# Castor Oil Packs?



## ela13

Does anyone here use castor oil packs for pcos/ fibroids?


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## Vonns38

Hi....I tried it once for my fibroids but i found it hard to keep on doing...I just now take herbal supplements etc to try and shrink them as NHS won't operate..


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## ela13

What kind of supplements do you take? Sorry they wont operate.


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## Vonns38

It's ok I kinda understand why they won't operate the consultant said that it might risk my chances of having a child and the largest fibroid is 4cm so it's not that bad there is just a few of them...I take vitamin d, sea kelp and Angus castus I also have apple cider vinegar morning and evening..


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## ela13

I take everything except Angus Castus, guess I should look into that more. If I don't get a bfp this cycle I will probably start the castor oil packs and and maybe the Angus Castus! Thanks!


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## CaliDreaming

I've been using these for the past few days in hopes of reducing two 5 cm simple cysts on my ovaries. I don't have PCOS or fibroids though. 

It will be two months before I go back to the doctor to see if it has worked, but I definitely feel the ovary on that side when I'm using one. Even if it doesn't work, it really feels heavenly.

I'm taking the Angus Castus/Vitex too.


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## Hope3

I've never heard of this. What are castor oil packs supposed to do?

I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries but not the syndrome. No treatment of any kind was mentioned, the gynacologist didn't seem to think it was a problem.

I also have a small fibroid in the lining of my womb. I was told that it wouldn't interfere with conception. 

If the castor oil will help either or both I want to hear about it.


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## ela13

@calidreaming please keep us updated about how it goes! I am curious! I will be starting it this month as well (I'm on CD 4 right now so just waiting until AF stops). I have suspected pcos, but nothing certain yet. It's only my 3rd month ttc so I wont see a FS unless we hit 6 months. The packs do feel great and I think just the act of laying on the couch for 45 minutes to relax will do wonders. @hope3 just google castor oil and fibroids (or PCOS) there is a ton of info. I know it's supposed to reduce fibroids and balance hormone levels. I'm willing to give it a shot! Right now I'm not taking any more supplements, just prenatal vitamins and drinking vegetable juice twice a day. I'm going to really try and lose a couple more pounds these next few weeks as I know my weight is probably my biggest issue. good luck!


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## Hope3

ela13 said:


> @calidreaming please keep us updated about how it goes! I am curious! I will be starting it this month as well (I'm on CD 4 right now so just waiting until AF stops). I have suspected pcos, but nothing certain yet. It's only my 3rd month ttc so I wont see a FS unless we hit 6 months. The packs do feel great and I think just the act of laying on the couch for 45 minutes to relax will do wonders. @hope3 just google castor oil and fibroids (or PCOS) there is a ton of info. I know it's supposed to reduce fibroids and balance hormone levels. I'm willing to give it a shot! Right now I'm not taking any more supplements, just prenatal vitamins and drinking vegetable juice twice a day. I'm going to really try and lose a couple more pounds these next few weeks as I know my weight is probably my biggest issue. good luck!


Thanks. I've just looked up a couple of sites. I'm surprised I haven't stumbled across it before.

I must admit I'm getting a bit overwhelmed with all the different things people say you should take and eat to help conception. I recently bought COQ10 which I haven't got round to taking yet. I was on chinese herbs but stopped as they upset my stomach too much. I've been trying out different pre-conception multivitamins and I've got a yam in my kitchen that is in danger of going off if I don't cook it soon!

I'm beginning to think that nothing you take makes a difference, it will happen if it's meant to. But that thought won't stop me trying just one more thing...


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## ela13

yeah, this is some crazy making stuff... especially because there are so many contradictions! Eat this, don't eat that, stand on your head, use this position, cross your eyes.... :wacko: I am trying to just keep it simple for now, pre-natal vit, a little weight loss and good food. I will add the castor oil packs for a few months to see how that goes. There seems to be a lot of good results with it. Before I was TTC, my periods were a bit off timing wise (this is where the suspected pcos comes in!) and I actually would use the castor oil packs to start my periods and it worked for me! I have never used it long term though as I would use it 2 or 3 times until my period started and then stop for many months. I will be so happy if this just happens in the next few months!! and to think my DH and I have been using condoms all these years!


