Acupunture increases IVF success rates (two studies)

[turner]

Bea, Thanks for that information - really interesting.

Jennifer M - you must be at the end of your 2ww. How did it go? Did the acupuncture and IVF deliver a BFP?

Fingers are crossed for you.

T

[Jennifer M]

Hi all

not much news yet at my end - but its nice to just stay in touch (I dont talk to my work mates about all this IVF stuff).

I am still preparing for a FET. I decided against doing it this last cycle cos I caught a wicked cold. My FS said no problem just go ahead, but when I talked to the acupuncturist at the IVF support clinic she suggested waiting, especially since I was a bit feverish. It felt like good advice, I want everything to go right when I have the transfer. Do any of you know if your health at time of transfer really matters?

J M

[lauramay09]

Hey JM,

I had my transfer last week - interesting you ask about general
health; I was wondering the exact same thing. The few days leading up
to the FET I was really stressed and tired (work stuff ) and even had
a bit of a sniffle. However I think the acupuncture helped my immune
system keep it at bay, and I did ask my acupuncturist whether I
should go ahead. We decided yes, since I had been doing a whole
course of treatments to prepare for it. Also I didnt have a fever - I
think if I had I would have done the same as you JM and delayed.
Anyway all fingers crossed now ........ and KEEP CALM!
Laura xx

[Jennifer M]

all fingers crossed for you LauraMay

[turner]

Dear Jennifer M,

I'm sorry that you cancelled your transfer. So what happens next? Do you wait for AF then begin again? What are you going to do about your acupuncture? WIll you keep doing that too?

I hope you're not too sad with having to cancel. Good luck to you.

[turner]

Jennifer M, Are you still around. I'm in my 2ww. HPDs are looking good. Not jumping up and down yet though.

[Jennifer M]

HI Turner
thanks for asking. I will be having a transfer in July ........ decided to wait til work stress is reduced (after end June). I really hope everything continues well for you ....... its a tough time this 2WW isnt it? DO you have any good distractions?

take care and rest plenty

JM

[Jennifer M]

Hi Laura May

we havent heard from you in the last couple of weeks - guessing no news is not good news?

Hang in there
We are all in this same crazy boat and we just have to keep going!

JM

[lauramay09]

Hi JM

yup, no news is not good news. Would you believe it my frosties didnt survive the thaw, neither of them! I was devastated and the embryologists were just scratching their heads. So I went off and licked my wounds for a while; DH took me away for a bit of sunshine in north queensland. Am just getting geared up for another transfer in July. Work in June is so mad, and I'm too exhausted to do it now ...... (we must both be in the accounting business?).
Have to say I think the acupuncture ivf support clinic people were even more upset than me ......... we had worked so hard together to get ready.
Oh well I am going to do the same preparation I did last time - the acupuncture just makes me feel so cruisey. And I could do with that .......

keep well ........

Laura May.

[drbeee]

Well its too soon to report if there are any fertility-related benefits to acupuncture for me because I have only had one treatment so far, and ET wont be for another 5-8 days depending on my cycle...Buuut I have to say that I had a hugely stressful weekend at work, and I WASNT stressed!

I was calm, cheerful and happy for 99% of the time, when recently I have been miserable at work.

I dont know whether the cause was the acupuncture, but I will be going back because nothing else changed!

Even if we are not blessed to fall PG, I think I will continue to have AP if it makes me feel so much more relaxed and able to cope!

[Ping]

Originally Posted by drbeee

Well its too soon to report if there are any fertility-related benefits to acupuncture for me because I have only had one treatment so far, and ET wont be for another 5-8 days depending on my cycle...Buuut I have to say that I had a hugely stressful weekend at work, and I WASNT stressed!

I was calm, cheerful and happy for 99% of the time, when recently I have been miserable at work.

I dont know whether the cause was the acupuncture, but I will be going back because nothing else changed!

Even if we are not blessed to fall PG, I think I will continue to have AP if it makes me feel so much more relaxed and able to cope!

Hi drbeee

How are you doing? I see that you are in Perth and had tried acupuncture. Am currently in search of an acupuncturist in Perth and would appreciate if you could let me have your contacts of your acupuncturist that I could find out more from re his/her service. It will help too if you would share your experience with him/her.

Thanking you in advance.

ping

[Nix76]

Hi ladies,

I am interested to start on some accupuncture to hopefully complement my IVF cycle - and if not that - just to try it out as a stress reliever - there seems to be a lot of good feedback.

