Stress and 3T

CarSaidYes · June 2014

What's your take? I believe a certain level of stress is healthy for our body and mind. But I've often wondered if maybe that's what's caused my ttc issues. I can lay that worry to rest because I've confirmed that it's PCOS. But other issues have happened and I've wondered if it's stress related. I've been reading lots of articles about stress and ttc. Doesn't really give a yes or no answer. Not this past year but the two years prior at work were pure HELL. I hated my principal and AP. Being in a leadership position I had large amounts of stress. Those days are long gone but I do have some stress at my new job. Idk. Just curious. I just want this IUI to work and I'm trying to do everything in my power on my end to say I did it the best I could. May sound dumb but I have this thought constantly running through my mind.

ETA: what do you do to keep your stress to a minimum. I just started yoga again. I have class at 7:30 3x a week.

catlover790 · June 2014

I worry about this because I have heard things about stress too, but that just makes me stress more! I totally understand too with school year being very stressful, I'm a teacher. It can be a very stressful job!

I've been making it a plan to read nightly before bed and it helps me relax and not think about my own life since I'm focused on the plot. I think I'm going to try yoga soon too!

ronniesgirl1981 · June 2014

I don't see how anyone can not be stressed in this process and I think it's a sort of self-blaming problem, too. Managing it--as your are clearly trying to do--is all we have. I just told my husband that I am scheduling spa time during our next cycle...a facial and pedicure or something.

CarSaidYes · June 2014

@ronniesgirl1981‌ I'm doing the same thing. Nail appt which I've quit doing so the money I save there can go to RE office and meds but I am planning on doing a facial during the tww.

rella22 · June 2014

It also crosses my mind quite a bit! Just this week I started working out and spinning! Really keeps my mind clear and my body healthy!

BunnyBerry · June 2014

Well, my ding-dong of a DH firmly believes that any stress on my part is the reason we don't get pregnant a given cycle. I'm man enough not to remind him that he has crappy sperm, but that's certainly what runs through my mind. And of course, his way of making sure we get pregnant is to get mad and blame me any time I start getting stressed. I'm sure you can imagine how much that helps.

Point is...normal levels of stress are caused BY infertility, not the other way around. Unless, of course, the nagging about it from DH puts you over the edge and you can't bring yourself to BD...but then again, what am I thinking, BDing isn't going to get us anywhere, it's a sperm thing anyway right?

PS - Thank you, 3T, for being a safe place I can get that out. Grr. Okay I feel better. Hope you do too, CarSaidYes, once summer vacay gets going!

(Another teacher here)

meld42 · June 2014

I think you're on the right track, trying to remind yourself that our bodies are designed to handle a certain level of stress. I'm a high strung person, and I completely get stressing over stress. Dealing with infertility is an awful stress, I've just learned that something that de-stresses DH and me is making an effort to go hang out with friends and have fun. We were avoiding it, thinking saving up money was more important. Just keep doing whatever you can to take your mind off stress!

Hope you get feeling better!

tweetyknicks · June 2014

My stress outlets? Jujutsu, weight lifting, and biking. The last one is probably more practical for most people, but throwing people across the room or sticking them to the floor is surprisingly therapeutic ;-)

ToryKate · June 2014

rainbowbridge14 said:

@IPutKetchupOnKetchup and @meld42 I am exactly the same. I worry about things all the time. Its nice that my DH is laid back because it balances me out.

CaterinaC said:

There have been studies done on stress levels and IF treatment success. They have found that psychological stress does not impact success rates at all. Stress doesn't cause IF.

If we were taking about physical stress, such as not having access to food, being forced to overexert yourself, being significantly overweight, having a infection/serious illness, etc. Those are the types of stressors that can affect fertility.

I feel like blaming IF on a women's stress level is a throw back to the days when women were diagnosed as 'Hysterical' and prescribed cocaine so they clean their homes faster.

I completely agree with this!

Just want to randomly add that my grandma and the neighbor ladies used to do coke together on their cleaning days. It was NBD, she told my sister and I like it was nothing.

Hpearl · June 2014

I used to break out in hives....head to toe. My eyes would swell shut and my hands and feet would swell to the point that I could hardly walk. And Dr's were quick to say it wasn't stress and I shouldn't blame myself. it WAS stress causing the hives.. go figure. And my EX, but that's a whole other ball of wax.

I go to the Dr. because we can't get pregnant and I had no fewer then three Dr's tell me to "just relax". Stress was going to affect my fertility. WTF is that?

eskimozie · June 2014

I simply try to be aware of it. If I recognize stress I ask "is there something I can do to alter the situation?" If there isn't, I have to let it go. I physically take 5 min to meditate and focus on releasing it from my body. I identify tense muscles and make them relax. It is a symbolic gesture but helps with pent up tensions. I can actually lower my blood pressure this way.

This was one of the most important things my father ever taught me.

Want a personalized experience?

Stress and 3T

Me: 26 (IC/PCOS-2000mg of Metformin daily)

DH: 27 (SA results were great minus the slightly low morphology)

Started dating DH in 2002 at 14 years old

Married on 03.01.2014

Officially TTC since April 2014

January 2013- Surprise BFP, m/c at 6 weeks, D&C 2 Weeks later

April 2014- First RE appointment

July 2014- IUI#1-Canx due to scar tissue and polyps. TI with the help of Ovidrel. BFN

Re: Stress and 3T