The Really Useful TCM Thread

[fitzy79]

Had a look at that LTTC thread and couldn't bring myself to post but there was so much I wanted to say. Really do think it comes down to our own attitudes...we can choose to hail western medicine practitioners as Gods who are all-knowing OR we can choose to explore all options available in the hope of obtaining that elusive Personally, TCM has given me renewed positivity and a sense of belief that I will have a baby..it's just a matter of time...saying that, I have every intention of going down the testing route in order to ensure I am maximising all options open to me. My Accupunture clinic is called East meets West....very appropriate I think. Ok RANT over..

Abs, I had a look at your chart and your temps do seem to be at odds with CM and CP. It could be a slow rise or maybe your body geared up to ovulate and didnt...this often happens I've heard. I wouldn't call it an annovulatory cycle just yet as ov may happen. However even if it doesn't I think it's common for a person with normal cycles to have 1 or 2 annov cycles a year..but not 100% so correct me if I'm talking nonsense. Will be keeping an eye on your chart over the next few days and hope to see a nice temp rise soon!!

Had accu this eve...ooh the pulsing was very strong on my ovaries(and aquite uncomfortable)..was imagining each pulse kicking those lazy follicles into action so that they'll mature and burst out really early this cycle
Aside from that he said my tongue was "very good" today and asked all sorts of questions about last period...flow, duration, pain etc. Back on the pills for
blood along with a new type called xiao yao wan which are supposed to aid fertility through helping to relax...interesting to see how they'll work. I do really trust him though so assume there's a reason for including them.

Wow...this is a long post...sorry girls!! to all x

 

[abster]

Thanks girls
I guess all I can do is wait to do my next few temps and keep my fingers crossed - thanks for the permission to whine! I suppose it's always possible I didn't have the thermometer in the right place, although I'd be surprised if I'd done that twice in three days. Havign said that, I temped three times after dinner tonight, whilst lying on my bed and although they'll obviously be higher than any BBT I'm likely to get, I had 2 x 36.80-something and 37.01. (When I temped yesterday afternoon, I was getting 36.4-somethings, so there could be a rise coming tomorrow, I suppose. I'll be back on here, whingeing, if I don't get one. Sorry ).

Bernina, I'm so sorry! I meant to wish you good luck yesterday. Really glad it went well today.

Hey Munch, unfortunately it's not FF cacking about - it's clear from looking at the temps, once you're used to reading charts, that something's not right. Roll on friday and more acu...

Fitzy, hope your follicles enjoyed their kicking
Abi x

 

[fitzy79]

Thanks Abs!

 

[misskat29]

Hi ladies,

5days till my first acu & reflex session......as you can tell i'm excited. Hoping it will do something to my body.

I'm currently cd51, still no sign of AF. Do you think mondays session will help it come? does it work like that?

 

[muncho]

Hi everyone.
Glad to hear most of you are ok. Misskat some people have said that acu will help af to arrive.
Abs hope you are feeling better
Fitsy i ahd the smae thing on my ovaries a few weeks ago, if you tell him/he can tone it down a bit.

Had acu last night and as i have strating stimms, he slightly changed the procedure. I spent 30 mins on my front with needles in my lower back, im guessing this was to clear any blockages and then i turned on my front and had needles in ankles, ovaries and wrist
Going again on sunday. Have to increase it to twice a week now until egg collection.
Have a good day everyone
xx

 

[Jen1802]

Bernina I'm glad the op went well! Hope you're feeling ok and not too sore! I ended up posting on the "other" tcm thread. Quite positive I think...haven't looked back on it yet for fear of getting in really bad form is someone has posted something negative under my comment. Hell hath no fury like me at the moment! On a more positive note, my aunt is now going to go to Cathy, I'm so delighted! She is going to beg, steal and borrow to get the money and she is convinced she will be able to help her, as am I! My aunt is now 44, has one little boy after ttc for 10 years and has had two miscarriages since. Needless to say she would do anything for another little baby, so I'm absolutely delighted that she is going to go!
XO Jen

 

[abster]

Hey Misskat... countdown has begun! I think (correct me if I'm wrong, girls) fitzy and carrie finally ovulated after starting acu. Really interested to hear how your first session is!
Fingers crossed for your auntie, Jen. We all know Cathy is going to get her pregnant by looking at her!
Feeling much more positive today - 36.48. Just hope the rise continues. I do think I ov'd, on CD16. Just not sure about the crazy temperatures.
HAve a good day, everybody
Abi x

 

[Carrie29]

Morning Ladies..

