Vitex works!!!

[cindylou]

OK, just had to pop in and report on the results of doing Vitex for the last several weeks.<div><br></div><div>My 1st cycle after coming off birth control at the end of February was crazy - 41 days with a 4 day luteal phase. (I happened to be at the doctor on the day of ovulation so the blood test picked it up.) I also had 22 days of fertile-ish CM before I ovulated, indicating that I was gearing up to ovulate a bunch and skipping it. </div><div><br></div><div>I ordered some Vitex hoping to make it so that I ovulated earlier and had a longer luteal phase. So far, I am on day 40 of this cycle. I still took a long time to ovulate and skipped several times (I got two positive OPKs and then never had a corresponding temp shift), but it was only 16 days this time, so I figure that is an improvement over 22! Today is day 15 of my luteal phase. I had never temped or charted at all before I got off the pill, but from some things I read in Taking Charge of Your Fertility, I am guessing that I always have had a luteal phase defect (even as a teen), so 15 days is amazing!!!</div><div><br></div><div>Just had to share that, for all those who have irregular cycles. I am hoping that eventually, the Vitex will help me ovulate earlier in my cycle so that my cycles are shorter. For now though I am pretty happy just to know that I finally have a luteal phase that will sustain a pregnancy!!!</div>

 

[cindylou]

OK, just had to pop in and report on the results of doing Vitex for the last several weeks.<br>My 1st cycle after coming off birth control at the end of February was crazy - 41 days with a 4 day luteal phase. (I happened to be at the doctor on the day of ovulation so the blood test picked it up.) I also had 22 days of fertile-ish CM before I ovulated, indicating that I was gearing up to ovulate a bunch and skipping it.<br>I ordered some Vitex hoping to make it so that I ovulated earlier and had a longer luteal phase. So far, I am on day 40 of this cycle. I still took a long time to ovulate and skipped several times (I got two positive OPKs and then never had a corresponding temp shift), but it was only 16 days this time, so I figure that is an improvement over 22! Today is day 15 of my luteal phase. I had never temped or charted at all before I got off the pill, but from some things I read in Taking Charge of Your Fertility, I am guessing that I always have had a luteal phase defect (even as a teen), so 15 days is amazing!!!<br>Just had to share that, for all those who have irregular cycles. I am hoping that eventually, the Vitex will help me ovulate earlier in my cycle so that my cycles are shorter. For now though I am pretty happy just to know that I finally have a luteal phase that will sustain a pregnancy!!!

 

[cindylou]

OK, just had to pop in and report on the results of doing Vitex for the last several weeks.<br>My 1st cycle after coming off birth control at the end of February was crazy - 41 days with a 4 day luteal phase. (I happened to be at the doctor on the day of ovulation so the blood test picked it up.) I also had 22 days of fertile-ish CM before I ovulated, indicating that I was gearing up to ovulate a bunch and skipping it.<br>I ordered some Vitex hoping to make it so that I ovulated earlier and had a longer luteal phase. So far, I am on day 40 of this cycle. I still took a long time to ovulate and skipped several times (I got two positive OPKs and then never had a corresponding temp shift), but it was only 16 days this time, so I figure that is an improvement over 22! Today is day 15 of my luteal phase. I had never temped or charted at all before I got off the pill, but from some things I read in Taking Charge of Your Fertility, I am guessing that I always have had a luteal phase defect (even as a teen), so 15 days is amazing!!!<br>Just had to share that, for all those who have irregular cycles. I am hoping that eventually, the Vitex will help me ovulate earlier in my cycle so that my cycles are shorter. For now though I am pretty happy just to know that I finally have a luteal phase that will sustain a pregnancy!!!

 

[KLeigh]

Awesome news Cindy! May i ask when you started taking it & how you take it? I have some but it makes me have hot flashes sometimes. I have pretty regular periods but I start spotting early so I want to start taking it to make sure that i ovulate & i don't bleed too early if i get pregnant!

Also, you aren't suppose to take it when you get pregnant so I am so confused on when to start & stop taking it! I'm going to ask my doctor about it on Friday <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[KLeigh]

Awesome news Cindy! May i ask when you started taking it & how you take it? I have some but it makes me have hot flashes sometimes. I have pretty regular periods but I start spotting early so I want to start taking it to make sure that i ovulate & i don't bleed too early if i get pregnant!

Also, you aren't suppose to take it when you get pregnant so I am so confused on when to start & stop taking it! I'm going to ask my doctor about it on Friday <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[KLeigh]

Awesome news Cindy! May i ask when you started taking it & how you take it? I have some but it makes me have hot flashes sometimes. I have pretty regular periods but I start spotting early so I want to start taking it to make sure that i ovulate & i don't bleed too early if i get pregnant!
<br />
<br />Also, you aren't suppose to take it when you get pregnant so I am so confused on when to start & stop taking it! I'm going to ask my doctor about it on Friday <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[cindylou]

Kleigh, I did a lot of research on how to take it, when to take it, taking it during pregnancy, etc. What I ended up doing was taking the dosage recommendation on my bottle, since I had such severe problems. The dosage was 2-3 pills a day for 6-8 weeks, then backing off to one pill a day. I figured I needed the high dose at first because my issues were so bad!!!

