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Success Stories - IUI

My Story - I attribute much of my success getting pregnant to acupuncture...

Like many others, my husband and I had our life completely planned out even before we were married.  We got married the year after I graduated from college and 2 weeks before I started graduate school.  We would wait 5 years to start a family…2 years for grad school and 3 years to get my career established.  We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii and no more birth control pills.  We were very excited to start our family.

At my next female annual exam, I was told that everything looked fine and that most women conceive in the first 6 months.  We told everyone we knew about our pending family expansion.  However, 6 months went by and nothing.  I began to get worried, though my husband was certain that there was nothing to worry about.  After 9 months without success, I became extremely concerned.  I began to bargain with God that whatever I had done wrong previously, I would fix and do right from now on.  After a friend of mine became pregnant while on birth control with no intentions of having a baby, I had a breakdown.  I was constantly unhappy and could not get along with my husband.  I finally made an appointment with my gynecologist for follow up.

First they recommended that my husband be tested.  He had a mildly abnormal sperm analysis and so he was referred to a urologist.  He was told that he had a varicocele but that surgery would not likely improve his numbers.  They stated that his numbers were still plenty high enough to conceive a child.

Meanwhile, testing on me took months as everything had to be done during a certain couple of days during my cycle.  Tests included internal ultrasounds, blood hormone level tests, and a hysterosalpingogram.  The latter an imaging test where radio opaque dye is forced through the fallopian tubes to determine if there is a problem with the egg traveling down to the uterus.  One fallopian tube was not seen.  These tests resulted in a diagnosis of a septum in the uterus.  This would likely make it harder to conceive, but not prevent it.  My gynecologist recommended surgery to remove the abnormal tissue from the uterus to hopefully make it easier to conceive.  So one year after first trying to conceive, I underwent surgery to remove the septum through a surgical procedure involving a hysteroscopy and a laparoscopy.

I was certain that after surgery, I was going to be told that the tissue was successfully removed and that the other tube was now functional and a future pregnancy was certain.  However, I was not prepared for what the doctor had to say in my follow-up appointment.  He stated that he could not explain it, but that there was no septum that he could find during the surgery but he did remove a small cyst.  I was horribly disappointed.  All I wanted to hear was that the problem had been fixed.  On top of it, I had just undergone surgery for no apparent reason.  The doctor recommended I have another hysterosalpingogram to see if the results changed.  The nurse practitioner that performed the test was much more thorough than in the previous HSG and didn’t give up until both fallopian tubes were visualized.  She was much more persistent than the person that had done the first test.  I was thankful everything was appearing normal, but still felt like I was getting nowhere in the reason why we couldn’t conceive.

Two weeks later after trying to get a hold of my gynecologist to give me the results of the HSG and the plan for what to try next, he left me a message on my answering machine saying, “everything looks okay, good luck getting pregnant.”  I was infuriated.  I was no closer to getting pregnant than one year ago.

With my husband’s advice, we decided to take a break from trying for several months to keep our sanity.  Secretly hoping that with less pressure, we might have success, but to no avail.  In January of the next year, I sought out an infertility doctor.  Again, many, many more tests.  He recommended Clomid, first without insemination, then with it.  We failed 4 cycles of intrauterine insemination with hormone injections into my belly to augment egg release.  I was becoming obsessed and distraught that a family was not in the cards for us.  My husband and I went through all the classic phases of grief dealing with infertility.  Denial, anger, bargaining, depression…  We were at the age that every couple we knew either had babies or were pregnant.  It felt like hell on earth.  And no one seemed to understand how we felt.  Relatives didn’t understand why hearing all the details about pregnancy were torture, or why we didn’t rush to the hospital to hold their newborn in the middle of the night.  Avoidance was my only defensive.  I realize now that I fell into a very deep depression.

Our faith remained constant, though we questioned why this was happening to us.  I realize now that by the grace of God, a friend was put in my path that shared my infertility problems.  Through this friendship, I believe that I slowly began to heal, and realize that we had to start considering alternative means of having a family, or choosing a child-free existence.  Having someone to share the same feelings with seemed to make all the difference in the world.  We continued on our journey of seeking a family.  After all, 2 years of trying to have a child was nothing at all, or so people would tell me.

