Acupuncture ????

[KarenSmiff]

Hi everyone

Just want to be nosey with everyones views re: acupuncture. I was very interested to read a lot of positive stories about people who have fallen pregnant whilst having it.

I have just made the initial step and telephoned a local registered acupuncturist. She was really nice, said she had treated a few women who had fallen pregnant afterwards. She explained that she would have preferred to have seen me once a week for 3 months before treatment, then during. Well, here I am, 4 weeks before i start on a short protocol. She asked whether I would be able to put it on hold for a month, so that she could concentrate on my cycle. God! I dont know what to do. 1) Its been nearly 5 months since my last trtmnt and I am desparate to start and 2) never realised it could be soo expensive !!! Why doesnt anything run smoothly for me

Any views would be appreciated. (I also need something to chill me out, guess the acupunct. does this aswell)

Good luck all.
Karenxx

[jane]

Hi Karen,
I had my first consultation with a Chinese Doctor last Friday, and signed up for acupuncture and chinese herbs there and then (also because I had heard all the positive talk about it on here). They didn't tell me that it takes a while to start to work (but did read on here yesterday that it can take up to 6 months).
Well I can't afford to keep it up for long. 7 weeks herbs and 7 weeks acupuncture costs £400.00
If all goes well I am having ec on 25th Feb, so like you have only got 4 weeks.
But it makes me feel like I am doing as much as I can, but as I said I wont be able to carry it on for any longer.
Well, good luck and I will check the posts to see what others say.
From Sophie Jane.

[KarenSmiff]

Thanks Jane

I was expecting the lady to ask me to go every other week or so, so say 3 or 4 times, not once a week. I wonder whether I will have to fork out for loadsa herbs also???????? I'll have to get me self a saturday job aswell!

Bye for now
karenx

[Traci]

Im going for my second acupuncture tomorrow and she is going to give me some herbs hopefully , but yes it does cost alot dosent it .


Trace x

[alypraying]

Hi all
I'm seeing a Chinese Doc and having accupuncture and I love it! although not the herbs!!. My Doc charges £200 for 10 sessions of accupuncture and the herbs are £5 a bag.
I'm going to keep with the accupuncture but may not stick with the herbs!
I'm having IUI so i'll let you know how I get on
Take care and big hugs
Aly
xx

[jackiey]

Hiya
Just thought i'd tell you about my experience with chinese herbs, i have been trying for nearly 5 years now and have had two iuis which have been unsuccessful, i also got pg naturally in sept last year but the day after getting a positve i started bleeding and things just went from bad to worse and did a further test a few days later and it was negative, at the moment i am struggling to go back for treatment i think more because of dealing with failing but that's another story, anyway i have never had a 28 day cycle since i came off the pill 5 years ago it is generally always about 38 days sometimes a little bit less and then about once every year i'll have a 28 day cycle and then go back to anything from 34 days to 38 days, i went to Dr & Herbs which is a chinese medicine store i had heard some good reports about them so thought i would give it a try, the 1st time i went they told me i had bad circulation so my womb was cold and my kidneys were weak, and that is why when i did get pregnant there was no nourishment in the womb so there was nothing for the baby to cling to (or something like that) they prescribed accupunture, chinese tea and tablets, i nearly died when they told me how much it was it was £175 for two weeks tea and tablets, the tea was absolute gross and i had to have a sip of tea and then eat a chocolate to take the taste away, that was my excuse anyway i then had to go back after two weeks and i was told it could take anything between three and 6 months to sort out and they would tell me when was the best time to try for a baby i was really upset because there was no way i could afford to carry on so i stopped the accupunture and bought the tea in bulk, for eg pd for 5 wks got 1 free, anyway to get to the point i am now on course for my 3rd regular 28/29 day cycles when i went on monday to see them she told me it will only take 6 more weeks and then my tmt should be finished and i could try for a baby, which all in all has taken 3and half months to get my cyle sorted(my first 28 day cycle was my usual one off) how it works i just don't know, but if nothing else it has sorted my cycle out which is a good thing, i also used to get really bad mouth ulcers at the time of ovulation and i haven't had any since having my lovely tea!!!

I hope i havent bored too many people with my in depth tale, i do go on a bit don't i

hope this info has helped
Jackie

[caz1]

Just to say I did the chinese tea thing too - last year - and for first time ever af's were regular 28 days.
However I didnt get pg with ICSI - so in rebellion stopped taking the teas - sure enough, af's are a irregular again.

I suppose I really should bite the bullet and get back into it. YUK tho!

