May 2008 - A Story with a Happy Ending!

• My husband and I got married in 2002, since we were both a little older we decided to try to get pregnant right away, after a year of trying to get pregnant (unsuccessfully), my husband and I decided to try fertility treatments. We unsuccessfully did about 8-9 months of various treatments when we decided to do IVF. My doctor suggested we try acupuncture in conjunction with the treatments; she mentioned that it has been statistically proven to have produced better results. I was quite surprised to hear a Western medical doctor say that and having come from a traditionally scientific family it was a little difficult to take in but we were willing to try anything. My doctor gave us a card for Dr. Lin. I called and made my first appointment. I was a little uncomfortable, unsure and interested. It wasn't the most pleasant experience the first time and I had to force myself to relax but each time it got better and ultimately became something that I looked forward to and a way for me to relax and be calm.
  
  I went fairly often for 6 weeks working with Dr. Lin and my cycle to figure out the optimal times to do treatment. On the day of the transfer of three embryos (which happened to be a Saturday), Dr. Lin met me at the doctor's office and performed a treatment. Six weeks later we had a positive pregnancy test and 8 months later I gave birth to the most beautiful, healthy baby boy!
  
  About a year later, my husband and I were ready to try to have a second baby. We were not certain how it would go the second time around but we decided to try only acupuncture for 6 months and then visit the fertility doctor (I already made my initial appointment with the fertility clinic). About 4 months later, I was feeling a little different and truthfully I had not really followed my cycle very well for that month. We had a death in the family at that time so it wasn't really something I was keeping track of (only that Month). I had been visiting Dr. Lin for about 10 weeks, I think, and pretty much doing what she had told me as far as diet. I decided to take a pregnancy test and was completely surprised to get a positive result. I didn't actually believe it and when I visited my OB I was fully expecting to hear that I was not pregnant and started crying when the nurse practitioner told me I was pregnant! Now I have two beautiful boys! I fully attribute this to acupuncture! It feels good and it works!
  
  THANK YOU, Dr. Lin!
  
  Kimberly
   

I am now almost 14 weeks pregnant with twins!!!!! I definitely believe that the acupuncture helped us get pregnant.

• Where do I begin, this was such a long journey for my husband and I. We married in July of 2005. I was 25 and my husband was 31. I come from a very big family and I am the oldest of 7 kids. I thought I would have no problems getting pregnant because my mother and grandmother were so fertile. We started trying immediately in October and were unsuccessful for about a year until we decided to stop so that I could finish my 2 degrees in Psychology and Nursing.
  
  I have been a nanny since 2000 and have nannied for 3 different families with triplets and singleton families until 2005. Each family had their problems with infertility and talking with each mother had me wanting the urge to help families with infertility problems. My husband and I decided to hold off on our expansion of our family and wanted to help hopeful mothers. What I mean by that was, knowing that I was very fertile; I was catering to the idea of donating my eggs to help women who have gone through devastation and disappointment physically and mentally of trying for their own little miracle. Little did I know that during our journey, I was told I may need donor eggs so that I may be able to have kids of my own. During my last semester in school I had sent in my application to donate my eggs through Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine egg donation. Within 2-3 months, I received the phone call that they had found a family for me. I was so excited; words could not describe what I was feeling. I went in and they had me come in on day 3 of my cycle to do a trans-vaginal ultrasound to do follicle count. To be an egg donor, you must have minimum of 12 follicles. Follicles are on each ovary and houses and matures each egg monthly. I was not prepared for the news and what they found. I was 27 during this time and was laying there as the technician said, "this isn't good and what we see is normally what we see on a 40 year old." She had found only 2 follicles on each ovary. Women my age should have 20-50 follicles total! I had a total of 4! I am 27 and was told that I had "40 year old" ovaries! At this point, I get dressed and the nurse comes in and explains to me that I was basically denied to be an egg donor but should see a fertility specialist soon if I was to want kids. She had diagnosed me with premature ovarian failure or pre-menopausal. This follicle count also indicated that my ovarian reserve was depleted. I sat there and tried to take all this in. Here I was trying to donate my eggs to help others and in the end I needed egg donors.
  I then decided to see a fertility specialist and saw Dr. Wenying Lin whom specializes in infertility at the same time. I did my research and found that Dr Lin. had extensive training and specialized in women's fertility issues and chose her as my acupuncturist. She took my full medical history and had me start acupuncture twice a week for a month and then once a week for the next 2 months along with Chinese herbs. She had me change my diet to improve my health and worked along with my fertility specialist.
  
  I saw my fertility specialist and went through a round of blood draws for numerous tests. I also did a Clomiphene Citrate Test by measuring the day 3 FSH and estradiol levels, where I took 100 mg of the fertility drug on days 5-9, and the levels were measured again on day 10. The test came back the next morning with more devastating news. My husband and I went in to discuss the results and the doctor informed me that my FSH levels were at 13. It wasn't high but borderline and was told to consider using donor eggs or adopting. She told us that we had 4% of ever conceiving and that we only had a possibility of conceiving one biological child and possibly going into menopause after that child. Not only was I dealing with not ever conceiving but now have to think about hormone replacement therapy so that I would not go into menopause at age 27! It was the most devastating news a 27 year old could ever receive. The tests indicated that there was an egg quality issue and that my ovarian reserve was depleted. So I was now dealing with quantity and quality of eggs left. Because I failed the C.C.T., I was not a candidate for invitro-fertilization. On day 11, I also went in to have the hysterosalpingogram (HSG) procedure where they checked to see if my tubes were blocked. My tubes were clear, so every ounce of hope was crushed again when the reality kicked in that it was down to my eggs. We finally realized after 2 years of trying and month after month of disappointment and being crushed, why my period came on time every month.
  
  After the round of tests, it confirmed that I had premature ovarian failure and Dr. Lin started me on Chinese herbs. I continued to take the herbs and acupuncture. I was feeling exhaustion, depression, stress, and anxiety. I believe that the acupuncture helped me deal with my issues a lot better. It helped me relax and the stress was getting better and my depression was so much easier to handle. I was feeling more energized and felt healthier. Dr. Lin also had me read this book called The Infertility Cure. This book helped me so much in understanding my infertility issues and gave me hope of becoming pregnant despite my FSH levels. Dr Lin said to give her 6 months and be patient before we see any results or become pregnant.
  I had spoken to my sister about maybe using her eggs if we couldn't get pregnant. She was very happy to help us and said that she would love to. I also spoke to my mom about going back home to our home country (Viet Nam) to adopt as well. We agreed that maybe in a year we would all go back together and adopt.
  March 9, 2008 I did my usual basal temping and taking a pregnancy test in hopes of maybe a small chance of a miracle. It immediately was negative and I threw the test away. Three hours had passed and I went back in to check just in case anything had changed. Surprisingly, I saw 2 lines and ran down to show my husband. We didn't believe it and read the directions and was sad because it said it was invalid after 5 minutes. We decided to not get excited and wait until the morning to test again. I woke up bright and early and tested in excitement and immediately saw 2 lines! It was my husband’s 34th birthday and I kissed him and said Happy Birthday and congratulations, you might be a daddy!! ! !
  
  I am now almost 14 weeks pregnant with twins!!!!! I definitely believe that the acupuncture helped us get pregnant. Everyone is so surprised at how quickly I became pregnant. I am continuing my acupuncture with Dr. Lin so that I will deliver full term with a healthy pregnancy and healthy babies. I also want to continue acupuncture with Dr. Lin so that I would not hit menopause and continue to have maybe another child or two!
   

IVF has been a part of my life for the past three years. I have been through three IVF cycles...

• IVF has been a part of my life for the past three years. I have been through three IVF cycles and am currently pregnant with twins from my third cycle.
  
  I started IVF in 2003 as the only option to bare my own children. At that time I was not aware of acupuncture as a partner to the IVF treatment. My husband and I were very lucky as our first attempt was successful and, after implanting three embryos, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
  
  When our son was one we tried again. Our second attempt was not successful. At that point I became aware of the claims being made about the benefits of coupling IVF with acupuncture. I chose not to incorporate acupuncture based on the fact that I'd had a successful run previously with out it.
  
