Acupuncture. Relaxing or mild torture?

[isthismummy]

Because I'm starting to think it's the latter...

Just been for an appointment this morning. I was hoping it might help chill me out before we fly to Greece tomorrow for initial ED consultation.

It bloody hurt! My legs were throbbing. I couldn't move my body at all without shooting pains. It's still really sore an hour later! This is my third appointment. The last two left me feeling tired and ill (although not as painful as this one) My acupuncturist says it's because my body is so stressed and low that the treatment is drawing it out of me I thought acupuncture was supposed to leave you energised?

Am I missing something here? I'd love to hear other people's thoughts/experiences.

[JoJoSM2]

Sounds like a really shit acupuncturist.

I’ve got a very good one (Chinese lady with a Ph D in acupuncture and Chinese medicine + decades of experience). She explained that acupuncture points are like bus stops on a road - if you pin the right spot things work well. But if you pin in a random/wrong place, it won’t work (not help + be painful). She likened it to placing a bus stop on top of a tower block or in a river and wondering why it doesn’t work.

I’ve been seeing her for months now and it’s always been very relaxing and borderline miraculous-eg awful migraines that didn’t abate with a bunch of pain killers, would vanish after an acupuncture session.

What’s even more bizarre, when she first saw me, she said that my kidneys were weak based on looking at me and holding my wrists. A day later I got some blood test results back from my GP that said... my kidneys were weak!

So I'd say just find someone who knows what they’re doing.

[isthismummy]

Interesting to read about your experience JoJo thank you for sharing. Sounds like it's working well for you

My woman came recommended by my reflexologist who says she only got pregnant because of her. She's never really explained what she's doing to me in anything more than the briefest terms. She's quite dismissive when I tell her it's painful. Apparently my legs were hurting today because they were in the wrong position Surely it's her job to spot these things before I'm in pain?

I don't find it relaxing at all. I also noticed when I came out today that I was freezing and now I can't get warm. I'm sitting next to the radiator writing this!

I don't think I'll be going back. She says I need to go every week and then for three months if my DE treatment is successful. That's going to be a lot of time spent lying in discomfort!

[isthismummy]

So does it not hurt you at all JoJo? I don't consider myself to be particularly soft, but it's so uncomfortable. It was desperate for her to take the needles out today!

[MouseLove]

I have my third session on Tuesday. And I’m really looking forward to it. It sounds like you need to try someone else. Mine doesn’t hurt. I come out feeling SUPER zen. My acupuncturist is a specialist in fertility. Most of my needles are in my tummy. She also uses a lovely heat lamp to warm the area. My heart rate usually is very low during the procedure since I’m soooooo relaxed.

[MouseLove]

Also, the room I have my acupuncture in is lovely and warm. I’m usually scrambling to get my coat and cardigan off. She also explains everything she’s doing and what they are for. She will remove any needles that don’t feel comfortable and is always asking if I’m ok. When she leaves the room for me to relax she asks if I’m ok and then leaves me to snooze. It’s wonderful.

[isthismummy]

Mine forgot to put the heating on today MouseLove The colder my feet got the more the points on my legs/feet were throbbing. I'm freezing now and my forearms are throbbing where the needles went in.

Yours sounds glorious Exactly what I'd hoped mine would be like.

[isthismummy]

Interesting the needles are mainly in your tummy. I get them in my tummy, legs, feet, forearms and head. The feet and head ones are horrible. I feel quite sick when they go in.

[isthismummy]

But obviously my mental brain has now decided that my treatment will never work without it. Even though my less mental brain knows that's bollocks!

[Misstomrs]

I definitely think you need a new acupuncturist. Mine is lovely. I go for migraines but I’ve spoken to him about using acupuncture for fertility. In essence acupuncture is about creating optimal physical conditions. Some of the treatments I had for my migraines were uncomfortable to begin with but not painful. I would question how being chilled and in pain is promoting wellness that might benefit your fertility.

[Iamchanging]

I had it for fertility reasons for over 6 months from someone who came highly recommended. Made zero difference to my ability to conceive and I HATED it! It didn’t hurt but I just hated the whole concept of being a pin cushion. I’d personally say save your money!!

