Thalassemia Patients and Friends
Discussion Forums => Miscellaneous Questions => Topic started by: Sharmin on November 27, 2008, 04:19:07 AM
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A friend of mine is experiencing unexplained infertility - she has just started clomid and is being seen at a very prominent fertility clinic. She and her husband are otherwise healthy.
She is having accupuncture for relaxation and the accupuncturist recommended "Tiaojing Cuyun wan" to her. I don't know whether it is a good idea for her to take these herbs or if it is best for her to focus on taking multivitamins and and balanced diet while she waits for the fertility drugs to help her conceive. She is obviously eager to have a baby and wants to do whatever she can to increase her chances.
Does anyone else know about these herbs? I am a little reluctant to encourage her to take them until I know more about them. Below are the ingredients of "Tiaojing Cuyun wan":
Ingredients:
Spatholobus suberectus stem, Cuscuta europaea seed, Epimedium brevicornu herb, Curculigo orchioides rhizoma, Nelumbium speciosum seed, Astragalus, membranaceus root, Zizphus spinosa seed, uncaria sinensis stem, Loranthus parasiticus, Dioscorea opposita rhiz, Poria cocos fruit, Paeonia lactiflora, Salvia miltiorrhiza root & rhiz, Paeonia veitchii root. Contains fructose, glucose & sucrose from honey.
Directions: Each pack includes 10 small bags, and every bag has 5g small pills. Take 1 bag each time, twice daily. Starting on the 5th day of menstrual cycle then take for 20 days every month.
Andy, could you kindly advise?
Thanks everyone for your help,
Sharmin
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Hi Sharmin
I know nothing about this but i really wish her the best of luck
manal
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Sharmin,
Can't she go for IVF ? Wishing her the best of luck.
Zaini.
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From experinece, I can tell that depression and anxiety precludes one from concieving effectively. Its all in the mind, if you relax yourself and don't think about it (easy to say and hard to do) than you improve your chances.
Don't know anything about the 'Tiaojing Cuyun wan', however, clomid is a very basic fertility drug and is the first line of defence. There are more drugs and procedures if clomid fails and chances are great. If you could tell her that, she may overcome the anxiety. Hope she does well with clomid, most people do.
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Manal, Zaini and Canadian Family,
Thank you for your responses. I will pass on your good wishes to her. She is currently in the first phase of the treatment - the clomid. She is also on the wait list for IVF, but their hope is that the clomid will work while they wait.
You are right Canadian Family, I believe that anxiety plays a big role in all of this. I know that when we are desperate we will consider anything that promises us what what want - therefore she is drawn to the herbs - but I don't want her to take something that could harm her. I red somewhere that the 'Tiaojin Cuyun wan' somehow comes from black chickens in China, but I don't know for sure. All kinds of red flags are going up for me, but I don't really know for sure. In the meantime I am tempted to tell her to stick to the treatment she is on and steer clear of these things.
I will wait to hear if anyone else knows anything else. Thanks again friends,
Sharmin
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Hi Sharmin.
First and foremost I would like to thank you for your continueous moral support you are one in a million.we are all blessed to have you as a friend :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend
You are doing a wonderfull job keep it up. :clap :clap :clap :clap :clap
Now, in reponse to your friend situations ,I would encourage her to keep on taking her clomid and to research into the :T cuvun" because if that stuff is made of Black chicken from china ,it could contain those chook Viruses and that might cause her more problem." Clomid" have been proven effective in the past so I would say it is her safe bet.To much medication might jeopardize her chance of conceiving,
I wish her luck.
thats my thought.
Kathy
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Tiaojing Cuyun Wan is commonly prescribed by acupuncturists for fertility problems. It is an herbal remedy and it can easily be found for sale on Ebay. Some of the herbal ingredients may have some use in thalassemia as they do have some value countering anemia and this is one factor that gives it some value to promote fertility. I don't know where the black chicken rumor comes from but nothing in the ingredients suggests animal content. One of the ingredients, astragalus, is an immune system booster that I take every day. There appears to be only one source for this herbal preparation and it is made by a company called Tong Ren Tang. This company was established in 1669! They do have a long record of providing herbal remedies.
I don't think it would do any harm to use this preparation but please be aware that herbal medicines work by attempting to bring the body to an optimal state so that conception can take place. If there is no physical reason your friend can't conceive, it may be of some use to try this preparation. I would also suggest she look at Ebay to get a better price.
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Kathy,
Thank you kindly for your advice and your sweet compliments:):) It is very kind of you to say :hugfriend We all feel pretty lucky to have you too :hugfriend :hugfriend
Andy,
Thank you for the information I have passed it on to my friend. She will appreciate your knowledge and experience with some of the ingredients.
I will let you know what she decides and how things turn out.
Thanks again :hugfriend :hugfriend
Sharmin
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This very very dear and close friend of mine has gone through IVF (her husband has thal, she is non thal).