  As we began our last IVF cycle I changed my mind and asked the nurses for a recommendation on someone to see for acupuncture. I figured that it couldn't hurt to at least try it. They recommended Dr. Lin. I hadn't realized but I was getting started on acupuncture treatment later than recommended. Dr. Lin was understanding and was able to get me in several times within the three weeks before my retrieval and transfer.
  
  IVF can be very stressful. Acupuncture alleviated a lot of the stress that I had felt during my previous IVF cycles. I also believe that my acupuncture treatments contributed to the large amount of healthy eggs we were able to retrieve. This last cycle, in conjunction with the acupuncture treatments, was so successful that we were able to implant just two eggs on day 5 and save six blastocysts for freezing. Both of the eggs that were implanted took and I am now pregnant with twins.
  
  My morning sickness came on strong at six weeks but I've been back for more acupuncture therapy and the nausea and headaches have become much more manageable. I intend to continue with acupuncture throughout this pregnancy and have faith that it will help to bring my babies to full term.
  
  Thank you very much Dr. Lin and Bruce,
  
  Jennifer N.

"Unexplained infertility." After my husband and I went to the top-ranked Colorado infertility specialist...

• "Unexplained infertility." After my husband and I went to the top-ranked Colorado infertility specialist, spent over 55,000 out-of-pocket, and were poked and prodded in every-way imaginable, we were told we had unexplained infertility. We were discouraged. While it was a relief to know that there were no obvious complications, I had nothing to help me explain why I had 4 early miscarriages.
  
  Each miscarriage was a heartbreak. With the advancements of pregnancy tests, I was able to determine if I was pregnant almost a week before my period would have started. But then the Oriods did start. Maybe a few days late, but they started. Why? After 18 months of trying, it was this repeated frustration that took us to the infertility specialist. And, as you know, the result was unexplained infertility. The doctor had a possible theory that the early miscarriages were the result of a developmental genetic abnormality of the embryos. The next step, in his opinion, was in-vitro fertilization. The benefit being that he could scan each fertilized egg (even the un-fertilized eggs) to determine if there were any genetic abnormalities, and pick only the "A-list" eggs for implantation. He was so excited about the possibilities with this technology, that he sold it to us hard, so hard we felt like he was selling us a car.
  
  We didn't know what to do. In-vitro was very expensive. Too expensive. Did we have any other options? We took some time off to digest the situation and regain calmness in our lives.
  
  The reassuring thing about infertility is I was not alone. The more I talked to friends about our frustrating situation, the more stories unfolded about friends and family that had undergone similar trials. One recurring story was from friends that had gone through acupuncture before successfully getting pregnant. I was not familiar with Eastern medicine, I certainly didn't like needles, but acupuncture wasn't going to cost me 520,000, so it was worth investigating!
  
  I did a lot of research about acupuncture and infertility on the web. I also looked to find a qualified acupuncturist. Colorado has an automated licensure information system on-line (ALISON) where you can confirm the licensure of individuals and companies. I also looked up some national referral lists. My search led me to Dr. Wenying Lin. Her website (thefertilitycure.com) is thorough and informative.
  
  I made an appointment. At my first meeting, Dr. Lin provided me with an abundance of information and resources. She recommended the book, The Infertility Cure, by Randine Lewis, Ph.D. Dr. 1-in also listened to my long list of questions and concerns. Then, she did acupuncture, which was not only painless, but calming. Dr. Lin started me on Chinese herbs and greens.
  
  I was excited. The combination of literature I was provided and the steps I was taking really made me feel like I was doing something proactive. I had hope. For the first time in a long while, I was doing something proactive that could help my fertility. I was learning about my body. I was more aware of the energies that circulate within it. I was actively making my body more prepared to receive life and maintain a pregnancy.

My Story - I attribute much of my success getting pregnant to acupuncture...
 

• Like many others, my husband and I had our life completely planned out even before we were married.  We got married the year after I graduated from college and 2 weeks before I started graduate school.  We would wait 5 years to start a family…2 years for grad school and 3 years to get my career established.  We celebrated our 5^th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii and no more birth control pills.  We were very excited to start our family.

  At my next female annual exam, I was told that everything looked fine and that most women conceive in the first 6 months.  We told everyone we knew about our pending family expansion.  However, 6 months went by and nothing.  I began to get worried, though my husband was certain that there was nothing to worry about.  After 9 months without success, I became extremely concerned.  I began to bargain with God that whatever I had done wrong previously, I would fix and do right from now on.  After a friend of mine became pregnant while on birth control with no intentions of having a baby, I had a breakdown.  I was constantly unhappy and could not get along with my husband.  I finally made an appointment with my gynecologist for follow up.

  First they recommended that my husband be tested.  He had a mildly abnormal sperm analysis and so he was referred to a urologist.  He was told that he had a varicocele but that surgery would not likely improve his numbers.  They stated that his numbers were still plenty high enough to conceive a child.

  Meanwhile, testing on me took months as everything had to be done during a certain couple of days during my cycle.  Tests included internal ultrasounds, blood hormone level tests, and a hysterosalpingogram.  The latter an imaging test where radio opaque dye is forced through the fallopian tubes to determine if there is a problem with the egg traveling down to the uterus.  One fallopian tube was not seen.  These tests resulted in a diagnosis of a septum in the uterus.  This would likely make it harder to conceive, but not prevent it.  My gynecologist recommended surgery to remove the abnormal tissue from the uterus to hopefully make it easier to conceive.  So one year after first trying to conceive, I underwent surgery to remove the septum through a surgical procedure involving a hysteroscopy and a laparoscopy.

  I was certain that after surgery, I was going to be told that the tissue was successfully removed and that the other tube was now functional and a future pregnancy was certain.  However, I was not prepared for what the doctor had to say in my follow-up appointment.  He stated that he could not explain it, but that there was no septum that he could find during the surgery but he did remove a small cyst.  I was horribly disappointed.  All I wanted to hear was that the problem had been fixed.  On top of it, I had just undergone surgery for no apparent reason.  The doctor recommended I have another hysterosalpingogram to see if the results changed.  The nurse practitioner that performed the test was much more thorough than in the previous HSG and didn’t give up until both fallopian tubes were visualized.  She was much more persistent than the person that had done the first test.  I was thankful everything was appearing normal, but still felt like I was getting nowhere in the reason why we couldn’t conceive.

  Two weeks later after trying to get a hold of my gynecologist to give me the results of the HSG and the plan for what to try next, he left me a message on my answering machine saying, “everything looks okay, good luck getting pregnant.”  I was infuriated.  I was no closer to getting pregnant than one year ago.

  With my husband’s advice, we decided to take a break from trying for several months to keep our sanity.  Secretly hoping that with less pressure, we might have success, but to no avail.  In January of the next year, I sought out an infertility doctor.  Again, many, many more tests.  He recommended Clomid, first without insemination, then with it.  We failed 4 cycles of intrauterine insemination with hormone injections into my belly to augment egg release.  I was becoming obsessed and distraught that a family was not in the cards for us.  My husband and I went through all the classic phases of grief dealing with infertility.  Denial, anger, bargaining, depression…  We were at the age that every couple we knew either had babies or were pregnant.  It felt like hell on earth.  And no one seemed to understand how we felt.  Relatives didn’t understand why hearing all the details about pregnancy were torture, or why we didn’t rush to the hospital to hold their newborn in the middle of the night.  Avoidance was my only defensive.  I realize now that I fell into a very deep depression.

  Our faith remained constant, though we questioned why this was happening to us.  I realize now that by the grace of God, a friend was put in my path that shared my infertility problems.  Through this friendship, I believe that I slowly began to heal, and realize that we had to start considering alternative means of having a family, or choosing a child-free existence.  Having someone to share the same feelings with seemed to make all the difference in the world.  We continued on our journey of seeking a family.  After all, 2 years of trying to have a child was nothing at all, or so people would tell me.

