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Stressed about getting pregnant

Last post 07-28-2008, 5:07 PM by naniez. 18 replies.
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  •  06-27-2008, 12:46 PM 11496

    Stressed about getting pregnant

    My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for awhile and have had no luck. I am totally stressed about it and I feel like I am alone... it seems like everyone I know is getting pregnant and I get really upset when people tell me that they are pregnant. Infact I usually end up crying about it when I get home. We have been off birth control for five years. Any suggestions?

  •  06-27-2008, 8:19 PM 11557 in reply to 11496

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    Well, I was GOING to say that as soon as you stop stressing about it, and relax, then you will get pregnant.  I was GOING to say, it's all in God's timing.

    And then I read your second to last sentance.  Have you been actively trying for 5 years or just off birth control for 5 years?  How old you are is another issue.  Do you have any problems like endometriosis?  I know that I had to get my thyroid levels right to conceive my second child.  ALL of these can be factors.

    But...... they also say that if you are "young," and "healthy" and you've been trying for (I think it's 2, but it may be 1) ... if you've been trying for awhile, then it might be time to consult a fertility doctor. 

    Don't freak out.  I know you want children (I can hear the longing in your type).  But it really is in God's timing.  And there are also TONS of children out there that need homes.  Praying for you.

    Hugs,
    Melinda

    Oh, so here's where I put my signature. Unfortunately, I don't have anything cute or profound to say today. :)
  •  07-03-2008, 5:01 AM 12243 in reply to 11496

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    I am sorry you are having such a difficult time.  First, I would talk to your doctor.  They do say if you have been trying to become pregnant for a year with no success you need to talk to your doctor.

    Second, I can completely relate and understand your pain and frustration.  I was where you are at 10 years ago.  I have never been able to get pregnant, even with fertility drugs.  We stopped prior to going the IVF route like our doctor wanted us to do.  We could not do that.

    My husband and I have two wonderful children - albeit challenging with special needs - through the miracle of adoption.  God called us to adopt, which is why I was never able to get pregnant.  God has given us the strength to manage our kids' special needs and being an adoptive family.  We couldn't get through it without Him.

    I can totally relate to crying when you find out someone is pregnant.  I did that - a lot.  My younger brother and his wife had two pregnancies (their first they miscarried) while we were trying to become pregnant and going through the adoption journey.  It was a very difficult time.  I wasn't able to go to baby showers because the pain was too much to bear. 

    We even had a failed adoption, where the birthmother changed her mind after we had the baby for a week.  We were just devastated and thought we would never have a child.  It was 15 months later that we received the call that our son was born and we flew out to see him.  He was 30 hours old the first time I held him.

    Let me know if you need someone to talk to.  I have recently started a blog that talks about my kids' special needs if you're intereseted in reading it.  It is http://twospecialneedschildren.blogspot.com

     

     


    Cassandra

    Check out my blog: http://twospecialneedschildren.blogspot.com
  •  07-03-2008, 6:47 PM 12476 in reply to 11496

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    I was so stressed about getting pregnant too. I have endometriosis, and was told I would need treatments to try to get pregnant.  I gave up on the idea of getting pregnant on my own, and stopped stressing about it.  I just didn't think about it... and I got pregnant the next month. My second baby was a surprise... we weren't even trying and using barrier method birth control and still got pregnant.  I think that the stress of it all really throws your system out of whack. I cried as every one I knew became pregnant and I could not... I can relate to how you feel. I was there...  I will keep you in my prayers. Fell free to ask me any questions.
  •  07-09-2008, 8:28 PM 13432 in reply to 11557

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    Thanks for the suport, i have seen a doctor and she just says everything is normal... keep trying. So that's what I am going to do. I have my next follow up next month so I will keep you posted.
  •  07-09-2008, 8:30 PM 13433 in reply to 12243

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    interesting, I actually talked to one of my friends about adoption as well. She adopted 2 children about 2 years ago. She has been very informative.
  •  07-09-2008, 8:33 PM 13434 in reply to 12476

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    It's nice to know I am not the only one that gets so upset about this. My poor husband has to hear me cry about this too often. It seems like everyone I know has gotten pregnant twice.

    I am hanging in there and will see the doctor again next month.

  •  07-14-2008, 8:52 AM 14239 in reply to 11496

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    My husband and I have been through it all.  My endometriosis, his infertility, two failed in-vitros, IUIs, his shots, my shots, his vericocelectomy and one adoption.  We finally have 3 children we conceived outside of any drugs or in-vitro and one adopted.  God was there every step of the way, it was definitely His timing!  Be patient and wait on the Lord, and keep the faith.  Remember to thank Him and praise Him because He knows what's best for you.  I know how hard it is I promise I've been there and there are a lot more people in your situation than you know.  There are many reasons why you could be experiencing this situation.  My suggestion is to find an experienced fertility Dr you can trust.  I'll be praying for God to comfort you!!!
  •  07-14-2008, 9:58 PM 14554 in reply to 13432

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    cookmz:
    Thanks for the suport, i have seen a doctor and she just says everything is normal... keep trying. So that's what I am going to do. I have my next follow up next month so I will keep you posted.

    If everything is normal with you, what about your husband?  Has he seen a doctor?

