[FabinKL]

Today is cycle day 25 of the cycle before IVF. Today, I ordered the stimulation medicine, which I will start on day two of the IVF cycle. This reminded me of an interesting clinical encounter when I had with the fertility clinic when I visited to get instructions on how to do the injections. I arrived early and was already sitting outside the nurse’s office for 20 minutes when my appointed time came. Her door was ajar, but no one stirred ten minutes past my appointed hour; then, she emerged with two treatment consent forms and asked me to sign them. She left me sitting outside as she headed somewhere. I caught her on the way back to her office to ask her about a line in the consent form that allows the clinic permission to use any of my eggs that are not suitable for fertilization or embryos not suitable for transfer or freeze for further development of fertility treatments at methods at the clinic. I just wanted to confirm that my eggs/embryos would only be used for research and not be used on others. The nurse seemed annoyed by my question and rushed me off, saying, yeah, yeah. Finnish people, especially in healthcare, can come off as really stoic and not friendly or approachable. I think this is because sometimes they are self-conscious about their English and worried they would not be understood, but sometimes, I wonder if they are just naturally rude. This is an important document, and I had to sign it in the hallway and only get to ask questions while she was passing me by in public.

She came out of her office a second time while I was sitting there with the completed forms on my lap, and she said, I am just looking for a training kit to show you how to do the injections. The medication you have been prescribed is new, so we only have a few samples. What? Are they trying on a new medicine on me? Ok, nothing to panic about; they are professional, and I am sure they have a good reason for switching to a new medication. And also, was she not aware of my appointment? Why did she not print the consent form before I arrived and have the training kit ready? I’m knit-picking here, but I am also alluding to a common trend in the Finnish/German healthcare system where they do not respect appointment times. Patients will be chastised for arriving late to an appointment, but you have to hurry and wait on the practitioners.

Twenty minutes past my appointed time, the nurse finally called me into her office and stoically instructed me on how to do the injections. She gave me a booklet on how to mix the medicine and do the injections and a plastic container that looked like a travel coffee mug with warning labels printed on it, which to use to discard the needles.

As I was leaving her office, I asked her whether she could suggest some supplements that I could take to help thicken my uterus lining since I am anxious about my lining not achieving the desired thickness to proceed with a fresh transfer during the IVF cycle. She sternly said no, you cannot do anything about the lining. What kind of nurse gives information with so much certitude? I thought medical professionals were scientists, and to scientists, nothing is certain. There is always something you can do about medical conditions, and the internet is full of useful about how to strengthen the lining leading to IVF transfer. Here is what I found out:

Since a thin uterus lining is linked to many factors, including poor blood flow to the uterus, many sources recommend exercising, especially cardio leading to IVF. Several sources recommend different supplements that can help with blood flow. The three supplements I have seen frequently recommended are Spirulina, Vitamin E, and L-Arginine.

L-arginine
L-arginine helps increase blood flow to the pelvic area, which is why it is a natural viagra substitute. Some doctors prescribe viagra to women to help thicken their uterine lining in preparation for IVF. Supplementing with L-arginine can expand both sexual excitement and desire. Ever since I started taking one teaspoon of L-arginine daily in the mornings, I have noticed an increase in my sexual desire without any provocation. This effect may not be that useful for me, considering my circumstances, but it is at least a sign this supplement is having the intended effect of increasing blood flow to the pelvic area.

Vitamin E
Because the vitamin activity was first identified as essential for fertilized eggs to result in live births (in rats), it was given the name “tocopherol” from Greek words meaning birth and to bear or carry. So, this vitamin must be beneficial to fertility.

Spirulina
According to some internet sources, Spirulina is a Blood-building food rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron, folic acid, and vitamin b12.

The only side effects I have experienced since introducing all 3 of these supplements into my regimens a week ago have been a loss of appetite, insomnia, and indigestion. It is unclear which of these supplements is responsible for the insomniac since the research is contradictory; for example, some research finds that Spirulina reduces sleep disturbances.

Both L-arginine and Spirulina are linked to reduced appetite. Despite never being hungry lately, I still try to eat a balanced diet throughout the day. For breakfast, I eat a chia pudding made with 120 ml of oat milk, two tablespoons of chia seeds, a handful of blueberries, and a handful of peanuts. I have a larger meal for lunch, so today, for example, I had white rice with a white bean and kale stew. I usually have something small for dinner because I have also had bad indigestion since I started taking the many supplements, so I try not to have anything heavy before bed. Last night, I had celery and red radishes with hummus, kimchi, and a handful of Brazilian nuts. Brazilian nuts are popular on fertility forums, though I cannot remember why; they are high in selenium, which is also great for something, but I do not.

My insomnia could be a result of exercising more. I have been going on long power walks combined with light jogging. I alternate with yoga for the pelvic floor every other day, but I still go for long walks on the days I do yoga.

My uterine lining was 4.6 at the last check-up on cycle day 11; let’s see if my efforts to improve the lining naturally pay off. All the nurse had to say was to eat a balanced diet and exercise or tell me to talk to my doctor about what supplements I could take. She was either too busy to entertain my question or too indifferent about my success to give it a thought. That is me giving her the benefit of the doubt that, as a nurse, she knows just as much as laypeople on the internet, which is that there are definitely things you can do to improve the uterine lining.

• This topic was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by FabinKL.

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