vitex question

[milly5]

Hi,

I have a question about vitex - I have heard some conflicting information:

- take it for the whole cycle
- take it only for the only for the first part of your cycle - up until ovulation, and then not take it again - That's how I was advised to take it, and that way too you won't end up taking it while pg if TTC and in your 2WW.
- take it from ovulation onwards, and stop if you get your period or a positive home pg test.

which of these is correct?

thanks for any help.

[Indadhanu]

I always thought the best thing to do was to take it from CD1 to ovulation, as something in it is not good for pregnency. I've never taken it though, so I am not sure exactly.

[satya]

I took it for PMS & only realised it could lengthen your cycle after I'd been taking it a while. I used to take it throughout the cycle as that's what the instructions said.

I had two early miscarriages whilst using it - I'd stop taking it as soon as I suspected I was pregnant (stopped at around 3-4 weeks) and I'd miscarry at 5 weeks. I stopped taking it and the next pregnancy stuck.

My cycle did not change whatsoever when I was taking it, nor did my LP. I did have less mood swings though.

[Artechim]

Do you have a short LP? As long as you have a LP of around 12 days you should be o.k without taking it.

I had an LP of 5-7 days (breastfeeding) and after taking vitex it lengthened to 10 days and then a bfp. I was told to take it the whole month, but especially from ovulation to AF. I took it until about 6 weeks pregnant, cutting down the dose to every second day before I stopped.

[milly5]

Thanks ladies,
I was advised to take it after m/c - to assist with regulating my cycle after the m/c, but I think I will stop taking it now as my last cycle was just not right, and I'm not sure but it may have even been a chemical pg.
Thanks for your input.

[PamyK]

Hi,

I have been recording my travels with vitex through my blog if you are intersted.

Before I started taking vitex I did a lot of research and only came across 2 sites that recommended you only take vitex for 2 wks during your cycle. I found this very difficult to understand as you need to build up a store in your system for Vitex.

Vitex works naturally on your cycle to regulate, lengthen and balance out any imbalances. You need to take Vitex everyday of your cycle, and you need to be taking it for 3+ months for your body to start to change.

Vitex is in no way a quick fix - for your body to have a permanent change to your cycle you need to be on Vitex for 12mnths. The studies that have been done all indicate that 75% of the women in the studies fell pregnant within 3 months of taking vitex.

I noticed a change to my cycle within 2 cycles. The first cycle was a lot longer than usual but this was just my system and hormones resetting themselves. After the second cycle my system was regular as clock work - I never stopped taking vitex. My progesterone was absolutely shocking before I started taking vitex, and within my 3rd cycle I was perfect. by 4th cycle I was pregnant. I stopped taking vitex 5 days before I found out I was pregnant, but that was because I wanted to see if not taking the Vitex would change my levels - it didn't, my cycle was fixed - if I hadn't have falled pregnant I would have continued to take vitex for the recommended 12mnths for a permanent change.

I am now 14wks 1day and everything is absolutely perfect. The only reason it is not recommended to take vitex during pregnancy is because they haven't done enough testing to find out whether it is safe or not. They do however say that you can take vitex to help with milk production when breast feeding.

Hope this helps