I apologize for the random post about Maca. I am constantly reading these forums, but I never post. I had such an unusual reaction to Maca, I felt the need to share publicly in case anyone else thinks they are going crazy. I am 32 y.o. and have been ttc for 18 months. I first tried Maca 3 months ago and initially enjoyed the energy and libido effects. I started with a small dose and worked up to 2 pills a day. After a week of this, I developed hemorrhoids. Yes hemorrhoids. I was shocked to see blood - I have never had this happen in my life. I stopped taking the maca and they disappeared. This past cycle, I decided to give Maca another go. This time, I bought the gelatinized Maca, thinking my reaction was a digestive issue due to it being raw. I started slowly again - first every other day and then one a day. It had such a strong effect on my body - incredibly sore breasts, spotting 2 days before my period (never happens - I have very regular cycles) and then the hemorrhoids came back even worse. I stopped the maca immediately, but the effects have continued. I stopped two weeks ago and the hemorrhoids have improved but have not vanished. Breasts are still sore and I been spotting non stop since my period ended last week. The spotting is getting heavier and it looks like I am going to have another period just a week after my last one. The spotting and irregular cycles seem commonplace with maca, but I cannot find anyone who has experienced hemorrhoids as a side effect. The first time it happened, my chiropractor mentioned that my liver was congested - odd since I rarely drink and take milk thistle regularly. My theory is that for some reason my liver cannot process the excess hormones and the congestion is causing the hemorrhoids. I can't decide if this reaction means positive (detox) or negative changes for my body. Either way I am done with Maca. If you are experiencing these side effects, please know you are not alone!
