Accupuncture!

I just wanted to start a thread on accupuncture.

My chinese medicine dr induced me over 3 days with accupunture and i went into labour mid session on my third day. 5 hours of active labour - a happy, healthy baby boy! Yippee!

Anyone else been induced this way or had accupunture throughout pregnancy for a smoother labour???

ad accupuncture for severe m/s with my last pg, and it worked a treat. Will definately be giving it another go when we try again. Unfortunately our pg ended with an angel, but was definately going to use accupuncture if i needed if for induction, and i am going to use it again for IVF support this time!

i have just started AP to support my upcoming IVF cycle. if anything it makes me feel incredible. relaxed, positive, calm and at peace. this in itself will be useful during the strain of a cycle regime.

there have been some studies on the benefits of AP and fertility treatments that another BB member drew my attention to. here is an article she posted for me

The article on IVF and Acupuncture is-

Acupuncture linked to IVF success

By Sophie Scott

Researchers in Adelaide have found that giving acupuncture to IVF patients can substantially increase pregnancy rates.

But the reasons for the treatment's apparent success are still unclear.

For Suzanne Hemmerling, who had tried a couple of cycles of IVF with no luck, it was third time lucky when she enrolled in the University of Adelaide acupuncture study.

She was given acupuncture just before and after the embryo was implanted.

"At the very least, it might have improved my mindset and made me more positive but I'm sure it did a lot more than that," she said.

Her daughter Ashley was born 20 months ago and her second child is due in four weeks.

In the trials, half the women were given real acupuncture, while the rest were given non-invasive needles.

"There were over 1,000 patients, and patients who had had acupuncture done in the correct place had double the pregnancy [rate] after IVF," Professor Rob Norman said.

But Prof Norman admits the research team is unsure why the ancient treatment might make a difference.

"Acupuncture probably has an effect on the lining of the womb in a way that we don't yet understand," Prof Norman said.

"It may be increased blood flow or changing chemicals involved with the implantation process but it certainly seems to work."

Fertility experts say acupuncture might be most useful for older women or those who have had problems conceiving through IVF.

They say it is important to have the procedure done under medical supervision.

I'm going to give acupuncture a go again with this bub. I had it all through my last pregnancy but DS was still 2 weeks over. This time around I'm planning on cranking up the induction type AP way before that as DS was born via emergency CS so I can't be induced this time. I've moved to Melbourne so won't be seeing my previous therapist which is a shame but my OB gave me the name of a man she saw and she says he is wonderful. Has anyone experience with Winton Terry? He has clinics in Carlton and Balwyn.

saw him and he is great- highly recommended!!
a nice guy as well!
if you have any other questions about him- just PM if that helps!
Odette

Well, I am TTC and have been using AP ever since I finished BCP. Its worked wonders with my cycle and is improving my CM as well as keeping me chilled out along the way...
I will definitely be using him all through this journey, the relief spreads across all aspects of my life. And I love feeling better with next to no effort on my part lol.

i had my third AP session today and had the most amazing warm calm feeling come over me, i almost felt enveloped, especially on the left hand side where my two needles were. has anyone experienced this?

s'rose that is great that it has been so helpful already for you. it really is amazing stuff.

dusty

Dusty I love the calm feeling it brings Dh says you can really notice it in me I seem more content

I have previously had a M/C and started seeing a Chinese doctor in Melbourne who did accupuncture and gave me herbs, as he said that the reason for the M/C was weak kidneys. I am pregnant again (baby 10 weeks) and have been seeing a practitioner in Brisbane who uses Japanese accupuncture. So far, so good. The pregnancy seems to be stable, my kidney strength has improved and he got rid of my morning sickness. I would recommend a good accupuncturist to any pregnant woman.

ali

Ali I agree with that. My accuputurist said the same thing

ali that is great and congratulations on your pg! yay for the AP :)

i had session no 5 (1 per week) of AP today and had a very different experience to the last 4. i told my AP i have been quite anxious this week as started IVF cycle and feel a lot is riding on it. we had a long chat about emotions and thoughts and how to deal with anxiety. he decided to focus on getting my energy to really flow today and focused on my digestive system and liver. i had several needles this time. i found my mind racing and felt quite out of sorts afterwards. he could tell i found it a bit confronting and thought maybe the work on the liver helped release emotions. i did feel quite emotional for several hours afterwards. i didn't really want to talk to anyone.

