You will have an 1 1/2 hours to meet with Matia. I would be prepared with a history of illness, prescription medicine (antibiotics, birth control, etc.) use and the story of your current illness. I was very scared about "feeling worse to feel better". I talked to Matia about this. She told me that not everyone experiences this. I was lucky. I had die off to be sure but my over all symptoms did not get worse. Matia will go at a pace that you're comfortable with. Talk to her about your fears. She's very understanding. I don't think it's her practice to do the acupuncture. She didn't with me. There's a lot to go over. Tammy

Sam,  I just met Matia two weeks ago and had a wonderful visit.  Matia is so caring and cabable.  I had read Matia's dissertation before my appointment, which helped prepare for my visit.  Since you live in LA, you are fortunate enough to get accupuncture.  I know that it has really helped ease the pain/burning symptoms of her patients.  I wrote down my IC history, medications, symptoms.  In her dissertation, Dr. B has a model of how many people aquire IC and it matched my situation exactly.  As a result, it was very easy for me to see how I had become so ill.  Since your IC symptoms have improved and are more managable, I wouldn't be to concerned about feeling worse before you feel better.  I have sever pain and am on narcotic pain meds and she took a very conservative approach with me.  She is working on rebuilding the tissue in my bladder and has not started cleasing with me unitl I feel better.  I am so sensitive that even something simple like probitics will give me a flare.  I know that given time she will be able to rebalance my body.  I have chatted with many people that have been helped by her protocol and am encouraged that I will one day be one of them :)

Flygirlsam,Hey! I hope your visit is going well. I did not receive any acupuncture from Matia when I wen for my visit and I didn't think to ask her why- I don't know if it was because I am a long distance patient and she doesn't do that for long distance patients - like why get involved with the acupuncture?  I know that for patients in LA they receive it but that it is not a mandatory element  to getting better. I think in our case diet and the herbs are suffiencient to get us well- in fact I think they play a more intense role in the treatment situation.   but I feel like I spent 1.5 hours? (It FLEW BY)!  talking with her  and giving her a long detailed intake - a kind of this is my story of my health from birth to now. Since I also didn't know what to expect I just brought along a notepad filled up with  as many questions as I could think to help me understand and be prepared for the journey- don't worry about thinking of every question- you'll be in contact with her pretty frequently and can ask her questions during the next phone visit and you'll have lots more I assure you along the way shoot her an email if its importnat or sometimes Raquel can answer some questions too.  I was beginning and to make notes since my brain fog was sooo bad. We covered alot of ground and the intake sort of set up and gave Matia the direction and starting place for my herbal treatment path. I really enjoyed meeting her- she is super nice and smart and knowledgable. I think its great that you have come a long way with your treatment. You should feel free to express your fears doubts hopes and experience with her- I know the thought of going through more discomfort is unbearable but it isn't impossible and you'll be able to handle whatever comes up. I felt better myself when I started the herbs- even though my tolerence for the pain dropped and I had periods of serious discomfort-everyone is different- who knows maybe you did alot of work this past year and need a little bit of treatment. I didn't get like bad bad worse and stay that way- it was up and down.  it's still worth it to me to be restricted on the diet now than to say- oh for the rest of my life I'll have to live with chronic burning and can't drink or eat this or that cause it causes more burning. I think she tries to the utmost to almost make it easy on us if possible except for the times when we need to push through and hit the yeast hard. she always tries her very best to take us out of pain and discomfort - that has been my experience. sometimes that takes a little while but it happens. I felt like I asked her everything and understood as much as my brain could tolerate. Thank you and good night! Mary 

My first visit i lived in LA. I didn't get accupunture either but i did on the second. She doesn't do it at all on people who are long distance unless they ask and are staying for more then one visit from what i understand.