Hi
I am just about to start my first IVF attempt, and am getting my injection to down regulate on 24th. I have been getting accupuncture and was just about to start taking a homeopathic remedy. Has anyone tried this and if so is it safe/work. I have just read the thread on chinese herbs and I am feeling a bit uneasy about it now.
Thanks
Jo
Homeopathy
Hi Jo
I haven't used homeopathy in relation to IVF, though I have tried it for other things. I've found that it sometimes has quite an impact on an emotional level and you may find that you feel worse before you feel better, if you see what I mean, though any negative stuff is generally fairly shortlived.
As far as safety is concerned, I think it would be ok. It's different from Chinese herbal medicine. Chinese herbs contain all kinds of chemical compounds which conventional medicine understands - they might disagree about whether they could possibly have the effect that a Chinese herbalist says they can have but they can look at this stuff and know what it is. Which is why they tend to discourage you from taking it because they don't know how it might interfere with the IVF drugs.
Homeopathy, on the other hand, works on completely different principles - they take a known compound and then dilute it so much that basically it isn't there any more. A homeopath would say that you are taking the "essence" of the thing, a conventional doctor would say you are taking a sugar tablet. I don't really understand how homeopathy works but I'm not totally sceptical about it. But it shouldn't interfere with conventional drugs as it just works in a different way. Hope that makes sense!
Caroline
I haven't used homeopathy in relation to IVF, though I have tried it for other things. I've found that it sometimes has quite an impact on an emotional level and you may find that you feel worse before you feel better, if you see what I mean, though any negative stuff is generally fairly shortlived.
As far as safety is concerned, I think it would be ok. It's different from Chinese herbal medicine. Chinese herbs contain all kinds of chemical compounds which conventional medicine understands - they might disagree about whether they could possibly have the effect that a Chinese herbalist says they can have but they can look at this stuff and know what it is. Which is why they tend to discourage you from taking it because they don't know how it might interfere with the IVF drugs.
Homeopathy, on the other hand, works on completely different principles - they take a known compound and then dilute it so much that basically it isn't there any more. A homeopath would say that you are taking the "essence" of the thing, a conventional doctor would say you are taking a sugar tablet. I don't really understand how homeopathy works but I'm not totally sceptical about it. But it shouldn't interfere with conventional drugs as it just works in a different way. Hope that makes sense!
Caroline
me - 44, DH - 48
2002 ectopic (natural conception)
2004 1st IVF cancelled following brain seizure
2005 June/July 2nd IVF - negative
2005 Nov FET - postponed cos my Mum died
2006 - Feb FET planned, but neither frostie survived the thaw.
2002 ectopic (natural conception)
2004 1st IVF cancelled following brain seizure
2005 June/July 2nd IVF - negative
2005 Nov FET - postponed cos my Mum died
2006 - Feb FET planned, but neither frostie survived the thaw.