The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Conceive when its just not happening (12m+)

ginvzt

chickpea wrote: »

I think my BMI is about 31 at the mo, I haven't checked the BMI calculator for a while - not good anyway. In the next few weeks, I aim to shift some poundage by any means possible.

In the next 3 days I'm doing the AHA diet (not one designed by those 80s Scandinavian popstrels, it's the American Heart Association Diet. Totally not endorsed by either group in fact, but I did it one time and lost 10 pounds in 3 days. Mostly water loss of course, but hospital doesn't need to know that..)

Ok, I have stepped on the scales this morning and it was 81.5!!!! I have not lost anything in last week, even with the increased exercise. Ok, you cannot trust restaurant food as you have no idea what is in it, especially, when even the menu is in the language you don't understand.

So, I have to be extra strict with myself for the next two weeks and hope to shift at least some of it. So, this breakfast was greek yoghurt with fruits, lunch cottage cheese with pineapple and 'dutch toast', few slices of melon and banana. It is a bit hard to get used to reduced food intake after eating out every single day for every single meal!

As soon as my suitcase arrives, I will be off to the gym or for a run as well.

Oh, and what is this AHA diet? Could you share it with me (pm, if you can)? Let me know if it works, as I might have to resort to that by the end of next week.

chickpea

I first did the AHA diet about 12 years ago - lost 10 pounds in 3 days. I've done it occasionally since then, and usually lose between 4-6 pounds in 3 days. It's **apparently** based on chemical breakdown and that's why you lose so much - but more likely, it's just because it's low carb and low cal.

There are different versions available - I've put the alternatives in brackets:
++++++++
DAY 1

B=1/2 grapefruit (or small glass juice)+ 1 slice toast+1tbsp peanut butter (or 1/2 tin baked beans)

L=4oz tuna, 1 slice toast

D=2 slices cold meat (3oz), 4 oz beetroot, 4 oz green beans, 1 small apple, 4 oz vanilla ice cream (the highlight!)

+++++

Day 2

B=1 egg, 1 slice toast, 1/2 banana

L=4oz cottage cheese, 5 saltine crackers (like Ritz or Tuc)

D=2 frankfurters (or 3 oz cold meat), 4 oz broccoli, 2oz carrots, 1/2 banana, 4 oz vanilla ice cream

++++++++

Day 3

B=2 oz cheddar cheese, 5 saltine crackers

L=1 egg, 1 slice toast, 1 apple

D=4 oz tuna, 4 oz cauliflower, 2 oz carrot, 1/2 small honeydew melon, 4 oz vanilla ice cream

++++++++

Tuna with cauliflower for dinner is a low point.

It hurts, but it works!

(Get decent quality ice cream...)

You can only have black tea or coffee or diet drinks, + can have herbs and spices but nothing else.

Impossible to do if you're travelling, but not too bad if you're at home. I'm home today and tomorrow and back in work Thurs one day I can do.

+++++++

On the plus side - only 3 and a half hours until dinner!!

chickpea

QQuaver wrote: »

Hi Lauralou! How are you?

As for your friend, losing a bit of weight (10%?) might be enough to trigger ovulation. Soy Isoflavones are like Clomid. It may be a good idea for her to try them. I took 120mg/night on CD3-7. Don't know how it went as I went to a doctor, and was told off, and was given nothisterone to force start AF, then Clomid:p

Chickpea, you seemed to have timed well, fingers crossed:)

I tried the soy IF one month - I OV'd early for me (CD15), but then started spotting CD23 - which carried on until AF. So I wrote it off in month 1..

++++++

Sorry your AF arrived. I'm officially in the 2WW now - unsure whether to try the progesterone cream again this month. It held back AF until CD30 last month, which was a major improvement - but didn't help with the actually getting pg. Don't know..

chickpea

alamaya wrote: »

Lol 3 Ryvita and half a mini tub of the philly. :P

Thanks. I might give it a go, once I've finished current crash diet plan. I'll nickname it the 'beige diet'!

I have 18 days before consultation with specialist! I'm going to go on FF and use BMI calculator to see how much weight I need to lose to get sub-30 BMI.

