Chinese medicine

[cookie23]

Does anyone have any success stories from acupuncture or Chinese medicine in general?

[stacktherocks]

www.britishfertilitysociety.org.uk/press-release/british-fertility-society-issues-new-guidelines-on-the-use-of-acupuncture-and-herbal-medicine-in-fertility-treatment/

There’s no evidence it works sorry! Anyone who anecdotally gets pregnant while using it would likely have gotten pregnant anyway. It’d be like if I stood on my head after sex during my fertile period then got a BFP. The two aren’t related.

Anything that was proven effective would have been integrated into current medicine anyway, don’t waste your money. Focus instead on things proven to affect fertility such as weight, lifestyle (smoking, drinking) and make sure you’re taking multivitamin inc folic acid.

[Mamabear12]

I believe it can help. It has helped me with other things and it has helped me get my cycles back on track a few months ago. And 15 years ago it helped me go from a 21 day cycle to 28 days. And helped get rid of my acne. I’m a believer in it. But like all doctors, there can be some good and some bad. When went on to try for kids bc my cycles were so regular we had no problems. We are going for a third dc, and I had shorter cycles again (23-25 days) and so I went and it lengthened to 26-27 days and a few months later I am pregnant (just got my Positive yesterday).

[pinacollama]

I’ve had acupuncture for my last 2 cycles and the first cycle brought ovulation forward from day 21/22 (as it’s been since I came off the pill in January 2018) to day 19, then the next cycle was day 18 with the added bonus of only starting spotting at 10dpo rather than 3/4dpo, and extending my luteal phase to 14 days! I’m going to stick with it.

[pinacollama]

But I’m on my 2nd acupuncturist- saw one last May/June but I don’t think she knew about fertility, whereas this lady definitely knows what she’s talking about.

[cookie23]

Hi mamabear12 - if you don't mind my asking, how did you come to find a doctor you trust? There seems to be so many out there... I think I will give it a go - I am Chinese and my parents have always believed in Chinese medicine (myself not so much) so think it is worth a shot...

[cookie23]

Mamabear12 and congrats on your positive, you must be thrilled!

[ILoveMaxiBondi]

If it worked with any provable reliability it wouldn’t be called Chinese medicine, it would be named something by a big American pharmaceutical and cost you a fortune to access.

[stacktherocks]

If you want to do it knowing full well there’s no evidence for it then that’s entirely your decision and I respect it, sometimes it’s nice to do things just for us that make us feel we’re doing something, anything, to improve our chances. But at least you’re aware that that’s all it is, it’s not going to affect your chances of conceiving. It’s your money, you can spend it on a barbershop quartet to come and play before you DTD every fertile window if you so wish ;)

[Bellazz]

I've been getting acupuncture from someone recommended to me and he has prescribed me a herb to take. I've been doing this for 6 months and no success yet however I do think the herbs have balanced me and I've felt more relaxed.
I also recently saw a consultant at fertility clinic who advised I stop taking the herbs. He said they can work against everything else particularly if you're on the path to IVF.
I think acupuncture is worthwhile as something to relax you and help you think about your overall health but I'm not sure about much else. I'm sadly losing faith in it.

[kell2126]

I find acupuncture very relaxing and I figure if there's no other benefit (i.e. specific to fertility), the relaxation is benefit enough that I'm willing to pay for it.