Posted by Lisa Rosenthal on Wed, May 22, 2013 @ 08:31 AM
Trouble Getting Pregnant and the Menstrual Cycle
If you are having trouble getting pregnant, and you are lucky, you are continuing to get your period.
Why lucky to get your period when you're trying to get pregnant? Isn't the first sign of pregnancy not getting your period?
Your menstrual cycle is a sign of reproductive health. Getting your period regularly may mean that you are ovulating normally and/or producing an endometrial lining that is building and then shedding.
These are all indications of good reproductive health. While each of us mourns when we get our period, that once again we are not pregnant, still it is healthier than not getting it.
If you are not getting your period regularly or you have not gotten your period for months or even years at a time, you are in good company. Unfortunately, if you have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) or other hormonal imbalances, not getting your period is more the norm than getting it.
Getting your period means that this month you are not pregnant.
Getting your period also means that your endometrial lining is shedding because your hormones and endocrine system are sending all the signals that are needed to set up your cycle for the following month.
Supporting Reproductive Health
I’m not a doctor and I’m not explaining this in a professional way. I’m not trying to. I’m reminding all of us that getting our period is almost always a sign of reproductive health.
That our bodies are working more properly than not.
If you are not getting your period, there is help available.
If you have PCOS or a hormonal imbalance, medications can regulate your system so that menstruating will occur more regularly. In no way does not getting your period mean that you are doomed to failure. Not at all. What it does mean is that there is a different path, an alternate route, that you will be following.
It all comes down to the same thing. Whether you are getting your period regularly and mourning it or not getting your period and mourning that, getting pregnant is a good possibility with the right help. Going to a board certified reproductive endocrinologist is the first step.
Lisa Rosenthal's Google+
Posted by Lisa Rosenthal on Wed, Jan 16, 2013 @ 09:26 AM
I had a great blog planned for today. Brilliant, even.
Ah, well, it will have to wait.
Because it SNOWED. And I do love the snow.
Instead of my brilliant blog, which will have to wait until tomorrow, here's a reminder about the brand new event that RMACT has created to fill a real need in our community. If you know someone whose child might have PCOS, please pass this on. Many of us have struggled with undiagnosed PCOS, only to discover as adults that there were ways to have managed much more comfortably and safely with the symptoms and the health ramifications.
So, please, pass the information on!
My daughter has PCOS:
Understanding PCOS and How to Manage It
A discussion to help parents or support persons of young women understand PCOS; how and why it is important to manage it; and how best to support their daughter.
Our RMA of CT Adolescent/Young Adult PCOS Program is planning to hold a PCOS Forum for the parents/guardians of adolescents and young adults with PCOS.
Here are a few topics topics our panel will discuss.
- What is PCOS and what are the specific concerns of PCOS in the teenage and 20 something population?
- Why is management of PCOS important for long term physical and mental health?
- What is the latest research available related to diagnosing and managing PCOS?
- How can you best support your daughter—emotionally, medically, and socially?
Join us for an informative panel presentation and Q&A time. Our panel will include our Staff Reproductive Endocrinologist, Psychologist, Physician Assistant, PCOS Nurse, and Nutritionist. Dinner will be provided. RSVP is necessary for attendance.
Please click here to register and attend.
Me, I'm out to shovel the snow. I love it! After that, my brilliant blog will emerge, ready to publish tomorrow. Join me then, won't you?
Posted by Lisa Rosenthal on Mon, Dec 14, 2009 @ 12:01 AM
I attended a wonderful seminar on Saturday at RMACT. All about food, fertility and the holidays. Carolyn Gundell, MS gave an interactive seminar to discuss healthy eating strategies over the holidays and beyond. Carolyn has her M.S. in Nutrition from Columbia University and has over twenty years of experience working with patients with insulin resistance, Diabetes Type1/Type 2, and metabolic disorders including Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Carolyn will be working with RMACT, giving patients another way to make healthy choices for themselves and enhance their possibility of conception. Many thanks to Monica Moore and Cori Cooper for their time, effort, energy and interest in bringing Carolyn to RMACT.
And right on time, because guess what? The holidays are here, in full force. That means lots of babies and children to be around who are not your own, which tends to evoke feelings of sadness. Emotional eating is one thing that occurs during the holidays, but Carolyn pointed out that if eating or weight issues were a matter of will power, there would be far less of us who were overweight. Carolyn provided some wonderful insight into managing eating when you are surrounded by choices that are less than healthy in ways designed to work.
So here are a few things that I can pass on from what I learned on Saturday.
Identify your triggers; food, people, occasions. It may be that it's almost impossible to be around certain foods. Or certain people cause a feeling of wanting to comfort through eating. And of course, certain occasions may be a place of "ritual" eating. (Eating the foods that have been served since you were a child; foods that were made just for you because they are your favorite; foods that you only eat at that party, once a year.) Being aware of triggers is a good first step.
Deprivation can cause more overeating as we feel that we are forbidden to have something. So perhaps have less, don't decide that it's a food that you absolutely cannot have.
One of my favorites is enough sleep. The recommendation is for us to sleep between seven and eight hours a night. There are certain hormones that are released that will make it easier to either lose or maintain weight. But only if you sleep enough. For me, I take it a step further and consider the idea of rest. Downtime. Not necessarily going to each and every party. Reading a book. Taking a nap. Walking with the dog. (Exercise is good too!)
Don't bring leftovers home and do give leftovers away. That way, whatever choices you make one day don't spill over into the next. It's easier to make different, healthier choices the next day, when the foods that you would not normally choose are not sitting front and center in your fridge.
Our next seminar is on January 12th on "Take Shape for Life" at 6:30 PM. On January 16th we will have a half day program complete with Yoga, Acupuncture and Nutrition. These programs were designed for you, our patient.
Here's what one patient had to say after Saturday's seminar:
RMA was recommended to me by a former patient. I had been to two previous places and was not successful in achieving my dream to become a mom. This former patient insisted I try. I became a patient in the summer of 2008. Even though I have been through 1 surgery and 4 unsuccessful IUI's, I still have faith in the care I receive. I am on break from shots..and etc.. I felt out of the loop since I have not been sitting in the waiting room and reading the latest happenings at RMA. I was cruising your website and found out about today's seminar about healthy eating during the holidays. I attended and appreciated the warmth and information I received today. I can't believe how RMA has put together so many resources for us. I think all of you are amazing.This blog is already a postive addition to RMA for me as a patient.
Posted @ Saturday, December 12, 2009 4:40 PM by Laura
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