Raspberry Leaf Tea: Shorten Long Cycles

[knobby]

I have always had longer than normal menstrual cycles (average 34 days long). Lately I have been having especially long cycles - 40 days long - and consequently have been having longer follicular phases (in the medical community long is considered >20 days; mine have been 25-27 days long). I have been researching and have read that a long follicular phase can affect egg quality and makes conceiving more difficult (has even been correlated with recurrent miscarriage and birth defects... https://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art174098.asp).

I have talked to my dr about my long cycles and he wants me to track my cycles till March and will address any problems with my cycle then.

So in the meantime I have been looking into natural methods of regulating and hopefully shortening my cycle, mainly my follicular phase since my luteal phase is usually about 14 days and normal. I already eat super healthy and I am at my ideal weight. So I looked into supplements...

I first tried taking vitex for 2 full cycles everyday and it didn't shorten my cycles at all. And when my period did come it was barely there. First cycle on vitex was brown discharge for 6 days. 2nd cycle was only 1.5 days of bleeding. I also suspect vitex may have made me not ovulate those cycles. Not wanting to disrupt my cycle further I stopped taking the vitex.

My last cycle I tried nothing and my bleeding was back to normal; 5 days of regular flow (heavy to moderate to light). But my cycle was still long; 38 days.

So I decided this cycle to start drinking raspberry leaf tea. Started drinking it yesterday (cycle day 8). I plan to drink 2-3 cups per day.

I was wondering if anyone else here has used raspberry leaf tea to shorten their long cycle. And if so, did it work for you or not? I have searched all over and only found a couple people say they used it to shorten their long cycles - most women use the tea during pregnancy to help labor, so that is mostly what I am finding along with people using it to help menstrual cramps and flow.

I will of course update this thread with my results of drinking raspberry leaf tea - good or bad - so anyone that finds this in the future will hopefully find this helpful.

 

[knobby]

Anyone have experience with this tea?

 

[pink_kitty]

I tried the for 5 months last year and didn't have much luck with it, but my cycles were super long and ended up being diagnosed with pcos. I also have tried vitex and it did seem to help me - or maybe it was just coincidence that my cycles were less extreme? From what I've read online vitex can take up to 4 months to see any results, but looks like it was making things worse for you so I understand why you stopped it!

 

[knobby]

Thanks for your reply!

I was sooo hopeful that vitex would help me after reading so many good testimonials. But I never had periods like that. I actually thought I was pregnant after the first cycle on vitex because it was just brown discharge - hardly a period at all. I did read that it takes a few months for your body to get any effects from the vitex. But for whatever reason, I experienced its effects very fast. Also, it made me feel hungry ALL THE TIME (for anything but when there were sweets in the house they didn't last). My appetite was insatiable and I ended up gaining 5 lbs during the time I was on it. So I have been doing lots better since being off it and am no longer eating us out of house and home

After the cycles on vitex and still having long cycles, I told my dr about how my cycles have been exceptionally long. He was concerned and thought it might be possible there was a cyst - possibly PCOS - since long cycles is a huge symptom of that. He sent me to have an ultrasound of my ovaries and everything looked completely healthy and normal, uterus is great too. And that's why he wants to do the "let's wait and see what happens" method and wants me to track my cycle until March.

But if I have some weird hormonal imbalance I'd rather try something than do nothing at all, especially if it will help me conceive and without miscarrying. We've been trying for half a year now with 1 miscarriage (that cycle I ovulated day 27; very late).

I really hope the raspberry leaf tea helps shorten things up. So far it's been pretty good. It is palatable alone but I like mixing it with other flavored tea. It definitely makes me urinate A LOT.

 

[pink_kitty]

Sorry to hear about the mc

I struggled a bit with the raspberry leaf tea because I don't really like hot drinks. I started making it and then putting it in the fridge and having a version of iced tea At the time I was waiting to see a fertility specialist (took 5 months from referral to appt - ARGH!) and I was like you - wanting to help the hormonal imbalance any way I could during the wait. I also saw a naturopath at that time and she had some really great healthy eating tips to help with hormonal issues and suggested some other supplements to take.

I hope the tea helps you get a bfp!! Sending lots of sticky baby dust!

