Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC

UK based Fertility counselor Kezia Okafor, shares her journey through infertility and the emotional turmoil of unexplained infertility. Kezia was inspired to be of service to the infertility community after her own journey. Zekia believes: “Working together I will support you on your fertility journey and your journey to parenthood; helping you feel less stressed and more able to cope with events and treatments that you have to endure. It’s important that you feel listened to and that you feel someone understands what you are going through.” “In my experience, there is a lack of specialists who can offer emotional support in this area and I aim to help bridge the gap, by being the support you didn’t know you needed."

Episode Highlights: 02:17- Counselor kezia 09:58- The assembly line 19:18- Slowing it down 27:08- Pain doesn't subside with a BFP 34:46- It's not taboo

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Dr. Patrick Flynn shares his personal story through infertility. We discuss the importance of hormone healing for optimal chances of conceiving and overall health. Dr. Flynn is known to many and founded The Wellness Way clinics 20 years ago & shares his story in his international best-selling book “I Disagree: How These Two Words Are The Secret to Thinking Differently and Taking Control of Your Health.” Dr. Flynn not only studied medicine, but also nutrition and naturopathy extensively.

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Mark P. Trolice, MD, joins us to discuss his personal journey through Infertility. He is a leading medical expert on fertility and a physician who has counseled many hundreds of couples as they cope with and solve their infertility challenges. He is board-certified in both OB/GYN and REI (Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility).

The clinic he directs, My Fertility Care (Center of Assisted Reproduction and Endocrinology), is in Winter Park, Florida, and he is Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Gainesville in Florida and the Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando. Dr. Trolice’s first book, The Fertility Doctor’s Guide to Overcoming Infertility, was released in January, 2020.

The book opens with an exploration of all the possible causes of infertility, covering both couples who have never been pregnant and ones who have had recurrent losses of pregnancies. Unique among infertility guides, this volume gives roughly equal weight to male and female causes, which is important because about 40% of infertility cases are due to men’s issues—and some couples need to address issues in both the prospective mother and prospective father. It covers endometriosis, fibroids, POS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), tubal factor, male factor, and other possible causes. Next it looks at your treatment options. Importantly, these are not just medical interventions, but they also include lifestyle changes you alone can make, involving sleep, diet, exercise, and other forms of self-care. Among medical options, IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), and various surgical procedures are covered in detail.

Dr. Trolice's website! (https://www.myfertilitycare.com) Dr. Trolice on Instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/myfertilitycare

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Mary Wong -TCM practitioner, founder of Alive Holistic Health Clinic in Ontario, Canada. (In)fertility comes with its own set of anxieties and when you add a health epidemic, things become increasingly hard to manage. We're just a few days away from the second week of social-distancing, so I asked Mary to share with us ways to take back control of our emotional and mental states during the COVID-19 crisis. Mary has over 27 years of TCM and acupuncture experience and overcame her own infertility journey which she shares with us in today's episode.

Mary's website! (https://www.aliveholistichealth.ca)

Mary on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/marywongrtcmp) Alive Holistic Health Clinic on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aliveholistichealthclinic)

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Episode Highlights: 01:30- Mary Wong, TCM 02:18- What is TCM 03:20- Taking back control during COVID-19 07:48- Live Webinar March 31st 10:30- Increased anxieties 11:41- Mary's personal infertility journey 18:50- Finding community 20:22- postponed and canceled cycles

Dayna Mohan of Louisville, Kentucky joins us to discuss her 10 year long journey with infertility. Once an early childhood educator, Dayna was diagnosed with stage three endometriosis and had four unsuccessful IUI procedures, three of which were non medicated. Eight IVF treatment attempts, one of which through surrogacy, and another cycle through an egg donor. Two unsuccessful adoptions and over 10 miscarriages. Dayna has been through every form of infertility treatment, which led to extreme emotional turmoil and despair. Through her pain, Dayna was able to write a book, which will be released in the fall of 2020. Get your tissues ready and journey with us through the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual effects infertility has on its victims.

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Read Dayna's Blog! Let me know how I can better support you or what topics you'd like to hear on the podcast!

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After 10 years of infertility, multiple rounds of IVF treatment, and unsuccessful adoption attempts, Erica was inspired to write her book, "No Less Blessed: Seeking God in the wilderness of Infertility and childlessness." Scheduled for release in April of 2020.

A book dedicated not only to past or present individuals going through IVF and fertility treatment, but also for the silent-sufferers. Those who are taking a break and no longer wish to pursue treatment, but still hopeful of another path to parenthood.

Connect with Erica on Instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/nolessblessed) A sneak peak of No Less Blessed can be found here! (https://www.nolessblessed.com)

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Episode Highlights: 

00:28- A quick Thank You! 04:16- Here's Erica 11:38- Personal growth 13:56- Creating "No Less Blessed" 17:12- "Adoption was the hardest chapter" 26:06- The adoption process 29:30- Doing the research 31:13- Marriage 32:20- Still hopeful 36:00- The left-out populations of the (In)fertility community 39:53- Coping and finding hope 42:56- Not quite childless 44:20- Closing

In episode 20, we are joined by Leslie Heard. Leslie suffered an abortion and miscarriage at a young age and had no one to turn to. This made her realize the importance and necessity of bereavement specialists. Leslie states: "Women need a safe place to release their feelings and understand their pain without being judged. To not be told they shouldn't talk about their problems." We discuss the importance of healing not just emotionally, but spiritually as well. Leslie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Argosy University in Chicago Illinois. She created a nonprofit organization for women called "Godmother Doula." It was created to help women who suffer from child loss, abortion and miscarriage. She is a bereavement Doula who works with women seeking support from traumatic miscarriages, abortions, and infertility. Join me as we discuss healing spiritually to prepare for conception. 

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In episode 19, Blair Nelson from the Fab Fertility Podcast joins us and gives a very detailed account of her personal fertility journey. Over the course of two years, she has been through multiple rounds of IVF treatments, emotional and physical distress. This is a story of strength, patience, and resiliency. We are reminded through Blair's journey that we cannot go through it alone and the power of community.

Highlights: 01:49- Here's Blair

05:07- The diagnosis

07:39- Infertility Resume

13:00-The creation of Fab Fertility

17:12- Round two and three 

24:18- Community 

29:53- #fertilityfuckitfriday 

30:00- To the silent sufferers 

30:45-Finding community on Instagram 38:23- Bringing voice to pain 

40:27- In closing

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In episode 18, we are joined by Rebekah from the mid-west of the US. Rebekah and her husband survived multiple rounds of IUI and IVF treatment. But what would you do when your emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual self can no longer bare the turmoil and stress of IVF and fertility treatments?

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Coach Sarah from the " Get Pregnant Naturally Podcast" joins me to give us a detailed account of her own infertility struggles and offer her expertise with functional approaches to fertility. Sarah's company Fab Fertile " takes a targeted approach to your fertility by providing access to functional lab testing which may include food sensitivity testing, hormone testing using urine and stool testing.

"At FabFertile, We look at the WHOLE body and while you may come to us with low ovarian reserve, high FSH, low AMH, premature ovarian failure, unexplained infertility, endometriosis, PCOS or fibroids we do not treat the diagnosis. Using the tools of functional health coaching we develop a personalized protocol that focuses on your preconception health.

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