[flumpybear]

Before kids I had acupuncture and they said the leg was hurting as that’s where the area for infertility was .... don’t know if it’s true!! I had probably 5-6 sessions and didn’t get pregnant but actually fell pregnant afterwards and gone on to have another - my problems were low progesterone and I also used Angus castus - not sure if it worked, didn’t like it much but don’t regret trying it - perhaps you should try a different therapist and see what happens - goood luck

[Turkeyneck]

Definitely try someone else. Mine is wonderful and no I don't feel any pain. Slight twinges sometimes but nothing worse. And she sways checks if they feel OK. If I said they hurt shed take it seriously, not dismiss me.

[Scottishgirl85]

I had acupuncture immediately before and after transfer, to be honest I wouldn't waste your money on prolonged course far from the time you're having your ivf. I found the needles going in slightly sore (very low pain threshold) but otherwise loved the experience and got a bfp on that cycle. Mine was a fertility specialist and the sessions were specifically for day of embryo transfer with focus on relaxation beforehand and embryo acceptance afterwards. Good luck x

[ohbigdaddio]

I tried acupuncture many months ago when we were still TTC naturally. I found I felt good afterwards, often very chilled out, but spent several weeks going to sessions which were to 'get rid of any trauma' before she actually started addressing my infertility. Then one day I turned up and said I was feeling very low, so she treated me for depression that session, saying I needed to feel ok mentally before we got onto the fertility stuff. This was all at £55 a pop!

Anyway the final straw for me was when she said she needed to perform a Ren Du block which would involve a needle being inserted at a point between my vagina and anus! Then flipping me over and putting a needle in my buttock if I remember correctly! I was totally unprepared for all this – all the other points had been in 'normal' areas – so said I wasn't comfortable with her doing it. She was fine about it and said to think about it for next time, but if I wanted to get pregnant before we started IVF then I really needed to have it done.

I didn't go back!

[EarlGreyT]

I found it somewhere between the 2!

I think there is some non conclusive evidence that it might help on the day of embryo transfer (by being done both pre and post transfer), but the evidence is weak and the study is small.

That didn’t stop me trying it anyway, but it made sod all difference.

[JoJoSM2]

The room temperature sounds awful!

My treatment room is toasty warm + I get heat lamps and blankets. Areas treated varied pre cycle. Some in my stomach, at times even with something burning on the needle in my abdomen. She always finishes off with cupping and rubbish some stuff into me too.

[ohbigdaddio]

Just as an aside, has anyone else been told they need a ren du block or have I just been to a strange acupuncturist?!

[MouseLove]

I say mainly in my tummy but I start with one in the top of my head and then one between my eyes. This is meant to calm and relax. She then puts them in my ears, hand, arm, legs, feet, ankles and then tummy. She does the heat lamp on my tummy. She was delicate in my luteal phase and more hard core before ovulation. Last cycle my luteal phase increased by two days after a 9 day luteal phase since my mmc in February. So far I’m impressed. I think it’s important you gel with your acupuncturist.

[isthismummy]

So it would seem that the general consensus is that my acupuncturist is a bit shit!

I'm very jealous of all this talk of heat lamps and feelings of deep relaxation. I don't think I'm going to look elsewhere as I don't feel acupuncture suits me tbh. My arms are still throbbing from the needles from this mornings session!

MouseLove My woman never even asks about my cycles. I told her the first time that I have POF and they are irregular. She's never asked in the subsequent two sessions.

I might get it for embryo transfer as my clinic offers it. Other than that I might spend my £45 a week on a massage or chocolate

[isthismummy]

ohbigdaddio I think you definitely win the weird acupuncturist bingo

[Ttbb]

I've performed acupuncture on myself before (zero skill so this isn't an issue of your acupuncturist being new to it or something). You really shouldn't be able to feel it like that. You may be able to feel sonething but not pain. There is something not quite right about this. Don't go back.

[Ttbb]

Out of curiosity could you describe what she is doing? How does she put the needles in etc?

[isthismummy]

I don't really see her putting them in Ttbb as I'm always lying down. She's mega quick when she does it. I definitely feel uncomfortable when she does my feet, forearms and head. Today it actually hurt and the needle points started to throb and get shooting pains. It's not unbearable pain or anything, but it's definitely more than I expected when I started treatment.

My arms are stil really sore now from where the needles were. I'm getting little shooting pains as well. It feels really odd

[EarlGreyT]

ohbigdaddio
No, but when I was googling acupuncture, I do remember reading on fertility friends about someone whose acupuncturist had done that. I thought bloody hell that sounds awful!

[isthismummy]

As if infertility isn't bad enough without someone shoving a needle where the sun doesn't shine!