Pin Cushion

Well I did it. I made myself into a human pin cushipn, literally. I had my first visit with the Accupuncurist/Herbalist on Wed. It was so exciting to talk to someone who actually cared about my charts and took them seriously along with listening to me.

The needles didn't hurt at all. I did however feel what she called the "Qi" (sounds chike "chee") effect. It felt like warm energy flowing from the needle area through my limb. Then as soon as I felt it it melted away. It was almost a little high. But since I have never been high I can only guess. The needle barely even goes in so there is no blood or anything. It was all totaly sterile and safe with alcohol rubs, sterile disposable accupuncture needles and gloves etc. It was a very relaxing 20 min process where I layed down with the pins all over me and relaxed listening to calming music.

I apparently have been diagnosed with having a Spleen Qi Deficiency with dampness and mild Blood Deficiency with stagnation. This translates into why I am not ovulating when I should be, having a short luteal phase and why my periods are short and light.

In researching my disgnosis I found that it also corresponds with the following traits which I thought was very interesting:

• pleases other people, loses self in process
  
• difficulty saying no
  
• resists change
  
• clings to security and stability
  
• prone to unrealistic expectations and extreme disappointment
  
• vulnerable to becoming overburdened and overweight
  
• sluggish digestion
  
• dichotomy of feeling empty in a replete environment
  
• worries to the point of obsession
  
• prone to sweet tooth, craves starch and sugar
  
• lacks energy
  
• history of weight gain and loss, feast and famine
  
• loss of boundaries
  
• loss of self
  
• depleted
  
• becomes a martyr <-- this is very interesting
  
• poor digestion
  
• collects dampness and swelling, especially in the lower body
  
• prone to edema
  
• stagnated energy, blocked circulation
  
• allergies are common
  

So after the accupuncture treatment - I felt very relaxed and a sense of inner peace and calmness. Even now I still feel the inner calmness. I am supposed to go every week and take some herb suppliments that are totally safe for 3 cycles.

So we will see and I'll let you know how it goes.

Accupuncture and TCM

So some fo you know I had a horrid Dr. appt last week with the Dr. that was supposed to be my new OBGYN. Long and nasty story short - she will not be my Dr. I have an appt with a new internal MD next week and tomorrow I have a TCM appt.

I have been reading about TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) in The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis Ph.D.



All this time I have been thinking that my luteal phase was too short but now I am thinking that if I just ovulated about 5-6 days sooner then I would be ok. So this might mean I have a Yin (estrogen) deficiency.

So tomorrow I litterally get stuck up like a pin cushion. I'll let you know how that goes. The TCM practioner actually did her post-graduate work with Randine Lewis and is trained in FAM (Fertiltiy Awareness Method), so she will be able to discuss my charts with me!

In the mean time bring on the tofu and yams! - (They help the estrogen)

Western vs. Eastern Medicine

So we are all very familiar with Western Medicine - treating the symptoms and not the causes. Have back pain? Take a muscle relaxer - take some pain meds. Nevermind the fact that one of you vertebra is out of alignment and is causing the problem and you could see a chiropractor to adjust the subluxation and have a massage to loosen up the muscles so they will hold the correct position of your vertebrae and fix the cause so the symptoms will also dissapear.

The same happens with fertility or infertility. Say you have a short Luteal Phase so even if you fertilize your egg then your uterus lining ejects itself before the fertilized egg can even implant itself into the lining. The cause - could be progesterone deficiency. Western Medicine gives you progesterone pills or progesterone vaginal gel inserts to super boost your projesterone levels.

If you are having trouble with your estrogen and don't ovulate regularly or don't have quality eggs Western Medicine hypes you up on Clomid for example to hyper stimulate your ovaries and ovulate multiples of eggs at one time. In theory to get a good quality egg. But what does this do to your other hormone levels when you throw one way out of whack? Clomid also typically causes your cervical fluid (mucus), that the sperm need to swim through, to dry up making it impossible for the sperm to even get to the multitudes of eggs that the Clomid made your ovaries release.

Eastern Medicine - works with the entire body mind and body including nutrition to balance your hormone levels naturally through accupressure or acupuncture and herbal/vitamin suppliments along with diet and exercise.

Doesn't it just make more sense to treat the whole person adn not just the symptom?

I am currently reading The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis Ph.D.