acupuncture and infertility

[Anonymous]

I am really considering starting acupuncture in DC. We have been TTC for 2 years with 4 failed IUI's. We're breaking until the summer when we will start IVF. I have heard alot about acupuncture in conjunction with fertility treatments but can't find any personal referrals/recommendations. Do any of you know anyone good in DC that specializes in fertility????

[Anonymous]

We have just started our 2nd IVF cycle (our first one in February failed) and I had my first ever acupuncture appointment this morning. I've been doing so much research on whether or not there is any substantial benefit in using acupuncture for fertility. No one seems to be able to give a clear answer, although my RE says he is fine with me doing it and thinks it helps even if it just reduces stress, although he requested I not take any Chinese herbal remedies. My friend used it w/her first IVF and was successful.

I am seeing Dr Chang on Vermont Avenue. She seems warm and capable, albeit a litle hard to talk with due to her strong accent. I thought based on our phone conversations that she would only be seeing me once a week until the retrieval, which seemed reasonable. Now she says we need to meet 3x a week and we are grappling with the cost. My husband is a little skeptical and doesn't take it too seriously...so that coupled with the news that I'll need more treatments than originally expected is a bit of a problem. Yeesh. I've got to figure out if I am going to continue with it. Although at 43, I'm not sure I can afford to say no to anything that could possibly help my chances of conceiving.

I do have to admit, I've been loose as a noodle all day.

[Anonymous]

I am the original poster of this questions. For those reading this line, I had my first acupuncture treatment yesterday. I am going to Deb Earley in Dupont circle. I felt totally at ease and who knows, it may help? The needles didn't hurt much and she seems very knowledgeable.

[Anonymous]

I did acupuncture for a month and less than 2 months later, I was pregnant. it could very well be a coincidence, but I loved how relaxed it made me feel. I did take some expensive herbal tablets that the acupuncturist recommended and also had to visit 3x a week. Thankfully, I was with Aetna and they have a special program that charges $35 a visit to most acupuncturists. Otherwise, it would have been insanely expensive. I also was able to include the cost as a FSA medical deduction.

Mine is in Rockville, MD, near Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

Who did you go to?

[Anonymous]

I went to Dr Huang near GW. My FSH went way, way down, and I did get pregnant with a viable pregnancy.

I was also doing fertility treatments at Columbia Fertility, as I did for the previous baby (didn't do acupuncture for that one).

[Anonymous]

Laura at the Teal Center specializes in fertility issues. They have an office close to Ballston metro. Whomever you chose, make sure that person specializes or has experience in fertility issues, because many do not. I found Laura to be vey comforting and professional during my IVF cycle and we had success with that particular cycle. I do not know for sure if the accupuncture was the reason (we had 2 unsuccessful cycles prior to trying accupuncture with the IVF), but you never know. Good luck for you!

[zumbamama]

Hey OP, I go to Deb Earley as well. She is great!

[Anonymous]

I posted on Expectant Moms - I recently had a miscarriage (almost 3 weeks ago), and am going to try acupuncture this time around. I figure if nothing else, it will help me relax. Anyone else use it after a miscarriage?

[Anonymous]

The studies I have read have recommended starting accupunture 2 months before you beging an IVF cycle. I followed this route with Laura at the Teal Center in Arlington near Ballston Mall with my IVF cycle last year, and was lucky enough to have a successful cycle (my 2 prior cycles had not been successful). Did it work because of the accunpunture, I don't know, but I got the end result I wanted.

If you go with accupunture, make sure the person you uses has experience in fertility, because apparently not all do and there are specific points and methods to use. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted on Expectant Moms - I recently had a miscarriage (almost 3 weeks ago), and am going to try acupuncture this time around. I figure if nothing else, it will help me relax. Anyone else use it after a miscarriage?

Yes, I started acupucture a month ago after a miscarriage. It has been very relaxing so far. The first month nothing happened, but I'm hopeful for the next. Good luck to you!

[Anonymous]

Felt like posting to this general thread today b/c I saw Deb Earley again today for an unrelated issue (hadn't seen her in a couple years), and was reminded of my fertility struggle a few years ago.

I saw her in 2008 after I had 5 unsuccessful IUIs, after getting a rec from a DCURBAN post. I always felt like the initial conception wasn't my problem, just the retention. Coincidentally, I conceived on my own literally days before starting with Deb. With herbs and needle treatment (not always penetration, there are other ways of "getting the point" without inserting a needle so it's not all about pain), I went full term and now have an 18 mon DC. To this day, I still consider her and her treatment to be pivotal in my success story. You can get treatment anywhere, but her obvious care and interest in you and your overall well being finally made me feel like a real person, not just some sad infertility statistic. She listens to what you say and makes you feel secure, and I felt like the fertility clinics were running a machine and just moving people thru as fast as they could. I never bothered to call them back to even tell them I'd conceived on my own.

Guess I'm just being sentimental, but it was a long struggle for us. Tough on marriage, tough on mental state, tough financially, tough on everything. If you are considering acupuncture, this is my recommendation. www.earleyacupuncture.com

[Anonymous]

@ 09:56 - Do you mind sharing how much the appointments were with Laura at The Teal Center?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted on Expectant Moms - I recently had a miscarriage (almost 3 weeks ago), and am going to try acupuncture this time around. I figure if nothing else, it will help me relax. Anyone else use it after a miscarriage?

I am currently in month #2 of acupuncture. I miscarried in April and wish I had started acupuncture A LOT sooner. I feel like it has totally restored my hormonal balance and made my period more back to normal than before (my first couple periods were light and I suspected I wasn't ovulating, or I had low progesterone).

Anyway, I don't know if it'll help me get pregnant, but I do feel like it's helped restore my physical health. Only drawback is that it's pricey! I pay $90/session at the Teal Center.

Best wishes to you.

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine from college who lives in Boston tried for several years to have a child and she said acupuncture made the difference. I did not ask her if was also using other methods to improve fertility because I didn't think it was my business.

A coworker of mine in this area tried it as well as every other alternative treatment and did not get pregnant. However, she also was skin and bones and ate lunches of either steamed veggies or cottage cheese and fruit every day. Just looking at her she had to have been anorexic.