Fertility Program
Following a unique program that blends traditional Chinese medicine
with Western science, Dr. Wu is helping couples and single women
-- many previously diagnosed as infertile -- conceive, carry, and
deliver healthy babies. Dr. Wu's approach, developed during over
30 years of clinical practice in traditional Chinese medicine, helps
women conceive naturally, improves the effectiveness of Western
assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs), minimizes the difficulties
of pregnancy and childbirth, and improves male fertility issues.
Dr. Wu's program provides treatment, tools, and guidelines for
the three stages of pregnancy care: preconception, prenatal, and
postpartum. Her treatments for women and men consist of acupuncture,
moxabustion, and cupping; herbal remedies; Qi Gong and breathing
exercises; and acupressure, including Chi Organ Acupressure and
Chi Meridian Acupressure. Because Dr. Wu has discovered that food
intake and lifestyle greatly affect fertility, she also recommends
eating and drinking guidelines and stress reduction techniques.
Dr. Wu's treatments also improve pregnancy and childbirth. Women
undergoing ARTs experience fewer side effects. Expectant mothers
have greater vitality, brighter outlooks, less nausea -- and full-term
pregnancies. Labor lasts four to six hours instead of days. Mothers
bounce back without depression or fatigue and with better long-term
reproductive health. Babies are easier to raise. Male issues are
improved.
Dr. Wu participates in the University of California-San Francisco's
Fertility Experiences Project, which follows 500 couples managing
fertility challenges and is the first such program in the country
to receive a National Institute of Health grant. She also teaches
her approach through UCSF's Master's program in nursing.
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Fertility
Treatment Guidelines
1) Allow your body three to six months to prepare for a pregnancy.
During this time plan on coming in for acupuncture and acupressure
once a week. If you're undergoing an IVF cycle, Dr. Wu may suggest
coming in more frequently.
2) When you visit the clinic for your first treatment, bring the
results of any Western medical hormone-level tests (FSH/LH) taken
within three months. For your male partner, please bring any information
related to sperm count or motility.
3) It is important that Dr. Wu diagnose your male partner. Even
if his sperm count is normal and no Western diagnosis has been given,
Chinese medicine may detect stress, imbalances, or other unforeseen
variables with an impact on fertility.
4) Dr. Wu may prescribe herbs and ask you to follow a fertility
diet. There may be different herbs for the first and second halves
of your cycle. Dr. Wu may prescribe additional herbs for your unique
condition.
5) Once you have conceived, it is important to continue coming
for treatments to increase your chances of securing your pregnancy.
Traditionally, acupuncturists have rejected the idea of needling
pregnant women. Dr. Wu's experience has led her "outside the
box" of this centuries-old philosophy to pioneer her innovative
program, historically the first comprehensive protocol of its kind.
Dr. Wu recommends acupuncture twice a week during the first trimester
and once a week during the last six to eight weeks of pregnancy.
You should continue herbs throughout your pregnancy.
6) Post-partum care is an integral part of Dr. Wu's treatment plan.
The sooner after delivery that you are able to come for treatment,
the more benefits you will receive. Dr. Wu suggests treatments once
a week for three months following delivery to strengthen your reproductive
organs, speed your recovery, correct high blood pressure, help ensure
future healthy pregnancies and keep women free from postpartum depression.
7) You will be given a tea to take 24 hours after delivery for
one week. This tea will help disperse blood or fluid left over from
the pregnancy.
8) For at least one month following delivery, be sure to dry your
hair thoroughly before leaving the house. It is also important to
wear socks to bed and avoid cold foods.
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Pregnancy Care
Program
For
over thirty years of clinical practice, Dr. Angela C. Wu has questioned
long standing beliefs prevalent in Traditional Chinese Medicine
and tested new cutting edge approaches, the foremost being needling
pregnant women, something traditional acupuncturists, restrained
by centuries of tradition, historically did not do.
Her pioneering
efforts led to the development of a successful and effective fertility
program. Dr. Wu discovered that the most important aspects for ensuring
a healthy pregnancy are lifestyle changes including changing eating
and drinking habits.
Her comprehensive
fertility treatment program includes eating and drinking guidelines,
special herbal formulas, and stress reducing techniques designed
to maximize your fertility potential.
The
benefits of Dr. Wu’s fertility Treatment guidelines, include:
Less tiredness, increased vitality, fewer emotional outbursts, greater
calmness, less nausea, and a normal appetite, a tremendous decrease
in miscarriages, and full term pregnancies.
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Musculoskeletal
Balancing: Key to Whole-Body Healing
In the spirit of holistic medicine, treating body, mind, and
spirit, Wu’s Healing Center is pioneering a new definition
of “whole body” healing — one that addresses “internal”
conditions by also healing the body’s infrastructure: skeleton,
muscles, and tendons.
The spine, for example, integrates all the major
energy channels associated with vitality and longevity. A healthy
spine is particularly important in treating infertility because
it manufactures the blood cells vital to conceiving and carrying
a baby. When the spine is congested or misaligned, blood and Qi
— life energy — cannot flow freely. When the spine and
the channels it supports are open and balanced, all the body’s
organs and core functions are optimized.
Dr.
Angela C. Wu — who practices Traditional Chinese Medicine
— and Devin G.
Wu — whose clinical practice incorporates both acupuncture
and physical therapy techniques — have discovered that treating
the body’s skeletal core can make a significant difference
in overcoming a wide variety of health challenges, including infertility.
While Dr. Wu works with clients to balance and harmonize the body’s
internal environment, Devin focuses on musculoskeletal balancing,
with an emphasis on the spine — opening up the flow of energy
to all internal organs.
Clients
who include both “internal” and “external”
approaches in their therapy find that, in addition to addressing
back, neck, and other musculoskeletal problems, they’re better
able to achieve and maintain the whole-body balance and harmony
required to conceive, carry, and deliver a healthy baby. Most important,
they also discover that maintaining a healthy infrastructure delivers
benefits far beyond babies — including general vitality and
longevity.
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Success
Stories
Dr. Wu's successes illustrate the profound impact traditional Chinese
medicine can have on a wide range of fertility challenges. Under
Dr. Wu's care, women with FSH levels of 65 have conceived naturally;
women with levels as high as 118 have seen their FSH drop to 9.
Women up to 50 years of age have conceived naturally and carried
babies full term. Men have overcome sperm disorders. Fibroids have
disappeared. Women who have experienced multiple miscarriages, ovarian
or tubal dysfunction, thin uterine lining, premature menopause,
irregular cycles, endometriosis, and unexplainable infertility have
delivered healthy, happy babies.
Doctors told Carol she couldn't get pregnant with a high FSH
level of 65.
When Carol came to Dr. Wu for treatment in 1994 she was thirty
years old and had an FSH level so high doctors told her she couldn't
conceive. Troubled by hot flashes since she was 25, diagnosed as
premenopausal at 28, she thought her chances of conceiving were
slim. But by October 1996 Carol was pregnant, and she delivered
a nine-pound baby boy in January 1997. In December 1998, she resumed
treatment with Dr. Wu, conceived again in November 1999 with an
FSH of 56, and delivered a health baby girl in August 2000.
Entering menopause at 50, Linda had abandoned hope of conceiving
naturally.
With her menstrual cycles fluctuating between profuse and no flow
and hot flashes a regular occurrence, Linda was entering menopause.
A determination to conceive naturally made her chances of pregnancy
slim from a Western perspective. But after coming for her first
treatment in February 1998, Linda conceived naturally and delivered
healthy twins in January 1999.
Sue had lost an ovary. With Greg's low sperm count, the couple
knew their chances of having a baby were slim.
Sue was 39 and Greg was 46 when the couple came to Dr. Wu for help
conceiving in March 2000. Although her right ovary had been removed
in 1988 -- and despite Greg's diagnosed low sperm count -- Sue became
pregnant in July 2000 and delivered a health baby.
Ellen's fibroids had grown so large that doctors recommended
she terminate her pregnancy.
Ellen came to Dr. Wu at 42. Her western diagnosis: endometriosis
and fibroids the size of ping-pong balls. After miscarrying in February
1998, she received her first treatment in November 1998. In March
1999 she became pregnant, delivering a baby boy in November 1999.
In May 2000, doctors found no trace of her fibroids.
Seven miscarriages and five unsuccessful in vitro fertilization
cycles threatened Diane's pregnancy hopes.
Doctors could not explain why Diane, 46, had experienced so many
miscarriages and no success with Assisted Reproductive Techniques.
She started treatment with Dr. Wu in February, was pregnancy in
June 1998, and delivered a baby girl in February 1999.
And after 14 years of trying, Marie, 38, still wasn't pregnant
-- and doctors didn't know why.
Marie, 38, had been trying to conceive for 14 years. Doctors could
find no medical reason for her lack of success. She came for her
first treatment with Dr. Wu in June 1999. In July 1999 she became
pregnant, delivering a healthy baby nine months later. Trying for
a second child, Marie endured a miscarriage. She came back to see
Dr. Wu and, after only three treatments, became pregnant. This time
she carried the baby full-term. Dr. Wu is grateful to have been
chosen as the baby's god-grandmother.
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Testimonials
December
1, 2009
It’s been
3.5 months now since my son was born. Devin is healthy, amazingly
alert, and always smiling and laughing. When you look at his Christmas
picture, you can see all of this in his eyes.
My
entire pregnancy was painless. I spent the entire 40 weeks not feeling
pregnant at all. I was fortunate enough to give birth at week 40.
I never got sick, emotional, fatigue, or felt any physical pain,
or suffered post partum depression. When I delivered Devin, it took
35 minutes. I was walking within 2 hours of delivery. Within 2 days,
I was driving and running errands. I had an extremely quick recovery.
At 21, I would have expected this to be the case. At 42, I will
have to admit I had some help!
I
don’t believe it was luck that everything worked out so smoothly
for me. I believe whole-heartedly that Dr. Wu and her team were
the reason for my success. I was committed to coming whenever Dr.
Wu asked me to. I committed to taking the herbs and watching my
diet. I wasn’t as great of a student in always making the
black chicken soup but did my best. I didn’t even bother hiding
it when I wasn’t doing what I was suppose to. Dr. Wu would
bust me by simply looking at my tongue. There was nothing to hide.
In a way, that was good because I was always aware of my situation.
Each week was a reminder of what I needed to focus on.
Devin was born
7 lbs. 2 oz. Within 2 months, he weighed 15 lbs. He has an incredible
appetite. He has never gotten sick. He has been sleeping through
the night, most recently a record 11 hours. Dr. Wu always reminded
me how important it was for me to take care of myself so Devin could
be healthy and happy.
If you want
to improve your pregnancy, make the time to commit to follow Dr.
Wu’s protocol. She will never guarantee you anything. However,
if you go in with the right spirit, conviction, and dedication,
you will succeed.
Devin is proof
of the process and I will always be grateful to Dr. Wu for that.
Linda
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October
18, 2009
Since
my wife JJ and I discovered each other in our late thirties, we
always joke about being “late bloomers” -late to marriage
and also late to becoming parents. We had been trying naturally
for three years before coming to Dr. Wu and her clinic. In that
time, we also tried assisted reproduction with
several cycles of IUI and one cycle of IVF, all without success.
The IVF cycle, was helpful, however, in telling us that egg quality
was poor. Although JJ’s FSH levels were low, it seems that
we needed to work on egg quality whether conception was to occur
naturally or artificially. Also, JJ has always experienced irregular
cycles and PMS with depression and painful headaches.
Ten
months ago, JJ visited Dr. Wu to begin her treatments. When she
returned home from her first appointment, she told me that Dr. Wu
examined her with a series of questions and measured her pulse and
examined her tongue. According to Dr. Wu, JJ had a very cold constitution
and needed to “warm
up”. JJ proceeded to detail the dietary changes prescribed
by Dr. Wu and the list of herbs she would have to take each day.
That’s a lot of work and some big changes, I thought, and
I realized I needed to be as supportive of JJ as possible to help
her adopt all these changes to her lifestyle.
Little
did I know that I would also soon change my lifestyle for the better.
Since conception requires a healthy sperm as well as egg, Dr. Wu
asked JJ to have me come and see her. I was a little reluctant at
first, but I decided to give it a try as I thought it would be good
to accompany JJ and share this journey with her.
As
with JJ, Dr. Wu examined me, paying particular attention to my tongue.
She noted that my tongue has deep cracks running down the center.
