Friend In Reach - Infertility

Egg Freezing for Future Fertility

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:52:00 +0000

Written by: Alicia

I was sitting in a waiting room the other day, reading a magazine to pass the time and came across an article on freezing eggs. There is a company out there offering to freeze women's eggs for the purpose of future fertility. Their marketing tactic is to go after women who are aging and have yet to find the man of their dreams but know they want to become pregnant someday. They encourage these women to continue to wait and freeze their eggs and come back when they are ready to start a family.

I kinda sat on the fence about this for a few days. However, the more I think about it the more disturbed I become. They are basically telling women it is okay to wait to get pregnant later in life. "Freeze your eggs with us and later on down the road when you are ready to start a family, come back in. It is that simple." Okay, so that is not a real quote but that is the feeling I get from their marketing campaign.

It seems deceptive to me. The egg freezing company says, "[our] breakthrough egg freezing service offers women the opportunity to preserve their fertility and take control of their reproductive health." And that is a real quote. I get concerned about this because it makes a woman believe there will be no problem if she waits until her late 30s or 40s.

I wonder how many women know the dangers of freezing eggs. I was told when considering to freeze my blastocysts (fertilized eggs) after my IVF that only 50% will most likely be viable after thawing. Can you imagine freezing your eggs, being told your eggs will be waiting for you and then when you are ready to conceive you learn half of them are no longer "good" eggs? You may also learn a few more of them have chromosomal abnormalities. Your chances of conception are a lot less than you started off thinking they would be ten years earlier. I just hope this company is informing their clients of all of the possible complications in egg freezing.

If you have done a Google search for "freezing eggs" and landed on this page, then I am glad I can inform you on some of the other dangers in waiting to conceive later in life.

Most of us women know we were born with a certain amount of eggs in our ovaries. Once those eggs are gone, they are gone. We do not "grow" more. For this reason, many women solely focus on the amount of eggs they have and their quality. However, as you age other problems can arise that affect your fertility. Eggs are not the only concern:

1. Hormone levels change. Although some fertility drugs can help balance your hormone levels they are never a sure bet.

2. Menstrual cycle changes as we age. They can become irregular and shorter.

3. The lining of the endometrium becomes thinner and less hospitable for a fertilized egg.

4. Mucus/vaginal secretions can become less fluid and more hostile to sperm. During an IVF procedure you will obviously not have to worry about the sperm swimming up your fallopian tubes but this is worth mentioning for general fertility education purposes.

5. Diseases affecting the reproductive system can damage the reproductive organs as time passes, or worsen if not treated properly; including endometriosis, PCOS and chlamydia. Note: I know the company offering to freeze your eggs says this will help women preserve their fertility if they suffer from endometriosis; for instance. Women can save their eggs now and hopefully not have as much trouble conceiving later in life. However, many of us do not even realize we suffer from these diseases until we start our infertility battle. It would be nice for this company to find out if you have any of these diseases before they pull your eggs.

6. As women age, many gain weight due to health and lifestyle changes. We all know being overweight can make it more difficult to conceive.

7. We can't forget about the men. If women are waiting to conceive then most likely their mate will be older as well. Genetic defects in the sperm increase as men age; possibly leading to decreased fertility, increased chance of miscarriage and increased risk of some birth defects. Note: I know with egg freezing they will pick that "one" sperm to insert into that one egg. I guess you just cross your fingers that the man you have waited for so long to find still has one good sperm left. Chances are pretty good (I would assume) but it is certainly a point worth bringing up.

In certain cases I think this is a great idea. Such as if a woman is fighting cancer and going into treatment. She can freeze her eggs before the powerful cancer fighting drugs enter her system. So, I can certainly see the positive aspect of this option. However, I worry about the marketing aspect of telling women it is "okay to wait" when I truly feel it is not. I would like to see society change and start encouraging women AND men to consider creating their families earlier. Young parents need to be supported through college and companies need to support a family lifestyle as well. We need to make it easier for women to have a family and a successful career at the same time.

I guess you can say I feel this egg freezing marketing campaign is taking us in the opposite direction than I would like for our society to go.

Take care,
Alicia

Infertility and Selective Reduction

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Written by: Alicia

I want to talk about a very "touchy" subject today because it has been causing some drama on an infertility forum I visit every now and then. The subject is selective reduction (SR). For those of you that do not know what this is it is the practice of reducing the number of fetuses in a multifetal pregnancy (those involving more than one fetus). With selective reduction, one or more fetuses are "selected" for termination. This is usually suggested to women who are carrying three or more fetuses.

I feel it is important to bring this up because when you are struggling with infertility you do not really hear a lot about this. Most of us get blindsided by it. We are so stuck on focusing on getting pregnant that the thought of SR never exist.

So, what started the huge debate on the infertility forum? A woman who struggled for 5.5 years with infertility finally had a treatment work. She went to see her doctor last week and heard three heartbeats! Exciting news, right? It can be until your doctor pulls you aside and tells you that you should "reduce" one in order for the other two to have a better chance at life.

When you get pregnant with triplets or more, the doctors will tell you of the certain gloom ahead for your three babies and yourself. They will tell you your babies have a much greater risk at being born blind, deaf and having cerebral palsy. Oh yeah, and your own mortality rate increases because of the high risk pregnancy.

So now this woman who just heard three heartbeats is waiting to see if the three heartbeats grow stronger over the next week or two. If they do, then she will have to consider SR. Well, one friend of mine who is also a triplet Mom sent her some information explaining that a triplet pregnancy is achievable. There are many of us out here that had successful births. She wanted to be the glimmer of hope for this woman who will have to decide on such a terrible thing.

She sent her facts and told her she would support her in any decision. Then somehow the word "abort" came into play. This is when all hell broke loose. One woman went off on my friend and even called her selfish for carrying three babies and not reducing one! She was attacked from a lot of angles and I think it was all over the word "abort." It seems that you can talk about SR but if you bring up the word "abort" then you are banned from the site.

At least that is what happened here. My friend was banned from this forum. She had been on this forum for over a year giving her support and encouragement to a lot of women in need of it. I have been shocked by the events of this week. Banning someone from a site who has positive views and facts to share. Sure, maybe she should not have used the word "abort" but isn't it the same thing?

I guess for me it is. I did not see any harm in the use of that word. Selective reduction is preformed this way: The doctor gives a lethal injection of potassium chloride into the heart of the baby; which induces cardiac arrest and therefore “reduces” them. This procedure is also used to preform abortions.

"Abort" is not a pretty word but doesn't it mean the same? Either way you are killing the fetus. I know there are some extreme cases of women who have to reduce one baby in order to preserve their own life. I know many women and babies do die because of unsuccessful multiple pregnancies. I also understand women have to reduce because they simply can't carry six babies.

This is where the real question comes into play; how many embryos should you be allowed to transfer? If you have struggled for many, many years without one pregnancy then maybe you will want to put six in and see if one takes. On the other hand, if this is your first procedure and you have had kids before then maybe you should just put 2 in. And then, these embryos can still divide...

