Fertility Success: PCOS - Clearwater, Florida
*When I stopped taking the birth control pill in preparation for trying to conceive I experienced amenorrhea, or absence of menstruation. My gynecologist did an ultrasound which showed that my ovaries had the string of pearls appearance which is the hallmark of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
​
I began fertility testing and treatment with a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE). Further hormone testing indicated an imbalance in my FSH and LH levels that was keeping me from ovulating. I went through months of invasive testing – blood tests to check hormone levels, glucose tolerance testing and an hysterosalpingogram to see if my fallopian tubes were blocked. My tubes were normal and I was not found to have glucose intolerance.
​
The RE finally decided to put me on Cl***d with timed intercourse and a self-administered abdominal injection to ensure release of an egg. I also had to have monthly vaginal ultrasounds to make sure my ovaries were not hyperstimulated by the Cl***d. After two unsuccessful tries with Cl***d I went back in to talk to my RE, who I had only seen once throughout the months of testing. When she began talking about in-vitro fertilization I realized that I needed to take a step back and look at other options. In-vitro is a wonderful innovation but I felt that I was being pushed towards a costly, invasive procedure before more simple methods had been exhausted.
​
I stopped going to the RE and went looking for an acupuncturist. I found Dawn Balusik and went in for my initial consultation, with images of painful needles running through my head. What I found was nothing like that. Dawn was kind and concerned and took an impressively thorough health history, asking what I thought were all the right questions. She began treating me with acupuncture (which was not painful at all), started me on herbal supplements and recommended some diet changes.
My weekly treatments with Dawn were peaceful, relaxing times that took me out of my busy life and made me take a breath. After just a month of treatment my cycle began to regulate. And after just two and a half months of treatment I was pregnant! No drugs, no medical procedures, no timed intercourse. Dawn continued to treat me throughout my very easy pregnancy. I did not have morning sickness or many of the other common irritations of pregnancy.
In November 2011 I gave birth to a healthy, eight pound baby girl. I can’t thank Dawn enough! I highly recommend her to anyone experiencing fertility issues.
– Kim H., Clearwater, FL, May 2012
​
*Individual results may vary.
​