Acupuncture - thoughts and recommendations?

[surreygirl1987]

Hi all,

I'm usually sceptical about anything different but I've been researching ttc lots in my frustration to get pregnant and acupuncture seems to be popping up a lot in my reading; so much so that I'm considering giving it a go. Whether it's the placebo effect or not, I won't care about the cost of it if I get a bfp!! We've been trying for a few months now with no sniff of a bfp... periods are regular and bbt charts say I'm ovulating... but no luck! I prefer to feel like I'm 'doing something' when I want something, so this is the next thing to try...

However, I have no idea how to go about booking an appointment with one. How did you choose, if you've had acupuncture? I've found a few in my local area (surrey), some of whom have done Zita West training. They're also expensive (one of them is £60 an hour!). I wont care if about the monry if I get a bfp but don't want to throw money away, obvs! Can anyone help with any experience or advice or surrey-based recommendations? Thanks!

[Pandapenguin]

I Know people who have had success with John Tsagaris. X

[minipie]

How long have you been trying and how old are you?

I had acupuncture as part of my quest to get pregnant. Turned out I have underactive thyroid and needed that medicated to get pregnant. What I'm saying is, suggest you get the basic blood tests done before trying other paths. (unless you have already)

[surreygirl1987]

I'm almost 31 and have been trying since the summer... I know many healthy people take up to a year so half that time isn't a cause for concern, but even so, it's getting frustrating! I've tried nothing yet but OH thinks we should get some test done if no bfp by the new year... (probably have to go private as a year won't have passed by then for nhs). So testing before bothering with acupuncture?

[Zoo33]

I visit the Chinese Acupuncture and Herbal Centre in Epsom. I think she's great - she's a little Chinese lady who has practiced acupuncture and herbal medicine for years here and in Beijing. I had a BFP 3 months after coming off the pill and I'm convinced my cycles were immediately regular because of her. Sadly that ended in a MMC but I'm convinced she can help me again.

[ellesbellesxxx]

With all due respect, it is very early days. I say that as someone who ttc for 2.5 years and had ivf!
Absolutely get acupuncture, it supported my ivf and helped relax me too! But I really wouldn't get any tests done until at least next summer unless you know there is a potential issue. The basic blood tests for me all came back fine, it's only when I was scanned they saw my egg reserve was low then a lap and dye showed my tubes were twisty. All very invasive!

[ellesbellesxxx]

Good luck x

[surreygirl1987]

Ooh I live near Epsom! Thanks for the tip @zoo33!
Thanks also @ellesbellesxxx - that's fair advice and I hope the ivf was successful!
Yeh youre right thst it is still early days. I guess I'd rather have tests earlier rather than later if we can afford it though... don't want to waste a year trying only to discover that there was a simple problem that could have been fixed months ago iykwim! Nice to feel like I'm doing 'something' productive towards a bfp I guess. Will give it some.more thought but thanks for your input ladies - much appreciated.

[ellesbellesxxx]

It did thank you.. 8 eggs retrieved.. 2 became our twins!so definitely recommend acupuncture ;)

[Dandelion89]

So I’ve just had my first session of acupuncture tonight. I’m to stay away from cold foods and have a more alkaline diet. It was relaxing but a little sore at the same time x

[surreygirl1987]

Oh good @ellesbellesxxx I'm so glad!
@dandelion89 that's intetesting; do you know why you shouldn't have cold foods?? Been doing some research and found one that looks really good in my local area but it's mega expensive and looks like they advise lots of sessions...

[Sunbeam18]

Surrey The advice to avoid cold foods will be related to the Chinese medicine diagnosis given to that poster in relation to her body. Your body is very likely to be different in CM terms. Hope that's not patronising! Acupuncture can be very successful in treating fertility problems and in diagnosing them. Good luck!

[surreygirl1987]

@sunbeam18 - no not patronising at all; helpful as was wondering! Many thanks! Def leaning towards giving it a go!
One more question to anyone with any knowledge on this (I clearly have none) - is there a 'best' time of month (ie in cycle) to go for initial appointment? The websites I've looked at don't seem to say...

[goose1964]

It's the only thing that works on my husband's buggered wrists. He can tell when his treatment is due because it starts hurting badly

[loveacupoftea18]

I had Acupuncture when we first started TTC, mostly because i was driving myself mad even though it hadn’t been that long at all!

Anyway, it definitely relaxed me, it helped me to think i was doing something positive and now I’m 23 weeks pregnant so who knows!

[FinallyARainbow]

I went for acupuncture after 4 mc to feel I was doing something. My cycles had been a bit wonky and I ovulated pretty late on but within a month or 2 I was on to a regular cycle and much earlier ovulation, helps egg quality apparently? With that pregnancy I ended up with DS so I highly recommend it (slight disclaimer in that I also had clexane in the first trimester so I can't prove what made the difference but I'd definitely do it again).

[Sunbeam18]

I think that if you contact an acupuncturist to make an appointment for fertility issues then they will probably let you know when in your cycle it would be best to go. Its all about rebalancing your body so everything is functioning smoothly and there are no 'blockages' of any kind. I would imagine the appointment would be for both partners as the issue is not necessarily a female issue (if there is an issue at all).

[daimbar]

I had 4 sessions of acupuncture and got pregnant straight away afterwards . It may have been a big coincidence but it was worth every penny

[Dandelion89]

@surreygirl1987 I think it’s because my uterus is cold. I had a miscarriage in September so don’t know if that’s why. I do feel relaxed. It’s good to hear other people’s experience from it too

[surreygirl1987]

Many thanks for all the comments - it's much appreciated. I have decided, based on research and the positive feedback of acupuncture on here, to give it a go - or At least go to the initial session and see how I feel about it. At the end if the day it's only money I guess! And even if it does nothing for me, I can't imagine it will do any harm...

Thanks again. I'll post back on this thread If any success with it... or not!

[Mrsjones17]

I've had accupuncture twice a month since September and whilst I'm not pregnant yet I have seen a noticeable difference. Sorry if this is tmi....
Before I started I had heavy clotted periods with 3/4 days if spotting before the actual event so a short luetalphase. Now I have no spotting, Nice red colour period for three days and that's it. Long luteal phase of 13 days too. It's brought ovulation forward from cd 21 to cd14/15 too. Also get ewcm that I never had before. So for me I definitely think it's having a positive effect! It also helps me psychologically because it makes me feel relaxed and like I am doing something to help the situation. (I am on cycle 13 now!)

I also had a 'cold uterus' and so have been having treatments to solve that issue with accupuncture and moxabustion too. Good luck!