Briss - I'm sorry you ovulated early again. It must be so frustrating.
With regards to your thoughts on mixing herbs and supplements - I think you are spot on. We have always been advised to advise our patients away from other supplements. This is not only because one supplement or herb might have a negative impact on a condition but also because of the interaction between that mix of herbs and supplements.
I think its very natural to question your diagnosis when you are getting mixed results or negative results. I also understand Dr Zhai's view of clearing heat first. Excess conditions like heat are said to mask underlying deficiencies. However, High FSH, Low AMH, poor ovarian response are all very clear indicators of yin deficiency. I can't think of any other diagnosis that would cause this response. Dr E. is clearing heat and nourishing yin, so I think his diagnosis is spot on. Also, if any woman came to me for treatment for infertility, I would always nourish yin in the first half of the cycle - as this is the treatment protocol for ensuring the ripe development of an egg.
I still think you have to remember that you had your best cycle with Dr. E - on month 2. I know you have gone downhill on month 3 & 4 but you stopped taking herbs on month 3. You've also had some intrusive investigations recently - HSG in particular which I think is an X-Ray so is heat producing.
Yin is notoriously difficult to replenish once depleted. I had to take herbs and have weekly acu for 6 months before I saw a difference in my symptoms. I had a complete inability to sleep properly for 4 years and sore, dry eyes - I nearly crashed my car with sleep deprivation. I really didn't believe in acu at the time, but the doctors wanted me on anti-depressants (I didn't feel depressed) as it was the only treatment they could offer me. I had no other choice, so I continue with acu and herbs. I also religiously followed her restrictive lifestyle instructions - home before 7pm, eat before 7pm, in bed by 10 ready to sleep by 11pm. Yin can only be restored through rest, which is ironic because one of the symptoms of yin deficiency is restlessness!!!
So I really think that 2 months of herbs is not enough to draw any conclusions about Dr. E.
I also think we all get duff (genetically inferior) eggs as we get older. So when we are 21, we might produce 11/12 cycles with good eggs … as we get to over 35 I think it drops. I'm not sure whether acupuncture can influence these eggs or whether acupuncture simply provides the optimal environment for a good egg to develop and implant. We just don't know how it works. So I think you have to allow for variation in your cycles, even with treatment.
The way I see it, is that you need to lower your FSH - and there are no other known treatments for this. If there were other treatments I would say investigate those, but as it stands there aren't - so I would continue with Dr. E for another 6 months & I would probably drop all the other supplements & follow any lifestyle advice he offers you religiously.
I completely understand your urgency - but you need to try and let go and trust in your practitioner. He's a leader in his field and has a very reputable training background and qualifications. All the energy you spend checking up on what he's prescribed or what his diagnosis is, is going to create more stress and interfere with your cycle. I would happily send you a copy of my TTC hypnosis CD - whilst it might not influence conception, I think it definitely pulled me down a gear or two and helped me to relax and trust as I suffer from anxiety and have problems relaxing sometimes.
AFM, I'm fine thanks. Second half of this pregnancy has been wonderful compared to the first half. I haven't taken herbs or acu since I found out I was pregnant. I wish I had now though as my blood has come back very low in iron, despite consistently taking iron supplements. They just aren't as powerful as Chinese blood nourishing herbs. Perhaps I should go and see my old acu who is training in herbs now.
As for the birth plan - not really. I want to try as natural as possible and progress to drugs/epidural if I can't handle it. I just think a birth plan is a recipe for disaster because there are so many factors that can throw it off course. I plan to use natal hypnotherapy to control my anxiety and help me deal with any issues as they arise. I'm still undecided as to whether to try at home first and then transfer. Its just impossible to predict how I will handle it.
Someday - It's difficult for me to explain why you might be spotting on CD 5 - I can only guess that she might have nourished blood if you were blood deficient and this then started up your period. Or perhaps she moved Qi and your uterus wasn't completely emptied on this cycle and that encouraged a final flush of the uterus. But this is all guesswork as I have no idea what your diagnosis is and what she treated … I would ask her though. I'm sure she'd be happy to call you back and explain. As for the brown spot on your shoulder - if she needled this point then it might have caused some bruising - which is very common. I'm not sure its a side effect of acupuncture if it wasn't an area she needled.
Kits - don't worry about the recurrent miscarriage. I'm sure your acu is working on points that will nourish Qi, blood and kidneys. It's impossible not to nourish these points if you are treating infertility or pregnancy. Its just interesting that chinese Medicine views pregnancy and miscarriage as very draining on blood, Qi and kidneys, regardless of when the foetus is lost. In Western terms they don't seem to have the same view.
I truly sympathise with the nausea - I was SO sick from week 7 up until week 24. I started vomiting in week 8 and that went on til about week 14, but I had 24 hour nausea as well right up until week 24 - although it got a lot easier the further into second tri I got. I'm sure everyone's said it to you but it is a sign of strong hormones which is said to indicate a good pregnancy. What worked for me (which might not work for you because I think everyone is different) was:
peanut butter on toast
cereal
bananas
sniff lemons and lime
almonds
hot cross buns slathered in butter
salt and vinegar crisps
cold fruit - mango with lime squeezed over it
avacado
sucking on mints!!
nibbling on digestive biscuits or rich tea
I literally never went more than an hour without eating something. It was just the most horrendous thing - as I was constantly starving but everything made me sick. Eugh! I also tried sea bands, vit B6 but none of that worked for me. I'd give it a go though if I were you, its worth a shot! I also tried acu but that didn't work for me this time round
I just now began the whole "get me pregnant before it's really too late" process. I was/am heading towards having an unmedicated IUI using donor sperm in August. IVF really isn't in the cards for me since I can't afford it. I fear what the FSH results will tell me. I just made an appointment for acupuncture hoping that will help.
Have a good chat with Dr. E & let him how you're feeling & what's going on.
and love ladies
I've heard some ACU like to make a plan with 2 x a week sessions, hope you keep enjoying it. Are you taking any herbs?
I seem to be unable to get out of bed, feeling sorry for myself with my nausea. No actual sickness but I'm laying here so hungry but so nauseated don't think I want to get up & my sister leaves tomorrow morning 
I've just entered my 6th week. I poas Friday morning & my test line was much stronger than the control line 
