Chinese Accupuncture

[Briss]

melly, how are you feeling? very best of luck with your beta. is it tomorrow?

Blythe, I noticed that Chinese docs see acu quite differently it's not about relaxing. being is pain is considered a good sign that the point is working. My previous Chinese doc was trying to explain that to me when I complained about my left zigong she was really happy and was saying that's good! another Chinese doc also did some sort of body scrubbing thing which was way outside my pain threshold and similarly the more painful it was the more she pressed on that particular point. she said the pain means something is not right so we need to work more on that area to clear it.

My previous doc also needled a point in my chest between my boobs. I wonder what it was.

well done on losing 6 lbs!! I should get one of those fitbit things to motivate me.

I have not been swimming this week… I know I should but I just could not force myself to go. how very disappointing. but I do take lunchtime walks. My choc/sugar avoidance is going OK. Last week I had ice cream and 3 t.sp of fruit sugar in my black coffee (a pot not a cup) and that was it! Have not had anything naughty yet this week (staying well clear off our office kitchen) but I do have cravings. The other day was walking home and dreaming about white bread, I could even smell freshly baked while bread! there was no bakery around it was all in my head. I think I will eat something naughty on weekend. eating blueberries everyday is so expensive but that's my main desert and tonnes of nuts. I think my weight gain slowed a little bit. but I started eating less, just could not sustain eating so much

afm, my temp is very low after O, my chart is not accurate cos I've been adjusting it, it's actually lower than it shows. I guess it means things are not improving yet. also it might be to do with thyroid cos apparently people with under active thyroid have lower body temperature. I am also cramping a lot. last cycle I had cramping and it was followed by spotting

 

[kits]

Congrats on the weight loss Blythe. I'm so tempted to get one now. I don't care about being a bit over weight in general but sometimes I panic especially if I were to actually get pregnant.

My ACU doesn't fiddle too much with the needles, but just until I can feel them.

I'm glad she gave you a cuddle, even if you're not the cuddling type, I believe caring is a great healer.

My temp dropped a bit, not going to dwell on it too much..

 

[kits]

Sorry to hear about your temps Briss, wish I had some words of wisdom for you. Only thing I can think of is to have a nice, warm bath.

Hope you get answers soon!

 

[alison29]

I heard that about underactive thyroid and temps too. I have been eating blueberries with heavy cream as my treat too. IT helps that my dh has a bunch of bushes at his plant nursery so they have been free this week. I started eating fruit again. I just could not get enough fill with cheese, nuts and brocolli. Whatever blueberries and strawberries are good fruit choices for lower sugar.
Other then that i have eaten a couple of the tiny quaker oats chocolate cover granola bars..thats my confession oh and and a few fries last night (glycemic index 100!)

 

[Briss]

alison, you have been doing really well. I have replaced my yogurts with ricotta – low sugars, it has protein, little fatty but all cheeses are https://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317--129716-essential+Waitrose+ricotta+Italian most importantly I find it delicious! On good days I can also eat quark – low in everything but good source of protein https://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=260836419 either of those with berries and banana = delicious desert (or maybe it's just me cos I have not had my usual sugar in weeks!)

kits, thanks! hot bath sounds lovely. I just wish higher progesterone levels would drive my temp higher. I still have synthetic ones left from my IVFs but I really want my body to do it on its own. otherwise it almost feels like cheating

 

[Jazzbird]

Re points hurting - in China they are far more brutal with acupuncture. They use thicker needles and are more rigorous with their needling technique. In UK there us a movement towards gentler needling. I personally don't think the pain actually means that much. When you needle someone, if you have hit a point there is a pull on the needle - otherwise it's like sliding a needle in and out of butter. That's why you don't really need the patient to feel anything to know that you have located the point correctly.

Briss - sorry to hear your temps are lower. Could it be that having taken out the false or empty heat - that your underlying diagnosis in tcm terms is actually kidney yang deficiency? I had practically no difference from follicular to literal phases when I started out ttc. With acu and herbs it changed quite dramatically after a few months of treatment. I'm hoping that you will see a difference soon. You can put your feet in hot water for 10 minutes every night or put a hot water bottle behind your kidneys to help elevate temp.

Btw in acu terms the absolute temp is not as important as the temp jump. I will look it up tonight in my fertility book.

Blythe I am so sorry you have been so low. I wish I had some words of comfort or wisdom. All I know is that you will recover from this downer and will be stronger again. You have been such a tower of strength and positivity on this thread and I hope you have been able to find similar solace from the ladies here. Hugs to you.

This thread does seem to be doing well in terms of recent successes - so I have every hope that your turn will come too.

Xxx

 

[Blythe]

Jazzbird - thank you BTW do you know what that point is between boobs on chest plate?

Briss - well done on the sugar front - you have been doing exceptionally well. Today i met with a friend and went to the jean paul gautier exhibition in the barbican….it was wonderful. We stayed in the main building and had afternoon tea so my diet is blown for today. Complete sugar overload but lovely although considering the price they charged i was less than impressed that they charged extra for more tea and then just toped up instead of replacing the leaves…i mean it is merely pence for them to do that.

I have been reading a great little book called chi self massage and found a point of the hands for stimulating the thyroid gland - i will take a pic later and upload. Just give it a good massage and keep massaging until you feel no pain/lumps etc etc

Alison - i was eating clotted cream today [but with scones not blueberries] - it was heavenly. I think as long as you balance your fruit with cream that is fine…yin/yang, good/bad - its all about balance :thumb up:

I am 42 today and feel quite good although DH has not sorted out a gift - i am less than impressed.