A friend of mine rec'ded one in Murrumbeena - not too far from me but he is away until September so I thought I would put the question out there?

Hope it is OK to ask for names or numbers?

[buliej]

Nix - is East Melbourne OK for you - if yes, I'll PM you a place

[Ping]

Had been monitoring this thread closely for past days. Was delighted to receive an alert in my mailbox of a response but sadly still no news of a recommended acupucturist in Perth.

Am planning to be back to Perth sometime next month so really hope I could hear from one of you soon. I do believe that acupucture does help in one way or another during one's IVF treatment but I really need some links as I am new to Oz.

Thank you.

Ping

[Nix76]

Buliej - thanks so much for the offer, I went off and found someone yesterday and am booked in for lunchtime today. East Melbourne is a bit far as I try to keep as many appointments as I can near to my work or home. I got in to a place in Glen Waverley.

Ping & Buliej - being my typical impatient self - I went off and did some research. Ping - maybe this may help you as well. As per a suggestion from "sophabulous" on this thread back on July 21, 2006 - (on the first page), I went to google and typed "Chinese Medicine Registration Board" and found the one for Victoria. I also went to my health insurance page - medibank private to find accupuncture therapists in my area that are approved suppliers by Medibank (this also means I get a better rebate rate) and then cross referenced to the registration board. Found one, called and told them what I was after and she said they have a board full of photos of ladies with babies who have had success after accupuncture! I got in for 12.30pm today and really looking forward to it - hope it goes well... and I'll let you know.

Also, I was just talking to a guy at work who knows about my "pregnancy challenge's" and he commented on a friend's wife who went to accupuncture while she was pregnant for back pain releif and she swears by it.

I've never been down this path before, but I find it quite interesting and think there has to be something good in it and I figure you have to try things to find what works for you.
Even if it doesn't actually help in my IVF journey - at the very least I am sure it can help in some other areas.

Ping - hope this helps, I think given there has not been much response from anyone in Perth to help you - get on to google and do a search and even if you are not with a health fund, use their site to find therapists in your area - I figure they have to be pretty legit and credible to be associated with a big health fund.

[Persephone1]

Ping, I found my acupuncturist by googling 'fertility' and 'acupuncture' in the same search. My acupuncturist specialises in fertility and complementing IVF, and he came up in the google search.

GL finding one, and let us know how you go,
Seph

[Ping]

Hello Nix76 & Persephone1, thank you for your kind response.

Yes, Nix76, I do have Medibank Private. Will be calling them shortly to enquire more on my cover as I saw on some acupuncturists website that some may not be covered. Am still busy googling in my search. Had been having this headache and giddiness in morning since after my last IVF treatment. Getting very slow in all my mental and physical tasks

Perhaps, those who had read this thread and would like to share could PM me instead if you are not comfy to disclose contacts openly.

By the way, on a separate note, how do we PM one another? Am not very good with this forum thing.

Thank you.

ping

[Nix76]

Hi PIng,

You can go on to the Medibank Provate website and look at the list of approved supliers - these are the ones that you will get the most refund back from. You can even search within your area - or near to your postcode - very helpful in case you don't want to do it over the phone.

I'm not sure how to PM sorry - so can't help there.

Had my 1st accupuncture session on Thursday. Fairly old run down place, but clean and tidy enough. Seems to be just 2 therapists that work from there.

Anyway - as I have never had acu before he ran me through the basics about it and chinese medicine philosophy. Said that the kidney and liver circle is the ones I need to make sure are in balance as they are the key to pregnancy. After that I lay down, had pins in ankles, knees, 2 in belly and at temples. Turned the light off left me there for 20 - 25 mins to chill out. Came back, pins out, gave me some "natural herbs" and off I go! Said I can come back early next week for another session.

It was def very relaxing and the pins didn't hurt at all. Not sure what the herbs are - he said they are all natural and won't interfear with the IVF medication I am taking. I have not taken them tho and not sure I will. They say they will complement the acu.. I don't know!

I guess for me I was a bit skeptical because he did not ask me anything about my cycle or even why I was doing IVF - 2 things I would have thought would be important to know.

But at the very least it was relaxing and if the pins do help get some of my insides in balance and harmony then that can't be a bad thing.

Not sure if this helps anyone in tyrying to learn about acu - as I said in another post somewhere - I think we all just have to try things and see what works for each of us. And at the end of the day I believe in a little fate and hopefully it will be shining on us & we will be one of the lucky ones who are successful in the first round.