For me, I did not want to put more in then I was willing to carry. I struggled for five years without one pregnancy. My doctor was insistent that I put five embryos in. This is how our conversation flowed that day:

The doctor said, “Let’s put all five in and see what happens.” I said, “What happens if all five take?” He said, “Then we would ask you to reduce down to three.” I said, “Do you mean abort two of them?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “No way. Let’s just put three embryos in then.”

He didn’t like my decision because I am sure he was thinking that I need the extra “chances.” Five years of treatments and not one pregnancy. He tried to talk me into five but quickly picked up that I had already made my decision and that was that.

My point in today's blog is not get into a heated debate over pro-choice or pro-life. I don't even really want to debate if abortion and selective reduction are the same thing. My main goal is to inform women who are currently going through infertility treatments that they need to seriously think about selective reduction. It will hit you like a freight train if you do get pregnant with higher order multiples. Be prepared. Be wise on the number of embryos you put in. That is all.

And as for my friend who was banned from that site; shame on them. You are welcome to post anything you want on our blog.

Take care,
Alicia

http://friendinreach.blogspot.com/

Help Support the "Family Building Act of 2007"

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:58:00 +0000

7.3 million Americans suffer infertility (source: Resolve Organization). With the majority of health plans not covering infertility; their are many couples left childless and without hope. For those of you that are not familiar with the costly facts; the average cost of an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) procedure is approximately $10-$15K. Less intrusive procedures like an Intra-uterine Insemination (IUI) can run around $3K per procedure.

When I was trying to conceive (or in infertility talk we say, "TTC"), my husband and I were both working and living a comfortable life but we could not afford an IVF treatment. I had done 6 IUIs, had surgeries and still no luck with conception. Our last hope was for an IVF procedure. I looked into adoption and the average cost for that seemed to come to $50K. It was cheaper for us to try to get a loan and go for the IVF. That is what we did.

I was able to get a loan but I worry about those couples that cannot get such a large loan or for those couples that cannot save this large amount of money. Each procedure you are rolling the dice because NOTHING is a sure bet. You could spend one year saving up for an IVF and then that procedure fails. You are out $10K, but worse than that you out of hope. The older you get, the less chance you have for conceiving. It is very time-sensitive and some of us just don't have the years to save for such procedures.

Infertility is an illness. It needs to be covered. It is that plain and simple for me. Here is a quick overview of the Act that has now been "Introduced in House:"

"Family Building Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to require a group health plan that provides coverage for obstetrical services to include coverage for non-experimental treatment of infertility that is deemed appropriate by a participant or beneficiary and the treating physician. Requires coverage for assisted reproductive technology only if certain conditions are met. Prohibits a group health plan from taking specified actions to avoid the requirements of this Act.

Applies such requirements to health insurance coverage offered in the individual market and coverage offered through Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) plans and Department of Defense health care plans."

To read the full text version of this Act please click here: Family Building Act of 2007 Please visit the Resolve web site and fill out a VERY simple form (takes 2 minutes) and they do the rest. They send a letter out to your state and federal representatives for you. Please show your support for such an important Act. Even if you are not TTC please support those that are and pass this information on.

Thank you,
Alicia

Powders, Body Lotions, Body Products and Infertility

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:50:00 +0000

I never paid attention to the fact that body powders and lotions may have contributed to my inability to become pregnant. I don’t want to make anyone paranoid and I am not an over-the-top organics person but years ago if I had a known some of the information I am about to provide you, I could have made some major changes in the products I was using on my body. I have used some of these products all my life.

The skin is the largest organ in the body. Therefore, we can easily absorb chemicals and toxins by applying personal products to our skin. It is beneficial to use natural body products to keep us safe and prevent these possible additional body toxins. According to The Environmental Working Group (http://www.ewg.org/ - also a great reference for good products to use), one-third of all personal care products contain one or more ingredients reported by the government as toxic substances. Yet we have mostly always viewed these brand name products as safe and effective for our bodies. This same group also reported that only approximately 11% of the 10,5000 ingredients you find in personal care products have been evaluated for safety by the CIR and or FDA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require companies to test any personal care products for safety. That makes me nervous- how about you?

You can easily look at the ingredients listed on your powders, lotions or personal body products and find that many of the ingredients are linked to cancer in animals and/or humans. These products contain carcinogens, can accumulate with prolonged use in the organs, can cause Asthma or are neurotoxins that can damage to the central nervous system. Talc is linked to cancer and readily forms carcinogen nitrosamines when mixed with other ingredients. Lanolin and Propylene Glycol (in most lotions) possess all of the aforementioned characteristics and we use most of these products on a daily basis. If I had a reference years ago to know where to find personal products that were less toxic for my body, I would have been very grateful. I have come to understand that unless you can eat your personal body products, you probably don’t want to apply them to your skin. The following are common toxic ingredients found on some of the most widely used personal products on the market today:

· SLS/SLES; Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate, 1,4 Dioxane. In over 90% of cosmetic and personal care products. This is a harsh synthetic detergent, emulsifier and foaming agent used in car washes, engine and garage floor cleaners. Causes hair loss, canker sores and skin rashes. Breaks down the skin’s moisture barrier allowing other chemicals to easily penetrate. Combined with other chemicals, SLS becomes a nitrosamine (carcinogen). Can be disguised on a product bottle as a coconut or coconut derived product.

· DEA; Diethanolamine, Cocamide DEA, Cocamide MEA, DEA-Cetyl Phosphate, DEA- Oleth-3 Phosphate, Lauramide DEA, monoethanolamine MEA, Myristamide DEA, Oleamide DEA, Stearamide MEA, TEA- Lauryl Sulfate, Triethanolamine: Used as emulsifiers and foaming agents. Repeated use and absorbtion into skin can cause a major increase of liver and kidney cancers as found in mice and rats. It can also accumulate in the brain and produce toxic effects.

· Phthalates, DEP- Diethyl Phthalate (MEP- derived from DEP): used as plasticizing ingredients which have been linked to birth defects in the reproductive system of boys and can cause lower sperm mobility in adult males.

· TEA; Triethanolamine. Can cause allergic reactions.

· TCC- triclocarban; TCC 3 or 4, trichlorocarbanilide’s: cause endocrine disruption (increase the levels of hormones to a dangerous level).

· PEG, Propylene Glycol, Ethylene Glycol, Polyethelylene Glycol- Used as an emulsifier and keeps products moist. Petroleum derivative used in anti-freeze and hydraulic brake fluid. Alters cell membranes and can cause cardiac arrest. Shown to cause dermatitis, kidney or liver abnormalities and skin irritation.

· PVP; Polyvinyl pyrrolodene, Copolymer- Petroleum derived. Suspected human carcinogen.

· 1,4 Dioxane- used to make harsh products milder, found in many “organic” brand shampoos, body lotions and washes. Chemical known to cause cancer, suspected of being a kidney, neuro and respiratory toxicant. It is a leading groundwater contaminant.

· Stearic Acid- used for firmness. Can cause allergic reactions.

· PABA; Parabens (propyl, ethyl, butyl), Para Amino Benzoic Acid- synthetic preservative in almost 13,200 cosmetic products including moisturizers. Are toxic, cause allergies and interfere with the body’s endocrine system. Have been shown to mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen which can increase the chance for development of human breast tumors.

