I have to say my trip to UK was quite stressy. Lots of things went wrong. I felt very crappy.
The biggest thing being we couldn't get half the blood tests done we needed to because the lady who made our appointment messed up BIG time. We had specifically told her that we would only be in the country for a few days and so needed to make sure we could get everything done that was necessary - we asked if there were any days or times in my cycle that we needed to be there so we could get all the comprehensive testing done. She booked us in for Friday. So we meet the Doc on Friday and he arranges for all these tests. At the lab we get told that most of the tests needed can only be done on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday as they need to be sent to the lab in Chicago. They can't be sent on Friday as it means they will arrive on Saturday and nobody will be available to do the testing until Monday, so the blood will have expired. Is this some kind of bad joke? We went back and forth to try to figure out what to do, but the only thing was to re-book our flights. This meant more hotel, parking and flight costs. It was just too much so we decided to just do the tests we could and then return at later date for the other ones.
Very very frustrating as that was the main reason we had come over. I was fuming with the receptionist. Then to top it all off, the car we had borrowed was clamped. After we had spent close to 100 GBP (US$ 160) on parking already.
But before I dwell too much on that. I should talk about the things we did achieve. We both had blood taken for karyotyping, I had my bloods taken for ovarian reserve testing and a load of infection screening. I had an internal exam with saline solution to check for polyps and other irregularities - that was clear. I also had an endometrial biopsy performed. However we still need to do bloods for auto immune issues - those are the really interesting tests, which now have to wait. Oh and we also found out about my misplaced ovary - which I'm not really sure how problematic that is.
But. I also went to another doctor who does things outside the box. He is a qualified MD but a specialist in applied kinesiology amongst other things. And to make a long story short he told me that I have to start eating meat. I have been a vegetarian for twenty years. TWENTY YEARS. I eat fish but no meat at all. A vegetarian diet is good for some people but not for me, he said. Genetically I am programmed to eat meat. He told me that as I am blood type 0 and as a result of a number of other tests he did, I have to eat some red meat. He said that by not eating any red meat that I am killing myself. It was like someone had slapped me across the face.
After a number of other tests he told me that I also have a big problem with wheat (who doesn't?) and that I have significant heavy metal toxicity - which I also found out with hair mineral analysis last year. He told me that I need to take 6 weeks off TTC and do his protocol to flush out the heavy metals, replenish my Vitamin B6 (which is virtually nil) and cut out inflammatory foods. Then after 6 weeks I will get re-tested and we will do a pro-conception plan. So I decided to go for it. I've felt quite crappy the last few weeks so I know something is up. I want to be pregnant so bad but I also want to be healthy and pregnant. That is paramount. So I can take 6 weeks off to get healthy.
However it will be a real challenge as first and foremost I have to eat meat. The doc wants me to eat lamb - no pork, chicken or even beef. Just a bit of lamb a couple of times a week along with the fish that I eat. I have decided I will do it, but I keep putting it off. My mum is so sweet and is very sympathetic to my situation and is going to prepare a bit of lamb for me for my first time. I know this might sound very silly and pathetic but for me it is a very big deal. But it's not only meat. For six weeks I have to cut out wheat, dairy, tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, peppers, citrus fruit and tropical fruits. When I read this list I was like OMG that's my whole diet! So have been feeling a bit distressed as every meal time is such a challenge! My mum is going to design a weekly menu for me (she is a nutritionist) and I just keep telling myself that it is just for six weeks.
So that is the new plan. Six weeks of a very restrictive diet plus supplements, walks everyday and saunas to flush myself of metals. Plus I have to drink about 3 liters of water a day. I pee a lot. And I suppose I will for the next 6 weeks. I keep thinking to myself Mr. T really committed himself to a new healthy lifestyle and has made such improvements - I can do it too. Yes I can. (Even the meat. I think.)
