Ramblings

We finally received some good news today to offset all the bad luck that has come my way lately. I called my insurance company and after putting me on hold for over 10 minutes while researching my coverage and claims, the nice lady came back to tell me that they are going to pay the claims. Yeah!!!

As I am sitting here typing, I started having ovulation pains on my left side. That is also good news. DH and I are trying the au naturale method this cycle after a medicated cycle. Of course I am still using my trusty ovulation monitor though.

On the acupuncture front, I made an appointment at a new clinic, check out their blog. They are into getting the body and mind to work to together and provide nutritional counselling, cupping, herbal consulting, Moxabustion and tui-na at no additional cost when doing an acupuncture treatment. Honestly, at the prices they charge ($225 first visit & $115 each treatment) I should get a lot more. The other places I have gone to were only $75 and $70 per treatment. Fingers crossed that this new expensive place closes the door when I'm partially dressed with needles sticking out of my skin.

I mentioned a few months ago that my brother-in-law and his wife are pregnant again with twins and they are having girls. They recently found out the girls are paternal twins, which is suprising as that means she ovulated two eggs in one month with only one tube and no stimulation. It's amazing as she is my age and was diagnosed with HPV years ago. She knows how lucky she is and both she and my BIL are both very sensitive to our IF issues. I haven't asked what they are planning to name the girls yet. They are so lucky to have their family almost complete but I'm sure they are only thinking that they are going to have 3 babies all under two years old. That is a lot of nappies (aka diapers).

Opinions appreciated

I'm requesting opinions about acupuncture. Out of all of the failures I've had with IUIs and IVFs, one of the best follie responses I had was when I did acupuncture during the 6 weeks prior to IVF. My last attempt at IVF was poor and we converted to IUI. So, last week I decided to give it another try but with a more convenient acupuncturist.

Although both claimed to specialize in fertility treatments, my new acupuncturist did things completely differently. First off she didn't request to see any medical records or anything related to previous cycles. She only asked a few questions about past attempts. Then I got undressed from the waist down and covered up in a very thin paper blanket and the guy she works with came in and made me do this weird exercise where I'm laying flat on my back and shift each hip up towards my shoulder and then the other all while he was pressing on my belly. Did I mention that I went on CD2 and I had cramps and was bloated all while he was pressing on my belly?! Then he left and she came in to do the needle work, she kept telling me how bloated I was?!! HELLO?! did I not just tell you that it was CD2? I don't think she understood.... of course I am bloated you stupid cow!! All the drama aside, when she had all the needles in (which were all up and down my legs and around the ovary/uterus area), I felt all kinds of tingling throughout where the needles were.

And I hate that I am laying on a table in the dark (with no pants on) with the door cracked open. I feel exposed and couldn't relax as much as I wanted to.

My old acupuncturist was completely different, she requested that I bring a copy of my medical records and reviewed them thoroughly with me. Some of the needle placement was the same in the belly/uterus/ovary area and on the feet and inner lower leg but not all the way up and down my legs. After she placed all the needles then she would hook some of the ones around my ovaries to a machine that sent electrical pulses through the needles. I would fall asleep every time I went. At the end, she would have me roll onto my stomach and use a heated glass globe place in the back ovary areas and only leave it on for a few seconds to stimulate them from behind.

Is this similar to anyone else's experience? Has anyone else ever had to do pelvic exercises while pressing on their tummy? What has been the areas of needle focus?

I have my second appointment with the new acupuncturist tomorrow after work and I'm curious to hear everyone else's experiences.

Ahhh Friday

I love Fridays... knowing that I do not have to work again for 2 full days is such a relaxing thought. Work has been extremely busy and exhausting the last few days and I have been so looking forward to the weekend.

I've had 2 acupuncture appts so far. My first appt was a combination of consultation and treatment, she went over a copy of my medical file that I took and got a brief history. She had some interesting theories about my current drug treatment and response. Basically, the more drugs they have prescribed, the poorer I respond. She said that her patients with high FSH and high E2 perform better with less drugs. She also suggested that I try a clinic that a lot of her other patients use and I was a bit apprehensive about that but of course I went straight home and did some research on it. I was shocked when I read about the clinic. It is the top IVF clinic in the country and its director was part of the team which performed the first successful IVF in the US in 1981. Hmmm... I like my current RE and clinic but I'm thinking of changing, why not have the best chance possible? I need all the help I can get! So because of my acupuncturist's knowledge of IVF clinics and her previous experience, I am hopeful that her treatments can also compliment my traditional treatments.

The acupuncture needles don't bother me much, I just lay there and she puts them in my tummy (over uterus and ovaries), lower legs, feet and three in my right ear. Then she hooks up an electric current to a few of the needles on my tummy and gently shocks me for 30 min. It sounds strange, but I have fallen asleep both times.

Although I have never been a fan of country music, but the Dixie Chicks are an exception. Are they really country?? I don't think so. I recently ran across an interview with 2 of them talking about their IF struggles (http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2007/09/dixie-chicks-op.html). Both conceived through IVF and wrote a song on 'Taking The Long Way' CD called "So Hard" about it. It is definitely worth a listen if you haven't already.

I'm waiting to ovulate, which should occur this weekend. We are trying au naturale this cycle. I'm planning to be in my RE's office on day 3 of my next cycle to see if it might be good for an IVF attempt. If not, then we are going to try natural IUI, no meds as I have been ovulating on my own recently.

Ahhh... did I mention that I am so glad it is the weekend!

Irony

So the RE visit went as expected. I was a poor responder to the meds and my egg quality is questionable. He mentioned using an egg donor if things don't get better. DH and I discussed it and we are not ready to go there yet. Honestly, I am not ready to stop fighting for my own eggs yet. I also got a copy of my medical tests and surgery records for my acupuncture appt tomorrow and looked at my FSH levels over the past year and they were all over the place. Coming off of BCP supression before trying IVF it was 4.1 which is not bad but I noticed that in July it was only 6.5 (without any help). Previously it has never been under 10 and one month it was 18, but besides that month it was consistantly between 12 and 14.

The irony of the entire appt was that when I told him I had been feeling really bloated and uncomfortable he did a quick sonogram to make sure everything was ok. My left ovary had no follies at all but my right has the beginnings of 5 nice looking follies and I'm not on any drugs. My RE said my ovaries looked very good, but I couldn't get past the 5 follies as I never have that many at once.

We are going to start again with my next cycle with another try at IVF. He is starting me on BioEndurance supplements to try and improve the quality of my eggs. I am also starting acupuncture tomorrow, any other homepathy remedies I can do to help my chances, I'm trying (within reason -- no snake venom or dead chickens).

Trying to stay positive but it is REALLY hard. I see babies everywhere...