After the inseminations, our doctor began discussing in vitro fertilization.  The crazy thing was…no one could tell me a plausible reason why we couldn’t get pregnant.  We were spending a great deal of money on infertility treatment that insurance was not covering.  On top of a stressful job, life seemed to be suffocating me.  I was ready to adopt.  Though my husband was not on board, he humored me by going to several informational meetings on adoption.  But the cost, long uncertain wait period, and questionable health of the baby was hard to swallow.  And my husband was not ready to give up on having our own child.  And we weren’t ready to invest thousands of dollars into something that might work (in vitro fertilization) when all of the tests came back normal and nothing seemed to be wrong.

After much heartache, and soul searching, I decided to do a few things that had been occupying the back of my mind for quite awhile.  I needed to leave my stressful job.  And I decided to work on my health… inside and out.  I was already exercising regularly, but new I could improve my eating habits and new that my sub clinical depression needed addressed.  I decided to try acupuncture.  About 4 weeks before switching jobs, I researched an acupuncturist that specialized in infertility and women’s issues.  I started with Dr. Lin and was immediately satisfied with how thorough she was with my unique medical history and female cycle.  She also considered details that I had always thought were pertinent, but all other doctors had disregarded, such as the quality of my period.  She recommended a book that shed new light on all the intricacies of getting pregnant and all the minor but important details that acupuncture can influence.  It was truly enlightening and empowering to have this tool.

After 4 weeks of acupuncture and the first week of my new job, I had a positive pregnancy test.  I could not believe it.  We cried tears of joy and disbelief for hours.  But the happiness was short lived.  Within a week, I began to show signs of miscarriage and there was nothing that could be done to save the pregnancy.  I was devastated, but kept a positive outlook… I had finally conceived after more than 2 years of trying.  My body could get pregnant, and without all the expensive medical interventions, but instead naturally with lifestyle changes and acupuncture treatments.

My husband and I both continued acupuncture treatments, and 8 months later, we were pregnant again.  Though I became very impatient during these 8 months, and began to wonder if my infertility doctor was right in saying that the previous pregnancy and miscarriage was only a fluke, and that in vitro was inevitable.  I had even began to look into adoption again, and made an appointment with the infertility guru in the region for information about the in vitro procedure, and how good our chances would be.  A coworker of mine also gave me a fertility statue to put by my bed.  (I was pregnant the very next cycle!!!)

I attribute much of my success getting pregnant to acupuncture, as not only did I feel better mentally and physically, my cycle began to normalize.  My faith, as well as decreasing a stressful lifestyle with a job change I believe was also a key.  Though my unfailing desire to have a baby never ceased, acupuncture definitely made me feel human again and helped me realize how depressed I had been and really helped bring me out of it.  I could not believe how much better I felt with acupuncture treatments, though it was very hard to describe.  I was just more of my old self than I had been in years.

The pregnancy was not without its trouble.  Though I have managed to hold onto this pregnancy, I bled quite frequently and heavily from the 8th to the 12th week.  I continued my acupuncture treatments as recommended.  Now, I am almost 36 weeks pregnant.  After the 12th week, the bleeding completely ceased and things have gone quite smoothly.  I am so looking forward to meeting this little person inside of me.  What a journey it has been.

It has only recently started to seem real to me as my belly has really started to swell in this last trimester and the baby’s kicks are hard to ignore.  But the first 6 months of the pregnancy were still surreal.  Though this journey has been more trying on my mental health, my marriage, and my checkbook than anything I have ever experienced…everything seems to be so easily forgotten now.  And the last 3 year struggle with starting a family has really solidified our 8 year marriage, making us closer than ever before.  And I feel that we will really appreciate this child more so than had we gotten pregnant easily.  Life is certainly a journey, not a destination.  And I am certainly grateful to Dr. Lin for being such a key component in helping us finally transition into the next chapter of our life…parenthood.

T. L.

 

 

My Miracle Baby

I am convinced that acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine helped get my body prepared for a successful pregnancy. In the span of 6 years my husband and I have been trying to have a baby. Because of my history and age I decided to go to an infertility specialist only to be diagnosed with unexplained infertility. I went through years of blood testing, failed IUI's and infertility drugs without success. As desperate as I was after 2 failed pregnancies I decided to try acupuncture treatments along with western infertility treatments before going the IVF route.

Months passed which sometimes became frustrating and disappointing and then I finally decided to put more effort into Dr. Lin's advice and to chart my temperature religiously each waking morning. By finding a monthly trend Dr. Lin was able to prescribe herbs that helped my chi change in my cycle. My monthly cycle became more suitable for ovulation. It was the first sign of something working right without any fertility drugs. I also worked on the diet she recommended and I started drinking green drinks to balance my PH levels.