· MIT- Methylisothiazolinone: prevents the development of bacteria in shampoo, can debilitate the nervous system.

· Mineral Oil, petrolatum, paraffin wax/oil, liquidum paraffinum- used as a thickener. Derived from crude petrol or oil. It acts as plastic wrap on the skin preventing it from absorbing natural moisture and eliminating toxins. Causes premature aging and slows cellular development. Some forms of mineral oil have been linked to cancer and edema. Are a suspected cause of cancer and hormonal disruption.

· Phenol Carbolic Acid- Found in many lotions and skim creams. Can cause paralysis, convulsions, coma and circulatory collapse. Can cause death from respiratory failure. · Acetone- Causes adverse effects on the respiratory and nervous systems.

· Acrylamide- found in many hand and face creams. Linked to mammary tumors in lab research.

· Isopropyl Alcohol- avoid synthetic alcohol from propylene

· Synthetic Fragrances and Musks- Used for scent. Can have over 200 ingredients and can cause asthma, headaches, dizziness, rashes and skin irritations. Cause cancer in laboratory studies as well as hormone disruptions.

· Synthetic Colors- labeled as fd and c or d and followed by a color number. These are believed to be cancer causing agents.

· Aluminum- Used as a color additive in cosmetics and as a preservative. Can inhibit metabolic process and is harmful to the skeletal and nervous systems. Aluminum is absorbed through the skin, lungs and intestinal tract, affecting the bones (causing osteoporosis), kidneys, stomach and brain. May contribute to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia and other neurological disorders. It is carcinogenic, toxic and mutagenic. Possible link to breast cancer through deodorants and antiperspirants.

· Lead- Targets the nervous system, kidneys, bones, heart and blood. Can affect fetal development, delay growth and developmental problems. · Quaternary ammonium compounds- Ingestion can be fatal.

· Formaldehyde- used as a preservative and disinfectant. Can cause eye, nose and throat irritations including coughing, asthma attacks, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes, nose bleeds, headaches and dizziness. Known to cause weakening of the immune system.

· Toulene, benzoic, benzyl- Harmful or fatal if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin and is made from petroleum or coal tar. Chronic exposure is linked to anemia, liver or kidney damage, lowers blood cell counts and can affect fetal development.

· Butylated hydroxianisole (BHA)/Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Contains Toulene. BHT is a suspected human carcinogen and is made from coal tar. Can cause metabolic stress, depression of growth rate, weight loss, damage to liver and/or kidneys, baldness and fetal abnormalities, anemia and lower blood cell counts. BHA & BHT cause allergic contact dermatitis. Both substances slowly corrode metal and up to 13% of BHT is absorbed through the skin.

· Talc- absorbs moisture. Linked to lung and ovarian cancers. Can cause pneumonia, inflammation of the airways and even death.

· Deet- insect repellant. Can impair functioning parts of the brain affecting memory and cognition, muscle coordination, muscle weakness, muscle and joint pain, weakness, fatigue, tremors and shortness of breath.

· Alpha Hydroxy acids (glycolic and lactic acids)- used to exfoliate and remove dead surface cells on the skin. Makes users more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation and this prolonged exposure can cause skin cancer.

· Lanolin- moisturizers. Tends to be contaminated with pesticides to control parasites and disease. Diazanon, a neurotoxic organophosphate pesticide, was found in 21 of 25 samples (www.earthtobody.ca/dangers.cfm).

You can often find the aforementioned ingredients in these common personal products you may use on a daily basis:

· Shampoo and Conditioner: Contain SLS,SLES, Cocamiopropyl, Betaine, glycerin, quaternium, Coal Tar, DEA, TEA, Alcohol, Propylene glycol, Formaldehyde, MIT, Parabens, Tallow and Isopropanol.

· Hair Sprays and Styling Gels: Contain DEA, BHA, TEA, Alcohols, Methylene Chloride, Toluene and fluorocarbons. Aerosols can penetrate into the lungs and bloodstream.

· Hair Dyes: Contain Phenylenediamine (can cause blindness on eye contact), Coal tars, and Hydroxyanisole (which affects the female reproductive system).

· Toothpaste: Contain Fluoride, SLS, Saccharin, Propylene Glycol, Artificial flavors and colors.

· Mouthwash: Contain more than 25% Alcohol which links it to mouth tongue and throat cancer, SLS, artificial flavors and colors. The lining of the mouth is one of the quickest ways into the bloodstream which is why I mention this.

· Antiperspirants: Contain Aluminum (links to Alzheimer’s Disease and cancer), Talc, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol, Parabens and Triclosan.

· Baby Products/Wipes/Lotions: Contain Alcohol, BHA, Propylene Glycol, Talc, SLS and SLES. · Bubblebath/Bodywash: Contain SLS, SLES, DEA, TEA, MEA, Quatenium, PEG, Alcohol and fragrances.

· Soap: Contains Tallow and lye.

· Shaving Cream: Contains SLS, Propylene Glycol, DEA, TEA, MEA and PEG.

· Sunscreen: Contains PABA, Benzophenones, 1,4 Dioxane and Dibenzoylmethanes which are possibly cancer causing when heated.

· Nail Treatments: Contain Acetone, Acetonitrile (which forms Cyanide when swallowed), Formaldehyde, Toluene and Isopropanol.

· Skin Care/Cosmetics/Make-up: Contains Propylene Glycol, DEA, TEA, Bronopol or BNPD, BHA, Coal Tar, Formaldehyde, Glycerine, Alpha Hydroxy acids, Lanolin, Mineral Oil, SLS, SLES, Petrlatum, PEG, Benotonite, Kaolin Lead (lipstick) and Talc (which blocks the pores of the skin, is associated with an increase of Ovarian Cancer and can be fatal when inhaled).

In a Los Angeles Times article dated February 4, 2008 it was found in a study conducted in Los Angeles and two other cities that “Infants and toddlers exposed to baby lotions, shampoos and powders carry a high concentration of hormone-altering chemicals in their bodies that might have reproductive effects.” This same study states that phthalates have been prohibited in being used in future products such as baby bottles, toys and feeding products, “But no federal or state law in the United States prohibits their use in personal care products or cosmetics.” California and some other countries have limited the use of phthalates. Phthalates are currently used in cosmetics, vinyl flooring, medical supplies and toys to both stabilize fragrances and make plastic flexible. The highest level pf phthalates found in this study were in shampoos, lotions and powders.

What I have found in my research regarding this topic is that manufacturers do not have to list phthalates (a common ingredient of fragrances) on their bottles or they can use a common name (lanolin, for example) as a product description disguising the real toxin in the product. Most of us do not think of “lanolin” as being toxic. These manufacturers are not required by any government institution or Federal Agency to list these toxic ingredients on their product bottles alerting us all of their dangers. I have also learned that some products said to be organic and all natural are not. The federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the health effects in humans are uncertain (www.cbsnews.com/2008/02/04/health/main). The European Union and many other countries have banned phthalates from personal products saying the chemical interferes with hormones.

