June 5, 2014
Not only is it roasting in the triple digits here already, but turns out, I am literally hot! After my CP, I still haven't stopped bleeding so I called my TCM yesterday. We had a bit of a "loss in translation" between the phone / Chinese / English barrier so they wanted me to come in straight away. Because I didn't feel my blood loss was a lot, we agreed today would be fine.
Basically, they were under the impression I was having an active miscarriage. I kept trying to explain the test was barely visible as positive and I was having very little blood loss...just it was still red and bleeding. What they heard was positive and blood. When I got there today, I came fully prepared with my charts printed out, my barely there positive pregnancy test and a pantyliner to show them that was sufficient for my blood loss.
Ah hah. Crisis averted. They now understood...kinda. They thought the liner was for my WHOLE period, so it took a bit more explaining for them to understand that I had a few days of heavier flow, then it tapered off. Today and yesterday it actually got a bit heavier, but mostly when I used the bathroom, not during the day....make sense because I'm actively contracting the muscles to release blood. TMI I'm sure, but this blog covers all that, so why not be honest...because that is what this journey is.
My pulse and tongue showed that I was "hot." What does that mean? My blood is flowing too freely. Makes sense. We went over all my diet and analyzed what is different this cycle. The only difference is the royal jelly. We toyed with the idea of my going down to using it every other day, but my TCM said she was prescribing herbs based on me NOW, so not to change anything. The herbs would cool me to offset the royal jelly while still giving me the benefits of that supplement.
Basically, they were giving me energizing herbs and royal jelly is an energizer, so my blood really, literally, got pumping!
I also spoke with them about wild yam. They'd told me to take it several months ago, but there is so much varying information out there. I'd done a lot of research and it appears that you can use it from menstruation to ovulation to support fertility through helping ovulation. Or, you can use it ovulation to menstruation to help the luteal phase. BUT, using it throughout the entire cycle may act as birth control. Not what I want!
Now, the doses for contraceptive use are MUCH MUCH higher than what I am taking. About a sixth of the pharmaceutical dose is what I was taking, but it still made me leery month long. They told me they are not as experienced with wild yam as their herbs (they told me they know those inside and out) but only know wild yam can help women with POF and menopausal symptoms. Based on my research and what they DO know they suggested I use it the first half of my cycle in the small dose I've been taking and discontinue after ovulation.
Because I don't even want to risk and contraceptive use of it this cycle I'm discontinuing it CD9. For those looking at a contraceptive (I don't know how well it works, so weigh the pros and cons before using it) it's 1250 mg - 1500 mg twice a day non-stop. I was taking one 500 mg dose. You can read more about it here.
http://www.sisterzeus.com/wildyam.htm
I also asked about evening primrose oil. They said they know a little about it, that it is good to nourish the liver, but again, are not well versed enough to recommend using or not using it. For now, I won't use it. If my luteal phase doesn't seem to improve, I may revisit it with them and with their consent try it for a month. I'd used it my first time TTC with my son for increased egg white cervical mucus, but knowing what I know now, it can also help support a longer luteal phase.
I have added back into my regimen from trying for numero dose my daily juice blend of grapefruit (for increased cervical mucus and vitamin C) and POM juice (said to increase endometrial lining.) Both good for antioxidants too if anything else.
For now, I'm taking my cooling herbs and avoiding warming herbs like black pepper, cumin, etc. Still avoiding ice cream too, sigh. I did ask permission to eat some on vacation from some local ice cream parlors that make their own. They thought I was rather hysterical but agreed I can have small helpings. Between my hubby and son, that's all I'll get I'm sure ;)
I'll be going out of town for three weeks so I'll have one last visit before I go with three weeks of herbs with me. When I get back, depending on my charts, they think we will start the acupuncture. They didn't want to begin it until I can go for seven consecutive weeks. I asked a few more questions. The first four they basically redirect my energy channels to so blood and energy flood my reproductive organs. The last three sessions they tweak the energy channels to tell it to "hold on." That means to create a hospitable environment to accept and "hold on" to sperm that will fertilize the egg, and to "snag" the fertilized egg.
So, bad news, I'm bleeding too long, but good news is, in January I had no endometrial lining, so nada blood. Now, we're just tweaking things, but I'm doing well. My blood was too "high" but my Qi is still improving.
This month, my goal is to buy the Diva cup. It sounds like a good environmental purchase, but also I've limited so much toxic exposure, I'd like to stop using tampons and pads altogether. I try to buy unscented and unbleached, but I'd feel better about using the Diva cup I think. The added bonus is I can tell them exactly how heavy my flow is versus trying to gauge it by how much blood appears to be on a pad or tampon. (I'm adding this in after the fact, but I ended up getting a Sckoon cup. It's more flexible and not as long.)
For now, I'm signing off, trying to "cool" down and continuing to nourish and take care of myself.
Baby steps (literally!) ;)
**edited update - For the record, when I spoke with my TCM and they expressed concern over my bleeding, I did contact my doctor (OBGYN) too to update her on my status. She said it was most likely a chemical pregnancy with no issues. She said she'd order blood work. Since there is no trace of a positive on my test anymore, I didn't think it necessary and told her if the bleeding increased or I started cramping I would go in for the blood work and call her to schedule an appointment.
