Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

My colleague tried TCM to increase the sperm quantity. Her hubby has been taking 补腰精 (TCM tonic for waist/back) for quite sometime. According to her, she mentioned that when her hubby take the tonic, the volume is higher when he ejectuate.

I've tried to ask my hubby to take after listening to her but he claims it is too heaty for him and he doesn't believe in TCM. He also doesn't like the taste of it. But nevertheless, we are trying our second bottle right now.

I've googled on one of the ingredients (cordyceps) in the tonic and it is said to improve sexual function in men and increase libido by stimulating production of sex hormone. Wolfberries is also said to improve men's sexual activity. Red dates can help increase sexual power.

I've double boiled cordyceps with kampong chicken soup for him yesterday. I'm using kampong chicken is because it is leaner so the soup would not be too oily. Ingredients of the soup include:
1) 1/4 kampong chicken
2) 1 small bunch of cordyceps (usually tied with red string; about 6 pieces)
3) 3-5 red dates
4) 1 teaspoon of wolfberries

For myself, i'm boiling black chicken with 八珍 (8 types of chinese herbs which you can buy from chinese medicine shop. It comes in a packet with the herbs, just need to wash before use). Other than this 8 herbs, you can take 白凤丸 (Bai Feng Wan). You can also double boil Bai Feng Wan with black chicken. There are two types of Bai Feng Wan available in the markket, one big pill or many small pills. The abovementioned tonics are mainly for woman (except cordyceps kampong chicken soup) after menses. The tonics above is said to nourish qi and blood.

Day 2: Blood Test & Ultrasound

We arrived at SGH at about 8am for my blood test and ultrasound. I was asked to pee before i do the ultrasound. The sonographer asked me to go over to the O&G centre for the scan which she will be doing for me.

The ultrasound takes about 10 minutes. I was asked to press on both side of the ovaries so that she can do a proper scan for me. When the test is about to complete, another sonographer came in to kpo abit, saw my ultrasound and says "not bad what, got quite a lot of follicles!" But my sonographer replied "ok la! Got good and bad." I wonder what she means by that.. Maybe she detected too many cyst?

After the ultrasound, the nurse asked me to go back to CARE room 4 for my blood test. She took 4 test tubes for my blood test, almost fainted when i saw it. ~>.<~

I checked my name and IC on the test tubes, complete the blood test (fasting insulin & glucose, full blood count (FBC), Progesterone, Estradiol (E2) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH)).

First Consultation with Dr Yu @ CARE (SGH)

Just came home from our first consultation with Dr Yu of the CARE team. She is very experienced and patiently explain to us the procedures. She mentioned because of my weight, it will be harder for me so she has actually advised me to go to the LIFE centre for weight management. She has advised me to lose about 5 - 10% of my current weight. This is partially because when i becomes pregnant, i will gain 10 - 20kg. By losing weight before pregnancy, it will also lower down my risk of getting hypertension or diabetes.

She also did the endometrial biopsy as the last time i did was in year 2009. The results will only be out in 2 weeks time.

After the consultation with Dr Yu, the nurse brief us and wanted me to do some test. Initially she told me to come back with the forms which she has prepared for me to do the ultrasound and fasting blood test on the second day of my menses. She went to check with Dr Yu for some medications to start my menses. When she came back, she told me that I can do the test tomorrow. I was asked not to take any food and drinks after midnight till i finish all my blood test and ultrasound tomorrow.

We've paid about $370 for the biopsy test, consultation with Dr Yu and a super fast ultrasound by Dr Yu.

Will update on what test i'll be taking and my scanning results tomorrow.

Beginning of IVF

Few weeks ago, my gynae told my hubby and I that based on our test results, it will be hard for us to conceive naturally. He gave us a suggestion to go for IVF instead and we agreed. Immediateely, he asked his nurse to arrange to for us to meet up with the Centre for Assisted Reproduction (CARE) team for counselling.

We were lucky to get an appointment with them on the same day. The nurse showed us some slides and brief us on the IVF procedures. After going through the counselling, we decided to proceed with IVF and have asked the nurse to schedule us to meet up with the CARE team doctor.

I have been reading about IVF and not everyone is open about the IVF details. So I've decided to start this blog and share with everyone my experience.

Something more about myself. I am living in Singapore, married for 1 year 7 months. We have been trying the natural way to conceive since day 1 of marriage. I have tried TCM for a year but it didn't work. I have tried Basal Body Temperature (BBT) method to track ovaluation but it didn't work for me. My menses is not regular thus traditional methods won't work for me.

My gynae started me on clomid for 3 months followed by additional of metformin for another 2 months. The last time round, i was asked to take progesterone together with metformin and clomid.

Tomorrow we will be going to CARE for our first appointment. Will update once I'm back from my appointment.