East Coast Meets Eastern Medicine - Part 2

So, about the appointment(s) [spoiler alert: I've had two]:

Like I said in my last post, I was super relieved when I walked into the acupuncture center. It was very spa like and clean looking. Plus, one whole wall was dedicated to baby birth announcements, letters of gratitude and thank you cards. In addition, on the table was a thick white binder full of acupuncture research and articles to read while waiting. All of this was reassuring as I sat, drinking my complimentary tea, waiting to be called.

Finally, J came out and introduced herself. She was nice, if frazzled. We then sat for my intake meeting. Basically, she went over the paperwork I filled out, paying special attention to my charts (yes!). But I felt like she did not say anything of consequence. Or really much at all. It was mainly me doing the talking and I found that disappointing. I know it is unrealistic, but I also know deep down I was hoping she would read my info, feel my pulse, look at my tongue and then say, "Oh, I see why you aren't pregnant. You are a water sign, and water signs need blah blah blah". Alas no. In fact, when she felt my pulse I even probed her a little, asking what she was doing and what it meant and she just answered curtly, "feeling your energy". WTF is that? Expand for us non-eastern thinkers please!

After that she plopped about 10 needles in me, turned off the lights and left the room. Leaving me for 25 minutes of "relaxation". Except - as anyone who knows me will not be surprised - I didn't. I did not find it the least bit relaxing. Not because I was grossed out or nervous about the needles. By this point I have had so much blood drawn I could be an extra on Dexter. No, I think maybe I did not relax because:

(a) I felt pressured to relax. Which basically makes me stress out. Am I relaxing enough now? How about now? maybe I should change my breathing...is this more serene? Now am I relaxed?
(b) It's boring as all heck to lie still for 25 minutes straight when you can't even move because the needle in your arm is getting stuck on the blanket they so kindly placed over you. And you can forget about scratching that itch!

And that was it. It was kind of anticlimatic. I was hoping to feel fertile, or at least relaxed, but in the end I was grouchy and poorer.

Of course, I signed up for another appointment. As bitter and whiny as I may seem, I do believe that you might need to do something more than once to give it a fair go, and maybe with time I will find a way to relax. And actually, my next appointment was with C, the owner, and I liked it much better (not the needles, but the talking. I am less about the acupuncture, more about the action plan).

So, with this next cycle, I am looking forward to combining the east and the west to make a baby in the here and now.

East Coast Meets Eastern Medicine - Part I

A.K.A - B has used up her patience with western medicine and is now seeking outside help.

I'm not sure when I first started considering acupuncture. I read a lot of ttc blogs / message boards, so I have a feeling I heard it there first. Little whisperings about it working, and even if it wasn't working it was so relaxing. But I know I had it floating in the back of my head when Dr. D mentioned it at our last appointment. Perhaps sensing that I am not a relaxer (who me?) he suggested that we give it a try. He said it had worked with other patients. Hearing Dr. D recommend it gave it credence to me. Before that, it was just something else that us crazy-to-be-pregnant people might try (because, after a certain point, if someone said dancing in the moonlight with underwear on your head is the key to fertility, you ask when is the next full moon and get your skivvy's ready). But now it was endorsed by a Dr.! I was ready to give it a whirl. But only if this cycle did not work, and I was certain that it would.

Well, after the fateful call from Dr. D that not only did it not work, but I did not even ovulate, one of the ways I was able to (moderately) keep my sanity was by googling acupuncture places. While I wish I had done better research than just a web search (because, really, I feel like you should fully vet out a place that wants to stick needles in you), I am ashamed to say that's all I did. I mean, I did google every configuration of words to make sure it was okay. In fact, the following is my google search list:

acupuncture nj
fertility acupuncture nj
fertility acupuncture nj recommendation
______________ reviews (at this point I found the one I wanted)
______________ law suits
______________ deaths

But amazingly, nothing bad came up, so I figured, what did I have to lose (except, perhaps, feeling in a limb or several hundred dollars on failed treatments). So after this tough search criteria, how did a place finally win the key to my wallet heart? Here is a list of what helped me decide:

B's Super Tough Criteria for Choosing an Acupuncturist

1. They specialized in fertility. I am sure a regular acupuncturist would be just fine, but I figured since I was making the leap to go for this, I wanted to go with the most highly specialized available. After all, I did not want to wind up with cured sinuses instead of a fertile womb.
2. They had a pretty website. No, I'm not really that shallow. But it was nicely laid out, user friendly, and full of information, including the cost, a downloadable diet plan and a page dedicated to explaining what the first appointment would be like.
3. They wanted to see my charts. I was so excited. Months of getting up at 5:30 in the morning were going to pay off! Seriously though, that helped me seem like it would be customized services towards me, not just a generic fertility plan applied to everyone.

Hmm...I just sat here trying to think of 4, but I might have only had 3 criteria. I know I had a fourth that only went into place once I arrived at their location:

4. It did not look like a crack den. In fact it looked like a very shi shi spa. Wide planked wood floors, Yogi teas for you to drink while waiting, pastel colored walls. As I walked in, two affluent looking women were leaving. I figured if the women climbing into the Lexus gave it their endorsement, that was good enough for me.

And so, full of nerves, hope and yes, despite the Lexus Ladies, some skepticism, I walked in for my first appointment.