Case Histories

At the age of 40, just after my seventh miscarriage, I went to see Deirdre for some homeopathic advise. I had no energy, severe digestive problems, and had given up on ever having another healthy baby.

Deirdre gave me homeopathic remedies which immediately helped my energy, and together with acupunture and nutritional change of diet, I slowly recovered my energy and my will to recover my life.

At the age of 44, I got pregnant, and had the best pregnancy of my life, healthwise. I had an eight and half pound healthy baby, and enjoyed the continued support of homeophathy and acupunture during my pregnancy.

I would strongly recommend to all women in a similiar fertility situation to take a holistic view in management as well as routine medical interventions as appropriate.

It is the combined effort of all good professionals that can solve the problem.

Kind regards,

In October 2003 I was diagnosed with Endometriosis. I had a laparoscopy done at the Cork University Hospital and I was told that I had a stage 4 endometriosis and that a hysterectomy would be the only cure for the severe pain I was having mid cycle every month.

At the time I was 38 years old and I had not a family and I really wanted children. I was then told that my only option was IVF which may or may not work for me. I was horrified at what lay a head for me and my husband. I needed time to think and get my head around what I had been told.

I spoke to many friends about this and one of them suggested acupuncture but I had no idea where to go so eventually I heard about Robin Hill Clinic so I contacted them and started acupuncture. My first experience of Robin Hill Clinic was that it was no big deal and that Deirdre would deal with my pain and get that controlled first before we could go any further. Within two appointments to see Deirdre for Acupuncture and Homeopathy I was pain free and I felt great.

At this stage I contacted Cork University Hospital to be referred to a fertility clinic which the did for me. My first impressions of the clinic was that we had something awful wrong with us and that it should not be discussed with anyone only our partners. I found for me dealing with it was easier to talk about it and women do understand. It eliminated all the hurt you feel at parties when people put a baby in your arms and say "doesn't a baby suit you". And it stops all the "You will be next".

In July 2004 I started on my first cycle of IVF and I had tremendous support from all of my family and friends. At this stage I had not had a pain in months and I was still attending the Robin Hill Clinic on a monthly basis for acupuncture and homeopathy. Both my husband and I were very confident that IVF was going to work for us and Deirdre at the Robin Hill Clinic was also very confident in me.

I sailed thru the IVF program and worked everyday. One of my friends who is a nurse did my injections as I could not do it myself and I would be afraid to let my husband at it.

On Egg collection day the retrieved 9 eggs 6 fertilized and 5 survived.

At this stage I hit a major downer as the collection really set me back the clinic were very understanding and my transfer of two emberos was done six days later.

On the day of the transfer I felt pregnant and I kept saying I love this baby growing inside of me. On day ten I did a pregnancy test and it was positive but even before I had done the test I knew I was pregnant. At eight week I went back to Clinic to be told only one of the emberos had survived which I was over the moon about.

I continued acupuncture and homeopathy thru the pregnancy and I also started to see a cranial osteopath as my back was hurting a lot. I sailed thru the pregnancy and nine months later I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy by c-section who has changed our lives for ever.

In June my husband and I were discussing going back to the fertility clinic again so we decided we would contact them in September and to my amazement I discovered I was pregnant in July all natural.

I am still attending the Robin Hill Clinic on a monthly basis for acupuncture, homeopathy and osteopathy and again I feel great and looking forward to Easter to meeting our new arrival.

I do hope my story will help some women out there and never think you are alone as I too was that woman.

CC CO KERRY

My name is Deirdre and I am a 39 year old mother of two girls. My first daughter is 4 years old and my second just 9 months old. I feel like I am the luckiest person in the world as I never thought I would have my own children.