Not only is it roasting in the triple digits here already, but turns out, I am literally hot! After my CP, I still haven't stopped bleeding so I called my TCM yesterday. We had a bit of a "loss in translation" between the phone / Chinese / English barrier so they wanted me to come in straight away. Because I didn't feel my blood loss was a lot, we agreed today would be fine.
Basically, they were under the impression I was having an active miscarriage. I kept trying to explain the test was barely visible as positive and I was having very little blood loss...just it was still red and bleeding. What they heard was positive and blood. When I got there today, I came fully prepared with my charts printed out, my barely there positive pregnancy test and a pantyliner to show them that was sufficient for my blood loss.
Ah hah. Crisis averted. They now understood...kinda. They thought the liner was for my WHOLE period, so it took a bit more explaining for them to understand that I had a few days of heavier flow, then it tapered off. Today and yesterday it actually got a bit heavier, but mostly when I used the bathroom, not during the day....make sense because I'm actively contracting the muscles to release blood. TMI I'm sure, but this blog covers all that, so why not be honest...because that is what this journey is.
My pulse and tongue showed that I was "hot." What does that mean? My blood is flowing too freely. Makes sense. We went over all my diet and analyzed what is different this cycle. The only difference is the royal jelly. We toyed with the idea of my going down to using it every other day, but my TCM said she was prescribing herbs based on me NOW, so not to change anything. The herbs would cool me to offset the royal jelly while still giving me the benefits of that supplement.
Basically, they were giving me energizing herbs and royal jelly is an energizer, so my blood really, literally, got pumping!
I also spoke with them about wild yam. They'd told me to take it several months ago, but there is so much varying information out there. I'd done a lot of research and it appears that you can use it from menstruation to ovulation to support fertility through helping ovulation. Or, you can use it ovulation to menstruation to help the luteal phase. BUT, using it throughout the entire cycle may act as birth control. Not what I want!
Now, the doses for contraceptive use are MUCH MUCH higher than what I am taking. About a sixth of the pharmaceutical dose is what I was taking, but it still made me leery month long. They told me they are not as experienced with wild yam as their herbs (they told me they know those inside and out) but only know wild yam can help women with POF and menopausal symptoms. Based on my research and what they DO know they suggested I use it the first half of my cycle in the small dose I've been taking and discontinue after ovulation.
Because I don't even want to risk and contraceptive use of it this cycle I'm discontinuing it CD9. For those looking at a contraceptive (I don't know how well it works, so weigh the pros and cons before using it) it's 1250 mg - 1500 mg twice a day non-stop. I was taking one 500 mg dose. You can read more about it here.
http://www.sisterzeus.com/wildyam.htm
I also asked about evening primrose oil. They said they know a little about it, that it is good to nourish the liver, but again, are not well versed enough to recommend using or not using it. For now, I won't use it. If my luteal phase doesn't seem to improve, I may revisit it with them and with their consent try it for a month. I'd used it my first time TTC with my son for increased egg white cervical mucus, but knowing what I know now, it can also help support a longer luteal phase.
I have added back into my regimen from trying for numero dose my daily juice blend of grapefruit (for increased cervical mucus and vitamin C) and POM juice (said to increase endometrial lining.) Both good for antioxidants too if anything else.
For now, I'm taking my cooling herbs and avoiding warming herbs like black pepper, cumin, etc. Still avoiding ice cream too, sigh. I did ask permission to eat some on vacation from some local ice cream parlors that make their own. They thought I was rather hysterical but agreed I can have small helpings. Between my hubby and son, that's all I'll get I'm sure ;)
I'll be going out of town for three weeks so I'll have one last visit before I go with three weeks of herbs with me. When I get back, depending on my charts, they think we will start the acupuncture. They didn't want to begin it until I can go for seven consecutive weeks. I asked a few more questions. The first four they basically redirect my energy channels to so blood and energy flood my reproductive organs. The last three sessions they tweak the energy channels to tell it to "hold on." That means to create a hospitable environment to accept and "hold on" to sperm that will fertilize the egg, and to "snag" the fertilized egg.
So, bad news, I'm bleeding too long, but good news is, in January I had no endometrial lining, so nada blood. Now, we're just tweaking things, but I'm doing well. My blood was too "high" but my Qi is still improving.
This month, my goal is to buy the Diva cup. It sounds like a good environmental purchase, but also I've limited so much toxic exposure, I'd like to stop using tampons and pads altogether. I try to buy unscented and unbleached, but I'd feel better about using the Diva cup I think. The added bonus is I can tell them exactly how heavy my flow is versus trying to gauge it by how much blood appears to be on a pad or tampon. (I'm adding this in after the fact, but I ended up getting a Sckoon cup. It's more flexible and not as long.)
For now, I'm signing off, trying to "cool" down and continuing to nourish and take care of myself.
Baby steps (literally!) ;)
**edited update - For the record, when I spoke with my TCM and they expressed concern over my bleeding, I did contact my doctor (OBGYN) too to update her on my status. She said it was most likely a chemical pregnancy with no issues. She said she'd order blood work. Since there is no trace of a positive on my test anymore, I didn't think it necessary and told her if the bleeding increased or I started cramping I would go in for the blood work and call her to schedule an appointment.