I dedicated a year of consistent acupuncture treatments, charting by basal body temperature, taking the prescribed Chinese herbs and following a healthy diet and I found myself pregnant after returning from a 2 week vacation. I continued to go to acupuncture during the early months of pregnancy and to place all positive thoughts into this pregnancy. It had to be successful, I thought, as I was quickly approaching 39 years of age. By the 10th week the doctor told me that everything looked good with the pregnancy and then referred me to an OB/GYN doctor. We were delighted! The pregnancy went well and I safely delivered a 9 pound baby girl into the world.

As I look back today, I am truly grateful for the Chinese medical treatment I received from Dr. Lin along with her knowledge and experience in women's infertility. I am now the happy mother of a beautiful baby girl and believe she is my miracle baby.

-C. P.

 

April 9, 2005 - Your patience, dedication, and efforts to help me be healthier and to accomplish my desire to conceive a child have been overwhelming.

Dear Dr. Lin,

I want to thank you for all of the help that you have given me over the past two and a half months.  Your patience, dedication, and efforts to help me be healthier and to accomplish my desire to conceive a child have been overwhelming.

This thank you is for Bruce and Michael as well.  When I first came to East/West Health, I had been seeing another acupuncturist for a couple of months, but had not seen the results that I was hoping to see.  I believe very strongly that the guidance of both Bruce and Michael to change my diet to become an overall healthier person helped me to reach my goal.  It was wonderful that you have surrounded yourself with such knowledgeable and caring people.

My story started over three years ago when my husband and I decided that we wanted to start our family.  We tried for almost two years on our own, using fertility monitors and ovulation predictors, without success.  In June of last year we started seeing a fertility specialist who determined that everything looked fine with both my husband and I, so my condition was “unexplained”.  We proceeded to go through four rounds of Clomid with artificial insemination.  Twice we used Ovidrel to produce ovulation because it was coming too late in my cycle.  After none of these attempts were successful, we were told that our next option would be in-vitro fertilization.  We were not emotionally or financially ready to make this decision yet.  A couple of months later, someone suggested to me that I give acupuncture a try.  I found East/West Health and you sometime in January or February of this year.  I saw you twice a week for the first month, and saw immediate positive changes in my menstrual cycle.  After a couple of months of treatment, and some very positive changes in diet and exercise, we decided to consult a different fertility specialist and try another round of artificial insemination.  When I was on Clomid this time, while I did not produce anymore than the one follicle that I was getting all of the other times, my uterine lining was as thick as it had been before I was on Clomid.  This has to be a direct result of the acupuncture since this is the only thing that changed in my life.

Needless to say, I am so happy.  Our first child is due December of this year.  I cannot thank Michael enough for taking a couple of hours of his time to come to the clinic to give me a treatment before and after my insemination.

I have never had a positive pregnancy before this time.  My acupuncture has been a wonderful experience in my life.  I now have a baby on the way, understand the importance of eating the right foods, and the role that different types of exercise play in our lives.  The treatments themselves were a time of such pure relaxation for me.

Again, thank you for everything you have done to help me.

Sincerely,

A Very Happy Patient

-J. C.

 

May 3, 2006 - The nurse at my obstetrician’s office recommended Dr. Lin for acupuncture to assist in my efforts to have a baby.

I started seeing Dr. Wenying Lin on Feb 14, 2006. The nurse at my obstetrician’s office recommended Dr. Lin for acupuncture to assist in my efforts to have a baby. I had my son without difficulty 10 years ago and new onto a second marriage. My husband and I wanted a child between us. We started trying in 2003, but were not consistent with our efforts, feeling no pressure as we had both conceived children in previous marriages without any problems.

In August of 2004, we had a positive pregnancy test within a couple of weeks. I experienced some spotting, but was reassured when an ultrasound revealed a good heartbeat. The spotting stopped temporarily, but when it resumed at 8½ weeks, we no longer had a heartbeat. After a D&C in October of 2004, we were able to conceive 2 more times in the next four months, both resulting in miscarriages. After a battery of tests, it was determined that I had a fibroid invading the uterine lining that needed to be removed. I had surgery for this in June of 2005. Further testing revealed a problem with my progesterone levels, for which I began injections of luteal HCG. I also began taking Clomid in October of 2005, to increase my chances of conceiving. After 4 months of no success with Clomid, artificial insemination, and luteal HCG, we were beginning to feel desperate in our efforts. This is when we started seeing Dr. Lin. She explained to us that the process of acupuncture and herbs might take a few months to affect a change in my body. Admittedly, I was somewhat skeptical at the whole idea at first, especially coming from a western medicine background as a registered nurse. I really felt that this was my last hope, so I was willing to give it a try.