Also, I did a lot of research on the pregnancy thing. It actually looks like most people just say that as a sort of routine... I found some stuff from midwives who use it in their practice and say that actually, they think it's bad to come off it cold-turkey as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Vitex can actually also be taken during the whole first trimester to help support the pregnancy and prevent miscarriage. What I plan to do is, when I find out I'm pregnant, wean slowly off of it over several weeks or maybe even the whole first trimester (that is the recommendation I saw). From what I read, it really can't do any harm in pregnancy and it might actually be really helpful.

 

[cindylou]

Kleigh, I did a lot of research on how to take it, when to take it, taking it during pregnancy, etc. What I ended up doing was taking the dosage recommendation on my bottle, since I had such severe problems. The dosage was 2-3 pills a day for 6-8 weeks, then backing off to one pill a day. I figured I needed the high dose at first because my issues were so bad!!!

Also, I did a lot of research on the pregnancy thing. It actually looks like most people just say that as a sort of routine... I found some stuff from midwives who use it in their practice and say that actually, they think it's bad to come off it cold-turkey as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Vitex can actually also be taken during the whole first trimester to help support the pregnancy and prevent miscarriage. What I plan to do is, when I find out I'm pregnant, wean slowly off of it over several weeks or maybe even the whole first trimester (that is the recommendation I saw). From what I read, it really can't do any harm in pregnancy and it might actually be really helpful.

 

[cindylou]

Kleigh, I did a lot of research on how to take it, when to take it, taking it during pregnancy, etc. What I ended up doing was taking the dosage recommendation on my bottle, since I had such severe problems. The dosage was 2-3 pills a day for 6-8 weeks, then backing off to one pill a day. I figured I needed the high dose at first because my issues were so bad!!!
<br />
<br />Also, I did a lot of research on the pregnancy thing. It actually looks like most people just say that as a sort of routine... I found some stuff from midwives who use it in their practice and say that actually, they think it's bad to come off it cold-turkey as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Vitex can actually also be taken during the whole first trimester to help support the pregnancy and prevent miscarriage. What I plan to do is, when I find out I'm pregnant, wean slowly off of it over several weeks or maybe even the whole first trimester (that is the recommendation I saw). From what I read, it really can't do any harm in pregnancy and it might actually be really helpful.

 

[KLeigh]

Thanks for the info... I'm going to start taking mine today... I just found that it gave me hot flashes. Did that happen to you?
I think i might just send you a personal message, if that's ok <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[KLeigh]

Thanks for the info... I'm going to start taking mine today... I just found that it gave me hot flashes. Did that happen to you?
I think i might just send you a personal message, if that's ok <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[KLeigh]

Thanks for the info... I'm going to start taking mine today... I just found that it gave me hot flashes. Did that happen to you?
<br />I think i might just send you a personal message, if that's ok <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[KLeigh]

Thanks for the info... I'm going to start taking mine today... I just found that it gave me hot flashes. Did that happen to you?
I think i might just send you a personal message, if that's ok <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[KLeigh]

Thanks for the info... I'm going to start taking mine today... I just found that it gave me hot flashes. Did that happen to you?
I think i might just send you a personal message, if that's ok <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[KLeigh]

Thanks for the info... I'm going to start taking mine today... I just found that it gave me hot flashes. Did that happen to you?
<br />I think i might just send you a personal message, if that's ok <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[cindylou]

Sure send me a personal message! I did not have any bad symptoms from it (I think).... actually I think it's regulated my hormones a bit so I've had fewer weird issues since I started taking it. I was getting hot flashes before the Vitex, just one of the things that was so crazy! I've only had one hot flash (the other day) since, and I think it's probably more connected to the fact that I'm now in a really weird luteal phase (21dpo today, going to to the doctor to get bloodwork done and figure out what's up) than the vitex.

 

[cindylou]

Sure send me a personal message! I did not have any bad symptoms from it (I think).... actually I think it's regulated my hormones a bit so I've had fewer weird issues since I started taking it. I was getting hot flashes before the Vitex, just one of the things that was so crazy! I've only had one hot flash (the other day) since, and I think it's probably more connected to the fact that I'm now in a really weird luteal phase (21dpo today, going to to the doctor to get bloodwork done and figure out what's up) than the vitex.

 

[cindylou]

Sure send me a personal message! I did not have any bad symptoms from it (I think).... actually I think it's regulated my hormones a bit so I've had fewer weird issues since I started taking it. I was getting hot flashes before the Vitex, just one of the things that was so crazy! I've only had one hot flash (the other day) since, and I think it's probably more connected to the fact that I'm now in a really weird luteal phase (21dpo today, going to to the doctor to get bloodwork done and figure out what's up) than the vitex.