She told me that I am “overheated” and that my metabolism
was working too hard to overcome all the cooling foods I was eating
and the cold beverages I was
drinking. Although this diagnosis seemed strange at first, it did
make sense after some thought. Dr. Wu also prescribed a set of herbs
for me to take to help my body come back into balance and become
healthier and stronger.
At
the clinic I also saw Devin Wu to add western physical therapy to
my treatment. Since high school I had been plagued with pains in
my upper back and shoulder areas. For many years I thought these
were due to injuries from playing baseball and softball. Devin examined
me and told me that my posture was not good, that I was holding
my head too far forward and my shoulders were hunched forward. Overall,
my slumping posture was misaligning my spinal column and creating
a lot of stress on muscles in my back, neck, and shoulders. First,
he advised me to make changes to promote good posture, such as how
to stand or sit with good posture, eliminating long sessions on
the computer, carrying my wallet in the front pocket instead of
the back, and stretching my neck and shoulders often to keep them
loose. For treatment, he made adjustments to my neck and upper back
to allow my spinal column to come back into proper alignment. He
also used acupuncture to promote the proper flow of chi in my body.
Together, these treatments, amazingly enough, made an immediate
improvement. I could feel that my posture was better and that I
could carry my head properly over my body. I felt like I grew an
inch in height!
In addition to helping me with my posture, Devin also worked on
my improving my virility using both physical therapy and acupuncture.
Apparently poor flow of chi can be problematic. Over time, his treatment
has been helpful in reducing tension in my body and it has been
easier for me to be more relaxed and in the moment.
During
our visits to the clinic, JJ and I also greatly enjoy the acupuncture
and acupressure massages. Dr. Wu’s staff is very talented
at what they do and we always leave feeling relaxed and refreshed.
They are great at making us feel comfortable and trustful of putting
ourselves literally in their hands.
Ever
since JJ and I started our treatments and changing our eating habits,
we have seen dramatic changes in our bodies and our health. JJ’s
cycles have become more regular and she is no longer experiencing
the dramatic and painful PMS symptoms she endured. Although she
has yet to become
pregnant, we expect that it is a matter of time. Since her fertility
health is so much better, her eggs must be much healthier as well.
As
for me, I have found that a whole host of minor chronic problems
have improved. I used to feel thirsty all the time and would have
to drink and urinate frequently. My lips would always be chapped,
summer or winter. I’ve had minor bouts of dermatitis. As Dr.
Wu pointed out, my “dryness” was due to
my body overheating. Now, I no longer have a drink in my hands all
the time and I go to the bathroom less frequently. My lips are not
as dry and my skin is less prone to being irritated and becoming
inflamed. I also lost over twenty pounds in weight since I was no
longer eating sugar, wheat flour, and
packaged foods full of chemicals. Quite amazing since JJ and I don’t
exercise strenuously; we usually just take a long walk every morning.
Even
our sleep has improved since I no longer snore. In the past my congested
sinuses would make breathing through my nose during sleep difficult.
As a result, I had to breathe through my mouth which caused me to
snore. Sleeping on my side and wearing Breathe Right nasal strips
helped somewhat but didn’t really improve the underlying congestion
in my respiratory system. I always thought I had minor allergies.
Now, with Dr. Wu’s treatment and changes in my diet, my body
is not overheated, my sinuses are no longer inflamed, and the snoring
has stopped. Both JJ and I get more restful sleep at night.
JJ
and I are very grateful to Dr. Wu, Devin, and the staff for showing
us the way to not only improved fertility, but improved health in
general. Due to their wisdom and expertise, we now know much more
about our bodies and how to take better care of ourselves. We will
be able to draw on, and benefit, from this, not only now, but in
the future. Again, we’re very thankful!
With
thanks and love,
M.
L.
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October 2009
My second visit to Wu’s Healing Center, I remember laying
on the table waiting for treatment to begin and being able to feel
that I would become pregnant. This was the first time I ever experienced
this, and it was unexpected! Perhaps it was the peaceful and nurturing
environment that made me feel so positive, yet I am certain it also
was knowing that I was in the capable and devoted care of Dr. Wu
and her staff.
Being under the care of Wu’s Healing Center takes a high level
of commitment, but I believe that this creates a good, healthy focus
and a feeling of empowerment and accomplishment. It also makes each
visit exciting, knowing that you have done your best towards achieving
your goal of pregnancy and awaiting what comments Dr. Wu might share
with you. Sometimes, she probably does not communicate everything,
but even then it is fun to wonder what her thoughts are, and I always
felt that her thoughts were positive or at least constructive about
what to do given the situation. Having full faith in Dr. Wu is a
wonderful feeling during a time of general uncertainty. Entering
the Center is like being cocooned on your journey, and, even though
I always felt uplifted when leaving, I always still wished I was
in a treatment session!
I must mention Dr. Wu’s sense of humor. One week, I felt very
blue (we had just completed our IVF transfer, then my husband had
to travel abroad), and Dr. Wu, knowing that it was not good for
me to wallow in sadness, told me to “dump a bag of rice on
the floor and count the pieces”! It was like an appropriate
ancient Chinese proverb about how to keep the mind disciplined.
It definitely resonated with me, although I did not actually undertake
this mental exercise!
The staff is superb in terms of knowledge, ability, and kind spirit.
It is evident that they undergo exacting training. The office itself
is also run with a high degree of professionalism (very organized),
which is appealing to a patient. I remain very fond of many of the
staff there.
My husband and I recently visited Wu’s Healing Center with
our baby. It was a very nice visit, and, as we were leaving, I found
myself saying, “I feel like this is MY womb here.” That
is a very accurate analogy: I grew and was sustained and supported
and safe and comfortable during my time there, and, even when I
was not in a treatment room, it still was a part of me, remaining
my haven.
With gratitude,
Edith
P.S. At 41-years-old, I had only 2 embryos during our IVF transfer
and now have a 5-month-old baby! I believe that Wu’s Healing
Center largely contributed to the development of those follicles
and is the reason that they were healthy embryos. Hope abounds at
Wu’s Healing Center….
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September 15, 2009.
I first came to Wu’s healing Center in August
of 2007 after a failed IVF that June. I had been trying to get pregnant
unsuccessfully for ten years, becoming pregnant naturally once in
2002. I miscarried early in the pregnancy.
In addition, I had a history of ovarian cysts and
fibroids having a cyst removed in November 2005, a polyp removed
in August 2007, and fibroids removed in Aug 2008.
In 2004 I was diagnosed with high blood pressure
(158/100) and put on Blood Pressure Medication.
Since starting treatments with Dr Wu, my transformation
has been nothing short of remarkable. Since starting treatment,
my blood pressure significantly improved to the point that since
April 2009, I no longer need blood pressure medication! My BP right
now is 110/68. This alone is miraculous!
After seeing Dr Wu for one month, in September 2007,
I was able to get pregnant naturally, however I miscarried in week
five; apparently the Uterine Fibroids were impacting my pregnancies.
After having some fibroids removed in August 2008,
I was able to conceive naturally in November with Dr Wu’s
help.
With Dr Wu’s constant encouragement her commitment
to help keep me on track sometimes in spite of myself. I was able
to carry to term and delivered a beautiful baby boy 8 lbs 6oz in
August 2009.
Beyond this wonderfully-blessed result, what Dr
Wu and her staff offered me was hope. Dr Wu provided me with the
moral support I needed. I truly felt our connection, our shared
goal as partners.
Thank
you Dr. Wu and staff I am truly blessed.
Kim P.
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March
12, 2009
I first heard
about Dr. Wu’s Healing Center from another Mom at my son’s
nursery school. She had heard that I experienced a horrific lawsuit,
a life threatening case of bacterial meningitis, three miscarriages,
and a lumpectomy all within two years time and that I was devastated
by all of my losses.
She was right.
I was able to attain pregnancies, but could not keep them. Western
medical practitioners told me that my eggs were old, that my lining
was too thin to sustain life, and that stress had done me in. They
told me not to get my hopes up about conceiving a sibling for my
three-year-old son. They told me they could do nothing to help me
since my FSH was 12, and the odds with IVF would not be any better.
Since I had given birth to my son, Ryan Chase at age 42 naturally,
I had trouble believing that a couple of years would make all that
much difference. At age 45 ½, I still felt like a thirty
year old and could not give up hope for the second child I dreamed
of.
When I first
met Dr. Wu, she read my ailments through the pulses in my arms,
and by looking at my tongue. She knew that my grandmothers had died
of heart disease and renal failure. She could see that I was around
someone who smoked for a long time and my lungs were congested.
She could see that I was still stressed to the nines with cold,
purple limbs; clogged sinuses; and a very bad digestive problem.
She could see through my complexion that I was flushed pink, and
that my body was “in winter”.
I had never
experienced acupressure, cupping, clearing the wind gates, or moxabustion.
To me, at first, it seemed like crazy voo doo. When I first read
the diet, which required me to give up all of my habits, I didn’t
think I could sustain it very long. When I saw the list of herbs
I was asked to pop, I nearly fell over. Taking one horse pill was
a lot – let alone so many, many more per day. I left the office
feeling very relaxed, but realizing that my body was truly in somewhat
of a nutritional and medical coma.
I asked for
powder instead of pills. At first I dumped them all into red raspberry
tea. I figured I could hold my breath to avoid the taste and chug
it down. That did not fly. The taste nearly did me in. On the next
meal, I dumped them all into soymilk and made a blender shake with
a touch of cocoa. It was delicious. I somehow knew that chocolate
was not okay…upon emailing to find out, they confirmed it
was true. On the third meal, I finally got it right. This was a
shake that I could live with and I forced myself to believe it was
the next best thing to a chocolate shake.
When it came
time to boil the black chicken, I threw the frozen bird into the
water, green onions and ginger…after three hours the head
uncoiled. This was something I was not expecting. I screamed when
I lifted it from the pot and my husband came running. That was the
beginning of a weekly ritual: it would become his job to remove
the chicken.
On the first
day, I had great energy. I enjoyed experimenting with greens I had
never eaten in my entire life. On day two, my chronic irritable
bowel rediscovered what “regularity” meant. On day three,
I experienced a headache from caffeine withdrawal. A week later,
I noticed that my sinuses were clear and my voice was no longer
congested. A cough I had for a very long time disappeared. My skin
was suddenly silky, soft, and returned to a normal pale color. But
oddly, as I monitored my ovulation, nothing ever came. I was afraid
that I was a hopeless cause-reaching menopause just past my 45th
birthday. My regular MD told me to see the western fertility doctor
again, and this was confirmed by Dr. Wu’s office.
When I went
for the visit, the doctor reported that, “all was quiet on
the western front”. There was no sign of any eggs or any ovulation.
He said he could not speculate about whether I had already ovulated,
had just ovulated, or would ovulate. But the AMAZING news was that
he reported, “You now have a very thick and healthy uterine
lining”. He also said, “This is very interesting. While
you should have already ovulated in this cycle, it looks as if you
have nine more days til ovulation”. He said he didn’t
believe this was the result of my own constitution, but rather by
the conditions Dr. Wu had created. He said he knew little about
Chinese medicine and felt he should not interfere with her treatment.
He told me to stop monitoring the cycle and just let it be. Nine
days later, the ovulation occurred.
Visiting Dr.
Wu has already helped me with so many of my long-term ailments.
It has been like going in for a much needed auto tune-up. Now that
my oil has been changed, my engine seems to be running a lot more
smoothly, and all of my body’s natural cycles seem to be purring
like clock work.
Time will tell
if my body will again accept a pregnancy and hold on to it. But
if what has happened in just three short weeks is any indication,
I have no doubt that Dr. Wu is a medical genius and a true gift
to modern medicine. Her secrets are sacred, very real and life giving.
I feel I can trust no one else with such an important job.
Cathleen G.
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February
2009
Chicken Egg’s
During a resent
trip home to North Carolina for Thanksgiving, my husband and I were
nervous to tell my family that we were on a diet to help improve
our fertility and enhance our ability got get pregnant naturally.
Being from the south one usually doesn’t hear about fertility
diets and burning moxa, well that is going to raise a whole different
set of questions. We decided to soften the blow (for ourselves)
by telling them about the diet a week before we were to arrive,
this was Thanksgiving and in my family it’s a big event.
At first my
mother asked “will you be able to eat pumpkin pie?”
“No I replied, not this year.” “How about the
sweet potato’s yams and homemade breads?” “Sorry,
can’t eat that either” I replied as my stomach started
to rumble.