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## Meli_H

ela13 said:


> yeah, this is some crazy making stuff... especially because there are so many contradictions! Eat this, don't eat that, stand on your head, use this position, cross your eyes.... :wacko: I am trying to just keep it simple for now, pre-natal vit, a little weight loss and good food. I will add the castor oil packs for a few months to see how that goes. There seems to be a lot of good results with it. Before I was TTC, my periods were a bit off timing wise (this is where the suspected pcos comes in!) and I actually would use the castor oil packs to start my periods and it worked for me! I have never used it long term though as I would use it 2 or 3 times until my period started and then stop for many months. I will be so happy if this just happens in the next few months!! and to think my DH and I have been using condoms all these years!

I just read something really interesting re castor oil.packs today. Will copy what i read tmo when i get to my office.


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## Meli_H

I found this info online re Blood stasis. This info is kind of long, and I totally recommend you read all this info below, but Ive* highlighted the specific castor oil info for you.*

Blood stasis syndrome, or blood stagnation is an important underlying pathology of many disease processes according to traditional Chinese medicine.

Since the blood has so many important jobs to do to keep us alive and well, the quality of blood flow in the body is one of the most important aspects of health. There is a term unique to Chinese Medicine, Blood Stasis, which describes a situation where the blood isnt moving as well as it should be, and is often stuck.

The following I copied from a book I just finished reading called The Infertility Cure: The Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies" By Randine Lewis.

When a woman comes to my clinic with stagnant uterine blood (which produces fibroids, endemetriosis, or just dark, clotty, brown, or sticky menstrual blood) one of my first goals is to cleanse the uterus using several invigorating herbs. After a while her menstrual flow should be a fresh red color.

Uterine fibroids are usually due to blood stasis. Blood stasis also produces sharp stabbing ovary pain during the ovulation period.

For conception to occur, all the energies in the body must be free-flowing and moving, like waters in the river bringing life through the land where it passes. Fibroids and endometrial growths are like rocks in that river, preventing the embryo from mooring safely within the walls of your womb.By eliminating blood stasis, balancing the bodys other energies, and and softening the concretions within your reproductive organs, you can restore the flow of the river of life through you and provide a clean, clear harbor for your unborn child.

She recommends the following:

Perform deep breathing exercises and meditative practices

Regular moderate daily exercise helps improve circulation. Yoga is also helpful, but do not perform inversion techniques during menstruation. The energetic flow must always be descending.

Wear loose comfortable clothing

Take warm baths (with aromatherapy if you wish)

Use essential oils like frankincense, myrrh, clary sage, peppermint, lavender, rosemary, juniper and thyme

Use heating pad or hot water bottle on your abdomen during and after menstruation

*Apply warm castor-oil packs on your abdomen to invigorate your blood, assist the lymphatic system, and balance hormone levels. Apply warm castor oil to the lower abdomen and cover with plastic wrap 2-3x a day during the premenstrual and menstrual period (if you are actively ttc, use only during the menstrual period).*

Hope this helps!


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## ela13

Thanks Meli_h! The description sounds just like me! I literally just popped on a movie and laid down on the couch to do a castor oil pack! Good timing! The other advice is useful as well... I might need to research blood stasis syndrome a little more! I'm going to do the packs as often as I can before O, which won't be as often as I like since the in-laws are coming to town for a week.... But maybe I can do them right before bed... Thanks again! Are you doing CO packs?


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## Meli_H

ela13 said:


> Thanks Meli_h! The description sounds just like me! I literally just popped on a movie and laid down on the couch to do a castor oil pack! Good timing! The other advice is useful as well... I might need to research blood stasis syndrome a little more! I'm going to do the packs as often as I can before O, which won't be as often as I like since the in-laws are coming to town for a week.... But maybe I can do them right before bed... Thanks again! Are you doing CO packs?