my previous 4 sessions have been quite gentle and focusing on one area and i have walked away feeling very light, relaxed and relieved.

has anyone else felt quite upset after an AP session before? or have any comments on what may be going on?

oh I've never felt out of sorts... hmmmm... must have been very powerful. I got anxious during a session when I was 41 weeks and talked with the practitioner, she took them out & put one on the spot in between your thumb & index finger & put a electrode on it. Then she said to put heat on that spot to help relax, and to rub it whenever I think about it. That helped me.

I'm going to AP today because of my low energy. I'm having a very hard time staying awake. seriously 2 kids running around & I can't stay awake... its awful.

I had acupuncture with m last pregnancy to help encourage Tehya into a good positon for birth as she was posterior. Also to help induce labour. While it didn't induce labour, Tehya did get into a better position. I only had one session though.

I have also had it for bad sinusitus, and let me tell you the relief was instant. Although I was drowning in snot (TMI0.

I also have a session booked for next friday afternoon to try and get this baby to turn. She is currently in a breech position and I would really like to get her head down asap.

where can i get accupuncture? in australia sydney..anyone know?

I'm almost addicted to my weekly sessions - it gives me such a feeling of calmness, like I'm floating and all my worries are floating away. Unfortunately the AF-side of things hasn't moved as quickly as we'd like, but I'm still giving it a go.
Mummy46 - I'm in Perth so can't help but I'm fairly sure that there is an Australian association for acupuncturists, perhaps google it??

Hi everyone,

I had been TTC for nearly 2 years after miscarriaging at 12 weeks and decided to try acupuncture after a recommendation. Saw Bill Wong, 104 Murrumbeena Rd Murrumbeena Melbourne, ph. 9563 2236. Took me a month to get in to see him as he is flat out. His diagnosis was that my body was too cold, my womb wasn't acting as an incubator, and he banned me from cooling foods and told me to only eat warming foods and to ensure everything is cooked, never raw. Weekly acupuncture sessions and our very first attempt to conceive since the acupuncture worked and I am now 8 weeks pregnant! I see Bill every week for the first trimester and then monthly until the baby is due.
He only charges $35 a session (I get $20 back with private health cover) and is always on time, I have never been kept waiting.
After trying to become pregnant for SO LONG, and for this to work straight away, I know it was the acupuncture and the warming diet.

Cheers,

Lisa M
Melbourne

How much does an acupunture session usually cost?
Thinking of giving it a try, from what you girls have written it sounds really good. Does it hurt at all?

Hi Sarah Jane,

My acupuncturist charges $35 a session.

No it doesn't hurt, you barely feel the needles going in at all. They put them in very quickly - its just bang, bang, bang and they are all in within 10 seconds.
Occasionally one of the needles might give you a quick little minor sting but it's nothing bad I promise!

Cheers,

Lisa M

Thanks Lisa. I'm not too good with needles! lol.
$35 is pretty good I thought it would be more expensive. I wonder if that's about average.

Hi Sarah Jane,
I thought I'd tell you that my acupuncturist charges... $80 a session! Though because I've been seeing him for quite a while I'm charged $70 (he had a price rise after I started). BTW I'm in Perth. I get about $23 back from health ins.
Each session is for an hour, during which time he will chat about my week, any symptoms etc I've had (we're trying to get AF to return), check my tongue and my pulses, then I get the needles and relax for around 30 mins.
I would say that it doesn't hurt, but the sensations can be a little strange to start with! And if you are having some of the stronger points, well it can be rather intense! But that makes me think that it's working even more!!

Crikey $80, hmm, and I don't have private health insurance atm.
Thankyou for the information! I am going to have to look into it. About how many needles would they put in each time do you reckon?

