The Really Useful TCM Thread

[Carrie29]

Hi jojo, i think you'll find the tablets much easier.. quite allot to take in one day but they are very small so you can swallow 8 or more at the same time, and only need to take morning and afternoon and some at lunch.. the smell of the herbs cooking used to be enough to make wretch let alone the taste yuk!!!

Abster, i used to get that excess mucus thing allot too, always first thing in the morning and when i ran.. now it has disapeared!..

I was feeling all great last week but this week i have the biggest spots i've every had all around my chin and just feel a bit wacked.. dragged myself out for a run in the snow and i got so hot i was sweating after 30mins (i run or do the gym at least 3 times a week for at least a year so this nothing new for me but my body seems to be rebelling at the mo).. my temps have dropped a little but not below the cover line yet, and my nipples are sore and i feel quite crampy.. just hope i last another week before AF arrives as i could do without a luteal phase defect.. or even better 9 months!!

 

[bernina]

Bernina's 4th Acupuncture/TCM Appointment

Hi everyone. Hope you all are doing well. We're in the process of getting snowed in here in the midwest USA so I'm dreading my drive home tonight after yoga.

I had my 4th acupuncture session last night and finally got me some herbs. I'm not positive of the name, the label the acupuncturist put on just say post ovulation blend, but the bottle they're in (obviously reused by the looks of it) says Jia Wei Xiao Yao San (Bupleurum & Peony Formula) by Evergreen Herbs. They're small granules/powder that dissolve almost completely in boiling water. Tried my first 2 cups this morning and the taste isn't too bad. A bit bitter, but manageable. It's a dark brown opaque liquid. I'm to take 5 scoops in the morning and 5 scoops in the evening. I found that 2-3 scoops dissolve well in a mug of boiling water, so looks like I'll be having 2 mugs morning and night.

I was on cd 19 during the appointment. Normally that would be right around the time I ovulate, but due to the surgery and being on birth control pills, I'm actually due for AF in the next 3-5 days (took my last active bcp yesterday).

As for the acupuncture she said she was going to put a needle in my toe that I would most likely feel and it was to help stop my uterine bleeding. I have spotted almost continuously this entire cycle, both pre and post surgery. Pre it could have been the polyp, and post could be healing from the surgery, but I still think something weird is going on. So hopefully that needle in the toe will do it's job and keep midcycle spotting at bay. I also got the lovely heating lamp on my uterus and the warm matress pad, it was very relaxing.

I felt some mild cramping sensations after the treatment, so hopefully it was doing some good.

I feel more confident now that I'm on the herbs that hopefully this treatment will really help me for the next cycle. I have my follow-up appt with the DR who did the surgery the end of next week and hope we get the green light to start trying with that cycle. I'm really curious to see if the birth control pills did any harm or any good (or nothing) to my next cycle.

 

[rubyloo]

hi all! carrie - all signs sounding good...got eveything crossed for you! Bernina, also seems things are moving in the right direction for and at least the herbs aren't too minging! my prac doesn't do herbs which by the sound of the some of the experiences on here is a bit of a relief.

i've got another acu session this evening - i ov'd on the 29th (fri) so am currently 4dpo. nothing exciting to report at all (sigh) apart from slightly tender boobs (which i always get after ov....) BUT i have been having really strange and slightly worrying heart palpitations. my dh thinks i should go and see the Dr but i want to speak to my prac about it first. i've been feeling pretty tired as well which is a real change from the past few weeks. my temps have been nice and high so far this cycle, but i noticed a small dip this morning.....probably nothing and got more to do with the fact i HAD to pee (again) and should have taken my temp at that point instead of waiting for the alarm

 

[jojo-m]

YAY my pills arrived today, they are like little balls of heaven after those nasty herbs!!!!!

I've been taking this all in my phase 1 because I have a prolonged phase - or late ovulation. I've been filling in my ff chart and noticed today I had mainly creamy cm which is normal for me but behind that it looks like its going into ewcm, the earliest i've had ewcm is cd 16 and i'm only on cd11, i'm trying not to get too giddy about it in case it doesnt' lead to any earlier ovulation and also I had HSG on friday and I read that EWCM seems to increase after that (nobody said anything about it been earlier though). I've not even started acu yet. I've had to postpone it until I get my off duty for next placement starting in a couple of weeks. If they have me down to work fridays I won't be able to go so thought best not to start it until I can commit to most weeks! (they only do session on fridays).

Fx'd I get even a day earlier ovulation - even thats a result!!!
xx

 

[abster]

Sounding positive all round!
I'm on CD8, finished my period CD6 and already have ewcm and high, soft cp. Oving on CD12 woud be great, thanks!

 

[Carrie29]

Seems like we are all beginning to OV earlier yay!!!.. congrats girls.. i ov'd on CD 13 which after not ov'ing for at least 10 years is fantastic... i was feeling yukky past few days but starting to feel better again now.. temps have gone up again and just feel good...