Cheers
Cazx

[MichelleA]

Hi All
I am one of the very lucky ones and I am 7 weeks pg today. I have been doing accupuncture once a week for about the past 5 months and I am absolutely confident that it has really helped. Not only can they work to make the lining of the womb more receptive, get the blood flowing and general well being, but it really help me to deal with all the emotional stress of not being able to conceive naturally and 2 previous failed IVF tmts.
I never actually went down the chinese herbs route (which I'm not sad about considering how horrible they taste apparently!).
On the day before e/t I had the needles in for about 20 minutes, and about 3 hours after e/t I had them again.
I see the most wonderful girl and I really think that this is key.
Loads of luck to you all.
Love, Michelle xxxx

[Dawn Blake]

Hello Everyone!

I too am a big fan of acupuncture and herbs. I have a number of failed IVF's under my belt, and this last one I went for it big time. Acupunture for a few months (every other week) together with herbs, in both tea and tablet form (far more palatable I can tell you!). I found treatments really relaxing, especially the moxibustion (smells like weed!), and always came away feeling fab.

Anyway, after all that, I am now 36 weeks pregnant, for the first time ever, and swear the acu helped. We had a bit of a scare initially (7-10 weeks) with spotting, so off I went back to Dr Zhu, and he gave me some other tea to help keep the baby safe - it obviously worked!

If anyone is in the Bromley/Beckenham area, Dr Zhu has treatment centres in both High Streets and is the lovliest man ever. I found him on this site, a lovely girl called Alison recommended him to me, and I can't thank her enough.

Whatever you decide good luck!

D x

[Mel R]

Hi Everyone

I have just started sniffing for my first IVF and have been having accupuncture for the past month.

When I asked my doctor about continuing with the accupuncture during the ivf treatment I was told that it was ok during the sniffing time but not really to do it once I started injections.

I would really like to hear what everyone else did during their ivf cycles as I was planning on carrying on up until the day before ET, but now not sure. Also what do the herbs do as I haven't had those?

Thanks
Mel

[jane]

I've been doing acupunctire for last 4 weeks. I spoke to the clinic today about it and the nurse advised me not to do it after et. Maybe because they are strictly following the medical model and cannot see the benefits of alternative medicines. It is such a mind blowing thing - I am so nervous about doing something wrong as well. But you then hear the other stories above and it seems like acupuncture should be done after et.
So I can't help. Its all a mess.
Now even more confused.
From Sophie-Jane

[Mel R]

Thanks for your reply Sophie Jane, I know there are so many conflicting stories and like you I am stressing about doing anything wrong. I even got myself in a state about not doing the sniffing right - and how simple is that!!

I think I'll continue with acupuncture for the moment as AF was late which delayed me starting my sniffing and after 2 visits to the acpuncturist and a some herbal tablets AF came on Monday which meant I could start sniffing. Anyway I've stopped taking these tablets and just wondered what ones everyone else is now taking on the run up to EC?

Really sorry if I've confused you even more.

Good luck with your treatment
Mel

[Dawn Blake]

It's always difficult to know what to do for the best, so just go with your gut feeling.

I had acu and herbs (they cleanse the liver - very important in fertility and ripen the uterus so it is warm and welcoming!) right up until ET, in fact the morning of, and then nothing since, apart from for back ache, but that's a different kettle of fish altogether!

Again, good luck!

D x

[Lotti]

HI Everyone!

This is so inspiring!!! I have had 1 ICSI attempt in October 2003, which failed, and a FET in Jan 2004, again no luck.

I have been reading up on reflexology and acupuncture, and decided to try acupuncture before my next EC which is scheduled for 1 June.

I also went to a Chinese Doc (in Gateshead Metro Centre, where I live). He has recommended 26 sessions of acupuncture (££ - ouch!!) and herbal brews and pills (I must rattle as I take 48 per day). He said my blood flow was weak, and my chi was unbalanced (!) which all relates to fertility problems.

I had my first session last week, was nervous as had never done this kind of thing before, but there was no pain, I just felt amazingly relaxed.

The herbal brews are another thing - arn't they! So glad I am not alone in drinking this puke stuff. I have the drink ready, along with a warm cup of hot water, so I gulp as much of the stuff down as I can, then as much water, and so on.

I am having one session a week, (sessions cost £25.00 each) and the brew is £5 a day - so nope, definately not cheap. I may just stick with acupuncture when I go back next Thursday, as it is costing too much........ but then you think, but should I keep at it, no matter what the cost.

It's great to here that some pregnancies have ocurred through possibly having acupuncture - makes me feel hopeful once again.

[kiran]

helo everyone, just to add my two bits worth, i have had a failed ICSI as well as a failed FET so before i start my next cycle which should be april time, i have started acupuncture and for some reason, having had it done, hardly any pain, feel alot more relaxed. the way i look at it, it seems to support the whole IVF cycle plus help you cope with your emotions and ensure your body is a welcoming place for a baby, i am definitely keeping it throughout the whoe treatment especially since when paying for the IVF itself, the cost of another 400 pounds or so doesn't really make any difference if the end result is what we are all after.
on top of that you hear all the positive stories on this site!!!
ood luck heres hoping to lots of more positive outcomes !