  •  07-16-2008, 3:57 PM 14856 in reply to 14554

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    Yep, he's been checked too. Everything came up normal :-)

     

  •  07-16-2008, 5:41 PM 14869 in reply to 14856

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    Here are some tips I found to improve chances of conceiving:      
    • Stop smoking
    • Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages to double your potential for conception
    • Stop drinking coffee and tea, and avoid other caffeinated products
    • Check with your doctor to see if weighing too much or too little may be interfering with your fertility
    • In a preliminary study of women with infertility and mild endometriosis, supplementation with propolis (500 mg twice a day for six months) was helpful.  Whether propolis would be beneficial for infertile women who do not have endometriosis is not known.
    • Consult with a fertility expert to find out if you have sex-hormone abnormalities, low thyroid function, endometriosis, scarring of the tubes connecting the ovaries with the uterus, or a host of other factors. Some of the causes of infertility readily respond to natural medicine, while others do not. The specific cause of infertility should always be diagnosed by a physician before considering possible solutions.
    • Do you have a Vitamin D, B12, or Folic Acid deficiency?
    • In some women, infertility is due to a hormonal abnormality known as luteal phase defect. In this condition, the uterine lining does not develop and mature properly, presumably because of a deficiency of the hormone progesterone. In a study of infertile women with luteal phase defect, supplementation with 750 mg of vitamin C per day for up to six months resulted in a pregnancy rate of 25%, compared with a rate of 11% in an untreated control group, a statistically significant difference.
    • Vitex is occasionally used as an herbal treatment for infertility—particularly in cases with established luteal phase defect (shortened second half of the menstrual cycle) and high levels of the hormone, prolactin. In one trial, 48 women (ages 23 to 39) who were diagnosed with infertility took vitex once daily for three months. Seven women became pregnant during the trial, and 25 women experienced normalized progesterone levels—which may increase the chances for pregnancy. In another double-blind trial, significantly more infertile women became pregnant after taking a product whose main ingredient is vitex (the other ingredients were homeopathic preparations) than did those who took a placebo. The amount used in this trial was 30 drops of fluid extract twice a day, for a total of 1.8 ml per day. This specific preparation is not available in the United States. Some doctors recommend taking 40 drops of a liquid extract of vitex each morning with water. Approximately 35–40 mg of encapsulated powdered vitex (one capsule taken in the morning) provides a similar amount. Vitex should be discontinued once a woman becomes pregnant.
     














    Consumption of fish contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may reduce the ability of women to conceive.

    Some conventional medications can interfere with fertility.

    A double-blind trial found that taking a multivitamin-mineral supplement increased female fertility.

    Vitamin E deficiency in animals leads to infertility. In a preliminary human trial, infertile couples given vitamin E (200 IU per day for the female and 100 IU per day for the male) showed a significant increase in fertility.

    In preliminary research, even a subtle deficiency of iron has been tentatively linked to infertility.

    Some previously infertile women have become pregnant after supplementing with PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), 100 mg four times per day.23 PABA is believed to increase the ability of estrogen to facilitate fertility.

    Supplementation with the amino acid, L-arginine (16 grams per day), has been shown to improve fertilization rates in women with a previous history of failed attempts at in vitro (test tube) fertilization.24

    Acupuncture may be helpful in the treatment of some cases of female infertility due to problems with ovarian function. In a preliminary trial, women who did not ovulate were treated with acupuncture 30 times over three months. Effectiveness was determined by a combination of measures indicating ovulation was returning to normal. Acupuncture treatment resulted in a marked improvement in 35% and slight improvement in 48% of trial participants. The beneficial results achieved with acupuncture may be due to alterations in the hormonal messages from the brain to the ovary.

    Auricular (ear) acupuncture has been studied in a preliminary trial and compared with standard hormone therapy for treatment of infertility. In both the acupuncture and hormone therapy groups, 15 out of 45 patients became pregnant. Although the pregnancy rates were similar with either treatment, side effects occurred only in women taking hormones. Still, double-blind trials are needed to conclusively determine whether acupuncture is a useful treatment for female infertility.

  •  07-16-2008, 10:48 PM 14900 in reply to 14869

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    Back when I was trying to get pregnant the Dr. had me take my temperature every morning before I got out of bed. My temp tended to run low at that time of day, but I was able to determine whether or not I was ovulating by tracking the slight rise(at least a full degree higher than normal) in my temp upon ovulation. After I ovulated, my temp would stay elevated until the day before I started a period. When I did get pregnant my temp stayed up the duration of my pregnancy.

    It might tell you whether and when you are ovulating. Just a suggestion.

  •  07-18-2008, 12:47 PM 15312 in reply to 14900

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    Thanks everyone for all this advise! I have been reserching everything I can through the internet and reading tons of books. Not to mention all the advise I have gotten from some friends.

    One particular friend told me that she used egg whites as a lubricant when her and her husband were trying. (they had tried for two years w/ not luck.) Well when she was ovulating she used actual egg whites as a lubricant! That sounded a little wierd to me but I thought... "why not reserch that too and see what you can find." So I googled it and found that tons of women have used it, most of which got pregnant first try. I also looked at the negative posts on some forums and a one or two people got vaginal infections. :-(

    Good news though! There is a lubricant on the market called Pre Seed that works with the sperm and keeps them mobile. Well, needless to say I opted for the dr recomended lubricant other then the egg whites. I orded it yesterday and hopefully it will work.

    Oh, one more thing... I just found out that our really good friends are pg... this one was really hard... He has only been home from Iraq for 3 weeks! And she was considered high risk for infertility. Urrrghhhhh!

    Anyways... when its God's will he will bless my husband and I :-) Please keep praying for us.....

  •  07-22-2008, 2:54 PM 15887 in reply to 15312

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    Yes, when it's God's will, He will bless!  

    The most important ingredient, is your FAITH = confidence in Him.  He knows what is best and the right timing of things. 

    I pray He will give you the desire of your heart! 

    ~Renae
  •  07-24-2008, 7:32 PM 16327 in reply to 15887

    Re: Stressed about getting pregnant

    Thanks Renae! The support is really nice... I remind myself of that all day.
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