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Anyone have expeirience with Chinese herbal meds?

PostPosted: Jan 06, 2005 7:44 pm
by nomore
Just wondering. Includes accunpunctre and herbs.

Any imput would be great.

Robin

PostPosted: Jan 18, 2005 10:13 pm
by jschwab
Hi,

I am currently undergoing acupuncture treatments and just got the chinese herbs yesterday. I think that it has worked really well but I was kind of far gone when I got around to doing it, so it didn't prevent all my problems. I am on an intensified program now since the IV fluids incident.

What happened to me: I started losing weight around week 19 and became less and less able to function at my job and in general due to nausea and vomiting (also had in first trimester but it didn't affect me so negatively). I was referred to the acupuncturist but couldn't afford it. Luckily, this practitioner participates in an Hours currency system, so I could get care for free. I then have to pay into the system sometime by performing the equivalent number of hours for someone also participating whether it is the acupuncturist or not.

After the first treatment, I stopped vomiting food and only continued to dry heave and throw up in the morning. With each subsequent visit, my vomiting lessened until it went away. At the same time, however, the starvation and dehydration I had experienced had begun to take its toll. I eventually became unable to eat or drink and experieced depression from dehydration. Eating still makes me very nauseous but I am able to do more of it. I ended up getting IV fluid treatment and now I am home just concentrating on getting the acupuncture and forcing myself to eat and drink.

I think the acupuncture worked well but it's not an immediate or complete cure for me. I wish I'd gotten it earlier. By the way, all three doctors I've talked to at my PCP's office recommended acupuncture as the first line of treatment.

Janine

PostPosted: Jan 19, 2005 9:42 am
by nomore
Janine,

First off, I am so sorry that you are going through this. HG is truly a miserable place to be. I am also sorry that your pattern of HG is worse in the 2nd trimester. Many gals have a miserable 1st and are feeling some relief by the 2nd. I can realte though, my HG was miserable throguh my 1st and 2nd trimesters, and slightly more tolerable in the 3rd, although I was still vomitng 1 to 2 times a day (in the 3rd).

Thank you for the insight on the accupuntre. It seems to be hit or miss around here, with many saying it helps, but "wears off" after a few days.

If you could let me know how the herbal meds go, I would TRULY appreciate it. My next door neighbor is a Chinese herbal Dr / accupunruist. I did not see him in the past, but truly feel that western medicine is failing me (I did not get relief from zofran, steroids, phenergan, benedryl, b6, unisom, meclinzine and even ginger). (Relief for even part of the day.)

We want try again, probably in the June/July timeframe, and I acutally have an appointment with my neighbor soon.

I hope better days arrive soon for you.

Big HuGS,

Robin

PostPosted: Jan 19, 2005 10:57 pm
by jschwab
Dear Robin,

I think the herbs are helping alot. I am much less food averse than I was before I started taking them. At first I attributed it to the actual treatment but I didn't start feeling better until a couple hours after that (when I took the herbs) but I think it might have been the herbs. As you probably experienced with your pregnancies, it's sometimes hard to tell what the different factors in worsenings and improvements are, but I feel like this has actually had an immediate benefit.

I think you're being very smart to meet with your neighbor before you conceive. If I decide to have another, that is what I would do - I believed all the talk that "every pregnancy is different" and m/s is worse for first-timers and had no way to cope when that didn't prove true.

It must have been a really difficult decision for you, given that you've already tried every medication in your other pregnancies. One thing about the acupuncturist I've been seeing is that he seems to have a lot of experience with this particular problem and also seems to know alot about how western medicine is used to treat it.

I hope things go better for you this time. I am very sorry to hear about your experiences and your loss. Please lpost when you've met with your neighbor. I am curious to know what he thinks.

Janine