Lets talk Acupuncture

[Anonymous]

We are starting fertility treatments next month. We have secondary unexplained Inferility. I have considered acupuncture. I'm nervous about the cost and the frequency for it to be effective.

To do preconception/infertility acupuncture, do I need to go multiple times a week? Once a week? Once a month? Only around ovulation? In the Alexandria City for recommendations.

[Anonymous]

I went once a week for repeated pregnancy loss. She was able to shrink my fibroids, which was great and when I got pregnant I was much less tired and had no morning sickness. Unfortunately I lost that pregancy at the end of the first trimester. I'm 17 weeks with pregnancy 4 and didn't do it this time because I moved. I certainly felt better while doing it, but my situation was different. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

If you're debating doing fertility treatments, acupuncture is likely less costly. But in combination, I could see that adding up.

Why don't you try acupuncture (I guess the frequency is up to you and your practitioner) for 6 months and if it doesn't work (of course with you temping and charting, etc etc) then try fertility treatments?

How long have you already been trying? What other things have you tried?

[Anonymous]

I too have unexplained secondary infertility. I did 8 sessions of acupuncture and it did nothing. I paid over $100 for the initial consult and $90 a week thereafter. I have regular cycles and ovulate on my own so I'm not sure what I was expecting it to do - I was just hoping for a boost. Now I am considering fertility treatments too. What are you trying next month? IUI? Will it be medicated? I was recommended IUI with clomid and a trigger shot, or to just keep trying. Would you mind sharing your age too? Sorry for all the questions, but almost no one is in the same boat in these forums. I posted on the infertility board and got very few responses. thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I too have unexplained secondary infertility. I did 8 sessions of acupuncture and it did nothing. I paid over $100 for the initial consult and $90 a week thereafter. I have regular cycles and ovulate on my own so I'm not sure what I was expecting it to do - I was just hoping for a boost. Now I am considering fertility treatments too. What are you trying next month? IUI? Will it be medicated? I was recommended IUI with clomid and a trigger shot, or to just keep trying. Would you mind sharing your age too? Sorry for all the questions, but almost no one is in the same boat in these forums. I posted on the infertility board and got very few responses. thanks!

OP Here - I can answer some of your questions. We have been trying for one year (charting/BBT/OPK's) and just finished all our diagnostic testing. Everything is normal, I too have normal cycles and ovulate on my own. Which is so freaking frustrating because I have no starting point. Our follow-up is on Thursday, so I'm not sure exactly what our next step will be. I will probably push for a Clomid cycle and then a medicated IUI if that doesn't work. I am 32. It took 10 months to get pregnant with our son, who is now 3.

To the PP poster, I do not want to wait another 6 months, I've already been charting and timing intercourse for a year.

[Anonymous]

OP again - I just reread my post. I am 33, not 32. Just had a birthday and guess I am not accepting that I am officially mid-30's.

[Anonymous]

I am on a site for women using surrogates and many of them have had far better egg retrieval cycles using accupuncture than w/o. For what it's worth, from my perspective I would go all IN and do accupuncture. I think it takes about 3 months for it to be really beneficial. There is a woman in Alexandria/near Potomac Yards area who I have been seeing weekly- http://www.fertileliving.com/practitioner.html. As a side benefit, she really listens to you and just having someone to talk to who will listen to me go on and on about where we are is very therapeutic. Also, have you read Tao of Fertility? Worth a read.

[Anonymous]

I went to Heavenly Bodies in Arlington. I have a coworker who loves it there and goes several times a week. I only went 1x because we decided to put off our next IUI cycle for 2 months and I didn't want to go through the expense for a natural cycle. Dr Ana wanted me to come about 2x a week for most of the cycle. I liked it and I felt better afterwards but I wasn't really sure if it was going to help or not. I think it was about $200 and then each session is about $95 or something like that. My RE said that while there hasn't been anything definitive that it helps, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence and it definitely wouldn't hurt. When you consider all of the costs of even an IUI and especially an IVF, it's a drop in the bucket if it gives you a positive outcome.

[Anonymous]

I think it is a waste of time & $$$