Hi Ela,
No, I'm not doing that yet, but plan to start as soon as the stupid witch comes next week, she'll prob be here by next Fri at the latest. The blood description sounds just like mine, so it caught my attention!


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## ela13

I am on CD 5 and AF is now just spotting... I did one for about an hour today and it felt good. I am not working full-time right now as we are hoping to move soon and I feel lucky because I have time to do things like this in the middle of the day... the downside is that I have soooo much time to just obsess about babies and my reproductive system. I had a chemical in December (our first month trying) and now my body is just being weird, even weirder than normal. bleh. Two LH spikes last month (I'm pretty certain we totally missed my O as a result...) and now a weird short but heavy period. I am hopeful these CO packs will help get the blood flowing properly! I also like the recommendation for loose clothing and baths, any excuse for those! I will let you know how these CO packs go, please keep me in the loop if they work for you! good luck and thanks for sharing the info!


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## Meli_H

ela13 said:


> I am on CD 5 and AF is now just spotting... I did one for about an hour today and it felt good. I am not working full-time right now as we are hoping to move soon and I feel lucky because I have time to do things like this in the middle of the day... the downside is that I have soooo much time to just obsess about babies and my reproductive system. I had a chemical in December (our first month trying) and now my body is just being weird, even weirder than normal. bleh. Two LH spikes last month (I'm pretty certain we totally missed my O as a result...) and now a weird short but heavy period. I am hopeful these CO packs will help get the blood flowing properly! I also like the recommendation for loose clothing and baths, any excuse for those! I will let you know how these CO packs go, please keep me in the loop if they work for you! good luck and thanks for sharing the info!

Hi Ela,
You're welcome. I know what you mean about obsessing, trust me lol!
GL to you and will keep you in the loop. You do the same!


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## CaliDreaming

Thanks so much for that information Meli_H. I definitely fit the profile for blood stagnation. I used to have very dark, clotty period blood that would only last about a day. I did acupuncture for about six months and I got the blood flowing nice and red. I guess I just need to do a little bit more to get rid of these cysts!


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## Meli_H

CaliDreaming said:


> Thanks so much for that information Meli_H. I definitely fit the profile for blood stagnation. I used to have very dark, clotty period blood that would only last about a day. I did acupuncture for about six months and I got the blood flowing nice and red. I guess I just need to do a little bit more to get rid of these cysts!

I'm glad the acupuncture worked for you! I looked into it and was very expensive, twice a week, $100 each time (including herbs).


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## CaliDreaming

I used my castor oil pack last night and today I woke up very very gassy and sometimes nauseous and this feeling has continued all day. I've also been taking my herbal supplements for the past two and a half weeks so I'm wondering if that has something to do with it. I'm hoping that this mean my progesterone levels are rising and in turn, my cysts are on the way out! 



Meli_H said:


> CaliDreaming said:
> 
> 
> Thanks so much for that information Meli_H. I definitely fit the profile for blood stagnation. I used to have very dark, clotty period blood that would only last about a day. I did acupuncture for about six months and I got the blood flowing nice and red. I guess I just need to do a little bit more to get rid of these cysts!
> 
> I'm glad the acupuncture worked for you! I looked into it and was very expensive, twice a week, $100 each time (including herbs).Click to expand...

Yeah I had to quit acupuncture because it was too expensive and I while I did get good benefits from it, I didn't get a bfp. I only went once a week at $70 a session but that felt like a drain over time.


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## ela13

so I only got to do a couple of castor oil packs before my in-laws showed up! I have been trying to track with OPK's but last month I had 2 surges and this month so far I have had no positive surges (just light to dark lines since cd 8, now on cd 19), but did have lots of ewcm for about 36 hours two days ago. When I've been able to track O, it's usually been around cd 17 so I'm thinking that's when it happened if it was going to. We were able to bd 4 of the past 6 days and will again tonight just to be sure.... actually we might have to just keep going until bfp or AF... I'm especially confused this month. I haven't been temping this month like I said I would, but really- the in-laws threw my whole schedule off! So I might be at 2dpo... now the true agonizing wait begins (especially because I might not have O'd yet?! or at all ?!!). bleh! sorry for the babbling, started typing and the floodgates opened.... have you ladies been doing packs? what days are you on?


