anyone doing chinese herbs???

[kbat]

I wanted to ask this because I just started to accupuncture, but was wondering if anyone tried herbs as well. I pretty much decided to do accu on my own based on some websites I visited and also from those people who have tried it. I did call my doc. office and the nurse said it would be o.k. to do this but not to do the herbs because it can hurt the embryos. I haven't even started doing my next cycle and probably won't do it until late oct or early Nov.

I was just curious since there seems to be some sights and people who just do accupuncture while others do herb in addition to accupuncture.

Thanks.

[2ndtimer]

Hi Kbat,
I did acupuncture last FET & highly recommend it. My MD told me I had to go, especially right before the transfer. It helps to calm you & your uterus. ( it also helped my back) I can't recommend the herbs though. I didn't take any & am a little suspicious of them.
I hope to hear from someone who has taken the chinese herbs. Are there any of you out there? How did it go?
2ndtimer

[michellexx]

hiya there are notices up in my clinic saying be very carefull with some chinese medications (herbs)as they av been found to have dangerous chemicals in accupunture ment to be great though

[Love]

Hi kbat,

I am also doing acupuncture along with my IVF .... I made sure to ask my RE before I did anything ... He recommended a acupuncturist to me and said it can be very beneficial (my acupuncturist specializes in fertility and has a high success rate) ... I will be doing a pre ET acupuncture treatment and a treatment also right after the ET

However, my RE also told me not to take any herbs (he said because they can affect your hormones)... I asked him about teas (pregnancy tea and green tea) ... he told me that teas would be fine with him

I would check with your RE before doing anything and get their opinion

I wish you all the best,

Hugs,
Love

[kellym]

Hi Kbat,

I too have done acupuncture but not chinese herbs. Just to let you know, my egg quality drastically improved after doing acupuncture. The quantity was about the same but the quality was so much better - went from have 2 to 3 good embryos out of 10 or 11 (3 attempts pre-acupuncture) to 8-10 good embryos out of 12.
I've just started my next round of IVF with ER sometime late next week. I am doing acupuncture and hoping that it gives me another 10-12 great eggs for good quality embryos!!
Kelly

[kbat]

Wow!! Thanks for everyone's response. They were what I thought they would be--pretty much stay away from the herbs. I kind of was doubtful as to whether they would help and I've heard that they can actually do more harm than good & that they could be toxic to embryos. But at one point, I did think that I saw a few people post out there on this MB who have tried doing both (although not sure) and was just curious about it.

I had my 2nd accu. yesterday. I will go 2 X a week. I wish my clinic was better w/ encouraging the accupuncture--but they say it can't hurt but won't advocate it. I guess they are worried that people will come back and say to them that they spent all the money on accup. and it still didn't help. But from what I've read about on the internet on this board, it does really sound like it helps. I do find it very relaxing and wouldn't even mind going to sleep. I do feel a little calmer right afterwards.

Thanks again for the info!!!

[steff]

I have done accupuncuture and tried a chinese herb. I called my Dr. first and got the OK for both. The herb that the accupuncturist put me on was one that helped the embrioes stay put. I just got my results from the test and so far so good... so I am in support of y090 OR Yu Lin Fang from Treasures of the East...

[unexplained infertility]

Kbat,

I did herbs and they are ok before you start your IVF cycle not during as they can mess up your hormones. They are very beneficial to balance your hormones before the IVF cycle starts. I could acctually see the difference. But during the cycle, when you take all other hormones, it is better to put the herbs away.
The doctors are pretty reluctant when it comes to Eastern medicine but I know personally a person whom Western doctors didnt give a chance to walk and he is walking now. I read about some ladies on this forum whom the herbs and accupunture helped and they got pregnant naturally.
In my case, I was doing accu and herbs for 3 mos and got BFN on my last IVF. I decided to follow this path till my next try.

Good luck, Kbat! I keep my fingers crossed!

[wannabeamomma]

Hello,
I am set to start my stims on 10/18. I have been doing acu and herbs for 6 months. I will have to say that I did see a change in my cycle....but for the better. I noticed more cm and more regularity. My acu works with my Re so she understands the science part of it. My Re said I could take herbs up to the point when meds start. So as soon as I started the bcp no more herbs just acu. I don't know how my egg quality etc. will be until retrieval tenataivaly set for 10/29. My quality was terrible the last time so I can't wait to see what a differnce the herbs and acu made. My recommandation is that you work with your Re and determine what is best for you. Also be very careful that you find an acu that specializes in fertilty and is reputable. I hope you find the answers you are looking for.

[kbat]

thanks for the info. I am in the process of deciding whether or not to stay w/ my RE. Some clinics and RE seem to really promote the accup. while others don't. Sometimes I wonder if when i call the nurses, if they even go through the RE. They have a person's card for accup., but then they don't advocate it. I was told however it wouldn't hurt anything to do the accup. but that's not the reason for staying w/ my clinic. I've had some fustrating experiences w/ the 2 clinics I've been at, and haven't been totatly satisified w/ the current clinic and don't want to waste the one or two more shots I have doing IVF on a place I am not satisfied w/ on a lot of different level