There was a pause on the phone – with a sound of worry in
her tone she asked “well can you eat the turkey and oysters?”
My following reply seemed to confuse her further, “I may be
able to eat turkey depending on where I am in my cycle and oysters
are out.” I took advantage of the latest pause on the line
and jumped right in asking if she knew of an Asian market health
food store in the area where we could locate spelt, quinoa and silky
chickens. Again a pause and it was so quite I could hear a pin drop.
Suddenly I heard my father and brother simultaneously ask “what’s
a silky chicken?”
Realizing that I had been placed on speaker phone I took the opportunity
to explain to room full of perplexed family members the journey
we had just set out on.
After a few minutes and my assurances that we could indeed eat lamb
and asparagus the mood lightened. I heard my mother say “as
long as we are all together, that’s what matters. We’ll
figure out the food thing.”
My brother and
his wife picked us up from the Atlanta airport for the 4 hour ride
to the mountains. The entire ride up consisted of hilarity and laughter
as my brother invented many tails of the silky chicken and its possible
correlation to fertility.
The one disappointment was we could not locate a silky chicken anywhere.
All went well
during our Thanksgiving visit and everyone was highly supportive.
My mother even practiced the 6 healing breaths with me each morning.
A week after
we retuned home my brother called to inform me that he shipped a
package to me and it should arrive within 2 days. His message instructed
me to open in as soon as I received it because he “didn’t
want it to rot.”
I am used to my brothers’ humor and was a little concerned
about what he had sent though I didn’t dwell on it.
When the package did not arrive on the indicated date, he called
worried, “Did you get the package yet?” I told him I
had not. He indicted he would call me back.
20 minutes later he called back to say “The package will be
there tomorrow morning, you have to make sure you get it and open
in up straight away”. Why I asked, “What’s in
it?” He replied, “I wanted it to be a surprise, oh well,
I bought fertilized silky chicken eggs and shipped you 4. This way
you can raise your own silky chickens.”
I was amazed and impressed by the level of support and love my brother
was expressing. He even bought some silky chicken eggs for my parents
to rise, just in case.
KG
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November 2008
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Angela Wu for
all she has done to help my husband and I achieve our dream of having
a family. We are blessed with two beautiful children. Words cannot
describe the emotions we felt when we first saw the twins’
ultrasound pictures and heard their heartbeats. The benefits both
physically and emotionally of her practice were immediate and continued
throughout my pregnancy. I am convinced that Dr. Wu contributed
enormously to this miracle.
Jodi
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Greetings,
This is my story
of my body's healing, with the support of Dr. Wu and the entire
staff...
In 1989, 19
years ago, I was diagnosed with HPV, Human Papiloma Virus. As a
result of this I was required to have regular pap exams every six
months. From that time until August 2008 I have had what was identified
as "irregular pap results," nearly every six months, with
the exception of a one year period. This means for 18 years my pap
exams have resulted in concerning findings each time. The outcomes
varied with the results ranging from mild dysplasia, or precancerous
cells on my cervix, to a progressed stage with a biopsy and even
some removal of my cervix, so as to remove any cancerous growth.
Because of this, every six months following my pap exam, I waited
with conscious patience to hear from my doctor about my results.
This time, this year, it would be a different result.
I began to see
Dr. Wu in February 2008 for fertility issues/ support. Our
goal, my husband and I, was to prepare my/our bodies and create
a healthy environment -physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually,
in which a child may enter our lives by allowing pregnancy to occur.
I've received many unexpected benefits along the path...yes, I've
lost 14 pounds of my weight, my digestion improved within the first
two weeks, I've reflected upon and gave myself permission to re-evaluate
my priorities -increasing my rest time, my skin and hair are much
healthier, I appear younger, my immune system has noticeably strengthened,
my night sweats have been eliminated, my physical intimacy with
my husband has been an increasing delight, my severe allergies –usually
resulting in 3-4 sinus infections during peak months has decreased
to zero sinus infections, my regular tearing and burning eyes has
been eliminated altogether, and while I continue to struggle to
"empty my cup," the wisdom, guidance, grace, humor and
love of Dr. Wu has allowed me to reclaim my own love for myself
and my body. Still, I was again surprised with another healing benefit.
In August 2008
I attended my regular OBGYN appointment to have my pap exam and
during the appointment, my doctor had expressed how "good"
everything appeared to be -even that was irregular as there was
often concern during the appointment. That said, I still waited
on my results. Finally, I received communication that not only was
my pap exam "normal," but that for the first time in 19
years my HPV exam showed that I no longer carried the virus! Even
now, this brings tears to my eyes as a huge weight is lifted from
me. I never expected to have such benefits, but with Dr. Wu and
the entire staff in all their conscious ways of contact with me
and simple acts of kindness -this supported and continues to support
the cultivation of myself to be opened to the gifts that could come
our way. Sigh...these past six months have indeed been life changing
and I only imagine it will continue to be changing -moment to moment,
as I continue to allow the healing to occur with the support of
Dr. Wu and her entire treatment team!
I am honored
to extend my loving kindness and gratitude to each of the members
of Dr. Wu’s Healing Center -and to my body too.
RCU
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I am a seasoned healer of 30 years and have worked with preparing
woman and couples for parenthood using a comprehensive holistic
approach optimizing fertility and resolving infertility. In 1993,
I was recovering from a traumatic injury and seeking someone who
could help me as well as assist me to prepare for motherhood. Being
a highly trained Preconception and Prental Counselor myself, I was
searching for a healer who had a holistic approach similar to my
own. I went to a workshop in San Francisco with one of Angela's
teachers, Mantak Chia, and there was Angela Wu, radiating that Healing
Light and Compassion that naturally pours thru her. She introduced
herself as an acupuncturist, but I knew she was more than that,
and that is when my personal and professional relationship with
her was born.
Over
the years, Angela and I codeveloped her first extensive Fertility
Recommendation handouts blended with some of my own. We researched
the impact of the body-mind connection on fertility health, as we
were both fascinated with the dynamic interrelationship between
the body and mind. We also found great compatibility in including
some of the universal spiritual aspects involved with preparing
for parenthood in respect for the individual's own beliefs and values.
Yet,
what was most exciting for me was that this professional collaboration
was occurring at the same time as my personal process of preparing
for my own child. I experienced that decades of my own research
in optimizing preconception and prenatal health care was often culminating
in my work with Angela right there on the table each week. Even
though I had my own academic work and a book on the subject of preconception
health care (Parenting Begins Before Conception), I learned so much
(and still do)! from Angela's profound wisdom on optimizing health
for fertility success. We openly exchanged information, and as I
began to confer with her about the many patients we shared, we expanded
our network to include western medicine as an ally for our patients
who needed the assistance to the natural approaches we had both
been trained in.
My
specialty is working with over achievers who have created great
professional success but compromised their fertility health in the
process. What I found so powerful was how Angela's program accelerated
the healing of the most imbalanced conditions that western medicine
called "unexplained." This is because she had the extensive
knowledge to address many of the undermining obstacles that would
deplete the natural energy reserves essential for reproductive health.
As she would diagnose the physical effects of long term stress on
her patients, I would help them discover how to manage this stress
in their daily lifestyle. We discovered the holistic approach
often heals the impact of stress in a way western medicine just
can't address. I know this from my own healing process with Angela,
as well as many dozens of clients we collaborated with for over
a decade.
I
trust Angela's profound understanding of Eastern and Western Medicine
and how they synergize, as well as where they do not complement
each other and need to be prioritized in the fertility health care
plan. With all of my high standards for my own health care needs,
I trusted Angela's recommendations for me, before and after the
birth of my daughter. For those of you who feel her in-depth
program is just too much to follow, please understand her
suggestions are to give you the best opportunity to resolve your
imbalances so your dream to become a parent can happen as soon as
possible. If you do your best to follow what she recommends,
you are way ahead of what most people around the globe are doing
to try to get pregnant amidst all kinds of odds.
The
creation of life is governed by many mysterious forces that we as
humans cannot control. But there are some specific ways you can
take charge of your preconception journey, and all of Angela's guidelines
have the compassionate and wise intent to empower you to work with
nature ... so nature can work through you. The wonderful gift
of Angela's approach before and after pregnancy is that your child
will receive all the Healing Blessings of you healing yourself.
I
am forever Grateful to my dear friend and colleague, Angela C. Wu,
for her brilliant care and loving presence in my life when the biological
clock was ticking too darn loudly. Her magical work - before,
during and after my pregnancy helped me and my gorgeous daughter
be as healthy as possible at a time when my lifelong, high achieving
stress has gotten the best of me. She helped me restore my core
chi, and I now feel healthier at 52 than I did when I met her at
37.
Carista
Luminare-Rosen, Ph.D.
www.creativeparenting.com
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September 2008
My
husband and I have chronic Lyme disease. I was first diagnosed in
2005. At the same time, we discovered I had passed Lyme to my second
child through breast milk as well. After a year of very intensive
antibiotic treatment, my blood tests remained unchanged, and I still
struggled with chronic symptoms: neuropathies, nausea, joint and
muscle aches, vertigo, extreme fatigue, gastrointestinal and gynecological
issues to name a few. I was desperate for relief. As the mother
of two small children, I needed something to change so that I could
be the engaged and present parent I wanted to be.
At
the recommendation of a friend who has also seen Dr. Wu for Lyme,
I started working with her in January of 2007. Within three months,
my health had completely changed. I was starting to feel like myself
again. My symptoms would disappear for periods of time. Soon, they
would be gone for months at a time. The acupuncture breathed life
back into me again. My body was being supported and balanced, so
that I could endure the medical treatments I was undergoing and
fight the disease. My blood work finally showed improvement and
I was feeling stronger.
Anytime
I’d experience a flare up, Dr. Wu knew exactly what my body
needed to help manage the symptoms. When Dr. Wu wasn’t available,
Jonathan would address the problem and work with Dr. Wu to maintain
the positive trajectory I was on. Attentive and caring, the staff
at Wu’s Healing Center always provides the best care in the
most professional way.
Three
of us, in our family of four, have Lyme. We have had many medical
experiences at the hands of many doctors. It is always so refreshing
to be under the care of Dr. Wu and her staff. The difference: they
look at the whole picture – one’s entire being. They
listen. They learn. They are courteous and, they are ON TIME! There
isn’t a battery of diagnostic tests and attempts to compartmentalize
my health into various specialties. They trust that I know my body
and work with me to take care of it. Dr. Wu isn’t just a well-trained
doctor, she is a true healer in every sense of the word.
Words
cannot express the deep gratitude I feel for Dr. Wu, Jonathan, and
her staff. Dr. Wu has even seen my four year old son and been incredibly
supportive of his recovery as well. I am so thankful for the opportunities
she’s guided me toward in reclaiming my health. With relief,
I am able to say, I’m better! She also serves as an inspiration
– I hope I will look as good dancing when I’m in my
sixties!
Thank
you Dr. Wu – You have made all the difference for all of us.
S.Z.
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August 2008
I have known Angela for nearly 30 years and during that time, I
have learned much from her and grown tremendously. She has been
my acupuncturist, teacher, friend, and coach. At times, we reverse
roles but most importantly, we grow together. I remember at one
of my first visits to an acupuncture treatment with her, she invited
me to attend her Chinese Medical Theory classes at S.F. State University.
This was an unusual offer since I was a professional City Planner
and had no idea about how this training or knowledge would help
me. I followed her advice and her teaching techniques opened new
doors for me. Besides learning the technical aspects of acupuncture,
the meridians, pulses, the five- element theory, observing the tongue,
etc., I began to notice the subtleties of the body and had my first
introduction to intuitive healing.
Angela helped me to reshape my life and eventually, I left civil
service and now have a career as an intuitive healer.
I
am blessed to have Angela in my life and grateful for our friendship
and all the fringe benefits that come with knowing her. I thank
Angela for the daily reminder to let my heart smile. I am grateful
to her for helping me to listen to my body and to dialogue with
it for continuous good health. Finally, Angela imparted to me the
insight of seeing hardships and challenges as opportunities. Wise
and generous, Angela is a gem.
