QuestionHi I had a miscarriage in March 2010, I have not had a regular period yet! Before I was every 28 days for 5 days, now it ranges anywhere from 27 days to 35 days! I am becoming so frustrated I went to the doc and all she did was a pelvic exam and Said everything was fine. I still have terrible cramps premenstrual and NEVER had those before. I think this could be a problem I had a natural miscarriage and still am not able to conceive. Me and my sister in law miscarried one month apart and now she is currently four month pregnant.So any suggestions would help. THANKS
AnswerHello, Joselyn,
Sounds like you need to find a different doctor! Seriously. If she wasn't willing to check the most basic things, she isn't going to find an answer. Right?
There are a number of things that occur to me that should be checked. You should have your hormones checked. If you had a D&C after the miscarriage, that could have had an effect. Obviously, you are experiencing a hormonal imbalance of some kind. Your diet could have a lot to do with it. And with the miscarriage, for that matter. Are you a vegetarian? If so, you are probably suffering from malnutrition. Although the body makes cholesterol, and cholesterol is required to make hormones, the body will only do that for so long before things become unbalanced. Vegetarians often find their periods stop altogether. Animal foods are a source of cholesterol. Also, if you are taking any kind of medication, that could have an effect. What about eating or drinking things with artificial sweeteners or monosodium glutimate? Artificial sweeteners can wreak all kinds of havoc. Aspartame can decay in the presence of a room temperature above 85 degrees, and when it does, it produces several toxic chemicals, including formaldehyde.
I also recommend you stay away from genetically engineered foods. We don't know yet what impact it might have on the type of problem you are having, but there is plenty of evidence they're bad news. The most common plants that are currently genetically engineered and then eaten (by animals or humans) are corn, soy, cottonseed, and canola. Also, Hawai'ian papaya and mango are a problem. Watch out for the possibility that genetically engineered salmon will be approved, as well as sugar beets. Make sure that milk you drink doesn't come from cows that have been given rBST. In most states, they cannot label their milk, but in a few, they can. Find out what the situation is in your state. Chickens are also often raised with hormones. In general, you should not consume soy at all. There are a few Asian forms that are fermented, such as tempeh, that may be OK, but even tofu is suspect. Soy contains some pretty powerful hormones. And another avenue to explore is possible gluten sensitivity.
If your weight is extreme either direction (over or under), this could also be a contributing factor. Also, if you exercise too intensely, this will alter your hormones.
If you had a D&C, one thing you should be checked for is adhesions, as well as things like pelvic inflammatory disease. If you ever had sex with someone who was not monogamous with you, or if you were not monogamous, you should be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, some of which can interfere in these ways with the reproductive system. Adhesions happen when things grow together and attach where they shouldn't, and it is most often due to injury during surgery.
We can go into more detail once you identify some avenues to explore.
I had cramps when I was a teenager, and never found an answer. But nowadays, a lot more is known. I'd start by looking for a natural remedy. Here are some links that may shed some light on the subject:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/05/11/menstrual-pain.asp...
http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/government_cover_up.htm
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/11/06/herbs-found-to-be-...
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/09/vitamin-e-part-fiv...
If you decide to try Chinese herbs to relieve your cramps, talk to an herbalist who is familiar with Chinese herbs, about whether these will interfere with your ability to conceive. If you are deficient in Vitamin D, the right supplement to take is Vitamin D3. A person can take up to 5000iu a day, but you should have your blood tested to make sure you're not getting too much. If you decide to take Vitamin E, be sure and get mixed tocopherols, and the dose would be between 400 and 800 iu a day. One article recommends EFT. I am not endorsing EFT, because it may have an undesirable spiritual component. Though I have done some investigation on that, the jury is still out as far as I am concerned.
One thing you might also try is to see if you can find a practitioner who knows how to do low velocity manipulation. This will put back any joints you have unknowingly dislocated, and could help. Although chiropractic has been recommended, in my opinion, it is too harsh and doesn't have lasting results. You may find a recommendation also for black cohosh. I would recommend against using this herb as long as you are trying to have a baby. It may be harmless, but some people also recommend against it during early pregnancy.
One thing to beware of is that some drugs used to control menstrual pain can cause a woman to bleed more profusely, and that's debilitating after awhile. According to the articles, Vitamin E also reduces bleeding.
I can't tell you why you haven't conceived yet. This is the sort of thing no-one knows the answer to: how many children a woman will conceive in her lifetime. But some of the investigations I suggested above could help shed some light. In the meantime, if you learn to tell when you are fertile, you will know when to time your attempts to become pregnant. You cannot be using any hormones. For more information, please visit this web site:
http://www.fertilityuk.org/
A couple of final thoughts. Although you and your sister share some genetic characteristics, you are probably not similar enough for what happens to her to be that much of a guide to what should happen to you, unless you are identical twins. And, it isn't time to worry about not being able to conceive until you have been trying for at least a year.
Good luck! Let me know how things go.
