So in honor of the new year, and having a fresh perspective on the whole getting pregnant thing (no need to panic yet, there was still time), I decided to look into the Mucinex theory. Uncle K had been right - it was hard to find any solid scientific evidence suggesting that there was any correlation between taking Mucinex and getting pregnant. And given that I work in the field of medical research, I am kind of a stickler about that kind of thing. But at the same time, the theory did make sense. The active ingredient in Mucinex is gauifenesin, an expectorant that helps to diminish congestion in the airways by liquifying mucus so that it can more easily be coughed up and cleared away. The theory is that if it works on mucus in the airways, it ought to also work on mucus elsewhere in the body, such as in the cervix.
Cervical mucus naturally changes consistency over the course of the menstrual cycle. This is the basis for the cervical mucus monitoring method of predicting ovulation. When ovulation will be occurring soon, cervical mucus thins and becomes more liquid-y so as to allow the sperm to maneuver through it more easily. During other phases of the cycle, the mucus is thicker and more sticky to help defend against infection. If you are using the mucus method to monitor for ovulation, you are supposed to observe your cervical mucus once a day through the end of your cycle and keeping a log of the changes in thickness, color, clarity, stretchy-ness, etc. This way you will be able to recognize your body's individual patterns and correctly identify when you are about to ovulate. In case you haven't figured it out by now, this requires you sticking a couple of your fingers inside your va-jay-jay every morning to "retrieve" some of this mucus for "observation." Truthfully, I have done/seen much worse in my lifetime. Nevertheless, the idea never really appealed to me.
But I digress. The point of the theory is that if you take Mucinex for a period of time prior to your anticipated date of ovulation you should be able to thin your cervical mucus enough to help aid the swimmers in their race. Although this seemed to make the most sense if you already knew your mucus was too thick, the general consensus was that it could benefit anyone trying to get pregnant by reducing one more barrier to the safe passage of sperm. I even read on a few sites where women being treated by reproductive endocrinologists (REs) with various forms of assisted reproductive techniques were also told to take Mucinex for the 5-7 days prior to ovulation. I figured that if the REs believed the theory enough to recommend it to their patients, it had to have some scrap of truth to it. Besides which, it seemed like a pretty tame drug to take with few, if any, side effects (aside from the desired ones, of course). So... I went out and stocked up on Mucinex.
Although there were varying suggestions of how and when to take it, most websites recommended following the directions on the box beginning about 5 days prior to ovulation and continuing for 24-48 hours after. I did my first round of Mucinex that January. Let's just say, it DEFINITELY made a difference. At least in terms of the state of my cervical mucus. It actually became so runny that I found myself running to the bathroom more than once to assess the cause of the leaky feeling. And not to get too graphic here, but even Paul noticed a difference. I was optimistic. Although I hadn't officially been diagnosed as having the wrong type of cervical mucus, I couldn't help but wonder if that had been the problem all along. I tried not to get too excited about the possibilities, but it was hard not to have hope. The Mucinex was definitely doing SOMETHING, so that had to be a good sign.
Sadly, January came and went and AF returned to harass me again. I felt my excitement droop just a bit, but was determined to stay positive. I took the Mucinex again in February and in March. Both times, AF returned right on schedule in spite of the continued impact the Mucinex was having on my mucus. By that point, the feelings of despair were beginning to creep in. I decided I would take a break from the Mucinex after that. Although I wasn't experiencing any major negative side effects, it was kind of a hassle to drink all the extra fluids you were supposed to drink when taking the drug. Which did result in a few more stops along my daily commute. In any case, I was beginning to be weary of the whole process and had started to wish it was June already so I could call Kathy and just get on with it. Although I had no idea what "it" could be, I was desperate to get some answers. I'm the kind of gal who likes to have all the information in front of me, regardless of whether it is good or bad.
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