* Herbal Remedies & Supplements for TTC

[india44]

I'm pretty convinced that seeing a chinese herbalist has helped me with the clomid to finally ovulate this month. I also had none of the side effects that I had on previous smaller doses this month after taking the herbs. I was laid up for 3 days last time with headaches and pain.

[india44]

my funny little chinese herbalist really threw me today. He asked how I was feeling I said fine I am just waiting for my period now. He said maybe period maybe not sometimes pregnancy pulse very strong sometimes it not. ( this was after taking my pulse) wish he hadnt said anything I will spend the next 3 days torturing myself now about a pregnant pulse. I have ttc ocd :-( cant get it out my head

[EmnM]

my funny little chinese herbalist really threw me today. He asked how I was feeling I said fine I am just waiting for my period now. He said maybe period maybe not sometimes pregnancy pulse very strong sometimes it not. ( this was after taking my pulse) wish he hadnt said anything I will spend the next 3 days torturing myself now about a pregnant pulse. I have ttc ocd :-( cant get it out my head

Hi,

My acupuncturist said the same thing to me the other day, that my pregnancy pulse was very strong and another pulse was strong indicating 'something was going on down there'. She said she wouldn't be surprised if I was pregant but the next day I got AF. I got all hopeful again - I personally didn't feel pregnant (can tell by my mood levels) . Can relate anyway.....

Mich

[india44]

Michelle I got af too but he did say that my body is responding strongly to the herbs and I have been feeling fantastic.I must say even my bedroom life has improved which can only help in ttc *L*
Best of luck to you

[EmnM]

Yes, I feel fantastic too - despite the pulse thing not being 'right' I feel 'hormonally balanced' too. Good luck to you too - there's always next time as they say....

Michelle

[Punsandbay]

Hi! I am new to this so i hope i do not sound silly. I have been reading your interesting comments on herbs etc. and am interested in Ovulex. Realising it is only avail. from the US. Is it illegal to bring into the country? and can anyone tell me why it isn't avail. here? Thanks!

[Loula]

To Deb and danni

Please HELP!! I have been asked by one np to take vitex and advised by another not to as i suffer from PCOS and am going through my 9th cycle of IVF. I seen to always produce a good number of eggs even on a low dose of FSH. and my 2nd NP doesnt want me to OHSS but the other is saying that i wount

Please can you help ?

[peggy]

Hi! I am new to this so i hope i do not sound silly. I have been reading your interesting comments on herbs etc. and am interested in Ovulex. Realising it is only avail. from the US. Is it illegal to bring into the country? and can anyone tell me why it isn't avail. here? Thanks!

it is NOT illegal to import it as it is only herbs, the reason it isnt available here is because as they say on their website...
Here Is Why You Will Never See Ovulex In Any Store
"1) We can only make so much of it due to the scarcity in many of the rare Asian herbs used to make Ovulex. We can only produce a few small batches each year and during the “fertility season” we tend to sell out many times for weeks on end.

2) We want to be available for everyone that uses the Ovulex program.

To be able to do that, we can only take on so many new mothers each year. That’s why Ovulex is only available from our factory to you. "

so thats probably why it isnt available, if they alredy sell out inthe us i dont think they are about to sell it here, but its perfectly fine to buy off internet.
i highly recommend it as it worked for me and im now 13 weeks pregnant!!

[Bree]

This is my first post on this site.

DH and I have been TTC for awhile and are on our 7th cycle. I have noticed that my cyles are a little irregular. They have been 30,27,26,24,27 and now a 23. Obviously this makes it harder for me to predict when I'm O and I don't really want to start taking my temps yet. I'm starting to get extremely confused as I started to spot 6 days before I got AF this month.

Do you think that Vitex might help me regulate my cycles and ultimately help TTC??

Thanks

[Punsandbay]

Thanks Peggy! I did read that info on their website, but you can never be too sure these days bringing something in from OS. Did you only use one bottle of the Ovulex?
Really want this to work!!!!

[satya]

Yes Bree Vitex can regulate cycles for some women so it's worth a go. I conceived the very first month that I started taking it but unfortunately I m/c. I take it religiously every morning. My cycles were already regular but my mother gave me my first jar of vitex to try to help me with PMS so it's good for that as well.

[Bree]

Thanks heaps Satya.

I took my first one this morning so that it helps regulates my cycles and leads to a

[EmnM]

Hi Lou,

I know you posted to Deb and Danni, so I hope you don't mind me replying but I had a thought about your natropaths - very confusing to be given conflicting information!

I dont have PCOS nor have I tried IVF (yet!), so it is purely about the natropath side of things. I see a natropath that is qualified in Natural Fertility (done some extra training) and works exclusively with women/men trying to conceive and/or manage their cycles. If one of your natropaths sounds like this then I would probably tend to go with their opinion. Basically, some natropaths will have more experience/qualifications in the area of fertility. If neither natropaths are qualified/experience in fertility then perhaps looking for one with this area of expertise may be of more help. I go through the Jocelyn Centre in Sydney (don't live in Sydney though) and have always felt very confident with the advice they give.

I hope this helps you and you get some resolution to this issue and of course a baby!

Good luck,

Mich

[Loula]

Thanks so much for you reply Mich and it was really open to anyone but i had seen that both Deb and Danni had replyed to other posts on vitex.

Both NP work with ladies, and men working on Fertility issues so i guessed that they are both q in that area!

