Trad Chinese Medicine for IVF and women over 35

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:44 pm

Thanks ya'll!!

I called and talked to my AP and he said that he didnt want to treat me for the next few weeks since my pulse is always so irratic it is hard for him to read what he can and cant do.
He did say to massage my feet real good and my legs to keep good circulation.

Have a nice day everyone!!

Rinnie · Post by **Rinnie** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:05 pm

WoW!! I've been away and I'm so happy to see this thread jumping

I was in Santa Barbara for a few days with DH...soooooo relaxing....amazing. Just went to TCM doc yesterday and he asked if I had felt ovulation & I said I hadn't been paying attention to any of that. It's been a nice break.

I asked him & he likes to continue AP once a week during pregnancy like MaineKnitter says...to help the lining.

Rainbowmoms Welcome! I have no idea what the herbs are, but they do switch a bit according wto where you are in the process. Right now I'm off the detox and back on the nourishing ones....and I brew them. I'm going up to Canada to visit my family for a 10 day vacation with DH, so I have a real stash to keep me going

When I go back to AP in 2 weeks, I'll find out exactly what they are.
They did have to adjust mine though and take out some roots, as I appeared to be overly sensitive to them. My Dr's book..."the tao of fertility" lays out his top 10 herbs for fertility...you should check it out. He had to readjust them and substitute some others for me.

kbat So sorry AF came! It looks like you're coming to terms with everything. There are some wonderful opportunities volunteering with children etc. that I've looked into. We're both over 40, so that's a huge roadblock, let alone 1 tube. Try staying on the herbs if you can afford it...they nourish the eggs & should help. Does your doctor have the ones you brew? I hear that they're much more potent than the pills & powder. I know it's so tough financially...you're in my thoughts!

JDC Hey, good to see you! I'm glad you're doing the TCM...it'll really help the quality and peace of mind

Keep us posted on what happens with your follow-up. Looks like we all may be going again around the same time.

So, I'll be taking a break from AP for 2 weeks on vacation, but still making my witches brew

Looking forward to grossing my family out.
I've been doing AP twice a week, so the break should be ok. We have a ton of things going on in Sept like weddings etc. when i was planning on stimming but I'm excited and looking forward to another journey.

Rin xo

bear · Post by **bear** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:19 pm

Riniie...... I know it was awhile ago that you posted about TCM but i have only just joined the forum and was interested in the post.

First off that is amazing that your FSH lowered. Great news.

I started some Herbs/Tea around 6weeks ago. Vile taste but you get use to them...and after awhile you don't notice the yucky flavour.

I was unaware of how soon we were going to start IVF...we were only informed 23June that we were going to start IVF tuesday 24June. I went to see a TCH Doctor and have been having some acupuncture. I told the TCH that i have been taking the Tea/Herbs and she said to carry on.....i had no idea it could cause a problem with the eggs...what should i do ???? Stop taking the tea ??? I have an appointment tomorrow for acupuncture and so i will ask the doctor about the tea/herbs again....as the last thing i want to do is take something that can harm the IVF. Oh gosh i feel so annoyed with myself....has anyone heard of any stories that herbs/tea have helped with IVF ???

kbat · Post by **kbat** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:11 pm

As for herbs during your cycle, I think I've heard mixed things about them. I've read on these boards that some do continue the herbs even while doing IVF. But then there are other schools of thought that say that you should stop b/c they can interfere w/ drug and/or be toxic to embryos. I think that western doctors get a little scared b/c when I mentioned it to my doctor, he said that they weren't toxic, but that he never did herbs w/ ivf treatment b/c the western docs didn't like it. I know my clinic told me not to do it, but I am sure that there's mixed reviews about it. I am sure Rinnie knows more because she's read up more on it.