I always suffered from heavy and painful periods that affected my life in school and when I started working but I learned to live with it. Endometriosis was often mentioned but I was not actually diagnosed with it until I had a laparoscopy at age 33. At this time I was on all sorts of hormone treatments which really made me feel terrible both mentally and physically. I really only wanted an end to the pain and hadn't considered that I may have a problem conceiving. That is until the surgeon suggested that maybe a hysterectomy would 'solve the problem as it was unlikely that I could have children anyway'. I was shocked at this suggestion and decided against it thinking that I would just be replacing one set of problems with another in that I would be on hormone replacement therapy for a very long time. And then I thought about the not having children. I wasn't really prepared to hear that and was quite upset - although children were not on my agenda at that particular time I had hoped for some in the future. But I tried not to think about it.

Then a sister of mine suggested that I go and consult Deirdre Mackesy about the endometriosis issue. This I did and it changed my life completely. I started with a two hour session and attended monthly thereafter. Deirdre didn't ask me to give up the hormones I was on immediately but rather weaned me off them and totally relieved my symptoms through acupuncture and the use of various different remedies. After approximately 10 months Deirdre then prescribed some Chinese herbs which allowed me for the very first time in my life go through my monthly period without being full of painkillers - it was amazing! Shortly after that Deirdre advised that I may now be very well able to conceive which I of course did not believe as it had not happened up to then despite the fact that my partner and I did not use contraceptives of any kind. I continued to feel great, full of energy and completely off all forms of hormones and painkillers - just taking my Chinese herbs. And then it happened - I was pregnant - it was amazing, I just couldn't believe it. It was just over a year since I had started attending Deirdre - I was absolutely delighted. I attended the Erinville Hospital where, having read my file, they were amazed that I had conceived at all. They were so amazed in fact that one of the consultants asked me if I would mind speaking with some women who were suffering with infertility problems and tell them my story - this I of course did willingly. When I returned to the hospital pregnant with my second child they were amazed and delighted to see me again. I have sent a number of people with fertility problems to Deirdre and each story has been a success story - she is single-handedly responsible for quite a number of babies out there!!! I cannot thank her enough.

Of all the challenges I've faced in my life, dealing with infertility has been the hardest. Like most couples we started trying with the confident assumption that it was just a matter of applying ourselves to the task, but as the months went by, every cycle marked off in the diary, it wasn't long before the disillusionment and worry set in.

My GP was very quick off the mark in referring me for the basic tests, which showed up nothing abnormal. I knew I had a fibroid or two but nobody seemed to think this was a big issue - most women find out they have them when they are scanned during pregnancy! It was only when I had a laparoscopy (after a good deal more trying ) that I discovered that I had so many of them that my womb was in no fit state to accommodate any poor embryos which might be trying to implant there. An operation to remove most of them followed (painful, unpleasant, 6 weeks recovery) and was deemed a success.

Off we went again, but nothing was happening. It was at this stage that the whole issue really started taking over my life; it was constantly on my mind and it seeped into every aspect of my existence. All I wanted was to get pregnant and have a baby and when it began to look like it would never happen, everything else seemed pointless and it really felt as if I could never be happy again, because this great painful weight would never be lifted off me.

It was at this stage that I first went to see Deirdre and I will always remember my first visit! When she got me to write down all my feelings on a sheet of paper, the tears came and they kept coming - it was such a relief to let it all out to someone and to realise that all my feelings about it were valid, however irrational and unreasonable they might be. It was great to be treated as a whole person again. When you go through the gynaecological wringer, it can leave you feeling like a piece of faulty machinery (and about as valuable) and while doctors do a great and essential job, their focus is on the medical/physical side and they are neither equipped nor inclined to deal with the emotional side of things.

Several times I arrived to Deirdre for my appointment feeling like I was on the verge of losing it entirely and as though I really couldn't face the outside world any longer. After a session of Deirdre's unique listening therapy (it's probably got an official name but that's how I think of it!) and an hour drifting off on the acupuncture table, inhaling exotic moxa smoke (it felt a bit like getting legally stoned, how bad!), I would feel relaxed, positive and stronger. By the time I headed out the door I felt ready to do battle again and to deal with whatever came the way. On the physical side, my cycle became amazingly regular, like clockwork, and overall, I felt better in myself in that hard-to-describe way.

