Acupuncture & IVF

Sita · Post by **Sita** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:49 pm

Hi Girls,

I have heard that acupuncture works well with IVF cycles. Does this actually work with the stimulating drugs and help to form more follicles ? I am starting my 2nd IVF cycle in April and am hoping to start my acupuncture sessions from next week.

I will appreciate any views on this. Thanks in advance and good luck to all you girls.

Love,
Sita

sleepyfoy · Post by **sleepyfoy** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:12 pm

Hi Sita!

I had acupuncture done with my second cycle of IVF. Actually, my first IVF failed and we did a FET a month and 1/2 later- so acupuncture with that. She said that it would increase the blood flow to my uterus- It did! My period went from brown to bright red. Just ask your acupuncturist what their plan is. Good luck!!

Jodi

Sita · Post by **Sita** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:22 pm

Hi Jodi,

Thank you for your reply. I wish you all the best for the future. How did you FET go ?

It is reassuring to know that acupunture helped you. The acupunture clinic suggested that I have sessions before the the first injections, right through the whole IVF cycle until embryo transfer and results.

Do you know if this is correct ? At my last cycle I produced 5 follicles and there were 2 good quality embryos which were transfered but I did not get pregnant. I also did not have any embryos left to freeze.

The consultant has told me that I am going to be on a higher dosage this time. Hopefully the acupuncture should help.

Did you go once a week for acupunture ?

Wishing loads of good luck !!
Sita

JayfromQld · Post by **JayfromQld** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:04 pm

I am pregnant with twins, and i had Acupunture once a week while i was cycling, then the day before egg retrival and then as soon after egg transfer as possible, which was the next morning. Then nothing until my test date.

Good luck

I really think Acupunture helped me.

Jaymee

Jen1d · Post by **Jen1d** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:25 pm

Hi girls

I am also having acup once a week but don't feel any difference.

However after reading what Jodi said it's true my AF also was bright red last week. I didn't put it down to the acup but that is abviously what it is, thanks Jodi

Hopefully it is helping inside and sorting my uterus out before my embies return home. Am stimming at the moment and due for ER and ET around the 27th March.

Jaymee - My acup lady advised me to stop when the embies are put back in. It's interesting to hear you continued straight after the next day. Do you feel this helped?

Good luck Sita, give it a try

Love Jen x

032323 · Post by **032323** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:34 pm

032323 · Post by **032323** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:41 pm

HI

IM GLAD TO SEE A THREAD HAS BEEN STARTED FOR ACUPUNCTURE AS WHILST I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL THE OTHER DAY ONE OF THE NURSES RECOMMENDED IT TO HELP WITH EGG QUALITY AND SPERM QUALITY.
SO DH AND ME ARE TAKING OURSELVES TO A PRACTICE ON MONDAY, AND GOING WEEKLY THROUGHOUT OUR NEXT CYCLE WHICH WE SHALL BE STARTING NEXT MONTH.

I REALLY HOPE IT HELPS US ALL TO GET A LONG AWAITED BFP THIS TIME!!

CAZx

LucyC · Post by **LucyC** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 12:19 am

Hi ladies,
I too have had accupuncture this time for FET, my acc.lady advised me once a week up til stimms and then stop until day 7 of embryo development. But I know different ones give different advise. What type of accupuncture have you girls had? Just the front or front and back? This is an interesting thread, am looking forward to seeing other points of veiws! PS.(I aggree, have made AF look much healthier since!)
Love LucyC x x

tinaviju · Post by **tinaviju** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:52 am

Hi Sita,
I bboked my first accupuncture consiltaion onMonday.I don't even know if it s agood clinic.Just trying it anyway as it is close.I will let you know how it goes.ake Care,Tina

Tracii · Post by **Tracii** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 6:57 am

I had acu starting from the time of my first neg IVF. It definitely helps blood flow to the uterus..which heps quantity and quality. I didn't do so great on quantity..only 2 eggs retrieved, 1 fertilized, ..but the fertilized egg made it to blasto and I am now pregnant.

