Anyone else trying Acupuncture for TTC? ✨

[Bellesjp]

Hi everyone

I've just had my second session of acupuncture to help with ttc and wondered if anyone else is doing the same? I've heard really good success stories so I'm hoping it helps 🤞🏼

A bit about my journey.. we started properly trying December 2020, I had an early miscarriage a few years before when we were 'not trying not preventing', I then got my bfp in July but unfortunately we lost her in September to turners syndrome 😞 started ttc again and this is my forth cycle this time round.

My acupuncturist has said to refrain from ttc for a few months to let the acupuncture help my body but we are going to go back to 'trying but not trying' if you know what I mean 🙈 can't bring myself to stop completely after all this in case it was meant to be this month!!

Hi @Bellesjp I was having acupuncture 2 months before starting ivf and during treatment cycles. I found it helped me feel relaxed and improved my period pains and helped balance my hormones. I used to develop cysts in my breasts during certain days within my cycle and this stopped. Think it may have helped with egg quality but can't be sure. I did also take supplements that I think may have had more impact on improving my egg quality than the acupuncture.
After 3 cycles became pregnant with my DS. Acupuncture was very beneficial for me.

Hi OP, I had acupuncture when TTC DC1. After first session got my period and then fell the cycle after (ended in miscarriage but we conceived DC1 after that). I think it helped!

I just got my BFP for DC2. This time I’ve decided to try fertility reflexology. Had one appt in December, got my period... had another session a few weeks ago and am now pregnant.

Both seem to have helped me (I think they work in similar ways maybe?)

Hi both, that's great to hear it helped get your bfps and congratulations! 😊 I've only heard good things so feeling hopeful!

Did you take any herbal tablets along side acupuncture? My acupuncturist has given me some as she said it works better if I have these as well, don't really know what they are but been taking them anyway 🙈 wondering if I need these or if acupuncture will work on it's own!?

Hi everyone, how often do you go/did you go for acupuncture for it to work well?

Hi @Sparklesurprise29 I'm going weekly which is what my acupuncturist recommended

Hi @Bellesjp and @Sparklesurprise29, I wasn’t given any herbal tablets.. I can’t remember how often I went; definitely not every week though. Sorry if that’s not very helpful

Hey! I’ve just started, too. Had my 3rd session, going every second week, but probably will start doing weekly (when I can escape my work).
Had few sessions of reflexology and massage, too. It’s nice to drift away from thinking and relax.

I tried it for skin problems and it was sb1tw

How many sessions does it normally take to achieve a result?

Hello everyone, I was having acupuncture once weekly and I was also drinking the herbal tea. Only purchased it about 4 times. The amount I had lasted for about 2 weeks.

Hey everyone who has joined 👋

My acupuncturist said it would take a couple of months to have an effect since new eggs start maturing 3 months in advance of ovulation! However I have noticed some differences, I'm much less bloated and today I had some ewcm! I haven't ever noticed this before so that's definitely something that's as a result of going 😊

How's everyone doing? Went for my third session yesterday and she's happy with how I'm doing.

I'm going to try somewhere else next week as she's not too happy I didn't want to carry on the herbal pills as well, I take so many vitamins it was a struggle to fit them all in and was working out so £££! Hoping the new lady will be a bit more understanding of my budget lol x

Hi everyone,
I just started my fertility acupuncture this week.
Background - have been trying naturally for 21 menstrual cycles, all my blood work is normal for hormones/amh/fertility and even regular stuff - just a little low on iron which I take a supplement for.
Having been taking prenatals, DHA and folic acid since 3 months before we started trying. DH sperm tests all normal. I have endometriosis and a mild form of cystic fibrosis.
We're giving is 16 final weeks of trying naturally before we see our fertility specialist (also my gyno, but he also does IVF and OB).
We've tried all sorts of hormone/pre-natal friendly diets, teas, positioning, etc.
My acupuncturist is having me come CD3, day of ovulation, and DPO6-7. She also has me drinking chai tea, dandelion tea and raspberry leaf tea. I'm honestly willing to do anything to concieve naturally because IVF scares me.
During my first acupuncture session the specialist seemed really optimistic for me, even after hearing my history. I'm scared to be hopeful.

