After I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I decided to see if I could get acupuncture to get my body in the best possible shape to accept the treatments that I would have. I am a retired RN. I had previous acupuncture years ago at the Cleveland Clinic. I asked my surgeon for the names of some acupuncturists and she referred me to Melanie. When I called Melanie Campbell, she stated that acupuncture could help me before and during all of my treatments. I contacted my insurance company and they stated that I had benefits that included acupuncture; they covered a percentage of the charges.
On my first visit, Melanie did a complete assessment and told me many of the ways that acupuncture could benefit me. I had already had 2 chemotherapy sessions and had 14 to go over six months. After the first session, I noticed a lessening in the nausea and diarrhea. Those symptoms decreased and were held in check by the acupuncture. I never vomited. I usually had acupuncture once a week on the day before what was typically my worst day after chemotherapy. On every visit, Melanie would do a reassessment and tailor my treatment accordingly. I was surprised when she was able to treat the hemorrhoid I had developed from the diarrhea. Within 3 days of her treatment, the pain and discomfort was gone. Over the past 10 months, I have had chemotherapy, a mastectomy and 33 radiation treatments. In addition to the conditions I have already mentioned, Melanie and her staff have treated me for sleep disturbances, stress, chest pain, peripheral neuropathy, fatigue, and Shingles. I experienced an initial decrease and, ultimately, resolution of the symptoms of nausea, diarrhea, chest pain and Shingles. When I had difficulty sleeping, one acupuncture treatment would resolve the problem. There was a lot of stress and emotional distress associated with a cancer diagnosis and treatment; acupuncture helped me deal with this and keep a positive attitude. I noticed that throughout my whole treatment process I seemed to have more energy than most of my “Chemo Buddies”. I believe that acupuncture was the main reason for that.
I highly recommend Fine Balance Acupuncture for anyone with breast cancer or any condition that could benefit from acupuncture. It has helped me with the side effects of treatment and enabled me to maintain a positive attitude which doctors tell me is so important for a good outcome. Melanie and her staff are very knowledgeable, caring and compassionate.
-Paula Young