  After the inseminations, our doctor began discussing in vitro fertilization.  The crazy thing was…no one could tell me a plausible reason why we couldn’t get pregnant.  We were spending a great deal of money on infertility treatment that insurance was not covering.  On top of a stressful job, life seemed to be suffocating me.  I was ready to adopt.  Though my husband was not on board, he humored me by going to several informational meetings on adoption.  But the cost, long uncertain wait period, and questionable health of the baby was hard to swallow.  And my husband was not ready to give up on having our own child.  And we weren’t ready to invest thousands of dollars into something that might work (in vitro fertilization) when all of the tests came back normal and nothing seemed to be wrong.

  After much heartache, and soul searching, I decided to do a few things that had been occupying the back of my mind for quite awhile.  I needed to leave my stressful job.  And I decided to work on my health… inside and out.  I was already exercising regularly, but new I could improve my eating habits and new that my sub clinical depression needed addressed.  I decided to try acupuncture.  About 4 weeks before switching jobs, I researched an acupuncturist that specialized in infertility and women’s issues.  I started with Dr. Lin and was immediately satisfied with how thorough she was with my unique medical history and female cycle.  She also considered details that I had always thought were pertinent, but all other doctors had disregarded, such as the quality of my period.  She recommended a book that shed new light on all the intricacies of getting pregnant and all the minor but important details that acupuncture can influence.  It was truly enlightening and empowering to have this tool.

  After 4 weeks of acupuncture and the first week of my new job, I had a positive pregnancy test.  I could not believe it.  We cried tears of joy and disbelief for hours.  But the happiness was short lived.  Within a week, I began to show signs of miscarriage and there was nothing that could be done to save the pregnancy.  I was devastated, but kept a positive outlook… I had finally conceived after more than 2 years of trying.  My body could get pregnant, and without all the expensive medical interventions, but instead naturally with lifestyle changes and acupuncture treatments.

  My husband and I both continued acupuncture treatments, and 8 months later, we were pregnant again.  Though I became very impatient during these 8 months, and began to wonder if my infertility doctor was right in saying that the previous pregnancy and miscarriage was only a fluke, and that in vitro was inevitable.  I had even began to look into adoption again, and made an appointment with the infertility guru in the region for information about the in vitro procedure, and how good our chances would be.  A coworker of mine also gave me a fertility statue to put by my bed.  (I was pregnant the very next cycle!!!)

  I attribute much of my success getting pregnant to acupuncture, as not only did I feel better mentally and physically, my cycle began to normalize.  My faith, as well as decreasing a stressful lifestyle with a job change I believe was also a key.  Though my unfailing desire to have a baby never ceased, acupuncture definitely made me feel human again and helped me realize how depressed I had been and really helped bring me out of it.  I could not believe how much better I felt with acupuncture treatments, though it was very hard to describe.  I was just more of my old self than I had been in years.

  The pregnancy was not without its trouble.  Though I have managed to hold onto this pregnancy, I bled quite frequently and heavily from the 8^th to the 12^th week.  I continued my acupuncture treatments as recommended.  Now, I am almost 36 weeks pregnant.  After the 12^th week, the bleeding completely ceased and things have gone quite smoothly.  I am so looking forward to meeting this little person inside of me.  What a journey it has been.

  It has only recently started to seem real to me as my belly has really started to swell in this last trimester and the baby’s kicks are hard to ignore.  But the first 6 months of the pregnancy were still surreal.  Though this journey has been more trying on my mental health, my marriage, and my checkbook than anything I have ever experienced…everything seems to be so easily forgotten now.  And the last 3 year struggle with starting a family has really solidified our 8 year marriage, making us closer than ever before.  And I feel that we will really appreciate this child more so than had we gotten pregnant easily.  Life is certainly a journey, not a destination.  And I am certainly grateful to Dr. Lin for being such a key component in helping us finally transition into the next chapter of our life…parenthood.

  Teresa L.
   

July 28, 2006 - Thank you so very much! I am now days shy of being four months pregnant. I believe you had a significant role in getting me to this point! I’d like to share my success story with your patients.
 

• Dear Dr. Lin,
  
  Thank you so very much! I am now days shy of being four months pregnant. I believe you had a significant role in getting me to this point! I’d like to share my success story with your patients.
  
  My partner Courtney and I have been together for nine years. We started talking about having a child many years ago but became serious about starting the process two years ago. Our plan all along was for Courtney to be the one to get pregnant. In February 2005 we learned that it was potentially unsafe for Courtney to get pregnant because she had experienced some nerve communication issues that resembled MS.
  
  By the summer of 2005 we decided that I would be the one to get pregnant. We met with a doctor in September of 2005 and officially started our fertility process. Our first insemination was in December 2005. We were very disappointed that the sample had only 2.2 million motile sperm. The sperm bank that we chose guarantees at least 8 million motile sperm per vile, so we were not expecting such a low count. Friends who have used frozen sperm let us know that they have had around 12 million motile sperm per vile. Not surprisingly, I didn’t get pregnant.
  
  We tried for our second time in January 2006. That time the sperm had 2.3 million motile sperm so we had them thaw another vile. The second sample only had 2.0 million. We were disappointed again but did double the sperm from the first insemination by thawing two samples. I did not get pregnant. Our third attempt was in February 2006 and we once again thawed two samples. The first sample came back with 2.9 million motile sperm and the second vile held 3.2 million. We were more hopeful with around 6 million motile sperm but the pregnancy didn’t take that time either. We decided not to inseminate in March, feeling that an emotional break would be important.
  
  Our good friends Paula M. and Paula W. referred us to you. After many unsuccessful inseminations they sought treatment from you and happily gave birth to a son after they were inseminated with their last vile. They believe that you are the reason they have a second son.
  
  I had my first appointment with you on April 14, 2006. At that time you sounded hopeful that I would be pregnant within three months. Well, you were right. I saw you for acupuncture on that first visit on the 14th and then again on April17th and 20th. I was inseminated on April 23rd. There were only 4.5 million motile sperm. We had ordered several new specimens and I was hopeful that this collection would have a higher motility. I couldn’t hold back my tears when the report of the low sperm count came back. Courtney felt strongly that we should go with the 4.5 million and not thaw another specimen. We went with the one vile and it was enough. My successful pregnancy came from just 4.5 million sperm. I continued to see you twice a week until we could see our baby’s heartbeat.
  
  Thank you for preparing my body for pregnancy. Acupuncture was a significant experience. As a trained therapist, I have been of the mindset to process and release emotions. Through our sessions I came to learn that our bodies may need to release in ways that our minds cannot grasp. I felt my Qi unblock, it was like a weight was lifted from within and I felt lighter and more in touch with myself. Acupuncture became a spiritual experience for me, I learned more about myself. I felt stronger and more in touch with who I am. Acupuncture also works to align the endocrine system which allowed my body to relax and prepared my female organs for the baby. I am sure that I was able to get pregnant so quickly with such a low sperm count because of what the acupuncture did for me physically and emotionally.
  
  With Great Thanks,
  
  H.W.
   

April 14,2006 - I was born with a bicornuate uterus and a single kidney, a condition known in medical terms as a Mullerian defect.
 

• Testimonial for Dr. Lin

  I was born with a bicornuate uterus and a single kidney, a condition known in medical terms as a Mullerian defect. In short, this means my uterus has a heart shape severe enough to potentially cause pre-term delivery, perhaps so pre-term as to leave the fetus unviable (prior to 24 weeks). I did not learn of this defect until I was over 30 years old and wanting to have a baby. At first the doctors said it had nothing to do with the miscarriages I was having between 5 and 8 weeks, but after the total reached five and there was no additional explanation after visits to several noted specialists, I was directed toward adoption or the route of a gestational carrier. However, my husband and I had issue with both of these suggestions. In addition to the religious and moral complications, we did not want "just" to be parents. We had already been called teacher, neighbor, aunt, uncle, and friend. We had had the opportunity to impact many young lives. No, if we were going to take on the life-long task of parenting, it would be that of parenting a biological child, or we would continue to serve faithfully in the many other purposeful roles we had already been blessed with.