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## CaliDreaming

I've been doing the packs. I'm on CD4 but I'm not really trying this month. I've felt a lot less pressure and aching on the side where my cyst is so I'm hoping the castor has been helping to shrink it!


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## ela13

Wow that's great news! I hope it continues to shrink!! If I don't get a BFP I am definitely going to do them this month (AND TEMP!). I did just realize that I started using cheaper OPK's this month and I googled the brand I am using and a lot of people say that they didn't get a positive with this brand even when a different brand gave a positive result with the same urine! I'm so annoyed! I really felt like I was O'ing a few days ago, so hopefully we caught it. guess it's back to the expensive brand... 
have the side effects gone away for you?


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## CaliDreaming

Yeah, most of the time it's worth it to stick with the more expensive OPKs. They can be so confusing!

I didn't really have any castor oil side effects, but when I first started I felt the aching in my ovary area, and now I hardly feel that at all.


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## ela13

oh, I was wondering if gas/ nausea was a castor oil side effect? I'm glad to hear the achy ovary is going away! good luck!!


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## CaliDreaming

I didn't get gas and nausea with the castor oil, but I've heard it can be a side effect of the vitex due to the increased progesterone levels.

Thanks for the encouragement and good luck to you as well! These packs really are relaxing.


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## girliegirldfw

I thought I posted on here already but can not find it...

I have been doing Castor Oil packs for the last few weeks. I did them everyday for a week then last week forgot a few days. I read that it can help releive pressure of Ovarian Cysts and maybe even help them to shrink. I hope so because my gyno said I will need surgery, my RE said lets wait and see while taking BC pills. Both of these methods are not in my favor of conceiving soon. 

Anyway, last week I had a very strange discharge. (this is going to be gross but ...well...we are talking about reproductive organs here so ...) It was rather fleshy, not bloody like AF. More like a greyish light green tint. Ok so I had a yeast infection when I got my 6 month pap last week, so I am pretty sure that is it...but I have never had that kind of discharge (and I get yeast infections frequently). I think the castor oil pack were helping it to get out of my body. I did not do the pack for about 3 days (fri to sun) and did one this morning...and the discharge was back. I just started my meds for the infection last night so it has not cleared up, yet. T

hese are just my thoughts but I think these packs are doing something right. I just hope it does something right with the cyst. If my cyst is being resolved, would I have that kind of discharge? I have searched for the answer online and came up empty. I would think the cyst, if it is fleshy, would be more like a clotty AF?

Sorry for the graphicness of this post. I just wanted to share my experience with the packs. I am a beleiver in them.

Tiff


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## ela13

Hi tiff! I'm not sure what a cyst discharge would look like, I do believe that the castor oil helps our bodies expel things though! Last year before ttc I would get many days of brown spotting before af. I found that if I did a castor oil pack it would bring on my full red flow within about 12 hours. It was a little scary how efficient it was! So, yeah, not sure if any of this is helpful but I do believe it is just getting all the stuff out of your system! I really hope it works for you!
AFM- on anywhere from 4-9 dpo (bad opk's.. grrrr) and have already started poas. I don't know why I torture myself! BFN so far, but you never know! Good luck!


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## girliegirldfw

ela13 said:


> Hi tiff! I'm not sure what a cyst discharge would look like, I do believe that the castor oil helps our bodies expel things though! Last year before ttc I would get many days of brown spotting before af. I found that if I did a castor oil pack it would bring on my full red flow within about 12 hours. It was a little scary how efficient it was! So, yeah, not sure if any of this is helpful but I do believe it is just getting all the stuff out of your system! I really hope it works for you!
> AFM- on anywhere from 4-9 dpo (bad opk's.. grrrr) and have already started poas. I don't know why I torture myself! BFN so far, but you never know! Good luck!