A new study by the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) found that some of the leading “organic” products actually contain the chemical 1, 4 Dioxane. This chemical can be listed any number of ways on the product bottle- ethoxylation, any thing with myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth or any other “eth,” PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene or oxynol. Do you see how challenging it can be to find an all-natural product to use! Here I am trying to do my best using organic products, I am spending the extra money and still being deceived! Some of these products can be labeled as organic as long as they have even a few organic ingredients in them, even if they contain these toxic substances.

Talcum powder is under scrutiny recently because of its association with baby products. For years, mom’s were told to use baby powder the prevent chafing, rashes and prevent moisture in a baby’s diaper area. Bath powders, perfumed body and baby powders, some soaps, deodorants and even chalk have talc added to them. As we have discussed, talc is similar in structure to asbestos, a proven cancer-causing agent. It is made of combinations of zinc stearate, magnesium silicates and other silicates that are finely ground so they are easily carried into the smallest areas of the lungs. For me, it was shocking to find that women who use talc in their vaginal area have a greater risk of developing ovarian cancer and have a poorer diagnosis in an advanced stage as women who did not apply talc. Talc has also been associated with lung cancer when it is inhaled regularly. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that “women who used talcum powder in the genital area had an increased ovarian cancer risk of 60%; women who used feminine deodorant sprays had a 90% increased risk.” Talc can also be found in panty liners and feminine napkins.

There are new studies being conducted analyzing whether or not aluminum in antiperspirants can be absorbed into the skin and possibly cause breast cancer. Aluminum is not usually found in the body but a recent study of breast cancer patients found it present in the tissue taken from their mastectomies. Aluminum can mimic the hormone estrogen which can increase the chance of breast cancer.

Please use the flowing websites to look up the personal products and cosmetics you use to see how toxic they may be to your body.

http://www.ewg.org/ – the Environmental Working Group including their Skin Deep cosmetics safety data base.

http://www.safecosmetics.org/ – Campaign For Safe Cosmetics.

- Gina

Christmas & Infertility

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:43:00 +0000

I spent many Christmases, childless, dreaming of what it would feel like to have a child to buy presents for. For the five years I struggled through infertility I think Christmas was the most difficult holiday to get through. Before infertility I used to decorate and be so excited about this season. I noticed over the years of infertility I put less and less decorations up. On the years I did put decorations up I was sure to take them down the day after Christmas or even Christmas night.

It is sad to think about the women who are currently struggling with infertility during this holiday season. They are getting bombarded with movies, commercials and TV shows full of babies and kids celebrating Christmas. The holiday is so commercial that buying presents for kids seem to be the main focus. Kids are just everywhere!

As you may know, most women are private about their infertility struggle because of judgements and the intense pain it causes. However, if you happen to know or have a "gut feeling" a relative or friend is suffering from infertility, you can show your support without saying one word. Just make sure you hug her extra tight this Christmas season. Hold onto that hug for an extra minute if she will let you. She may never say she needs it, but she does.

Most likely she is dreaming about the child she has not had yet or maybe she is thinking about the multiple babies she miscarried. I am certain she is dreaming about what it would feel like to see her child running to the Christmas tree, tearing off wrapping paper and running to give Mom a big thank you hug.

Christmas is a time to be with family and friends. However, for some of those who secretly struggle with infertility it will be an extra harsh holiday when people ask why she doesn't have a baby yet. Maybe they will ask the questions I was asked: (1) Do you want kids? (2) Don't you like kids? (3) You are getting older, better start making babies. Why haven't you yet? And the list goes on and on.

You have to somehow find the strength to answer these questions. Most of us lie. I got to the point where I told people I did not want kids and that I didn't like them. This usually stopped the questions. Of course people thought I was a mean person but that was better than getting asked sensitive and hurtful questions.

Make sure you are sensitive to the women and men struggling through another holiday season, childless. If you are that couple, consider skipping on the big family gathering and spend Christmas skiing in Vail or on a beach in Maui. It might be time to take a break from the questions and just try to enjoy your time together.

Take care,
Alicia

The Price of Infertility & Insurance Coverage

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:13:00 +0000

For all the years I spent taking my time getting a procedure done here and there to find out why I was not getting pregnant, money was never an issue. We never needed a significant amount for any specific procedure. Luckily, our insurance paid 50% for most procedures related to finding causes for infertility so my medical co-pays were more than manageable.

When you finally decide that you want to pursue having children, you realize it’s going to cost you. When you want something that badly, what doesn’t? Our insurance did not cover anything to do with IUI or In Vitro so we were on our own to pay for it. Thank God we owned a house with equity or my husband would have been working a lot of overtime just to pay for our medications. To be honest, we never really worried about the money we would need to pay for IUI or In Vitro. I think we just figured it would all work out and we were optimistic that the money would come from somewhere.

My mother-in-law knew the owners of a pharmacy through her work as a nurse. We were told that we could receive a significant discount on medications in comparison to other pharmacies if we paid cash and ordered everything at once from this particular couple. We asked our friends who had done In-Vitro how much we should expect to pay for medications and they said in the ball park of $5,000. We needed to budget this. We ordered the medications we needed from the pharmacy and almost $6,000 later, we realized we could have gone to our local pharmacy and saved money even without medical coverage. We felt taken advantage of and quite angry- after everything we had been through, you would think these pharmacy owners who were "friends" of my MIL would have shown us some empathy and stuck to their word. Right around this time, I won a financial settlement that helped pay for all the meds we needed. This was, however, yet another obstacle we didn't need to deal with.

After choosing our Doctor, we found we also needed money to complete the In Vitro process through the ART (Assistive Reproductive Therapy) Center in Beverly Hills. The name of that city alone scared the heck out of me. All I saw were dollar signs! We assumed the fees would be unmanageable. However, we were treated with such dignity and respect that we knew it was worth the money spent. We were given a price list early on and were able to budget appropriately. All fees were paid in advance so there were never uncomfortable conversations about finances in the office because everything was handled by mail. We were treated like royalty and never ran into another couple in that office even if they were 10 feet away from us. The discretion and professionalism of this facility was second to none.

Since we had a price list, we were able to choose which procedures we wanted done throughout the course of our treatment with the ART Center. We appreciated this part of the process since it made decision making easier. We took out a second mortgage on our house to pay for everything. The house was new when we bought it and we opted for In Vitro payments instead of a backyard! I am sure our neighbors were wondering what was going on. Everyone else had completed their landscaping and here my husband and I had all this stuff but no lawn. At least the front yard was completed by the builders before we moved in so we weren’t a complete eye sore. We had visions of a nice yard with a swing set anyway so we knew we would make it up to the neighbors down the road.

Still, I have some issues with the insurance company. In my case, I had been labeled with “unexplained infertility” yet I became pregnant with my first In Vitro so I felt the insurance company should have continued to pay for my procedures. In Vitro was the next course of treatment for me in my quest to figure out my infertility so it should have been considered a treatment in my eyes. Come to think of it, my IUI’s should have been covered as well. And why do they only pay 50% to find answers to infertility? If I could not get pregnant, then I would have to have something medically wrong with me needing medical attention. That prompted me to need a specialist because I did not receive the answers I needed through my regular OBGYN. I know this is a medical and ethical point of contention but when will insurance companies get with the times? This isn’t the 1800’s where when you couldn’t get pregnant you either ignored it or were killed for it. Women today are starting family’s later in life and given all of the things we are surrounded by daily that can cause possible infertility, this should be addressed or recognized at the very least by some sort of major institution.

