Hey friends!
So this is a post I’ve been wanting to share for a while, but I was hesitant to “go there.” So many of you asked for it, though, so here it is.
If you’re not into women’s medical/hormonal issues - AKA probably if you’re a guy - the exit is to the left 😉
My experience with acupuncture has been one that really surprised me and I’m so excited about the results, so I wanted to share it as information you might want to consider if you’ve had similar issues.
Cliff notes version: I started getting acupuncture about 3 months ago to help me (naturally) regain my period, and it worked.
*angels singing*
Now for the long version.
Never once in my life did I have a regular cycle, and by that I mean I very rarely got periods. When I was about 15 a doctor gave me the “easy solution” of putting me on the pill.
I SO WISH I DID NOT DO THAT.
I really believe that going on an oral contraceptive that young screwed up my body even worse, and it made it even more difficult to get to the root of the issue.
So for the next 10+ years, I was in a cycle of going off and on dozens of different types of the birth control pill. I hated being on it, so I would go off in hopes of getting my period naturally, and it never happened.
I saw so many different doctors, and was tested for everything under the sun. PCOS, early menopause (eek), thyroid issues*, etc. I tried gaining weight, various different ways of eating and exercise…everything.
* I did have thyroid issues in high school, but my levels have been normal since then.
The good news was I didn’t have any of those things, but the bad news was I still wasn’t getting my period on my own. Pretty much all of the doctors agreed that I had generalized amenorrhea, and that the best solution is to just continue taking the birth control pill.
Fast forward to about 5 months ago, when I decided I had had enough. I was determined to get to the root of the issue and heal my body.
I saw my new lady doctor at Columbia University Medical Center here in NYC (and she’s great), and she understood me wanting to go off the pill again and trying to regulate my body naturally. She advised that I give it no longer than 3 months to go without a period, and so the countdown begun.
Getting acupuncture was something I would talk about with my mom here and there, but it just seemed like such a drastic thing to do. Not to mention I thought I didn’t “believe” in that sort of thing. But I was at the end of my rope, so I wanted to look into every possible option.
My mom is the queen of researching the best of the best doctors, so she got to work. She ended up finding Dr. Jingduan Yang - founder of Tao Integrative Medicine and director of the Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture program at the Jefferson Mryna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine. Long story short - the guy was the best in his field, and he happened to have offices near my parents’ house and in NYC.
Meanwhile I was doing my own research on acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, and the concepts actually made a lot of sense to me. It wasn’t the “magical/voodoo” stuff I once thought. Chinese Medicine is a science just like Western Medicine is.
In a nutshell, Chinese Medicine looks at the body as a whole and seeks to get to the root of the problem, rather than just fixing symptoms. What’s cool is that Dr. Yang combines Chinese Medicine *with* the best of Western Medicine, so it kind of all made more sense to me.
In October 2014 I had my first appointment with Dr. Yang. I didn’t know what to expect, and I was even a bit nervous. But after a consultation with him and my first acupuncture treatment, the nerves went away and I got excited that something may finally work.
At this point I had not had a period in over 3 months, so time was technically up for me. I was getting the acupuncture treatments every 1-2 weeks for about a month and a half. I was losing hope and becoming more and more skeptical about the acupuncture. I was scared that I was wasting my money and energy.
But then…it happened. I GOT MY PERIOD!!!
I don’t think anyone has ever been so happy for it to be that time of the month, haha. It was literally the first time I got my period on my own since I was a teenager. I was ecstatic.
It actually brought up a lot of emotions because - I didn’t realize it but - in the back of my mind I was always afraid I wouldn’t be able to have children. I never let myself face that fear, but there was such a sense of relief when my body finally started working the way it’s supposed to.
I continued getting the treatments to keep my body on the right track, and as I write this post today I have gotten THREE regular periods consistently each month.
I’m going to continue getting treatments for another few months, less and less frequently. I’m also making sure to implement other healthy habits like eating well, stress-reducing techniques, and taking Chinese herbal supplements prescribed by Dr. Yang.
Now I’m even working for Dr. Yang doing his social media! (but please note that that’s *NOT* why I’m writing this post. This is not part of my job description, nor am I being compensated).
So to wrap things up, I personally am a huge proponent of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. If it’s something you think you might be interested in, I highly suggest researching it and learning as much as you can, as well as researching the best doctors (and I don’t mean on Groupon).
There are a handful of articles/videos on the Tao Integrative Medicine website, and this recent radio interview Dr. Yang did explains a lot about what Chinese Medicine actually is.
A couple of more points that I’m thinking you might be curious about:
- No, acupuncture is not painful, but it can be a tad uncomfortable for a brief moment depending on where the needle is being put. That’s a good sign, though, as it means it’s hitting the right spot!
- It isn’t cheap. For me the expense was worth it for my longterm health, and thankfully my health insurance did help cover a portion of it.
- Depending on what you’re getting acupuncture for, you’ll more than likely need more than one treatment. One acupuncture session is not a quick fix!
- A common opinion is that acupuncture works because of the placebo effect, but many studies have proven otherwise. For me - even if it was the placebo effect - it still worked.