Runnerduck

hi, i have been a regular over on the comps board for a while, and have recently found this forum, have just been reading your diets and had to smile as i had an hour ago got in from work an weighed hoping i might have got my bmi below 30, but its still 30.3 more lettuce!
I am 34 and ttc for four years, my hubbys 37, i have 2 boys 14&16 from my first marriage, but my husband has none, i had a miscarriage 3 years ago, but after loads of tests this last year we have to have ICSI, we have our first appintment at the hospital we have chosen(we have to go private) on the 4th of october and as i don't know anyone who has been through it we really don't know what to expect, jo

jujugaboo

tiamai_d wrote: »

Thank you. The first time she did get pregnant, then miscarried. It wasn't that, that was bad, I think it was when she was told her other fertilised eggs had been 'disposed off' (several were fertilised, 2 implanted and they should have been stored but it was an admin error) . That triggered a breakdown and she doesn't want that to happen again.

But, I've got a list of sites for her to look at, and I've looked into the clinic, it's still GRI for her. However the closer one is looking to expand (I'm studying biology at college and the tutor mentioned it because embryology is one of the areas I'm interested in) possibly in the next 2 years, to offer a larger range of treatments and I'd guess that ICSI will be offered.

Very best of luck for you, is it still *sticky bean vibes* or have you got a special one?

I can't understand how your friend must feel when they disposed of her fertilsed eggs, I am not surprised she had a breakdown (admin error!!!!).

This is a fresh ICSI for me as I only had one egg that fertilised last time but this time I am aiming high!! Get my drugs tomorrow and have an appointment on Friday to go over the consent forms (again) and give me my schedule for the next few weeks.

:eek: Jump on board for the emotional rollercoaster!

jujugaboo

Runnerduck wrote: »

hi, i have been a regular over on the comps board for a while, and have recently found this forum, have just been reading your diets and had to smile as i had an hour ago got in from work an weighed hoping i might have got my bmi below 30, but its still 30.3 more lettuce!
I am 34 and ttc for four years, my hubbys 37, i have 2 boys 14&16 from my first marriage, but my husband has none, i had a miscarriage 3 years ago, but after loads of tests this last year we have to have ICSI, we have our first appintment at the hospital we have chosen(we have to go private) on the 4th of october and as i don't know anyone who has been through it we really don't know what to expect, jo

Welcome fellow comper to this board.

I have had a round of ICSI and just starting my second so if you have any questions feel free to ask and I will try and help as much as I can.

chickpea

Runnerduck wrote: »

hi, i have been a regular over on the comps board for a while, and have recently found this forum, have just been reading your diets and had to smile as i had an hour ago got in from work an weighed hoping i might have got my bmi below 30, but its still 30.3 more lettuce!
I am 34 and ttc for four years, my hubbys 37, i have 2 boys 14&16 from my first marriage, but my husband has none, i had a miscarriage 3 years ago, but after loads of tests this last year we have to have ICSI, we have our first appintment at the hospital we have chosen(we have to go private) on the 4th of october and as i don't know anyone who has been through it we really don't know what to expect, jo

I'm sure some ICSI experts will be along to tell you more, but my friend had ICSI 2 years ago. Assuming you have had all the tests already (bloods and hormones) to get this far, the rest is the same as IVF right up until the embryos are created.

You are the lucky one that gets all the mind-bending injections, your OH has the ritual humiliation of producing samples.

ASDA sell the drugs at cost-price apparently.

If you're going privately, you might find things get moving pretty quickly.

The success rates are better for ICSI than IVF (something like 40% per cycle, all other things being equal), which is why it has overtaken IVF as the treatment of choice across Europe (not here yet though.)

Good luck!

Runnerduck

yes we were refered to our nearest big hospital last october and had blood, hormone and sperm tests on the NHS, mine were ok only that i am a little overweight, but my husband had a very low sperm count and poor motility, so we had to wait 6 months and he was tested again but the second test was just as bad, so we were told ICSI is our only real hope, thanks all for been so welcoming, we havent really told people incase it dosen't work, and its nice to have a place to chat

QQuaver

ginvzt, are you sure doing exercises are a good idea? Won't it build 'heavy' muscle making you weigh more? I know it will make you healthier and live longer, but if you just want to lose weight...

Runnerduck, welcome:) Good luck on ICSI:)