Starting Vitex! Did it help you or mess you up?

[littlebird28]

Hey all, anyone have any Vitex success stories? It seems like a mixed bag....helps some people but ruins other peoples' cycles. My cycles are irregular- some as long as 42 days, some 20+ days. Everything in between! Right now my luteal phase is good from vitamin b-6, but I tend to ovulate late (cd 19 to cd 30!) anyone have any luck bringing on O sooner with Vitex? Did it change your luteal phase? Share your experience!

 

[Equess]

My hubby just recently bought me a whole bunch of herbal pills to help me out. This is our first month trying. I have Red rasberry leaf tea which is supposed to help. And red clover tea. I also have a bottle of Vitex I have not started taking it yet, and im not sure if i should just in case im pregnant this month. So i will let you know how it works out for me once i take it

 

[Sunkissed]

You have to be consistent in taking it. I started a while ago and sometimes forgot a couple days, etc. But I started again this cycle and I went from Oing at CD30+ to CD17 (you can see in my chart in my siggy). So for me it has really helped. This is the first month TTC while taking it so I will see how that part goes.

Do you temp? It would be helpful to temp to find out exactly is going on to see if your O moves up and regulates. I also noticed (also seen in my charts) that my temps are more consistent now that I take vitex.

It is also best for continual use, but some people see results right away (I started off with a low does but this month I did 3 a day and it worked well). I would try it for a couple months and see if it will help you. The best thing to remember is to not just stop completely because that can also mess you up.

I took 3/day until O then 1 a day after until AF or BFP. After BFP you should stop taking it (I aksed my doctor). HTH! Good luck!

 

[littlebird28]

I keep starting, then reading into it too much and chickening out and stopping. I read that it helps with progesterone deficiency, but my progesterone is normal. I just got some blood work done to see if the late/irregular cycles are FSH or estrogen related- I would hate to take the vitex and have it further mess things up (don't know if that's possible, however!) so I guess i'll wait till the results! I don't chart, I've tried but I have insomnia and wake up every hour so the temps were erratic and funky :/ I might try maca....it seems a little less serious since its a food, and the results seem positive! Thanks

 

[littlebird28]

BTW, this is totally off topic- is your thumbnail pic of Maui? I was just there, its taking me back! Ahhh......

 

[StranjeGirl]

I started it right coming off bc after 20 years. Have had normal cycles and 14-15 day luteal phases since coming off bc, which surprised me. Ovulated every month according to temps and opk, and got a bfp after 5 months. I love vitex!

 

[Sunkissed]

Yes it is Maui

 

[Equess]

I keep starting, then reading into it too much and chickening out and stopping. I read that it helps with progesterone deficiency, but my progesterone is normal. I just got some blood work done to see if the late/irregular cycles are FSH or estrogen related- I would hate to take the vitex and have it further mess things up (don't know if that's possible, however!) so I guess i'll wait till the results! I don't chart, I've tried but I have insomnia and wake up every hour so the temps were erratic and funky :/ I might try maca....it seems a little less serious since its a food, and the results seem positive! Thanks

I have maca as well, I have heard good things about it. Let me know how it works out for you.

 

[littlebird28]

Yes it is Maui

Ahhh, how did I know?! Couldn't mistake that sunset for anywhere else!

 

[littlebird28]

I keep starting, then reading into it too much and chickening out and stopping. I read that it helps with progesterone deficiency, but my progesterone is normal. I just got some blood work done to see if the late/irregular cycles are FSH or estrogen related- I would hate to take the vitex and have it further mess things up (don't know if that's possible, however!) so I guess i'll wait till the results! I don't chart, I've tried but I have insomnia and wake up every hour so the temps were erratic and funky :/ I might try maca....it seems a little less serious since its a food, and the results seem positive! Thanks

I have maca as well, I have heard good things about it. Let me know how it works out for you.

Thank you! I also started fish oil, i'll report back if I notice any difference!

 

[nevernormal]

I started 40 mg vitex/day on cd6 of this cycle, and haven't ovulated yet (I am on cd41). But last cycle I O'd on cd48 (my body has always been screwed up). I am taking it mostly for my LP (5 days last cycle) along with B50 complex, but no results yet. I might up my dosage next cycle.

Vitex is supposed to stimulate the pituitary gland, which then regulates the hormones to the way they are supposed to be. It is possible for it to help with any part of your cycle.

 

[littlebird28]

I started 40 mg vitex/day on cd6 of this cycle, and haven't ovulated yet (I am on cd41). But last cycle I O'd on cd48 (my body has always been screwed up). I am taking it mostly for my LP (5 days last cycle) along with B50 complex, but no results yet. I might up my dosage next cycle.

Vitex is supposed to stimulate the pituitary gland, which then regulates the hormones to the way they are supposed to be. It is possible for it to help with any part of your cycle.

Ahh, gotcha! I wasn't sure if it would only help with progesterone or LP.I started Maca and Vitex together, along with fish oil, prenatal and 100 of a b-complex. I also had a short luteal phase, but apparently it was a vitamin b deficiency, because after my first month with 100mg of vitamin b it lengthened from 7 days to 12! Now I just have to get my follicular phase in check and im hoping for the best. I would definitely try upping the dosage of your b-complex, it helped me tremendously.

 

[littlebird28]

BTW, did you mean 400mg of vitex? The directions on my bottle say to take 3 pills a day- and they're 400mg each. I'm only taking two pills at 800mg.

 

[nevernormal]

BTW, did you mean 400mg of vitex? The directions on my bottle say to take 3 pills a day- and they're 400mg each. I'm only taking two pills at 800mg.

Nope... I'm on 40mg right now, and the bottle says just to take 1 per day. I wanted to see how my body reacted to the vitex first as far as any weird reaction (rare, but I've heard of it happening!). I plan to order a 400 mg pill next time, and if I can't get my follicular phase shorter I will probably order some soy isoflavones eventually too...

 

[littlebird28]

Ohh, I see! I was only able to get my hands on the big ol' 400 mg. I found it odd that the bottle suggested 1200 mg a day, but that's probably the menopausal dosage. I have done 800 mg the last two days with no ill side effects, but last night I had some odd sharp stabbing pains above my pubic bone (nothing like AF or Ov cramps!) they weren't terrible, i'd just never felt anything like them before. Somethings going on in there! Good luck, i've heard good things about the soy, too- let me know if it works for you so I can copy!

 

[jem77]

I started taking Vitex along with Red Rasberry leaves this month too. I came off BC in Feb and my cycles since were 35 and 40 days. I hope it starts to regulate... I am CD 10 today...so we'll see! FX'd!
Good luck ladies!