Herbal Remedies & Supplements for TTC

**petalpetal** · December 30th, 2008, 08:32 PM

Hi CeeCee,
Just wondering if you could tell me please the acupuncturist you used in Adelaide?

I'm also in Adelaide, and would welcome any extra help TTC right about now.

Thanks

**OriginalP** · January 9th, 2009, 07:44 AM

Justin & Lyndsay, interesting posts on Vitex. My naturopath has prescribed it to me yesterday to try and boost low progesterone levels and sustain me through to the 12th week of pregnancy. Ie - to prevent MC. I have great faith in my naturopath - she's a Jocelyn Centre acolyte and helped us get pregnant after three years TTC, so she's more than wary of putting anything at risk. Hard to know what to think.

OP.

**CeeCee** · January 9th, 2009, 03:29 PM

Hello PetalPetal
sooo sorry for the lazy reply...it seems all I have have been doing is napping for the last few weeks. I was seeing Lea Papworth at Hawthorn Acupuncture Clinic. I stopped seeing her around August last year - fell pregnant in October. I had been seeing her every fortnight for a few months and was receiving acupuncture as well as taking chinese herbs she made for me. Good luck - I am not sure if it worked for me...who can really say... but I fell pregnant naturally after being told it was almost impossible and that IVF was our only (15% chance only of success) hope, but I certainly felt more in control by seeing while trying to determine why we could not fall pregnant. It was the one aspect I could manage, and control rather than being tested and prodded etc.

Ceecee

**Justin Keane** · January 12th, 2009, 05:29 PM

You're right OriginalP, it's hard to know what to think suffice to say that the best you can do is find the modality & doc. for you and put yourself in their hands. The philosophy of Chinese Med is a long way from that of naturopathy to the point that there is no useful comparison to be made in terms of the way each utilises the herbs in their dispensary.

**emstar** · January 13th, 2009, 09:53 AM

just an update...

was on these herbs for a month from chinese doc and the spotting stopped before AF and my flow was much brighter (aparently had liver or blood stagnentation)... went back last saturday and my kidney pulse is weak so have been put on other herbs to strengthen that... they taste disgusting

i love the whole theory behind chinese medicine and can't get enough reading on it!

am feeling much healthier too with the diet and no alcohol.

hopefully i'll be UTD within the next 6 months...

gl everyone!

**selena_elizabeth** · January 30th, 2009, 06:26 PM

Please suggest me the best prenatal vitamin available in USA.Stuarts Prenatal or GNC Women's Prenatal which is better one?If anybody have the full list of ingredients of Stuarts prenatal pls post it here.I have heard about Rainbow Light Prenatal but it contains a lot of Herbs .since I am on Infertility medicaions i doubt if the herbs will interfere with the medications..Pls suggest me as which one to select...anybody from US pls help

**Bengal** · February 16th, 2009, 06:27 AM

Hi Justin,

This is my first visit to this thread:

You wrote this on the previous page

"I think the over the counter vitamins are rubbish and if true deficiancies exist, they are not strong enough, we used InNatal from bioceuticals which is a practitioner only brand "

AFM: I am taking a gamat of over the counter tablets, well known pre-conception tablets, fish oil, B6, an astrix, and neo mercozole for thyroid, I am wondering if I am wasting our money, after reading your post. The pre conception tablets are $30.00 a month..so they are not cheap..

Is InNatal given by a natro or a chinese medicine doc ?

I am not sure if I should see a Natro or C/M Doc ? Any Ideas would be great ...

Thanks

**OriginalP** · February 16th, 2009, 12:09 PM

Hi WLAB! ;-)

InNatal is a pratitioner only pre-pregnancy supplement. I've taken it for two years now, and list it in the plethora of supplements I took in the lead up to a BFP. We found a health food store that sells much of the Bioceuticals range (we also use Inflameze, Zinc Sustain and Lipeoc Acid too), so you don't have to go to a Naturopath to get products from this range.

It's important to note - if you switch to InNatal, you need to take two a day as it only contains half the daily requirement of folic acid. As you know, this is vital for establishment of a healthy nural tube in an embryo.

Cheers,
OP.

**Bengal** · February 16th, 2009, 05:59 PM

OP

Thank you, hope you are well my friend

FS wanted me to take "more than average" folate, so I will hunt down a HF Store that has the brand you suggested, and I will take the another folate tablet as well, the one with the orange lid from priceline...

So just confirming: Innatel is the same thing as Blackmores Pre Conception - IFNWIM

BIOCEUTICALS is the company name - InNatel is product ?

**Justin Keane** · March 3rd, 2009, 02:00 PM

Hi All,
thanks for the info OP, its great to share what each others experiances are with different products, there are so many all claiming different things and all a little bit different. My use of InNatal began with the popularity of its use amongst my collegues, I've seen it used by many naturopaths whose philosophies I trust, our own pregnancy was supported by it and I've given it to patients in my clinic with great results.
I mentioned this product previously in the context of how I approach treating couples ttc, and this is not meant to be a recommendation across the board. Please if you want clarification on supplements and what you need most, consult with a professional (they will ascertain how much of your RDI you get from your diet). Otherwise it constitutes self prescription and chances are that in the long run, it would be cheaper to know first hand your requirements!

