Trying to conceive has been a really rough road. Its been about a year and a half since my chemical pregnancy. Though we didn't actively try the entire time, its still really rough. I feel terrible because the friend that got pregnant at the same time that I had the chemical pregnancy and it was definitely hard to watch her experience it all when I wanted it so badly. I recently got to finally go met her baby. It was so great...and hard at the same time. I've shared my fair share of tears over the past few months-and even more over the past few days. I wish it would happen, I really do. This past year has been a roller coaster. I had a terrible job, had to do a lot of adjusting to Eric travelling often and being more on my own, and dealing with stress. Many changes, feelings, and emotions. I have a good feeling about 2012 though!! Theres already been some major changes! I quit my job, relieved a ton of stress, have a good plan with the doctor, am in a good place, and am convinced my friends baby will bring us good luck! I even bought Eric a baby outfit for Christmas! No more feeling sad...this year is all about new beginnings and starting over and hopefully starting our family!!

IUI #1 was unsuccessful, however, like I said, I felt like it would be. Hopefully this month works out! I just started a fresh cycle, started chlomid, and if I am doing the math correctly, I should ovulate here soon-and NOT on a Friday. Yay! 

I have heard horror stories about chlomid and the side effects. Luckily I seem to be dealing  just fine! The weirdest reaction I have had was a numb tongue after i took it once after not drinking any water! So, so far so good!

IUI #1

12/20/2011

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Well, we did it! IUI #1 is complete. Eric rendered his, um, sample, at home and I brought it to the doctor who then gave it a try. However, I feel like it might be too late. I got my LH surge on Friday and the IUI needs to be completed within 24 hours. But we will give it a try and see! Lets hope this works!!
 
So excited! After I spoke with the doctor we decided not only to try chlomid but to try chlomid plus an IUI-an intrauterine insemination. Chlomid can be used to help with ovulation, but it can also work to help with unexplained infertility. The IUI will allow the dr. to insert the semen directly into my cervix - right next to the fallopian tubes - after I detect an LH surge. The semen analyss came back fine but was lightly low on motility (their ability to swim i think). So hopefully that will work!!

This cycle was too late for chlomid, so we will try it next cycle, but this cycle we ill try the IUI alone. REALLLY crossing my fingers!
 
Well, its been a long time since i posted. This past year has been pretty eventful. For awhile, we went back to not trying. Decided to wait a bit longer. Well, we decided to try again and I further spoke to the doctor since Its been over a year with no luck. We had Eric tested and also had a test on me performed called an HSG or Hysterosalpingography. It is basically a test where they inject dye into you and and watch it spread through your cervix and Fallopian tubes to see if there are any blockages. It's suppose to lead to great success afterwards since it essentially "cleans you out." Well, that was two cycles ago. And still nothing. I'm having normal cycles, ovulating each time......Ugh!!! This is so frustrating! As of right now I have "unexplained infertility." The HSG test came back normal, thank goodness because I really do not want to do that again! It hurt soooo badly! The uterus basically contracts when it's done. It hurt so much! Maybe I should rethink this baby thing...kidding!

Contacted the doctor today regarding next steps....at another appointment we discussed chlomid. He says he thinks it is appropriate to try now. I go in to see him soon! Fingers crossed!
 
Wow I suck at this blogging thing....I'm truly terrible at documenting everything everyday!

Want to know soemthing I do not suck at…detoxing haha.

Total weight loss-12 lbs!

That Monday I got to eat rice. It was heaven. I made it beforehand….4 servings for the day. In it I added leeks, spinach, mushrooms, and beansprouts. It was delish!!\

Tuesday i got to eat beans and seeds. I hate a salad with beans and plain raw, organic sunflower seeds mixed in. And a ton of chickpeas. maybe too many actually. And a lot of veggies. Yumm!

The next day i got to eat dairy and grains. So I had whole grain oats, heated with yogurt in it (intead of milk). delicious!

Finally, on Thurdsay, i got to eat fish. it was an incredible day. I ate it too fast, I barely even tasted it lol

Since then I have yet to add back in dairy or meats. I have solely lived on fish. I was going to drop fish too and try to go totally Vegan, but I have no idea what I would eat when we went out! So for now that is where I am at. Oh and I cut alcohol too.

I have cheated a little bit here and there. Cinco de Mayo I drank caronas and on saturday i drank as well. I ate tortilla chips and the tortilla bowl. Also, I ate a weight watchers mini sundae yesterday and popcorn. Not horrific. I feel like I have really learned to eat better and be more conscious of what I am eating.

I am adding back in turkey today since it is by far the healthiest of the meats. http://www.nebraskapoultry.org/turkey_nutrition.htm

 

 
Today was torture! And it was all Sam Aldoms fault lol

Thank goodness liquids day is over! Today I went grocery shopping for the remained of my detox. Good thing I don’t do this all the time because I’d be broke if so!

We went to a BBQ at Sam’s. Their food smelled delliiicious! I wanted a burgers so badly. But I obstained!  I was so proud of myself! Wings, burgers, Brownies, cookies….coulda been the death of me. I brought a fruit tray as my side (surprise, surprise). It was full of cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, pineapple, mango, and watermelon. I ate a ton of it. I also brought a bottle of water with lemon and a blood orange and Basil flavored water. I ate 3 apples during the day too to help. Prior to the BBQ I snacked on the fruit for the platter and had a glass of mango juice when I woke up. I ate another whole mango before bed.

I have to say I was pretty fricken proud of myself! So much temptation and I did it! Yay me! Lol

 
AKA day from HELL. lol

So I wasnt even hungry today. i didnt even remember until almsot 2pm that I shold probably start drinking.

3:00 bottle of water with lemon, followed by juice, followed by vegetable juice.

