Case Studies

Tim was based in London but was working in Edinburgh for a short period. His first two semen analyses showed low sperm count and motility.  He had been having acupuncture in London which had improved this and he wanted to continue his treatment whilst in Edinburgh, in preparation for IVF. He came for four acupuncture sessions and had another semen analysis test once he returned to London. This showed an even greater improvement - enough to mean they could have IVF and not ICSI treatment.

FIona came to us with intense dysmenorrhea (painful periods) leaving her bed-ridden two days per month. The symptoms had been dismissed by her GP as 'being part and parcel of being a woman' and she had not been offered any investigations. We recommended she see a specialist who performed a laparoscopy and diagnosed endometriosis. While awaiting surgery she had regular acupuncture which reduced the symptoms to such an extent that she no longer needed to take days off work. Post-surgery her symptoms were vastly improved but she still comes in once every few months as an 'insurance' against the pain returning.

Jane and Rob had a history of five miscarriages over 18 months. She was in a state of high anxiety which was effecting her sleep and he was getting depressed. Their GP had told them to keep trying and had not suggested any test. We recommended a Hair Mineral Analysis and in the meantime used acupuncture to keep Jane calmer and help her sleep.  When the results came through, they showed that where Jane's lead levels were high, Rob's were through the roof! Rob was initially sceptical about the Hair Analysis so consulted his GP. The GP confirmed, with a blood test, that Rob's blood lead levels were indeed at a very toxic level. This, we discovered was probably due to Rob stripping old (lead containing) paint from their new house over the past year.  Rob and Jane both undertook a three month detox with our nutritionist to help their bodies excrete the heavy metal.  Jane went on to conceive immediately afterwards and give birth to a baby boy. 

Frances, 41, and her partner Louise were having IVF with sperm donation.  They were working with the GCRM, with most appointments taking place in Edinburgh and going to Glasgow for egg retrieval and embryo transfer.  Frances has a full-on job with a hectic social life attached so the main aim for us was in calming her and preparing her uterus for implantation. Stress has been shown to restrict blood flow so we were aiming to reduce the amount of adrenaline in her body and encourage blood flow to the uterus. Frances conceived successfully after embryo transfer and now has a health baby boy.

Charlotte had two boys and was trying for a third but had horrendously heavy periods, leaving her incapacitated for a few days every month. She was considerably overweight and regularly drank at least two pints of milk per day. A quick chat with our nutritionist helped her understand the link between body fat and oestrogen levels - the more body fat you have, the more oestrogen can be stored, leading to an over-build up of the womb lining and potentially endometriosis. Within six months on a healthier diet, she had lost weight, her periods became manageable and she conceived naturally.

Marta, 28, was likely one of the most stressed person we have ever treated. By the time she came to us, she had already spent a considerable amount of money on private tests and had self-diagnosed various hormonal issues. There were lots of things we worked on - improving her and her partner's diet was a big one.  We focussed on reducing the amount of processed meats and fizzy drinks they consumed while upping the nutrient levels of their diets and also balancing Marta's hormone levels. She conceived twice but miscarried each time. We have since been encouraging her to stop all the treatments and focus instead on some counselling and hypnotherapy to keep her stress levels under control. We feel that once she has managed to gain control of her stress, and now that they are both eating well, it won't be long until she successfully conceives again.

Lynn came to us having sadly had a still-birth. Her daughter had died at 5 months gestation and Lynn now felt ready to try and conceive again. We spent a lot of time talking and reassuring and also used acupuncture to help reduce anxiety. Lynn conceived quite quickly but continued to come for acupuncture, weekly at first, then monthly to keep anxiety and stress levels low. Lynn went on to have two healthy children.