Can't seem to get it right?

forum post

Can't seem to get it right?

Published on 01-26-2009


"ak1234" has authored 2 other posts.

Some background on me: Early 30's (these problems since I was about 28), thin build (borderline underweight) but good appetite, healthy/almost never get sick, no major health problems. Periods started age 12 but I have little breast development. I've been struggling with long menstrual cycles / late or no ovulations for years. All of my children were conceived using Clomid because of this. I had to supplement them all with formula because I couldn't produce enough breast milk to give them 100%. At one point a blood test showed elevated testosterone, and I had some hair loss. My feet (toes) are ice cold anytime the inside temperature goes below about 70 degrees.

I saw a TCM dr specializing in fertility a few years ago; after 3 months of no results, and feeling worse than I did prior to starting treatments (depression), I stopped going. Maybe she misdiagnosed me, or I was having a reaction to one of the herbs (don't know what she gave me).

More recently, I was recommended Rehmannia Six formula by two other TCM drs. Also another herbalist recommended Shou Wu, a formula supposed to help hair because my hair was falling out more than normal.
I've been told I may have Kidney Deficiency, especially Yin Def.

So, I was on the Rehmannia Six 8-9 months, and the hair formula (which had Rehmannia and Fo Ti I think) about 6-7 months. During this time my hair stopped coming out and my ovulation moved to around day 20 on every cycle (an improvement from day 30+ before the formulas).

I stopped the formulas when I ran out in mid November and thought maybe 9 months of being on it was long enough to help my body. But now I seem to be going back to the late ovulations again. See my charts:



So my main question is: should I be going back on the Rehmannia Six?

And if so, how long should I be on it? Is there something else it looks like I need? Why haven't I seen more improvement?

Can someone give me some insight? No one else has been able to help me, they seem to want to help the people with "more severe" problems.

Below are the most recent, view all here.

Comments / Discussions:

comment by "ChadD" (acupuncturist)
on Jan 2009

As you will understand I cannot ethically make a recommendation for someone to take herbs without having seen them. You should see a practitioner that you know and trust regarding the herbal formulas. That said, I can offer my own experience with these issues.

First, practitioners use herbs to varying degrees. Some nearly none at all and others rely on them heavily. There is no right or wrong per se, just different theories and training. Personally I am on the "use herbs very little" side of things and I have my reasons for this, but they are not worth getting into here.

What I will say on the subject is this: Acupuncture very rarely causes side effects - people may not get better quickly if they are not properly treated, but they rarely get worse. Herbs are an entirely different story. They are more likely to cause issues if not properly prescribed and, if used with acupuncture, meshed well with what you are trying to accomplish there.

In your case having been on clomid and having a number of hormone related issues and side effects sometimes it is better to simply rely on acupuncture and not throw more herbs into the mix even if clinically they make sense. The body just needs a rest sometimes rather than constantly being "told" what to do.

In my experience 1-5 months of weekly (or less if results are quick) treatment with acupuncture is enough to make the menstrual/ovulation cycle regular. This is without herbs and these changes generally stay as a permanent change (lifestyle causes and more serious cases aside). If you had acupuncture for three months and were worse that practitioner wasn't for you. It's not that they are good or bad, but as much as acupuncture is a science it is still very much an art form and there are a host of theories and ways of using acupuncture that many practitioners are not flexible enough with. In short, you should have improved significantly within that time frame.

Herbs, then, in my opinion are no shortcut for proper treatment involving acupuncture (that may or may not use herbs). So, no, I don't think you should go back on any herbal formulas without a proper diagnosis, at least some treatments where you are improving significantly, and on the guidance of the practitioner who provides you with those treatments.

The proper diagnosis is key with any treatment, but particularly with herbs - you mention a number of almost conflicting diagnoses and signs in your message, so it may be that you were treated improperly before.

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comment by "archived-user"
on Nov 2009

hair lose is not hair problem, it is your anxiety, you need calm down your anxiety with herb or acupuncture, you feel cold means you need some herb to alive your blood cycle. it will basic on your diagnosis to make formula. so, maybe you should find another TCM doctor to treat you.


Thank you


Regards


Feng Mei

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comment by "keziasze"
on Aug 2010


Red dates and Chinese wolfberry tea that may be suitable for you. This is a very safe natural remedy that my grandma and mother used to promote general health. In fact, all the herbal teas we drink are vey simple ones, and they are just what we need.

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