Herbal Remedies & Supplements for TTC

Seeing as this is a frequently posted topic we have decided to start a permanent thread here.

If you are using or have used any herbal remedies or supplements for TTC or you would like information relating to a particular remedy feel free to post here. There are quite a few available for different purposes (eg vitex), so why not post your recommendations or experiences.

If you would like information regarding multivitamins (eg Blackmores, Elevit etc) you can find more information in the following thread:

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...stfeeding.html


If you would like information regarding Herbal Remedies & Supplements while TTC or Breastfeeding, you can find more information in the following threads:
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...pregnancy.html
Herbal Remedies & Supplements for Breastfeeding

these links are not working

I have been taking vitex for about two months now...wondering when i am going to see my cycles shortening???

I definately Ovulate but this is just driving me into a crazy woman!!

Before we were TTC our second child I went to a Naturpath to get checked out as I was having short cycles (22-25 days) and before that I had always been 28 days spot on. She checked everything out (weight/height/muscle mass/exercise/diet etc) and determined that I was producing too much oestrogen and not enopugh progesterone, hence making my cycle shorter. She modified my diet so I ate less carbs and put me on a nutritional supplement and a couple of months later I was back to 28 days again. Shortly after that, we started TTC and I fell pregnant almost straight away. If you are open to natural remedies, perhaps you could try a naturopath in your area? Hope this helps :)

I am just completely out of whack i think because DR gave me a BT for my lutual phase and the prog count was 55...it only has to be 11 or higher, but i am still considered in the normal range. Anyway i am apparently oestrogen dominent as well, been told by a Kinesiologist only a couple of weeks back, so i think everything is just so mucked up my body has absolutely no idea of what to do!! I am currently doing lots of detoxing with the Kinesiologist but i think i will see a Naturopath in a month of so as well!

Thought i might add that i have no other apparent problems....done U/S and nothing there either, it seems there is no real reason for me not being able to conceive!

Thanks for giving me hope!!

Hi all, I have been taking Ovulex since the beginning of January. No bad side effects to report.

After 6 years of Implanon, and a very irregular cycle before that, I thought this would be a good way of sorting out my cycle and hopefully speeding up the process (my clock is ticking like a jack hammer).

It seems to be slowly bringing my cycles back on track. Lets hope its as wonderful as the rave reviews it has been getting!!!!

Anyone else out there taking it?

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has any information on naturopaths in Victoria (specifically Melbourne or Geelong) that have a special interest in fertility. I have read about The Jocelyn Clinic in Sydney and it sounds fascinating, and ideal, but is a long way from home. We have a beautiful daughter thanks to IVF but I would like to try a more natural process this time around. Any information or thoughts from anyone would be appreciated.

Hi

I have just read about a product caled Fertilaid. There is both a Mens & Womens product, but I understand it is only available in USA

Has anyone tried this and if so has it worked.

Kelly

Hi All,
I have been trying accupunture for the last few months and I would love to hear some sucess stories. I have also been given herbs to have twice daily - they are root tuber... has anyone else used this? Would love to hear your stories.
xx

Hi bbb
I have just made an appointment with an acupuncturist who specialises in chinese medicine - who deals only with fertility and pregnancy. I am looking for some success stories also and any information from others. I will post back here once I have had my first appointment.
CeeCee

hmm, links definetly not working...i'd like to do more with this thread, help!!! :D

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...pregnancy.html

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...stfeeding.html

The Herbal Remedies for Breastfeeding one seems to have disappeared though.