How dod you go through the centre in Sydney if you dont live there? Another np has also told me to NOT TAKE ANYTHING while on IVF drugs so now im even more confused!!!lol

Thanks again

[EmnM]

Hey Lou,

I used to live in Sydney and the short story is I went to the natropaths at the Jocelyn Centre (Woolahra) for 18mths before leaving so they were happy to keep seeing me via phone consultation.

From the information I have read, the 'head' natropath there Francesca Naish is a pioneer in natural fertility and has written several books on the subject. I would consider her a 'guru', not just an expert. I also have a feeling that courses run in natural fertility that may be attended by other natropaths/herbalists/acupuncturists refer heavily on the books she wrote. I was friends with an acupuncturist (in natural fertility) when I lived on the sunshine coast and she had done a natural fertility course and recommended all Francesca's books. I have all the books and refer to them often (at the moment they are in storage though!)

All the natropaths in this practice work closely with IVF doctors in Sydney and I think Francesca/Jocelyn Centre have given talks to the IVF doctors as to what 'natural fertility' entails. They also attend seminars given by the IVF doctors - have heard my natropath mention Micheal Cooper (the Sydney endo guru).

Obviously I can't comment on the training of the two natropaths you have consulted but I would be concerned about conflicting advice.

Maybe the Jocelyn Centre would do phone consultations with new clients if you explain your situation? Not sure though.

Let us know how you go though,

Mich

[Chuffy Krumhorn]

EEk!
The bulk of my message (below) was accidentally posted twice... it was in this space, and I erased it under edit. (-is there no delete option?)
Sorry!

[Chuffy Krumhorn]

I am new here, just wanted to give you a quick intro (explanation as to why I am trying herbs at this juncture) :
I am blessed with a 13 yr old boy (born on my 20th Bday as a result of an "oops" moment!)
I'd only had relations one time in the month and a baby was the farthest thing from my mind...
Fast forward to 2004
I reconcile with the father of my first son and we immediately set about trying to have a sibling for him!
I downloaded some TRIAL software for fertility charting, and was pregnant the FIRST cycle (-remember getting a pop-up warning that I had only 15 more days left on my Hormonal Forecaster Trial subscription!!!!!---I laughed because I would not have to buy it afterall....)

Right now I am apparently anovulatory, the few times I have detected ovulation, the luteal phase has been way too short.
I have now been TTCing without success for 27 months.
This is very frustrating...
I am thinking that prolactin may be to blame in my case, since I only JUST quit nursing...sometimes even a little lactation can disrupt the hormones...

SO

I have been doing an herbal regimen with some complementary vitamins for a couple of weeks now.
Currently, I am on:
Vitex
Evening Primrose Oil
Vit B6
Vit B complex
Prenatal Vit

I am about to add some more herbs/oils to my regimen.
This week I plan to add:
Flax Seed Oil
Red Clover
False Unicorn Root
Wild Yam Extract

I have heard vitex is probably the most powerful of all these herbs to regulate hormones and restore balance.
The others play a supportive role. They each perform a certain function that is said to aid the reproductive system in preparation for conception, ---and some can be continued after conception (-to help sustain a new pregnancy for those of us who have had issues with maintaining pregnancy).

I would like to refrain from advising others, however, because in order to be sure, you need to be comfortable with your own research/sources and know your own body.
Herbs can be powerful and can effect each of us very differently...

That said, I am more than willing to share my own personal experiences with the women in this forum, and you may glean from my experience what you wish!
This is how I came upon my plan...mostly by virtue of observing what has worked for others...many times, in forums similar to this one!

I had tried Vitex earlier in the year, but gave up when I failed to see immediate results.
I have since read more personal accounts from others who have used Vitex with success...most of them report that it takes a number of months before one sees any noticeable change.

-Many women report, though they had to wait a few-several months, ended up pregnant thanks to Vitex (after unsuccessfully ttcing for years)!

I am really hoping it works, but this time around, I have adopted a more patient attitude...
I will continue my regimen and report to this group if/when I see any results. ---I am also very eager to learn from the women here!

Good luck to all who are trying!


Shan

[EmnM]

Hi chuffy,

My cylces were all over the place when i was breastfeeding too - very very long, even at the end when my daughter was only breastfeeding once a day for a comfort feed at 20mths old.

If you say you have JUST finished breastfeeding, you may find that your cycles start to regulate themselves again now that things are back to 'normal'. You have two children already so that sounds promising too that things will rectify themselves.

I didn't get pregnant when breastfeeding and another friend didn't get pregnant until she stopped breastfeeding too.

It sounds like you are really on the ball with what you are taking herbs and supplement wise. do you go through a natropath? If you still were having trouble getting your cycles back to normal in a few months, I have found my natropath to be amazing.

So, I went from long long cycles when breastfeeding back to my usual 5wk cycles about 3 mths after I stopped breastfeeding. I take vitex and an assortment of vitamins that looks suspiciously like your regime!!! I also take a liquid herbal supplement that my natropath makes up for me (I have endo as well). some people describe vitex as the 'natural' alternative to clomid. My dose is regulated by my natropath - it is very high, 3 a day or 2 a day when bleeding. this is what I need to maintain 14 day post ov cycle length and have no spotting pre ov.

To be honest, taking out the time I was TTC and breastfeeding, it has been 16mths TTC #2 for us but I do have endo, so my case is not straight forward.

Thanks for sharing your story, it is good to read what other women are up to and it is great to have somewhere to share our stories. I hope your herbs give you success (again!)

Mich
anyway,