Angelica Chiong
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July
9, 2008
Our journey started about 5 years ago. We had been trying to become
pregnant naturally but when that didn’t happen, we tried 3
rounds of Clomid treatment with my OB/GYN. After the 3 rounds of
Clomid didn’t work, we decided to see a Reproductive Endocrinologist
(RE). The RE did many tests and a sonohystogram but could not find
any reason why we couldn’t get pregnant so he said to try
IUI and we should get positive results. We did 3 rounds of IUI with
Clomid over a 6 month period and it was unsuccessful. After that,
the RE said that our only hope would be IVF. I was quite skeptical
about IVF because I know couples that have had to go through multiple
cycles before they were successful. We decided to take some time
off and try naturally.
During
our year off, I had read about Dr. Wu, the “Fertility Goddess”
and wanted to give her a try, after all I didn’t want to jump
right into IVF and I had read that IVF along with acupuncture had
a higher success rate. We started seeing Dr. Wu in July 2006. During
my first appointment she looked at my tongue and then asked if she
could bring in her staff to observe my tongue. As everyone surrounded
the table, I felt like I was on a TV show and all the interns were
looking at me. Dr. Wu said I had a lot of stagnation from an accident
I was in 25 years before and it may take a little longer than a
few months for my body to respond to the treatments.
Fast-forward
one year. I admit that staying on the strict diet was hard but would
it pay off in the end? After a year of seeing Dr. Wu, she suggested
that we start interviewing doctors for IVF. We attended seminars
and by the end of the year we were prepared to start our first treatment
of IVF. Dr. Wu suggested waiting until after the holidays since
there would be so much added stress that we didn’t need. We
agreed with Dr. Wu and made up our minds to start after the New
Year.
We
were ready to start IVF but my next cycle never started and when
the time came to take a pregnancy test, I didn’t think anything
of it. It was Chinese New Year’s Eve and my test was positive.
Dr. Wu was right! Earlier that year she read our charts and said
that it was a good year for us and that we should be pregnant by
the end of the (lunar) year. Still not convinced, I took 5 more
tests over the next week, but it was true, we had gotten pregnant
naturally. We are expecting a baby girl in October.
We
are so grateful to Dr. Wu and her wonderful staff for making our
dreams come true, it took a while but we did it.
M&N
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July 7, 2008
My
husband and I started trying to get pregnant in late 2007. Since
I was just about to turn 38, we were a little anxious about our
prospects and looking for alternative ways to support the process.
We hoped very much that we could get pregnant without resorting
to IVF. My husband found Dr. Wu’s website and we thought it
sounded like a really healthy approach regardless of whatever difficulties
we might or might not have getting pregnant. We began coming to
the clinic right away in January 2008 and carefully followed the
protocols and treatments. To our great joy we found ourselves pregnant
just six weeks later. I have continued to come and receive the care
of Dr. Wu and all of her wonderful staff ever since. The treatments
have felt so good for both me and for the baby. I have had almost
no nausea or other side effects, and have been sleeping and eating
well all along. I feel sure the support from Wu’s Healing
Center has been a big factor in how smoothly things have gone. We
are now halfway through the pregnancy and can’t wait to meet
our little boy sometime around Thanksgiving. This approach is certainly
a commitment but definitely worth it! Many thanks to Dr. Wu and
all of your staff.
Elizabeth
A.
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July
2008
After
two years of marriage and at age 33, my husband and I decided to
start trying for a baby. I had been on birth control pills for 7
years, and after only three months off of them, I found myself pregnant.
Things seemed to be going smoothly, but on the day I was scheduled
to hear the heartbeat for the first time (the last day of my first
trimester) there was no heart beat to be found. Instead of calling
our parents with the good news, a D&C was scheduled. Our doctor
told us the baby was not growing, and its heart had stopped.
It was an emotional and heart wrenching time and I felt immensely
alone. A few months afterwards I thought I had gotten over it, we
tried and tried again, but with no luck. I became obsessed with
getting pregnant again. I turned to Toni Wechsler’s “Taking
Charge of your Fertility,” took my temperature religiously,
tracked my cycles and ovulation days obsessively, and took my prenatal
vitamins fanatically. I was convinced that it was “so easy”
the first time that getting pregnant again, would be just as simple.
It turned out, it wasn’t. Several more months had passed,
and nothing happened and I became more and more frustrated and depressed
that something was wrong with me.
After doing additional research, I came across references to Dr.
Wu’s practice and not knowing exactly what to expect, I made
an appointment to see her. Concurrently, my husband and I went through
basic fertility testing to make sure that there was nothing “wrong”
and according to all hormone levels, blood tests, and sperm specimens,
nothing was.
During our first meeting, Dr. Wu didn’t say much – she
looked at my tongue, took my pulse, and was quiet. She prescribed
Chinese herbs, her staff gave me a list of her protocol and diet
restrictions, and she told me to wait before “trying”
again. I shrugged, left her office and thought, what’s there
to lose? I would try things her way. Through the initial months
of treatment, I went through various emotions. I felt self doubt,
skepticism, frustration, hopelessness and anger. It was not an easy
path. I left several treatments crying, not knowing exactly why.
I felt such huge emotional release after treatments and realized
that I had not let myself fully grieve after my first miscarriage.
I also felt this complete need for control and was not able to fully
“let go” until after a few months of treatment. I spent
so much energy occupied on trying to get pregnant, that it became
counterproductive to actually getting pregnant, and finally, through
Dr. Wu’s guidance and coaching, was able to break through
that – to have gratitude, to smile, and refocus.
I found that after a few treatments, my monthly headaches went away,
and out with them, went my chronic lower back pain. I no longer
slept with wet hair, cut fruit and root vegetables out of my diet
along with a myriad of other favorite foods, but my general overall
health and well being was improved, and I learned how to relax.
I loved my weekly treatments, and could not be more grateful to
such a giving, gifted, and expert practitioner like Dr. Wu and her
staff. Dr. Wu became like a second mother to me. She calmed and
reassured me, allowed me to have faith within and outside of myself,
and was accessible. Acupressure, tissue massage, cupping, acupuncture,
and moxabustion became my therapy.
In October 2007, five months after treatment, I became pregnant
again, but within a week of finding out I was pregnant, lost the
baby. The doctor told me it was a chemical pregnancy. I was upset
and distraught, and became frustrated again. I made an appointment
to see Dr. Wu shortly afterwards. I trudged into her office depressed
once again, and after I shared the news with her, I was surprised
at her response – she said, “That’s great!”
I was puzzled. She continued, “You are half way there. This
is good news. You got pregnant!” My mood changed from seeing
the negative to positive and knew she was right. I smiled to myself.
I just needed more time.
We consulted Western fertility doctors along the way and concurrently
with Dr. Wu’s treatment. Our Western doctor told us that while
there was no reason why we could not conceive naturally, we may
opt for IUI treatment to “speed things up.” However,
I was reluctant to self administer the hormones I would need, and
my husband agreed, that we would give it one last ditch effort before
starting anything – we would wait until after the holidays.
We never started IUI treatment. My husband and I conceived in December
2007 and confirmed a healthy pregnancy in January 2008. I am now
in my 32nd week of pregnancy and have no complaints. I have only
8 more weeks to go and feel truly blessed and thankful to have had
my path cross with Dr. Wu’s. She is a wonderful and amazing,
and honest doctor that I would recommend time and again to anyone.
I could not have come this far without Dr. Wu’s constant coaching
and I am forever grateful!
Anonymous
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June
25, 2008
I am a 30 year old woman who has had problems sleeping my whole
life, since I was a small child. I’m sure this came from my
mother, who to this day can still be found up at 4am because she
can’t sleep at night. I remember many a night in elementary
school lying in bed for hours getting more and more upset that I
hadn’t fallen asleep yet, and I would hear my mother get up
and come downstairs because she was awake too. As I got older things
got better and the insomnia lessened. I tried all sorts of
things to help me go to sleep faster and to sleep sounder, but nothing
seemed to work and I wasn’t willing to resort to sleeping
pills. At times I can sleep, but when I can’t it affects my
ability to work, exercise, socialize, everything.
Since I have seen how successful Dr. Wu has been at treating all
sorts of conditions, I decided to ask her for a diagnosis to see
if there was anything I could do. She told me my tongue was
a little red and soggy, and that my pulses felt uneven. She told
me I need to be aware of my heart, and I needed to stop eating foods
that are high in sugar and carbohydrates, and to avoid raw foods.
She also had me start taking a lot of herbs.
Since I am not into taking pills, taking a large amount of herbs
3 times a day was a bit of a challenge, but I knew I had to be diligent
to truly see if it would help me. I figured it would take at least
a month for the herbs to help my sleep. It’s only been one
week, and already I have spent 3 nights in a row where I fell asleep
within 20-30min and slept the whole night through without waking
up once, something I usually do maybe 4-5 times a year. Sleep makes
such a difference in how I feel and function. I am so excited about
the changes, this is going to change my life!
Katherine
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May
29, 2008
It
never occurred to me that it would be difficult to have a child—that
when I was ready, I would become pregnant immediately. (It seemed
like I had spent most of my adult life trying not to get pregnant!)
I got married when I was 37 and it wasn’t until I was 40 that
I started trying to have a child.
After
a year of trying I went to a fertility doctor. I had a couple of
things against me—age (41) and a thin uterine wall. I was
given a 20% chance of having a child through IVF. We went against
the odds, and after an unsuccessful IVF, the doctor said I had a
5% chance of having a child with another IVF and if I did become
pregnant it would be a very difficult pregnancy (bleeding) due to
my thin uterine wall. If I used donor eggs, my chances improved
to 30%. We went so far as to visit a donor agency, but I wasn’t
convinced this was the right thing for us to do.
I
remembered having read an article about Dr. Wu a couple of years
earlier, and decided if we were going to go through another cycle
with donor eggs, I wanted to consult her first. I explained my history
to Dr. Wu and she wanted to know why I was considering donor eggs.
She said it wasn’t necessary and she could fix my problems.
I must say I was overwhelmed after my first visit. There were so
many changes I needed to make in my life—not all of which
I understood, but I trusted Dr. Wu.
Six
months after my first visit I became pregnant naturally and had
not a single problem during my pregnancy. No bleeding, no stretch
marks, no excessive weight gain (28 pounds)—I felt great.
I was religious about taking my herbs and having my massages and
acupuncture. But, I must say, the diet was very difficult for me.
Everything I used to eat (and loved) was on the off-limits list.
But it was a small sacrifice. Fifteen months after I first walked
into her clinic, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl. I know that
it would not have been possible without Dr. Wu and her staff.
I
saw Dr. Wu a couple of times after I had my daughter, but did not
have regular appointments, because I was too busy with my new baby.
However, about seven months after she was born, I had what I thought
was a bout of the flu. I went to see Dr. Wu, and I realized that
I had been feeling this way for a couple of months during my period.
I began to see her regularly and my energy and health improved immensely.
Around
the age of 45 I began having strange symptoms. I had tingling in
my extremities, electric shock sensations under my skin, night sweats
and gastrointestinal problems. I thought I had some terrible disease
and went to my doctor who found nothing wrong and prescribed anti
anxiety medication. My husband asked me why I had even bothered
with him and not gone to Dr. Wu instead. She said I was not ill
and together we discovered that my symptoms were from perimenopause.
I
see her regularly (every two weeks). And, at the age of 48 have
had probably 30 of the 34 symptoms of perimenopause at one time
or another, but all of my symptoms have been easy to manage. (All
done without hormones.)
I initially went to see Dr. Wu to become pregnant, but now realize
that regular “maintenance” is just as important to maintain
a healthy lifestyle.
I
am a true believer!
Thank
you, thank you, thank you, Dr. Wu and staff
Cory Cassasa
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May
28, 2008
I
am a 36 year old woman, who first came in to see Dr. Wu in the spring
of 2007 after being diagnosed with a high FSH level combined with
a blocked fallopian tube. In addition, I had had surgery the previous
year to remove a septimation in my uterus, which would have made
it very difficult to carry a pregnancy to term. The fertility specialists
that I talked with felt that my only option with the combination
of these conditions was to do IVF, a step I didn’t feel ready
to take.
While
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Wu’s Healing Center
program, I was immediately drawn to their approach to fertility
and overall body wellness, which I felt at the very least, would
give me back a positive connection, both mentally and physically,
with my body. My husband and I decided to try doing some cycles
of IUI in conjunction with Dr. Wu’s program, to give her process
a chance to work and see if we could avoid having to do IVF immediately.
I
followed Dr. Wu’s fertility regime as closely as I could over
the next five months, in addition to doing three cycles of IUI combined
with Letrazole, a fertility drug similar to Clomid. After two unsuccessful
attempts, the lab informed me before beginning a third, that my
husband’s sperm count had inexplicably dropped dramatically,
and that he would have to possibly also take fertility medication.
