When patients see me at Acubalance fertility acupuncture clinic, their initial appointment always takes a little extra time. We go over labs results, talk about symptoms, and draw up a treatment plan together. Often I find that their doctors have referred them to a fertility clinic, but they’re still waiting to hear back. When they do finally get the phone call, their initial appointment is months away, leaving...
Bronwyn's Blog
My Top 3 Supplements for Fertility
Mar 08, 2016 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P Every time I see a new patient I recommend a handful of supplements. I’ve been doing this routinely for so long now that I have stopped thinking about the “why”. And that’s what I like so much about new patients; they ask the questions that remind me to remember why I recommend things. Here’s the Cole’s notes on why I recommend coenzyme Q10, vitamin D3 and Fish oils.
Unexplained
Mar 01, 2016 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P When you have tried to conceive for a year and you find that all of your hormone levels are normal; when you have an ultrasound, pelvic exam, blood work, pap and semen analysis; when you have tested for ovulation and timed your intercourse appropriately, and yet still have not fallen pregnant, that is unexplained infertility, and it is the most frustrating diagnosis of all. Most couples feel they have done everything right and cannot understand... Read more
Top Three: The Most Common Women's Fertility Conditions I see in my Practice
Feb 25, 2016 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P Although I still see a general practice, there are conditions that tend to surface again and again in the clinic. That’s not to say there’s anything routine about it, though. Because I’m treating from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, each case is unique no matter the official diagnosis. Here’s my top three.
Ovulation: Both Mystical and Mechanical
Feb 02, 2016 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P One of the most common questions I get in my practice has to do with this elusive process. When do I ovulate? What makes it happen? How long does it take? How wide is the ovulation window? These are all great questions, so let’s go over the basics before we soldier on toward the nuances.
How to Get The Most Out of Your First Visit
Jan 21, 2016 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P Whenever I see a new patient, I always ask them to bring in any recent blood work. As often as not, they don’t have the results, only their doctor’s diagnosis or assurances. Sometimes that’s enough, for example when she’s been seeing a fertility specialist, in which case I can be confident that the appropriate tests were ordered. However, there are many occasions when taking a closer look at your blood work and imagery can reveal a way forward.
Inheritance
Dec 29, 2015 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P Often when I see a new patient for the first time, she will ask me “Should I get my husband to come in as well?”. It’s an excellent question; there is the short answer (a resounding YES) and the long answer involving some research, a pep talk and some nifty diagrams, but I’ll try to keep it simple.
A Story of Hope
Dec 18, 2015 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P When I first read her email, I wondered if I’d misunderstood Tamara’s chart.
A Hopeful Beginning Continues
Dec 07, 2015 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P For woman suffering with polycystic ovarian syndrome, the road to parenthood can be a long and bumpy one. While that’s not always the case, PCOS having a complex and varied picture, some women struggle for years. This week I saw a ray of sunlight that renewed my belief that PCOS is not the death-knell of fertility.
Inflammation and the Gut
Nov 17, 2015 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P Inflammation is a word we hear a lot these days in the health blogosphere. Since it is both an ally and enemy, it’s important to have the basic Cole’s notes on how it all works, and how to keep it in check where possible.
Black-Out
Nov 13, 2015 | Bronwyn Melville, B.A., R.TCM.P We went low-fi at Acubalance today. Sitting in the back office with Alda, halfway through breakfast and all the lights went out. There was a two minute flurry of checking on patients in their treatment rooms, followed by an awkward moment of “now what”. That’s when we realized that actually, this is really not a problem for us.