Could Ptsd Cause Stress-related Infertility?

[Nicolette]

I haven't read all this but I will say one thing - everyone I know who has endometriosis has endured childhood trauma. Not all to the level of PTSD but the trauma was there so I believe it is trauma stress related.

 

[The Albatross]

PTSD Sufferer, I didn't ovulate regularly either. (forgot about that til you mentioned it)

 

[Eleanor]

P.S. The only odd thing that came up in fertility testing was that my basal body temp is lower than normal. When doing the charts, both docs noticed that my temp average was 94-95 on waking but before rising, then to 96.4 - 97.4 after rising and throughout the day. I run cool.

I had this too. Turned out in my case I'm "estrogen dominant" and taking progesterone (I use the health food store cream) fixed it. My body temp is still a tad low - but nearly 98.5 most days.

 

[The Albatross]

Post hysterectomy Eleanor (and I don't take HRT) I'm still low body temp. But I'm glad that you figured it out. How was your estrogen dominance determined?

 

[Eleanor]

I don't have PTSD BUT didn't manage to get pregnant (thankfully) with my first husband for over three years. With current H it took less than three months. The major difference? I was happy and relaxed.

It stands to reason that stress and stress hormones could muck things up. With adrenal levels at the huge amounts they are in PTSD sufferers - how could it not? The endocrine system is such an interconnected thing, and really only beginning to be understood.

As my horse friends point out - does stress have anything to do with pregnancy? Well, in years where they are always scared of predators or on the move for pasture wild horses don't get pregnant nearly as often (although sex seems to be as common) and if you want to stop a horse in labor - just give her a scare, or load her in a trailer... it'll slow right down or stop all together. Dog breeders report the same things.

Learning (relearning) to relax is a good in and of itself - and should help. Plus - you owe it to *yourself*, your partner and your future baby to get your PTSD far more under control than you describe before you bring a new MAJOR stressor into your life.

Sending you calming and relaxing energy....

 

[Eleanor]

Post hysterectomy Eleanor (and I don't take HRT) I'm still low body temp. But I'm glad that you figured it out. How was your estrogen dominance determined?

My doc isn't big on this kind of lab test - but is in favor of doing "low risk experiments". So we tried me out on the progesterone cream for two months and voila! symptom resolution and body temp up.

 

[The Albatross]

Helpful info thanks Eleanor! :tup:

 

[Gnatterfly]

I can say I've never officially "tried" for a pregnancy, but I am 25 and have been engaging in regular unprotected sex since I lived with my first boyfriend at 17 years old. I've had 3 solid partners and am now married. I have NEVER been pregnant, which seems extremely suspicious to me.

My periods used to be spporatic at BEST, occurring once every 3-6 months. I'm on anti-depressants now and my periods have been regular, but still nothing. Like I said, I'm not trying for pregnancy, and I have never wanted to be a parent. I still find it fishy that after 8 years of regular unprotected sex....NOTHING! I just feel lucky, I guess....But still I wonder if my consistant high anxiety isn't to blame. I don't think anything could survive the warzone inside my body!!

 

[Eleanor]

Gnatterfly - given that your periods have regularized and you DON"T way to get pregnant, now might be a good time to get an IUD (which are, as I understand it) WORLDS better than they used to be, and don't muck with your hormones which are already, I'm thinking too, sufficiently mucked with by the anxiety. You live in MA so there should be a planned parenthood around that you could work with for very little money if you don't have insurance. You also might want to do some work on nutrition - long term anxiety can really really really deplete your system. And you need that body to run for a few many more years!:whistling:

 

[PTSD sufferer]

everyone I know who has endometriosis has endured childhood trauma.

Add to my list endometriosis, 2 laparoscopies to remove lesions not just in the womb but on my colon. But, that is much better these days. Have to have my tubes flushed before the IVF, but have been told that this is the last time they can do anything surgically in this area, so best to do it as part of the IVF process.

Endometriosis is classified in the same bag as IBS and CFS. We don't now the cause but the possibilities do include emotional causes. It is thought (not proven) to have some neurological cause where the brain's signals are messed up. So, the brain sends signals to parts of the body to do something it shouldnt. Such as lesions and cists in endometriosis, and inflammation in IBS (the gut is in the top 3 for the largest amount of nero-sensors in the body), and autoimmune irregularity in CFS (over active or under active immune system shown in T cell tests). So, the connection Nicolette has made makes perfect sense to me.

P.S. The only odd thing that came up in fertility testing was that my basal body temp is lower than normal.

I run really cold too. Thanks for mentioning this, I will look into it and start monitoring my temperate. Sounds better than monitoring mucus levels :eek:

I am wondering if that's why I can't have a baby. It truly hits my core when I realize that being abused has damaged me in yet another way.

I know how you feel fairywings. And, I get angry too, it is justified. But, we can't let the illness win by getting upset and increasing our anxiety. Life has thrown us some nasty curve balls, absolutely, but the past does not have control of our future. That is all ours for the taking.

We have a future goal of being well and having a family, which is great. But for every goal that we have, we need to set small goals to help us along the way. You can't eat an elephant all at once, you have to take little bites.

There are many ways to have a family - surrogasy, adoption, IVF etc - and then there are miracles. There is always hope for miracles.

I was talking with a friend who was trying for three years with IVF and still nothing. Then when she stopped IVF, she fell pregnant with twin boys! The boys are two now and she said, 'Don't get me wrong, I love my boys, they are my little miracles, but I really only asked for one'...LOL she needs a holiday I think :) Honorary Aunty PS to the rescue :D

Love, PS xxoo

 

[fairywings]

I was talking with a friend who was trying for three years with IVF and still nothing. Then when she stopped IVF, she fell pregnant with twin boys! The boys are two now and she said, 'Don't get me wrong, I love my boys, they are my little miracles, but I really only asked for one'...LOL she needs a holiday I think :)Honorary Aunty PS to the rescue :D

Love, PS xxoo

That's awesome:)

xxoo

 

[Eleanor]

A colleague of mine tried for about 8 years to get pregnant IVF, the whole nine yards.:(

They adopted a little girl (after one failed adoption attempt:cry:)

Then BANG pregnant two months later. Go figure!

These things are mysterious. Also, it might help to keep in mind that there are a lot of ways to come by children, and there are a lot of children who need loving (and yet imperfect!) parents. As I said to a friend, who told me (he is gay) that sadly HE wouldn't ever have any children (it was a while ago) I said, "Careful, you might find yourself in a situation like I did, confronted with a child who "someone ought to step up and be a parent to this kid" and look around and see that... "someone" appears to be "ME!" :)

I find that it is better to go into parenthood pretty open about the nature of the kid. There are no guarantees with any kid...