As a result of this, they felt that we now really had no other option
but to prepare to do an IVF cycle in the fall.
I
was disappointed, but thanks to Dr. Wu’s program, I felt mentally
much more competent to deal with the IVF process and physically
I felt great and had even lost twelve pounds following her diet.
We decided in August to begin IVF treatments in the fall and while
we were waiting to set up this process, we tried conceiving the
old fashioned way, without any assisted reproductive techniques
or drugs.
We
were completely surprised to learn a few weeks later that I was
pregnant and even amazed my husband’s fertility specialist,
who told me that with my husband’s current numbers, “you
must be incredibly fertile!” Dr. Wu had predicted that it
would take at least four to six months following her program to
prepare my body for pregnancy and she was uncannily accurate.
I
continued working with Wu’s Healing center throughout my pregnancy
and with Devin Wu, whose physically therapy treatments saved me
from overwhelming nausea and discomfort through first trimester.
Later, during second trimester, I was diagnosed as having an incompetent
cervix and was placed on bed rest for four months, during which
time, I received regular home treatments from senior staff member
Katie. L, which kept my circulation flowing and helped tremendously
with cramping, due to inactivity.
My
son was born on April 25th, two weeks early but he weighed over
six pounds and was completely healthy. Thanks to the herbal supplements
I took prior to delivery, he never developed jaundice and all the
nursing staff commented on his great skin after birth. I am convinced
that my successful pregnancy was due to the acupuncture and fertility
treatments I received from the Wu’s Healing Center and I will
be eternally grateful to them for the miracle of my new baby.
Thank
you Dr. Wu and staff!
Rachel
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May 24, 2008
When I first came to Wu's Healing Center in November 2007, I was
43 years old and had just gone through a failed Invitro Fertilzation
(IVF) procedure.
I
didn't respond at all to the IVF-related hormone injections and
didn't produce enough follicles.
The
Western doctor I was working with told me I could try another IVF
procedure in a few months, but that my chances didn't look very
good.
Another
Western doctor said I should start thinking about donor eggs. To
put it mildly, I was shocked and disappointed and was feeling that
I had waited too long. So, after thinking about things for a bit,
I decided to try Dr. Wu's treatment of acupuncture, acupressure,
diet, and herbs for a few months before I tried the second IVF procedure.
Dr.
Wu quickly made me feel confident again about my body's potential
to have a baby. Reading all her testimonials, and listening to what
she had to say to me, gave me renewed hope. After following Dr.
Wu's methods for just three months, I got pregnant the natural,
old-fashioned way with my boyfriend. It only took one try!
I
couldn't believe it happened so easily and effortlessly. I am now
five months pregnant, and my baby is healthy and normal in every
way. In addition, my pregnancy has been smooth and easy, with none
of the typical pregnancy-related problems, like morning sickness.
I
am so grateful to Dr. Wu and all of her fabulous staff at Wu's Healing
Center for giving me renewed hope, supporting me through this journey,
and helping me achieve this long-time life goal. I am looking forward
to saying "welcome baby" in October!
Tracie Reynolds
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May 31, 2008
My
husband and I started trying to conceive a little over 3 years before
coming to Dr. Wu for treatment. Because I was 30 at the time, we
tried for a year on our own, dutifully recording my temperature
every morning. We then consulted with my OB/GYN. After running several
tests that did not show any reason I couldn't conceive naturally,
she had me do 6 cycles with Clomid which were all unsuccessful.
We followed that with 2 unsuccessful cycles of IUI with injectable
medications. The next step was to have a laparoscopy which did not
give any more insight into why I wasn't conceiving. After all of
that, I decided I needed to take a break.
Six
months later I went to see Dr. Wu after reading an article in San
Francisco Magazine. We worked together for a year before I went
through an IVF cycle which was successful. I continued seeing Dr.
Wu throughout the pregnancy. Two months after my son was born, I
went back to Dr. Wu for post-partum treatment. We worked together
for about 2 months and she was very happy that my body had maintained
a healthy state after the pregnancy.
In
December 2006 I conceived naturally - something that had never happened
before. My husband and I were shocked. Not only was I still breast-feeding
my son (which I had always heard reduces chances of conceiving),
I was convinced that I would have to go through IVF again if I wanted
to have another child. I credit Dr. Wu with getting my body into
a
"baby-friendly" state so that this "miracle"
could take place.
Anonymous
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May 9, 2008
As
long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a mother. When my
husband and I married when I was 38, we started trying casually
to get pregnant. I never thought we would have any problems, since
we were both healthy and had both gotten pregnant with other people
when we were very young.
After
two years of trying, I decided to go to a fertility clinic and see
if there was something wrong. I was told that although my FSH level
was okay, I had low progesterone levels and would probably need
help to get pregnant. After the doctor looked at my eggs through
the ultrasound, he told me I had a 1% chance of getting pregnant.
Because I had a “low egg reserve”, the doctor opted
to pump me up with the highest level of hormones possible. The experience
of injecting myself twice a day with the hormones was stressful
and humiliating, but I thought that if it would help me get pregnant,
I would do it. Unfortunately, even after the hormones, I still only
produced one viable egg. We went ahead with the IUI, but the doctor
told us that it probably would not be successful. Because I wasn’t
producing enough eggs, he recommended that I not try IVF and go
for donor eggs. I had, as he put it, “poopy eggs”. I
left the fertility clinic feeling that my body was inadequate and
that I had failed as a woman.
At
this point, I was devastated, but I still had this nagging feeling
that there was a baby up there waiting for me. Miraculously, three
months after our failed IUI, I got pregnant naturally. I was elated
and excited. After 8 weeks, I miscarried. Although this was disappointing
and painful, now I knew that I could get pregnant. My husband and
I grieved for about three months until we were ready to try again.
A friend told me about Dr. Wu and said she was a “fertility
goddess” who could work wonders. We decided to give it one
more try. Because I was 41 at the time, I felt this was my last
chance.
From
the moment I walked into Dr. Wu’s clinic, I began to feel
optimistic about my chances. Instead of giving me statistics about
what wasn’t possible at my age, she dared me to believe in
what was possible. When she told me I would have to wait about two
or three months until my body was ready, I lamented that I couldn’t
wait much longer because I was too old. She laughed and said, “You’re
not too old”. Her staff was supportive, positive, and full
of humor, which I believe contributed to my success. The diet, herbs,
and seemingly outrageous requests from Dr. Wu were difficult to
stick to, but I did everything she told me to do.
After
two months, I got pregnant. “Now the real journey begins,”
Dr. Wu told me. I was anxious about this pregnancy, since I had
miscarried only five months earlier. Dr. Wu and her staff continued
to support me and to help balance my life and body so that I could
have a healthy pregnancy.
Dr.
Wu handled my pregnancy with both humor and concern. She can be
stern if she thinks you aren’t following her guidelines, but
this is only for the child’s well being. Usually, Dr. Wu has
a wonderful sense of humor, which makes her visits a delight. One
of Dr Wu’s many requests was that I abstain from intercourse
during the first trimester of my pregnancy. When my husband wanted
me to ask Dr. Wu “when we could have sex again” I carefully
broached the subject with her during a treatment. I asked her, “
So my husband has a question for you—“ I didn’t
even need to finish, however, as she already knew what I was asking.
“Tell him next week if you relax this weekend.” Her
answer immediately endeared her to my husband who had been waiting
patiently for the right time.
At
this point, I am 36 weeks pregnant and am carrying a healthy baby
girl. I am grateful to Dr. Wu for helping me allow my body to heal
itself and to unlock its own potential. Dr. Wu has given me the
tools to create my own miracle!
Molly
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May 5, 2008
My husband and I are expecting our second child in a few months
and delighted to be writing this testimonial during the 32 week
of what has been a smooth and comfortable pregnancy at age 40.
While I was
in my mid-30’s we conceived our first child naturally but
was diagnosed with unexplained infertility when trying to conceive
our second child only two years later. Western doctors were at a
loss. I had a low FHS score (around 4), undergone a long battery
of blood work and other tests that all came back “normal.”
We eventually underwent countless IUI’s and later two IVF
procedures that ended in a devastating miscarriage at 9-10 weeks
into pregnancy. It was at that stage we realized we needed to do
something more holistic and came to see Dr. Wu.
While we don’t
pretend to understand how it all works, under Dr. Wu’s care
and guidance, I regained my physical as well as mental strength.
Six months later, with Dr. Wu’s help as well as that of my
reproductive endocrinologist (we continued a course of western medicines
but did not pursue IVF again) we became pregnant again. This time
all tests, both western and eastern, have showed that it is a very
different and strong pregnancy.
We have so much
to be grateful for and thank Dr. Wu, Wu’s Healing Center staff
and Devin for all their support, dedication and optimism. We will
take your lessons of thinking, believing and acting holistically
beyond this year – and into the future and across all aspects
of life.
Anonymous
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April
15th, 2008
Dear. Dr. Wu,
We are writing
to express our deepest gratitude for the year we spent under your
unsurpassed care and guidance, which resulted in the natural conception
and birth of our healthy son. Our lives are forever changed by the
arrival of this wonderful new person, whom we love so very much.
We came to you
in August of 2006, after two years of unsuccessful efforts, which
had included an early loss, four failed IUI’s, and an IVF
with numerous fertilizations but no implantation. We had undergone
several immune treatment procedures, including LIT, to no avail.
It was a confusing and discouraging time.
You asked us
to give you four months. We had recently begun working with Dr.
Toth regarding detection and treatment of reproductive pathogens,
and you encouraged us to continue following his antibiotic regimen.
You also supported my continued use of Lovenox and IVIg. You treated
my husband as well, and he and I both began to see significant and
increasing positive changes.
We were amazed
by your ability to diagnose symptoms we didn’t know were significant
and to detect subtle problems. I remember one time when you checked
my pulse and said, “I can’t believe you ate bread! What
were you thinking?!” We appreciated your occasional kind yet
stern admonishments, and we carefully followed your advice. I checked
with you, from time to time, about food items that weren’t
“on the list,” but which I hoped would be acceptable
in moderation. Do you remember when you insisted keeping a cookie
I brought, saying you couldn’t decide based on the ingredient
list, and had to eat it to be sure? I always appreciated your humor
and spirit! We genuinely believed in the guiding principles of your
treatment, and could feel your care and concern for us as your patients.
When I became
pregnant, naturally and without fertility medication, your support
was unparalleled. From an outside perspective – even that
of my OB – my pregnancy was easy and without complication.
But, you and Dr. Toth and I knew differently. You not only encouraged
me to continue care with Dr. Toth, you requested a copy of his book
and began learning about his treatments and recommending his care
to certain patients. My husband and I couldn’t have been more
impressed. It was an interesting time; I had biweekly and tri-weekly
appointments with you, depending on how well things were going.
I would breathe a sigh of relief whenever you would nod that everything
was good. You also helped me to sort through ongoing treatment decisions
related to pathogens and immune issues. Our goal was to make it
safely to 30 weeks, and what a delight when our baby went full-term,
thanks to careful monitoring and treatments along the way.
Our son was
born naturally and outstandingly healthy. He is VERY happy and has
reached all of his markers far ahead of schedule. We can’t
tell you what a relief it is to see him thriving and well. But,
we suspect you know what we are feeling.
Angela, thank
you again for everything you have done for us and for our family.
We will be forever grateful. May you receive as much goodness and
you contribute to the world, and may others be as fortunate as we
to meet you and receive your care.
Anonymous
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March
2008
Exactly
four years ago, my journey with Dr. Wu began. In the course of that
time Dr. Wu has transformed my understanding of health and diet,
and far beyond that, she and her team have played a
vital role for our family in realizing our dreams.
My
husband and I found one another relatively late in life. We married
as soon as we could, but with our birthdays touching 40, we also
set out right away to create a family. Although we had a couple
of setbacks with natural pregnancies and early miscarriages, our
son Benjamin was born the year after our wedding, a healthy, beautiful
boy. The dream of having a second child didn’t diminish though—if
anything, it grew stronger. We hoped so deeply that Benjamin could
have a sibling, and that we could have the joy of raising another
child. Two years and another miscarriage passed without any luck,
but finally the recommendation of caring friends brought us to Dr.