I know this quest can cost a lot of money and I know not everyone can make ends meet. I have friends that have sold homes and moved into apartments to pay for their infertility treatments. We do what we have to. Insurance companies won't pay for these procedures because women are waiting until they are older (in a lot of cases) to have children making complications more feasible. It means insurance companies would have to pay more towards treatment....and don't we give them so much darned money every month to pay for this anyway? I don't get the justification to NOT pay for treatment, and then if an insurance company does, why only at 50%? Yet an insurance company will pay for substance abuse treatment when someone chooses, on purpose, to harm their bodies. Or they pay for Chiropractic or mental health treatments- but not infertility. Will we ever see a change in this ruling and get some justification?

Gina

The "Types" Of Women I Encountered During Infertility

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:16:00 +0000

When you are dealing with infertility, people can help or harm the process you go through. As I have mentioned in the past, I had not really started dealing with my infertility issues until I started writing about it for my book. I took a closer look at the people around me- family, friends, co-workers and the occasional encounters you have with others (I am mostly talking about females too because men don't usually deal so well with many issues regarding depression and feminine problems). This is what I found...

· The Selfish/Competitive Women: These women actually like the fact that you are infertile because they can “one up” you if they have kids. They make this a constant topic of conversation and like to point out that they have kids (and you don’t) every chance they get.

· The Nosey Women: These women constantly ask “when are you planning on getting pregnant?” adding additional pressure and stress to an already volatile situation.

· Heartless Women: These women do not regard Infertility as much of an issue. They see it as another opportunity for you to be dramatic and gain sympathy. I have friends who have suffered a miscarriage and when they have looked to their closest friends for support, have found none.

· Rude Women: These women question you about everything yet offer no support or quality advice. They just want to know what you are doing about not getting pregnant and expect you to “suck it up,” talk about it and not take everything so personally. These women also get irritated when you don’t give them the information they are looking for or talk about your personal issues with them.

· National Enquire Women: These women like to gossip about other peoples’ problems.

· Know It All Women: These women think they are infertility specialist but yet never experienced a moment of it. They tell you to do acupuncture, meditate, or alleviate your stress by doing yoga or by drinking green tea and singing "Kumbaya.

· "Beautiful Women: These women just know the right thing to say and do at the right times. These women see you and your humanity and feel your dismay. These women are rare!

I don't want to sound negative....when I recognized how people reacted to me when I couldn't get pregnant, this is how it made me feel. I also don't want to brush over the importance of the Beautiful Women. The love and understanding that these women showed me helped me get through some of the toughest times I had to face. The Beautiful Women were there to support me and knew what to say and when- that's what made them so rare.

I just want my infertility sisters to know that it's ok to go through these emotions and realize that other women who have had to deal with infertility may feel the same way. If you haven not had to face the other women on my list, I want your list of friends, family and co-workers so I can know them too! How special they are! I also want to say that everyone has problems so focusing on someone else's issues can help take the pain and stress off of yourself. I always knew that people who might have paid more attention to my infertility did so because it gave them a sense of peace (not in a malicious way), that someone else had pain in their life as well.

I know that despite my infertility and all I went through, I am in a good place. I am happy and grateful and just because I point the finger at how I allowed some people to make me feel, I hold no grudges and still see the glass half full. It's all about what you do with these reactions in the face of adversity. I am surrounded by many beautiful people who celebrate my life with me daily allowing me to recognize the past but live for here and now.

Gina

PGD Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:04:00 +0000

When my husband and I decided to deal with our infertility we wanted to educate ourselves and find a solution to our problem. We were considered by our doctors to fall under the category of "unexplained Infertility," I was 36 years old and had not gotten pregnant after 8 years without birth control and had 6 failed Intrauterine Inseminations (IUI's). It was time for a more aggressive approach and we needed to find a doctor who would really know our case and make us feel involved in our course of action.

We were referred to a doctor who had gotten two couples we knew successfully pregnant so we trusted her success rate. On our first visit, the doctor sat us down and discussed all of our options. We didn't even know we had options before this visit. The doctor said we could do more IUI's because she felt the timing was off with the 6 we had done, we could do straight IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) or we could do IVF with PGD. PGD is a chromosome or genetic wash/screening that identifies any embryos with genetic defects or any major diseases that would cause a pregnancy to terminate after implantation. PGD can identify almost 200 genetic defects that can inhibit a healthy pregnancy. We opted for IVF with PGD because we saw it as the fastest and least complicated way to have a healthy pregnancy after so many failed IUI's and so many infertile years. I also was concerned about my age but only because the medical community made me feel so self conscious about the complications that I could have as I got older.

I had 24 eggs harvested for IVF (yes I did!). Five were "no good," or had complications like a missing cell nucleus. There was one embryo that had double XXYY chromosomes and one had Turner's Syndrome (or one X chromosome affecting females). Of the 19 left, 10 were allowed natural fertilization after PGD (meaning my husband's sperm naturally fertilized my eggs without assistance). We implanted 3 "good" eggs during our first round of IVF. We used two male and one female embryos knowing that the female would be strong enough to pull through :).

The remaining 9 eggs were to be used in research. We were told this meant that the sperm would be manually injected into the eggs for fertilization. We did not realize before this was done that it could possibly compromise the genetic make-up and viability of the embryos. It was suggested to us that these 9 eggs be destroyed (after the research) as their future development and health would be unknown. Had we known this prior to the procedure, we definitely would have had more to say about it. I do not regret that a contribution was made in the name of scientific research but I would have liked more time to consider what that meant. Ethically, we should have been given all of those facts beforehand but I think the doctor and staff figured we just wanted to get pregnant. "No matter what" was not part of the equation for my husband and I. We liked to talk about our options and think things through before making such major decisions.

Even though we went through the genetic screening, it was still possible for the embryos to develop either an inherited or environmentally caused disease, defect or illness. PGD is not the end all be all but it helps prevent complications that can develop in older pregnant women. If you read my previous blog, you know that my daughter developed an Immune Disorder at age 1 regardless of all of this prevention before her birth. There is also not a lot of information available about the future health of a PGD child. We knew we wanted to be parents so we chose to trust this method to have our children. I often think about what this means for my children's future but I look into their beautiful eyes and healthy faces and I have to trust that it will all be OK.

Morally and ethically we had to deal with a lot of hard decisions. First whether to do IUI, IVF or PGD at all. Then we had to choose the sex of the embryos we wanted to use (we didn't have to- the doctor could have, but since we could..). We also had to discuss selective reduction which meant that in the event that the 3 embryos we implanted created several babies (I think there are limits medically as to how many babies you can carry at once) did we want to reduce in the womb. We also had to decide what to do with our remaining 7 healthy eggs. As for selective reduction, we figured at this point, what ever we were graced with was meant to be. We opted to refuse the reduction for both ethical and religious reasons.