As you can guess I frequented the restroom today! I have a small baldder

32 oz of vegetarian organic vegetable broth

another bottle of juice and another of veggie juice

before bed im going to try and get another bottle of water down and some tea.

I feel like junk. Well not total junk, but tired, unfocused, and lazy. Ive barely moved all day. I really want taco bell. hahaha. My friend had to go ahead and mention it. Eric ate chips today. They smelled sooo good. So did his cordon bleu…

XX5.2 today…..that like almsot 8 lbs. I just need to keep that in my head.

I’m sooo looking forward to solid fruit tomorrow. 3 more days till rice!

 
 
No, I didn’t cheat. Thats not why I’m starting over.

I actualy just wanted to start again since I didnt start with the all liquids fast. And I didnt eat all the right fruits. And I mixed cooked veggies, with raw….

So heres the plan:

(from http://www.women-workout-routines.com/7-day-detox-diet.html)

Stage 1 Liquids only -Usually this would be just water, which is the quickest and purest means of flushing out the body. But adding a squeeze of fresh lemon to warm water helps to neutralize acidity and stimulate the bowels. If you find this too restricting, there are other liquids that have supplementary benefits – freshly made fruit and vegetable juices, herbal or spice teas and the final option is broth.

Stage 2 Liquid and fruit only-Fruits are generally alkaline foods (although they have acidic taste), so they help neutralize the acidic waste that is produced when you begin to detoxify. High fibers in fruits make them good laxative. Buy only organic fruits because non organic contain toxins and you will do nothing.Following fruits have detox properties: Apples – contain a lot of pectin, which help too remove toxins, and tartaric acid which aids digestion, Pineapple – contains the enzyme bromelin, which helps to produce acids that destroy bad bacteria in the gut, encourage the growth of “good” bacteria that are important for digestion and support tissue repair., Mango – also contains bromelin, and enzyme called papain, which helps to brake down protein wastes., Grapes – help to counter the production of mucus, which can clog up tissues and cleanse the liver and kidneys. Their high fructose content also provides instant energy., Watermelon – is a diuretic and therefore speeds the passage of fluids carrying toxins through the system.

Stage 3 Add raw vegetables in your detox diet. Include bean sprouts (best grown yourself), as sprouting increases the nutritional content of seeds five-fold. Use raw garlic which is excellent blood cleanser. Vegetables share many of the properties of the fruits and some of the once that can be eaten in salads have particular detox powers. Fennel – helps to improve digestion in general and also prevents flatulence, Watercress – contains betacarotene and sulphur, both of which are liver tonics, Dandelion leaves – are a liver and kidney tonic and also act as a diuretic, Parsley – is a mild diuretic and contain zinc and trace minerals that aid liver function.

Stage 4 Add cooked vegetables and brown rice. Cook the vegetables with as little water and for as short time as possible to retain their maximum nutritious value. Steaming is the best method. Leafy green vegetables are good for overtaxed liver. The rice should always be brown short-grain as this kind is by far the most absorbent. It soaks up toxins from the gut and is the easily digested and contains the most fiber. Among the spices you can cook with include cayenne pepper and ginger, both of which stimulates digestion and encourages the elimination of toxins trough the skin. Vegetables normally eaten cooked that have detox properties include the following: Leeks – onion and garlic contain sulphur compounds that bind to and speed the elimination of toxic metals. Globe artichoke – stimulates the liver’s production of bile, which speeds up digestion. Jerusalem artichoke – contains inulin, which aids the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. But beware of their deserved reputation for flatulence. Beetrootis an acidic food. Which stimulates the production of enzymes that aid digestion in the stomach.

Stage 5 Add beans, lentils, nuts and seeds. Beans and lentils are a good source of protein but should not be eaten with rice at this stage since mixing starch and protein can slow down digestion. Try to leave four hours between the consumption of the two types of foods. Nuts should be eaten raw and unsalted. Like seeds, they provide useful calories in the form of essential fatty acids, which are needed by all cells in the body but which it can not manufacture.

Stage 6 Add grains and live yogurt The yogurt should be goat’s or sheep’s, which are easier to digest than live cow’s yogurt but have the same beneficial action on the gut. The grains should always be wholegrain, which provide fibre to help move wastes through the intestines and trace minerals useful for liver function. Choose from rye, buckwheat, barley or oats – anything but wheat.

Stage 7 Add fish Any fresh fish will do but your skin will benefit from the essential fatty acids in oily, cold-water fish. By this stage, you should begin to feel more relaxed and not in a hurry to eat everything you have been missing. Ideally, introduce excluded food types with at least a day between each. By this stage you should be more in tune with your body, which will help you to decide what and when.

 
Today I’m able to eat rice! Only I dont think I’m going to.

I’ve totally done this wrong, so I think tomorrow I am going to start over. All liquids tomorrow…doing the detox the corect way. Not sure waht I think of the whole “detox” idea, but learning to eat better and creating better habits is worth it for me…

Now onto today…

Felt good this morning. Got up super early to take care of some stuff and had a fruit juice for breakfast. Carrots for lunch along with vegetable juice. Grapefruit water all day. one piece of cantalope at lunch….hmm, i feel like im missing something else. Oh! an avacado. Thats right. My students had a field day with that one. They’re fascinated with what I have been eating! Today they wanted to know why there was a ball in the middle of my fruit. lol! Breakfast was not tempting since it was jsut a waffle and i had a meeting at lunch, so i never even saw it.

2 stalks of celery hearts with hot sauce for dinner along with 2 grapefruits. I was a tad  hungry

Felt good for the majority of the day, but very tired in the afternoon. Again, not sure if its cause i was up at 430 am or because my body is starting to feel the lack of protein and grains/carbs/starches….guess we shall see!