Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How long does treatment take?
2. Can I take TCM whilst undergoing assisted fertility procedures like IVF?
3. Are there any side effects?
4. Is the acupuncture painful?
5. Does Dr Zhai do the acupuncture?
6. How long is an appointment?
7. How often do I need to come?
8. I’m having IVF, should I have more acupuncture?
9. What can I do to take the taste of the herbal tea away?
10.Can I take the herbal tea if I have a cold?
11.My GP can’t arrange investigations for me, can you help?
12.What should I expect at the initial consultation?
13.What’s the typical patient experience and how long does their treatment last?
14.Can I have acupuncture elsewhere?
15.What kind of things do you look at when investigating infertility?
16.What’s different about Dr Zhai’s approach and what is her greatest achievement?
1.How long does treatment take?
Traditional Chinese Medicine is a very personal treatment and different people respond differently. As such, it’s very difficult to say how long your treatment will take. The minimum length of time however is three months, but it can be much longer.
2.Can I take TCM whilst undergoing assisted fertility procedures like IVF?
Yes, it’s possible to combine TCM with assisted fertility procedures and many of our patients have done so with great success. We ask you to inform us of any forthcoming IVF, IUI etc so that your treatment plan can be modified accordingly to coincide with your assisted fertility treatment cycle. When planning assisted fertility treatment, we recommend that you let your fertility clinic know that you’re also having treatment at our clinic.
Our patients don’t normally suffer from side effects. But we encourage them to let us know if they do feel unwell so that we can try and help. It’s not advisable to take Traditional Chinese Medicine if you’re suffering from a cold, cystitis or if taking antibiotics.
The majority of our patients find the acupuncture so relaxing that they often fall asleep. If a needle was to cause discomfort, our practitioners are always available to make you more comfortable.
5.Does Dr Zhai do the acupuncture?
We have two fully qualified TCM Practitioners who will carry out your acupuncture. Although Dr Zhai does not physically do the acupuncture she is solely in control of each patient’s treatment and will decide which acupuncture points to use.
Initial consultations are 1 hour. Follow up appointments are generally 45 minutes long. This includes an approximately 15 minute consultation, with the remaining time for your acupuncture.
7.How often do I need to come?
Most of our patients, who live or work in London, normally come every two weeks; outside London and up to Yorkshire, they normally come every three weeks and patients from Scotland and Ireland attend every four weeks. Our patients from Europe will come every four to six weeks and so this all depends on the individual circumstances and how they can manage their appointments around work and life. Obviously, the more regularly you see us the better progress you can make.
We would like to let you know what is involved in a follow up consultation.
During this appointment, we normally spend approximately 15 minutes assessing how you are getting on with the herbs we have prescribed. We will also monitor the progress you have made by evaluating your temperature chart, your pulse and tongue, as well as some general health questions. We will then prescribe further herbal medication for you based on this evaluation. The whole process is about reviewing and re-formulating and we will then offer you a session of acupuncture with no extra cost.
8.I’m having IVF, should I have more acupuncture?
All our patients are closely monitored during any assisted fertility treatment, and all acupuncture sessions and medicine are arranged according to the progress of the cycle. For more information please click on How acupuncture can improve your chances of IVF working?
9.What can I do to take the taste of the herbal tea away?
Some Chinese medicine can taste quite bitter and we suggest having some raisins, a mint or a few rinses of water after you’ve drunk your herbal tea. We don’t recommend that you add anything, such as honey, to the tea itself, as invariably it won’t make a difference to the taste and can affect the potency of the medicine.
10.Can I take the herbal tea if I have a cold?
We don’t recommend that you drink the tea if you’re suffering from a cold, as this can occasionally aggravate symptoms. And we always advise patients to contact us if they feel unwell during treatment so we can advise them on the best course of action. If cold symptoms persist, it’s possible to have an appointment to see if we can help relieve them.
11.My GP can’t arrange investigations for me, can you help?
From time to time, it may be necessary to have an investigation or blood test in order to monitor your progress. We work with a select few laboratories and clinics in Harley Street who can perform these tests for a fee, if your GP can’t arrange them for you.
12.What should I expect at the initial consultation?
The initial consultation is with Dr Zhai and takes one hour. It involves a diagnostic interview, which includes questions about your medical history, previous investigations and general health and there will be plenty of time to discuss your past gynaecological history and fertility treatments. Dr Zhai will also talk you through exactly what’s involved with TCM treatment and explain any recommended tests or investigations. You’ll then create a treatment plan together. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to have acupuncture on the day of your initial consultation
13.What’s the typical patient experience and how long does their treatment last?
The length and course of treatment depends on many factors including the cause and nature of the infertility and the way the individual patient responds. The average length of treatment for PCO/PCOS, endometriosis is 10-12 months. Among our female patients who became pregnant, 15% took up to three months, 69% took up to one year and 16% took more than one year. Of our male patients, whose partners became pregnant, 37% achieved success within four months and a further 53% within six months; 10% took more than one year. The average length of treatment time is four and a half months.
You’ll usually continue treatment until the third month of pregnancy or – in the case of recurrent miscarriages – until the time has passed at which your latest miscarriage occurred.
14.Can I have acupuncture elsewhere?
TCM treatment is a combination of herbal medicine and acupuncture; in which the therapeutic herbs will contribute to at least 70% of the whole treatment programme. We recommend and prefer to provide the herbal medication and acupuncture ourselves, as it will be easier for us to monitor your progress. If a patient were to have acupuncture elsewhere, it would be difficult for us to monitor as different practitioners practice differently. Therefore when things are not going to our plan, we don’t’ know whether our programme is not right for you or because another practitioner has done something unexpected.
15.What kind of things do you look at when investigating infertility?
We’ll take a wide variety of factors into consideration. These include looking at your reproductive condition as well as your constitution, including any digestive problems or inherited health conditions. We’ll look at possible causes such as blocked fallopian tubes or other medical conditions like Chlamydia or any previous operations. We’ll also look at your lifestyle to see whether you’re drinking too much alcohol, caffeine or too many ice-cold drinks; eating too much fatty or spicy food; smoking; overworking or emotionally stressed over a long period of time.
16.What’s different about Dr Zhai’s approach and what is her greatest achievement?
In the UK, the main fertility treatment available is generally assisted fertility procedures. At The Zhai Clinic, Dr Zhai uses her knowledge of traditional western medicine techniques coupled with her expertise in TCM to identify the causes of infertility and devise a more natural, less invasive and more cost effective treatment plan. Alternatively she can help to improve your chances of becoming pregnant by combining TCM with assisted fertility treatment. She also advises on ways in which you can help yourself to maximise your chances of conception.
More than half her patients have achieved a pregnancy naturally despite many assisted fertility treatments having previously failed.