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[Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical practitioner. Any medical information is strictly my opinion based on research and personal experience, and not to be taken as advice. Always seek the advice of a licensed physician for your medical needs. Read my full disclaimer here.]
If you’re dealing with infertility, you’ve likely already tried all of the TTC tips out there online (and then some!). You’ve probably been buying OPKs for months + already tried everything basic a long time ago.
You’re not stupid. So I promise I’m not going to give you stupid advice.
(On the other hand, if you’re still new to this and don’t feel like you’ve done everything basic, check out my first 5 things to do when you’re not getting pregnant right away.)
My One (Three-Part) TTC Tip for Infertility: Do Your Own Research, Seek Individualized Care + Then Make Your Own Decisions
Part 1: Do your own research
I wish I would’ve done this earlier. At first, I blindly did what doctors recommended. And then I started reading more of the research online…for instance, I wish I would’ve tried vitex instead of cabergoline for high prolactin. I didn’t even know a natural option for reducing prolactin existed at the time (until I researched it)! Even though what works for one person may not work for another, it is worth delving into the research on your own. There may be options for treatments you didn’t even realize existed! Check out my list of TTC tips if you want to check out all of the research I’ve done.
Part 2: Seek individualized treatment from someone who cares about YOU
For me, that meant going to 3 different doctors before I felt like one was going to give me the individualized care I wanted. I know not everyone wants to figure out the root of their problem (if there even is one), but I do — which is precisely why you need to find the individualized care you want. (If you want that too, I highly recommend trying functional medicine. Again, this goes back to #1. If I hadn’t done research on this, I wouldn’t have even known functional medicine was an option!) All that’s to say…you may have to think outside of the box to get the care you want. *For more on fertility doctors and my advice, check out how I accidentally spend 2 grand on testing and things to know + questions to ask at your first fertility specialist appointment.
Part 3: Make your own decisions
Even with a doctor who really tries to treat you individually, he might tell you to get pregnant you have to do IVF now. If that’s not what you want to do right now, you don’t have to do it.
Maybe that’s obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of infertility decisions and blindly accept what doctors tell you to do. In reality, you need to decide what God is calling you to do. Yes, seek individualized medical care — but in the end the decisions about infertility testing + treatments need to be made by you. Read more about my thoughts on discerning God’s will and making tough infertility decisions here.
You may also like…What to Expect When You’re Not Expecting (and have been TTC for over a year)