Rinnie--I love Santa Barbara. I was there just a couple of years ago. I am a California girl--at age 12 moved to San Marino, CA--about 15 miles outside downtown L.A. over near Pasadena. Went back out there in '05 for my 20 year high school reunion. In Santa Barbara, we enjoy the restaurant The Wine Cask over there, but like other resturants too. I will continue taking the "pill" herbs--just recommended that I don't do acupuncture after next ovulation date sometime in mid July. I still don't have my next AF and I am anticipating right around the 4th. So, maybe it did work this time??? Still a shot. I will continue to pay attention to ovulation date until I run out of the sticks (probably another couple of months). they are expensive too, and I've done that route also--just no acupuncture or herbs back then. But I guess there's a point when you decide enough is enough.

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:39 pm

You know my AP kept giving me all kinds of herbs (well I shouldnt say "give" because I bought them) and after I got back to a computer and looked them up I never used any of them. It made me way to nervous. I have like 4 different bottles of stuff unopened. I dont know why I kept getting them knowing I wouldnt take them...duh!

Rinnie · Post by **Rinnie** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:34 am

Bear I took them right through IVF. Th only thing I noticed is I didn't need as much stim medication...I got the same number of follicles.
Like KBat said....lots of schools of thought on this but it may be because western docs don't understand.

Kbat I'm sorry, I thought you had just had AF..must have been the old post.
Maybe give the ovulation kit a try with the TCM. Or maybe it worked this time

all fingers and toes crossed !! I know, it feels like a science experiment. I love San Marino...so many gorgeous homes...I just have a hard time when it's smoggy there. I went to school for a bit in Pasadena.

Dakota I was scared at first too...but heard so many good things & friends pregnant with them so I jumped it. I do feel better since I started taking them. I'm so glad you got your BFP!!

Rin xo

kbat · Post by **kbat** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 12:52 pm

Yes, the smog is terrible--especially in the summer. They have ozone alert days here, but it's nothing like in L.A. --couldn't do much exercise on those really smoggy days. SM was a nice place to live for 10 years. Didn't go to college out there, even though the price was right. My sister went to high school in Pasadena.

Anyway, I have been doing ovulation tests and tcm since March. Hopefully, one of these days it will work and it'll be worth it. It is a little bit of an experiment, but since I couldn't pay for IVF out of pocket (and I am lucky--had 6 of them), I decided it would be worthwhile to see if this worked. Wasn't totally prepared to give up. And if does work, hopefully it help others!

Start to volunteer at hospital this Wed. I must admit I am a little nervous about it.

bear · Post by **bear** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:05 am

Thank you girls for your input into the Herbs. I think i'm going to carry on with them as i only have 4more days worth of herbs to take plus had a scan yesterday and the embryos are growing. I only have around 6 but thats more than i thought i would get....fingers crossed for the quality.
I'll let you know my outcome....

Rinnie · Post by **Rinnie** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:10 pm

Bear Glad they look good so far. How long have you been taking the herbs?
I can't believe you live in Dubai...how's that? Are they stricter with IVF because of the religion?

Rin xo

rainbowmoms · Post by **rainbowmoms** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:49 pm

Hi ladies, well good to see you back Rinnie and you too Kbat and all the other girls. Well i have been doing TCM and AP for this whole month now. and i feel great. just had an IUI on the 21st and lools like I ovulated on 22nd so I test on July 4th HPT and blood test on July 5th. We shall see. I did give my downpayment for IVF so I am scheduled for the beginning of November. If I keep doing the herbs and AP I should have really good eggs in November. Cant wait. So excited. I don't seem to be having any symptoms at 8dpo so i am not real hopeful this month. I did have 3 eggs size 15, 22, and 23 in the right ovary and doctor gave me HCG on the 20th. When you get an HCG trigger do you ovulate all the follicles?

kbat · Post by **kbat** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:41 am

Well looks like af is starting to show herself tonight (usually starts out on the light side then gets worse.) i have to say that I am not totally surprised since I have been pms-ing--wanting chocolate, having slight cramping today--actually thought I had it earlier.

