What have you found lowers your PH the best?

[atomic sagebrush]

I'm having some issues with lowering pH as well. I haven't even ovulated yet - but have done a couple of trial runs. My baseline pH is somewhere above 5.5. I mistakenly purchased pH strips that go from 3 - 5.5 thinking that would be enough range, and it's not, all I know is I'm above 5.5.

I've been on an altered diet for about a week, but I don't know if I'll be able to keep it up with breastfeeding my son. I eat more veggies than I probably should for low nutrients, but if I don't eat something I can't make it through the day. I've been eating moderate portions of noodles and rice, limiting my salt as much as possible, and avoiding the big "no-nos" like potatoes. I also have at least 3 beverages with splenda or aspartame daily. I can't cut my calories too much, because I'm still worried about my breast milk production. I have lost about several pounds since the weight I had when I conceived my son, but it has been pretty stable for the last month or so. For supplements I take a prenatal, extra folic acid, calcium, magnesium, saw palmetto and cranberry. I also started taking Fem-Dophilis - a supplement to replenish your natural vaginal bacteria.

These things didn't alter my pH at all, so I tried RepHresh and this brought my pH down to 5 but only for 24 hours. Then it's right back up to where it was before. I'm very concerned that once I get closer to ovulation my pH will be even higher.

So as another test, after BD, I tried the lime tampon (ph 3) just too see if that was something I could do and it was really uncomfortable. I could only wear it for about 30 mins before I gave up. The 30 mins didn't seem to do anything either.

Suggestions? Just cough up extra money and use the rephresh more frequently around O? Have people had good success with vinegar douches?

First of all hi and welcome if I haven't said so already.

1)Low nutrients doesn't mean NO nutrients - eating some vegetables is not only allowed but encouraged on the Low Everything Diet. You can also eat some veg on the French Gender Diet. If you're doing the IG Diet, one of those may be a better fit for you.

2)Some people find that their pH can go up with calcium supps.. You might want to try a different formulation of cal to see if it helps, so maybe try calcium citrate or a different brand.

3)There ARE no magic foods, so if potatoes help you to produce milk for your son, I hope you feel free to eat them now and then. you need 2500-3500 mg of potassium just for survival and this is the same on all three diets - dropping below that level is not only bad for you, it's dangerous and you can actually die from too little potassium.

4)You might want to try dropping the Femdophilus and seeing if it helps.

5)How much cran? I don't love people taking cran when BF, not convinced it's safe.

6)STOP TAKING SAW PALMETTO IMMEDIATELY. Not safe when BF.

7)I cannot stand lime tampon and I would love it if no one ever did it again. It can actually backfire with RepHresh because RepHresh is designed to keep everythign at pH of 4.5-5 so it will only raise the pH of the lime anyway.

8)Using the RepHresh more frequently around O is an option but I think it might reduce odds of pg. File that one away for a possibility.

9)Suggestions (aside from those above) are to be sure to use an antihistamine around ovulation to dry up your CM somewhat. Secondly, it's early yet and things can surprise you - you may not even go up much around O because whatever pH you're testing now, it's only what is happening in your VJ itself and has NOTHING to do with what is going on inside (I actually think you need to STOP testing and step away from the sticks until you O, because I can tell this is causing you some anxiety, and that is what you do NOT need because all the checking and experiments and thinking about it all the time is only going to raise your testosterone.) Finally, I do want you to know that several of us have had pH opposites and it may very well be the case that pH is not a make or break thing and that a lot of other things may be more important.

2)

[atomic sagebrush]

I had problems lowering my pH with diet, in the end I drank caffeine free diet coke, used aspartame and cranberry juice. That seemed to help a little, but I never got my pH into the 4 range. Was about 5.

5 is as low as I really think is optimal for EWCM anyway.

[babydust]

I tried not to obsess about pH but I did test with strips occasionally around ovulation. My pH was always at around a 5 (which I was perfectly happy with). I then discovered that using Rephresh every 3 days and a touch of Aci-jel every couple of days lowered my pH to a 4/4.5 (ie the strip was orange and not green!). It was the Rephresh/Aci-jel combo I decided to use for my sway.

I would say though that I'm not sure that my cm in itself changed - just that the Rephresh/Aci-jel combo was hanging around and that I was getting a low pH reading from that!

Awesome! Thats what I plan to do. Wasn't sure if u can use refresh and aci jel together. Do u have to wait or can use one after the other? Rep lens can also be used right after refresh right?

[zanacal]

I guess you could use Rephresh and Aci-jel/Replens right after the other but personally, as it keeps working for 3 days, I would use the Rephresh in advance of attempt and stick to the other (or Sylk) closer to DTD.