Acupuncture Frequency?

Hi,

DH and I have been having acupuncture now for a year. Although my temp charts are looking really good and have improved hugely, I am still not pg (3 years and 3 months TTC). We are doing IVF as well, however, so far we have spent about $10,000 on acupuncture as we go weekly. We just can't sustain this level of spending, with mortgage, car, food, it's getting ridiculous.

We have cut back everywhere else, but acupuncture is the one thing that we haven't for obvious reasons. Can anyone give any advice as to the frequency of acu and if going fortnightly is OK to do. Or should I bite the bullet and keep up with the weekly and never have any money?

Thanks in advance!

I'm sticking with weekly... we tried to get DH to go as well for a bit, but we figured that with ICSI, it really wasn't worth it for his side of things. They didn't seem to want to see DH as frequently as me - so perhaps (I see that you are using ICSI as well) having DH going less often would be an option?

I thought about dropping to fortnightly, but for me the stress factors become huge if I have to skip a week... We don't have a mortgage, but the hour's drive each way for acupuncture on top of everything else does take a huge chunk out of the finances. Although, two years on, it's become such a part of our every day life that we aren't missing the money at all.

Might be worth discussing fortnightly visits with your practitioner - although mine was fairly against me reducing appointments when I discussed it with her. The one thing we have discovered is that my body hates having acupuncture while on the pill - so the current plan is that if I use the pill for a break cycle instead of the ovulation induction drugs, then I'll skip acupuncture for those weeks, and start again when we are cycling.

I'm always amazed at the financial commitment that this is taking... once you look at the appointments with the specialists, cycle costs, other medications, acupuncture, herbs... It's stuff that we just don't think about any more - it's become a normal part of our life, which is sad in some ways. :(

BW

Hello,
Question for you - I'm thinking of starting acupuncture and have been reading some of the papers on it. One thing I noticed is that it suggested acupuncture just before and just after an ET (eg the 1/2 hr before and after). Have you tried this, or has it been suggested by the practitioners you go to?

The reason for asking is that we are 3 hrs from where we do IVF, so while I'll will get the acupuncture up here (I guess weekly - I have not started yet), there is no way I could time it that close to ET unless I found somewhere close to the clinic and just went there on the day of the transfer.

Any thoughts - all help and advice appreciated.
FG

I've only ever had one acupuncture session on the day of transfer. The closest together they ever where was when transfer was at 10:30 and acupuncture was at 2pm. I guess it depends a lot on the practitioner you see, but mine has never suggested more than that. All of my transfers have worked, we just need to figure out the cause of me early miscarriages, and we think we're on top of that... will just have to wait and see for the next one.

BW

BW - thanks for the advice, and good luck :goodluck:

Hi,

For my last 2 transfers/iui I had acu on the same day, can't remember the actual times. but neither of them worked.

I think it's different for different people. BW, we're doing ICSI so maybe DH should cut back on his treatment?

I'll speak to my acu practitioner and see what she says.

I recently read new research saying its not as beneficial as first thought. I had it last cycle, no luck. I can't decide what to do this time!

Hi,

Thanks for that Babybliss. Personally, although I quite enjoy the treatment, it just hasn't worked for me to get pg. We could really do with saving the money on the herbs etc. too, only because I don't think it's making any difference to us at all.

It's a tough one - I've been having weekly acupuncture for about 9 mths, to try and make my cycles return (let alone help TTC ha ha). It hasn't made my cycles return *yet* but like BW I find the stress relief is brilliant (stress is the main factor for my cycles probs in the first place). Mine is $70 a session, I get $24 back from health ins but that's capped at $540/yr so runs out after roughly 6 mths.

I'm also in the crossroads phase, trying to decide if we'll keep going with it. At the moment I'm saying yes - I mean, it's only money and what price is conceiving that longed-for baby worth? But you do have to be realistic. I guess I'm fortunate that DH and I have good incomes, but even so it is getting to the stage where we'd like to get an investment property etc but that big chunk of the budget missing may be an issue.

I was having the chinese herbs for a while too, but have now switched to naturopathic herbs and supplements - they are costing me around $300 a month!!

Not sure if any of this ramble has helped - but just know that you're not the only one, I feel your pain too!

it is hard to know isn't it? If I felt it wasn't working, I would consider switching to something else for stress relief (something cheaper!) However if you think it heps, then its worth it. I give up trying to guess anymore! For me, the article was a good reason not to bother, but there seems to be an argument for both sides.

It is really hard to know what to do for the best, and yes, I'm sure all of us LTTTCers would pay all of the money in the world to have a baby, however, practicality does come into it, and unfortunately money doesn't grow on trees!

I saw my FS today and asked his opinion. He said the jury's out on whether or not it actually has any benefit to pg rates, however, it doesn't do any harm, and in 50% of cases (in some study or other) it does prove to be beneficial.

So, although it is expensive, I am going to keep it up weekly and DH is dropping to fortnightly. I'm also going to ask my acu about all of the tablets I'm on, as I'm sure I could stop some of them (the SBflora and Ultrabiotic digestion ones).

I am unsure if I am allowed to post the link the the research released in Oct 07, but perhaps I can PM it? I have read the positive ones too, its all very confusing! I think your decision to just tweak it a bit is a good one.