I will continue acupuncture until my next ovulation date (probably around the 16 or 17), and then I will stop as per my ac dr. I knew that in the end this probably wouldn't really help, but I was hoping it would and figured that i would have nothing to lose. As much as I want a child, I have come to the conclusion that it's time to move on w/ my life.

Thanks for all the advice/support I received. Good luck to the rest of you.
Kara

Rinnie · Post by **Rinnie** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 4:35 am

Rainbowmoms I'm really glad you're feeling better with the TCM. I think I'm going to end up taking some kind of herbs for the rest of my life...I love it. I don't know much about IUI, but I'm assuming all three would be forced out. How are you doing?

Kbat I'm so sorry about AF. Just know that you're doing/have done everything you could. Sometimes it just wasn't meant to be. You know, even when you stop, you should have residual effects for awhile after so you never know. I'm saying a prayer!

Rin xo

kbat · Post by **kbat** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:05 pm

I had 3 IUI's before my 6 IVF's. I think it's kind of "more natural" in the sense that the sperm still has to find their way to the egg and fertilized on their own. As far as ovulating all the eggs, I am not sure how it's supposed to work. I would think if they are mature enough, in theory, they would all ovulate. But I think w/ IVF, not sure if all the mature eggs ovulate and then they just don't fertilize??? Maybe it's the same way w/ IUI.... Like I said, I had 3 of them and it was a while ago, so don't remember too much about those. The only thing w/ me doing those is that I don't remember if any and/or all were on the left side or right side. If any where on the left side, it would never work on that side b/c of my blocked tube. We all knew the left side was blocked, so I would have to imagine that at least a few were on the right side to have a potential to work. Good luck w/ that. I really hope it works out well for you. The procedure isn't too bad. It's a lot better than the IVF cycle==you don't have to take anything for it and you can go on your own if you don't have a ride.

As for me, I will just do acupuncture probably for a couple more weeks & then I will just take the herbs. I will continue to pay attention to the ovulation dates probably for a few more months--until I have gone through all my sticks. Then I will let mother nature do it's thing, whatever that may be. The only time I ever got pregnant, mother nature did it's thing. And while we weren't trying NOT to get pregnant (no bc), we weren't necessarily trying to get pregnant either--we just let whatever would happen, happen. Maybe that's what I need to do. I feel pretty confident that my "inside" is good--that's what the acupuncturist said and I believe him. He could continue to have me do it to make $$ even if it didn't work, but since he's not, then I trust what he says is right. I really do like the acupuncture though. I will definately miss it--for me it's so relaxing.

I'll talk to you all later

rainbowmoms · Post by **rainbowmoms** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:14 pm

Well ladies, I am out BFN. I am going to continue to do acupuncture and herbs until my IVF in November. I should have really good eggs in November with all the herbs and I am also going to try to lose some weight as well. I am 220 right now and want to get down to at least 170 or 180 if not more by November.

Rinnie, I still want to know what herbs you are taking. I love Santa Barbara and I really like Solvang all the little shops and their Danish is to die for.

Kbat, how are you doing?

and how are all the other girls, we need some BFPs on this thread. Lets do this girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kbat · Post by **kbat** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:15 pm

rainbowmoms--I am so sorry to hear about your bfn

. I think that if you continue w/ the acupuncture, it'll help w/ quality. Although there is no evidence it helps, I really and truly believe it does help.

I am going to keep track of the ovulation--should be sometime next week. Sadly, it's probably the end of my acup. as per my dr. I really like it and I've been so tired that I find it's so relaxing and I can just shut my eyes and take a little snooze.

Been watching the wildfires. I know that it's so hot out there right now. I remember seeing them up in the "mountains" and getting lots of ash, but it seems like this year it started a lot earlier. Hope everyone is doing ok out there.

Trad Chinese Medicine for IVF and women over 35

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