[QUOTE=CeeCee;1347456]Hi bbb
I have just made an appointment with an acupuncturist who specialises in chinese medicine - who deals only with fertility and pregnancy. I am looking for some success stories also and any information from others. I will post back here once I have had my first appointment.
[QUOTE]

Well Hi everyone,
It's been 6 months since i was told i would not have another child. The specialists said my ovaries were failing and i was peri-menopausal, the chances of me having normal periods again was slim. I was not ready to accept this. My husband is Chinese and so we looked for a Chinese dr in perth. We found this most wonderful lady who has limited english (lucky he can speak Mandarin) I have seen her every week for 3 months now and found out this week that I am In fact Pregnant. The herbs worked wonders for me and seemed to reverse everything the fertility dr's said would not happen. The specialists had such one track minds and were not willing to do anything. I have early menopause in my family (around age 36 -38) I am 38 and so they were just not narrow minded nad compketely ruled it out.
Here is a good story, i thought i would share. The Chinese Medicine works but i believe you need to first believe it will work and above all relax.
Good Luck everyone.
Jaide:lol:

Hello
I have seen my acupuncturist again this morning, and she is concerned that my ovaries and womb may be too cold... and so the progesterone may not be reacting as it should. As a result, she has put me onto some chinese herbs which unfortunately are in powder format rather than tablet. Not nice...

They should help my liver, spleen and general indigestion, progesterone and general well-being. Here's hoping. I am feeling a bit more in control I must say, through taking the herbs, having acupuncture and seeing the FS. So, as a result feeling more positive. In saying that I am at 11 dpo, day 25 of a 28 day cycle. Hard to keep my mind off anything but the dreaded upcoming AF possibility!
Ceecee

Hi!

I am currently taking Vitamin B6 and Vitex. I was hoping that someone, anyone, everyone could help me with this question:

I've read that you shouldn't take Vitex once you know that you're pregnant as it can increase the odds of miscarriage. Is this true? Also is there something else I could switch to once I've discovered that I'm pregnant to help the pregnancy stick? I've read that False Unicorn Root may be helpful.

Thanks in advance ladies!

Lyns

I am trying the natural route after DS#1 was conceived using IVF.

I am having acupuncture once a fortnight and have started taking TAO HONG SI WU YANG capsules as prescribed. I think after 7 days I will be changing to something else.

I have unexplained infertility so am hoping as I carried one child my body will let me do it again.

Hi mumoflewis, that is a famous and very popular formula due to its simplicity and effectiveness. It is often prescribed premenstrually and during menses to aid in the shedding of the endometrium. This improves the quality of the lining in the next cycle, often, other formulas are given as nessecery to effect different stages of the uterine and/or the ovarian cycle.
GL with your journey!

Hi all! I went to a chinese herbalist on Saturday. My periods are very regular, every 28 days but for some reason I'm not falling preg. DH is fine and apparently I'm ok...

The herbalist said my body is too hot! I know about people who've been too cold to fall preg but I'm too hot! ha. Also I have very low yin and yang energy.... which i could tell anyway - I've been struggling to do much at all for months now

so have been told to cut out:
red meat
spicy food
deep fried food
mangoes
cigarettes (pretty obvious one)
cut down alcohol

and I have to boil these herbs every day. yucky!!!!! Am going back this Saturday.

I'll let you know if this works, have a feeling it will!

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

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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

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.

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 ?

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 :-)

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...

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. :D

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!

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! :D

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 :redface:), 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 :D

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!

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?

:bump:
can anyone help?

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.

X

Hi guys,

How are you all?

DH and I have just started TTC and I am currently taking Elevit as my supplement.

I have read on a couple of sites that Fish Oil (for both me and DH) and Evening Primrose Oil are supposed to help 'assist' when ovulating...

Has anyone heard this? While I don't think it could hurt to take the extra supplements, I just wanted to see what you thought??

Thanks, Nic xx

hi elocin. you should be taking a fish oil while taking elevit as it helps you absorb one of the ingredients better, sorry i can't remember which one. i take the blackmores preg and bf tablets as they have all the right ones for conceiving and for when you fall preg. they have the fish oil in it already so no need to take anymore. hth

yeah i too have heard that the blackmores new range is 'better' than elevit now because of the inclusion of the fish oil...

we used elevit last time but this time may be swayed (although taking two pills a day is more recipe for disaster for me LOL!)

Justin: ohhh thanks for that! i will book in with the centre then! that should be fun. always love it there LOL!

Thanks girls!!!

I've decided to make the switch as of next week and will swap to Blackmores...

Thanks for your advice xx