9 1/2 weeks of acupuncture

I have been so busy with the beginning of the school year that I have not even had time to breathe. I did se LAc last Saturday (8/19), which was at 8 1/2 weeks. Here are the herbs that she prescribed me:

• Che Qian Zi (Plantago asiatica--seed)
• Chinese Number 0408011
• Chinese Number 0509011-20050901)
• Fleeceflower Root (Radix Polygoni Multiflori--Heshouwu)
• Himalayan Teasel Root (Radix Dipsaci--Xuduan)
• Indian Bread (Poria--Fuling)
• Nutgrass Galingale Rhizome (Rhizoma Cyperi--Xiangfu)
• Prepared Rehmannia Root (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata--Shudihuang)
• Tangshen (Radix Codonopsis--Dangshen)
• Twotoothed Achyranthes Root (RAdix Achyranthis Bidentatae--Niuxi)

Today, Saturday, I saw LAc again. This is week 9 1/2. I took my chart and it seems that I have ovulation way before I did last cycle. Obviously acupuncture is working. I am still drinking my fresh veggie/fruit juice every morning and drinking my 1 gallon of water (minium) per day. Also, I am taking Acidophilus and Prenatal vitamin. So far, I have lost about 9-10 pounds and have gone down 2 sizes in clothes. I feel great! Here are the herbs for this week:

• Che Qian Zi (Plantago asiatica--seed)
• Chinese Number 0509011-20050901
• Danshen Root (Radix Salviae Mil Tiorrhizae--Danshen)
• Dodder Seed (Semen Cuscutae--Tusizi)
• Fleeceflower Root (Radix Polygoni Multiflori--Heshouwu)
• Himalayan Teasel Root (Radix Dipsaci--Xuduan)
• Indian Bread (Poria--Fuling)
• Largehead Atractylodes Rhizome (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae--Baizhu)
• Nutgrass Galingale Rhizome (Rhizoma Cyperi--Xiangfu)
• Tangshen (Radix Codonopsis--Dangshen)

7 1/2 weeks of acupuncture

I need to make a correction. I am at 7 1/2 weeks of acupuncture (1st appointment was on Thursday, June 22nd). Here are my herbs for this week:

• Che Qian Zi (Plantago asiatica--seed)
• Chinese Angelica (Radix Angelicae Sinensis--Danggui)
• Dodder Seed (Semen Cuscutae--Tusizi)
• Fleeceflower Root (Radix Polygoni Multiflori--Heshouwu)
• Glossy Privet Fruit (Fructus Ligustri Lucidi--Nuzhenzi)
• Himalayan Teasel Root (Radix Dipsaci--Xuduan)
• Huang Qi (Astragalusmembranaceus--root)
• Nutgrass Galingale Rhizome (Rhizoma Cyperi--Xiangfu)
• Prepared Rehmannia Root (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata--Shudihuang)
• Twotoothed Achyranthes Root (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae--Niuxi)

Still drinking veggie juice in mornings and adding fruit here and there. Continue with workouts and have been losing, not only weight, but inches, especially around my waist!

New Cycle

Here I am, with another cycle on it's way. LAc says I will surely notice a difference with this upcoming cycle than with the last. I would hope so since I'm already on the 8th week of acupuncture treatments chinese herbal teas. I have noticed several changes here and there. For starters AF was completely cramp free and usually I get diarrhea right before AF, and didn't have any. AF lasted only a couple of days with another couple of spotting. LAc says this is all great. So this last cycle was 50 days. WOW! Let's hope for a much shorter cycle this month.