- Acupuncture can be used for a lot of different things, from physical pain to psychological issues and many things in between.
Please note that I am NOT a medical expert, and this is just my own experience/opinions. Please seek a medical professional before making any changes to your health routine.
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What are your thoughts on acupuncture? Have you ever tried it, or would you consider it?
Liz says
Gracie!! Thank you for posting this!! I had never met anyone else with this problem, until now! I’ve had the same issues since high school and no one has ever figured out why I don’t get regular periods. I would sometimes go over 6-8 months with nothing. Now I am on the pill but I am so afraid that I won’t be able to have children when the time comes. I will definitely look into this.
Hey Liz, glad this post resonated with you <3 Let me know if you have any more questions!
Thanks for such an informative post!! I used to think similarly in the past that acupuncture and Chinese medicine were a bunch of bologna. However, I’ve seen some friends and family get incredible results so now I’m a believer! I love that the focus of Chinese medicine is to look at the entire body instead of just treating symptoms. That’s one thing about Western medicine that’s very annoying, although not all physicians are like that.
Thank you for sharing your story! I know it was very personal for you. Acupuncture is something that is intriguing me for some hormonal issues of my own (hormonal acne - ughhh), so I have been reading up on it a lot more lately. I’m just so tired of being prescribed medicines as well.
I would definitely look into acupuncture or Chinese herbal remedies! I don’t know a ton about acne, but if it’s related to hormonal issues acupuncture can definitely address that.
A great informative post. Acupuncture is still one of those things that seems so mysterious to a lot of people. While it is not a quick fix, for me it worked quicker and more effectively than anything else. I had an ankle injury in college that kept me from going up on pointe in ballet for about 6 months. It just hurt so bad every time I tried. I went to 1 acupuncture treatment and the NEXT DAY I could go up on pointe! It was about 90% healed. I went to one more treatment and I was as good as new!
It’s so interesting to hear about the hormone balancing benefits of acupuncture. Thank you for sharing your story.
wow, that’s amazing!
Thank you for your post, and for being courageous enough to share your experiences! I’m seriously considering trying acupuncture to treat anxiety.
Have a great day!
God bless,
Kelly
thanks for the support, Kelly!
I’m a big fan of natural medicine. My two year old son struggles with constant upper respiratory infections throughout the winter. Regular doctors say it’s normal, but I disagree. So I started look into naturopathic medicine and finally acupuncture and Chinese medicine. It’s so expensive, but our doctor explained what’s happening, what’s causing him to be sick so long with no break before getting it again. Once my son was healthy, he didn’t ask for us to continue coming in which is HUGE. Most doctors like that want you to keep coming so they can keep making money. He even let us borrow a tool he used for skin scraping. He’s amazing. So far my son has been healthy for two straight weeks *knock on wood* which is so not normal for him in the winter.
I’m glad that you discovered how well acupuncture and Chinese medicine work. I hope that more people can look to these kinds of options rather than always going to western medicine.
I’m so glad your son is healthy! My doctor is the same - I believe in one of his videos he says something like “my goal is to have the patient eventually ‘fire’ me,” haha. I do believe that there are some amazing doctors out there who practice Western Medicine *and* that there are benefits to Western Medicine for sure! But I would love to see those principles combined more with Eastern/Chinese medicine as well.
Thanks for this comment + sharing a bit of your story
Gracie thanks for being so brave and sharing this. I can relate: I stopped getting my period in high school shortly after it first started, and several tests later, my doctor said I would likely never be able to have children. I was devastated and sank into a deep depression. It was embarrassing and disheartening to think my body couldn’t do its most primary function. (I started seeing a therapist at this point to work through my feelings.) I went on the pill to at least get my period artificially.
Four year later, after graduating from college, I decided to try getting it on my own. It was completely on a whim, and honestly I was just tired of paying for birth control (it wasn’t free back then). Miraculously, it started after two months. I’ll never forget how happy and free I felt. I had tried so many remedies, and nothing worked. It’s as if my body just wasn’t ready. I still feel frustrated that I received such a premature diagnosis. I wish I had never given up! Kudos to you for trying acupuncture. While my period is now regular, I still have terrible mood fluctuations (who doesn’t, I guess lol), so I’ve been meaning to find ways to balance my hormones.
P.S. I’m writing this on my phone on my lunch break - please excuse any typos!
Thanks for this comment + your encouragement, Natalie!
That is so great that your body got back on track on its own! I totally know what you mean about the happy/free feeling you got - I can totally relate. I remember going off the pill SO many times and hoping for the same, but it just never happened :/ That’s why I’m so thankful for the acupuncture - something that worked once and for all!
And I didn’t notice any typos 😉 hehe. happy Friday!
Laura says
This post is quite powerful, its nice to hear that you’ve found something that is helping/healing. Very brave post lady!
Thanks Laura!
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!! I’m planning on pursuing a medical degree but I’m still a firm believer in holistic medicine as well. The lost art of understand a human body as a whole is something that needs to be brought back into light and made available to more people. I’ve never tried acupuncture but truly believe it can work wonders. Thanks for the recommendation on clinics here in NYC, I’ll de