Me and My Vitamins

Even today, I am anything but a health nut.  I eat lots of things that I probably shouldn't, I love diet soda more than a person probably should, and I loathe working out.  But becoming desperate changes things.

I have always been suspicious of health products and various supplements.  Most are probably just useless garbage that wastes money, but some actually make me a little wary.  Sure,  I will pound a few diet sodas filled with chemicals, but I am almost irrationally afraid of energy drinks and shots and certain herbal remedies.  I tend to stick with tried and true methods based on medical science and shy away from homeopathic or natural treatments that are unproven.

But as medical science continues to yield no results, the special kind of infertile crazy starts to set in.  You start to want to make sure that you try every possible method that could improve your chances of success because if you don't, you will wonder for the rest of your life if it would have made a difference.

A few months back, I came across some research that indicated that royal jelly and bee pollen might increase egg quality and possibly even have some positive fertility effects for men, as well.  For the first time ever, I went into our neighborhood Vitamin Shoppe and purchased a large jar of the stuff.  For weeks, C and I choked down entire spoonfuls twice per day according to the directions on the package.  The thick honey cannot even be mixed into tea or heated or the potency might be affected.  Recently, much to my and C's relief, I recently discovered that bee pollen and royal jelly is available as a tablet instead.

As part of the study, I am also required to take prenatal vitamins everyday, year-round.  And under the recommendation of a friend, I started taking fish oil tablets for the omega-3s, particularly considering that I do not eat fish of any kind.  The package directions on the fish oil indicated that I should be taking three per day - one with each meal.  Already, this is seeming like a lot of vitamins and supplements.  I went ahead a purchased a giant pill organizer for all of these pills. 

While I was cruising the boards a few weeks ago, I also noticed that an online friend and fellow infertile was taking wheat grass tablets to boost fertility.  CIP (Crazy Infertile Paranoia) sets in and I start wondering if this could be the thing that changes my outlook.  For just the second time in my life, I went into that same Vitamin Shoppe and left with bee pollen/royal jelly tablets, wheat grass tablets, a bottle of CoQ10 (what can I say, it was free), and a keychain frequent buyer card.  My, how things have changed.

Looking at the massive number of pills I am swallowing each day, my skepticism and fear of medications has returned.  I am slightly conflicted about all of these pills, but the CIP has me thinking that this could be the ticket - the thing that changes everything.  So for now, I will be building up these superfoods, nutrients and supplements in my system until I can cycle again.  But it is such a strange departure for someone who couldn't even remember to take a daily multivitamin a few months ago.  That little pill box sits on my desk at work, then travels with me in my handbag everywhere...