Now I’m 11½ weeks pregnant and wished I had tried Chinese medicine a long time ago. Of course no one will ever know what finally allowed us to achieve a good pregnancy on our 5th attempt, but incorporating acupuncture and herbs with the Clomid / Artificial Insemination / Luteal HCG protocol seems to have done the trick. I have had no signs of complications with this pregnancy, and my OB-Gyn feels confident that things are looking good. I cannot thank Dr. Lin enough for her service and the kindness she showed to my husband and me. I would give Dr. Lin my whole-hearted recommendation and would encourage anyone with fertility issues to incorporate Chinese medicine into their treatment plan.

Respectfully,
K, O.

Littleton, Colorado

 

July 28, 2006 - Thank you so very much! I am now days shy of being four months pregnant. I believe you had a significant role in getting me to this point! I’d like to share my success story with your patients.

Dear Dr. Lin,

Thank you so very much! I am now days shy of being four months pregnant. I believe you had a significant role in getting me to this point! I’d like to share my success story with your patients.

My partner Courtney and I have been together for nine years. We started talking about having a child many years ago but became serious about starting the process two years ago. Our plan all along was for Courtney to be the one to get pregnant. In February 2005 we learned that it was potentially unsafe for Courtney to get pregnant because she had experienced some nerve communication issues that resembled MS.

By the summer of 2005 we decided that I would be the one to get pregnant. We met with a doctor in September of 2005 and officially started our fertility process. Our first insemination was in December 2005. We were very disappointed that the sample had only 2.2 million motile sperm. The sperm bank that we chose guarantees at least 8 million motile sperm per vile, so we were not expecting such a low count. Friends who have used frozen sperm let us know that they have had around 12 million motile sperm per vile. Not surprisingly, I didn’t get pregnant.

We tried for our second time in January 2006. That time the sperm had 2.3 million motile sperm so we had them thaw another vile. The second sample only had 2.0 million. We were disappointed again but did double the sperm from the first insemination by thawing two samples. I did not get pregnant. Our third attempt was in February 2006 and we once again thawed two samples. The first sample came back with 2.9 million motile sperm and the second vile held 3.2 million. We were more hopeful with around 6 million motile sperm but the pregnancy didn’t take that time either. We decided not to inseminate in March, feeling that an emotional break would be important.

Our good friends Paula M. and Paula W. referred us to you. After many unsuccessful inseminations they sought treatment from you and happily gave birth to a son after they were inseminated with their last vile. They believe that you are the reason they have a second son.

I had my first appointment with you on April 14, 2006. At that time you sounded hopeful that I would be pregnant within three months. Well, you were right. I saw you for acupuncture on that first visit on the 14th and then again on April17th and 20th. I was inseminated on April 23rd. There were only 4.5 million motile sperm. We had ordered several new specimens and I was hopeful that this collection would have a higher motility. I couldn’t hold back my tears when the report of the low sperm count came back. Courtney felt strongly that we should go with the 4.5 million and not thaw another specimen. We went with the one vile and it was enough. My successful pregnancy came from just 4.5 million sperm. I continued to see you twice a week until we could see our baby’s heartbeat.

Thank you for preparing my body for pregnancy. Acupuncture was a significant experience. As a trained therapist, I have been of the mindset to process and release emotions. Through our sessions I came to learn that our bodies may need to release in ways that our minds cannot grasp. I felt my Qi unblock, it was like a weight was lifted from within and I felt lighter and more in touch with myself. Acupuncture became a spiritual experience for me, I learned more about myself. I felt stronger and more in touch with who I am. Acupuncture also works to align the endocrine system which allowed my body to relax and prepared my female organs for the baby. I am sure that I was able to get pregnant so quickly with such a low sperm count because of what the acupuncture did for me physically and emotionally.

With Great Thanks,

H.W.

 

The purpose of this letter is to some how put in words my appreciation for your kindness and generosity.

The purpose of this letter is to some how put in words my appreciation for your kindness and generosity. It is difficult for me at this time to find words other than "THANK YOU SO MUCH.”

I realize that I am on a difficult journey. It is one that has brought me to many people under such trying times and the most sincere have been you. I hope someday I can repay you for your kindness.

I am feeling a little better. It is hard to know if it is the medicine, the herbs and vitamins, the acupuncture, therapy, massage or perhaps a combination of them all. I am beginning to focus better and have decided to fight harder to not be a victim any longer.

Thank you again

-B.

 

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