I spoke with the nurse from Dr. S's office today and she gave me the test results from the hormone panel I did last month.
*Side-note - I'm so glad that I was able to get the results over the phone instead of the 2.5 hour drive each way to his office and the out-of-pocket expenses for the visit!
The nurse informed me that after reviewing the bloodwork Dr. S diagnosed me with a Type II Luteal Defect (not surprising) and a Vitamin D deficiency (random.)
I was not surprised to hear about the luteal defect - I have had short cycles and low progesterone post-peak forever! He wants me to take prometrium vaginally and get blookwork done on peak +7 each cycle and then see him in September to review the results.
This is all a bit frustrating to me since I have already tried this treatment for many months. I would have mentioned this to him if we had a face-to-face appointment but at this point, I am consumed with Tommy and I don't mind trying this treatment again. He still wants to schedule surgery and that won't happen until sometime in 2011, so I may as well do something during this time.
Besides general health, does anyone know anything about a Vitamin D deficiency relating to infertility? I get plenty of milk/dairy and as much sun as I can! Although we are just now getting into spring and summer... any thoughts?
I am so thrilled to have Tommy in my life and I haven't even begun to process the fact that I have become a mother. That makes it hard to make decisions right now about future treatment. So I will just take it one step at a time.
My NaPro doctor diagnosed me with a Vit. D deficiency as well and yes, there is definitely a link between low Vit. D and infertility. He has me on 4,000 iu a day, and my Vit. D level was 21 before I started the supplement(30-80 is optimal).
ReplyDeleteYes, Vitamin D! My girlfriend sent me a bunch of info about the role of vitamin D in infertility a while back. I'll email it to you. Apparantly it's actually a hormone, not just a vitamin. It plays a big part in women with PCOS and there is much success in supplementing.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about Vitamin D but I do know that our bodies need A LOT more than the recommended daily amount. I get a lot in m prenatal vitamins and in Cod Liver Oil supplemented with D. Those might be some good ways for you to get yours up?
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I have (had) a vitamin D deficiency and have been taking a supplement for nearly a year and half. Not pregnant for six months of trying. I've never heard it's correlated.
ReplyDeleteDr. S also said I was very deficient in Vitamin D. And I have a friend who has sent me a couple articles on it lately, I think they were in the NYTimes and I'm pretty sure they talked about infertility. I guess it's a growing problem but the dosage is apparently controversial. Speaking of which, why is mainstream medicine not on board with so many things related to IF?!
ReplyDeleteActually, I mentioned to my OB today that I was taking 2,000 iu and she was very concerned about it and wants me to lower it. I wasn't surprised at all that she thought that, and I'm going to keep taking the 2,000.
Glad you got to get the results over the phone!
i'm sure you already know about this book, but just in case:
ReplyDeleteMarilyn SHannon's Fertility, CYcles and Nutrition
she talks about Vit D and other deficiencies in there, the effects of them and how to fix them. definitely worth the $$ (and its on amazon!)
I LOVE this book... I just have yet to put all of the suggestions into practice...
ReplyDeleteI was vitamin D deficient and B12 deficient. I started taking weekly B12 injections and 50,000 units of vit D the week of or before ovulation and it turned out that I got pregnant on the same cycle.
ReplyDeleteI know that it is linked to infertility.... ;) I was 35 with the lowest being 32. :)
I believe the Vit D test is really important to NaPro Drs- my deficiency diagnosis came very early in my work-up, and I've been taking D3 now for about 3 years.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, my Dr (who is a GP) tests all her patients and finds that most people are deficient. It is a growing problem.
I also found it interesting you said you drink "plenty" of milk and get lots of dairy in your diet. Have you considered (now that you'll be supplementing Vit D, of course) switching to Rice or Almond Milk and cutting way back on dairy? This has been recommended to me by all the acupuncturists, as well as being a key part of the Endo Diet (gluten-free and dairy-free). Overall for fertility, though, my acupuncturist says dairy is difficult for our systems to digest and it clogs up the spleen.
Just a suggestion for one more thing you may want to try as you wait for next year's surgery!
Oh and let me tell you the new almond milk by silk is absolutely to DIE for!!! I love it! ;) But will not ever go without cheese! ;)
ReplyDeleteVit D is definitely linked to infertility! I've been struggling to raise my levels for a year now - with vit. d supplements and fermented cod liver oil (and increased sun exposure, grassfed meat and dairy). I just retested last week and can't wait to see if it's improved - last February it was 26, this past December was 22, so hoping it's over 35 now!
ReplyDeleteHave definitely heard (from our medical friend in the DC group among others) that vitamin D is important, everyone is deficient, and you need a huge dose to right your levels. (I think either callmemama or our friend the newly-minted doctor shared the numbers at the Jan or Feb meeting - I bought some but have forgotten the numbers and forgotten to take it!) Do you mean that you were on the same MEDS as Dr. S has prescribed? Maybe you could call him and see whether he has an alternative option?
ReplyDeleteI was also diagnosed as deficient by Dr. S (shocker!) but haven't been so great at taking it. But I am so glad you posted about this to remind me how important it is to fertility! I just popped 2000 IUs for the first time in weeks.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering whether you might want to send a follow-up email to Dr. S's nurse to tell her you've already been on this regimen for so long ... and ask her to ask Dr. S about trying post peak HCG injections? (i am so sorry if you've also been doing this. Forgive me if I've forgotten!) I know that we had asked him about it and he seemed open to it in our case ... just a thought!
My Napro practitioner told me that there was a link between Vitamin D and infertility. Unfortunately my GP wouldn't test my levels and I have to wait to see my Napro doc to get my level checked.
ReplyDeleteI've been taking Vitamin D since the winter and it's helped my immune system a TON! I'm currently taking 4000 iui a day, hopefully when I get my level checked I'll know how much more (or less) I need to take.
Btw, my Napro practitioner told me that you can take your ENTIRE dosage of Vitamin D at once, apparently your body can store it and use it accordingly. I take mine in drop form and it's so easy. I take it with my breakfast and it doesn't taste bad at all. :)
YOU MADE ERIC SAMMONS BLOG LIST!!! http://ericsammons.com/topcatholicblogs.html That's so cool!!
ReplyDelete