Claire
More stories about how acupuncture has helped my patientsMeeting Caitlin was one of the best things that happened to me in 2007 and actually the other best things all have to do with her too.
In December 2005 I decided to stop taking the pill because my husband and I were thinking of having a baby and I wanted my body to clear itself of all these synthetic hormones before trying to conceive. Unfortunately, after I stopped taking it, no more periods came and a year and a half of worry, doubts, questions without answers and loss of confidence started.
I supposed the first couple of months were all right. I was trying to reassure myself thinking that amenorrhea happens to a lot of women after stopping the pill and I tried to be positive thinking that they would come back soon. On the third month I went to the GP who said that there was nothing worrying and that I just had to wait. She said that if after six months nothing had happened to come back and that we would do some tests.
When I went to see her again in May, I was a complete mess. My periods had not come back and I was thinking that they never would. I had put on 7 kilos while eating like a bird, walking to work and running back and I kept crying. We did some blood test and it came out that I had an under active thyroid which caused me to put on weight and feel really low and which might be, according to the GP, responsible for my now secondary amenorrhea. After we found the right adjustment for the thyroxin dose I started to lose weight and to feel better but my periods were still not back.
Over the summer my husband and I had a six-week holiday in New Zealand, which was great because it really changed my mind. I was hoping that having a relaxing holiday, walking and not thinking about anything stressful would bring my periods back but still nothing happened.
At October half-term we went back home to France where I had an appointment with my gynaecologist. She did a scan and saw a lot of follicles which had not matured into ovules and she quickly mentioned polycystic ovaries. She did not explain what it was, or tell me if it was really what I had or if it was serious. She did however give me a progesterone treatment which was supposed to kick off my periods and reset my system.
After four months of treatment, no periods and seven extra kilos I decided to stop. I again felt extremely low because the weight I had previously put on and then lost due to my thyroid problem had piled back on and it made me feel a failure.
The GP eventually referred me to a gynaecologist at the hospital but that was a waste of time. Apart from telling me that my levels of hormones were normal and that I had to exercise it did not help whatsoever. I felt very offended by his recommendation about exercising. I was trying my best by cycling to school and doing some classes at the gym and yet it seemed not good enough. I felt judged, not helped at all.
At the end of January 2007 I told one of my friends that my periods were still not back and that I felt dreadful. She recommended that I went to see her acupuncturist who she said was great: kind, reassuring, understanding and efficient. So I eventually rang to make an appointment which was on Valentine’s Day! It might have been a sign of what happened to my husband and me a few months later.
I will always remember this first appointment because for the first time I was telling someone how I genuinely felt: I could not recognise myself anymore; it was another Claire, a very sad and damaged me that Caitlin had in front of her. At the end of the treatment tears were rolling on my cheeks because some of the tension had been freed. On that night I slept like a baby all night long without waking up; it had not happened for a long time and it was so refreshing and relaxing.
In a few sessions Caitlin helped me to become Claire again and on the 3rd of March I had my period. It felt so surreal but so wonderful and relieving! My body was living again! We carried on with the sessions and on the 19th of April I had another period.
After that my husband and I decided that it was time to start trying to conceive because we were scared that this opportunity would not come back. In May I did not have a period. There could be two explanations. My hormones had gone wrong again or I was pregnant. I decided to wait to do the test until my cycle was more than 50 days because the previous one had been a very long one.
On the 31st of May at 4am I could not sleep and I decided to do the test. I had a feeling that it would be positive. I strongly felt that it would be. Whilst waiting for the result I was trying to bear in mind that it could be negative. Sometimes you want so much for something to happen that you feel like it is happening; but I was right, it was really happening; I was pregnant! I went back to bed and tried not to tell my husband at that time because I wanted him to really understand what I was telling him. But after turning round and round for an hour without sleeping I could not keep it from him anymore. I woke him up and told him "I am pregnant!"
Of course I carried on the sessions with Caitlin afterwards. She helped the baby to stay and she helped me with the little problems that pregnancy brings along. I am now 28 weeks pregnant and I can’t wait to meet our baby. Although I am scared of actually giving birth, I am sure that Caitlin will do all she can to help me with that and on the day my husband will be there as he has always been to help, support and comfort me.
Thank you ever so much Caitlin for making all this possible. Thank you for helping me sort out my life by healing my body and mind and thank you for helping us create another life.