Agnus Castus (Vitex) ladies - Lets see how successful it can be (2 BFP's so far!!)

[Bonsai]

Does anyone know why different types of AC taste so different? I take the tincture (not a fan of pills) and the H&B one was absolutely vile! I have now started a bottle I got online and it's far more bearable. Tastes a bit like rescue remedy. Does anyone know if certain brands are better than others? They all seem to give conflicting advice as to how much you should take too.

 

[amberdawn723]

Not sure Bonsai as I take a pill form by Solaray brand. They do seem to suggest varying amounts to take. I'm taking only 225mg a day. Most sources seem to indicate that that is a small amount compared to what other AC brands recommend. But it has worked wonderfully for me, so I don't plan on changing it.

Honey- Did you O????

 

[Mrs.Ping]

Hi ladies I started taking vitex last cycle and took it the day i got it wich was the same day I ovulated cd 47! as my cycles range in the 60+ days.I have been taking the natures way brand and am taking 1200mg a day. I stopped when af arrived and started again when she left. when I first started taking them they made me very bloated and supper thirsty but that has gone away now I am now on cd 6 now!

 

[eiregirl]

ok girls these AC are really annoying me now!!! making me really bloated and upset stomach all the time. i take the holland and barret brand. i dont wanna stop taking them as they are really working for me. maybe i should try a different brand. what brand are you girls using? have u had any of these symtoms?

 

[wanting2010]

Well since my last post the cramps I was feeling have gone away and so has the blood tinged mucus. I'm not quite sure what's going on now. I would really love to start my period and get this looong cycle over with. I've only been taking it 10 days so I'm not really expecting it to help immediately but I did get my hopes up when I started having cramps and blood tinged mucus.

 

[dreamofabean]

have any of you girls been having probs with opks? Mine are constantly showing lines but not going positive!! Have had lines since cd9 and im not cd35!The 2 cycles ive recorded i ovulated on cd24 and cd30. Im not happy at all! Have stopped taking AC now!x

 

[amberdawn723]

Sorry AC isn't working for you dreamofabean.....Maybe you can find something else to help. Babydust to you!

wanting2010- FX'd that it's AF or implantation so you can get on with your next cycle or a pregnancy!

 

[Bonsai]

dreamofabean I have not had a single positive OPK for the last 5 months. They fade in and I always get a near positive and then they disappear. They ALWAYS worked for me before my miscarriage. Can only think that my body might be trying to ovulate and just isn't. I have been doing 2 a day and still nothing. The weird thing is that I'm charting and fertility friend reckoned I ovulated on the day of my near positive so thought my cycles were trying to get back to normal. Started taking AC and have now found that I'm not even having withdrawal bleeds anymore. Am worrying that I'm going backwards instead of forwards, but don't know what to do. I know you need to take AC for at least 3 months to see results but I just feel utterly fed up with the whole thing. I'm on cd37. At least we're not alone!

 

[Bonsai]

wanting - meant to post that I've also had cramps and blood tinged mucus after 14 days but they've both gone away. Fingers crossed it means things are waking up and trying to get going. I've never wanted a period so badly.

 

[lisaf]

Hey girls, I think I'll be joining you next month. I'm on my 4th round of Clomid so my cycles are normal length right now but had a 68 day non-ovulating cycle that I ended by taking provera so I know how the long cycles feel. My doctor is having me take a break from the Clomid after this round and I'm so afraid I won't be ovulating afterwards.

Just started going to accupuncture and she's going to put me on Vitex after this cycle.

Still have hope for this cycle though.. if no luck then I'll be joining you all.
Good luck in the meantime for all of us!

 

[MADLYSBOYS]

Please can I join Ladies?

I started taking EPO at beg of last cycle and then after AF got me on wed decided to add AC as I now have irregular cycles (37,34,33) and was diagnosed with PCOS in 2004. My EPO are nowt special I got them from Wilko`s but they are widely available and I am taking one three times a day, my AC are from H&B and I am taking two twice a day. I had a long chat with advisor in H&B and she told me that AC and EPO work best when taken together so now that I have convince DH to take a VIT C and ZINC supplement too I am wired towards getting my BFP really soon. Although might add could take up to 3mths as spermy and eggy that we are now producing and giving our lovely vits too will not be ready for a few mths but its a nice feeling knowing we are doing something positive to help he he he!

 

[HoneyWright]

Loving the PMA hun xxxx

Ladies im still waiting to OV, still near control lines on OPK and started with watery cm today so looking positive (I hope).

 

[HoneyWright]

Still nearly positive OPK's for me, and some brown cm today, whats that all about?

 

[dreamofabean]

Mine have had dark lines for over 20 days!! It's crazy! Still not positive though and fading now! Dont think ill ov this cycle

 

[lisaf]

what brand of OPK are you guys using? Is it one that worked for you before?

 

[MADLYSBOYS]

I read somewhere that opks dont always give a darker than control line reading if you have pcos, dont know how true this is but was in back of my mind due to my pcos and was wary of using opks. I dont have an average cycle at min 34,37,32 days was going to start testing with opks on cd14 does anyone have any advice on this? leaflet enclosed states start testing on cd18 for 32 day cycle but am taking ac and epo and just in case this cycle is shorter dont wana mis ov! does this make sense and does any agree with me?

 

[lisaf]

Its totally your call. I always thought that the reason PCOS can interfere with the OPKs because your LH levels can be too high with PCOS and you'd get false positives.

If you have enough tests to cover that whole time, then start whenever you think you should.

What I do know is that on my non-ovulating 68 day cycle I got almost positives/positives for day after day with no temp shift following. I've heard other people say similar things about that brand.
So next cycle, Clomid round 1, I used First Response brand OPKs and never got a positive but definitely ovulated. I then switched to a brand that worked perfect for me and its worked great for the last 3 cycles.. I even pulled out an old First Response on my + day and it didn't look totally positive.

So I always say it may just be a matter of finding the brand that works right for you.

 

[Bonsai]

Okay - so a spot of good news and hopefully a bit of hope for everyone. The reason I didn't get a withdrawal bleed is that I seem to be pregnant. I got a very, very faint line on a test today so I'm hoping it's good news and not just an evap line. I always think the worst. Am going to do another test in a couple of days. If it is good news, I think AC must be the way forward. I have only been taking it since April 24th and was completely anovulatory since October before that.

Lots of luck and baby dust to all. xxxx

 

[lisaf]

Tentative congrats Bonsai! FX'd it all works out!

 

[MADLYSBOYS]

Okay - so a spot of good news and hopefully a bit of hope for everyone. The reason I didn't get a withdrawal bleed is that I seem to be pregnant. I got a very, very faint line on a test today so I'm hoping it's good news and not just an evap line. I always think the worst. Am going to do another test in a couple of days. If it is good news, I think AC must be the way forward. I have only been taking it since April 24th and was completely anovulatory since October before that.

Lots of luck and baby dust to all. xxxx

FXED for your BFP Bonsai, This is great for PMA! I am a total AC babe from now on