TCM Expectations?
Tue, 2009-09-29 10:16
After a year of trying on our own my husband (32) and I (28) went to an RE and were given a preliminary diagnosis of unexplained infertility. My husbands SA came back normal. My HSG was clear, horomone levels fine, and ultrasounds confirmed that I was ovulating and had a good lining. We went through a couple rounds of clomid and an IUI with no success. I'm currently waiting for a laproscopy as the final step of testing. My RE is encouraging us to consider IVF since success rates are good at my age. I'm not yet ready to commit to IVF largely because I'm not ready to accept that I can be young, healthy and have no known fertility barriers and still not be able to conceive naturally.
For the past four cycles I have been seeing an acupuncturist who does not specialize in infertility. There are no fertility acupuncturists in my area. I show classic signs of liver qi stagnation with heat and phelgm. I have been going for weekly acupuncture and taken some herbs to help resolve my stagnation. DH and I have also been watching our diets and focusing on whole and healthy foods.
I have seen some improvement in my cycles: my terrible PMS has almost completely cleared up, I'm sleeping better, my BBT charts now look perfect. The only symptom which has not seemed to clear up is my acne (which I have had since going of my BCPs almost two years ago) and of course I have not yet been successful in getting pregnant.
My questions: How long should I try conceiving with TCM treatments before moving on? What should my expectations for success be?
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Hi
Depending on your each situation it can take 3-12 months for conception while using Chinese medicine.
Here are some resources that may be helpful.
Remember the book Making Babies. I think you will find a lot of answers in it. Good luck!!
Lorne Brown, B.Sc., CA, DR TCM, FABORM
Founder, Clinical Director
I was wondering whether the first month of Chinese herbs can resulting in an exaggeration of PMS symptoms and infertility markers. Specifically, my cycle is longer than usual (37 days and counting, average = 34 days), and I have significantly increased tenderness in my breasts. This is the first month that I have taken herbs consistently; I had an IUI cycle with Clomid 17 days ago (cycle day 20), negative serum bHCG yesterday (day 36). Would the expectation be that several consecutive months woud see the resolution of these symptoms, and an improvement as well? Could the Clomid be the source of the problem?
Clomid definitely can make acupuncturist busy. Busy because I find it creates so many other unwanted symptoms like more PMS and even delayed ovulation and cyst. If it works great. But I find women who take find they have aggravated PMS and often irregular cycles. In TCM we classify it as a very warming and dispersing drug which would aggravate Gan Qi Stagnation (PMS). If this were an herb we would most likely not give this to thin women who have dry & warm symptoms (lack cervical mucus, dry skin, short or scanty menses, hot flashes, thirst etc) or women who lots of PMS. Women who tend to be cold, loose stool, tired and overweight may do better on clomid if we are going to look at this drug through the lens of Chinese medicine. Randine Lewis give a good description in her book the Infertility Cure.
Your cycle seems long.... it does not look like the clomid helped you ovulate this cycle or at least not early enough. You seem concerned about herbs. I would suggest you look at the clomid. I see lots of women on clomid and not all are on herbs and I have seen the same thing without the herbs when on clomid. And some come to us after doing several cycles of clomid with similar complaints. What do all 3 scenarios have in common... clomid. It is a cheap and easy fertility treatment so worth a try. But keep in mind it can have some side effects. It can take at least 6 weeks for clomid to get of your system according a Colorado RE I interviewed last year for a TCM radio show.
Lorne Brown, B.Sc., CA, DR TCM, FABORM
Founder, Clinical Director