TCM and my IF

TCM. Traditional Chinese Medicine.

So as many of you know, I went to see a TCM doctor here that is affiliated with Dr. Randine Lewis' Fertile Soul program. I wasn't sure what to expect...maybe just a new set of eyes and a fresh perspective on my situation. I also want to try to prepare for my upcoming cycle as best as I can and again, maximize my chances and perhaps better my results.

Right now, she thinks that my issue is blood stagnation. Everything that I have ever been diagnosed with & other factors point to this:

- endometriosis
- fibroids
- poor responder to the IVF meds
- keloid scars
- blood clots in my menstrual fluid (I know...TMI)
- bruises that take a long time to heal

She said that the blood can be nourished and rich and perfect but if it doesn't circulate well enough and reach the places where it needs to go, than it can't do any good. She thinks that there is a blockage somewhere (in my blood energy flow, not literally a blockage in my blood circulation) and it has manifested itself in my body as reduced blood flow to the reproductive organs. With acupuncture and herbs, she is trying to get things moving again.

I'm sure there are a lot of things not exactly accurate with what I said above, but this is how I understood the information she was telling me. She said that what she is trying to do is bring my body back into balance long enough for me to get pregnant. Sometimes, she's seen cases where she thinks that someone needs a lot of treatment to become balanced again and then she tweaks something just a little bit and that's all they needed. Sometimes, she works with someone for a long time before they are successful. It all depends.

I've also managed to catch a slight cough this past week so she is trying to clear that up for me in addition to moving my blood around. Maybe if I can get this blood moving again and reach my reproductive organs better I'll have a better cycle??

Am I grasping at straws again??

As a side note, my DH and I are *still* debating the Saizen. He is still against...I waver and go back and forth between trying it and leaving it. My nurse told me that she has seen some patients cycle with Saizen and she has not seen any noticeable difference in egg quality/quantity. This is again, based only on anecdotal evidence but I don't have anything else to go on right now. I asked her if she has ever heard of whether it has hurt the results yet and she said that it hasn't to her knowledge. I don't know...today I'm sitting more on the side of "just leave it". Anyhoo....