Hi SJ,
The number of needles really depends on what you're being treated for. A lot of people think that it's a value for money thing eg you should expect a lot of needles and if not you're being ripped off! But my acu guy says that it's better to use as few needles as possible, so as not to complicate the treatment. I've had up to about 12 or 14 I think, but sometimes i'll only have 6 or 8.
It's also great because since I go weekly, if I'm feeling a sore throat or cold coming on, or if I'm not sleeping well or feeling especially stressed, he'll incorporate that into the treatment too.
It is pricey, but for me I'd rather try the natural option and fix my body that way than have hormone injections (at this stage anyway). DH and I joke about our 'million dollar baby' :)

My AP costs $50 for a session. It is an hour long and usually includes some reiki (while the needles are in) and a little shoulder neck massage :)

I had regular acupuncture for about 6 weeks prior to #2 being born. Labour went smooth (if anything I handled it too well and nearly didn't make it to the BC) and she was in a good position. I felt as though the AP had left my system (hormones?) balanced and ready to labour. Didn't use AP to induce as I gave birth at 39weeks.

Thanks for all the info guys!! Good to hear of lots of positive experiences!
On top of that cost did you have to buy any herbs or anything?

I was taking TCM herbs, cost was $50 for 2 weeks worth. But I'm now taking naturopath herbs (along with the acupuncture) which cost me about $120 for 5 weeks I think. Oh and they taste worse than the TCM ones!!

Acu treatment is between $50-$80 plus herbs which can vary between 20-50.

It doesn't hurt at all, needles are as thin as your hair. Usually 10-15 are inserted into specific points for 20mins, very relaxing

Well, I did decide to try acupuncture! Had my first session on Saturday. It was $65 and I also paid another $25 for herbs for about 2 weeks. Now :crossfingers: it helps with getting my cycle back in order and conceiving!!

It's wonderful reading all the stories about AP and how it's helped people to conceive or in their pregnancy and even just general health...

I had my first visit to an AP and herbalist on Saturday also & he treated me with 'electroacupuncture' has anyone had this done? He said it was more beneficial than the needles for fertility? This is what he told me anyway... but he doesn't speak very good english (chinese) and i find it frustrating because I can't ask questions because he just doesn't understand me!?! :doh: (a friend recommended me to him)
I got some herbs from him and he had organised daily bags of herbs and i have to boil them up and drain the leaves,roots, seeds and drink the tea (doesn't taste as bad as i was told it would) and it cost me $140 for 4 weeks herbs.... $20 acupuncture session....( i nearly fell over when he told me the price of the herbs!!) i see him weekly for acupuncture....
If I'm not pregnant this cycle (he said it would take 1 or 3mths) then I'm going to give him a miss and see another lady who I rang and she does the same thing however she specialises alot in women's fertility and being a woman herself she would understand it all more i feel anyway.... :D

Anyway, I've just over-boiled my herbs (woops) and I better go drink em! oh, and he never told me what the herbs WERE! I asked and he said 'i only know chinese name' and I'm like "ooh ok great" lol so gosh knows what i'm eating.... it just looks like roots, leaves and seeds from the back yard!!!!

Hey Ren -glad you're trying AP!

$140 for herbs for a month is a bit pricey - I miss-typed my earlier message, mine were $50 for 4 weeks. But my AP is $70 a session (I get $25 back on health ins up to $540 for the year). So $20 is cheap!

I haven't had electro-AP but I do sometimes have 'moxa' which is where after the needles are in, a little cone of compressed herbs sits on the end of the needle and is set alight, to add extra heat!!

My AP guy is Australian, I picked him (from the phonebook!) because I wanted to be able to understand everything he said, and vice versa. And he's awesome!

He was away last week so I didn't get my weekly session, so now I'm feeling more stressed out and hanging out til Friday to see him again :redface:

MrsP - yeah the lady i want to see is Australian and speaks english! YAY! So i want to see her next... I noticed after the AP appointment i felt so much more relaxed.... and still do!

Yes I believe I was slightly over-charged for those herbs... i mean $35 a week! He had already put each weekly dose in bags and mixed them up for me so i had no choice but to pay for them.... I had a $50 note in my hand to give to him and he said '$140' and i nearly died! Then i had to tell DH where all my money went!! :lol:

I'll let you know how this lady goes soon... I might even see her next week she's back from holidays 25th feb.