  After years of temping, charting, and timed intercourse, I decided to get off the merry-go-round. I used birth control for several years until one day, I felt God speaking to me subtlety. "If I am going to give you a miracle, you are preventing it", He said to me through the Christmas story and Elizabeth, the elderly mother of John the Baptist. He said it to me through the women I met who shared their stories of infertility at church and were puzzled to find I had given up at 35. Sometime between 35 and 36, I left the birth control behind and tried to listen to my body without all the charting and temping. I refused to make myself crazy again with charting and temping and timed intercourse. It was His miracle to give.

  But I travel a lot for work: 10- 15 days some months and God wasn't planning for another virgin birth. So finally, when the holidays brought an end to my on-the-road madness, the Lord blessed us with our sixth pregnancy. I wasn't counting, I wasn't charting, I wasn't planning and so I was surprised to find myself 5 1/2-6 1/2 weeks pregnant (inaccurate due to a history of long cycles and late ovulation) as we rang in the New Year. I didn't get excited; I was too jaded for that. But I did seek care immediately with the specialist I had most recently seen. There was no heartbeat visible and although they planned a confirmation ultrasound a week later. They also scheduled me for a D&C the next day. There was no worry, no numbness; this was a familiar path I traveled. I prepared my boss and a couple colleagues for my "procedure" and the day I would be out. Then I drove to the confirmation ultrasound appointment, alone, as I knew what to expect. But then, the path took a detour. There would be no D&C the next day because I was 6 1/2 weeks pregnant and with a strong embryonic heartbeat.
  Prepared as I was for the worst, I was taken by surprise but still very logical. I had been given another chance. I had seen heartbeats 3 previous times, usually a positive sign of embryonic success, and perhaps this time I was supposed to seek support of a different kind. The Lord had provided increasing support to me as the number of miscarriages rose, but perhaps He was also giving me another chance. Perhaps this was a new path He had set me on.

  Teresa was one of the women at church with her own infertility story, though much more raw than the others. She had been trying to have a baby for over 2 years unsuccessfully. The doctors thought it was her hormones, her cycles, her husband's marginal sperm counts. She had been pregnant for the first time in the last 6 months only to lose the pregnancy just after confirming it. She had been seeing Dr. Lin for those 6 months and Dr. Lin was working to restore her uterus and entire body to full health. I listened with interest to reports of her visits. "Maybe", I had said.

  I had tried acupuncture for 3 sessions several years before in another city, and had felt nothing. But Teresa had already experienced success getting pregnant for the first time, her more positive mental outlook and even her husband's alleviation of seasonal allergy symptoms had all made her a believer in Dr. Lin. So despite my "logical Western" mind that knew that acupuncture was considered an alternative medicine and not "real" Western medicine and my previous experience, I heeded Teresa's urgency when she said I should call Dr. Lin immediately after I found out I had a viable pregnancy.

  At first, the calendar was booked for two weeks for new patients but when Dr. Lin heard of my time-sensitive need, she squeezed me in. And she continued to squeeze me in for a second, third and fourth visit, until I could be worked into the regular appointment schedule. She was a good listener. She was compassionate. She talked just the right amount. She made no promises but told me she would work to make the "Tree of Cathy" as healthy as it could be.

  I knew from the first visit that something was different this time. I felt a light tingle at the sites of the needles, even without electrical stimulation. As I lay tensely on the table for the first treatment, I had the realization that I had become unaware of my limbs. I tried to move my leg and found it heavy as lead. Despite all the stress I carried when I first lay on the table, I laughed aloud to find my leg was indeed still there and functioned. I had actually laughed. I arrived at the visit with the weight of just finding I was still pregnant for the 6th time and was indeed not getting a D&C the previous day. I left with a lightness in my step that my husband noticed immediately and the nausea I had brought into the visit was gone. I had a great dinner that night and continued to feel the positive effects for nearly 24 hours after the treatment.

  For the next 2 weeks, the reproductive endocrinologist offered only weak encouragement. The gestational sac was oversized and misshapen, a possible early sign of a chromosomal defect. We stifled our building optimism as I continued to pray for my baby's health, to encourage others to pray, and to see Dr. Lin. At 9 1/2 weeks I got a cold. Not a brief sniffly cold, but a flat-on-your-back, whole-roll of-TP-in-6-hours kind of cold. And to make it worse I was half the country away by plane for work and pregnant without any "pregnancy-approved" medicine. I felt so bad I requested a wheelchair at the return airport and my usually fiercely-independent self didn't feel guilty for a second; I felt half-dead. On day 3 of the cold, I was home and went right to Dr. Lin. My nose was then chemically dried-up by Sudafed and the malaise abated by Tylenol, both baby-doctor-approved meds. Dr. Lin inserted some extra needles in my head at this appointment and toward the end of the treatment I had the sensation of a lightly pulsing network on my head . . .but maybe it was the Sudafed, I thought. Again, I rose from the treatment feeling better and went home to relax. My husband arrived home from work and I told him of the treatment. I noticed aloud that, though I was due for more medicine, I didn't feel like I needed it yet. "Why don't you see how long you can go without the meds?" he suggested. As I don't like pills in the first place I accepted his challenge and much to our surprise, I did not need another single pill for the remainder of the cold! Dr. Lin took my faucet of a nose and turned it off. She also allowed me to put my mind at ease knowing I wasn't subjecting my baby to any more chemicals than necessary.

  So now, my husband was starting to get interested, too. He had already seen my reduced nausea and improved mood: "placebo-effect" he had said at the time. In addition to that "placebo effect" working for weeks, he had just picked my comparatively limp self up at the airport the night before. He had suffered through a night of my sneezing and blowing as one pill after another wore off. Now, almost like magic, I had relief. He had a lower back that was waking him up in unison with my sneezing and decided to see what acupuncture could do for it.
  He saw Dr. Michael. Three visits later, his pain was completely gone and he was sleeping through the night again. I dare say I noticed an improvement in his mood as well, though he'd just say it was probably a "placebo effect." ;) He was convinced enough to refer a co-worker to Dr. Lin's practice.

  So now my husband's relief could be added to the fact that my type-A psyche had found relief and my nausea was abated by the skilled insertion of painless needles. I returned again and again, seeing Dr. Lin 3 times a week until week 11. And just reading week eleven should remind you: I had never passed 8 weeks of pregnancy before! Not only was I continuing in the pregnancy but the nausea and jaded mood were relieved and elevated for about 24 hours after each visit. Dr. Lin soon taught me to apply acupressure to myself at home, which seemed to stretch the relief even further.

  Then I went on the visit to the high risk OB. The ultrasound showed a confirmation of what we had seen the week before: the gestational sac was no longer large and misshapen. Now it was perfect! We had been praying hard; so had the whole church. I thanked God daily for my continued progress.

  At 11 weeks and on Dr. Lin's recommendation I reduced my visits to her to twice a week, at 14 weeks, I saw Dr. Lin once a week, and now at 19 weeks, it has been once a month. I look forward to these visits. Dr. Lin stays abreast of every symptom I report. Sometimes I notice she inserts an extra needle here or there. Mostly it is the same tingly insertion points that leave me for 25 minutes thinking of the strength she is infusing into the "Tree of Cathy". I see shiny deciduous leaves. Strong branches reach to the sun and a broad strong trunk is rooted firmly to the ground. The bark is healthy, growing, expanding, widening to accept the new life that continues to grow within.

  -Cathy S.
   

May 3, 2006 - The nurse at my obstetrician’s office recommended Dr. Lin for acupuncture to assist in my efforts to have a baby.
 

• I started seeing Dr. Wenying Lin on Feb 14, 2006. The nurse at my obstetrician’s office recommended Dr. Lin for acupuncture to assist in my efforts to have a baby. I had my son without difficulty 10 years ago and new onto a second marriage. My husband and I wanted a child between us. We started trying in 2003, but were not consistent with our efforts, feeling no pressure as we had both conceived children in previous marriages without any problems.
  
