I’ve been diagnosed with Hashimotos Hypothyroidism and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is the leading cause of infertility with 70-80% of infertility being due to PCOS. About 24% of infertility is due to hypothyroidism and it is the second leading cause of infertility in women.
With these diagnoses, most doctors considered me infertile and told me to “come back when I was ready to have children so they could try hormones and/or IVF.” Most doctors tried to put me on birth control to “regulate my periods” but that would have done nothing but give me a fake period every month.
This is why I’m grateful for naturopathic medicine. My naturopathic doctor was the first to suggest finding the underlying causes of these conditions.
The underlying causes for me:
- Blood sugar imbalances
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Gut dysbiosis
- Chronic constipation and IBS
- Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
- Chronic stress
- Longstanding history of antibiotic and steroid use
- History of formula milk consumption
- Chronic toxin exposure
As you can see, this is no small list of causes and to address all these with a pill would be impossible. The only way to address these issues was to address my diet and lifestyle, supplement with the nutrients I needed to support my body, and a little push with herbal medicine.
I started this journey with my Naturopathic Doctor and struggled to be consistent with everything. (For the patients who struggle with my recommendations, I SEE YOU!) This is why it took me about 5 years to really get things more regular and even then, my progesterone level had only gone from 0.5 to 1.5 and an optimal levels would be 8 for optimal fertility increasing possibility of conception and reducing risk of pregnancy loss or miscarriage. This is when I finally started using herbal medicine to get an additional push. I started taking Vitex and a Licorice and Peony tincture daily. Within a few months all my labs were normal and even my thyroid antibodies were the lowest they’d ever been.
I was finally having normal cycles and started practicing the fertility awareness method (FAM) to avoid unplanned pregnancies. Fast forward three years and I fell off the wagon with FAM. I moved around a lot and just never got back into tracking my basal body temperature (BBT) and was just relying on my own understanding of my cycles.
This is where I went wrong…
Our bodies are constantly changing and evolving to our environments. A little bit of extra stress, a flight, or a certain food may shift ovulation. I knew this but didn’t think it would be an issue. My ovulation shifted and withdrawal method is only 96% effective without any other form of protection or birth control like FAM.
Since I went from infertile to fertile myrtle, I get to be a part of that 4% population.
I have been able to turn this unexpected adventure into something so beautiful and I am now eternally grateful. If you’d like to learn more about my pregnancy, my symptoms thus far and the mental shifts, going on thyroid medications for the first time, navigating this journey with conservative Indian parents and the “culture”, my excitement to break generational trauma, and what’s next to come follow me on Instagram and YouTube.
I’ve already posted my first video on the mental, emotional, and physical shifts I’ve experienced thus far so make sure you check that out!
If you’d like to work on your fertility journey, I’d love to work with you! Schedule your complimentary call today!
