One of the problems about IF Island is that there are rarely straight forward answers. You don't ever know exactly why something does or doesn't work, and you're never totally sure if doing one or two things different will help or hurt. The less we know, the more we search. At least I do. Between my various doctors, friends, IF Island buddies, Dr. Google, Eastern medicine doctors, my sis (who is a doctor)--there are a lot of cooks in the kitchen. Everyone has a slightly different opinion and recommends a different supplement, it makes me feel like a dog chasing his tail.
That's how yesterday was for me. Last week I went to a place called the Lotus Center in Pasadena, and had a really great treatment and was given some information about the problems being MTHFR positive (heterozygous) could cause. MTHFR is a fairly common gene mutation that I am positive for. I started looking into it and asking different doctors and have gotten very differing opinions from, "don't worry about it, it's not a big deal," to "take these [very expensive] methylfolate pills..." It's been making my head spin a little and I don't really understand the problem, if it really is a problem, or whose advice to follow. Much of infertility can feel like this. We want and need to get information to help ourselves, but there is so much out there is can feel overwhelming. This is also true when you are talking to different doctors about different protocols, or different medications. We are left always wondering how would things be different if...
This morning I woke up before 7:30am and the first thing I did was roll over and start looking up different recommended vitamins with different forms of folic acid. I was trying to compare prices and figure out what other ingredients are in the different supplements so that I don't overdo something like iron, and then I stopped. My eyes were bugging out and it wasn't yet 8am! I can't have another day like yesterday. I reminded myself that we in the Western world are vitamin obsessed! People in Africa aren't taking prenatals and specific formulas of folate, and they have babies just fine!
Sometimes I have to step away from the vehicle. It's just too much. One more day without methylfolate isn't going to kill me or make or break the next cycle (is it???). No. It's not. I'm going to give myself the week to figure out one thing at a time. I'm going to pick one doctor to take the lead, and follow their advice. I'm going to remind myself that I am doing the best I can and that people on crack get pregnant!
Thanks for sharing this Jen. I'm adding it! All I hear is that it's not going to hurt and can only help! Congrats on the pregnancy!
Posted by: Don't Count Your Eggs | May 19, 2014 at 09:58 PM
Hi Maya, I continue to read your blog after finally becoming pregnant this past Dec after a year of 2 miscarriages and 1 failed IVF. I learned I have the same gene mutation and was given a prescription for Metanx which is a folate pill. I had been taking it for about 3 weeks prior to our natural conception and continue to take it daily now midway thru this pregnancy. I can't say that is what made all the difference but I do feel better knowing my body has adequate folate to support the baby. My doc explained that by taking vitamins or eating extra folate dense foods is not enough to provide you with flolic acid and that is why the prescription form is key. Since things are working for me, I'm going to say why not opt for it!
Posted by: Jen | May 14, 2014 at 04:33 AM