Almost a year later I had another laparoscopy and tube test and found out that my tubes were blocked - it was actually a relief to know that there was a straightforward physical reason why nothing was working. This meant IVF was our only option, and we were advised that the odds of it working for us were rather less than the average, because of the still rather quirky state of my uterus. However, we decided we had to try it, so that we could say we'd done everything we could and gone as far as we could go. After all the acupuncture and homeopathy, I felt I was in the best condition possible facing into IVF, and I felt really positive about doing it, just for its own sake. I didn't feel too bad, physically or mentally, during it, in contrast to the experiences of many people that I read in online messgeboards. We tried to keep our expectations low. I bought a single pregnancy test because I didn't want to be taunted by the second one left in the pack after the negative result which we felt must surely come. We stockpiled DVDs and tortilla chips and planned to plug out the phone and hibernate for the weekend. And then I did the test and it was positive. A great big blue cross!

Forget the Grand Canyon; this was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen! And then I was afraid to believe it. How could I put all my faith in this DIY, insubstantial little piece of plastic and chemistry? It took a lot of weeks before I could actually say the P-word out loud , but it really was true and it had really happened to me. My gynae actually called me the miracle mother. I'm quite chuffed by my achievement in beating the medical odds, but I'm happy to just be the best mother I can be to my gorgeous little girl. It can't be proven, but I have no doubt that dealing with my problems in a holistic way was hugely helpful in achieving that positive result (not to mention freeing up a bed in the psychiatric ward!). And I will always, always remember all the people who helped me to make it happen. Thank you!

G

My story starts 2 years after we got married when we were advised to set up an appointment to commence IVF. The reason was "Unexplained Infertility" after 2 years trying to conceive. Tests commenced including the dreaded Laparoscopy. None of the tests provided any conclusive reason why we had not conceived however certain conditions were eliminated such as blocked fallopian tubes. Conscious of time ticking away, as I had just turned 34 we proceeded along the IVF route. The IVF treatment was tough but you don't really realise how tough until after as you are so driven by hope. Unbelievably we were successful with our first attempt and we have a lovely little girl.

We decided to go down the IVF route again two years later and definitely trying to juggle a toddler and the logistics second time around were difficult. The IVF Clinic had recommended acupuncture as a support for the treatment so I went ahead and booked in with a registered Acupuncturist. On account of our success first time around, we were pretty confident that we would have a baby this time again so we were not well prepared for failure and the whole emptiness of no pregnancy and having been through a gruelling 6 weeks of treatment really hit home hard. We were not without hope however as we did manage to produce surplus embryos which were frozen for our use at a future date. However we did realise that the percentage chance of a successful pregnancy from a frozen cycle were even less than a normal IVF cycle.

Two months later I conceived naturally. We were amazed and delighted after our dejection of the failed IVF. Now things were back on track and our desire to extend our small family seemed possible. Unfortunately I miscarried at nine weeks and we really found this much more difficult to deal with than the failed IVF.

The following year we decided to proceed with our Frozen Embryo's. This process is not as invasive as a full IVF cycle because basically you have already arrived to fertilisation point from your last IVF cycle. What is then required is to transfer the embryos (max 2 which is all we had) and hope for implantation with the aid of hormones. Implantation did not occur so again we were hugely disappointed.

We decided we would proceed with one last full IVF cycle and give it our best shot. If this did not work out we felt we were still extremely lucky to have one beautiful child and to be a one child family was pretty fantastic.

I felt having some acupuncture sessions would assist and a pal recommended Robin Hill clinic as an option, as it incorporated a whole range of holistic treatments that maybe I could avail of. I was shocked to realise that my first appointment would last two hours and a pretty thorough questionnaire had to be completed beforehand. I remember saying to Deirdre Mackesy that in all my time attending the IVF clinic and previous medical personnel, I never had such an investigative consultation. I certainly felt during my meeting that my situation was dealt with as an individual and not just "one cap fits all". A series of acupuncture sessions were set up with Deirdre Mackesy and Christine Stacey who has a particular interest in women's fertility. I also commenced taking Chinese powdered herbs and certain homeopathic remedies.

