MTHFR F*****

So it seems trying to find out what is going wrong when it comes to fertility involves a slow unravelling of all the various pieces. Finding out I have a MTHFR gene mutation is yet another one of those pieces for me.

Because I’m so behind on blogging, I’ve actually known about this for the last couple of months and I did write about finding out just after I did and want to share those words with you today. (Mostly because if you’re finding this via a google search like I did you’ll probably appreciate the words in real time, rather than the place I am now which is knowing that the results are actually helpful and just a sign that I need to be even more careful about eating really nutritious food and taking good care of myself).

As you’ll read, I was pretty angry about how inconsequential this fact was treated by my GP.  I was literally sent home with the message of ‘all clear’ and it was only after looking into it myself that I discovered what it actually meant.

This pretty much echoes all results I’ve been given by the western medical system. And no, I’m not swearing off it entirely, but I do think the way they look at only one system rather than your whole body when it comes to fertility is pretty flawed.

I also think it’s pretty poor that my GP didn’t look into hormones after the first loss and STILL didn’t look into them after the third. I had to push for these tests to help the work I’ve been doing with a naturopath.  Shouldn’t that be standard practice?

I also feel a little foolish for not looking into it all for myself earlier but I guess it’s a case of you don’t know what you don’t know. I guess my point of writing this post is to let you know what I wish I knew a year ago.  It’s not to bag the medical system, but just to be aware that they really only do look at one part of the puzzle and only you can find out the whole picture, so PLEASE do the research for yourself.

If you’re having fertility issues it’s your body telling you that something is off.  It might be that you’re not eating the right foods and your body is literally starving for nutrition, or you’re highly stressed and need to work on calming down, or perhaps it’s emotional and you need to do some work on releasing the emotions you’ve been holding onto.

If only it were as easy as going to the doctor to be told ‘the answer’ and be given the one-step solution, hey? Are you unravelling fertility problems too? What have you found?

Read on for the words I wrote straight after I found out about the MTFHR gene….

I’ve just been to my GP today and I am ROPEABLE. I went to pick up my results to take to the naturopath tomorrow and as she printed off me the results she said ‘it all looks pretty good except for your iron and calcium levels.’ 

No glaring physical problems is pretty much what I expected (I still think this is mostly emotional) so I took my results and headed home. It wasn’t until I got home and started having closer look that I read about a gene mutation in MTHFR was present. 

I don’t know about you but a mutated gene felt somewhat relevant so I went to the dreaded Dr Google and investigated a bit further. What the actual?! MTHFR mutation is linked to RECURRENT MISCARRIAGES AND GENETIC COMPLICATIONS – there are actual support groups for this thing! WHY did my doctor not see this as relevant? She knows my history!?

I calmed down and read on to find out that my version of the mutation is considered a ‘minor’ issue and means that the way my body processes folate and b vitamins is somewhat impaired and not completely broken. Suggested treatment is just making sure you are eating a diet full of natural folate and B vitamins and/or supplementing (with folate, not folic acid) to make sure there is no deficit. 

Ok, is it just me or would you not think that would be a RELEVANT thing for a doctor to tell you if you’ve experienced genetic complications and multiple miscarriages?!

I can’t even. This whole process has me losing faith in the Western medical system. I get it, you can’t prescribe me any medication for this particular issue, but surely an explanation of what it means for my body would have been somewhat helpful given you’re the one with the 8 year degree, not me!

Although I’m thoroughly PISSED off, I also feel somewhat relieved. I don’t believe this is THE answer, but I believe it is one part of the whole. I’m coming to see how infertility is a like big jigsaw puzzle of tiny little pieces and they all need to fit together in a certain way for a healthy baby to be born. (I’m also realising how much we’re all amazing little miracles who overcame ridiculously bad odds to be here). 

Given the fact that my first loss was only just over 12 months after I’d had Rory and only a month or so after I stopped breastfeeding, I think it’s probably safe to say my body was in a  nutritional deficit at that point.

As for the following two losses, not much had changed other than I was now not only struggling to look after myself, I was grieving, highly wired and anxious about my whether I would lose another baby. Not exactly a healthy environment to grow a baby really was it?!

This to me feels true. 

I need to take better care of my body through the food I put in it, how regularly I move it and how often I rest. 

I need to slow down and better manage my stress. 

I need to release the emotions I’ve been holding onto.

I need to trust that my body, mind and spirit can heal and I will have another healthy baby.