# starting acupuncture



## spudlin (Nov 12, 2012)

After some consideration and advice from a friend I have decided to try some acupuncture  

My friend said her sister in law was struggling to conceive so gave it a go and she felt it worked for her. I know everyone is different but I figure in for a penny in for a pound  

I found a local therapist who specialises in fertility and have my first session tomorrow evening  

Has anyone got any acupuncture stories to share, so I can compare my experience.

Thanks guys   ^reiki


----------



## pumpkin34 (Feb 25, 2012)

Hi Spudlin,

I'm pregnant following acupuncture and would totally recommend it.  I was also taking Clomid so can't say for sure what did it for me but as that was my 6th and final go on Clomid and only my 2nd month of weekly acupuncture sessions I like to think it was the acupuncture as I understand it's a bit unusual for Clomid to work after that many goes.

My acupuncturist is Chinese and practices traditional chinese medicine which for me was acupuncture combined with herbs to help with imbalances.  His knowledge was amazing and he told me I was pregnant within a week of conceiving just by feeling my pulse (too early even for a test at this point)!  I would recommend this type of treatment over ordinary acupuncture but don't be put off if yours is different because I am of course biased!

Best of luck.

Pumpkin
x


----------



## moo84 (Oct 14, 2011)

Hi Spudlin,

I had 3 rounds of clomid last year which I didn't respond to. I started Metformin in November and should be restarting the clomid in a week or so (i finish my norethisterone on Monday). I decided that acupuncture couldn't do any harm and may well do a lot of good so I went for my first session last Monday and have the next one this Monday coming. I have managed to find an acupuncturist locally who is affiliate with the Zita West network. She was really lovely, and gave me lots of advice regarding diet as well as doing the acupuncture.

How did your first session go?

Take care  xx


----------



## spudlin (Nov 12, 2012)

Hi moo,

1st session is tomorrow now as therapist had to rearrange  

Quite looking forward to it  

What did you wear? She said loose clothing, but I'm still not sure  

I spoke with her over the phone and told her why I wanted acupuncture and she said she is trained in fertility acupuncture, so feel good about that. I did try to find one from the zita west network, however the nearest one to me was a dead number when I rang  

I'll update tomorrow when I've been


----------



## moo84 (Oct 14, 2011)

I stayed dressed ( wore trousers with a long top)  through my session, just had to pull my top up so she could get to my tummy, most of the needles were in my wrists and feet/ ankles, with 2 in my tummy, one high up and one low down. I suspect different acupuncturists use different places tho!
Good luck tmrw xx


----------



## Lisymb (Jul 27, 2011)

spudlin -
I too had accupunture to help my with my clomid.  I started going before being put on clomid, whilst i waited for my fertility appointment.  I saw my accuunturist twice a month, just after my period and then mid cycle.  Depending on what side of the cycle i was on would depend where the needles went, but mostly in my feet, ankles and lower leg, sometimes on the mid cycle visit id get them in my stomach.  I used to get away with just wearing leggings and rolling them up or lowering them for my tum!

My treatment started off just trying to regulate my cycle, reduce my period length and encourage me to ovulate.  A good accupunturist shoudl sit you down and ask lots of questions first about your cycle, your period, pains, side effects, your diet and lots of other random things, but it all means stuff to them! 

Although my cycles were annovulatory, he managed to reduce my bleeding from 10 days to just 5-6 and they were a lot less painful and a lot less clots(sorry TMI).  Then when i started the clomid he changed his tact a bit and started with the tummy needles.... i beleive his needles did the trick and helped me to get pregnant!

My friend who also visits him was diagnosed with fibroids which she was told is the reason she cannot get pregnant.  She recently went for lap and dye and ovarian drilling too.... afterwards she was told that although she still had PCOS her fibriods had completely gone.... she puts this down to accupunture!! 

There a lot to be said for those little needles! good luck with it xx


----------



## spudlin (Nov 12, 2012)

Lisy thanks for your positive feedback. I am very open to alternative treatment, I have had acu before when I slipped a disc, also my friend is a reiki master.

I had my first session at 2pm today and the therapist was lovely. Like you said she took a thorough history and checked my tongue and pulses. She feels I have prob with kidneys which affects the reproductive system. She also said that I was cold there and she needs to sort that out, which she didn't seem overly phased about so it hasn't worried me  

She lay me on my front and I had needles around my kidney area, ankles, calves higher up either side of my spine and one at the back of my head.

She also put a heat lamp over my lower back and then when she removed the needles she did some other 'healing' with her hands, which felt almost like a vibration, at first I thought it was something electrical, but I asked her and it was just her hands.

