Has anyone else had painful experiences from fertility acupuncture, especially following recurrent miscarriages??

[RubyD]

Hi everyone,

I am hoping someone out there will be able to reassure me!

I've had 2 miscarriages one after the other in the last year (16 weeks and 12 weeks). Both were missed miscarriages and I fell pg each time in the first month of trying. The autopsy from the first came back with placenta problems and, following the second m/c, it was discovered that I have a high count of natural killer cells. I know this is a grey area but I'll try anything now to carry a baby full term. I was prescribed steroids but unfortunately react badly to them so will only start the course once I fall pregnant.

So, now of course, I can't get pregnant again. It's only been 6 months but after it being so easy before I am concerned and decided to try acupuncture, which I've never had before.

I had my first treatment last night to stimulate the follicles before ovulation and it was agony! Not the needles but actually inside around my ovaries and whole uterine area, like recurrent stabbing pains and very uncomfortable. A bit like extreme cystitis. Not relaxing in the slightest! It didn't subside at all during the treatment (I was left for about 15 min). Has anyone else had this? Quite worried now that there is something badly wrong with me.

Sorry for all the background and probably way tmi but thought it might help set the scene!

Has anyone any thoughts?

RubyD

I've had a few acupuncture sessions, and I know that my therapist(?) wanted the needles to cause some pain/strange sensations. If I didn't feel them, then she'd twist them a bit until I felt something. Almost like how you needed to feel something in order for it to be working.

Could it be that there was a lot for the needles to be working on/with?

Have to say though, constant pain like that seems a bit extreme...

There's a british council of acupuncture (or some such name) - might be worth giving them a call to ask?

And so so sorry for your losses. Must be absolutely devastating. All the best for the future xx

Thank you for your reply. My husband thinks it might be because there has been so much trauma 'down there' in the last year. See in her again next week so will see how it goes then - not looking forward to it though!

Hi, I used to get an uncomfortable pulling feeling on one side (near where my ovary would be) my acupuncturist said that it can feel uncomfortable if the flow of energy is blocked like if there is something that needs fixing if you like which is the whole point of treatment so I wouldn't worry too much, just maybe ask him/ her about it next time. She said to me that I might have a cyst on my ovary but I fell pregnant that treatment cycle and no cyst was found on an early scan ( I asked them to look because of what she said) so maybe it was to do with ovulation or something. Good luck, I went for acupuncture following a 24 week loss due to pre eclampsia and then a miscarriage at 10 weeks. I am now 30 weeks pregnant and I honestly believe that acupuncture has helped a lot, if nothing else it has kept my mind calm and helped me deal with the stress of pregnancy. Hope it works for you x

Also, are you taking baby aspirin? I also think that has helped me

Thanks Ciwi. I am really hopeful that this treatment will help and am keeping my fingers crossed that the pain means that it is actually working. I am going to have treatments once a week for 2 months and then will have to be referred back to the consultant. It's good to know that you felt uncomfortable too and still were able to get pregant. Congratulations btw! I will start taking aspirin once I get pregnant as apparently you have to wait until then. xx

I had quite a bit of fertility acupuncture - without much pain on the whole. Just the bit of dragging/tingling on the site of the needle. But I did have one session with an acupuncturist I hadn't used before which was absolute bloody agony. I couldn't wait for it to be over whereas normally it's quite relaxing. Not sure if that meant it was more effective or not. I thinkk it can depend on the practitioner but also on things like your totm as to how pain sensitive you are.

ruby sorry to hear about your losses. I have fertility acupuncture, have been ttc for 16 months. I do find it painful sometimes when she stimulates the ovarian area especially when it's right before ovulation. I get quite a sharp, scrapey feeling, that runs down my lower abdomen to my fanjo area. (totally agree about the cystitis feeling, its definitely that kind of sensation). She says it's encouraging the flow of energy I can't say I've enjoyed it but it does seem to be easing off a bit now. It sure as hell doesn't feel like a flow of water though which is apparently what it's meant to be like! Good luck.

Thank you everyone. Kitty that is exactly the same feeling! A flow of water....hmm, nope, definitely more like sharp knife poking me up my bits. Still, thank you, as I have been worrying that I might have something awful going on down there. It is just before ovulation so maybe our ovaries are just extra sensitive. Best of luck with ttc and many thanks again - I do feel reassured.:) xx

Sensitive ovaries, yes it could be that. I do get a bit of ovulation pain generally so maybe it exacerbates it. I try and put up with it in the hope that it is encouraging an extra egg to be released here's hoping we get our bfp's soon.