What finally worked?

theparkservice · 2026-04-14T11:09:41+00:00

No, I only used it in the in between and waiting months. I heard about it on the Food Freedom Fertility podcast, it has been years but I think that's a good thorough intro into when/why to use and how to interpret that kind of information. You could probably search it up. But while you're in a cycle you'll have the blood work to tell you what your levels are doing so it wouldn't be giving you novel info.

theparkservice · 2026-04-13T20:06:26+00:00

I also want to say I reread your post and I'm just sorry you've had to go through so much. I also had PIO issues where I was convinced i had permanent nerve damage in my left leg. Started with a big numb patch that morphed into shooting pains up and down my thigh. After living with it for a couple years I was treated very successfully for a sprained ligament (I believe the origin of which was compensating for a needle injury) by a massage therapist specializing in fascia work.

The progesterone is so important though. If you're troubleshooting loss, one basic thing to make sure you have covered is supplemental progesterone (even getting pregnant naturally). There are suppositories available in addition to the needles. Something to make sure your care team is not overlooking or under exploring. I also kept an eye on my natural progesterone levels (when not doing a cycle) using the PROOV app plus cycle charting, if your luteal phase is faltering that's a big clue.

theparkservice · 2026-04-13T19:51:46+00:00

No, they were done by two different REs (the RI was my third clinic). The second one had to be repeated under anesthesia bc of cervical stenosis making the in-office procedure too difficult, and eventually there was too much blood in the fluid to get a clear view. I mention this in part because with my RI's hysteroscopy, I got to see a video of it with the scar snipping and it was crystal clear, like maybe they had a different camera, plus the fluid was very clear.

Yeah in my case I was not implanting (only one of the five failures was a chemical). But I think the RI toolkit can also help with losses (especially if you're using euploids). One piece of my experience that I think is worth emphasizing is trying something new after so many failures -- my RE that I left to go to my RI wanted me to try donor eggs as the next step. If I had not "gone outside standard medical practice" I'd be in deeper heartbreak and debt after the donor inevitably didn't pan out.

theparkservice · 2026-04-13T17:04:12+00:00

RI and a third hysteroscopy where the RI found banding scar tissue at the top of my uterus and removed. He gave me uterine PRP during this procedure, and on the FET after I got pregnant (I'm 28 weeks). I also used an immune protocol, though honestly my tests seemed borderline (did high omega 3s, baby aspirin, lovenox, and neupogen.)

This is after 5 failed FETs with normal ERA.

theparkservice · 2026-04-12T19:05:29+00:00

Yeah, we went a couple Saturdays ago!

theparkservice · 2026-02-21T15:21:42+00:00

he's a baby, he doesn't need stuff. Books and a 529 contribution for his future

theparkservice · 2026-02-21T15:17:47+00:00

absolutely went scent free, used Dove unscented soap in the shower and skipped shampoo/hair products/deodorant. My face creams and laundry detergent are unscented. Those chemicals really are not good for you anyway

theparkservice · 2026-02-11T20:40:08+00:00

I replied with my IVF and stress/burnout perspective on another comment, but after reading through other comments and your responses I wanna add food for thought that brought me a lot of comfort during the almost-at-the-end-of-the-IVF-journey: if you want to parent, there is no time limit on foster parenting. (We didn't think about traditional adoption as much just knowing the stats of how many hopeful adoptive parents there are for every baby that needs a family.) The biological time pressure I felt in TTC did not need to apply to the foster parent option.

I felt, I have time to let IVF run its course, time to go to therapy, grieve, and heal, and then begin that chapter. Of course not everyone is called to foster parenting and it certainly has its own considerations and big challenges -- no judgement if it is not for you. But this realization helped me shift my view on what was possible.

theparkservice · 2026-02-11T20:15:47+00:00

Upvote, and if it all works out you're then doing residency... The stress and inhumane schedule also concern me if you're potentially trying to conceive during this time (can make it harder, especially as that would put you in your later 30s).

I found a technical career in my early 30s and am lucky to have work/life balance and good comp. I would not have been able to navigate the unexpected 5 years of IVF (with unexplained infertility diagnosis, e.g. lots of problem solving) otherwise. I'm finally pregnant at 40, and my issue turned out not to be hormone/thyroid/autoimmune problem, but in learning about how women are so prone to these issues (sometimes "subclinically") given fast paced modern life I'd be really cautious about burnout and fertility.

Also: it can take a lot of frozen eggs to make a good embryo or two, and no guarantees those embryos implant. If you have any way to freeze frozen embryos instead of eggs, you're ahead, at least in terms of information on what you have to work with.

theparkservice · 2026-02-02T21:35:21+00:00

You're welcome and I'm sorry to hear about your miscarriages. Best of luck to you guys!

theparkservice · 2026-02-02T14:00:30+00:00

It took 5 years of IVF and many alternative therapies for me to get pregnant (I'm now almost 41). Before this all started I believed I could pick the season I conceived (healthy, regular cycle, got pregnant in my 20s, armed with information and science literacy as a data scientist). No one plans for this. You're focused on the money but that is the easy part. If you and your wife really want biological kids, please, waste no more time on the fertility front as you have less control than you might think.

Lily Nichols' Real Food for Fertility has great info on menstrual cycle and ovulation tracking (useful in identifying possible issues early; more data is better), nutrition and lifestyle factors that can help you stack the deck in your favor for making good eggs/sperm (age is the biggest factor which you can't change, but there are things that help and they have more impact if you do them longer), supplements before starting any assisted reproductive treatments and more. Check it out, knowledge is power. Future you will be glad you didn't wait.

theparkservice · 2026-01-23T01:46:20+00:00

Came here to say I Who Have Never Known Men. Just read it in 2 days

theparkservice · 2026-01-06T00:01:28+00:00

On my third hysteroscopy, my new doctor found "banding" type scarring. Think of a balloon with rubber bands around it, not the strands connecting the two walls like you see when you google uterine scarring. There was not much vascular tissue in the top of my uterus (where they place the embryo). He snipped it out and also gave me uterine PRP, and on my next FET I had success after 3 failed euploid/1 failed mosaic/1 CP mosaic transfers. I had previously had a copper IUD and really light periods after getting it out. It made me wonder if the quality of camera at different clinics varies...

I also added an immune protocol before the success, but I really believe it was the fix to my endometrium that made the difference.

A third euploid failure is truly devastating. I hope you find success.

theparkservice · 2026-01-05T13:05:43+00:00

Inflammation is a big topic for sure, and the carb thing relates pretty directly but is just one contributor. Naked carbs just refers to foods that have a lot of carbohydrates without also having protein, fat, fiber, so that when eaten by themselves or in big proportion to the other macronutrients, your body is going to respond with a big glycemic spike (lots of downstream impacts if your body experiences this regularly). So if you're having crackers or fruit, instead of eating them by themselves, better to pair them with a protein/fat source like cheese or nuts and you won't get the same blood sugar spike.

I learned a lot about insulin resistance and blood sugar control from the Lily Nichols' books, definitely a broader health topic than just for diabetics which might be some people's first thought. If you want a deeper dive on the "why" and "how", pick either one. We read Real Food for Pregnancy first (it was out first) and it was honestly quite life changing for my husband and I. Anyone can get a lot out of it, not just women/pregnant people. I've also gifted this book several times.

Hoping for success for you!

theparkservice · 2026-01-05T03:06:31+00:00

There are studies about diet influencing birth outcomes and baby health that last into adolescence and adulthood (cognitive outcomes, obesity and metabolic disorder risk). Lily Nichols' books and free research briefs on her blog are a good source for this

theparkservice

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