Acupuncture - FET

[notifbutwhen]

Morning Ladies,

I was just wondering if anyone has had acupuncture while going through any part of their journey and found it helpful.

I am finally ready to start again and I am about to start my second FET and have read that acupuncture can help with stress and with implantation.

It looks like it can be expensive, I am lucky enough to be NHS funded with my PGD/IVF but I would do anything to increase my chances or make me calmer as found last time stressful. I had my PFN in Dec 2017 so its taken me a long while to get to this point where I am ready to go again.

Any advise would be much appreciated.

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi notifbutwhen. I do know that acupuncture can help regulate a nice even flow to the womb lining, so might be worth a go. Good luck if you do decide to try. Diane

[Dunla]

Hiya, I had acupuncture during two ICSI cycles. I didn’t fall pregnant but I’d recommend the acupuncture to help with the stress if nothing else. It’s supposed to really help with blood flow as Diane says. It is rather expensive though. I think mine was £30 a session if my memory serves me right xx

[notifbutwhen in reply to Dunla]

Thank you both. I am looking into it but like dunla said I found that it's expensive so far.

[Lilli79]

Hi, I tried reflexology for stress management (not sure if it works for womb lining etc) and I'm still doing it 1.5 yrs later! I found acupuncture too expensive and too pressured by the practitioner to do it quite often which I just couldn't afford. I've been doing reflexology and in down times only do it once a month but important times doing it twice a month. Costs me £35 for an hour (and that's a full hour not just lying around with needles stuck in my face lol!). I have found it a godsend & would recommend it to anyone, even just for general issues xx

[Hidden]

Hey!

I had it before my first fresh cycle and found it good for relaxation - It was also supposed to help the flow of blood in the uterus area. I had tension headaches too which she really helped with.

Generally I do think around IVF it is so important to do something for yourself and for your relaxation.

But some people do not find acupuncture relaxing - so if this is you don't force yourself for the sake of treatment.

I found a fertility acupuncturist so it was very specific.

Best of Luck!

xxx

[notifbutwhen in reply to Hidden]

Hi all,

EB2001 I have found a fertility acupuncturist near me so thought I could give it ago my issue is its £50 a session which is quite a lot.

Lilli79 I struggle with stress especially around doing IVF/FET so was looking for something calming. I did have massage which helped but I need something more regular I think once I start.

I found that I had every side effect going from the down regs. and hormonal drugs worse than the stimulation meds so wanted something to help me as I felt so ill throughout.

I don't know If this was because of anxiety or the meds, this is already worrying me for my next FET that I have just registered for.

I am lucky that my Clinic have just called me a scheduled counselling for a week and half after the day I start down reg. This may help me as I am a talker!!

I don't know if some sort of relaxation techniques could help me have a clearer mind and feel better second time around. Any advise or would be nice to know if others struggled with the side effects of the medication.

let me know thanks for the replies so sweet, I am happy I found this site I wish I had known about it when I went through it first time around.

[Hidden in reply to notifbutwhen]

Hey, so even though I found acupuncture beneficial I personally don't believe it makes the difference between a positive and negative result. I read some studies too more recently that back it up. BUT from the relaxation element I agree with and maybe this goes onto help with the final result!

I was preparing for my next frozen cycle and actually decided to not do acupuncture this time around. Mine was expensive too and getting to and from was actually stressing me out a teeny bit.

I went to yoga a good bit before I started my meds...and the gym too, walking then once I started medication I found beneficial for stress....

I don't really have any other magic advice to give.......everyone I suppose has certain things that help them relax - even box sets of your favourite comedies!! Avoid people that stress you out and put yourself first.

Best of Luck! Xxx

[Star9]

My first cycle was a BFN and I didn’t have acupuncture and my second cycle resulted in a BFP and I had acupuncture all the way through.

Personally I didn’t really find it massively relaxing, I would find a facial or something similar more relaxing for the same price 🙄

But neither did I find it unpleasant, to me it was just lying down for an hour with some needles in but was part of my IVF journey.

My acupuncturist specialised in fertility and I believe there must be something in it. I did some research on it beforehand and there is a lot to suggest it’s benefits.

If I was to have another cycle I would have acupuncture again though xx

[Caza2009]

I didn’t have acupuncture with my first fresh cycle (which ended in a BFN), but have decided to start sessions for my upcoming FET as am hoping it will help with my stress levels if nothing else.

Wishing you loads of luck for you FET xxx

[staceymac83]

I done acupuncture during my fresh cycle unfortunately I didn’t get pregnant but highly recommend it for relaxation and they are great for advice.

Am due to start fet and have decided not to do acupuncture this time instead I have downloaded a mindful ivf app which seems great for relaxing.

Good luck xx

[Lizzielizzielizzie]

Hi

I had acupuncture for my fet after pgd and I enjoyed it, I felt some aspects did make a difference but I don’t think it’s magic, as it were. It is expensive but I reduced the cost by buying a healthcare cash back plan which covered acupuncture. Although you pay each month for a year, I worked out I would be able to claim back significantly more than I spent on the plan, though it didn’t cover the whole cost. I used an acupuncturist who was a fertility specialist. My first transfer after pgd was successful and I’m now 17 weeks pregnant, I had a few treatments in the first trimester too. I would point out that I also had acupuncture for my second round of ivf (before we knew we needed pgd) and that round failed. Like I said, it’s not magic. Pm me if you want to know more about the cash back plan.