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Accupuncture?

Hi girls

We've been ttc for 20 months and have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility. We're due to be referred for IUI and IVF this month and we want to do all we can to help with ttc naturally and with treatment.

I was just wondering if people have used acupuncture and if so how you found your acupuncturist (is there a list or a particularly society or body they should belong to?) and did it help at all?

Thanks

x

P.S. I asked my friend how she found her acupuncturist (she had acupuncture when she was pregnant) and she said 'a bit scary, quite small, I think she was German'. Not sure she quite understood what I was asking! :lol:

Replies

  • I actually looked into this also. The girls that childminds my wee boy had a friend who was having no luck so she went to see one and was pregnant in 2 months. My childminder goes herself for general back problems and finds them very good.

    I rang round a few and a lot of the thereapies compliment people who are going through IUI and IVF treatment. I read on a few sites that studies have been carried out to show that twice as many people get pregnant when being treated fro IVF if they are getting accp. As yet there is no scientific link but many doctros do prescribe and recomend it - they aren;t sure if it stimulates the reproductive system or helps to relax you at a very stressful time.

    When I phoned up the place I contacted advised it would be about ??35 per session and on some of the sites I seen special deals for those undergoing fertility treatment? It's something I'm still considering. I'm still sort of at denial stage about needing help and hoping I'll get there on my own before I have to go to hos which is why I haven't followed up on this. Silly I know!!!!!

    Look up yell.com on th eweb and type it in for your area and then phone around a few. I spoke to 3 different clinics and they were all very helpful.


    xx
  • Hi Daisy Girl

    I too am going to try acupuncture if I don't get my BFP this month (it will have been 15months ttc by then).

    I actually hate needles but I am told you can't really feel them so I looked into it on the internet and there are a couple of acupunturists who specialise in infertility and have had excellent results with ladies who have been ttc for a year and over and ladies over 35 (I'm 36). I live in Hove (Brighton) which is a mecca for alternative medicine so I had a choice of lots of practices so was able to go for one that specialised in fertility. I have found lots of testimonials and read up about it quite a bit on the internet, in the library and in health food shops.

    It cost ??60 for an hour but I'm going to stop all this POAS which is costing a fortune and hopefully that will pay for the sessions (a bit).

    Will be interesting to see how we both get on. When are you thinking of starting with the acupuncture?

    Smiley x
  • hey hun,

    I had accuputure 0 about a year ago to get my periods back - if you remember I've got PCOS. I would personally say save your money!

    I had a nice chinese doc - the needles didn't hurt. But they always tried to seel me sessions in advance and the chinese medicene wasn't cheap either! I felt pressured there by them. But I'm sure it works for some people.

    I would recommend reflexology! The woman who did that could tell me so much - like whihc side I was ovualting from and when the lining of my uterus was thick etc - amazing really! I only stopped because I start private medical care and needed to stop that to pay for the private gyane.

    I hope I don't sound too negative about the accupuntre - I'm sure you'd be able to find a nice one - just don't take and sh!t...lol!!! I found my reflexologist by entering reflexologist into google and it gave me an assoication of reflexology and I found one in my area so I knew she was registered.

    I hope you have success with you IUI - I think relaxing would be the best thing hun. I have found a good full body massage at time of ov helps the most!

    I was more relaxed the time I got my BFP than any other - think I was in a I don't care mood that month...lol!!!!

    Take care hun - hope I've helped a little

    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXx
  • Ooooh MWB, that's got me thinking now! I'd also considered reflexology. Years ago I had some fairly grotty kidney problems and around that time went for a pedicure. I hadn't spoken a word to the therapist but as she was massaging my feet she asked if I'd had any kidney issues. I was so surprised since I'd never given much credence to alternative therapies and it really did change my views. Maybe reflexology is the way to go then?! Has anyone else got any experience of either?

    Moonbeam - do you think you'll go ahead with acupuncture? I know just what you mean about the denial stage, though now we're facing treatment I'm willing to throw everything at it! Had abdominal massage a couple of months ago. No results so far but I have some home treatments to do, so we'll see!

    Smileychops - another 36 year old image) I'd heard of excellent results for acupuncture too, but I too am a little dubious about the needles. Think I might add it to the 300 other questions we have for our consultant on Thursday!

    xxx
  • awwww good luck hun - hope you have some relaxing time in with which ever you decide hun.

    M

    xxxxxx
  • I found accupuncture amazing. I had a m/c last year was trying again for 9 months with no luck after 5 weeks of accupuncture i caught. I would definatly suggest you try it but not with the chain Dr China as they are just money grabbers.
  • Not too sure what to do DG still in 2minds!! My friend who was recently pg went for reflexology to rbing on her labour and was able to tell stuff (think it was to do with constapation etc) just from doing it. The money side of it would be the only issue I have I think I'm gonna go for the CBFM first and give a few months by that stage I should be know more re my fert progress with hos and if nothing think that yeah I would go for accpntr why not if anything it'll relax me (hopefully!!)
  • Ooooh, it's all so confusing. Right, I'll add it to the (long!) list of things to ask the consultant this afternoon and report back!

  • Hi Daisygirl
    I have reflexology every 2 weeks and find it very relaxing. The reason I started was becuase my periods were VERY irregular when we started ttc. I started the reflexology in October 2007 and my periods started to become normal again Jan/Feb -08. Now my cycle isn't exact but has varied between 29 and 34 days ever since!
    I think it's worth a try even if it's to help relax you.

    I haven't tried accupuncture but am considering trying it when we find out what our problems are as I understand from my reflexologist that accupuncture works better for specific problems.

    best of luck xxx
  • Hi girls

    Just an update after our consultant's appointment. No advice at all to give anyone because the consultant was rubbish! They were running 2 hours late on the appointment, which they didn't tell us, we just had to sit it out (thought dh was going to start climbing the walls after the first hour!) and once we did get in I knew more than he did. We were given more blood tests to do (which we had to go back for the next day because by the time we got out everyone had gone home) and hb has to do another SA - this time a swim up test(?!) which we have to pay ??120 for?! Other than that we're none the wiser. We had a list of questions and gave up after the first couple because the guy had no idea about what treatement we would be offered, timescales, etc. Just waiting now for our first proper appointment at the assisted fertility unit, which sounds as if it will just be with a nurse to check all of our tests and we then go for another appointment when we can actually discuss treatment. Sorry, small rant, but hopefully things will get moving a little quicker in the next few months. Until then it's a case of deciding between acupuncture and reflexology, so any more thoughts or experience would be much appreciated.

    smiles79 - thank you for your reply. Do you mind if I ask how you found your reflexologist?

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