  In August of 2004, we had a positive pregnancy test within a couple of weeks. I experienced some spotting, but was reassured when an ultrasound revealed a good heartbeat. The spotting stopped temporarily, but when it resumed at 8½ weeks, we no longer had a heartbeat. After a D&C in October of 2004, we were able to conceive 2 more times in the next four months, both resulting in miscarriages. After a battery of tests, it was determined that I had a fibroid invading the uterine lining that needed to be removed. I had surgery for this in June of 2005. Further testing revealed a problem with my progesterone levels, for which I began injections of luteal HCG. I also began taking Clomid in October of 2005, to increase my chances of conceiving. After 4 months of no success with Clomid, artificial insemination, and luteal HCG, we were beginning to feel desperate in our efforts. This is when we started seeing Dr. Lin. She explained to us that the process of acupuncture and herbs might take a few months to affect a change in my body. Admittedly, I was somewhat skeptical at the whole idea at first, especially coming from a western medicine background as a registered nurse. I really felt that this was my last hope, so I was willing to give it a try.
  
  Now I’m 11½ weeks pregnant and wished I had tried Chinese medicine a long time ago. Of course no one will ever know what finally allowed us to achieve a good pregnancy on our 5th attempt, but incorporating acupuncture and herbs with the Clomid / Artificial Insemination / Luteal HCG protocol seems to have done the trick. I have had no signs of complications with this pregnancy, and my OB-Gyn feels confident that things are looking good. I cannot thank Dr. Lin enough for her service and the kindness she showed to my husband and me. I would give Dr. Lin my whole-hearted recommendation and would encourage anyone with fertility issues to incorporate Chinese medicine into their treatment plan.
  
  Respectfully,
  K, O.
  
  Littleton, Colorado
   

April 3, 2006 - I can't thank you enough for the miraculous relief you provided with acupuncture during my pregnancy.
 

• Dear Dr. Lin:
  
  I can't thank you enough for the miraculous relief you provided with acupuncture during my pregnancy. As you may recall, my problems began two weeks after conception when my body broke out into hives and stayed in that state throughout the pregnancy. One medical emergency after another led to me being put on a number of medications and culminated in my obstetrician placing me on complete bed rest at six and a half months. My body was swollen from preeclampsia, I was on hypertension medication, and the doctor told me I had to stay in bed laying on my left side for the duration of my pregnancy. This prescription led to further problems as I had an existing herniated disk between L3 and L4, which became aggravated by staying in that position all the time. They couldn't give me any medications for the excruciating back pain due to the possible risks to my baby and interactions with the other medications I was already taking.
  
  That's when I came to you. I couldn't even stand upright and needed help in and out of the car to come see you. Acupuncture was my last resort for any relief. I still do not understand exactly how you worked such magic with needles but I found relief after that first treatment. If it wasn't for you giving me treatment several times a week, the likely result would have been a premature delivery.
  
  When he was born, my son was perfect. He is three years old now and is exceptionally bright. He is learning to read, can execute basic math, and is very social and charming. I don't know if the acupuncture had anything to do with him being gifted, but I am positive it is responsible for his safe delivery into this world. I encourage other pregnant women with back pain to seek treatment with acupuncture. It is the best-kept secret for pain relief in pregnancy!
  
  Thanks again for your miraculous acupuncture treatments.

  -Gloria D.
   

March 2006 - Acupuncture alleviated a lot of the stress that I had felt during my previous IVF cycles.
 

• IVF has been a part of my life for the past three years. I have been through three IVF cycles and am currently pregnant with twins from my third cycle.

  I started IVF in 2003 as the only option to bare my own children. At that time, I was not aware of acupuncture as a partner to the IVF treatment. My husband and I were very lucky as our first attempt was successful and, after implanting three embryos, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

  When our son was one we tried again. Our second attempt was not successful. At that point, I became aware of the claims being made about the benefits of coupling IVF with acupuncture. I chose not to incorporate acupuncture based on the fact that I’d had a successful run previously without it.

  As we began our last IVF cycle, I changed my mind and asked the nurses for a recommendation on someone to see for acupuncture. I figured that it couldn’t hurt to as least try it. They recommended Dr. Lin. I hadn’t realized but I was getting started on acupuncture treatment later than recommended. Dr. Lin was understanding and was able to get me n several times within the three weeks before my retrieval and transfer.

  IVF can be very stressful. Acupuncture alleviated a lot of the stress that I had felt during my previous IVF cycles. I also believe that my acupuncture treatments contributed to the large amount of healthily eggs were able to retrieve. This last cycle, in conjunction with the acupuncture treatments, was so successful that we were able to implant just two eggs on day 5 and save six blastocysts for freezing. Both of the eggs that were implanted took and I am now pregnant with twins.

  My morning sickness came on strong at six weeks. I’ve been back for more acupuncture therapy and the nausea and headaches have become much more manageable. I intend to continue with acupuncture throughout this pregnancy and have faith that it will help bring my babies to full term.

  Thank you very much Dr. Lin and Bruce,

  -Jennifer N.
   

February 17, 2006 - I was instantly amazed by the difference in approach and your attention to detail.
 

• Dear Dr. Lin and Bruce:

  When my husband and I met, we talked often or our interest in becoming parents. Because we were starting at an older age, and because I had previously had an ectopic pregnancy, we started trying immediately following our wedding.

  The first couple of months were wonderful, with hopeful anticipation that I would test positive each time. After three months and no pregnancy, we decided that we needed to be a little more proactive in case our difficulties were more than just “bad timing”. I met with a reproductive endocrinologist who utilized some initial tests to determine that there was nothing physically wrong with either of us. I also took the advise of a coworker who had had her own difficulties getting pregnant (but who had conceived after just a month of treatment with your practice) and made an appointment.

  I was instantly amazed by the difference in approach and your attention to detail. Once I got over the initial shock of eliminating dairy, alcohol, refined sugar and bread from my diet, I embraced the changes you recommended. I was on Clomid at the time and very hopeful that the combination of Western and Eastern medicine would do the trick. Unfortunately, the only result was that I was looking and feeling better (thanks to a new diet and acupuncture) but my hormones were raging (thanks to Clomid). So, my husband and I once again decided to make a change. The holidays were quickly approaching, and I was an emotional wreck, so I went off the hormones and we decided to try it the “old fashioned way” for a couple of months. Some relaxation was in order. As you know, this was the best possible thing we could have done, because without the Clomid, we could finally see where my temperature was and make the necessary adjustments. I am pleased to say that after two months of trying, we conceived, and are now starting our second trimester!

  I cannot thank you enough for the care you provided. I know that we would not be sharing this happy news had I not sought your expertise. It was a pleasure to work with you both, and I look forward to bringing a little bundle of joy to meet you both in September.

  Regards,

  -Kate D.
   

October 7, 2005 - Their informative presentation was very well-received by all of our participants, and I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation on their behalf During their lecture
 

• To Whom it May Concern:
  
  Terry Williams has asked me to provide feedback for a recent seminar presented by Paul Murray, L.Ac. and Dr. Wenying Lin, OMD on the topic of Acupuncture and Chinese medicine in the treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythmetosus. Their informative presentation was very well-received by all of our participants, and I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation on their behalf. During their lecture, Paul Murray and Dr. Lin outlined the philosophy and practice of Chinese medicine, and discussed the many ways that complementary therapies such as Acupuncture can work together with traditional Western medicine to provide maximum benefit to the patient. Our group was fairly small, and Paul and Wenying tailored their lecture accordingly to better suit the audience, allowing the presentation to become more interactive. Participants were encouraged to ask many questions, and Dr. Lin even demonstrated the acupuncture process on audience volunteers. Their polished presentation was very well-organized, and our participants received generous handouts and information packets to take away from the seminar. Our organization was extremely pleased with the quality of this presentation, and strongly recommends Paul Murray and Dr. Lin' s program, to other organizations whose clients, or employees could stand to benefit from learning more about the therapies offered at their practice, Acupuncture Associates.
  
  Best Regards,
  
  Michelle Leslie
  
  Director, Community Programs
  Lupus Foundation of Colorado
   

April 9, 2005 - Your patience, dedication, and efforts to help me be healthier and to accomplish my desire to conceive a child have been overwhelming.
 

• Dear Dr. Lin,

  I want to thank you for all of the help that you have given me over the past two and a half months.  Your patience, dedication, and efforts to help me be healthier and to accomplish my desire to conceive a child have been overwhelming.

