Reposting without external link.
I've been wanting to write this post for a very long time, but have not felt it was the right time until now.
Back in 2010, I was given the diagnosis of "unexplained infertility" after trying to conceive for one year without success.
Unexplained infertility refers to the absence of a definable cause for a couple's failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of attempting conception despite a thorough evaluation, or after six months in women 35 and older.
For me, it so much worse, because it was unexplained. At the time, I was just praying to know what was wrong with me, but there were no answers.
We eventually did conceive our first pregnancy on our own, but lost that pregnancy at 8 weeks in October of 2010. We proceeded to move forward with fertility treatments, and I was under the care of Dr. Richard Yoo at Kaiser in San Diego (Point Loma). He is an amazing individual!
We conceived our daughter, Makayla (now 5 years old) during our first Clomid cycle in June of 2011. I was also doing Fertility Acupuncture at least once a week with Jessica of San Diego Fertility Acupuncture. With our history, I was absolutely shocked we conceived on our first cycle!
We were so thankful and luckily I had a very easy pregnancy but a traumatic delivery. Perhaps I'll write a post on that another day.
Fast forward to a few years later when we were ready to start trying for baby #2. My cycles were still crazy. I was ovulating maybe 4-5 times per year. I was tracking my cycles through the Fertility Friend app on my phone (which is amazing by the way!). Now, this time around my age is "getting up there" and i'm creeping up on the "advanced maternal age". I was secretly very hopeful inside because we conceived Makayla on our first round of Clomid, so I was expecting this to happen again. Boy, I was wrong!
We tried for a few cycles on our own, I knew exactly when I was ovulating based on the Fertility Friend app, but time after time again those HPTs were negative.
In January of 2015, we decided to go back to Dr. Yoo at Kaiser Reproductive Medicine in Point Loma. Because it had been a few years, we needed to do all of our testing again. We did. It was all normal. Again.
We started treatments in January of 2015.
January 2015 - Clomid 50mg x 5 days with timed intercourse -- failed cycle
February 2015 - Clomid 100mg x 5 days with timed intercourse -- failed cycle
March 2015 - Clomid 100mg x 5 days with timed intercourse -- failed cycle
Took a break
August 2015 - Clomid 100mg x 5 days with timed intercourse -- failed cycle
October 2015 - Clomid 100mg x 5 days with IUI -- failed cycle
November 2015 - Clomid 150mg x 5 days with IUI -- failed cycle
December 2015 - scheduled to start Menopur injections
In November of 2015, after taking the max dose of Clomid (150mg) x 5 days, I ended up being hospitalized due to Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS).
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a medical condition affecting the ovaries of some women who take fertility medication to stimulate egg growth. Most cases are mild, but rarely the condition is severe and can lead to serious illness or death.
I woke up one day feeling like I was dying. Literally. As a RN, I have to be pretty darn sick to seek out medical care. I had a massive headache, chills, I was sweating profusely and had abdominal pain with nausea. I remember calling my mom to come over to watch Makayla because I just couldn't do it. My husband was at work. By the time she came over, which was less than a hour, I told her I needed to go to Urgent Care. She drove us and kept an eye on Makayla while I was being checked in. I remember it being a Saturday morning and it was pretty busy, but they took me in pretty fast. I must have looked pretty awful. I remember almost collapsing on the gurney and the RN asking me "why my heart rate was so high". I was confused, all I knew was that I did not feel well at all. Then I looked at the cardiac monitor and I remember seeing my rate in the 140s. I was shocked. The nurse in me kicked in, then I got really worried. The rest was really a blur. I remember having a EKG, labs, a few liters of IV fluid, zofran, toradol, and still not feeling better. I remember Makayla coming back to see me, my dad coming, and my husband coming when he got off work. My HR was still very high, so I ended up being transferred to The ED for further workup. I was working there as a RN at the time, and I remember it was very awkward but I didn't have a care in the world because I was so sick.
My pelvic ultrasound showed my ovaries were so swollen, full of fluid, approximately the size of apples and fluid was leaking into my abdomen. This was all consistent with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. I ended up being admitted for observation and was discharged once my heart rate came down.
I remained so hopeful that the OHSS would end up with a positive pregnancy test, but once again, it was negative. Not just white, stark white. Another failed cycle.
After my hospitalization, my husband and I decided we were done with fertility treatments. My body couldn't handle anymore medication. It was done. I was done. We decided that we were going to stop trying for baby #2. We were blessed with one perfect, healthy child, Makayla, and we found peace in the fact that we were going to be a happy family of three. So we thought!
