Acupuncture for Infertility?

[GaleTX]

Has anyone tried acupuncture for infertility? If so, what was the outcome and what are your thoughts on it. I've read it can be useful before IVF or IUI, but am wondering if anyone used it for conceiving naturally?

[enigo]

I'm working on it right now. It seems to have completely regulated my cycles so far. I've been doing it for 3 wks. I'll let you kow if it worked in a week

[GaleTX]

Originally Posted by enigo

I'm working on it right now. It seems to have completely regulated my cycles so far. I've been doing it for 3 wks. I'll let you kow if it worked in a week

How often do you go? My insurance will cover 12 visits. Also, do you do anything in addition to the acupuncture (Vitex, etc.)? How did you find a place - did they advertise infertility treatments or did you have to ask? Sorry for so many questions, this is very new to me.

[enigo]

I go once a week. She also has me on chinese herbs for cycle regulation. I don't know if it was the acpuncture, the herbs, both, or a fluke, but I am immensely thrilled. She was recommended by a friend and specializes in infertility. I would ask friends for recommendations or search online in your area. I hope this helps.

[babygrey]

I tried it. I got a refer thru my RE and a local birth center to a TCM practitioner who specializes in IF.

My insurance doesn't cover it at all, but I had heard so many good things about it for endo and blocked tubes (part of my issues) that we saved up for it. I was so hopeful. I went three times over a month's time and, honestly, I just didn't like it. I hadn't started herbs yet.

It made me feel all antsy and, for lack of a better description, yucky. It didn't hurt or anything, and I don't have a problem with needles, I just found it really unpleasant. Since it was pretty pricey, I stopped. Maybe I would have grown to like it if I'd gone more? The practitioner said there are a small minority of people who really don't feel good while doing it. That said, she strongly encouraged me to keep trying it, but, when we weighed out the cost, it just didn't seem worth if for something that was feeling bad to me.
I didn't see any effect at all on my cycles.

I'm not saying this to deter you- if anything, if you have coverage- I think you should try it. I think there must be something weird w/ me cuz everyone else I've talked to said it was very relaxing.

[lilmom]

We conceived DS naturally with acupuncture! It also regulated my super crazy long cycles, which was what I was hoping for, and it did such a great job I got pregnant!

I also found it to be extremely relaxing. I felt great. I actually really want to go again but haven't found one in my (new) area yet.

If you are in a larger metro area, I recommend finding one who specializes in fertility or at least female issues. Mine was trained in China, and if you can find someone who was, I think that probably is a good thing too. She had an amazing success rate for achieving pregnancy. Her receptionist told me it was 98% and then when I asked her she said "Yes, there was one I couldn't help" and she hung her head in shame!

So, I say go for it. For me, it would be worth it just for the relaxation aspect of it, if nothing else.

Oh yes, and I also ate really healthy and the acupuncturist gave me herbs. I highly recommend that too. Other than that we did not do anything else. No vitex or anything.

I would also ask them when you go how long they expect it to take in your situation based on whatever issues you are having. She told me 3 months and I should be straightened out but it actually only took one month for my cycle to regulate and then 4 months after starting treatment I was pregnant. I went once a week for the 1st month, then every other week, then once every 2 wks. It was $85/per session but worth every penny.

[GaleTX]

I went ahead and made an appointment for Monday. She says she has a high success rate with infertility and will go over everything with me at our first appointment. She said to allow at least two hours for the first appointment so we can go over my full history as well as determine the plan of action. I figure it can't hurt, and since insurance will pay, it's at least worth looking into. And, like you said lilmom, at least worth trying for the relaxation part. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Virginia884]

Sorry to hijack your thread.. but I'm heading in today for my first acupuncture appointment. A few questions... where do they place the needles? What do I wear? Something loose and comfy? Any specific areas of the body that need to be left uncovered?

Thanks!

[enigo]

They seem to change the placement depending on what part of your cycle you are in. I would wear shorts and a tshirt. Also shoes that are easy to take off since they usually do feet too.
Luckily for me, that's my usual wardrobe anyway

[collieflower]

I had wonderful success with acupuncture and herbs (the doc actually told me that the herbs were most important, and if I had to choose just one, he would recommend the herbs). We started after 9 months or so of not being able TTC. After 3 months of treatments, I was pregnant. They usually tell you it will take at least a 3 month commitment.

