference to the next round of IUI.



So I have officially passed the one week mark and got my weigh in! In one week I have lost 2 kilos (about 4.5 pounds!!). I am so happy about that. If I can lose another 4-5 kilos (8-12 pounds) I will be back to my healthy weight range. The FT battle makes you put on weight, and having PCOS and being IR - your weight sometimes gets the better of you! Still I am going down and not up so I am super happy about that!


Phase 2 :

I am now well into the second phase of the detox. I am having more headaches (some of them are hormone related, a nice gift from my medicated cycles ). But it is also telling me AF should be coming in the next two weeks (makes a very different sort of TWW I tell you!!). I am also feeling much more apprehensive about the whole thing. Concerns that I am doing all this and my final IUI may not work still. However, I am losing weight, I am O'D on my own this month, and I am cleaning out my system. What else can I do? 

End of detox :


So the last two weeks were a real struggle. I am really glad I don't have to go for another two weeks. It means I can now focus on the next round of IUI and trying to get pregnant/have a healthy body and a healthy baby!

For those interested I lost 2.5kg (about 5.5pounds) over the last month. Which I am super happy with, as I am super bloated so it may be closer to 3kg without the water. It also means I go back into another IUI round 2.5kg lighter - which should, i hope, help heaps!!

Now I am waiting on AF. I am sure it is around the corner, but my O'd came so late into my cycle (about cd 22/23) and according to my calendar AF is due tomorrow. I do think I am on the verge of getting it. So hopefully my next post will be about being back to the stims.

I did discuss what I would put back in my diet - and I have put back in rye It is one of the less harsh cereals, and otherwise I am trying to remain gluten/dairy/sugar free as much as possible. This detox is not just about cleansing it is about allowing my body to get pregnant!

I am also going to be questioning my hormonal support during my Luteal Phase. I will let you all know how it goes. It is my birthday month, so what an awesome gift to get pregnant Please wish me luck!!

Thanks for reading and following my last month. It has been tough. I am nervous but also super excited to be trying it, lighter, healthier and with a better positive outlook!! 

IUI time :

Well the good news -
AF arrived about two weeks after I thought I O'D! So... let's list the positives
1. My Luteal Phase lasted at least two weeks! It did extend on it's own!
2. I am officially CD1, and back stimming on Sunday (my birthday, yay for a BFP as a birthday gift!).
3. I am weighing a few kilos lighter than I did last cycle!
4. I have had about 2 weeks between end of detox and starting again.
5. My naturopath is super positive about this cycle.
6. The nurses doing my cycle are going to monitor the LP when we get there!
7. I am officially trying again! YEEHAA!

The bad news : I do have a small cyst on my right ovary, but they are not going to cancel. So still good news.

So excited, I am really hoping this is the last AF for a few months. And AF is not painful this month. Yay! 

 check in 1 : 

Okay so I am not pregnant .. yet ...! But I have had some success!

I have been on puregon (FSH) 75 for the last 8 days! Today is cd11 for me, and I went in for my first ultrasound. I have a 12mm follicle! Now this might seem normal for everyone else, but for me we never see anything till a) we up my dosage of meds and b) it happens about cd 15 (to this size!) with Ovulation occurring about cd19 (on a medicated cycle; on a non-medicated cycle it took ages, about cd24). To be at least 4 days earlier on a medicated is amazing!!!! So my cycle is almost looking more normal!!! And no upping of my meds!

Wednesday is scan #2 - so I am hoping I will have a nice big fat follie ready to burst and have a IUI this week! Which would be amazing.

I know this may not seem like much - but I had a 2 week luteal phase (on my last non-medicated detox cycle, big improvement over my short LP during my medicated cycles), and now a shorter time to follie production - shows the detox/AP/diet has definatley shifted things for the better for me.

Best wishes! 

check in 2 :

 

Wow. I am spinning this morning! Went in for my second ultrasound, and I have two big juicy follies measuring at 16 and 18mm! So I have booked in my IUI for Friday. Friday is CD15, a huge change from the CD19 IUI's I had on my last two medicated cycles. I also stuck on the one dose of 75 through the whole process! First time we did not need to up my meds!

I am so excited. Things just feel like they are falling into place. One thing I know is that at the end of the last BFP, I really felt all I was doing was waiting to go through it again to have exactly the same outcome. I knew if I did not make a change I pretty much was spending money to end up with IVF. I started the detox hoping it would change my luteal phase and lengthen it - I really can't believe it has made such a difference that even now my ovaries are playing nice, and shortening my time to making follies. I know I have done everything in my power to try and improve my chances of getting pregnant including improving my cycle.

Now the best thing would be to report back a BFP in about two weeks! Wish me luck!!

(And timing - I have an AP on Friday morning booked right before I get turkey basted Has to help!!)

  check in #3 - post IUI

All has gone well so far with my IUI. I can't tell you all how different this round has been. I triggered and didn't get any of the real nasty side effects (sore boobs etc), but I do feel a few days later a little down, bloated and well tummy is not so great. However compared to my first two rounds I feel awesome! The IUI wasn't so great, very crampy and bleeding a little - but as I never had these in the first two rounds, I have to take that as a super positive sign this is different!

I am starting crinone tonight (I really don't think I am looking forward to it - any tips anyone?). So I know my LP will remain for longer (so I won't be able to say for sure this round it has extended on it's own, but no risks here!).

So I am in my long TWW wait not. I am praying, and trying not to think too much about it.

I so hope in two weeks I can report back with some positive news. The one thing I know is I have done everything now - and this cycle is so different. Fingers/legs/everything crossed!

 results :

So for those that have been following my progress, I did 2 IUI's that ended up with a short Luteal phase and my hopes being dashed. I decided to take a month off, do a detox and see if i could get knocked up. At 4am this morning, I POAS and I got two lines!!!! A BFP ! I am still in shock, and keep looking at that line! I am 13dpiui for those interested, and have my beta on Monday.

There were a few things that came out of this TWW. I was on crinone, so I assumed everything was to do with the crinone. I had pinching feelings in my abdomen that went away (I think it was implantation - but i wont know), and I did get some pain with my radial ligaments (I think thats what it is called), around my gut. However, again I thought it was the crinone - and it still could be! About two days ago, I developed a shocking migraine, my bbs got bigger and sore, I was tired and a little short of breath when i was walking and (this may be TMI), but I noticed an increase in CM. Again, I was surprised that the crinone would give me symptoms all at once after a week of using it - but last night was the point I believed it actually was due to my AF arriving. I had convinced myself it was another BFN - and I am still thinking, what if the stick test is wrong? But, I may POAS again tomorrow to double check. But I think you know in your heart anyway.

So there is hope. You can take things back into your own hands and get a BFP. Treat your body with the love it deserves, get rid of the crap out of your diet, and allow yourself the best chance to get your BFP!

Now to a safe healthy pregnancy - the worry doesnt end here! 


I  have an amazing 15 month old from this time. I am hoping post miscarriage I can start to feel as good as I did then - and i will get a second healthy pregnancy at the end of this. I kept this blog so I can show my son one day. If you made it to the end, well done! It was an amazing journey, and I will be sharing the next one with you all!