Miskat i think the acu may help to bring AF, i think it was the herbs that did it for me, only because the chinese doc said that i should get af 1-2 weeks after taking them, i didn't believe him but then exactly a week after it arrived

My temps are being strange i think.. had another high one today is that normal?

 

[abster]

I've quite often had some high pre-ov temps. Its not ideal according to the principles of TCM, but it's the post-ov temps I'm really interested in. I'm having a crazy cycle this time round.

Hey, anyone think oving three days earlier than last cycle (and 2 days earlier than normal) might account for my funny first few LP days?

Abi x

 

[jojo-m]

my temps dipped this morning, I'm not overly upset because I knew it wouldn't be a bfp but now I'm worried if my AF arrives tomorrow as it usually would on day 29, my LP will be a crappy 8 days which is shorter than ever!!!!!!

I've booked a multi bed acu session for next week, its much cheaper and they say its the same, I guess its certainly worth having a go considering the b vits may not be working their magic anymore. Feel a bit crampy, not too bad just aware its there. grrr.

Glad your more positive today Abi, hope your temps rise nice and high and stay that way.

Bernina glad all went well, hope you all recovered very soon xx

 

[misskat29]

Hummm I'm not doing the herbs side to it. Just acupuncture and reflexology.

Tbh tho ladies, if it does nothing more than chill me out I'll be happy.

High prolactine levels, which could be down to stress. Once they go down Im guessing af will think about making an apperance, then maybe I'll be able to think about sorting pcos out and getting me a baby x

 

[abster]

Hey Jojo, are you sure you didn't ov earlier than you've put on your chart? I know you had + opks on cd19&20, but I've seen plenty of charts in the chart gallery with + opks after a definite, obvious ov - some of them ending in pregnancy. If I had to look at your chart and guess when you ov'd, despite the lack of pre-ov temps (make it difficult for us, won't you?!) I'd go for cd18, based on it being a low temp, when you still had ewcm, - did you not opks before cd19? You had far more important things on your mind, I know.
So look on the bright side - even if you didn't bd at the right time, your LP may be longer than you think.
Yay for acu! Hope you really enjoy it.
Abi x

 

[abster]

That's the spirit, Misskat! Acu shoudl def be able to help you x

 

[misskat29]

I hope so abster. I really do.

My due date was 17th April, I was hoping to be pregnant by then or I think I'll be really negative

 

[jojo-m]

Abi,
thanks for your comments on my chart, I usually ov cd18 so it would be nice if your right, I didn't temp or opk til then because I thought I couldn't be bothered I was so relaxed.. ha what a laugh, Its been more stressful not doing it!

My temp has risen just a little bit this morning so although not impossible don't think AF will come today. Bit of a relief!

I'm looking forward to the acu, Its a really successful clinic apparently so can't be too bad sharing it with 8 people and they do use screens.

xx

 

[Carrie29]

Just got back from my weekly session of acupuncture, she was over the moon that AF had arrived.. She did moxibustion on me today, took me right back to college days ... i'm sure it's not legal to drive after the smell of that stuff he he!!.. Today she did it on my back and she burnt it directly, i just had to say when i could feel the heat.

It was actually very relaxing.. So all on target to have a regular cycle hopefully!!!. or even better a BFP in 30 days time!

 

[Minimin]

Hey ladies,
Just wondering if any of you lovelies can recommend a fertility acupuncturist you know is good. I live in SE18 area of London but can travel into the city if there is someone there.
Thanks!

 

[Laummatt]

Hi Girls

Its been a while since Ive been on here... various problems at home (oil leak, homeless!!) not exactly good baby making enviroment!

I cant believe there has been another BFP over in Ireland... whos with me for weekly flights to see Cathy?!