 

[knobby]

Oh. My. Gosh! I think the raspberry leaf tea worked. I had full saliva ferning CD 17 (jan 12). And CD 18 noticed ewcm when in the bathroom. So I am pretty sure I have ovulated! And it wasn't late! Can't believe I am already in the TWW. DH and I have been EVERY DAY since CD 5.

Since CD 8 I drank at least 2 cups of raspberry leaf tea every day, sometimes 3 cups.

 

[pink_kitty]

YAY!!! Glad to hear it helped I give you credit that you could drink that much of it!!

Now just to get through the tww and get to the testing. FX there is a bfp in your future for this cycle!!

Sending lots of sticky baby dust

 

[reese89]

Knobby- u said u are using rasp tea. I am 3months post depo. Ive drank it once and i had bubble guts bad...does this help ur cycle along...do u know or are u just taking it due to ur cycle length? Thx

 

[knobby]

Knobby- u said u are using rasp tea. I am 3months post depo. Ive drank it once and i had bubble guts bad...does this help ur cycle along...do u know or are u just taking it due to ur cycle length? Thx

I personally started drinking it to shorten my long cycles. I normally ovulate very late (CD 25-27) and this cycle ovulated CD 18, so I think it worked! Although I can't say that with 100% certainty; it could of course be a coincidence.

I do know women use raspberry leaf tea to regulate their cycles. So it is worth a shot. If it is bothering your stomach I would try adding honey to it (aids digestion) and/or eating something with it when you drink it.

 

[knobby]

YAY!!! Glad to hear it helped I give you credit that you could drink that much of it!!

Now just to get through the tww and get to the testing. FX there is a bfp in your future for this cycle!!

Thank you so much! This first week is really going to drag, so nervous/excited to test!

Sending lots of sticky baby dust

Right back at you!

 

[Lothmorwel]

Hello. Did you get your BFP?

I took raspberry leaf tea this cycle, not to shorten a long cycle but just to see if it would help me and hubby TTC. It's our ninth month TTC and before we head to the doctor I want to try some 'home remedies' first.

I've seen a couple of odd things this month, whether it's due to the tea or just coincidence I don't know.

My cycles are between 27 and 32 days long, I tend to ovulate between cycle day 15 and 19. This month I think I ovulated on cycle day 14, but my temperatures seem so say it was cycle day 21 - a whole week difference! My two week wait turned into a three week wait!! Usually my temp goes hand in hand with other ovulation signs, not this month. I am now on cycle day 35 , no sign of AF (yet) but also no bfp either.

I'm going to wait a few more days then test again or see if AF shows up. I don't know if the tea has done something to my cycle or whether this could be the month!

It's a struggle to find info on raspberry leaf tea relating to TTC so I thought I'd add my limited experience!

 

[May112]

How is the raspberry leaf tea supposed to help with TTC?

 

[knobby]

Hello. Did you get your BFP?

I took raspberry leaf tea this cycle, not to shorten a long cycle but just to see if it would help me and hubby TTC. It's our ninth month TTC and before we head to the doctor I want to try some 'home remedies' first.

I've seen a couple of odd things this month, whether it's due to the tea or just coincidence I don't know.

My cycles are between 27 and 32 days long, I tend to ovulate between cycle day 15 and 19. This month I think I ovulated on cycle day 14, but my temperatures seem so say it was cycle day 21 - a whole week difference! My two week wait turned into a three week wait!! Usually my temp goes hand in hand with other ovulation signs, not this month. I am now on cycle day 35 , no sign of AF (yet) but also no bfp either.

I'm going to wait a few more days then test again or see if AF shows up. I don't know if the tea has done something to my cycle or whether this could be the month!

It's a struggle to find info on raspberry leaf tea relating to TTC so I thought I'd add my limited experience!

I have gotten 2 BFPs since I started this thread. I had really long cycles and raspberry leaf tea helped a little to shorten my follicular phase (first part of cycle before ovulation) from 28 days to 23. It was not enough though.

I ended up trying soy isoflavones and that got me a BFP - it ended in miscarriage around 8 weeks. Turned out I had chronic endometritis (unrelated to the soy) which killed my baby. It is an low grade infection of the lining of the uterus.

After treatment with antibiotics I was put on clomid and that got me my current BFP and I am 12w4d pregnant today.

On both soy and clomid I was able to ovulate around cycle day 17 or 18.