 

[Briss]

Blythe, happy birthday!!! what an excellent way to spend birthday! you had perfect excuse for sugar overload. wishing you a very successful (TTC and otherwise) year and hoping you will get your miracle baby before your next birthday

re presents, DH is totally useless so I usually tell him what I want (more than once) otherwise he will just "forget"

Gaultier is quite controversial but it does look very interesting. I am tempted (mostly the tea/cake part unfortunately)… I've been stuffing myself with dry figs imagining they are cakes

chi self massage sounds good. was it this book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chi-Self-M...d=1398963242&sr=8-1&keywords=chi+self+massage please definitely send me the thyroid bit, I really want to try everything naturally before going on synthetic hormone

 

[Blythe]

here is the pic - i hope it is large enough to see.

i missed the controversy re Gaultier…to be honest a lot of his clothes are crap but i am fascinated by corsets and love to see how he has done them. I wonder if you were thinking of Galliano and his 'nazi' comments….now his clothes really are beautiful but i cannot imagine anyone sponsoring an exhibition of his…yet anyhow.

 

[Blythe]

PS - yes that is the book - I really like it and would recommend it.

 

[BBbliss]

Blythe, happy birthday! I makes a lot of sense to me you felt sensitive these past few days, birthdays are a time of re-birth, a death of the old self and transition to a new energy. I believe it was a good thing you had some tears, the emotional body carries a lot of energy and when you release it that way it really opens you up to new perspectives. And yes, ACU, yoga, meditation, massages, being in nature, all this things feel the soul and sometimes the emotional release is undeniable. It's a good thing. Enjoy your NEW self, happy birthday!!!

 

[Jazzbird]

Happy birthday Blythe - agree with BBbliss - think this is why you've been feeling low. Birthdays suck, esp when ttc. Although I conceived on my last birthday so get down and dirty

I think the point was probably ren 15 or it might have been ren 16. If it was ren 15 it's probable function is to calm the spirit and regulate the heart. I like to think it lifts the patients heart when they are feeling low, or depressed. I've had it done a few times and found it very grounding.

Itchy boobs for me tonight, bloating and farting. No acupuncture points with those functions!!!

 

[Jazzbird]

Ps - I so agree with BBbliss about emotions. I've seen patients perfectly happy just start crying the moment needles are inserted. You have needed this emotional release, so embrace it - really feel all the pain because it is temporary and it will go. Perhaps you released a block.

 

[Jazzbird]

Sorry last post! I just thought about it and I love watching long lost family on itv3 mon 9 pm. They reunite mothers, fathers with children they gave up etc. I always end up in floods of tears but I find it very therapeutic. I think it is very healthy to have a good cry, esp if you are going through a tough time.

 

[alison29]

Happy Birthday To you Blythe.. some authority on the internet said the fat (cream or whatever) is good to have with the fruit because it helps you to absorb all the good nutrients.

 

[kits]

Happy Birthday Blythe!! If your hubby didn't treat you, then make sure you treat yourself extra special


Glad you got to spoil yourself, no diets allowed on birthdays


Lots of hugs ladies

 

[kits]

Had my first pilates class ever (never got to make my first yoga class on Monday as I ended up getting a new cat!) and it made my boobs sore! Apart from that I really enjoyed it.

Ended up getting the fitbit too, my sister has one & she's lost 8 pounds. I can be so lazy so I'm really looking forward to getting that kick I need to end my relationship with the sofa.

Jazz, do you know much about moxa sticks? My acupuncturist was really keen on warming me up & extending my LP since we decided to go for it this month. But man! Did I feel warm yesterday. I knew straight away there was a temp shift this morning.. hope it's ok!

Hope you're all doing well & that Melly, Ging, Jazz & Breaking (sorry if I missed any other Mommies to be) are having a healthy pregnancy!

 

[gingmg]

happy birthday Blythe!

 

[Briss]

Blythe, thanks!! Will start doing the hand thing immediately!

did I get my facts wrong? for some reason I was sure it was Gaultier who made 'nazi' comments? anyway I do love his corsets as well.

all this talk about who ate what made me absolutely desperate and I ended up having second cappuccino with dark chocolate in the pm I did not even like it, it just does not do it for me anymore, maybe I needed a cake. I did not finish it anyway, what's the point of loading myself with sugar if I cant even enjoy it.

BBbliss, it's so interesting what you said about birthdays and so true. I cant deal with my birthdays so usually try to "escape" it, I beg DH to take me away for a few days and it helps survive it.

 

[Jazzbird]

Kits - at what part of your cycle did she use moxa? I've had it just before and around ovulation. Mine used to do it to encourage ovulation - to turn yin into yang. It's important that the temp rises prominently but mine would sometimes take a week to fully shift in short increments. When I had moxa it would shift more prominently.

You should definitely mention any after effects though - I think the fact you felt so hot might be useful for your acu to know.

It must seem like witchcraft but all moxa really does is warm your uterus, encourage ov and increase temp/ progesterone to ensure luteal phase is high enough and long enough.

I had very low progesterone - too low according to docs to conceive but I eventually did - not sure how much of it was down to Chinese medicine but my charts improved quite dramatically with treatment.