Your Medicine Cabinet - Standard Medicines that can Help

If you are hoping to conceive and have been trying without success for a few months you may want to check out your medicine cabinet before heading to your nearest fertility specialist. I do not say this to be dismissive of your plight at all. Fertility testing is quite costly and many insurance companies do not cover all of the costs involved if they cover any at all. This means that you may be on your own for a portion of those costs, at least until you've met your deductible threshold.

If you can avoid the cost by heading to your medicine cabinet and still have the desired outcome, I would say that is by far the best route to take. There is no one size fits all cure for infertility. This means that this will not work for all cases of infertility but it is worth ruling out in the meantime. Guaifenesin is the active ingredient in Robitussin's expectorant though any medicine that contains 100 mg of guaifenesin will do (you will want to take 200 mg 3 times daily). You want to take great care however that you do not use those with decongestants or with the DM initials after the brand name as they will have the opposite of the desired affect and may lead to serious birth defects.

So what does this have to do with fertility? Good question actually. Guaifenesin is known for thinning mucus. Our lungs are not the only place where mucus can be problematic. An overabundance of mucus in the cervical area can prevent the sperm from reaching its destination. You do not however need to drink gallons of guaifenesin on a daily basis in order to achieve the desired result. The best rule of thumb is to begin five days before ovulation and on the day of ovulation. You should also make sure that you are drinking plenty of water during this process as this will help properly hydrate your body. In addition to drinking one full glass of water with each of your 3 daily doses you should also make sure to add 3-5 more eight ounce glasses of water into your daily routine.

The condition in which guaifenesin would be recommended is best diagnosed by a doctor though you probably will not need a fertility specialist in order to discover whether or not this might be an issue for you. Women who are taking Chloride often find that it creates hostile mucus and guaifenesin helps with that particular problem. You should of course consult your doctor before self-medicating in any form when trying to conceive. Your doctor will be able to offer guidance and advice that is unique to your situation. Remember that there are no cure all treatments for infertility and the problem often lies in identifying your particular fertility problem.

If you have discussed your desire to conceive with your OB or are getting ready to discuss your desire this is one question that you might want to mention and have checked out before going through months of disappointment. You will definitely want to discuss this as an option before seeking the services of a fertility specialist.