I saw LAc for 7th session on Tuesday. Told her from the looks of it, we will probably put off IVF #2 for little while since it is so expensive. We will probably have the tests done slowly and in the meantime cross our fingers that acupuncture works for us. I will be taking the following herbs for 3 days and then seeing her again on Saturday. Since I started back at work, it will be really difficult for me to see her after work because I will be swamped and she is really far. Said it would be best to see her this Saturday since CD 14 is right around the corner and we are hoping my cycles will show ovulation somewhere near that:

• Che Qian Zi (Plantago asiatica--seed)
• Chinese Angelica (Radix Angelicae Sinensis--Danggui)
• Danghen Root (Radix Salviae Mil Tiorrhizae--Danshen)
• Dodder Seed (Semen Cuscutae--Tusizi)
• Fleeceflower Root (Radix Polygoni Multiflori--Heshouwu)
• Glossy Privet Fruit (Fructus Ligustri Lucidi--Nuzhenzi)
• Himalayan Teasel Root (Radix Dipsaci--Xuduan)
• Largehead Atractylodes Rhizome (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae--Baizhu)
• Prepared Rehmannia Root (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata--Shudihuang)
• Tangshen (Radix Codonopsis--Dangshen)

5th Year Wedding Anniversary

Today was our anniversary. It was pretty amazing. My husband took me to III Forks (a French America Cuisine) Restaurant. It was so awes0me. As soon as we arrived, they took our anniversary photo. That was really nice. Then, we started off with a glass of wine and bread with butter, then a bowl of III Forks Salad. It was so good. It had green apples, pecans and blue cheese in it. Delicious! Then we had our meal. I had the Rib Eye with Mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, asparagus, tomatoes, and cream corn. It was to die for! Everyone there was so nice. For desser, they brought us what they called the "boot legger" or "the juice". Our server, Jason, said they had different names for it and that they made it in their radiatior in the back! He was so funny. So they gave it to us for free. That was really nice! Afterwards, we went to Reunion Tower to the Dome Lounge. I have lived here for 34 years and have never been there. It spins slowly as you sit there. So we had a drink or two and then headed home. My husband is not very good with heights, especially moving heights, so we had to come home sooner than I expected. It was awesome, though. I will never forget this night. It was amazing!

Moving on the what Karen told us at the RE's office. First things first. I am to have the following tests run before we even consider IVF:

• Hysteroscopy (insurance pays 80%)
• APA--antiphospholipid antibodies ($216.00)
• NKA--natural killer cell activity test ($290.00)

and for husband:

• SDI--Semen DNA Analysis ($375.00)

Unfortunately, none of them are covered on insurance except for Hysteroscopy. If all is well with this, then I am to have:

• Uterine Mapping, which is basically a mock transfer to find out the best location for the transfer. I don't think this is covered by insurance either. I believe this is $190.

So our entire IVF, because I'm a teacher (I get a discount), will be about 9K + we have the anestesia fee and the medications whis, fortunately, are covered on my insurance, so I just have to pay the co-payment. I'm hoping with acupuncture I will get pregnant on my own, but I guess that is just wishful thinking. I wish I didn't have to spend all of this money, but if it will be worth it in the longrun, I will do it in a split of a second. I just need the money!!!

Financial Appointment with Sher Institute

Yesterday I had my acupuncturist appointment. I am now beginning on week 7. It seems I am 18 dpo today and no sign of AF and (-) beta. I'm thinking maybe my ovulation date is not what I had previously thought. Possibly 5 days forward. So I continued with my workout and my all juice diet (veggies and fruits) cleanse. This is really helping me get my fat % lower than it has been in year. I'm hoping this next cycles will move along a little faster than 50 + days. These are the herbs I am taking this week:

• Beautiful Sweetgum Fruit (Fructus Liquidambaris--Lulutong)
• Che Qian Zi (Plantago Asiatica--seed)
• Chinese Tea # 0503011
• Dodder Seed (Semen Cuscutae--Tusizi)
• Fleeceflower Root (Radix Polygoni Multiflori--Heshouwu)
• Himalayan Teasel Root (Radix Dipsaci--Xuduan)
• Largehead Atractylodes Rhizome (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae--Baizhu)
• Nutgrass Galingale Rhizome (Rhizoma Cyperi--Xiangfu)
• Prepared Rehmannia Root (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata--Shudihuang)
• Tangshen (Radix Codonopsis--Dangshen)

LAc said if AF begins to just stop taking tea, although it would not hurt. She said it would especially help with cramping. She said she had several women with PCOS become pregnant this summer.

Today we saw Karen at the Sher Institute and we discussed the financial portion of the procedures. I can not find the information right now, so I will put it up tomorrow if I remember.