Thursday, February 14, 2008

I'm trying Acupuncture!

Yeah I decided yesterday to try acupuncture. It is a big decision since it is expensive in addition to fertility treatments.

I think I am going to try it for awhile, but not forever. The reason that I decided to try it is not really because I've read some positive stuff recently about IVF and acupuncture (but that helps) -it is because since my miscarriage I have developed some anxiety issues. I don't like taking any kind of medicine, so I would rather address those issues via natural means. I am hoping acupuncture will help my stress and anxiety (and if it helps with IVF, great!).
A friend put this in my head because she said they do 'miscarriage prevention'. I am going to the same place that she goes to. She thinks it helped her she just went through her first IVF. She just told me yesterday via email that her DH's sperm DID NOT improve due to acupunture, but he had some other issues which were resolved (not related to fertility). So for now, we won't have my DH go, so we can save money. Although I would like him to go for other ailments (also not related to fertility)...

I decided yesterday and made an appt for today. At first they didn't have many openings, but then when I told them I'm doing FET at the end of this month - possibly - they decided to get me in quickly. I'm just getting back from my appt. over lunch.

I'm going to try to write down most of what she said - it was a quick first consult.
I asked her about incompetent cervix and she just said if my drs. were recommending the stitch, etc. She knew all of my drs or at least their names. She said my peri was good - hmm how does she know that? She said obviously acupuncture can't help that issue specifically. I kinda knew that, but was curious. She did say they help all kinds of miscarriage issues especially related to temperature, progesterone and blood disorders. She mentioned something about people with recurrent pregnancy loss usually don't have temps in the 98s after ovulation. She told me that someone she is seeing just lost her baby like me, but at 22 weeks. I asked her about being seen once pg and she said yes they like to see people weekly until 12 weeks. She says it relaxes people especially those people who have been through loss before and need help to get through the first trimester. Interesting...

She said to try to eat cooked foods (even fruit). She said I could do one raw fruit a day, but fruit raises your glucose which hurts progesterone building or lining - can't remember.
She took my pulse, but didn't say much. She looked at my tongue and asked me if I ate dairy - of course! She told me to try to avoid dairy and refined sugars. (to eat whole grain stuff, etc). She said by looking at the tongue they can tell what my intenstines look like (!!!). I told her I drink milk and eat cheese. She said to limit my dairy. She asked me a few questions but then went into putting the needles in me. The needles weren't that bad, I could feel them a little. After she took out the needles, I had more questions.

I asked her if I was cold or hot (geez, she wan'ts forthcoming, I had to ask her?). She said I was cold and I should eat warm foods. I asked her what that meant (hey, i'm new to this stuff - help me out). She said cooked stuff, curries, and spicy food. I told her that I've always been told by my DH that I always felt hot. She said depending - sometimes people are cold and sometimes they are hot. She said my tongue was pale and that's how she could tell that I was cold. I told her that I had just eaten lunch. She said it makes no difference. I do feel colder since being pg, than before getting pg.

They want you to relax and fall asleep when the needles are in you - I was not really able to fall asleep, but I was very relaxed. It was a weird sensation as I felt some energy moving inside my body. It is hard to explain.

She said they normally put many needles in the abdomen, but would skip that on the first visit as some people freak out about that. She put a needle in my right hand, right thigh (which bled afterwards), left leg, right ear, one near the nose and one on the forehead I think. It was hard to see where she was putting them, as you can't feel much. It is really funny that they put the needles through your clothes - I never knew that.

She said they could look at my chart and tell things too. I just started charting this month, so maybe I will bring that in next time.

She said they will see me twice a week until transfer then the morning of the transfer and then post transfer.

I still feel pretty relaxed.

2 comments:

Monica H said...

Very interesting. This is something I have always wanted to try, but I just never did. How expensive is it? Also, where did you go?

I went to the cemetery today and say the headstone. I really love the dove.

Renee said...

just linked here from the nest...accupuncture + ivf worked for us! it's wonderfully relaxing too...like a spa treatment. good luck!