Wu’s door. I remember the first treatment vividly—the
energy that it released in my body, how right everything felt physically
and in what I was being told. Dr. Wu said that I hadn’t really
recovered from the first birth, and she was right. Within two weeks
of following her herbs and diet, I lost the 14 heavy pounds that
I was still carrying, and more importantly, regained the energy
and sense of vitality that had been so elusive, as well as a plan
and a vision for realizing our goal. And I gained a whole team who
believed in our dream, who
didn’t feel, as so many of the western doctors did, that it
was just too late for us.
We pursued fertility the best we could, financially and otherwise,
doing IUI’s, and even an IVF treatment, though at age 45 the
chances were minimal for success. Through it all, Dr. Wu was an
extraordinary ally, bringing all of her years of experience, insight
and wisdom to bear on our situation, cultivating my energy and system
to get ready to carry a baby, and guiding us along the path. I remember
looking at all of those beautiful baby pictures on the wall in her
office, and wondering when we might be part of that happy portrait.
After a treatment, feeling strong and integrated, I never doubted
whether it would happen, but when. The strength of Dr. Wu’s
confidence in us carried me through many a dark night, when even
friends would gently suggest that it might be time to move on, and
I would lie awake wondering whether perhaps they were right. At
last we had the financial resources for a donor egg cycle, and incredibly,
the gift of a close friend who was willing to be our donor. We got
some ‘truly beautiful’ embryos from the cycle, perfect
in quality, and with Dr. Wu’s team preparing my body to receive
the embryos, and to help them implant, we felt that we had truly
done everything that we could. Through all of the uncertainty of
having undertaken such an expensive procedure, the thorough care
of Dr. Wu and her staff made us feel that we were given the absolute
best possible chance for success. It truly was a ‘preparation
of the garden.’
The
results of the first beta to test for pregnancy were the best one
could hope for, and the second test confirmed the first. We were
pregnant! The dream just kept unfolding from that point on. Regular
treatments with Dr. Wu throughout the pregnancy kept me feeling
fit, energetic, and radiantly happy. I had far more energy that
I had during my first pregnancy (pre-Dr. Wu) when I was six years
younger—a fact that I attribute to the herbs and treatment
of these amazing people. We sailed through the pregnancy in absolute
joy. The baby grew perfectly, with every doctor’s appointment
a confirmation of his health, and every treatment with Dr. Wu leading
us closer to our goal. My overall health and energy level kept attesting
to the amazing and positive effects of the treatment, herbs and
diet. Then, on his due date, our son Jeremy was born. Healthy, happy,
quick to settle into a rhythm, he is a radiant little boy. As he
sleeps in my arms, his tiny hand holding onto my mine, I think of
all of the healing hands that brought him into the world in such
health and peacefulness: the years of practice and wisdom of Dr.
Wu, the healing hands of all of her staff who focus on each person
with such attention and skill. I am eternally grateful for the gift
that they have all given us, and that they always believed in, in
partnership
with us. Our hearts are filled with gratitude beyond measure for
Dr. Wu and her practice.
BB
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Liz
T.
San Francisco, CA
5 star rating on Yelp.com
03/21/2007
Dr. Wu's specialty is fertility treatment (notice I say "fertility,"
not "infertility").
I've
been a patient at Dr. Wu's clinic for several months. First of all,
let me just say that she is AMAZING. It's not just her technical
skill that I'm talking about, it's her intuitive healing ability,
and her way of cutting thru any b.s. that you might inadvertently
be running in the foreground.
Now
let me say something about her staff. She has a small army of staff,
most of whom are massage therapists and/or acupuncturists/TCM practitioners.
If you are being seen there in the Fertility Program, you have these
in-depth appointments with several people working on you over the
course of 2 hours (organ massage, meridian massage, acupuncture,
moxibustion). I must say that every single person who has worked
on me (which includes 8 or 9 people)have been great. They're all
different, but all very talented. She really has good people.
The
support staff are great, too. (Especially [Shawn], who will make
you laugh by complimenting you on your beautiful make-up and hairdo,
which look very *special* by the time you walk out of there!).
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February 25, 2008
I began seeing Angela in 1993, when I decided to try acupuncture
to relieve terrible sinus headaches and seasonal allergy symptoms.
Western medical techniques were no longer working and I didn’t
want to become dependent on drugs to relieve the pain, which seemed
to be worsening every year. After my first appointment, I not only
felt immediate relief from the headaches, but felt more relaxed
and centered in my body than I had in a long time. Over the next
few months I noticed that my energy level increased, and that my
PMS symptoms were decreasing in intensity, even though I wasn’t
seeing Angela for those issues specifically. I’m happy to
report that I have not had a sinus headache or significant allergy
symptoms in 15 years! I’ve maintained excellent health going
into middle age when so many of my peers are beginning to rely on
prescription medication to alleviate aches, pains, and symptoms
that I know could be treated easily and effectively with acupuncture.
Whenever anyone asks how I stay so healthy and energetic, I immediately
tell them about Angela and the wonderful experience I’ve had
with her and the rest of the staff at Wu’s Healing Center.
I’m so grateful and happy to have found Angela, and thanks
to our work together, I look forward to many more years of excellent
health.
Julie
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02/19/2008
Raquel
S.
I've
been going to Wu's Healing Center since 2000 and have recommended
many people ever since. I should really get a referral fee for the
amount of people I have sent there, but I digress.
Dr.
Wu and her staff are great and have treated me and my family for
years. I have gone to Dr. Wu for everything from allergies to nerve
damage to stress and back pain and she always fixes me right up.
They are on the pricey side if your insurance doesn't cover any
portion of acupuncture but it is well worth it.
If you are looking for a new acupuncturist or just want to try it
out for the first time, I would definitely recommend Dr. Wu. She
is friendly, extremely knowledgeable, kind, funny and has a great
bedside manner. She also has a crazy good memory so don't try and
pull one past her because she will remember.
Be prepared if she prescribes herbs or tea because I will admit
that sometimes the mixtures smell scary and taste like dirt, but
they always work and once you're done you're usually good to go.
None of this refill crap for a "virus," if you know what
I mean.
Parking
is a pain, it is Clement after, just be sure to give yourself plenty
of time to circle the block and bring lots of quarters. Even better,
try to find non-metered parking because a typical appointment will
be over an hour and those meters are 1 hour max. and you won't be
able to feed the meter during your treatment.
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Nov.
28, 2007
I
wanted to write this letter to thank you and your staff for helping
to make a significant change in my life over the past 4 months.
When my wife and I came to Wu’s Healing Center for infertility
treatment I figured that I would come for a few visits but leave
most of the work to my wife. You encouragde me to come for regular
appointments along with my wife, as that would accomplish the goal
of total health for both partners in the couple. I took your advice
and am very glad that I did.
In just 4 months of weekly visits and adherence
to your diet recommendations I have lost 12 pounds, I feel great
and have stopped taking medication for my high blood pressure as
it is now under control. I had been on blood pressure medication
for 15 years and my cardiologist has now recommended that I stop
taking it. Amazing.
Thank you again for your wisdom and support. I am
sure I have added years to my life as a result of working with you
and your staff.
Sincerely,
David Riedel
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October
20, 2007
I
began treatment with Dr Wu in hopes for baby #2 in the summer of
2006. I had previously suffered a miscarriage before I became pregnant
with my son. I became pregnant in October 2006 but unfortunately
suffered another miscarriage at 9 weeks. I stayed committed to my
treatments at Dr Wu and became pregnant again in January 2007.
The
first trimester moved slowly but the encouragement and the support
of Dr Wu and her staff helped get me through those long weeks. I
had severe nausea and fatigue but following treatments I always
felt my best. I continued treatment with Dr Wu throughout my entire
pregnancy. Having a toddler exposed me to many germs, and the treatments
helped keep my immunity strong. I suffered through a couple of colds
but for the most part was healthy and felt good. In addition, Dr
Wu’s treatments helped with my varicose veins and also kept
the swelling of my body to a minimum.
On
October 16, I gave birth to a beautiful little girl: Beatrice Grace
Morfit. She was 7 lbs, 14 ounces and 21 inches. I was in active
labor for 6 hours and it went incredibly smooth. I felt strong and
healthy throughout labor and didn’t suffer from any tearing
and only had to have one small stitch. The most amazing part of
Dr Wu’s program is how good I have felt after giving birth.
I haven’t suffered from any post partum depression and feel
quite balanced. My milk supply has been great but without suffering
from any painful engorgement or other issues. My baby is calm and
happy which I believe is a result of the acupuncture treatments.
Thanks
to Dr Wu and staff for taking such good care of me the past year.
It was definitely worth the time and money and I will be back for
#3 sometime in the future.
Best
Regards,
AM
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October
24, 2007
After a miscarriage
and two Ectopic pregnancies, I began a fertility program at the
USCF Women’s Fertility Clinic. At that point, with both fallopian
tubes removed, my only option for conceiving was via IVF. It was
my Western doctor who recommended that I concurrently visit Dr.
Angela Wu to help quell my increasing anxiety and to aid me along
my path to well being and conception.
I had seen other
acupuncturists prior to visiting Wu’s Healing Center and was
slightly skeptical since I never felt confident that their methods
worked to heal the parts of my body that were stressed or to help
me conceive. However, at my first appointment at Wu’s clinic,
I noticed that the Forward in her book Fertility Wisdom, was written
by Dr. Fujimoto, who is the Director of the UCSF Women’s Fertility
Clinic. Right then I felt comforted by the fact that there was a
mutual respect between Eastern and Western fertility practices,
at the very least a liaison between my Western doctors at UCSF and
Wu’s Healing Center.
Upon meeting
her, I immediately had the impression that Dr. Wu knew what she
was doing. She and her staff were all very professional and knowledgeable
about women’s fertility issues. Not to mention the constant
stream of women (and men) in her clinic was quite impressive. Somehow,
it seemed right.
After my first
visit, I was started on a strict fertility regimen. My diet was
altered significantly which was definitely hard to adjust to, but
over time it became easier and I did feel the effects it was having
on my body. I lost weight, had more energy and was sleeping better.
I was receiving acupressure and acupuncture 1 to 2 times per week.
Slightly overwhelmed at first, I gradually adjusted to the change
in my lifestyle and became more open to whole Eastern process. I
truly believed that the work Dr. Wu was doing was aiding the Western
process of IVF.
The IVF process
went very smoothly. I had no reactions at all to the drugs and I
harvested a healthy lot of 14 eggs, 11 of which then fertilized
into viable embryos. We transferred 2 embryos, both of which took.
I am now in my 34th week of pregnancy with twins. Throughout the
IVF process, Dr. Wu respected my treatments with my Western doctors
and her goal was to enhance the positive outcome by making my body
as welcoming and healthy an environment for conception and carrying
the babies.
Alongside Dr.
Wu’s treatments during conception and throughout my pregnancy,
I also saw her son Devin Wu for therapeutic acupuncture on my neck,
lower back and hips. These parts of my body harbored my stress and
Devin did amazing work to relieve pressure and make my body feel
relaxed.
Dr. Wu and her
staff take their work seriously. While they encourage you to follow
a full program, they respect and work with you to adjust programs
based on schedules and resources. Each time I walk into the clinic,
I’m greeted warmly with smiles and well wishes. I highly recommend
Wu’s Healing Center for any fertility or therapeutic needs.
KMR
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May 2007
Age 39, Natural
Conception with high FSH
I am currently
37 weeks pregnant, worked with Dr. Wu for eight months prior to
conceiving naturally and have continued working with her throughout
my pregnancy. Dr. Wu, from day one, has been so supportive in helping
my husband and I start our family. She seemed confident that I would
conceive naturally when western doctors indicated that the odds
were stacked against me to conceive both naturally and with IVF.
When my husband
and I decided we wanted to start our family, my OB/GYN ordered blood
work to check my ovarian reserve, as I was 38 years old. I thought
nothing of it until I received a call from her telling me I had
an elevated FSH level of 15, a sign of diminished ovarian reserve.
I didn’t really understand what this meant and when I asked
her what I could do to lower it she said nothing, it was genetic.
The doctor also indicated that depending upon how aggressive I wanted
to be that I could see an RE [reproductive endocrinologist]. I was
completely devastated. While I poured through websites trying to
make sense of what elevated FSH levels meant, I also immediately
started to search for a Chinese Medicine doctor who was experienced
in treating fertility issues. At first blush, it would seem unusual
that I would choose the eastern medicine approach as I had always
relied on western medicine in treating illness. But that was just
it; I did not consider an elevated FSH level to be an illness, rather
I believed it to be an imbalance which acupuncture could potentially
address.
