Caution: TMI Ahead!

It's been six months... six months since I discontinued all fertility drugs... six months since I discontinued taking progesterone to induce AF... six months since I've had to struggle with intense pelvic pain and nausea... six months since AF has reared her ugly head . Well... she's back. With a vengeance. I should be happy. It's completely natural, without drugs to bring her 'round. But six months of build-up does not a happy AF make.

We were supposed to ride the pass for the Rally on Saturday. We were really looking forward to it as we were unable to make the run last year due to Grandpa's illness. I had the bikes all cleaned Friday night, our jackets and glasses sitting out ready to be thrown on in the morning... then I woke up in pain. I knew in my head that it would be an extremely difficult day if I rode the bike for 8 hours but I was thinking about braving it. Gil knew how bad it would be and chose not to go for the both of us. I tried convincing him to go without me as we were supposed to meet up with a friend, but he told me to call her and let her know we wouldn't be going and that he wouldn't think of going without me. How sweet of a husband is that?!! I love this man. So I spent all of Saturday curled up on the couch in a drug-induced slumber. Sunday wasn't much different except for having to go grocery-shopping... we still had no groceries in the house since before we left on vacation.

I went to work yesterday but by 4:00 was hurting so bad, I left an hour early. Today, the pain has radiated to my back and I'm home, on the couch with a blanket... yes, a blanket. Yesterday it was 95 degrees outside and I'm in here with a blanket!

It's not good to go so long between AF visits. It's recommended that you go no longer than 3 months in order to keep things "cleaned out" to reduce the chances of developing gynecological (i.e. endometrial) cancers. I even talked to the gynecologic oncologist we have on staff at the hospital where I work and he confirmed this. I just know that I don't like being on the progesterone to induce AF. I feel that it works against my body's natural cycle (whatever that may be!) and forces me into cycles earlier than I'm meant to have. AF would come a day sooner every cycle; the last one I had, it was only 20 days since the previous AF.

A lady in my IF support group with PCOS and IF has talked with me about a product called FertilityBlend. It contains Vitex (chastetree berry) which I've already been researching. It's supposed to naturally boost the proper balance between estrogen and progesterone to create natural cycles. Niki said she thinks she may have even ovulated once or twice since she started taking it! Could you imagine?! I don't even know what that's like. FertilityBlend would be an investment, though... it would be $130 for Gil and me for a three-month supply. That's not too bad, really, but we're not at a place financially right now to be writing more expenses into our budget. My next piece of research will be in comparing its ingredients to the vitamins I already take... I don't want to be double-dosing or mixing the wrong herbs and minerals with each other. But I'd feel better about taking natural herbs to help correct my cycles rather than forcing synthetic progesterone on my body.