
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Endo Fertility Solution
What are in the Chinese herbs and how do I take them?
The herbs only consist of plants, twigs, barks, flowers, bulbs, grasses and bark. They are guaranteed to be free of pesticides, sulphides, xeno-oestrogens and steroids. Chinese herbs often come in the form of a powder which is taken as a drink.
I am fully compliant with UK government regulations and all my herbs can be traced directly to source through the supplier I use, recommended by the Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine (RCHM).
How much will additional testing and supplements cost?
The vaginal microbiome test may suggest that further supplements could resolve issues highlighted. And other symptoms may lead me to suggest other targeted testing – which in turn may need additional supplements and support to resolve.
However, please note that I pride myself on taking a route of minimal intervention so only suggest testing and supplementation if I’m convinced it will significantly improve your outcome results and timescales. And obviously is all done only with your agreement.
What happens if I get pregnant during the Endo Fertility Solution?
Can you guarantee I'll get pregnant?
No, I can’t – no one can. But I’m going to use every tool that I’ve got, and, as a team, you and I will give this our all. I work with endo fertility day in, day out and I know the transformation that these interventions can make – soothing the inflammation, halting the endo damage, easing its symptoms, and optimising fertility.
Many of my endo clients have had successful pregnancies (when they didn’t believe it could happen for them), and reclaimed their lives from its restrictions. Some have needed to pursue assisted conception due the endo damage, but again fine tuning people’s bodies for success here is my speciality (for endo and non-endo sufferers). I have countless people singing my praises about helping them to beat the IVF odds.
Whatever the outcome, you’ll know that together, we’ve given it everything and truly honoured your desire for a baby.
What if I want to continue working with you after our 4 months together?
What if I’m on holiday or busy with work when a consultation is due?
The Endo Fertility Solution is based on 2 consultations per month, ideally at fortnightly intervals. This is to check in with your health, and tailor your treatment protocols and prescriptions. It’s also where you can gain support, where we can share knowledge and you can ask any questions.
I can be reasonably flexible with session dates, however they are not transferable so if the 2 sessions do not happen within the calendar month, the session is lost. Don’t forget we do the work via video call so you can dial in wherever you are.
How do the sessions take place? What days/times are they available?
We do the sessions via video call. They are available on Wednesday mornings and Friday mornings.
Can I cancel?
I’m confident that you’ll love the Endo Fertility Solution and so, to give you peace of mind, I do offer a 70% refund if you cancel within the 30 days of your initial booking. This covers the cost of my initial intensive work on your case, with the analysis, initial diagnosis and herbal prescriptions.
Beyond this initial 30 day period, no refunds are given. If for any reason, you need to pause the sessions, they will be held for you until you are ready to return.
What access do I have to support from you, outside of our consultations?
The sessions are designed to give you plenty of opportunity to ask any questions you may have, to integrate the holistic health protocols so you know where to target your own efforts, and to offload and and be supported on your journey, as well as checking in with your progress and tailoring your prescriptions as your health transforms.
If there’s anything you think we haven’t covered, you can drop me a line by email between sessions and I will respond within 48 hours (working hours).
How much work will I have to put into this?
Well, you need to make time for our 1 hour session each month. And you’ll need to follow the instructions for taking your Chinese herbal medicine and any supplements.
The first 6 weeks of the programme involve an elimination and reset diet which takes some preparation in terms of shopping, meal planning and food prep.
And ideally, you’ll be taking the lifestyle changes I recommend onboard and putting them into practice.
Ideally, I’d say you want to be thinking of giving this 1-2 hours per week on top of our time together. I’ll always be mindful of the demands on you in your life, plus where your health is and will work in alignment with this.
Endometriosis
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a condition where cells similar to those that line the womb, are found elsewhere in the body – usually in the pelvic cavity. These cells react to the menstrual cycle in the same way as those in the womb lining, where they build up, then break down and bleed. This blood doesn’t haven’t a simple way to escape the body and these causes inflammation, pain and adhesions (scar tissue).
How do I know if I’ve got endometriosis?
