Welcome! Because you have found your way to this post, you are probably thinking about embarking on your own IVF journey or you’re right in the thick of it. We did the same thing you are doing, searching the internet from one end to the other looking for valuable information. IVF is an amazing and beautiful scientific experiment, with absolutely no guarantees. We do our best and then hope and pray for a successful outcome. IVF can be quite a roller coaster ride with so many ups, downs, twists, and turns. It’s downright expensive, stressful, and emotional! While it’s easier said than done, do your best to throw your hands high in the air, embrace the butterflies in your stomach, and enjoy the ride. We hope and pray with you that your journey will be a beautiful one.
We had one unsuccessful IVF cycle (June 2017) and one very successful IVF cycle (September 2020). In October 2020, we found out I was pregnant with TRIPLETS! Our cycles were about 3 years apart, well, because life happens! My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic melanoma in September 2018. Click here to read more about that. His cancer forced us to make some serious health changes in our lives, which I believe ultimately is saving his life and what helped our IVF journey to be a success. Prior to our first IVF cycle, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). To combat this, I was prescribed medications to help shrink the cysts, but that medication actually made the cysts grow. We then opted for surgery to remove the cysts, which was successful. I also had a thin uterine wall. My body was unhealthy to say the least, but we tried anyway. During our first cycle, we implanted the three best embryos we had, but, unfortunately, the transfer failed. After making some very simple changes in our everyday life, when we saw our fertility doctor just over three years later, he could see no sign of PCOS, he also mentioned that I had no cysts or fibroids, and that my uterine lining looked nice and thick! Everything looked perfect! Say what?! Music to our ears! Our three lower grade embryos all took! We were told that our chances of ever conceiving were slim to none. Boy, were they wrong!
Here is a list of what we feel made all the difference for us:
1. Drinking electrolyzed reduced water (ERW). After my husband’s cancer diagnosis, we did A LOT of research into this water after a friend mentioned to us that it had helped her with her autoimmune disease. We chose to buy a machine that produces ERW for our countertop. It hooks directly to our kitchen sink (You can’t buy this bottled from a store). We purchased the K8 through Enagic. For more information click here. We drink at least a gallon of Kangen Water every day. We also wash all of our produce with one of the waters that the machine produces. This washes dangerous pesticides away (you can literally see it, it’s gross!)
2. Cut ALL sugar and flour out of your diet. They are poison to your body and only cause unnecessary inflammation. I bought the Bright Line Eating book by Susan Peirce Thompson just months before our second and successful attempt at IVF. I didn’t follow it perfectly, but I followed it faithfully and I loved the way I felt. We all know sugar is poison to us, but cutting out the flour in addition made a world of difference. Fill your body with healthy whole foods. We buy organic produce to avoid harmful herbicides that can’t just be washed off.
3. Contact a good doctor who practices Chinese medicine. Our doctor put me on a Chinese herb mix that helped to thicken and prepare my uterus. He said that it would be such a “happy” place for the embryos to stick around, and that they did! After our positive pregnancy test he switched me to a blend that would help prevent a possible miscarriage and so far, so good.
4. Choose a frozen cycle over a fresh cycle. I highly, highly recommend giving your body time to regulate and settle down after being overly medicated. In order to get my body to produce a sufficient number of eggs, I was prescribed A LOT of medications. I believe that the amount of drugs my body had to deal with interfered with my ability to accept the transferred embryos. After this failed cycle, the remaining three embryos were frozen. The second go around, we chose do to a more natural cycle. For my frozen, natural cycle, I was only prescribed progesterone to help prepare my uterus for the transfer, as opposed to all of the medications I dealt with to help produce eggs AND prepare my uterus for the transfer. As a result of this reduced medication, my body didn’t have to deal with as much and could simply focus on preparing to accept the transferred embryos. I have read quite a bit about higher success rates by doing a frozen, natural cycle, which is why we opted to go that route. I loved it! It was so simple and quick!
5. Work that Progesterone into your body. If you are doing progesterone injections, lucky you! 😊 Make sure that you do your best to prevent build up and lumps and bumps at the injection site. After I give the injection, I immediately apply heat from a heat pad for several minutes. After the heat, I rub Arnicare Cream (you can find this cream at Walmart) deeply into the muscle, trying to get the medicine moving. I follow up with the DoTerra Deep Blue Rub for a couple of minutes. You could use any sort of massage cream. The Arnicare cream doesn’t allow for a smooth and gliding rub, which is why I use the DoTerra Deep Blue Rub. The DoTerra cream really provides a smooth and gliding rub, which I really feel is necessary. I wish I would have known about all this stuff my first go round. Also, make sure they are keeping a good eye on your progesterone levels. I recommend keeping an eye on your levels because my fertility doctor believed the first transfer didn’t work because my progesterone levels were too low. As a result, for the second cycle I needed a larger dose of injectable progesterone. My doctor added in progesterone suppositories, as well.
6. Find a way to relax. Take a nap, read a book, go for a walk, meditate in the grass, or do whatever it may take to distract your mind and keep you calm. Stress is harmful.
7. Stay Positive. Our minds are so powerful! Speak and think positive affirmations all day long, and believe them! Tell yourself that “I can”, “My body is strong and capable”, “With God all things are possible”, “I am deserving” etc. We have found that our mindset and attitudes have so much to do with everything. Remaining positive and optimistic has been a game changer during our cancer and IVF journeys. Life is what we make it and even the toughest of days can be enjoyed.
We truly hope that what we have learned will help you in your journey. We wish you the best of luck and happiness in your endeavors. Please reach out via email at DearDahlbergs@gmail.com if you have any questions or if we can help in any way. Take care and have a blessed day. You’ve got this!