Acupuncture and Ulcerative Colitis

I am 24yrs old suffering from ulcerative colitis since the age of 18.  I went in last week for my first test trial of acupuncture with hopes that it would cure me 100%.  Well unfortunately, it did not.  I am not sure if I should continue to get several treatments or not.  Has anyone had any success from acupuncture?  If so, please share your story.  Also how many treatments did it take for you to see a difference?

UCISNOTMYFRIEND

Currently Taking Apriso-4x's a day

Your first mistake is to believe you will be cured and put all your hopes in that one aspect.
It will serve a purpose to you overall....see what else it can do for you and maybe your UC will behave better.

You should also be on rectal meds plus the Apriso.

quincy

Quincy,

Thanks for the advice, I will keep the faith.

Peety,

Did acupuncture cause your UC to flare?

I regularly go to acupuncture, and I love it. But I have to agree with quincy in that it is not a cure. If someone is promising you that it will be, they are misleading you.

Prior to being hospitalized in 2008, I was trying everything I could to manage this disease naturally, and was going to acupuncture every week. While it helps me immensely with my stress, and it gives me a wonderful overall sense of well being, it has never had a noticeable effect on my UC symptoms. I still go, and she does treat me for my UC, but it does not help me get our of flares, nor does it keep me from going into them with much success. It does not make my flares worse, but it doesn't really treat them either. I agree also with Peety-I think it is very helpful for some things (I have a friend who got pregnant after acupuncture treatments, which was her goal), but I do not think it is even remotely close to a cure or even a reasonable treatment for UC. I am moving away from UC treatment with her and trying to focus on things like stress relief and my screwy menstrual cycles, since those things negatively impact my UC, so if she can help ease some of my triggers, I figure it could indirectly help my UC.

After going that route, I have found that the best treatment program for me involves a balance of meds and alternative therapies and treatments. Even with all of that, I am currently flaring (and if my Humira injection doesn't help get me past it, I will be calling the GI tomorrow to push for a switch to a mesalamine enema). If you are flaring right now and all you are taking is Apriso, I would recommend calling the GI and getting on something else to help get you out of the flare.

Also, if you want to find a cheap way to get acupuncture, some places nowadays offer community sessions -- where there are several people having treatment at the same time and in the same room. This allows the practitioner to lower the cost.

The place I went to charged $25-$40 per 1 hour session because of this.

No, I really don't believe accupuncture caused the flare. I was already headed that way, it was just time for another one!

I think it would be a terrible idea to go off western meds to try it. Neither the accupucturist or my naturopath wanted me to do that.

Acupuncturists, like other specialists, vary. Some of really competent and well-trained doctors. Others are not.

I went to well-trained acupuncturist who trained in China. I was ready to check into a hospital. Within a month, the bleeding stopped and I felt great. I went 2 times a week, then 1 time a week. I did that for months. You have to keep up with the treatments. Once I stopped, I couldn't really get back into remission.

I went to a different acupuncturist a few times who did nothing for me. He had a bunch of patients in different rooms "going" all at once. It was ridiculous. I wouldn't bother with someone who doesn't give you the full time to yourself.

Any acupuncturist who says you have to stop western meds is wrong.

I would only go to an acupuncturist who was highly recommended by the area doctors. They tend to know who is well-regarded. Orthopedists and neurologists are the usually the ones who would know.

Againstodds said...
I am just curious about the number of patients who try acupuncture. It is not a cure definitely, but how much does it help?

It doesn't help me with the UC symptoms much, if any. But it does help me with stress, which indirectly helps me with the UC, know what I mean? Plus as the mom of young kids, I enjoy having cause to lay on a table for an hour and take a nap! :) That always helps!!