Within two months
of seeing Dr. Wu and following her program (note – I had never
stuck to a diet before this one), my FSH dropped from 15 to 11 (still
elevated) and then two months later it had dropped to 6.7 (considered
normal range). I mentioned this to my doctor and asked if this could
just be a coincidence, but she indicated she thought there was something
very special happening at Dr. Wu’s office. These tangible
results encouraged me to continue with the program. More significantly,
throughout this process, what I have learned and really benefited
from is gaining a better understanding of my mind & body. I
always ran a mile a minute trying to excel at everything I did.
Not a surprise, but this put quite a bit of stress on my body, which
I believe impacted my being able to conceive.
In
working with Dr. Wu, I began to approach my life differently and
once I conceived I made even more adjustments to my lifestyle to
support a healthy pregnancy. Some of the decision I had to make,
particularly related to career, were tough but I have to say, I
have never felt more at peace. My husband has been amazed at how
happy and calm I am as I approach motherhood and attributes much
of this to the influences of Dr. Wu and her clinic.
Anne
Morrissey
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April 30, 2007
When I started seeing Dr. Wu, we were at the end of our fertility
rope. My partner and I had been trying to get pregnant for two and
a half years, with monthly iui's and all of my hormone results being
normal. All the doctors told me I should have no problems getting
pregnant, but there we were- still not pregnant. After a year and
a half of iui's, a lapraoscopy was performed. My doctor assured
me that she thought she'd find nothing. Unfortunately a good amount
of endometrioisis was found. Was that the problem? In addition to
western treatments, clomid, femera, and three rounds of injectible
drugs, I started seeing an acuppuncturist. I saw the acupuncturist
for a year, but didn't feel any different. Six months after the
lap, my periods started getting painful again. The endometriosis
was coming back. Finally Kaiser Oakland said they didn't have any
other recourse for me and I was cut loose.
Frustrated and feeling out of control I stopped seeing my East Bay
acupuncturist and started seeing Dr. Wu. I had heard she was more
hardcore, and I needed hardcore. At the first appointment she asked
who in my family had blood pressure problems- well everyone but
myself! I was impressed, but still unsure because a lot of people
have blood pressure issues in their family. I jumped right in to
the dietary guidelines, and started the herbs. By the end of the
week my feet were no longer cold and I felt different- better! After
seeing Dr. Wu for a week I felt better than I did seeing my other
acupuncturist for a year.
I continued to see Dr Wu and stay on the herbs and food guidelines
as my partner and I decided whether to try IVF or have my partner
get pregnant and I step down. My periods had gotten less painful
after a few months seeing Dr Wu, and my partner had some fertility
issues that needed treatment before we could try with her. We shopped
around and finally decided to go with Dr Wu's IVF suggestion- Zouves
Fertility Center. We liked the fact that Dr Zouves supported eastern
approachs to fertility and that he also believed in an immune system
connection to fertility. We thought had my allergies worsened around
ovulation, and suspected an immune component.
Dr Wu and her staff gave us lots of support and encouragement as
we started the IVF cycle. She kept on me about following the food
guidelines and made me laugh! I remember her telling me I needed
to "march" after eating. She demonstrated the elevated
knee action she expected, marching around the table I lay on. March,
march, march to get my blood moving! Her chiding always made me
laugh and helped me
stay on course with the challenging regiment. Her support and focus
was vital. The cost of IVF meant this was a one time shot for us!
We> didn't produce a lot of eggs. I had definite egg envy and
started worrying I was too old approaching 37. Maybe that's why
I hadn't gotten pregnant. I had become a source of advice for my
sister-in-law and several sets of friends- how to figure out when
you ovulate, where to get cheap opk and pregnancy kits etc. Everyone
I had helped was
now pregnant or had delivered. Of course Dr Zouves concluded I had
an immune issue- elevated natural killer cells - so I started IVIG
treatments and took injections for rhuematoid arthitis adding to
our expenses and increasing our stress. We had all of our eggs in
one basket, so to speak!
Seeing Dr Wu, taking the herbs and abiding by the food guidelines
gave me something to do. I needed to feel I could do something.
We followed Dr Wu's suggestion that I stay in bed a week after the
embryo transfer instead of the western doctor's suggestion of a
few days. We took it easy afterwards and enjoyed the home visits
for acuppuncture. The day before our blood test I was sure I wasn't
pregnant, tearful and feeling guilty for all the money and work
we'd put into this seemingly
fruitless goal. The day we were to go in for the pregnancy blood
test, I took a home test. I wanted to prepare myself for the negative
result by phone later that day. Miraclously it was positive! That
made going in to take the blood test that much easier!
The beta numbers came back higher- I was pregnant, very pregnant.
The numbers kept going up and up! We got tested at Kaiser and they
confirmed I was pregnant too and scheduled our first ultrasound
for seven weeks. Dr. Wu encouraged us to take it easy and I was,
sleeping a lot!
On a weekend trip, my partner and I were walking out of a grocery
store. I wasn't carrying anything, following Dr Wu's suggestion
not to carry anything heavy, when I felt a gush between my legs.
We dashed home, I was bleeding bright red blood. We were only six
weeks pregnant, and three hours from our doctors. There was nothing
we could do. On Monday, after bleeding on and off over the weekend,
Kaiser was able to do an ultrasound. Turns out we were still pregnant
and had twins! We weren't able to see a doctor. The IVF clinic had
released us from their care, and the Kaiser fertility doctors had
us set up our appointment for prenatal care, but not for another
six weeks! During this time we had several more bleeding episodes
and emergency appointments with various doctors at Kaiser- none
of which could/would tell us why I was bleeding or what to do about
it. The only stable feedback we had was from Wu's Healing Center.
We were in a no man's land being handed off between IVF doctors,
fertility doctors and the regular prenatal path.
The pregnancy continued, with Dr Wu speaking as an advocate for
the twins, reminding me to slow down. The bleeding episodes were
often after I exerted myself. She made me aware that my body was
giving me feedback- I really needed to take it easy to nourish these
two little babies. The western doctors weren't as proactive. My
body was telling me what it wanted, if only I'd listen! Luckily
Dr. Wu could translate and helped me learn to listen better. I watched
my tongue and tried to eat right, take it easy and drink my water.
In the end, I carried the babies 38 weeks. They were delivered via
c-section as they were both breech. Both were healthy. The girl
weighed 7 lbs 12 oz, and the boy was smaller at 5 lbs 6 oz.
Stephanie Griffin
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April 11, 2007
I first came
to see Dr. Wu in April 2006 after following only Western medicine
protocols. In the summer or 2005, I started with two rounds of AI
[artificial insemination] and then proceeded to IVF in December.
In my first retrieval, and prior to any acupuncture and diet changes,
I produced 17 eggs. A good result I was told for my 35 years of
age. After one fresh transfer and two frozen transfers and no pregnancy,
I was depressed and without hope. At this point, I knew I needed
to try a different approach to fertility.
Hearing about
Dr. Wu’s Healing Center through two different girlfriends,
I thought I’d give it a try. Up until this point I had been
unwilling to make the dietary and lifestyle change that were necessary
with the Eastern approach to fertility. But after all the failed
attempts, I was willing to commit myself to anything! I read all
the recommended books on diet and nutrition, changed my eating and
drinking habits and changed my mental approach. Dr. Wu’s team
provided the support and coaching I needed to make these changes
and stick to them. In June, Dr. Wu said I was ready for another
retrieval. My Western medicine doctors had me follow the exact same
protocol as before – same drugs, same amounts for the exact
length of time. The time I produced 47 eggs of which 80% fertilized!
These are amounts seen in women in their early 20’s. I attribute
this success t Dr. Wu, her team, and my diet and attitude changes.
When I asked the Western doctors if they wanted to know what I did
differently this second time, they were simply uninterested in what
I had to share.
The fresh transfer
in June 2006 resulted in my first ever pregnancy, but unfortunately
it was ectopic and had to be terminated to preserve my life. This
pregnancy, however, did reveal a problem with my fallopian tubes,
which subsequently had to be removed in October. I believe that
this pregnancy had to happen in order to shed some light on the
real problem which had been undiagnosed up until this time. I believe
that this pregnancy was a direct result of working with Dr. Wu and
her team.
In November
2006, I was ready again for another transfer. This time is would
be a frozen transfer, which typically is not as successful as a
fresh cycle (but the cycle IS without all the awful stimulation
drugs, so the experience is a lot more pleasant). I found out on
December 3rd 2006 that I was pregnant! I think I held my breath
for the first 3 months, but now I am 22 weeks along and feeling
great. My husband and I look forward to the arrival of our baby
in August.
Most importantly,
I have my body to thank for all its hard work and response to the
acupuncture and acupressure treatments. While the Western approach
left me feeling hatred and contempt for my body, Dr. Wu helped me
to feel love and appreciation for my body. I’d like to thank
Dr. Wu and her team for their dedication to bringing healthy babies
into the lives of women and men who so genuinely want them.
Julie
Templeton
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March
20, 2007
Progress
report. I am a 59 year-old woman who has been attending Dr. Angela
Wu’s Healing Center for eight weeks. During this time, I have
experienced many pleasant changes in my health. I can to Dr Wu for
help in three areas: allergies, insomnia, and back pain. In this
brief period of time, my allergies have been greatly reduced, my
sleeping has improved, and the back problems are lessening.
When
I first arrived at Dr. Wu’s clinic, my seasonal allergies
(hay fever, which begins for me in January and lasts until June),
were in full force. I was miserable with itching eyes, a scratchy
throat, itchy skin, a runny nose, difficulty relaxing, and only
a little relief from the allergy pills which I took constantly.
I have had seasonal allergies for 20 years. I have also used shots
to help control these allergies. This year, however, starting out
in January, my symptoms were much worse than usual, and after stopping
the shots three years ago, I was surprised at how strongly my reaction
to hay fever came back. Within the first few visits, these symptoms
began to lessen. At this point, I no longer have any of these symptoms,
and I am completely comfortable. Most days, I still need to take
a 12-hour Claritin only during the daytime, and occasionally at
night I have a little trouble. But this is a great improvement from
my original state in January, when even these medications did not
stop my discomfort. I am very grateful for the vast improvement
to my condition, and I look forward to a time soon when I no longer
need any allergy pills.
I
am also experiencing some improvement in my ability to sleep. In
fact, I am finally able to go to sleep some of the time without
a sleeping pill for the first time in almost two years. I generally
feel calmer overall. In addition, my energy level is much higher
and I no longer need a rest period each afternoon.
And
as another unexpected benefit of my treatments, I no longer have
any gas pains or stomach discomfort (a relatively minor issue for
me). And, although this was not a goal, through the changes to my
diet, I have been losing a little weight easily without feeling
at all hungry. The food recommendations have definitely helped my
general health. Finally, the chronic back pain of 14 years is beginning
to dissipate, thank to the treatments of Devin Wu, who started to
work on this issue three weeks ago.
Thank
you Dr. Angela Wu, Devin Wu, and staff for your excellent work!
LTF
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February 26, 2007
Dear Angela,
We are writing
this letter to thank you so very much from the bottom of our hearts
for your help in successfully getting pregnant with our second child.
As you know,
we previously had two early miscarriages, so we went to a fertility
clinic. After the doctor’s examination, he told us that all
signs indicated that our chances for successfully having our own
baby, even with IVF, were extremely low.
Shortly thereafter,
we heard about your fertility clinic from a friend. Our friend said
she knew of another couple in a similar situation whom you successfully
helped. We decided to give it a try, although our hopes were still
low and guarded.
Five months
later, we were pregnant (naturally). Even more significant, this
pregnancy has lasted, and we are now in the third trimester, expecting
a successful birth very soon. This result has indeed overcome the
difficult odds given by the medical doctor.
In addition,
as an added bonus when we started our treatment at your clinic,
James had a bad case of sciatica, which had so far lasted for several
months. The sciatica gave him constant pain, and he was taking multiple
ibuprofen tabs a day to deal with it. After several sessions at
your clinic, his sciatica pain went away such that no ibuprofen
was needed.
Again, we thank
you so very much. We look forward to sending you a picture of our
baby after she is born.
With many thanks,
Mimi Wong and James Okamoto
Update:
Mimi and James delivered a beautiful, healthy baby girl in April
2007.