I was hoping they would bring on AF but it did not happen...but now I am on BC pills for (hopefully only) a month so I do not expect her until I am done. I have not had a natural AF in a very long time. 

I am a total believer in these packs...if nothing else they feel good.

Hopefully you will get your BFP....xx and baby dust to you.

Tiff


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## CaliDreaming

Hi girliegirl! From what I've read, cysts don't cause discharge. When they burst, the fluid is absorbed in the abdomen. They are located on the ovaries and not in uterus or vagina, so it's unlikely that the fluid from a cyst would come down through that opening. If it's a really large cyst a small amount might come through the tubes down the vagina, but even in that case probably just a very tiny amount. 

It could be that the discharge is a bacterial infection, which would explain the color and why it's not responding to the medicine for yeast. I used to suffer with recurrent yeast infections too. The medicines that kill off the bad yeast also kill off the good yeast that helps keep bad bacteria at bay. Many times after I would cure myself from the yeast, then I'd have to deal with a bacterial infection. It was a never ending cycle! I'd go see your doc to confirm what it is and make sure you're getting the right medication for it. Also, sometimes I've been worried about a discharge and went to the doc for a culture only to find out it was completely normal. 

BTW, if you keep getting yeast infections you might want to try apple cider vinegar (ACV) as a remedy. I used to take diflucan and the over the counter remedies, but the yeast infections kept coming back. Once I took apple cider vinegar, I was able to get rid of it naturally and it hasn't returned since! It tastes horrible but you don't have to take it long and it is so much more effective. It keeps your body at the right ph and that yeast and bad bacteria don't form.


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## girliegirldfw

CaliDreaming said:


> Hi girliegirl! From what I've read, cysts don't cause discharge. When they burst, the fluid is absorbed in the abdomen. They are located on the ovaries and not in uterus or vagina, so it's unlikely that the fluid from a cyst would come down through that opening. If it's a really large cyst a small amount might come through the tubes down the vagina, but even in that case probably just a very tiny amount.

Well that makes sense....I didnt even consider anatomy of our bodies...LOL. :blush:



CaliDreaming said:


> It could be that the discharge is a bacterial infection, which would explain the color and why it's not responding to the medicine for yeast. I used to suffer with recurrent yeast infections too. The medicines that kill off the bad yeast also kill off the good yeast that helps keep bad bacteria at bay. Many times after I would cure myself from the yeast, then I'd have to deal with a bacterial infection. It was a never ending cycle! I'd go see your doc to confirm what it is and make sure you're getting the right medication for it. Also, sometimes I've been worried about a discharge and went to the doc for a culture only to find out it was completely normal.

The doctor is who said is was yeast after my 6 month pap last week. She gave me a script...it was ONE pill. I guess that one pill was pretty strong. The discharge is gone, didnt show up after my castor oil pack this morning. Hopefully it was just clearing out. I had just taken the ONE pill of the script Sunday night so I am hoping it has had time to work by now. I really think the castor oil pack was just doing it's job. 



CaliDreaming said:


> BTW, if you keep getting yeast infections you might want to try apple cider vinegar (ACV) as a remedy. I used to take diflucan and the over the counter remedies, but the yeast infections kept coming back. Once I took apple cider vinegar, I was able to get rid of it naturally and it hasn't returned since! It tastes horrible but you don't have to take it long and it is so much more effective. It keeps your body at the right ph and that yeast and bad bacteria don't form.

I have been taking ACV (off and on...hard to make a habit out of THAT taste...~shudder~). I actually take the pills on a regular basis but I know they do not give all the benifits of Braggs with the Mother. I try putting that in recipees when I can or in a smoothie. AVC has so many benifits. 

Have you tried the Braggs ACV Drinks? Most have sugar but the Limeaid is with Stevia. It is OK...still have the smell and a bit of the AVC taste, but if you just can't get the other down, it is an ok alternative. One bottle (about the size of a snapple bottle) is 2 servings and is about 2.00.

Thank you so much for the advice.

Tiff


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