I was a bit depressed, I was still processing my recent hospitalization and illness, and everyone that I talked to would say something along the lines of "just relax, and then it will happen". I can't even begin to describe the anger that took over every time someone would tell me that. During this time I was dealing with a lot of anger, jealousy and grief. I was working as a RN in the Emergency Department and I swear to you, every single shift, I was assigned an adolescent female with abdominal pain that ended up being pregnant, and the pregnancy was obviously unwanted. Or, a pregnant female with vaginal bleeding. Or a crazy patient that was pregnant that was admittedly using drugs. It was a very, very hard trying time for me.
In January of 2016 I started getting more and more into Essential Oils and holistic health. I had been using essential oils since 2013 but for some reason really increased my use in January of 2016. I was determined to get my body back to normal, shed all the weight I had gained (thank you, Clomid), and live a healthier lifestyle.
I started using some Young Living products to try to get my hormones back to normal and my cycles as well. I was using a combo of the following products. I was also exercising regularly and doing The Bar Method Carlsbad which I loved!
Essential Oils and Infertility
My favorite oil reference is the Essential Oil Pocket Reference. The best Young Living blends for infertility are as follows.
Clary Sage:
Clary Sage has an herbaceous aroma that is believed to create a calm and relaxing environment.
Dragon Time:
Dragon Time is a proprietary blend of Fennel, Clary Sage, Marjoram, Lavender, Blue Yarrow, and Jasmine essential oils. Its sweet, herbaceous aroma can help promote feelings of stability and calm during cycles of moodiness. Diffuse, inhale directly, or apply Dragon Time topically to experience its steadying aromatic properties.
Ylang Ylang:
Grown and distilled from trees at Young Living's farm in Ecuador, Ylang Ylang oil is extracted by steam distilling the star-shaped flowers found on the tropical ylang ylang tree. With its rich, floral scent, Ylang Ylang essential oil has become a popular element in luxurious and indulgent perfumes and skin care products.
Acceptance:
Containing Coriander and Geranium essential oils, Acceptance™ encourages feelings of self-worth when used aromatically.
Mister:
Created for men, Mister™ oil blend is uplifting when diffused.
SclarEssence:
SclarEssence™ supports overall wellness with the properties of pure essential oils, including Clary Sage and Fennel.*
Lady Sclareol:
Lady Sclareol™ is an oil blend created especially for women to enhance the feminine nature and provide a relaxing experience when diffused.
EndoFlex:
EndoFlex™ is a blend of Spearmint, Geranium, and other pure essential oils that helps create a calming and balancing aroma when diffused.
Progessence Plus:
Progessence Plus is a pure serum that is designed specifically for women. Along with wild yam and vitamin E, Progessence Plus is formulated with Frankincense, Bergamot, and Peppermint essential oils. The pleasant smell and portable bottle makes application convenient and enjoyable, especially in public. The product’s clear bottle showcases the purity of this unique formulation.
Prenolone Plus Body Cream:
Prenolone® Plus Body Cream is a natural moisturizer containing Ylang Ylang and Clary Sage essential oils to nourish the skin.
I personally used Clary Sage, Dragon Time, Progessence Plus and Prenolone Body Cream.
Clary Sage
I used for amenhorrhea, it affects the hormonal system. I applied topically to vita flex points nightly as well as on my ovaries.
Dragon Time
I used for hormonal balance, put a few drops on the vita flex points on my feet and around my ankles (inside and outside), as well as rubbing on my lower abdomen nightly.
Progessence Plus
I used Progessence Plus topically. I placed 2 drops on my forearms morning and night.
Prenolone Body Cream
I used topically, rubbed on my lower back nightly.
The End Results
My mood became better. My cycles became normal. In May of 2016, we conceived on our own. Yes, that is right. After 6 rounds of Clomid, two IUIs, and a hospitalization for OHSS, we conceived naturally. I truly, whole heartedly believe we were able to do so because I was using essential oils.
Here is Makayla announcing that she will FINALLY be a big sister!
Kaden Parker was born on January 15, 2017.
*the above three photos credit of Shiloh Colleen Photography*
He is such a joy, and has completed our family.
To all of the women out there struggling with infertility: Do not give up. Do not lose hope. I know how hard it is. Trust me. If you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to contact me anytime.
For more information on purchasing your starter kit with Young Living, head over here.
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