I know how you feel - my first appt with this current naturopath and it was

$100 for inital 1 hour consult
$90 for herbs (about 5-6 weeks worth)
$120 for other supplements
then
$160 for salivary hormone testing that she recommended I do (a traditional GP has since told me that they are a waste of time - not sure who I believe)

So that was $470!

Then 5 weeks later, another consult $90, more herbs $90, more supplements $80 = $260 more!!!

Ridiculous!!

Good luck with the new APer - I think I really am hooked on it :p

MrsP - yes it all adds up hey.... *sighs* what we do for a baby hey..... :wall:
but it is so worth it.... thank you, i wish you all the very best and i hope you get yourhealthy BFP very soon too!

Hi everyone,

I've just stumbled upon this thread and am very interested in the experiences and questions presented.

I'm a Melbourne based Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbal practitioner who specialises in women's health and am very interested in the experiences and perspective of women who access TCM services. It sounds like raved reviews from most of you.

To respond to some of your questions...

Average cost of AP consultations is between $50-$75. Some practitioners take longer, have more experience so charge more.

The best way to access a practitioner within your area is always by word of mouth, ask a friend.

You can also do a search on naturaltherapypages.com.au
I this event it is advisable to ask if they have experience in treating women health issues, pg, fertility (some specialise in musculoskeltal etc.treatments so are not so appropriate).

While not common to experience adverse reactions from AP it unfortunately does happen, the overwhelming treatment response is one of feeling calm and relaxed after the treatment . In the event of having a strong reaction it is best to contact your practitioner to discuss what might be done to assist you, you might need to be 'rebalanced'. I hoe that you don't get put off byit.

Hope that's helpful.

Well I'm so inspired by this thread! :) I have an AP appointment booked for the 29th of March. My session will cost $50. It's at a new place in Melbourne Central, all the practitioners are approved. The therapist is going to try to help me with my thyroid issue :crossfingers: I won't be buying any herbs, i've already decided. I just want to see the effect of the AP and the thyroid medication i have just started. I'll let you know how it goes!

Hi Dominque,

Completely new to this site and how the forum operates so hopefully this gets to you and you can reply with answers / comments. My name is Lynette, I'm 38yo, husband 36yo. We have a 4 yo daughter conceived first month of trying! but after approx 20 months of TTC No. 2 no joy! We've had all the tests and everything is fine but now getting quite fustrating. The reason fo my message I was also recommended Dr Bill Wong and had my first session last week. He also mentioned not eating any raw/uncooked foods. I'm still not sure why and will have to start my questions when I next see him.

I'd really be interested to know more of your story and how long it took you to become pregnant after seeing Bill and what foods you did/didn't eat.

Look forward to hearing from

With regard
Lynette

PS Hope your pregnancy is well and happy

I would just like to back up Lisa M's post about Bill Wong. He changed my life and is an absolute marvel. I can't recommend him highly enough. He is honest and if he can't help you, he will tell you. He is inexpensive, considering the results he gives on all manner of things ($35.00 per visit). I recently moved to Brissy and miss him terribly. I have never been so well in seeing him!

hi ladies, i have seen a few AP now and so far have no success. Bill Wong has been mentioned here a few times, i would like to give him a try. Can someone tell me if he prescribe herbal medicine or he only does needles? How long does each session last?

Hi iibb

Bill only practices Acupuncture and I found, having previously been on herbs with another practioner, that the acupuncture alone was enough. He will talk to you about it first and how long you would need to see him. If he can't help you he will say - he certainly doesn't string you along. Tell him about your past experiences. The thing with Bill and any acupuncture, it isn't a quick, instantaneous fix, so ask him how long it would be until you would expect results. He does alot with eating and not to eat certain foods that are too cold for the body etc. His sessions are about 45 mins to 1 hour and it is about $35.00 from memory. I can't recommend him highly enough. Good luck! :)

Thanks Hugothehound. I am concern having to take herbal medicine would cost a lot. I have seen AP which cost me 160 every week, 80 consultation 80 herbal powder. I persisted for three months with no result. It seems like Bill has a lot of experience. I am excited about giving him a go. Thanks again for your info.