She will be doing her pregnancy test tomorrow morning or Monday morning. I am praying that her pregnancy test will
be positive - she has been trying for four years and finally they attempted IVF. Your prayers will help :pray
Thank you friends,
Sharmin
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I hope she'll get a positive report,it would be great, :hugfriend
(http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/sckruizer/praying.jpg)
Zaini.
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Sharmin keep us updated
:pray :pray :pray :pray :pray :pray :pray :pray :pray :pray :pray
manal
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Thank you Zaini and Manal,
She took a home pregnancy test today and it was negative. Tomorrow is the actual pregnancy test that the clinic is going to do but she is very heart broken. I don't know how to console her. I wonder if the home pregnancy test is not as accurate... I am not sure. I am so sad for her and I pray that the test tomorrow is positive but I don't know what the chances are of that. It makes me realize what a blessing children are.
Sharmin
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The best thing is to tell her not to give up on IVF. The success rate is no better than with natural pregnancy so it may take a few tries. Helen tried for several years before finally getting pregnant.
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Thank you very much Andy, I will pass your message on to her. Everything went very well during her treatment, they had very very healthy embryos, one was transferred and the doctors said she had an 80% chance to achieving pregnancy. The rest of the embryos will be frozen and somehow I have to get her through this waiting period.
Thank you again,
Sharmin
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Sharmin,
Home pregnancy tests aren't always accurate,i hope she'll get a positive report in the lab test.
Zaini.
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Thank you Zaini,
I hope and pray that is the case :hugfriend
Sharmin
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Yes Sharmin sometimes they are not accurate at all. Also the percentage of being pregnant whether naturally or through IVF is only 30% success. That is why in IVF usually doctors transfere two or three embroys so each one will have a 30% chance and therefore increase the total percentage.
Please tell her that if there is no pregnancy, it is okay and there will always be hope cause the normal in IVF is that you make it from the second or third time
Good luck
manal
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Thank you Manal,
Yesterday, after taking her pregnancy tests she sat in bed crying all day - she didn't eat anything and I am so worried about her. I told her that the pregnancy test could be wrong but she just said "I'm just not that lucky." My heart is breaking for her.
Thank you all of your advise - when she is ready to hear something positive I will need all of the advise you guys have given me to help her feel better. The doctors did not find anything wrong with her - the embryos were growing very well and the lining of her uterus was great - they transferred only one because they thought her chances were very high of getting pregnant (70%) and they did not want to risk multiple pregnancies. I hope that the home pregnancy test was wrong - but if not then hopefully they will transfer two next time. It is heartbreaking when someone you care about so much is so sad :(
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We tried everything for four years and about to give up. Our last attempt was artificial insemenation and it worked for twins.
We had two IVFs and number of clomid cycles. Now we look back and say it was for better. Things have certain timing to occur (I am a believer).
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Canadian Family,
Now we look back and say it was for better. Things have certain timing to occur (I am a believer).
Thank you - your words give hope :hugfriend You are so right things happen when they are supposed to.
Sharmin
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The official test was negative - thank you all for your prayers and support. She is absolutely devastated and nothing I say is helping her right now. She is seeing this as the end of the road because she has done clomid and artifical insemination.
Canadian family, it is amazing what you have been through - there have been so many people who have had success with fertility treatments I just have to help my friend see that when she is ready.
Thanks again,
Sharmin
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Sharmin my heart feels for her :hugfriend, when she is ready please tell her that the ''normal'' in IVF is several trails and definetly God will someday answer her prayers
manal
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Dear friends,
Thank you for all of your wonderful advise and prayers. In September my friend will try again - the clinic will transfer the frozen embryos and I am hoping and praying with all of my heart that she will become pregnant and have a healthy baby. In the meantime, she is a wreck and I cannot console her.
Her co workers are telling her that she is crazy for trying again - they tell her that she should just give up. I can't believe that people are so cruel. The clinic is very positive and believes that she has every chance of getting pregnant. My heart is breaking - I am thinking about her situation all of the time and looking for the right words to say to her to get her through these few months. She is surrounded by people who have babies and she is feeling left out.
Does anyone know what I can say that can take some of this burden off of her?
Thank you all so much,
Sharmin
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I can't believe people would be so rude and they are very uniformed. The problem with IVF is the same as with any pregnancy. There is not a high rate of success with any pregnancy attempt and IVF often involves more than one try. Helen tried for several years before she finally carried a baby to term and was recently blessed with her second boy, just before her 40th birthday. One important thing. I never heard a negative word from Helen. She was determined no matter how many tries it took. You just have to persist until it works. She needs to forget what the insensitive idiots say and listen to what the clinic tells her. It will take a little time for her to be ready, but when she is, she needs to be strong and realize that it can take several attempts to have a successful pregnancy, but it is worth it in the end.
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Thank you Andy,
Your positive attitude and message of determination is so helpful to me right now. I think that it will help her too.
It is just like the negative messages we often receive in the thal world - people are always so eager to tell others to give up when in fact there is every reason to not give up.
