Need Acupuncture Recommendations

D.-
I really like Jennifer Moss. She's on Sacramento Street in SF. She specializes in fertility and she works with Pacific Fertility Center as well. She has a really pleasant demeanor and really seems to 'get' what you are going through! She's also qualified to distribute herbal suppliments etc...
Wishing you and me both luck in the baby making process!

Hi D.,

I used to see Dr. Lifang Liang because I always had very irregular periods. She got them going with acupuncture and herbs. I also used the basal thermometer to chart ovulation and she got that going, too. I did this years ago when I was single and not trying to get pregnant, so I can't say that she specifically helped with fertility in my case. But when I did try to get pregnant it worked right away and I'm a mommy now!

It was years ago that I saw Dr. Lifang Liang and I was surprised to see she has a website and surprised other mommies were recommending her because I didn't know she was that well know.

I recommended her to a friend who had lost hope of becoming pregnant and adopted a child. After just a few months she became pregnant and now has two beautiful children. Not sure if the adoption did it or Dr. Lifang Liang, but seems it was one or the other, or both, because she had tried to become pregnant for years with no luck.

I should also say that I did take the herbs regularly. She have me a paper bag with what looked like garden clippings in it, and I boiled it in this odd clay pot. It smelled AWFUL and my family gave me a lot of grief about it, but I did it anyway and it worked. I'm rather skeptical and am a believer in western medicine, but I have to say that it really did work for me.

Good luck to you!

Dr. Lifang Liang
450 Sutter Street, Suite 1708
San Francisco, CA, 94108

www.lifangliang.com

Tel: ###-###-####

Hi D.,

I used Heidi Kao (she specializes in fertility needs) - she helped me and a close friend of mine get pregnant, although we both did use herbs. She is around the corner from the Glen Park BART, and she takes insurance. ###-###-####, ____@____.com, 30 Monterey Blvd, San Francisco CA 94131. Good luck!

I went to Angela Wu first and then Lifang Liang. Angela Wu was nice to me but the clinic felt like a chaotic factory and it was stressful to be there. She always placed the needles but then other people would do the massage part and it was 2 different people each week. This felt impersonal as I didn't really feel like I had an appointment with any one person. It was definitely expensive - the first visits were something like 500 bucks each. After awhile I asked to just have the acupuncture and not the massages because it felt like a waste of money. I found Dr. Liang's office to be a much warmer and calmer place to be and I stuck with them a lot longer. I did get pregnant after working with Dr. Liang and a round of IVF but then miscarried so can't offer you a great success story. If I did it again I would skip Angela Wu and go straight to Dr. Liang but read the books that both of them have written for more information. I would also very consistently take the herbs as prescribed (I would sometimes skip doses). I mention this because you say that you are opposed to the herbs. I have heard from numerous Chinese practitioners that the herbs help with infertility the most. I feel like acupuncture helped me relax and that was the benefit I was aware of experiencing. The acupuncture experience that had the greatest effect on me was someone who works occasionally at Dr. Liang's office but also has her own private practice:

Corrina M Rice, LAc
870 Market St
Ste 1117
(at Cable Car Turnaround)
San Francisco, CA 94102
###-###-####

I just checked and she got great reviews on Yelp and I may just go back to her (I've taken a break from treatment after my recent miscarriage) and definitely will take herbs.

If the moderator of this forum is willing to give you my email address offline feel free to send me an email as I have more info to share.

Good luck!

Angel Clark at Hayes Valley Acupuncture. She treated me for carpal tunnel syndrome a few years ago and I thought she was a great combo of professional and personal- very good listener! No herbs were involved. Contact her at ____@____.com or ###-###-####. Good luck!

Hi D.,

My husband and I went to Marnie McCurdy in the Glen Park area after unsuccessfully trying to conceive for 2 years. Within 3 months of treatment I was pregnant. I did try Lifang Liang for 2 months prior to seeing Marnie, but it just got too expensive. Marnie accepts insurance and her herbs are not expensive at all. I do recommend taking the herbs. I don't know if I could have conceived so quickly without them. I certainly did look and feel better on them. My baby boy is now 9 months. Here's her website http://www.eastwestsf.com/ Good Luck!

Hi Diana
Having gone to many acupuncturists, some words of advice: It's easy to get caught up in weekly sessions and let them talk you into countless amounts of EXPENSIVE herbs (many of which they themselves can't tell you what's exactly in them)and while I do think acupuncture does work, IF you decide to go to one, make sure you get progress reports or you will end up going for sessions upon sessions without really knowing IF all the appointments are working...

