Accupuncture...what to expect?

[Kema]

Hey Everyone,

I realise that each accupuncture clinic is going to be different but I was just wondering what I should expect from a first Visit?

I have an appointment on tuesday so I guess I'll find out then but I would really appreciate some of your experiences.

I started IVF in March, but I'm hoping accupuncture will help me to achieve some sort of hormonal balance, since my first ET was cancelled due to hyperstimulation and my second ET (natural FET)cancelled due to not having a dominant follicle, I cant seem to find that happy medium.

I'm also hoping that accupuncture will help me get my head together, I have been up and down like a rollercoaster and just cant seem to get IVF, pregnancy and babies off my mind, but I guess most of us in here are guilty of that.

Anyway I'd love to here what you think.

[butterfly_warrior]

Acupuncture is a wonderful way to calm yourself down and just generally improve the way your body functions, even if it doesn't actually help IVF!

I've been going for about two years now, and would never have been able to stay sane with my IVF treatment (or should I say catalogue of disasters?) without it.

When it comes to the first appointment, you can probably expect a detailed discussion of your health, diet, bowel motions, cervical mucus, sleeping habits... and anything else that may appear relevant. Get used to the mucus and bowel motion discussion, it's one I have every single appointment! After that, they will probably give you some suggestions of things to change in regard to diet and a few other things (my acupuncture lady is also a practitioner of traditional chinese herbal medicine so some things may be from that aspect of things rather than the acupuncture). When it comes to inserting the needles, they will take a lot of notice of your pulse and how it changes when they poke and prod various different areas of your body. They'll be most interested in which bits are sore or tender when they poke. Once I have all the needles in, they leave me for around 40 minutes to relax and mostly doze off. Sometimes I'll have needles moved around part way through the session, and sometimes they will warm different parts of my body using moxa. None of it is painful (or it shouldn't be!), it's very relaxing, and has really helped with so many aspects of my fairly dodgy health.

I hope this gives you some idea.

BW

[brissie girl]

Hi Kema!

Ditto to everything BW said.
I have had accupuncture the entire way through my current cycle and I can't imagine how I coped without it before! It really calms me down and gives me a wonderful sense of relaxation.
The first visit is the longest - normally it takes just over an hour because they have to get your history. The therapist will ask you a lot of standard questions relating to your medical history but they will also ask you a lot of things which may seem a bit..okay..very, strange! They will ask you for instance about your stools (be prepared to discuss them in detail!), whether you often feel hot/cold, they will look at your tongue, ask about your emotions etc... That is all because chinese medicine works on entirely different principles to conventional medicine. All the information you give the therapist helps them to determine how your whole body is functioning as chinese medicine does not treat one specific ailment - it works to bring the whole body into alignment... Hmm.. I think I am rambling but that is because I am very interested in chinese medicine. I think it has great benefits in working in conjunction with conventional medicine.
Once the therapist has your history, you have the accupuncture session which lasts about 20-30 mins approx. They will put the needles in (doesn't hurt at all - well, it shouldn't!) and then you are left there for the needles to do their stuff! My therapist uses moxa on me as well which involves heating the needles with a special thing called a moxa stick. That is my favourite part because it makes you all nice and warm and I really like the smell of it.
Every week, my therapist treats whatever part of me is not feeling so good - whether it be a physical complaint or an emotional one. You will find that certain points are used more often than others though if you are being treated for fertility.

Good luck with your apt and enjoy!!

[Chez67]

Hi Kema

I agree pretty much with what BW and brissie girl have said, except that sometimes I have found that the needles do hurt but that does depend on where I am in my cycle - about 7 days pre AF seems to be the worst and when I questioned my AP about it she said that the points were indicators of PMS, which I was definitely feeling that morning. After the treatment however I feel much more 'balanced' and in control of my emotions and much more able to cope with life in general. So I would definitely recommend AP to you but don't be concerned about the needles - the pain is only for a moment or two and blood tests are much worse in comparison! Good luck with your AC plans.

Chez