Thanks again,
Sharmin
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Sharmin
I too know people who tried several times and in many years and God had answered their prayers. the suceessful rate of pregnancy either normal or IVF is only 30%. The problem is that women who go through IVF has more anxiety than who concieve normally cause usually they don't think about it.
I also do believe that anxiety can play a negative role to a great extent. I think that all you can advice her is to have faith and to believe and trust that one day her prayers will be answered
I am prayering for her
manal
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My friend has gone through another cycle, this time using frozen embryos. Two embryos were implanted this time, and I am praying with all my heart that she is pregnant. She will do a pregnancy test and get results on Tuesday. I will post when she gets her results. This has been a very difficult journey for her.
Sharmin
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Sharmin,
Please tell her that all my wishes and prayers are with her :hugfriend .
Zaini.
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Thank you Zaini :hugfriend
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My friend has her pregnancy test tomorrow - she will have the results on Thursday. I am praying for her - I hope that this cycle works. Thank you all for your advice and support through all of this.
Sharmin
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We are waiting to hear the results of their pregnancy test, I am so nervous for them....
:pray :pray :pray :pray :pray :pray :pray
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(http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/AGF/5262~Boy-Praying-Posters.jpg)
Sending prayers .........
Zaini.
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The result was negative, she is not pregnant. She is so shattered and I don't know what I can do.
Thank you all for your prayers.
Sharmin
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Hi Sharmin
I am so sorry to hear that. My mother too took years to have a baby: me . She had several miscarriages and after the operation of her uterus, she had me and continued with her miscarriages afterwards. When I got married, my husband wanted to wait for some years before trying for a baby but on that I was adamant(I was anticipating difficulties because of the problems my mother had), I wanted to try immediately so that if there would have been any problem, I would have years in front of me to go for all the possible solutions and I knew that it does take time. After one miscarriage, I was able to conceive for 2 consecutive times(thank God). . Afterwards I went to a gynae and she told me that it will be difficult to conceive with what I have . actually I have the same thing as my mother had: the uterus is not in its right position.
As it has been pointed out in other posts, it does take time with the different techniques. I believe that your friend should avoid telling her coworkers of her attempts, she will feel so down at those negative remarks. I can understand how she must feel when the test shows negative but she should not be discouraged. she must go for that with a positive mind and try to reduce her stress as much as possible. Fortunately there will be a good surprise in store for her. Give her a big hug.
Take care
Jade
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Jade,
Thank you kindly for sharing your experiences. I am so glad that you were successful twice. Right now we are quite sad and disheartened but soon I hope that I am able to help them try again. I hope that she gets pregnant sooner than later.
Thank you again :hugfriend :hugfriend
Sharmin
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Please Sharmin, tell your friend never to lose hope because it is known that it could take years but definetly God will answe her prayers one day.
It is proven that anxiety is one of the reasons for these negtive results. I know it is not easy to control, but believing that the best will definetly come, will increase one's personal faith
My heart feels for her and hope she is getting better by now
manal
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Thanks Manal,
The first few days were a struggle, but she is working hard to move forward.
Sharmin
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hiya hun i was just looking up this tiaojing cuyun wan myself 2 see wot it acaully was and i got this convasation. first of all i hope your friend got her wish 2 becoming a mum has every1 deserves a chance.
i myself have started taking them has i would love another child. my 1st baby died at 18 months old in 95 and was trying 10 years for another baby i was given clomid but nothing happened. i went to st marys hospital so i could have IVF but i had 2 wait on a waiting list which was 3 years. so after 11 years of trying i had a baby boy hes 3 now and he keeps me on my toes. i was told id never have any children after my 1st baby as i suffer from polycytics ovary snydrome it proves how wrong doctors can be. i hope and pray that your friend gets her dream like i have. im praying for her take care
all my love from joanne
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Thanks Joanne for sharing your expierence. I am so happy for you, may God bless you and your sweetie :wink
manal
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Dear Joanne,
Thank you kindly for sharing your experiences. You have been through so much. I am so glad that thing worked out for you. My friend is preparing for another cycle. Doctors believe that she is getting pregnant, but her body rejects the embryo and implantation is not taking place. They will be giving her steroids and antihistamines (she is highly allergic) - I hope and pray it works.
Thanks again,
Sharmin
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Hi Joanne,
:welcomewagon on the forum,glad to hear about your baby boy,i also have PCOS,but fortunately it happened after i had two kids,don't worry you'll soon have another bundle of joy,our prayers are with you.
Zaini.
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My friend just found out that her latest IVF was successful and she is pregnant!! I hope that she has a healthy pregnancy and that baby and mommy are healthy.
Thank you all for your prayers,
Sharmin
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Woe Sharmin :hugfriend what a great news to start my day with,plz convey my prayers and best wishes to her :hugfriend.
Zaini.
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Congratulations Sharmin :yahoo :yahoo :yahoo :yahoo :yahoo
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Thank you Zaini and Manal, this is the best thing that has happened in our lives for a long time. I appreciate your encouragement and wishes.
Love,
Sharmin :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend :hugfriend