Sorry, I don’t have any pretty pictures for this post, it’s a little break from my regular programming.

My public service announcement is about the little-known issue of NSAIDS and infertility. NSAIDS when taken on a regular basis can inhibit ovulation BUT it’s more than that. All tests will appear normal. Hormones will still fluctuate, rise, fall etc as they are supposed to. Fertility charts will look good and indicate ovulation. The follicle, however is unruptured. Meaning no little egg actually goes anywhere. And that’s not all (insert tv infomercial voice)…if it DOES go somewhere by chance, the NSAIDS may even contribute to failed implantation.

How many women know this? How many doctors know this? I can tell you that in the past 6 months, I have listed my medications on 5 different doctor’s information sheets(rheumetologist, OBGYN, GI doc, sleep doc and Naturopath) and told all FIVE that I was trying to conceive and NONE commented on the 2X daily prescription NSAID I was taking. Most likely none of them knew anything about it. Which is why I will be sending them copies of these studies.

OXFORD JOURNALS – RHEUMATOLOGY
CLin-Alert – Google Books
1996!!! Rheumatology Journal
MORE REFERENCES

I’m thinking this is a seious enough side effect that ALL NSAIDs should have this warning ON THE LABEL (which was NOT on anything I received with the prescription):

(found on Drugs.com)

Impaired female fertility:

The use of Diclofenac Potassium tablets may impair female fertility and is not recommended in women attempting to conceive. In women who may have difficulties conceiving or who are undergoing investigation of infertility, withdrawal of Diclofenac Potassium tablets should be considered.

So, now here’s my personal case study. After 4 weeks off of Diclofenac, I have positive pregnancy tests. Plural. Lots of them. Because of my previous failed implantations (aka chemical pregnancy) I tested for 8 days straight. No disappearing lines. I am definitely pregnant. ONE CYCLE OFF OF THIS STUFF. Coincidence? No way.

So, I am putting this out there for anyone who may not know: If you are trying to conceive…lay off the NSAIDs. Including creams, patches, pills, syrups. Tylenol and Excedrin Tension Headache have no NSAIDs. And in the spirit of helping people through social media….share! Pass it on!

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November 1st I posted a status on Facebook that was kind of meant as a joke:

Let it be known that I claim November for myself! I will still fulfill my usual duties as amazingly as I always do, but any ‘spare’ time and energy I have this month, I claim as my own and will use it to improve and grow and enrich myself. Everyone else can have December!

But, now that I put it out there, I think I’ll take the joke back and call it my mantra for November. A good friend of mine challenges her readers/fans/customers to a 21 day challenge every so often and I’ve never done it. It happens to start today and it happens to be at a time when I’ve felt the desire to improve myself. SO, I’m taking the challenge.

21 days. My goal: Do ONE small thing (or big if there’s time and energy to do so!) that makes me/my life/my home/my family etc. more efficient and/or sufficient. I know, sufficient means just enough, but what I mean by that is taking in what I am and what I have and what I do and letting it be enough when it is. I tend to push myself too far, do too much, acquire too much, try too hard when it’s not necessary and then the necessary things get left behind. So, I’m going to let enough be enough. But, that doesn’t mean letting myself be ordinary. Nope. Just Efficient and Sufficient. Daily.

Today, I weighed and measured again for the first time since about July, and made a page in my extremely neglected fitness journal. This page will serve as motivation to keep going. When I treat my body well, I will have more energy to put toward my efficiency goals.

That’s day 1, step 1. Be good to myself! And it’s enough.

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