"So just confirming: Innatel is the same thing as Blackmores Pre Conception - IFNWIM"

Untrue WLAB.

Forgive my belated response, I will keep a much closer eye on threads in future!
I hope this helps, tell me if I missed the point :-)

**patricia scutt** · May 1st, 2009, 11:34 AM

Hi Justin,
I respectfully disagree with your statment that over the counter supplements are rubbish. They have worked for me helping my body prepare for the conception of my second child, a gorgeous boy named Max. But I didn't just take a supplement, I went for a change in lifestyle too and tried accupuncture. I guess the combination worked very well for me even though I was 5 years older than in my first pregnancy. Did not feel comfortable at all though with Chinese or Brazilian herbs... I found them a bit scary...

**Baby Dreamtime** · May 1st, 2009, 12:50 PM

Hi WLAB, just saw your post re folate, I am taking a 5mg folate for MTHFR, I had to ask for it specifically at the chemist, it was behind the desk. Incidently cheaper that the stanard 500mcg tablets. I take 2 x Blackmore sPregnancy daily also, the folate in this is so small it is not really a double up.

**JellyBean** · May 1st, 2009, 01:25 PM

Hi Justin,

I am currently taking Blackmores Preg & Breastfeeding Supplement (no. 2 is on the way- yay!), although I am coming to the end of my supply. My Naturopath seems to think this supplement is fine, but please advise if there is a better pregnancy supplement available that you recommend.
Also, the Omega source in blackmores comes from Tuna Oil - and I know it says on the packaging that the tuna is screened for mercury - but it still makes me a little nervous.
The pregnancy supplement I took in the United Kingdom with DS1 was organic, and it contained hemp seed oil as the main source of Omega so mercury was not an issue there. Are there any preg supps in Aust that contain vegetarian Omega sources?

Ta!

**Cassius2** · May 1st, 2009, 01:41 PM

hi guys!

hoping to get some insight here on the best way to move forward regarding preparing my body for the TTC train...

some background that may help 'enlighten': I have had endometriosis in the past, and had low chance of conceiving without IVF measures; went to a homeopath and started a big regime of medication to get my body balance into shape and fell pregnant within 6-7 weeks of treatment; had a beautiful little girl!

more recently i have been battling with chronic tonsillitis (approx 9 months constant) and this affected my iron levels (level of 2 ATM). was prescribed an iron supplement but this in turn strengthened the tonsillitis so switched to spirulina 500 (currently taking 4 a day).
my tonsils have been taken out now and i am taking my spirulina and probiotics (dr prescribed ones).

SO, (gosh took forever for me to get to my point

), was wondering if there were stronger supplements that i could take to improve my health and get my iron back into action. ideally we would like to start TTC at the end of the year, but the GP thinks that my iron is shot for at least the next 12 months...

TIA

**Justin Keane** · May 1st, 2009, 07:13 PM

Hi jellybean,
If your naturopath is happy, then I too would be happy, this is their specialty and I would like to think my advice was 2ndary to the experts in the field. I must qualify my previous statement re over the counter supplements, in that it was in the context of the treatment of a medical deficiancy, and how I approach the treatment of a couple ttc ;-)
Please ask your naturopath re vegetarian sources of omega 3. I use a seperate supplement for this (panaxea) and it's from wild caught sardines and anchovies. I use this b/c I read a paper about the effect of the diet of farmed salmon on the quality of the fatty acids. The vego thing is interesting though I will mention it to Nic next week.

Cassius, same for you, check with your naturopath, Nicole at BB is awesome and successfully treated my wife for iron deficiancy, previously I have given iron in tablet (practitioner only) and liquid (otc)form concurrently to hasten the re-establishment of iron. There are a few paths open to you, the best advice is to act on that given personally rather than on forums etc if that option is open to you. All the best in your journey, let me know if I can help out further, perhaps we'll see you in the centre soon!

**Lulliloo** · May 1st, 2009, 11:33 PM

hi there . can anyone suggest a good accupunturist in south brisbane area. im looking to start this to get my cycle on track as i am now on cd 94 and cant seem to kick start it.
any suggestions?

**Lulliloo** · May 3rd, 2009, 10:50 AM

can anyone help?

**JellyBean** · May 4th, 2009, 12:52 PM

Thanks Justin.

Liz28- I am not from Brisbane so can't recommend anyone personally, but if noone gives you the answers you are looking for - try contacting ANTA (Australian Natural Therapists Association) and they should be able to give you the details of a registered, qualified Acupuncturist near you.

Naturopathy & Traditional Chinese Medicine are also great for naturally adjusting cycle lengths.

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