Vitex! Experiences? Buddies?

[MrsMcCurdy]

Hey y'all!
So I'm very much for doing things as natural as possible instead of using harsh drugs. Tried clomid over a year ago and it was horrid. So now I'm trying vitex, I've researched so much about it and really think it'll help with my particular issues. My issues being I don't ovulate on my own, I have really crazy cycles ranging from 19 days to 103 with bleeding anywhere from 5 days to literally 98 days. So, I'm on a mission to Baby and those cycles don't do me any good! Haha
So can anyone share their(hopefully positive) stories? And does anyone want to join me?? I just started on Jan 22nd.
Thanks y'all

 

[MrsMcCurdy]

Bump

 

[2ducks]

Hello! Unfortunately I don't have a positive vitex story for you, but I wanted to share my experience so you can see a different perspective. I stopped BCP in May of last year and did not have a period. I started vitex about 6 months ago and took it consistently. I also used Dong Quai and Black Cohosh with the vitex for about 6 weeks. Unfortunately vitex did not help me regulate my cycles. I just went in for lab work yesterday morning as my OBGYN strongly suspects I have PCOS. I have read that it can take vitex up to 6 months to work, after 6 months if it hasn't helped you it probably will not. I have also taken Maca for about 4 months and did a round of acupuncture.

Vitex helps many women regulate their cycles, but it does take time so be patient! Hopefully this does the trick for you. Many women also find that acupuncture helps with their cycles and overall health, you may want to try that as well along with vitex.

Good luck and I hope that some other members post some success stories. You are also welcome to join the "irregular gals" support thread on this page.

 

[Angel5000]

I was having long cycles after BCP and decided to try vitex. The first brand I Tried was Solaray and it didn't do much for me. The second month I did tons of research and decided to try the Gaia brand. This brand was SUPERB. It uses liquid form (in a capsule so it's still a pill) instead of the herbs, which was better I Think. The first month I started using the Gaia brand my cycles went from 40 days to a normal 28 days and my O date went from somewhere around CD26-30 to CD14-16. It was amazing. Now, I was already Ovulating, just really late, so I know that makes a difference.

I used it for 3-4 months and every month I used it I had a normal cycle. The last month I decided to stop because I was nearing the 1 year mark and I wanted to have accurate data to present to my doctor. The first month off my cycles went back to long but since then my cycles have been back to a regular 25-30 day cycle. I don't know that it has anything to do with the Vitex there, I think my body is just finally regulating itselfa fter the BCP but I can honestly say that the Gaia brand Vitex did wonderful things for the time I was on it.

 

[Flueky88]

I used the nature's way brand and it moved my O day to CD 26 instead of 40 something or more. The next cycle I got up to cd 50 but I was under severe stress without O. I stopped the vitex and did progesterone to bring AF. I have started the gaia brand. Cd 19 I believe without O but my temps have been a lot steadier. I had a huge dip today though.

 

[MrsMcCurdy]

Thank you ladies! I'm using the GNC brand right now and it's seems to doing something! I started it 18 days ago, had a fairly normal period(not crazy heavy like my normal) and I haven't spotted or anything since which is a rarity. I hope it's actually the vitex and not just coincidence. Guess time will only tell. I wish I had charted my temp this cycle, maybe(?!) I'll O?? Didn't expect it to do anything so soon.

 

[2ducks]

Many women also have success in taking Maca alongside Vitex, you may want to do some research on that.

Out of curiosity you said you don't ovulate on your own. Do you have PCOS? Is there something else going on that you know of? I am not ovulating right now and am currently being tested for PCOS but there is no definitive diagnosis yet.

 

[MrsMcCurdy]

I've read a lot about maca and I want to try it too but wanted to see what vitex would do for me first without it. Reason being is that I don't really know what's wrong with me. I know I've had problems with me period like this since I started having periods at 12 years old, I've gone to an RE and she did quite a few tests that all said I seemed to be fine except that I wasn't ovulating. There are eggs but they're not maturing, no cysts, took a bunch of blood and did a lot of tests and the only thing that showed was I was majorly low on vit D which has since been on the mend. She didn't think I had PCOS, but that there were more tests I could do if I wanted to do them. But then I moved across country... Aside from all that, I think I have a problem with not enough progesterone. I bleed easily, spotting and full on flow for loooong periods of time. And don't have long between stop and start. And since vitex is supposed to help specifically with progesterone, I thought maybe vitex would work well and hopefully would do it on its own.
If in the next month or so vitex is helping but maybe could need something else than I mostly like will try Maca.

 

[2ducks]

You have a solid plan. I tend to try everything all at once and then not really know what is effective. Its good that you want to layer in treatments. Oh, red raspberry leaf tea can also be used along side Vitex and Maca if you feel you need a little something else.

 

[MrsMcCurdy]

I try to take it a little at a time. Can be really hard sometimes though cuz I just want it all to be fixed 'right now'! But I also want to know what's going on so I fix it in the long run, which takes time 😒 I do want to start taking red raspberry leaf tea soon. I've been looking for it grown locally but haven't found a supplier yet. I think that would be good for just about any woman to take. And it has so much iron which I need!

 

[2ducks]

I have learned the hard way there is no quick fix when it comes to fertility issues.