The hardest decision I had to make had to do with embryo storage. The remaining 7 eggs were frozen at the ART center and each year we would have to pay for that storage. There are studies that support the viability of these eggs after years of being frozen but not enough is known about it since IVF/PGD and frozen embryo storage for pregnancy are relatively new. There comes a point where this decision has to be made unless you want to pay this bill every year, and for my husband and I it was a tough one.

I will tell you that these were some very hard decision to make, but I will say this. Even though there are a lot of people who may feel that we are trying to play God by using such procedures to get pregnant, I feel that the embryos STILL have to implant into the uterine lining and they STILL have to make it through pregnancy to become our children. I also know the we wanted our children so badly..... they are loved, taken care of and will make a positive contribution to society. How can this be wrong? A pregnancy in any form is still a miracle.

Please visit www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preimplantation_genetic_diagnosis for more information on PGD.

Gina

The Infertility Surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:10:00 +0000

Have you ever had to accept something you didn’t want to? As some of you now know, I suffered through infertility for 5 years. It took me and my husband one year of trying before we even considered the idea of us being infertile. We were both young (sort of) and in great shape. The thought of infertility never even entered our minds. All of those years of stressing out when my period was late and it turns out I had nothing to stress about. Truth is; I was never going to get pregnant without medical assistance.

Once I finally accepted the fact we were having fertility issues, I joined a support group. I wanted to learn from other women how to handle the surprise of it all. I was in shock over my infertility for many years. It was probably the hardest thing I ever had to admit to myself. It turns out many other women feel the same way. Almost every woman, at one support group session, started off their story by saying they had a hard time accepting their inability to conceive. This made me question, “Why is infertility such a surprise when millions are facing it daily?”

I came to one conclusion. This conclusion took me on a long memory ride. The first memory took me back to the sixth grade. In the sixth grade I learned about the birds and the bees. Everything was so matter of fact. The teachers explained conception in a way that simply stated, “This is how it works” and nothing stated, “This is how it fails.”

Let’s jump ahead a few more years to my eighth grade health class. Fertility was brought up again and this time they were trying to frighten kids into not having “nookie” because they will definitely conceive if they do. Do you remember everyone preaching, “It only takes one time?” I do. That was drilled into my head. Natalie and I were friends back then and I remember a conversation we had at school one afternoon. We were wondering if we should swim in a pool with boys. We were so frightened by our teachers and society expressing how easy it is to conceive; we wondered if we could get pregnant just by swimming with boys.

I know, you are probably laughing at us right now and it is embarrassing to admit to our “naiveness.” However, it is important to understand how we were trained to think. Keep in mind we were young and we eventually swam with boys again (I have to “save face” a little bit).

My next round of fertility education came through a college course. The professor was very detailed oriented. So much so, that I never had a question about “nookie” again and I often wondered if she should have been arrested for lewd behavior. But, I digress. The interesting fact about her course is that she went into such depth about fertility but never brought up infertility. How can you teach this sort of class and not talk about infertility? It was simply not mentioned. Personally, I feel there is a lot of shame behind it but that is another blog post altogether.

How can a child be taught from such a young age how easy it is to conceive but throughout the years never be taught how difficult it can be as well? Is this fair education? If you are struggling with infertility don’t you feel our educators failed us in this area? I do. I often wonder if infertility was never talked about because our educators were more concerned about scaring us so they would not have young pregnant girls running around school. Well, lesson learned. I was so afraid of conceiving that it was inconceivable to think I could NOT conceive.

It wasn’t until age 30 that I finally learned about infertility and how common it is. In so many words, I grew up “infertility clueless.” So, when the day finally came and I accepted my inability to create life on my own it was a very emotional day; a day of shock and tears; a day of bereavement; a day of mourning the children I may never have.

With all of that said, my conclusion lies in that my education failed me and infertility was simply something I had to learn about the hard way. I propose our fertility education be revamped and children learn about infertility at the same time they are taught fertility; and I do not mean just a mere mention of the illness but a full chapter on it. If I had one inkling infertility existed, I would have sought help earlier and I know, without a doubt, I would have been better equipped to deal with the surprise and shock of it all.

Who is with me?
- Alicia

Age and Infertility

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:39:00 +0000

Are women having children later in their lives? I think a lot of things factor into this decision: Getting married later in life, career choices that focus on moving up in the ranks at work, higher education and infertility may all play a role in why this has come to be. With almost 10% (6.1 million people) facing infertility, maybe it isn't always the best choice to wait but I am glad I didn't really have a choice.

As I said in my last article, I tried to get pregnant early in my marriage. I was 26 when I got married. When I finally started focusing on finding answers to my infertility, I was already 32 years old which is an age where a woman's fertility potential starts to decline (different references will give slightly different ages). This places women at a 21.4% chance for miscarriage as opposed to a 13.1% at age 25-34 (Environmental Working Group). At age 45, this rate increases to 50%! We are born with over 1 million eggs but by puberty we only have about 300,000 left of which only about 300 will be utilized during ovulation (Women'sHealth.gov). And that is if our bodies are in "normal" functioning order.

As eggs age, they start to develop chromosomal abnormalities causing women to be at a higher risk for miscarriage. This degeneration of egg development cannot be stopped or altered- there are no drugs available to address this issue. As we get older, we are also more susceptible to health risks that may not affect us in our 20's. Of course, there are always rare occurrences where a female in her 20's may have health issues that affect her fertility but I am speaking about the majority of the population and the aging process. I also want to note that there are a number of other factors that can affect infertility but my age always seemed to be a big deal to my doctor's (and everyone else) so I am discussing it!

Now given all of this, I did In-Vitro at age 36 giving birth to my twins at age 37 (I had just turned 37 and they were delivered a week later). In my doctor's office, I was told by one of the nurses that there were 13 women doing In-Vitro at the same time I was and I was the youngest. I was initially surprised by this but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Given that women want more out of life including financial stability, I understand the extended time-line. I am sure most of us assume that we have time to get pregnant and the truth is until we start digging into our fertility, we may not have a clue if we can get pregnant or not.

It's a catch 22 because you would not normally start infertility testing at a young age if there is no medical reason to do so (or you can if you want to go through invasive tests and if you want to spend a lot of money out of pocket). If you choose to wait to finish your career goals and buy a house before having kids you are in the same boat I was although I ignored my infertility for quite a while.

As I look back I am glad I did not make the choice to deal with my infertility right away and I will tell you why. I finished school, traveled, achieved my career goals and had financial stability. Now that I am a stay-at-home mom, I am grateful to be able to watch my kids grow and learn and I don't feel like I am missing out on anything. I have experienced a lot over the years but by being at home I am truly enjoying and noticing my life now more than ever. As always, I love to hear other stories. Please share about your experience as well...

Gina

Unexplained Infertility

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:20:00 +0000

I stopped taking the pill even before my Wedding day. I figured if I got pregnant it would be a wonderful thing. I had the attitude that if I were to get pregnant right away then it was meant to be. Little did I know that it would take 10 years for it to happen.