  This thank you is for Bruce and Michael as well.  When I first came to East/West Health, I had been seeing another acupuncturist for a couple of months, but had not seen the results that I was hoping to see.  I believe very strongly that the guidance of both Bruce and Michael to change my diet to become an overall healthier person helped me to reach my goal.  It was wonderful that you have surrounded yourself with such knowledgeable and caring people.

  My story started over three years ago when my husband and I decided that we wanted to start our family.  We tried for almost two years on our own, using fertility monitors and ovulation predictors, without success.  In June of last year we started seeing a fertility specialist who determined that everything looked fine with both my husband and I, so my condition was “unexplained”.  We proceeded to go through four rounds of Clomid with artificial insemination.  Twice we used Ovidrel to produce ovulation because it was coming too late in my cycle.  After none of these attempts were successful, we were told that our next option would be in-vitro fertilization.  We were not emotionally or financially ready to make this decision yet.  A couple of months later, someone suggested to me that I give acupuncture a try.  I found East/West Health and you sometime in January or February of this year.  I saw you twice a week for the first month, and saw immediate positive changes in my menstrual cycle.  After a couple of months of treatment, and some very positive changes in diet and exercise, we decided to consult a different fertility specialist and try another round of artificial insemination.  When I was on Clomid this time, while I did not produce anymore than the one follicle that I was getting all of the other times, my uterine lining was as thick as it had been before I was on Clomid.  This has to be a direct result of the acupuncture since this is the only thing that changed in my life.

  Needless to say, I am so happy.  Our first child is due December of this year.  I cannot thank Michael enough for taking a couple of hours of his time to come to the clinic to give me a treatment before and after my insemination.

  I have never had a positive pregnancy before this time.  My acupuncture has been a wonderful experience in my life.  I now have a baby on the way, understand the importance of eating the right foods, and the role that different types of exercise play in our lives.  The treatments themselves were a time of such pure relaxation for me.

  Again, thank you for everything you have done to help me.

  Sincerely,

  A Very Happy Patient

  -Jill C.
   

May 2005 - I would like to take this opportunity to strongly recommend Dr. Lin to any new patient seeing treatment for fertility issues.
 

• I would like to take this opportunity to strongly recommend Dr. Lin to any new patient seeing treatment for fertility issues. I am thrilled to say that after 18 months of unsuccessful attempts to conceive, I became pregnant after only a few weeks of acupuncture and herbal treatments with Dr. Lin.

  For a year and a half, I charted my temperature, cervical fluids and patterns using the techniques outline in the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. In addition, I read many books about nutrition and supplementation and their effects on fertility. I tried different combinations, and finally invested in a fertility monitor to confirm the timing of my ovulation. But nothing worked.

  There were months where it was unclear whether or not I was even ovulating, and EVERY month showed erratic patterns in my temperature levels. Obviously my body was off balance somehow, which was interfering with my natural ability to conceive. (Incidentally, testing of my hormones showed normal levels).

  I heard about Dr. Lin from a friend who was seeing her for a menopause-related condition. Dr. Lin recommended I make some dietary changes, begin taking specific herbal supplements, and receive acupuncture treatments. After only one treatment, I could see my temperature patterns stabilizing for the first time. In a few weeks, my chart really looked like a “normal” person’s chart (which it NEVER had before), and I became pregnant right away after just a few weeks of treatment! I am still seeing Dr. Lin to keep me healthy during this pregnancy.

  The reason I went to Dr. Lin was that I did not want to be subjected to the tests and disappointment I have seen friends go through with western medicine’s approach to “infertility.” I know that in the western medical field, I would have had to go through a series of uncomfortable diagnostic procedures to identify any physical impairment. Since I obviously don’t have any physical problems, I would have been termed a classic case of “unexplained infertility,” and most likely would have been prescribed Chlomid as the next step. Chlomid would definitely not have helped my situation, because it stimulates more egg production, which was NOT my problem (however, it is standard western medical practice to prescribe it in cases of “Unexplained Infertility”). The next step would have been invitro fertilization.

  Acupuncture and herbal treatment with Dr. Lin was a lot faster, a lot cheaper, a lot less invasive, and the BEST way I could have ever hoped to get pregnant, since it stimulated my body to do what it was already naturally able to do! The treatments helped balance my body where imbalances existed.

  To any new patient of Dr. Lin’s, I would strongly urge you to have faith in your own body’s ability to conceive. I give Dr. Lin my HIGHEST recommendation as a professional who truly understands how to get you there in the most natural way possible.

  -K. Christensen
   

March 8, 2005 - It was almost one year ago that I found an article on acupuncture and infertility that led me to Dr. Lin, Bruce and East-West.  Today, I have a healthy 2-month-old boy, a healthier life-style and acupuncture to thank.
 

• To Whom It May Concern:
  
  It was almost one year ago that I found an article on acupuncture and infertility that led me to Dr. Lin, Bruce and East-West.  Today, I have a healthy 2-month-old boy, a healthier life-style and acupuncture to thank.
  
  My husband and I are both in our early 30’s and have been together since college.  After many years of schooling, career building and moving around we finally decided to start a family.  Like many people you assume getting pregnant will be the easy part, after all so many of our friends had conceived without a thought.  We tried for about a year and a half with no luck, and frustrated, we proceeded with fertility testing.
  
  After several months of expensive and invasive tests for both my husband and myself….the results…. inconclusive…. unexplained infertility.  My OB at the time suggested we try Clomid.  We tried 2 rounds of Clomid and it made me terribly sick and, of course, with no luck.  Frustrated and discouraged, we decided that we would start looking into adoption by the end of the year if we continued to have no luck.  It was also at this time that I decided to quit the job I hated, eat healthier, exercise more, read up on alternative fertility treatments, and try acupuncture.
  After one month of treatment twice a week and some herbs several times a day, I was pregnant.  I had some troubles with spotting and morning sickness early on in my pregnancy and Dr Lin and Bruce were lifesavers.  I continued treatment throughout my pregnancy to help with stress and still continue treatment to help balance my postpartum roller coaster and keep me centered.
  
  Acupuncture and the folks at East-West have truly changed our lives and for that I am thankful.
  
  Thanks Dr. Lin, Bruce and East-West!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Otto’s Mom
   

December 21, 2004 - Back in January, I made regaining my health my personal goal for 2004. As you know, I had a "probable" diagnosis of lupus and was taking a myriad of medications
 

• Dear Paul,
  
  Merry Christmas to you, my friend.
  
  Back in January, I made regaining my health my personal goal for 2004. As you know, I had a "probable" diagnosis of lupus. I was taking a myriad of medications -- an antidepressant, an anti-inflammatory and a sleeping pill every day, then adding in way too many antibiotics and other prescription meds. I was living with constant pain and frequent illness.
  
  And now, as we look toward another new year, I am so happy and so proud to have achieved my goal of being healthy and living a healthful life.
  
  Thank you for introducing me to acupuncture and for your great care. Your caring and guidance through this process.
  
  Your skills and your passion for what you do are an inspiration, Paul, and I thank you for that as well.
  
  To honor you, and the work you do, I have made a donation in your name to the Denver Rescue Mission.
  
  So, Paul, my life has changed enormously for the better this year and I thank you for that great gift.
  
  Be well. Have some fun. Take care of YOU.
  
  -Juda
   

October 13, 2003 - Two days after my first treatment with Dr. Lin, my entire pelvis rotated.  After that, I noticed that if I did not move at all and sat very still, for the first time in almost 2 years, I did not have pain.

• When I first came to see Dr. Lin, I was skeptical. I had tried acupuncture before without any results, but I was desperate. A year and a half before, a chiropractor injured my back to the point where I could not stand-up straight, had to use a crutch to walk, and was in continuous excruciating pain. I was 31 years old and felt like I would never get my sense of health or well being back. Even worse, my condition was deteriorating. I had tried everything from medication to physical therapy and my back got worse as my muscles atrophied. I had an Electric Needle Test and a variety of other painful tests, medications, and alternative treatments and still no one could diagnosis or stop what was happening to my back. Day after day, I wondered, in between spasms, if a person could die form exhaustion. I was 31 and felt that I would never be able to enjoy my life again.
  