Make them tell you ok, D. your last session looked like this, this session I see improvements (or not) in this or that.
Too often, they look at your tongue, check your pulse and then apply the needles. NOT good enough, for what you will be paying, make them give you specifics. Have a list of questions with each session.
If you can do it without the herbs, it will be LESS expensive, the herbs are where they hit you up... EXPENSIVE.... plus, some they want you to take several times a day.
I would also recommend your reading susun weed's articles on fertility. she is a master herbalist and if you google her name and fertility, many articles come up. At least with this kind of herbs (floral and or natural) you have a better of idea of what you are ingesting.
When I asked my acupuncturist specifically what is in the herbs and how they were prepared (this was after the baby formula scare in China and well, remember the bad dog food that came from there as well) it got me to thinking that hey, they get many herbs from China, how do I know that the soil these were grown in isn't toxic) all my acupuncturist could say is, she tries her best to buy quality herbs... from good , reliable sources. In my book, that answer wasn't good enough.. so I stopped taking them. better safe, than sorry......
one last note, they have different sized needles.... (never knew this before) they CAN use much smaller ones that hurt less (they cost more)and from what I understand are from Japan.. some acupuncturists will want to use the larger needles (they cost less) but if those hurt , then ask for the smaller ones... You will find that some acupuncturist will try and save money and use the larger needles . Also if they use the smaller sized ones, watch, they will probably use less needles. I am not against acupuncture, but after going to about 5 different ones, for varied reasons,you begin to see patterns. Lastly, I think they are all trained to some degree in fertility, but that doesn't make them a specialist, just remember to ask TONS of questions.. as for Angela Wu, never went to her, although I was told by another acupuncturist that she is boastful in that there was a woman who indeed did get pregnant but miscarried , however, Wu still had her listed as having conceived. ok, that may be true, but the stats you want are.... full term healthy pregnancies...
I know this is much info, I wish you the best no matter what you decide to do... :)

I have been very happy with Linda Gruber. Her office # is ###-###-####. She works out of Purple Iris in Noe Valley (on Church St). She works with a lot of women with fertility issues, is very knowledgeable and kind. I also remember when I first started seeing her about a year ago, she asked if I would take herbs or not--so you should have a choice. Best of luck to you for a happy and healthy pregnancy!

Angela Wu has a great reputation. She is also quite expensive and uses a program involving acupuncture, herbs and massage. I went to Lifang Liang in SF who had been a GYN in China for 25 years and specializes in fertility. The herbs are an essential part of the treatment - I think Angela Wu puts them in capsules and I don't remember how the herbs are taken with Lifang Liang. Good luck -- I have 4 year old beautiful twin girls now.

I saw Rose Glavin. She has a working relationship with my RE, Dr. Smickle of Laurel Fertility. Dr Smickle is not one that I would peg for believing in Eastern woo-woo but I guess he's seen so many miracles that even he's come around.

Rose was partially on maternity leave so she had Lisa Mandelbaum of Coastside Healing Arts in Half Moon Bay covering for her, so I worked with both. It was a wonderful experience! And, despite my having an FSH of 16, it worked! I did use injectibles but did not have to do IVF. I continue to go now every 3 weeks or so for a well being tune up.
Rose Glavin would be completely respectful of your decision not to use herbs, although Smickle was completely open to it since he seems to trust Rose Glavin completely.

I have heard mixed things about Angela Wu - people seem to love her or hate her. If you want to know what you're in for with her, then check out her book Fertility Wisdom. It's quite a regimen.

Here's Rose's website.
http://www.roseglavin.com

Best of luck.

Dr. Wu is the real deal. Go out to her website, www.wushealingcenter.com to get more information. She specializes in infertility and I've been going to her for over 10 years, starting with seeking help with infertility. Fair warning-it is an established process she follows, although her treatment is unique to the indiviudal after she assesses you. You not only need to do needles and herbs, but there is also organ massages and a major dietary change required. It is a huge commitment, but it does yield results. Lastly, it is expensive. Most insurance carriers will cover part of the costs, but it is a big commitment and cost. The herbs have evolved and they are now in pill form, so you don't have to make all these nasty teas about of bark, etc and drink-if that's any help. I would highly recommend her and her clinic.