For the first five years of my marriage, I didn't give the fact that I was not getting pregnant another thought. I kept telling myself it would happen when it happened. I was working on my career, had graduated from college and wanted to own a house before having kids (I had goals!). Since pregnancy wasn't happening as fast as I thought it would I kept telling everyone "after I go on a cruise to Alaska I will start having babies." Yes, I wanted to go on a cruise but that's expensive! I figured if I told people I was planning something that major they would go along with the story that I was not planning on having kids until I could go on that trip. I figured if I continued to point out my focus on a career and owning a house people would stop prying into my personal life. I thought I could distract others like I was distracting myself but it didn't work out that way.

After being married 6 years I figured it was time to, at the very least, start asking questions. I made an appointment with my OBGYN to discuss what could be inhibiting me from getting pregnant. My OBGYN didn't take me seriously and she didn't order any tests that would tell me what could be wrong. She told me to pay attention to when I was ovulating and go from there. I continued to put off addressing this issue for two more years until my biological clock started to tick a little louder than it had been. I switched OBGYN's and had the same discussion with a new doctor. This time, a Hysterosalpingogram (which detects if there is any blockage, adhesions or abnormalities in the fallopian tubes or uterus) and Laparoscopy (to detect Endometriosis or cysts present) were ordered. Blood tests were ordered as were Urinalysis and the list goes on and on. Nothing medically was found.

I am considered "Unexplained Infertility." What this means is after many tests on both me and my husband; a determination cannot be made as to why we could not get pregnant without In-Vitro Fertilization. At some point I will have to accept this diagnosis and at this point in my life I can't say I need to have the answer. I would have liked to know why though, clinically and scientifically, I could not get pregnant on my own. It would have been helpful during my many years of infertility to have something to focus on to "fix" rather than just coasting through life on hope. Are you facing infertility? If you have been given a diagnosis that causes your infertility does it give you hope that you can overcome? Are you part of the small percentage of Unexplained Infertility? We would love for you to share your story with us....

Gina

Tampons - Do You Know The Dangers?

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 06:04:00 +0000

Gina and I are in the process of writing a book regarding infertility. One area I was assigned to research is the danger of tampon usage. The research I have done is really interesting so I want share some of the news now and not wait. Even if you haven’t had problems with infertility please read this so you can inform your daughters, friends and sisters.

A while back I interviewed Dr. Philip M. Tierno, Jr.: Director of Clinical Microbiologyand Diagnostic Immunology at Tisch Hospital, New York University Medical Center. He is an expert on the dangers of tampons. He has appeared on shows such as 20/20, Oprah, Primetime, etc.

Here are some highlights from my interview:

1. Alicia: “How do tampons cause toxic shock syndrome (TSS)?”

Dr. Tierno: “The material in the tampon can produce Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and this leads to toxic shock.”

Note: If this bacteria is not destroyed by the antibodies in our bloodstream then TSS can occur. Some symptoms are: Sudden fever (102 F or more) and vomiting, diarrhea, fainting or near fainting when standing up, dizziness, and a rash that looks like a sunburn.

2. Alicia: “Is it true there is a rise in TSS?”

Dr. Tierno: “True. But it never went away. Tampon manufacturers have taken out 3 of the 4 dangerous synthetic components. The 3 components taken out were polyester, carboxymethylcellulose and polyacrylate rayon. The highly absorbent viscose rayon is still used. The viscose rayon is the lesser of the 4 evils but it still produces toxins.

A part of the problem is that women are opting to use overnight tampons. They do not set their alarm clocks to wake up and change their tampons so they are left in much longer then they should be. They should stay in no longer then six hours.

Manufacturers have also increased the absorbent density. Now they have Ultra-absorbent tampons. [The more absorbent the tampon, the higher chance you have of developing TSS. Therefore, use the lowest absorbent tampon you can get away with and change it frequently]."

Note: Before I was able to move on to my next question, Dr. Tierno made sure I knew that he is currently working with a patient who had to have both hands and legs amputated because of TSS. Scary!

3. Alicia: “Does anyone know what tampons are made of besides the manufacturer?”

Dr. Teirno: “No.”

Note: The FDA says it is proprietary information and therefore cannot be released. Interesting, isn't it? You know what is in your hand lotion but no clue what you put inside your body.

4. Alicia: “Have any independent tests been done on the overall safety of tampons?”

Dr. Teirno: “No. No one has given the money to a scientist to do the research.”

5. Alicia: “Has there been any movement on the “Tampon Safety & Research Act of 1999?”

Dr. Teirno: “That is a good question [he is laughing].”

Alicia: “Is it because the companies you are going up against are billion dollar companies?”

Dr. Teirno: He laughs and says, “Try trillion dollar companies. You should call Carolyn Maloney. She would answer that question for you.”

Note: Ms. Maloney has been trying to push this bill and it keeps getting brushed aside. She is asking for INDEPENDENT studies on the safety of tampons. All of the research done so far is from the manufacturers themselves. In the 75 years of tampons being on the market not ONE independent test has been done!

So let me make sure you caught that: Tampons have been on the market since 1933 and NOT ONE independent study has been done on their safety. All of the studies done are by the tampon manufacturers themselves. Umm, do you think we should trust their results? I did not know this before but the FDA does not do the testing themselves. They simply go by what the manufacturer reports to them. Interesting. Do you think they would ever report they were bad for you? Doubt it.

6. Alicia: "I know dioxin was a major concern before the manufacturers said they have changed the bleaching process. However, I would like to know for the millions of women who used tampons years before the change; how do dioxins leave the body?"

Dr. Teirno: "They get absorb into the vagina and some [not all] of it will detox through the liver. Even trace amounts of dioxin are cause for concern because tampons come in contact with some of the most absorbent tissue in the body. In addition, the effects of dioxin are cumulative and can be measured 20 to 30 years after exposure."

Note: While the bleaching process has changed in recent years, dioxin is still found in tampons (even those made of 100% cotton). The EPA states that due to decades of pollution, dioxin can be found in the air, water and ground. This means trace levels can be found in the cotton or wood pulp raw materials used to make tampons. The FDA currently requires that tampon manufacturers monitor dioxin levels, but as I already mentioned the results are not made available to the public.

7. Alicia: “Do you believe tampons can cause endometriosis?”

Dr. Teirno: “Dioxin is a known cause for endometriosis. Disrupted hormones can be a cause too. Another theory is that menstrual tissue pushes itself up the fallopian tubes [and exits into the body and starts to grow outside of the uterus].”

Alicia: “Can tampons cause the tissue to be pushed up?”

Dr. Teirno: “A tampon can back up the fluid once the tampon is full and the fluid can then accumulate. The fluid can be pushed up naturally [but a tampon can also be a factor].”

Note: Dr. Teirno said the most popular theory is that women have a genetic disposition for the disease. However, on a personal note, I have it and no one else in my family does.

8. Alicia: “Can Dioxin grow cysts inside of a woman’s body?”

Dr. Teirno: “Dioxin can give rise to tumorous growth”

9. Alicia: “What is dangerous about the fibers that get left behind once you remove the tampon? Do they contain Silicone?”

