Acupuncture for fertility

[A1b2c3d4e5f6g7]

I've just started acupuncture and am two sessions in. Was wondering if anyone had any experiences on it they could share, and how long its worth continuing it for?

😂 have never heard of hot beetroot juice, but glad it worked! I've run out of pomegranate (much nicer) but its in my vitamins. I've obviously cherry picked the nicer stuff - pineapple juice, pomegranate juice!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7

😂 have never heard of hot beetroot juice, but glad it worked! I've run out of pomegranate (much nicer) but its in my vitamins. I've obviously cherry picked the nicer stuff - pineapple juice, pomegranate juice!

I could be a trendsetter 🤣 I went for it because I like beetroot more than pomegranate but it was such a mistake lol. Im taking seven seas prenatal as well to make sure I have everything covered.

Ooh, while we're here, was talking about this with friends at the weekend... what IS pineapple core?! Is it literally the core of the pineapple?!

@beckyCarlos yes apparently you buy a pineapple, cut it into 5 pieces (leaving the core in it) and eat a slice every day for the five days leading up to implantation. Has to be on an empty stomach first thing. A few of the ladies are doing it on another thread, but I don't like acidic pineapple on my teeth, so I'm drinking juice

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 ooh hot water bottle is interesting! I almost always have cold feet and hands so that is a good idea. And layering up socks @beckyCarlos ! she didn't mention anything about it but not a bad idea. Ive got warm thick slipper socks that I can also try.

I need to get back on my pomegranate juice. I had a whole pineapple yesterday including core, does that count 😂 I've never cut the core out - is that not normal? But I think I'll stick to just pomegranate for now.. might change my mind later

@choccrumpet a whole pineapple?? 😂 wow yes I think so!

I didn't realise people remove the core either, til I started reading mumsnet 😂

One update, I was just comparing my charts to previous, and I don't have my usual pmt style symptoms for the same dpo. I'd logged backaches, a lot of bloating, cramps, and sore boobs for the previous three cycles, and I now just have very faintly sore boobs and maybe a little bloating (if I poke them and look for it) so maybe it is helping me

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 ooh the pms symptom reduction is interesting! Also lol @choccrumpet I echo - a whole pineapple! You can eat our pineapples for us and send us pineapply vibes 🤣

@beckyCarlos that's a good plan 😂 I realised it was starting to go off so I cut it up and ended up snacking on it throughout the day, was more hungry as I went for a run yesterday morning so ate it all lol. It didn't even seem that big.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 I only ever cut a bit of it off if the pineapple isn't ripe enough so the core is extra hard and hard to eat. I guess we've been doing it "right" all this time!

Yes lack of symptoms is interesting! I wonder if that is due to enough progesterone? It's so confusing, I think our bodies do what they want either way whether there's enough of a hormone or not 🤦🏼‍♀️

@choccrumpet I really don't know what it is! She said that the ideal hormone balance has light cramps during period, good red flow, and no pmt symptoms. Apparently it's not normal to have the really sore boobs, back ache, bloating, bad skin etc I get each month recently , and she's aiming to reduce / remove these

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 that's interesting. My period starts on day 1 and almost stops during that day and then restarts either later on or the following day and apparently that suggests that my blood is sticky or is clotting hence the start stopping. I only noticed a few small clots last time so unsure how much is too much. I've always had bad cramps until recently.. never knew they weren't normal! And typical bloating. So maybe your lack of symptoms is good if she's working on reducing them! That's so interesting

@choccrumpet I know I kind of thought it was normal too. Have had cramps bloating etc as long as I can remember. Plus it was all over magazines and newspapers for tips to deal with pmt so I figured most everyone got it!

In my premeet, she asked me loads about my period and PMT and I said to her that I'd never really spoken to anyone (friends, family, doctors) about my actual period or pmt properly, so when she said 'whats your flow, average?' And I'm like...what IS average? What IS normal?! You mean not everyone gets sore boobs?! So while I might know my friends period lasts 5 days thats it... its crazy how much we just accept/assume it happens to everyone. My friends now love my in depth 'how much clotting do you get' chats 🤣

@beckyCarlos completely agree!! I still feel the same. Have never discussed my period in detail with anyone and just assumed it was all normal. Even now I wonder is this a clot, how do I know how many I get, how do I know how heavy or not my flow is, what is a heavy flow. I've had to google lots of things! It IS funny how we just accept things, I'm not sure if I've thought about this before now 🤯

I am exactly the same (what IS a clot?! 🤣 honestly!) I hope I can carry this newfound discussion through to any kids I have...me and my mum just don't have this sort of conversation, hers have never bothered her so when 14-17 year old me would occasionally get very faint (never passed out but only becuase I get a lot warning signs and have no shame so I'll sit/lie down anywhere) it was very much a 'man up and take some drugs' conversation, even though pain wasnt the issue, it was some sort of weird physiological reaction once or twice a year (all resolved by the default years on the pill)!

Well had my acupuncture this morning and double checked re: what she's aiming for cycle wise to make sure I had it right. It is limiting pms symptoms, she was happy with what I've got this cycle compared to previous ones at this dpo.

How strange we've all had pms and didn't realise we shouldn't get so much of it!

@beckyCarlos I can definitely relate to you! Me and my mum never have either / I never questioned getting bad cramps and just dealt with it with painkillers. I now wish I actually took time off school/ work when it did get bad because I don't think it's right to persevere through it if it's hurting so much and pretending like I'm okay when I could have had the option of taking time off. I know not everyone would agree with this but it's how I personally feel about this.

That's not right what happened to you either! That's insane and nobody thought to question it.. like @A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 mentioned magazines and culture normalised this sort of thing. It's not right at all! And I hope I pass on this to my kids as well, everything to do with ttcing and talking about miscarriages as well with friends

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 yay progress! How many sessions have you had now? I feel like I have to check in with mine as well and ask about what she's doing as she's not telling me automatically and I want to know 😅

I think this is either my 5th or 6th session, and now I'm down to twice a month after this rather than weekly. Phew cos it was getting expensive! I am just starting to relax in the sessions though, felt all floaty and chilled today. Had a lot of needles everywhere and some points really ached

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 that's amazing progress! I'm trying to expense some of mine through work and it would help massively if they accept them. My next one should be after ovulation so in total 3 maybe 4 in this cycle. Sticking to weekly ish for now. Our bank accounts will be relieved for us to get sticky positives 😅🤞🏼

@choccrumpet oh fingers crossed if you can get some through work!

Yes bank accounts will be healthier, although I still reckon I'd continue through 1st trimester if it works, so maybe not!

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 it's funny you say that she said that cos my one was confused that I'm not pregnant and never have been, have a good cycle length, no pain in ANY WAY apart from odd bloat on day 1 and 'normal' red blood and been off pill for 2 years. She's actually said that there's not much she can do for me and I'm now monthly but it's not full fertility stuff so not sure whether to find someone else who specialises in it but doesn't seem to be anyone really up my way. 🤷‍♀️. All outta hope!

@Loops01 out of interest have you tested for male factor, is all okay there?

Yup he has above average sperm and does nothing haha. Generally his diet etc are good but he hasn't changed really anything apart from me forcing to take his daily vits!

@Loops01 that must be really tough. I don't know, I don't know if it'll be wasting money if she's saying your cycle is already great and you've no issues. Is there anything else you're thinking of trying?

I'm trying fertilily but this month but ovulation hasn't really happened again for some reason. Or it's late. God knows. I'm giving up!

@Loops01 what CD are you? Yep it's so annoying when ovulation is late, I had that this month too. Felt like a month of a lot of effort