Endometriosis is often under-diagnosed and many people put up with the symptoms, thinking that they’re something they should endure. It can also be difficult to diagnose endometriosis because the symptoms can vary, and many other conditions can cause similar symptoms.
If you’re suffering from the symptoms of endo (see below), visit your GP and ask for investigations. And don’t take no for an answer. Visit Endometriosis UK for advice about how to get a diagnosis.
What are the main symptoms of endometriosis
The main symptoms of endo are:
- Pain in your lower abdomen or back (pelvic pain) – usually worse during your period
- Severe menstrual cramps
- Unusual or heavy bleeding during periods
- Pain with urination or bowel movements, particularly during your period
- Blood in your stool or urine
- Nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and poor digestion
- Pain during or after sex
- Intense, long lasting fatigue
- Leg pain – endo can affect nerves that connect to the groin, hips and legs which can cause a limp or difficulty walking far
- Difficulty getting pregnant
- Low mood and brain fog are also common symptoms
How is endometriosis diagnosed?
Does endometriosis worsen with age?
I’m a huge advocate for people stopping putting up and shutting up. To get a diagnosis and to get help – and personally I believe that Chinese herbal medicine and functional medicine is the ideal way to do this.
How did I get endometriosis?
The cause of endometriosis is unknown. Several theories include:
- an immune system issue – the body’s natural defence against illness and infection
- genetics (the condition tends to run in families, and affects people of certain ethnic groups more than others)
- retrograde menstruation (when some of the womb lining flows up through the fallopian tubes and embeds itself on the organs of the pelvis, rather than leaving the body as a period)
- endometrium cells spreading through the body in the bloodstream or lymphatic system
Right now, it is felt that none of these theories fully explain why endometriosis happens. It’s likely the condition is caused by several different factors.
Endometriosis and Fertility
Can you get pregnant naturally with endo?
Yes, you can but it’s often not easy. Endometriosis UK suggests that over 50% of people living with endo will experience issues with their fertility. And the longer endo is left untreated and unmanaged, the more problems it can cause.
I’ve helped many people conceive naturally with endo, both with the Endo Fertility Solution and in my Chinese herbs, acupuncture and functional medicine clinic.
Sometimes, the physical damage caused by endo may be such that assisted conception (i.e. IVF) is needed, but the work we do together dramatically increases the chances of this being successful.
Does endo make you infertile? Does endo make it hard to get pregnant? Will I need IVF to get pregnant with endo?
For some, the physical damage of endo can impair fertility levels to such a degree that intervention is the only option for conception, i.e. if the fallopian tubes are blocked. In these cases, the Endo Fertility Solution can create a huge improvement in the inflammation, the physical environment, the egg quality and womb lining and the immune response, making assisted conception far more likely to succeed.
Can endometriosis treatment increase fertility?
Hormone blockers obviously take away any chance of pregnancy so are not an option for those trying to conceive.
Surgery can help some people in terms of symptoms but the data is not great in terms of lasting impact (more than 40% of women are left in pain after excision surgery , increasing to 45% 12 months later – Endometriosis UK). And in terms of fertility, that is also a mixed picture. In some less serious cases of endo, and with younger patients, some data shows pregnancy rates improved with surgical removal of visible endometriosis, however other data disputes this. In more serious cases of endo, pregnancy rates can be higher after scar tissue removal or removal or large endometrial cysts. However, there is also a risk of damage with surgery and of impacting the vaginal microbiome, both of which would be detrimental to fertility rates.
How can I boost my fertility naturally with endometriosis?
There’s so much information out there – some good, some not so good. And sadly, a lot of it is “one size fits all” which really isn’t the case with endo sufferers. Why not check out my 5 Key Shifts Masterclass to learn more about what can be done to boost fertility for endo sufferers?
I’m waiting for IVF. Can the Endo Fertility Solution help me?
However, what we can always do is get your body into the optimum place for the process, to maximise your chances of success. We can get your body heading back to balance, so that it’s working more harmoniously than it has for years. And from there, it will respond better to the medication, produce higher quality eggs, develop a healthier womb lining and optimise your chances of a successful embryo transplanting. Oh and it will help keep you calm and strong for what’s a tough process.