I did go for my first acu appt a couple of weeks ago and I also felt a bit cheated, we talked for ages about stress, sleep deprivatin ( I have an unruly 2 yr old) and my diet. She told me Im not eating enough and then stuck 4 needles in and took them straight back out.. Quite a strange sensation but did not feel relaxed or in fact anything. In fact felt a bit ripped off.... Anyhow with a bit more research I found a guy who live in my town who does herbs and acu (she only did acu) and have since been to him. Was a much better experience, he put about 7 needles in various places and left me for 20 mins, dont think I fell asleep but was seriously groggy after! He thinks I have a spleen dieficency (randine lewis book suggested that too) and am just generally weak!! haha Have just rec'd my herbs and took my first instant 'coffee' today. But bummed as he has mixed it for me but would like to know whats in there. Anyway ovualtion is today I think by OPK so onto my 7 day count down see if I can make it past a week..... not holding out much hope...

Hoping your all well and dying to see some more BFPs on here.. SOON!!!

Ps how did you all track down you practioners, I dont seem to have a lot of choice where I am.. nobody stating fertility specifically, altho this guy did say he could help...

 

[abster]

So... told her my temps are crappy (not quite the words I used), showed her my chart and she agreed. She also agreed that I ov'd on cd16 and it was just my temps that are the problem. Asked about my nasal mucous (spleen deficiency) - I was a bit sniffy, blow-nosey this morning, first thing, although it didn't stop me doing my yoga - hurrah!!! So whilst it's not perfect it's much, much better.
When we were talking about it later she told me it's definitely improved and I look weller, which other people have also mentioned. She explained that the spleen deficiency can weaken the kidney yang, so putting an end to the mucous should definitely help. So for the spleen I'm continuing with the dairy ban, other than milk in tea and the occasional piece of cheese, which she told me today I can allow myself. Also need (thanks Randine) to cut out fruit juices and just go for while pieces of fruit. For the kidney yang I'm continuing with (deep breath) only drinking warm drinks; warming my tummy pre-ov and my back post ov; keeping warm all the time (am quite addicted to sitting under a blanket on the sofa!); drinking my ginger drink and eating my crystallised ginger and eating as much spicy food as is practicable. Plus all the other dietary and supplemental advice from Randine.
When I told her I really didnt expect to fall pregnant this month, with my current temps, she agreed that it was unlikely but told me that she had one client with the same temps as me who fell pregnant and then got her raised, temps. Still, I'm thinking of it as a distant possibility, rather than risking ending up hideously disappointed!

Lying on my front, I had needles in my scalp, either side of the top of my spine and a few in my lower back. On my back, I had needles in my lower legs (a few) and one in my right foot, just below my big toe, one in the top of my head and one in my left hand between my thumb and finger. She tried my abdomen but I couldn't really feel it. She did a bit of massage to my forehead, top of my head, inside knees and ankles, to help with the spleen - pain indicates mucous congestion, so it's well easy to do. I also have more of the herbal balls in my ears.

She's switched me from Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan back to the You Gui Wan and, after asking if I was happy with it, put me on some patented tablets for my spleen - she's about as keen as I am! I'm now on Er Chen Wan for that.
She's also advised me to try walking at least three times a week, fast enough to get out of breath - she saw almost instantaneous improvements in a client's temps once she started doing the same. I'll try to fit in as much as I can around/with #1.
She took my pulse a few times during the session and by the last time she said it had really improved.

Quite a productive session all in all!

I'm off now... pills to pop, ginger to eat and drink and ear balls to massage!

Abi x

 

[Carrie29]

Hi Abster

Sounds like you really getting sorted with the diet!.. i've so far managed to cut out chocolate apart from the occasional piece of dark chocolate. Slimmed down alcohol to 1 glass as a treat each week, no refined carbs or sugar.. But i am having problem cutting out my 1 glass of apple juice each morning.. it's the non-condensed pure stuff but still bad i know!. also still having milk on my cereal but no other dairy.. I also have a spleen deficiency and blood deficiency. Today though i have lots of EWCM which is great as i don't normally get it.. so something's going right!.. i'm sure it's too early to ov but we are trying anyway