She also gave me some chinese herbs, which I've heard mixed reviews about, but these are tablets not something you have to mix with water and drink  

She also advised me to avoid cold things, especially anything directly from the fridge and cold drinks should be avoided or at room temp. She also advised me to try and keep my lower back/kidney area warm, and to eat liver   which is fine with me but OH not so keen lol.

Overall I felt she was really thorough and I felt confident in her care. She wants to see me weekly for the 1st month, which I feel is not excessive. Then she will reassess and probably reduce it down.

I ended up wearing a long skirt with a loose top and she was able to access all areas so to speak lol


----------



## Lisymb (Jul 27, 2011)

Sounds positive... i always find it amazing to know how they can tell so much about you just from touch and a few needles!

I always used to find the needles on my right hand side hurt more than those on the left and it turned out my right ovary had a lot more cysts on it than the left, which my accupunturist said was the reason.  Something to do with blockages in the blood flow??

Something i was advised to do was to have a hot water bottle on my tummy leading up to ovulation, as chinese medicine says that a warm womb is a happy womb.  It increases the blood flow to the area.  But was told not to use after ovulation incase of overheating! 
Fingers crossed it works out for you..... i love a good alternative therapy story xx


----------



## Alvy (Jan 14, 2013)

I been thinking about this too, because I had some positive experiences with other health issues that got fixed also with the help of alternative medicine. I am just wondering how often one needs to go to this and if it is painful. Because those needles, well


----------



## Lisymb (Jul 27, 2011)

Alvy- I went twice a month either side of my period and around ovulation time it doesnt hurt, the needle gets flicked in so imagine someone flicking your skin with their finger, its a little like that.  You sometimes get a warm/cold sensation when the needles in or can feel something in the area but its definitely not painful!!I regular fell asleep on the couch!! x i used to pay around £40 a session, each accupunturist is different and will recommend different things though x


----------



## Alvy (Jan 14, 2013)

Well that doesnt sound too bad then, not that I am not willing to undergo some pain for things to work, but of course as least as possible


----------



## spudlin (Nov 12, 2012)

Alvy, mine wants to see me weekly initially for the first month then reassess. 

Lisy, unfortunately I haven't been having periods so can't really plan sessions around anything. she knows I am taking clomid and seems very fertility friendly, she is part of the North West network for acu for fertility  

I've got my 2nd session tomorrow. Really looking forward to it


----------



## moo84 (Oct 14, 2011)

Hi all, I had my second session of acupuncture yesterday, so far so good!!
Alvy, I would say don't be worried about the pain side of things; the needles they use are really really tiny, and I find that in the more sensitive areas, eg. around wrist crease I feel it being put in, but wouldn't descibe it as hurting, but after that I wouldn't be able to tell you where they are!!

Cost-wise, my acupuncturist charges £60 for the first session and £38 thereafter. She is wanting to see me weekly for the frist month but said that then she will probably reduce it to fortnightly and maybe only monthly a bit further down the line. To be honest, if it helps I'd go as often as she likes!!

The assessment session was nearly 2 hours for me, and I don't think there is any aspect of my life to date that she doesn't know about - truly holistic!! lol but I found that very reassuring, I although I was a little concerned by just how long she was examining and drawing pictures of my tongue!! - apparently it tells a lot about you, I must be more careful who I stick mine out at   lol

Good luck with it if you decide to book some sessions xx

Spudlin, I hope your 2nd session goes well , I'll be joining you on the Clomid thread soon!!

xx


----------



## Alvy (Jan 14, 2013)

Thanks for your replies  I am now in my 2WW and will look into it after I know the outcome of this round, its my last Clomid round. Also because theres some other tests they wanna run if this time fails, so I figure I can then arrange all this at the same moment so the preparation for the next phase is optimal. I like the holistic approach. My homeopath did that too, a really long session with lots of questions about all sorts of things. But that was for another health issue than this. Seems also the prices of treatment are nearly the same here and there in the UK.


----------



## spudlin (Nov 12, 2012)

I've just had my second session of acupuncture and she was very please with how my tongue looked today lol, it does make me smile when they can see all this on your tongue. Anyway she is pleased with how I have responded and has now changed my herbal tabs to ones called nuan gong yun zi wan, which when I googled means, warm uterus and conception pills

Also I am delaying the next round as OH is working away on and off until the end of April, so rather than stressing about timings etc we have decided to wait until his job is finished and he's home properly. This will also give me chance to relax and continue acupuncture and also I see the consultant again in Feb so hoping for the HSG.

That is unless I miraculously get a BFP but not holding my breath 

Read more: http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=268952.2700#ixzz2IAyGItZx


----------