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October 10, 2006
It
is difficult to believe what we don’t understand. I think
this is part of the reason why many believe more in Western Medicine
rather than the power of Eastern Healing Methods. In my quest to
become pregnant, I can honestly say that I am a true believer in
Eastern Medicine and its healing techniques.
In
2004, my husband and I decided that we wanted to have a child. I,
being a banking consultant traveling from San Francisco to New York
every week, decided it was best to run some tests to give myself
peace of mind that my husband and I were fertile and able to conceive.
My husband’s sperm analysis came back normal. Unfortunately
for me, my doctor sat me down and told me that my FSH was borderline
(11.1) and that I would probably never conceive and I would have
a slim chance of ever conceiving even if I tried IVF. I was 36 years
old at the time. I was devastated. My husband and I had not even
tried to conceive yet and we were given this grim news.
I
quickly got online and did some research on acupuncture and fertility.
Immediately, Dr. Wu’s name appeared before me on my computer
screen. The testimonies I found throughout my web research were
enough to convince me to pick up the phone and call Wu’s Healing
Center.
On
my first visit to Wu’s Healing Center, I didn’t have
much hope. I explained to Dr. Wu my FSH problem and also informed
her that my doctor had prescribed Clomid as a “shot in the
dark”. Dr. Wu looked at my tongue and checked my pulses. She
advised me not to take the Clomid and assured me that I would be
able to conceive naturally if I followed her program. She said this
with such conviction, that I truly believed in her and I did not
take the prescribed Clomid. I religiously followed her recommended
diet, moxabustion twice a day, and I took the herbs she prescribed.
I also stopped flying and talking on my cell phone constantly. I
had weekly appointments for acupuncture, meridian acupressure and
cupping Two weeks later, Dr. Wu asked me if I had taken a pregnancy
test. I thought she was kidding. I told her no, as I was confident
I was not pregnant. She told me to go home and take a pregnancy
test. To my surprise, IT WAS POSITIVE! How did she know? My husband
and I were shocked and excited by the wonderful news! Then, the
“journey” began.
When
I was 12 weeks pregnant, I had a Nuchal Translucency test to screen
for chromosome problems. The screening indicated that our baby had
a 1 in 17 chance of having Down Syndrome [Trisomy 21]. My husband
and I were devastated. We opted to have a CVS test performed the
next day, as this test is 99% accurate in testing for chromosome
problems. We had to wait 7 days for our results. During the long,
stressful 7-day wait, I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Wu. When
I got to her office, I broke down and could hardly explain the situation
to Dr. Wu. She calmly took me into her office and gave me some calming
herbs. She looked me straight in the eye and said, “Your baby
is fine. It does not have any chromosome problems.” She then
gave me her personal cell phone number and told me to call her and
give her the “good news” once my test results were in.
Dr. Wu was correct. Our long awaited CVS results came back indicating
that our baby was perfectly healthy and that our baby did not have
any chromosome problems. I called Dr. Wu with the good news. She
was not surprised with the news. Again, how did she know?
We
were not out of the woods yet. Because we had a high Nuchal screening
test, statistically there could be still be a problem with our baby’s
heart or other organs. Again, I went to Dr. Wu in tears. Again,
she calmed me down and looked me straight in the eyes and said,
“Your baby is fine.” She said she knew this from my
pulses. We had an EKG on our baby’s heart and at 20 weeks
we had a full scan of all the organs to ensure that there were no
issues. Again, Dr. Wu was correct. We were relieved to know that
our baby was healthy and there were no problems with any of our
baby’s organs.
Despite
the questionable results from our screening test, I had a wonderful
pregnancy, free of sickness, illness, and exhaustion. I was energized,
healthy and extremely grateful. On July 4th, 2005m our daughter
Sophia Christine was born! She is beautiful and healthy. We are
so fortunate!
Additionally,
after Sophia was born, I continued to experience other healing with
the assistance of Dr. Wu. During Sophia’s delivery, I developed
severe pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure was dangerously high. After
the delivery, my blood pressure remained on the higher side. Dr.
Wu treated my blood pressure with acupuncture and healing sounds
and was able to get my blood pressure down from 124/90 to 104/68.
My blood pressure has stabilized and is now under control. Again,
I can thank Dr. Wu and Eastern medicine.
My
belief in Dr. Wu and in Eastern medicine only grows stronger over
time. Recently, my husband and I decided that we would like to have
another baby. I decided that I had better run some fertility tests
to understand my current situation. I was concerned that my FSH
level would only be higher than it was in 2004 as I am now 2 years
older (age 38). It is also rare that FSH levels go down after time,
as they usually only get worse (go up) as you get older. Dr. Wu
assured me that my FSH should be much lower now as I have been seeing
her weekly for the past 2 years. I have continued to eat the recommended
foods per her advice. My ER told me that if my FSH came back higher
than it was 2 years ago, he couldn’t help me get pregnant.
He told me that I would not even have a good chance of conceiving
with IVF. I informed my ER that I was stills seeing Dr. Wu, taking
her herbs and following her recommended diet. My ER stated that
he would be extremely surprised if my FSH came back lower 2 years
later. Against medical odds, my FSH results came back with an FSH
of 7.6. It dropped 4.5 points! My ER was amazed and stated, “There
must be something to Dr. Wu’s work.” My husband and
I are again grateful that we found Dr. Wu and we are confident that
we will be able to work successfully with Dr. Wu on conceiving baby
number two!
Through
our pregnancy “journey”, Dr. Wu has been our partner.
She has been there for us medically, emotionally, and spiritually,
and she has been a good friend. We are so blessed to have found
Dr. Wu. She has truly mastered the practice of Eastern medicine
and has an incredible intuition.
As
I stated before, it is difficult to believe in something you don’t
understand. I can only speak from my experiences and I fully believe
in the power of Eastern medicine as I believe in Dr. Wu. I don’t
fully understand how Eastern medicine works, especially in the fertility
arena. As we all know, fertility as many unknowns. Is it difficult
to treat and it is difficult to become successful in many cases.
I can confidently say that a Western doctor told me that I would
never get pregnant and with the help of Dr. Wu, I was pregnant 2
weeks later. I delivered a healthy little girl. In my quest to learn
more about Eastern medicine so that I can better understand how
it has helped me and how to help myself in the future, I have read
Dr. Wu’s Fertility Wisdom. Eastern medicine is complex; Fertility
Wisdom explains the practice of Eastern medicine in understandable
terms. I highly recommend the book to anyone who is interested in
how traditional Chinese medicine can help overcome infertility.
I also highly recommend Dr. Wu and Wu’s Healing Center. I
can not say enough about the practice as they have helped me give
my husband and me the most precious thing in life – they have
given us a precious life – our daughter. For this we are so
grateful.
Linda
White
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May 15, 2006
All pregnancies are precious, but after four years of trying to
get there, there were many reasons to celebrate when the little
stick finally gave me a plus sign. I was cautiously optimistic,
but when I started to spot at 5 weeks I called my OB in a panic.
There was really nothing that western medicine could do for me.
Luckily, I had already been seeing Dr. Wu and had an appointment
for that day anyway. I arrived at Dr. Wu’s office anxious
and fearful that I would lose the pregnancy. I was trying to keep
my thinking positive, but it was hard and very scary. I was wound
pretty tightly.
Within the first ten
minutes of treatment, I could feel myself relaxing. I didn’t
expect to feel that peaceful given what my body and brain were going
through. It was not just the healing sounds, the breathing, or the
acupuncture- I was transformed from anxious, fearful, guarded, and
nervous into grateful, peaceful, and open to loving this little
being inside. I managed to return to the present rather than worry
what would happen tomorrow or the next day.
At only 5 weeks into
the pregnancy my western doctors could only hope that the spotting
wasn’t a sign of miscarriage. Dr. Wu and her team could do
a lot more than hope (although there was a lot of power in that
as well). I received medicinal herbs, which stopped the spotting
almost immediately.
Now into my 19th week
of pregnancy I cant but help reflect in a very grateful manner.
The most important aspect of Dr. Wu’s healing center for me
is that I am treated as a whole person, not just a uterus. I get
treated on a physical and emotional level. Dr. Wu and her team managed
to help me quiet my mind – slow down my thoughts of catastrophe
– keep coming back to long after fertility is no longer an
issue for me. I view the healing center as a valuable resource that
I will continue to frequent throughout my life. I’m glad I
discovered the power of TCM.
Becky
DesRoches, PhD
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August 2004
With
Reed’s low sperm count of only 5 million per mL, sperm motility
at less than 35% and 98% abnormal sperm (normal values are 20 million+
sperm per mL, greater than 50% motility and less than 40% abnormal
sperm), fertility specialists told Susan, 27 and Reed, 36, that
their chances of conceiving naturally were very poor. Intra-uterine
insemination and possible in-vitro fertilization were recommended
as their best options for conception. Deciding to give acupuncture
a try before they opted for more conventional Western treatment,
Susan and Reed found themselves in Dr. Wu’s waiting room on
March 22, 2004. Deciding upon a weekly course of acupuncture, organ
and meridian acupressure for Susan and organ and meridian acupressure
for Reed, as well as herbs for both, Dr Wu recommended 6 once a
week visits to start. But it only took 5 visits, however, before
Susan was pregnant! Reed had his semen analysis checked again and
discovered that 5 treatments with Dr. Wu had resulted in a sperm
count of 22 million per mL, 65% motility and less than 30% abnormal
sperm. The baby is due in late January, 2005.
Anonymous
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My first visit to Dr. Wu’s Healing Center was
in August of 1993. I had a hysterectomy in January of that year, in
my mid 30’s, and found myself with many symptoms that western
medicine could not help me with such as panic attacks, depression,
shaking and agoraphobia, just to name a few. Since
I was in menopausal state from my operation, hormones only made
these symptoms worse. I went through many types of drugs for 9 months
until I was in a severe state of depression.
My
good friend suggested an acupuncturist. Long story short, Dr. Wu
was suggested and my husband, who was also at the end of his rope
since we had 2 small children, took me to see her.
After
first meeting Dr. Wu, I felt comforted by her manner and humor as
she helped ease me through the acupuncture, as I was very frightened/
Dr.
Wu informed me it could take 3 to 5 years for me to get back to
my normal self. I was upset with her diagnosis but after my 1st
visit, I actually felt better within an hour. Many of the more debilitating
symptoms were gone. Needless to say, I felt I should stick to her
program of herbs, teas, diet, organ massage and acupuncture. After
a few months later, I was getting better and at the 5 year mark,
as she said, I was back to feeling strong and much more in touch
with myself.
The
knowledge Dr. Wu gives me to listen to my body by empowering myself
with her workshops, books and my intuition, allows me to realize
the joy of becoming a healthier and stronger woman than I ever thought
possible.
I have
come to consider Dr. Wu my coach, mentor and friend. I have asked
for her input regarding ay life cycle event that has come up over
the last 15 years. At this point, I trust her far more than any
western doctor. In fact, during a western medical appointment I
am told I need to take meds or submit to further testing I always
consult with Dr. Wu before I proceed. My husband, who is a cardiologist
initially, was skeptical of Chinese Medicine, but he couldn’t
argue with my results. He too has become a patient of Dr. Wu’s
and refers patients who aren’t being helped by western medicine
to her.
To
this day I am still a patient and as I grow, many other issues arise
and we deal with them accordingly. Dr. Wu is amazing at listening
to my symptoms of other women’s issues. We have now embarked
on dealing with weight gain that is affecting me in a very unusual
way. It’s a slow process, but I know I can achieve results
with time and Dr. Wu’s help.
Finally,
I feel there is a higher reason why our paths have crossed though
I do not understand it. I truly feel blessed to be in this partnership.
Dr. Wu has become a close friend of our entire family. I just can’t
express my gratitude enough.
Yours
truly,
Joanne Lehrman
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Benefits
of Chinese Medicine
Preconception
ability to overcome common fertility challenges (for both women
and men)
increased chances of conceiving naturally
increased effectiveness of Western assisted reproductive techniques
reduced side effects of drugs prescribed during IVF, IUI, and
GIFT procedures
Prenatal
improved health, energy, and mental outlook
decreases chances of miscarriage
dramatically reduced length of labor
Post-Partum
a speedier full recovery following childbirth
improved long-term reproductive health
healthier, happier babies that are easier for both parents to
raise
no depression
higher-quality breast milk
sexual enjoyment -- more and sooner
slower aging process in the long run
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