  Finally, I went to see Dr. Lin at the East-West Health Center. My mom had to practically twist my arm to go. I’m so glad that she did! Two days after my first treatment with Dr. Lin, my entire pelvis rotated. After that, I noticed that if I did not move at all and sat very still, for the first time in almost 2 years, I did not have pain. It sounds like a small thing, but it allowed me to remember what it was like to be comfortable in my body. This improvement, which I attribute to Dr. Lin’s amazing abilities as a healer, literally was a lifesaver. I could get a moment-to moment reprieve from all of the pain I was in. In addition, it allowed me to begin healing and to go to physical therapy.
  
  Today, I am stronger than ever. This summer, for the first time in three years, I was able to water-ski. It amazes me that I am so active now considering last summer I was literally crawling or using a crutch to get around. It feels great to be back!
  
  Many wonderful people helped me to recover and grow strong. To them I am and will always be incredibly thankful. Dr Lin’s work was the catalyst that began and maintained my healing process, giving me the opportunity to recover my life and health. Were other doctors had given up on my ever leading a normal life, Dr Lin was undaunted by my injury. Each time I was treated by Dr. Lin and her dedicated staff, I met with New Hope and improvement. If you have a back injury, and are looking for a treatment that really works, I highly recommend you go to Dr. Lin. She really knows her stuff!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  -Merri M.
   

The purpose of this letter is to some how put in words my appreciation for your kindness and generosity.
 

• The purpose of this letter is to some how put in words my appreciation for your kindness and generosity. It is difficult for me at this time to find words other than "THANK YOU SO MUCH.”
  
  I realize that I am on a difficult journey. It is one that has brought me to many people under such trying times and the most sincere have been you. I hope someday I can repay you for your kindness.
  
  I am feeling a little better. It is hard to know if it is the medicine, the herbs and vitamins, the acupuncture, therapy, massage or perhaps a combination of them all. I am beginning to focus better and have decided to fight harder to not be a victim any longer.
  
  Thank you again
  
  -Beegi
   

I went to Dr. Lin faithfully during that time.  On my 3^rd time, I produced 35 eggs, which at the age of 40, the doctor was very impressed.
 

• My husband and I had been married for about two years and tried to get pregnant in speaking to my OB/GYN, she suggested that we meet with an Infertility doctor. After speaking with the doctor, my husband and I decided to get a second opinion, since there was a lot of money involved. I went to a doctor many people referred me to and both my husband and me were very impressed. My husband and I did a few AI’s and those did not work. We came up with the money, borrowing from my 401K, putting some on credit card and did IVF. I was 36 at the time and produced eleven eggs. I had three fresh embryos transferred and was able to freeze two. I got pregnant, but had a tubal two days before my 6 week check up. The percentage of that happening is less than 3 percent, since we did IVF. I had to have one of my tubes removed. I picked myself up and a few months later, tried the frozen ones. The percentage is less than 25% when using frozen embryos. Those did not take. I met with the doctor and he reviewed my chart and had no reason why I shouldn’t do another IVF cycle, since everything looked good. I used my cafeteria plan at work for the next time and we became more in debt. This time I produced 22 eggs and had 10 embryos. I had 3 fresh embryos transferred and froze 4. On this second try, nothing happened with the fresh embryos. A few months later, I transferred the frozen embryos and those did not work either. After my frozen cycle, my grandma had passed away and it was very hard for me.
  
  Well by this time, I was very discouraged. A lot of people had talked about acupuncture. So in December of 2004, I started acupuncture. Dr. Lin and Bruce met with me on my initial consultation and explained the whole process of what acupuncture is. I stared going 2 times a week for approximately 3 months. My doctor looked again at my chart and everything still looked good to him, so I tried IVF for a third time. I had heard that your chances go up a lot with acupuncture. In May of 2005, I tried IVF for my 3rd time. I went to Dr. Lin faithfully during that time. On my 3rd time, I produced 35 eggs, which at the age of 40, the doctor was very impressed. I contribute a lot of that production, if not all, acupuncture. I also had Michael come to the doctor’s office to do a treatment before and after my transfer.
  
  During this whole time going to acupuncture, there were a lot of other great benefits I received doing acupuncture. I have bad allergies and I could tell that they were getting better; I saw that my monthly periods were getting much better, and I had a change in my mood, for the positive. It did not take for a third time and I had 2 sets of 4 embryos that were frozen. I did the first set and still did acupuncture. Those did not take.
  
  By now, I was emotionally and physically drained. I still did acupuncture once a month because I loved all the other benefits it provided. I went and got 2 other opinions from the top Infertility doctors in the state and both doctors said there was nothing wrong, but they would do a few blood tests to rule everything out. After fighting with the insurance company for 4 months to make sure they were going to pay for the blood test, since that was going to cost about $4,000, if they didn’t pay. I found out they were going to pay and all those tests showed nothing wrong.
  
  Well in February, I got enough courage to do my last 4 embroys. I started taking medication I needed to take and shortly after that, I got a sinus infection and was put on antibiotics and did not want to have those meds in my body, so I stopped the procedure and started on my next period. I started my meds again, went in for all my tests, and started back 2 times a week for acupuncture. The day of my transfer, it was rescheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. At that point, I was able to do acupuncture both before and after my transfer. I couldn’t afford for Dr. Lin to come to my doctors office, so I opted to go before my transfer and then right after to her office. I had to wait for a week and a half. It was the longest time and I knew for sure I wasn’t pregnant. I went in for my pregnancy test and was very emotional because I knew this was the last time I would see these people and the results would be negative. I had one of the nurses sneak a peak, the test was positive, and I kept telling her she was wrong and it was not my test. She assured me it was. I am currently 16 weeks pregnant, and all of my blood levels are so much better this time and my 16 week ultrasound looks good. My due date is December 18, 2006.  Again I contribute much of this to acupuncture. 
  
  I can not than Dr. Lin, Michael, and Bruce enough for everything they have done.
  
  -Julie P.
   

My husband and I want to thank Dr. Lin, Bruce and Michael for all their time and encouragement.  We believe that without their treatments and support this would never have happened.
 

• Dr. Lin, Bruce and Michael:
  
  In July of 2003, my husband and I made the decision to try to have our second child. Since there was no problems conceiving our first child, we did not believe there would be any problems conceiving a second time. Since I had not received a cycle since the birth of our son a year before, we scheduled an appointment with my Ob/GYN. She proceeded to run several blood tests, which all came back normal. I was prescribed four cycles of Clomid, after which time my Ob/GYN referred me to a reproductive endocrinologist. In March of 2004, I was diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure (POF). With this diagnosis came a less than 10% chance of conceiving on my own. The only other option provided at the time was In Vitro Fertilization with donor eggs. Since both my husband and I were uncertain about the use of donor eggs, I began to research if there were any other options to conceiving my own child. The only other option that kept reoccurring and made sense was Acupuncture.
  
  In late August of 2004, I met with the staff of East-West Health Center and began to receive Acupuncture treatments for infertility. Dr. Lin suggested I receive two treatments a week for the first four weeks and then one treatment a week for the next 12 weeks. In addition, they suggested some dietary changes and prescribed some herbs for me to take on a daily basis. By October it appeared that I had ovulated for the first time since the birth of my son in July of 2003, however, I never received my period, only spotting. The same thing happened again in November. In December it finally appeared that things might be on track for a full, regular cycle, however, I never received my period or any spotting.
  
  I was scheduled to see Dr. Lin in early January of 2005 for one of my appointments. Prior to my appointment I took a home pregnancy test. The test came back positive. While extremely excited, I hesitantly scheduled an appointment with my Ob/GYN. My Ob/GYN confirmed the pregnancy with a blood test and ultra sound. Both my husband and I were excited and shocked that we had conceived on our own.
  
  My husband and I want to thank Dr. Lin, Bruce and Michael for all their time and encouragement. We believe that without their treatments and support this would never have happened.
  
  You have given my family one of the greatest gifts – the gift of life.
   