I went 1 time per week up until egg retrieval and then about the time the little guy was implanting. To be honest I don't think I would have gotten pregnant without acu...I had some very serious issues - explained only by chinese medicine...and the first time I went to her she wasn't surprised I couldn't get pregnant.

Sita · Post by **Sita** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 12:37 pm

Hi Girls,

Thank you so much for your contributions.

It is great to hear that Acupuncture has helped so many of you. I am now looking forward to this. I checked with my hosiptal yesterday and the nurse said that it has helped many girls before and it is safe to start the treatment along side the IVF cycle. She however mentioned that it has never been medically proven but in most cases it seems to help the IVF cycle. The acupuncturist told me that there will not be any oral medication i.e. tablets etc. That was also good to hear because I do not want to confuse my body with any oral tablets whilst taking the IVF medication.

I just wanted to know if any of you have Polycystic ovaries /PCOS ? As PCOS causes irregular periods, I was made to understand that acupuncture makes the period regular as well as healthy. Is this true ?

As I have never been to a session before, I will also appreciate your advise about where they prick the needles. Do they prick them in front on the stomach or at the back ? What works best ?

Will love to hear your views.

Wishing you Good luck and PMA

Love,
Sita

LucyC · Post by **LucyC** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:04 pm

Hi sita, so far I have only had it done on my front, ( a couple on ankles, a couple on legs and about 3 or 4 on abdomen which have been warmed with a herb as my acc. lady explained that the chinese believe that an embryo will grow better if the womb is warm and it will help prepare the womb for implantation). She also advised me to keep my abdomen warm before transfer using a hot water bottle but not to use it after transfer but to still keep abdomen warm with clothing.
As far as I know she is only doing accupuncture on my back after transfer to replenish the kidneys, liver and spleen as she says these are all important during the 2ww. Hope this helps but alot of accupuncturists give slightly different advise depending on your circumstances and conditions , also what ivf treatment you're having ( cos i'm having FET this time i don't need help with growing folicles or anything like that ) but i know some women have it all the way through an ivf cycle.
Love LucyC x x

Laura M · Post by **Laura M** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 7:11 pm

Hi there,
I had acupuncture and I really liked it.
On my previous ivf's i suffered a lot with headaches and hot flushes but this time, nothing!
I don't know about improving quality of the eggs as I had one embie from age 34 and one from age 39 put in and I don't know which one is the baby now. But aparently the age 39 blasto was almost hatching. But I think it really helped with the uterus. I also had minimum discomfort from egg retrieval and had a very quick recovery, maybe a little disconfort for one or two days.
My last session was just before egg transfer and my doctor , an older chinese lady, didn't do any more.
It is very gentle but effective. I had about 8 sessions all together.
Good luck and wishing you all a BFP.
Love
Laura

JayfromQld · Post by **JayfromQld** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:34 pm

Jen1d

I just had one Acupunture session after my ET, and then nothing until after my positive. I have read and heard from others that the most important 2 sessions is the one as close as possible prior to the egg collection and the one as close as possible after the egg transfer.

Just wanted to clear this up incase you gys thought i had Acup. thru out my 2ww.

All the best
Jaymee

Sita · Post by **Sita** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 12:02 pm

Hi Girls,

Thank you so much for your response. I am now more confident that ever.

Lucy, I am going for a full IVF cycle with the 5 week injections and stimulating drugs etc. When I had my first attempt, my consultant did not want to put me on a very high dosage of stimulants as I have polycystic ovaries and there is a risk of hyper-stimulation. As a result of the 1st cycle, I had 5 follicles of which there were only two good qulaity embryos. Both were put back in but did not grow. I did not have any embryos left to freeze.

This time my consultant has suggested that I go on a highter dosage of stimulants. I am really hoping that the acupuncture will help with the whole process.

Jaymee, it is interesting that you had a session just after ET. I will also ask my acupunturist whether he plans to do this.

I hear that acupunture also helps you to relax in addition to preparing the uterus to conceive. Did you feel more relaxed after having acupuncture ?

Will love to hear your views.

Wishing loads of Good luck..

Love,
Sita.

Acupuncture & IVF

Acupuncture & IVF

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