I have a work do over the next few days and i'm dreading doing a presentation.. gonna imagine them all naked so that i don't go red yuk!!!.. i'll probably end up saying the word naked instead lol!!.. tomorrow night we have a black tie dinner and drinks.. decided to be up front and told my boss i have PCOS and am taking meds.. didn't mention ttc but at least he will know why i am not drinking.. at our xmas do he kept buying everyone shots every 10mins.. i wonder how many other rumours start flying around because of it though!!.. oh well should be funny to hear them!..

Role on The weekend and V-DAY!!..

Anyone doing anything nice?.. we are heading to a little pub by the river that does great food for a long lunch on Sunday.. gonna treat myself to a glass of wine and a dessert x

 

[abster]

Wow Carrie,that's some progress!
We're having my cousin and her boys (4, 6 and the one she married!) on sunday so we'll be making pizzas - mine without cheese of course.
I'm really missing cheese and fruit juice. MAde #1 and my OH jacket potatoes stuffed with cheese, lentils and spinach last night - how much did I want to eat it? But cheese and spinach (cold-forming) are no-nos. Still, I'd rather be pregnant without cheese than eat cheese

Abi x

 

[Carrie29]

i know how you feel about the cheese. i made spaghetti (wholemeal) with meatballs last night and DH had loads of melted cheese on his.. i was torturing myself when grating it!..

Have fun..

 

[RebaRezzelba]

Hi

Okay im getting very excited - I have skimmed through this whole thread and noticed that the 2 people that have got a BPF so far (Jen & Glitterqueen) both attended the same acupuncture clinic that I am currently attending (3rd appointment next week) - so im very excited thinking that "cathy" is a bit of a miracle worker - i really hope so - ive been trying for quite a while and nothing is working for me.

Im taking the herbal mix (which my husband thinks smells like soup gone off - and to be honest it pretty much tastes like that too) and she gave me more tablets this week called Nuan Gong Yun Zi Wan - i have to take 8 in the morning and 8 in the evening along with the herbal drink twice a day also.

So im getting excited thinking that this might actually work for me - please please please!

R

 

[jojo-m]

wow Cathy the miracle acu lady!! Doubt you could have picked a better practitioner, good luck hun!! xx

 

[muncho]

I want to go to Cathy

How is everyone, havent been on for a while although have been reading all your posts, Things seem to be moving in the right direction for most of you....come on OV!!!

As for me, i had some not so good news last week. i only got 1 follicle/egg during my IVF treatment . Docs put me on the wring drugs and i didnt respond;. so i got my one egg that i would have has anyway on a normal cycle. Anyway the good news is that today it has fertilised and tomorrow we go for the transfer.

Im seeing acu man before and after my transfer, i hope he works miracles like Cathy in NI!!

Anyway girls, lots of luck to you all and get BD over valentines weekend

xx

 

[Carrie29]

Good luck with Cathy she sure does sound good!!

Just watched a program about a couple that had been ttc their 2nd one for years and turns out she had Endometriosis and PCOS and they had gone through many IUI and IVF treatments that had all been unsuccessful. She then went for acupuncture at the Kite Clinic in London and after about a month or so became pregnant. The Acupuncturist told her at 10dpo to go home and do a test as he thought she was pregnant from her pulses and she was.. stories like that are soo great!..

Not sure if this is linked to the chinese meds but i have grown a huge craving for chinese stir-fry's lately lol!!.. i seriously could eat them every night.. just lots of veges and meat or seafood with ginger, garlic, lime juice and a little fish sauce.. soo good!

 

[fitzy79]

Have been reading and keeping up to date with all you lovely ladies but havn't posted in a few days!! Sounds like Accu is treating you all well. Last time I posted I was in a bit of a tizz about whether to take provera to bring on a bleed so that could start my first clomid cycle. Thought it was at odds with the amount of time and money I have invested in TCM. Decided to wait a few days as felt might ovulate. However, reached day 18 and all those signs went. My body seems to do this every cycle..I have PCOS and it's like it gears up to ovulate but then can't/doesn't. Anyway, decided to take the provera as I really want to try clomid ASAP. So, at the moment my chart is showing false ovulation becaused of provera induced temp rise.

Went to accu today....needles in feet, legs, tummy, head and ears. Some of them were really sore. Session itself was relaxing but on way home in the car I got an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness with my messed up body and started to cry. Has this happened to anyone else after accu?? Felt totally fine going in and have been very balanced emotionally since having my suspected PCOS confirmed...maybe it was bound to come out eventually??
Doesnt help that two of my best friends are recently pregnant and while happy for them it just makes me feel sorry for myself which I hate feeling

Big apologies for my rant...feels better to have typed it and gotten it off my chest!!

Sending lots of love and positivity your way girlies!! x

 

[Carrie29]

Hi Fitzy i was only diagnosed a few weeks back too and initially just tried to pretend i was fine and then a couple of weeks ago on the day after acu i just went mad at DH and slammed the bathroom door and shut myself in there fuming and just upset.. Luckily he did the right thing and just came in and gave me a hug.. since then i've been better. I guess we are just going to have our good and our bad days.. sending lots of hugs over to you!