I’m also scared to be hopeful. Have just started too. Had 4 sessions - every second week but will do weekly, when I can get out of work earlier.
Don’t know what to think of it. Hard to believe it can work, but going there with an open mind.

Hi I started last month and had 3 sessions, about 10 days apart. She said we can do every 4 or 6 weeks from now on and she feels everything should be balanced. So I'm going for my 4th session next week which is just before AF (she said she can strengthen the lining).
Bit of background - We've been trying for 15 months now for #1 and I've never had a BFP. All bloods and SA are normal, so at the point of starting acupuncture, I didn't really know what was wrong and couldn't tell her specifically where to focus on, so she was treating everywhere in general. I had a scan last week which showed a fibroid and thin lining so at the next session I'm going to tell her if acupuncture can help in these areas and I may need it more regularly.
The main benefit I've found so far was it was a form of therapy/relaxation for me as I do overthink a lot (mainly about TTC). Also, it felt like I could talk to someone about what I am going through (which you don't really find with a doctor's appointment) and someone to listen to it all.
I think I will be starting reflexology next cycle too, as I really think I do need to wind down a little bit.

Also wanted to add, she hasn't given me any pills or any herbal teas. I'm on a crazy amount of supplements now, so really don't want to add more to that mix.

My acupuncturist was surprised I was taking "so many" supplements (how many is a lot, how many is too many? 😳) but then when I asked which ones I could stop taking or didn't need to worry with she just said "well you're in a routine now so you might as well keep taking them all". Now it's all I can think when I take my morning supplements. I only take prenatal, iron with folic acid, multivitamin, vitamin c, DHA and a probiotic. Which ones would you drop?

Hi @SarahJFS I take a lot too! I take vitamin b complex with vit c, ubiquinol, iron, magnesium with zinc, choline, high dose folic acid and omega 3 with vit d. I was taking a prenatal but I was also taking a lot of things separately that were in the prenatal so I've cut that out 🙈

It's a lot but I worry about stopping some in case they're needed, I think you just wee out what you don't need so I wouldn't worry too much, worse case it's just a waste of money x

@Bellesjp that's exactly it. And some of them, I'm not taking as prenatal. Like my iron tablet I was already taking before we stated trying and it was just a happy accident that it had folic acid. My prenatal and multivitamin barely overlap each other and neither contains DHA and none of the above contain probiotics so, they all seem fairly necessary to me.

I recently heard on a podcast where they interviewed a fertility doctor that there is no evidence to support raspberry leaf tea in conception/fertility, but my acupuncturist told me to drink a cup every day and now I'm not sure what to do.

@SarahJFS I have heard about raspberry leaf tea but not tried it myself. I guess it can't hurt to try 🤷🏼‍♀️ i guess what works for one person might not work for another so it's about trying it and seeing if it helps!

@Bellesjp I have tried it in the past to no effect but im just trying everything now, all at the same time, hoping something sticks

@Bellesjp Thank you for all the info. Oh I am sorry your acupuncturist wasn't more understanding. How is your new one so far?

Hi @IsabelHerna I have my first session with the new lady tomorrow. I really think it's helping from the first place I went to I just didn't like the pressure to have to buy the tablets as well x

Hi everyone,
This is a bit of a weird one, but has anyone started having super vivid dreams since starting acupuncture? I don't really ever recall my dreams, but since starting acupuncture, I have dreams so vivid I honestly think I am awake and then something else will happen later to actually wake me up.
For instance, my last acupuncture session I fell asleep and then remember waking up when the practitioner entering the room, declaring she was a naturopath. A few moments later, she ACTUALLY entered the room, rather quietly and gentle woke me up. I asked her if anyone else had entered the room, or walked by, but we were the only 2 people in the clinic. Just last night the same happened except I "woke up" to take an ovulation test.... needless to say when I woke up for real the box was still sealed in plastic wrap.
Not sure if this is an obscure acupuncture effect or something else.

@Bellesjp how was the new lady?