Dr. Teirno: “We do not know. However, these fibers can cause odor and inflammation. If a woman has a chronic inflammation it can lead to infertility.”

It was a very eye opening interview for me. Dr. Tierno said dioxin is a known cause for endometriosis. However, just the presence of a tampon may be a cause too. This goes back to my gut instinct of the normality of a tampon. I often wondered how safe it really was for menstrual fluid to stay and accumulate in a woman’s uterus and to have a synthetic material there as well. I have learned enough to feel there may be a few links between tampons and infertility, whether the links are direct or indirect.

If you are going to use tampons, doctors suggest using organic, 100% cotton, tampons. Regular cotton tampons can contain pesticides and other pollutants. You should use low absorbent tampons and switch between pads and tampons often. This might be more than you wanted to know about tampons but you SHOULD know it. There is so much more I didn’t get into but I think this is enough for now. Pass this information on to any girlfriends, sisters, and daughters.

Always do your own research,
Alicia

Endometriosis Pain & Unexplained Infertility Linked to Wheat (a.k.a. Gluten)

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:07:00 +0000

I just had my best period in years! Sounds crazy doesn't it? But, I can explain. I was diagnosed with Endometriosis while going through infertility treatments a few years back. I suffered from crippling periods since my early 20s. The pain was so bad at times it made me nauseous. I also had severe pain in my legs for one to two days during my period. I never got a good night’s sleep either because the pain always intensified when I would lay down.

I know having a great period doesn't make much sense. However, if you suffer from Endometriosis then having a less painful period is something to celebrate! This last period must have felt like a “normal” one. I had a little discomfort, but no feeling of nausea and I was able to sleep just fine.

I am so excited to share what I learned. There is a link between painful periods and wheat. I took wheat (more like gluten) out of my diet and it has made all the difference in the world. There may also be a link between wheat triggering Endometriosis and causing "unexplained" infertility.

Here is what I discovered:

I never knew a nutrient deficiency can be one of the many triggers of Endometriosis. “One of the immune system's jobs is to break down implants [uterine lining that has shed] that form after each menstruation. To function properly the immune system needs a range of nutrients, including selenium, iron, zinc, magnesium and all the vitamins,” explains Dian Shepperson Mills, Director of The Endometriosis and Fertility Clinic in London. She further notes, "a lack of both vitamins C and E makes the pain more severe - these vitamins also help reduce inflammation.”

Ms. Mills feels the genetically re-engineered wheat can cause a lot of damage to the human body. She states, “.. all wheat is a problem... I think [it] may be the hormones in the wheat or the phytic acid is locking up some of the minerals but certainly there seems to be some modality with wheat and Endometriosis. It’s almost as though something within wheat is exacerbating the implant." I think she is definitely onto something here but I wonder if the explanation is Celiac Disease and not just wheat.

Celiac Disease is an allergy to gluten (which is a protein found in all wheat products and many other products). If you have Celiac Disease and consume gluten, you will damage your small intestine by flattening the cells on the surface. These cells, called villi, are responsible for the absorption of nutrients. Once these cells are flattened and damaged, your body cannot properly absorb the nutrients in the food you are eating. Therefore, if you have Celiac Disease and your immune system is nutrient deficient it may not able to break down the shedding of your uterine lining properly.

Ms. Mills claims 80% of her patients notice their pain subsides and that it increased their chances to conceive when they went on a gluten-free diet. Even though this is a high percentage of her patients, this obviously doesn't work for everyone but I do hope further studies are conducted.

I suffered for so many years and not one doctor brought up Celiac Disease. It turns out my Dad was recently diagnosed with this. 1 in 133 people have it but only 3% are diagnosed. It is highly genetic too. I changed my diet and now live pain-free! If you have Celiac Disease and go on a gluten-free diet, your intestine can repair itself and heal.

I am not a doctor, but I am proof that taking gluten out of your diet may help alleviate pain caused by Endometriosis (and this may only be the case if you have Celiac Disease). The diet is not easy to get used to but after a month or two, it is a piece of gluten-free cake. Just take cooking back to the era of your great-grandmother. My family now eats meat, veggies and potatoes / rice. We do not eat any processed food at all. We basically eat what Mother Nature intended us to eat. Another great side effect is that I have lost weight!

Don’t take my word for it, do your own research. I just wanted you to be informed and to ask you to educate yourself if you have Endometriosis or are struggling with unexplained infertility. In studies, it appears 4% to 8% of women with unexplained infertility have Celiac Disease. Some women, with this disease, were able to change their diet and finally conceive. Please note, I said “some.” I don’t want you to think this is a cure-all. It is a small percentage, but if you fit into this percentage it is life-changing!

You can find out if you have this disease by a simple blood test. It’s worth a shot in looking into. You can learn more about Celiac Disease and the signs/symptoms by visiting http://www.celiac.org/.

As always, keep an open mind and educate yourself. I just wanted to pass on what I just learned. I hope this blog helps one woman out there - I would be ecstatic! If this information helps you in anyway, please send me an email and tell me about it. I would love to hear it.

Take care,
Alicia

About Us

noreply@blogger.com (Friend In Reach) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:11:00 +0000

Alicia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am a Midwest girl that grew up in Ohio and Indiana. Currently I live in Southern California and even though it is too hot in the summer it is better than snow in the winter. I graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor's degree in Communication and a minor in Creative Writing. I was a journalist right outside of college and then I spent 10 years slaving away for other people while managing a few marketing departments.

I am still salving away for other people, but now they are my kids. Currently, I am an at-home-Mom who is very busy raising triplets. And, yes, they were conceived through an IVF. That is usually the first question people ask me. Because of my infertility struggles, I felt compelled to write a book about it. So, between diaper changes, feeding the trio and reading time; I am writing a book.

Gina ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was born in Buffalo, NY and my maternal grandmother delivered me on the living room couch in her duplex. I was child #2 out of 4 and my mom didn't even know she was pregnant with me until she was 4 1/2 months along....partly because she had given birth on Jan 2 with child #1 and must have become pregnant with me sometime in late March. My sister and I are 11 months apart- born in Jan & Dec of 1968.

My parents moved our family to Los Angeles in August of 1986 after I graduated from St. Mary's High School. I earned a BS in Health Education in 1997 from California State University, Northridge. I have been a Manager in the fields of Retail, Health Care and Dentistry and have been able to travel to many exciting places in the United States and the world. In 1996 I was married and live in Southern California with my husband and two children. I am currently a stay at home mom and writing a book about infertility.

Natalie ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Natalie is a creator. Coming from a legacy of musicians and artists she hopes to do something meaningful with what has been passed onto her. "Life is a journey, and I think we all are searching for more about who we are and why we are here. I want my life to be an encouragement to others. I especially have a heart for the hurting."

Currently, she is working on projects that involve many aspects of the arts: photography, writing, music, writing, and personal designs. Her life comprises of true stories that reflect hope, faith and miracles of believing for the impossible. As she views it, "The most inspiring and powerful stories that affect most all of us are the ones that show conflict but end in victory. I hope my life will reflect courage and inspire hope in the hearts of those who are searching to find it."