 

[muncho]

fizy i havent been like that after acul but i certainly have had bad days. It hard sometimes trying to get thru the day. tomorrow will be different on this rollercoaster journey xx

 

[abster]

Hi RabeRezzelba, haven't seen you on BnB for quite a while - really pleased you've found Cathy to help you! I think far more people should at least give TCM a try. Have you read any of our ravings about Randine Lewis? She wrote rather a marvellous book called The Infertility Cure, all about TCM for fertility, with all sorts of other advice. Thoroughly recommend it.
Good luck! Look forward to reading about your sessions on here.

Sorry you've been having a wobble, fitzy. You'll find the right thing for you - and whatever you do, TCM will help you no end.


Cheese...................... (No!! Yoga! Baby!!)

Abi x

 

[fitzy79]

Muncho,
Hope everything goes well with the transfer. Will be sending lots of positive thoughts your way

Thanks for the kind words girlies...nice to have such a supportive online community!

Carrie, have you been prescribed clomid?? My only PCOS sign is the cysts on ovaries and no ovulation. No elevated testosterone, excess body hair, normal BMI and healthy weight. Hoping a combined clomid and TCM approach will finally bring me my longed for

Abs, think Randine should pay you a hefty commission Still waiting on my copy to arrive!

 

[rubyloo]

well - feeling seriously bummed tonight. had another acu session this evening...and took my most recent chart along (taking into account i'm trying to shorten my cycle and get my body to ov sooner....) and my prac barely looked at it. she hardly acknowledged that i'd ov'd and was 4dpo. i mentioned my palpataions which she treated with some needles on the inside of my wrists on both hands. had a needle between my eyes again and also in the tops of my feet - they really hurt today. she then did a number of 'in out' needles at the end including two points around my belly button - again these were very uncomfortable. as ever she was very gentle and very kind, but i felt she was somewhere else. i dunno. i took print outs of all my older charts to my first session and she's still got these on file, but she handed today's one back to me....possibly because its not a complete cycle?

anyway, having a really rough few days so not a surprise that i'm feeling more negative about life - ha! thinking back to all the PMA last week!

anyway, muncho good luck with the fertilised egg xxxxxxxxxx that's me keeping everything crossed....and to everyone else on here, even when it seems our bodies are determined to scupper us at every turn, at least we are trying. i'd rather be doing something than nothing and i have noticed a real difference since starting acu.

 

[Carrie29]

Muncho,
Hope everything goes well with the transfer. Will be sending lots of positive thoughts your way

Thanks for the kind words girlies...nice to have such a supportive online community!

Carrie, have you been prescribed clomid?? My only PCOS sign is the cysts on ovaries and no ovulation. No elevated testosterone, excess body hair, normal BMI and healthy weight. Hoping a combined clomid and TCM approach will finally bring me my longed for

Abs, think Randine should pay you a hefty commission Still waiting on my copy to arrive!

Yep i'm the same, normal weight, regular exercise no excess hair or anything just cysts on the ovaries and long cycles before. Although i know people say it's not possible but i totally blame the BCP as i used to regular as clock work before going on the BCP!.. My doc has referred me to a Gyno but i think i'll be waiting for quite a time before i get to see them, my doc won't prescribe clomid or metformin and said that would be down to the gyno.. that's why i've started TCM.. I hope it carries on working so that i don't need to see the gyno. But if it got to that stage and no BFP i would def consider taking the clomid!

fingers crossed for those BFP's!!!

 

[abster]

Hey Rubyloo, sorry you were so bummed out yesterday after your session. I think it's brilliant that yo ov'd earlier!! It's progress, which is what we all want. Maybe your prac just needs to communicate better with you. I would guess that maybe she wasn't all that interested in your chart because she's still just concentrating on bringing ov further forward, so in her mind things aren't quite right yet. I stress maybe - I don't have a clue what she's thinking really.

My prac seems more interested in my chart now, nearly 3 months in - my guess is that we're getting there now so that's why. She's always looked at it, but depends more time doing it now. My cycle's about 27 days, so when I was still oving at CD18 and was still phlegmy, with hindsight it was obvious to her that it wasn't going to be a viable cycle.

Like I say though, I'm thrilled for you! Remind me when ov normally happens and when it happened this cycle. Remember how excited I got at oving 2 days early last cycle? It's not just you! I suppose on their part it's professionalism, not wanting to get our hopes up when the signs are improving but not good enough. Concentrate on all the positives coming out of your treatment and (yeah, easier said than done) try to be patient. You can always come on here and rant/vent whatever and then announce yoru BFP!!

Carrie, I think you're doing the best thing you can, having acu. Like you say, you always have the option of trying clomid when you see the gyno.

Fitzy, Muncho's still not convinced that I'm not Randine

Off to the swimming pool with #1, then to H&B for more wheatgrass and ginger drink.

Abi x