I went one time per week (sometimes 2x week before ovulation) for 1 hour. It cost $60/treatment (I live in Canada, not sure if there might be a difference here). I found it incredibly relaxing. I crashed within about 5 minutes of getting the needles in and then woke up from a dead sleep when he returned to take them out.

I went to a place that specializes in fertility. The needles get placed all over your body (for me it was mostly feet, hands, head, legs, tummy and back). I always bring a tank top and some yoga pants or something loose, so he can get at my ankles and upper back/neck.

[GaleTX]

[QUOTE=Virginia884;15528170]Sorry to hijack your thread QUOTE]

No problem!

I have had two appointments so far. She told me before the first one to wear loose clothing that can be easily rolled up or down for access. I have been wearing cropped yoga pants and a t-shirt with flip flops. With that, the only clothing adjustment I've had to do is roll up my t-shirt. Needles have been placed in my head, ears, arms, wrists, hands, abdomen (the most here), calves and feet.

Have a good first visit!

[Virginia884]

Thanks, ladies! It was a nice first appointment. We talked for about 10 minutes, she did tongue and pulse (anyone know more about this??) and then she placed the needles (third eye, hands, legs, ankles, feet). She also recommended some vitamins/supplements. I'm going back next week. Hoping to see regulation of my cycles in the next few months. Thanks again for all the help and support.

[lilmom]

Virginia, my acupuncturist used to always do tongue and pulse. She could tell amazing things just by that. Actually when I did get pregnant with DS she knew by listening to my pulse!! I didn't believe her! But I went home and took a test and sure enough..

Anyway, I hope it is successful for you!

[pinkgeek]

My acupuncturist always does pulses and occasionally tongue readings. I only go every 2 weeks, and not for infertility, but I have definitely seen an improvement in my mood, stress, etc.

I did have a session specifically for "getting things going" when AF was 4+ weeks late (with multiple BFN) and two weeks (to the day) after my session AF showed.

[GaleTX]

Mine takes a picture of my tongue each week, looks at it and, as I joke with my husband, reads my future. They can evidently tell a lot about your body systems by examining your tongue. She always checks my pulse and bp as well. She also gives me herbs at each appointment that I take for three days.

I do have a question for those of you who have been: I O'd this week since my appointment. Do I need to tell her anything about that, or does the treatment change in any way once you've O'd?

[Rainy229]

I found mine via insurance - of the ones they covered, I picked 5 that were close, and emailed them all a note - basically, these are my symptoms, what would you do from here? Two didn't respond, two told me that for $X.XX, I'd be preggo in X months, and the one I ended up going to said that he has experience treating women with similar symptoms, but TCM doesn't necessarily follow western assessment, and that he'd have to see me, take my pulses, look at my tongue, and ask more questions before any treatment would begin.

My virtually non-existant cycle was regulated (to 29-30ish day cycles with a predictable O day) in a few months while I was using acupuncture, Chinese herbs and moxibustion. Since then, I went to a western doc (a nurse practitioner) to hopefully have some imaging done (US of ovaries, etc.), but I actually couldn't find anyone that would do imaging without me trying drugs first... BAH! I'm also 29, and am feeling that OMG, I'm almost 30 feeling... so I decided to go on synthroid and metformin, since my labs were certainly indicative of (subclinical) hypothyroid and "textbook" PCOS (at least as far as lab values go - including insulin resistance, which I really want to change, regardless of achieving pregnancy). I think I'm going to find another doc for the western meds - this one just pushes and pushes clomid, she doesn't listen to what I want... all she focuses on is getting me preggo; perhaps she can't imagine that someone would seek the help of an infertility practitioner without their ONLY goal being pregnancy.... IDK....


Rainy

[fertilitypfcla]

Treatment of Infertility

acupuncture has within a short time became a great Treatment of Infertility and anyone who wants to conceive soon can give it a try..

[anxiousannie]

Agreed! After TTC for 13 months, we got out positive test this morning! I truly believe that acupuncture is what did the trick! I absolutely love it.

[stellamia]

I did it and the outcome is my beautiful DD!!!