All in all, this was a wonderful experience for me.  Even though I was fortunate enough to get pregnant right away, I was prepared to keep it going for another few months to see what progress my body was continuing to make.
 

• Dr. Lin
  
  I just wanted to say thank you for all that you’ve done in helping me to get pregnant. After trying for almost two years before coming to see you, it was much to my surprise and excitement that your treatments worked for me after the first month! I am pregnant! Because it helped me to understand other patients’ struggles with their infertility and the progress made with your methods and treatments, I thought I would share my experience.
  
  As I mentioned above, I had been trying to get pregnant for two years before a friend recommended me to Dr. Lin. I had gotten pregnant once during that time, but had a miscarriage. I had been on Clomid for two months with the first pregnancy. And with high hopes that it would work for me again, I took it for another six months with no success. Finally, I gave up on the Clomid and decided to take a break all together from “trying” for a few months during the spring. It was during that time that my friend recommended me to Dr. Lin. My feeling was I had nothing to lose with trying an Eastern method; they have been doing this for thousands of years. And I was convinced that if I had gotten pregnant before, I could do it again, and I wanted to try one more time naturally before looking into IVF.
  
  When my husband and I first started trying to have kids, I attempted to chart my temperature. I was frustrated within a few days because my temperature reading wasn’t even listed on the chart; it was too low, in the 65.5 range, so I quit charting. Dr. Lin encouraged me to continue taking my temperature regardless, because everyday it was telling her something. I had to create a customized chart so that I had a wider range of numbers. Dr. Lin hadn’t seen that before! The one thing that Dr. Lin said was that was good was that she could see a pattern in my chart, and an obvious point of ovulation where my temperature stayed higher. I still seemed to be on the low side in terms of my temperature, but the pattern was still there, so I felt good. I knew that in few months my body would probably warm up to where it needed to be.
  
  Because I had stopped taking my temperature, I resorted to spending a lot of money on Ovulation Testing kits. I tended to have longer cycles (32-42 days), so that would mean I would go though a couple of kits a month if I needed to. Not only did I have usually long cycles, but also they were very irregular. Occasionally, a normal 28-day cycle would pop in there, but I was usually caught off guard and would miss my ovulation time. The first thing Dr. Lin helped me with was shortening my cycle. During the cycle that I had prior to seeing Dr. Lin, I had noted that I had detected my positive LH surge on day 26. After a few treatments and taking my herbs, during my next cycle I detected my surge at day 19. It felt good to see progress.
  
  The one thing that I really liked about charting my temperature an coming in to see Dr. Lin once a week was that I had a very positive, relaxed feeling that someone was finally watching me and monitoring how my body was working. A level of stress was taken away when I didn’t have to guess how and if my body as reacting properly to the drug I was taking. When I was taking Clomid, it was always, “Well, it didn’t work this month, let’s add another 50mg to the dosage!” Until I reached 150mg of Clomid for 2 months! I just didn’t want to go through it anymore. At Dr. Lin’s office, I’d come in, we’d talk about how I was feeling, what I was eating, read my chart, then she would start the treatment and leave me n the room where I would always quickly fall into a deep sleep. It just felt good.
  
  Speaking of diet and other things that I changed after seeing Dr Lin, I was never much of a coffee/caffeine drinker, but loved decaf lattes. I would drink lots of them for the calcium; however, I switched to using soymilk as opposed to regular nonfat milk since she wanted me to stay away for dairy. I also make sure to limit my sugar intake. I tried to eat more vegetables, leafy greens, etc. I wasn’t perfect, but made a conscious effort to try a little harder than usual during the treatments. I also cut down on my wine intake to just one glass during a weekend dinner. That was hard, because I do love wine.
  
  All in all, this was a wonderful experience for me. Even though I was fortunate enough to get pregnant right away, I was prepared to keep it going for another few months to see what progress my body was continuing to make. I appreciated the positive reinforcement and the philosophy of healing the whole system instead of just one part. In my mind, I always new that I would be able to get pregnant naturally, my body just needed a little coaxing into it! Right now, I’m 7 weeks pregnant. I just went in for my first doctor’s appointment yesterday and saw its little tine heart beating away in the ultrasound! It was if the little one was saying “Mommy, look at me, we made it-I’ll be seeing you soon!!!” It’s early, but I have confidence that this one is going to work out. I’ll keep you posted!
  Thanks again, Dr. Lin, for all the advise and positive encouragement. I’m sure I’ll be back when I’m going for Round Two.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  -Kristin D.
   

I wanted to explain why I decided to try acupuncture for my infertility problems, in hopes that other women will be encouraged to consider acupuncture for their infertility problems.
 

• To Dr. Lin,
  
  The purpose of this letter is to thank you for all of your help. Secondly, I wanted to explain why I decided to try acupuncture for my infertility problems, in hopes that other women will be encouraged to consider acupuncture for their infertility problems.
  
  My husband and I have been married for six years and we have two children, a 4-year-old son and a 2-1/2 year old daughter. My husband and I have always hoped to have 3 or 4 children.
  
  Over one year ago, we decided to start trying for a third child. I have always had irregular menstrual cycles, so I have always used the ovulation sticks to help pinpoint when I will ovulate. However, this time around, I was finding out that my body was not ovulating. After six months of trying, I met with my OBGYN doctor to find out what some of my options were to help me ovulate. We decided to try Clomid, in conjunction with HCG injections and IUI’s. I tried this for 4 months and was not successful. I decided to try on my own again for 2 months and still nothing happened. Thus, I started looking into my other options.
  
  I knew that I did not want to do IVF. My husband and I felt that it didn’t make sense to spend that kind of time and money, when we have already been blessed with two wonderful children. However, our desire to have a third child was no less than with our first two children.
  I felt that my two options at this pint were to either go back on birth control pills for three months to see if that would fool my body into ovulating again on its own or to try acupuncture. My gut feeling told me to try acupuncture.
  
  I decided to see you because I had heard great things about you and knew also that you specialized in infertility. You informed me that during our first meeting that it might take up to three months before we’d see some improvement in my menstrual cycle. But amazingly enough, after three weeks of acupuncture, taking the herbs and changing my diet dramatically, I got pregnant. I didn’t ovulate until about the 24th day of my cycle, but I still conceived. Because of this experience, I truly believe that acupuncture, along with eating healthier, helped me get pregnant.
  I am so thankful that I decided try acupuncture and that I was able to have this successful experience with you.
  
  Thanks for everything,
  
  -Tracy
   

My Miracle Baby
 

• I am convinced that acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine helped get my body prepared for a successful pregnancy. In the span of 6 years my husband and I have been trying to have a baby. Because of my history and age I decided to go to an infertility specialist only to be diagnosed with unexplained infertility. I went through years of blood testing, failed IUI's and infertility drugs without success. As desperate as I was after 2 failed pregnancies I decided to try acupuncture treatments along with western infertility treatments before going the IVF route.
  
  Months passed which sometimes became frustrating and disappointing and then I finally decided to put more effort into Dr. Lin's advice and to chart my temperature religiously each waking morning. By finding a monthly trend Dr. Lin was able to prescribe herbs that helped my chi change in my cycle. My monthly cycle became more suitable for ovulation. It was the first sign of something working right without any fertility drugs. I also worked on the diet she recommended and I started drinking green drinks to balance my PH levels.
  
  I dedicated a year of consistent acupuncture treatments, charting by basal body temperature, taking the prescribed Chinese herbs and following a healthy diet and I found myself pregnant after returning from a 2 week vacation. I continued to go to acupuncture during the early months of pregnancy and to place all positive thoughts into this pregnancy. It had to be successful, I thought, as I was quickly approaching 39 years of age. By the 10th week the doctor told me that everything looked good with the pregnancy and then referred me to an OB/GYN doctor. We were delighted! The pregnancy went well and I safely delivered a 9 pound baby girl into the world.
  
  As I look back today, I am truly grateful for the Chinese medical treatment I received from Dr. Lin along with her knowledge and experience in women's infertility. I am now the happy mother of a beautiful baby girl and believe she is my miracle baby.
  
  -Christine P.