I was impatient though to just get on with the IVF cycle so I would know sooner or later if we were going to have another child and then get on with my life either way. I was persuaded to delay my IVF cycle by two months to incorporate a few more sessions so I did. My aim all along was to have my body as well prepared as possible for the IVF cycle that lay ahead so it seemed reasonable despite my impatience.

Last week I discovered that I am pregnant naturally. I was pretty shocked as my attendance at Robin Hill clinic for my series of treatments was intended purely as a support for the pending IVF cycle. I firmly believe that the personal programme that was developed for me by Deirdre and Christine over a number of months has resulted in my pregnancy. I will continue to have acupuncture sessions during my pregnancy and hope that all will go well and our disappointments are behind us.

Jennifer. Co.Cork

I was trying to get pregnant for over five years. All investigations showed that there was nothing wrong. During that time, I was prescribed the usual treatment options: first of all Clomid and then several rounds of TSI.

I then had 3 cycles of IVF. All were unsuccessful. In fact, during the third cycle, my response to the stimulation was very poor: one ovary didn't produce any eggs and just one embryo was transferred. I really felt that I was never going to get pregnant.

I went to Deirdre Mackesy initially for acupuncture during my third IVF cycle. She suggested that I try both acupuncture and homeopathy. I had three sessions of acupuncture and homeopathic treatments. On my first full cycle after the third failed IVF I conceived naturally and now have a gorgeous little boy.

I definitely feel that without the acupuncture and homeopathy, I would not have gotten pregnant.

Mary

WOMEN GOING IT ALONE - CATHERINE�S STORY

Published in Cork Examiner Newspaper Sept 2009.

Successful, career-woman Catherine* felt the clock was ticking when she was 36. She had always wanted children but with relationships come and gone, she was still singe and knew that biologically her re-productive system was not going to wait for her to find the perfect man.

She has suffered from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) (cysts on the ovaries) since she was 18 and knew getting pregnant would be a challenge anyway.

PCOS reduces the regularity of your periods and therefore reduces your chances of conceiving.

So, after discovering the Cork Natural Fertility Clinic could help her with this condition as part of their holistic multidisciplinary approach to boosting fertility, she begun travelling to the centre regularly to get her menstrual cycle into a more regular pattern so that she could have a better chance with artificial insemination or IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) as it is more commonly know.

With the help of Acupuncture, Homoeopathy, Chinese Herbs, Cranial Osteopathy,Pre-conception massage, nutritional advice, counselling and Kinesiology she went from having a six-monthly period to a six weekly period over a two-year time scale.

At the clinic, she also learned about the importance of losing weight, a healthier lifestyle and learning to de-stress from her intense work-schedule practising the clinic,s multi-disciplinary approach. She also had counselling to help her cope with any doubts she had about becoming a mother.

She said I knew it was important to get my menstrual cycle on track and to begin to prepare myself for becoming pregnant. I needed to let go of always needing to be in control and to accept that whatever happened would happen.

I found out about the Robin Hill Clinic and started travelling there from Galway to get help with these issues. Once I was back on track with regard to my menstrual cycle and felt physically and emotionally ready and knew there was no man on the scene  I opted for IUI in a clinic that I knew would treat single-women in Kilkenny. The other alternative was the UK at the time, for single women.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is a process whereby sperm is mechanically placed in the uterus with help of catheter. This procedure helps to ensure that more sperm are available and able to access a woman's egg, thereby aiding fertilisation and conception. Catherine used a sperm donation, and she was matched to it by the doctors using her skin, hair and eye colour.

I tried three times and my Acupuncturist helped predict when I was ovulating at the right time to help with the success of the IUI. On the third time I was lucky and I'm now the proud mother of an adorable baby boy.

I would say to anybody struggling to get pregnant, do the groundwork first.

Think about what might be holding you back physically, mentally or spiritually and find a way to work on it naturally before you have to, or if you have to, then take the next step.I am very glad I did.

*Not her real name.