What To Expect
01
Before you arrive
Once you've booked, you'll receive some forms to complete online
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An informed consent form to read and sign
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An initial consultation form, with your details and what you'd like help with
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A fertility questionnaire, if relevant, where you can share any test results.
These let me review your history and any test results before we meet. You'll also receive directions and parking information.
02
Your first consultation
We'll take a deep dive into your health, history and what you want from treatment. I'll look over any test results and suggest anything worth discussing with your GP or fertility clinic (if relevant).
We'll have an honest chat about concerns you might have & what we'll face together.
I'll also look at your tongue and pulse - which might feel a little strange at first, but it gives me a wealth of information about what might be happening in your body as part of a Chinese medicine diagnosis, you will soon get used to it!
We'll then agree a treatment plan together, including how often you'll come and when we'll review how things are going.
03
Your Treatment
Every treatment is tailored to you, we chat and review new info and results since last session.
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After our catch up, you'll get comfortable on the treatment couch, and I'll place the needles per your treatment plan.
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I'll always tell you which body areas I need to access, make sure you're comfortable and take everything at your pace
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You'll then spend 20 ish minutes on the treatment couch, relaxing (yes, relaxing!) with your needles in. I leave the room so you can fully switch off, with a buzzer to call me and calm music if that's your thing.
04
Treatment Frequency
Most people start with weekly sessions, usually for the first 4 treatments, then we review together and move to fortnightly if that suits you better.
Weekly sessions throughout your treatment are the most effective as acupuncture is cumulative, so each session builds on the last and we can get quicker results, but if ongoing weekly treatment isn't possible for any reason, fortnightly is fine - it just means things build more gradually.
As a guide:
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Fortnightly: Steady, longer-term support (around £150 per month)
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Weekly: When timing matters, for example your first month, during an IVF cycle or if your history is more complex, such as being aged 38 or over, have endometriosis, PMOS (formerly PCOS) or previous miscarriage, I'd encourage weekly sessions for longer than the first 4 weeks. (around £300 per month or £250 with a weekly plan)
These are follow-on session costs. Your first consultation (£99) is separate and includes your first treatment
05
Between Sessions
Between your sessions I will often ask you to track your symptoms and other data. Simple notes on your phone, screenshot and sent to me work great.
If you use a cycle tracking app, I'll often ask for screenshots of that data.
For fertility & IVF work, I will ask you to record your BBT - Basal Body Temperature. We'll go through how to do that correctly at your first session. I don;t expect perfection, but tracking the data really helps us to see patterns and then I can treat you more efficiently.
Your feedback and co-operation is crucial, so any changes you notice after treatment, let me know.
If you have tests or scans done between sessions, it's always beneficial to send those results to me before your next treatment.
I spend a lot of time between sessions preparing for you, researching, looking over test results, checking progress from previous sessions - so having your data means I can use that and tailor your next treatment to be the most effective it can be.
06
Over Time
Together, we'll review your progress at different points in treatment.
We'll talk through positive changes and anything that still needs improving.
If progress isn't as expected, or curve balls are thrown our way for whatever reason then I will review and pivot - and I'll always tell you why and what the change is.
IVF Support: Treatment runs up to and including the two week wait, then adapts based on the IVF round outcome.
Fertility: Treatment usually continues at least fortnightly whilst trying to conceive.
Periods & Menopause: Treatment until your symptoms reduce or resolve, then we can move to less frequent sessions, or conclude treatment.
Clinical Honesty: I'll always tell you if treatment is no longer beneficial to you
Obligation: Pause or stop sessions at any time - no questions asked - just let me know.