Question about next step!

[lola]

Alright ladies, opinions needed/wanted! Here's the situation.

I'm on round one of Clomid right now. My doctor told me this week that she strongly recommends acupuncture, so I went today.

The acupuncturist was kind of awesome, and I really liked him. I'd never been before, but felt really comfortable with him and ultimately really enjoyed it. BUT. He thinks the problem is that I am too cold. As in cold on the inside. He looked at my BBT charts (which are on my phone) and is confident that this is the problem. So confident that he said, "Oh yeah, we'll have you pregnant in about three cycles. Maybe four, but not more than four." I mean, he was CONFIDENT.

I really trust my doctors, but I trust this guy too. And here's my thing. All the Clomid in the world isn't going to work if my "inside" is too cold for implantation/pregnancy. My thinking is, maybe I finish out this cycle (I'm on day four of five days, so a waste to stop, IMO) but then assuming I don't get pregnant this cycle then I stop with the Clomid. Spend the next three or four cycles with the acupuncture guy trying to "warm up" (there's a plan, it is long, I'll explain if anybody is interested. lol) and see what happens?  I can always go back to Clomid if I need/want to, and I've only lost a few cycles.

HE WAS JUST SO SURE OF IT YOU GUYS!!! And I want to believe him! Three or four cycles isn't that long away!!

What would you do? Thoughts? Think this is too weird and just want to tell me that?! I'm feeling conflicted!

Jalapeñomel - I'm paging you here to read this and tell me what to do!!!


ETA - I plan to discuss with my doctor, not just make any decisions on my own. But, since I can't call her tonight to ask, I figured I'd ask you guys.

[pamela]

Yeah, not buying the acupuncturist and being too cold. Sorry. Hope you find something that works though.

Are you ovulating? Why are you on clomid?

[Jalapeñomel]

You've been trying for a long time, so I completely understand the whole idea of trying anything at this point in time. I'm a big believer in a lot of non-traditional medicines, but I am not sure I would just stop the Clomid. But I would talk to my doctor after this round of Clomid about your internal body temperature, and see what she says. She may easily dismiss it as hocus pocus or she may not.

Also, you can continue to go to the acupuncturist as well as taking the clomid yes? What does your DH think?

[lola]

Mar 23, 2013 19:46:49 GMT -5 pamela said:

Yeah, not buying the acupuncturist and being too cold. Sorry. Hope you find something that works though.

Are you ovulating? Why are you on clomid?

Damn. Thanks though. lol. I really WANT to buy it. It seems like a solid answer, which I've had so few of lately.

I'm on Clomid because my doctor is hoping that if I ovulate more than one egg then I'll have more than one chance at one getting fertilized. We'll see, I guess. The next step is IVF, which is not covered on my insurance and for which I'm not eager (or maybe even willing) to pay $25K+ out of pocket, so I am pretty much willing to try anything here.

[lola]

Mar 23, 2013 19:54:30 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

You've been trying for a long time, so I completely understand the whole idea of trying anything at this point in time. I'm a big believer in a lot of non-traditional medicines, but I am not sure I would just stop the Clomid. But I would talk to my doctor after this round of Clomid about your internal body temperature, and see what she says. She may easily dismiss it as hocus pocus or she may not.

Also, you can continue to go to the acupuncturist as well as taking the clomid yes? What does your DH think?

Well, I'm thinking that I go in for an appointment on the 4th so my plan is to ask my doctor about it in that appointment and just see what she thinks. H pretty much agrees with this plan. I think we're just kind of willing to try anything at this point, you know? But, maybe the temperature thing is just a bunch of BS?

[G22]

I don't know that I would make any decisions until you talk to your OB/RE and get a second opinion . I honestly haven't ever heard of that being an issue to infertility. I'd also do some research on my own. I'd probably not hold my breathe on that being a issue, but I tend to be apprehensive even when my OB told me she was pretty confident that we could get pregnant with IUI.

I completely get wanting to believe him if he was that confident. But I would still get a second opinion before stopping your current plan.

[Jalapeñomel]

Mar 23, 2013 19:57:02 GMT -5 lola said:

Mar 23, 2013 19:54:30 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

You've been trying for a long time, so I completely understand the whole idea of trying anything at this point in time. I'm a big believer in a lot of non-traditional medicines, but I am not sure I would just stop the Clomid. But I would talk to my doctor after this round of Clomid about your internal body temperature, and see what she says. She may easily dismiss it as hocus pocus or she may not.

Also, you can continue to go to the acupuncturist as well as taking the clomid yes? What does your DH think?

Well, I'm thinking that I go in for an appointment on the 4th so my plan is to ask my doctor about it in that appointment and just see what she thinks. H pretty much agrees with this plan. I think we're just kind of willing to try anything at this point, you know? But, maybe the temperature thing is just a bunch of BS?

This sounds like a good plan for now.  But I can completely understand trying EVERYTHING.  

[bronxgirl]

I don't know anything about acupuncture. How does he know you are too cold? How will his treatment change that? My objective opinion is that's BS to get you to keep using his services. Howevere, the desperate infrtile part of me was thinking "really? Maybe that's my problem, too."

