My Journey Becoming an Acupuncturist
By Annette Malone
IMy name is Annette, I’m a TCM trained acupuncturist and delighted to have recently joined the team at Healing Space. I’m slowly settling into the groove of it all. I wasn’t sure what to write about for this piece so I decided to be brave, and stick to my least favourite subject-myself! It must be the influence of the yin wood snake.
I’m from Ireland and have lived in London for 15 years. The first years I worked in retail before accidentally falling into the world of costume. I worked 8 full on years during which time my claim to fame was both Michael Fassbender and Daniel Craig's on screen characters have died wearing trousers I’d made for them.
By the time 2020/covid hit I was in quite a bad burnout so I really welcomed this time to rest, and restore my energy. In my spare time I made scrubs for the NHS, I made friends with an elderly neighbour, an 86 year old comedian and burlesque performer. I’d do her groceries then we’d go for a long walk during which time we’d talk the ears off each other before going our separate ways. It’s safe to say I was having a hoot of a time.
Summer arrived, I celebrated my 39th birthday. That day I got a call to come to the hospital the following day for results of a biopsy I’d had 2 weeks earlier. Spoiler alert - I had cancer! First I had surgery, then chemotherapy then radiotherapy. I can’t say this was a fun time but I was lucky in that I tolerated the treatment as well as anyone could. Then came endocrine therapy - enter relentless hot flushes. I was in full, almost instant menopause at 39 years old.
The flushes made daily life unbearable. I tried supplements but they were sosevere that not even a truck load of high dose GLA was going to do anything. The oncologist offered me antidepressants but as I wasn’t depressed I didn’t want to put my body under any more stress from medication. I told him that I’d read acupuncture could help, he laughed at me and said ‘you can try it’.
So I did, and it worked. I was completely transfixed and decided to study it. I did a 3 year licentiate, degree level training. It was intense but I got through it, even with quite severe chemo (and menopause) brain. For my final year research project I looked at the efficacy of acupuncture on menopausal hot flushes and the results showed that it worked better than antidepressants and with less adverse side effects. It can work especially well in what could be described as an acute condition - ie a menopause brought on either by surgery or medication.
Annette looking fab!
It would be my dream to see acupuncture being offered to women instead of antidepressants, especially women who cannot have HRT and who are being left to struggle with the daily symptoms that an induced menopause brings. We still have so far to go in bringing women’s health into the forefront and doing the research to get treatment like acupuncture available to those that need it most. It was through seeking relief from menopausal symptoms that I came to acupuncture and I now enjoy bringing that same relief to others.
I also treat so many other things, from musculoskeletal issues to mental health problems and a range of things between. Seeing the huge effect these tiny needles can have on a person's well being will never stop filling me with so much wonder.