[lola]

Mar 23, 2013 20:11:29 GMT -5 bronxgirl said:

I don't know anything about acupuncture. How does he know you are too cold? How will his treatment change that? My objective opinion is that's BS to get you to keep using his services. Howevere, the desperate infrtile part of me was thinking "really? Maybe that's my problem, too."

Ok, here's his thing. He says my "core" is too cold and that to "warm me up" I'm going to eat certain foods (nothing crazy, pretty much starches, proteins, cooked veggies, rice, grains) and eliminate certain foods (anything cold, anything raw). Also, increase certain spices like cinnamon and cardamom and hot spices which make you warm. Drink tea, especially ginger and chai.  And, of course, acupuncture. 

My pre-O BBT is in the 96s, and my post O is mid 97s, generally.

I really believe there could be some beneficial parts of non-western medicine, but it seems like one of those things that you have to really believe and buy into or it's not going to work. Right?

[degal99]

Honestly, in Chinese culture "hot" and "cold" come into play a lot in medicine. Specifically in terms of food. www.benefits-of-honey.com/heaty.html

It's Eastern medicine, so you have to decide what you believe. Is there a reason you can't continue with the acupuncture and clomid? You could also try and eat "hot" foods to see if that warms you internally.

[lola]

Thanks degal99.

I don't think there's any reason I can't keep doing both. My thinking is just that if he's right, and my core is too cold, then EVEN if the Clomid works and then I get a fertilized egg, my uterus is too cold for it to implant. So, why keep taking the medicine if the end result won't be a sustainable pregnancy.

I'm planning to try eating the foods he told me, and keeping up with the acupuncture for this whole cycle (figure it can't hurt!) and see if my BBT goes up. If it does, I'm going to assume that he's on to something.

LOL at all my "plans". I should just stop thinking about this, I think.

ETA - ALSO planning to talk to my doctors about all this as well.

[degal99]

Mar 23, 2013 20:29:29 GMT -5 lola said:

Thanks degal99.

I don't think there's any reason I can't keep doing both. My thinking is just that if he's right, and my core is too cold, then EVEN if the Clomid works and then I get a fertilized egg, my uterus is too cold for it to implant. So, why keep taking the medicine if the end result won't be a sustainable pregnancy.

I'm planning to try eating the foods he told me, and keeping up with the acupuncture for this whole cycle (figure it can't hurt!) and see if my BBT goes up. If it does, I'm going to assume that he's on to something.

LOL at all my "plans". I should just stop thinking about this, I think.

I didn't see that post 2 minutes before mine where you said you were going to eat "hot" food!  

And I think it's good to "plan" about this.  Good luck either way!  

[KaraOrNot]

It sounds crazy to me, but I am always skeptical! However, I don't think it hurts to try. If it works, awesome (make sure to keep me updated, so I can jump on the eat hot foods train, lol). If not, you have only lost a few months and you won't have the "what if" in the back of your mind.

[bronxgirl]

hmm.. I am intrigued. I am also mortified by my horrendous typing, but that's an ongoing issue.  If you want an expert opinion, you know which board to visit. 

[changedname]

lola - I have to say I love your posts and attitude

I am also "cold" as per my acu and have been doing all the things to make me warmer - soups, wearing socks all the time even at night, I have only drunk room temp drinks for the last 6 months, a lot of tea etc. Haven't had ice in a drink since last summer. (now I am British and you guys know we aren't fans of ice so that might be harder for you americans teehee).

Who knows if it works but I am of the mindset that the best solution is Eastern and Western medicine working together - (Clomid + acu etc). There are some great books about it - "making Babies" and "The Infertility Cure". If I get ku from this ivf, I will send them to you.

[mae141]

Mar 24, 2013 7:00:24 GMT -5 changedname said:

lola - I have to say I love your posts and attitude

I am also "cold" as per my acu and have been doing all the things to make me warmer - soups, wearing socks all the time even at night, I have only drunk room temp drinks for the last 6 months, a lot of tea etc. Haven't had ice in a drink since last summer. (now I am British and you guys know we aren't fans of ice so that might be harder for you americans teehee).

Who knows if it works but I am of the mindset that the best solution is Eastern and Western medicine working together - (Clomid + acu etc). There are some great books about it - "making Babies" and "The Infertility Cure". If I get ku from this ivf, I will send them to you.

This post was reminding me of the book Making Babies. I remember one of the recommendations for me was no more cold foods.

[azurely]

I think it's worth a shot. Eastern and Western medicine can work together, so I don't think I'd stop taking Clomid.

I bought Making Babies early in my IF journey and didn't get too in-depth with it, but I think I will go back and re-read it. Western medicine isn't currently working, maybe something else will...

[discogranny]

Mar 24, 2013 9:45:26 GMT -5 azurely said:

I think it's worth a shot. Eastern and Western medicine can work together, so I don't think I'd stop taking Clomid.

I bought Making Babies early in my IF journey and didn't get too in-depth with it, but I think I will go back and re-read it. Western medicine isn't currently working, maybe something else will...

I am doing this exactly right now. I honestly have the "can't hurt" philosophy. I am having an issue though because the program includes reducing the intensity of workouts, which I really don't want to do.