Agnus castus

Casualcontrol1

Just wondering has anyone heard much about agnus castus or if it as worked for you or someone you know? Reading threads online and it seems to works miracles for women with irregular cycles!

pwurple

Mixed. I tried it for my irregular long cycles, and it sent me way too far the other way with super-short cycles, less than 17 days long, for months after taking it for only a few days.

I was kinda desperate and willing to try anything at the time, but I wouldn't do it again. It's completely unregulated, sold as a food supplement rather than as a medicine. I had no idea of the potency or doasge, or any contaminants, or even what effect it might have had on any baby that was concieved.

But, I have heard it helps other people, and it probably won't kill ya. (assuming you don't have a nut allergy). http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/4408/20131011/herbal-products-fillers-contaminants.htm

Neyite

If you are on existing medications you will need to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking a herbal supplement like this.

lazygal

Didn't do a thing for my (very long cycles). Only after my second child was born have my cycles been semi-normal.

Casualcontrol1

On no medication neyite. But it says on the bottle use with little water how much is little water?

Ms2011

Casualcontrol1 wrote: »

On no medication neyite. But it says on the bottle use with little water how much is little water?

I take it you have the liquid form, I would just take it with a mouthful of water as I didn't like the taste & wanted it gone in one go.

Casualcontrol1

That's what I was thinking, take it like a shot! Takes like alcohol anyway!! How did you find it?

Ms2011

Casualcontrol1 wrote: »

That's what I was thinking, take it like a shot! Takes like alcohol anyway!! How did you find it?

Well I got pregnant both times I used it so it worked for me. I found the liquid form alot stronger than the tablets though.
I take it for a week ( I alway bled lightly when using it) then stop & within a day or 2 I ovulate. My cycles are long & irregular so without using AC pinpointing when I was going to ovulate was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
It's hard to tell how your body will react to it though some people have good experiences some bad, I definately wouldn't use it long term, a week was always enough for me!!

Casualcontrol1

Ok so you only use it for about a week or two? I was under the impression you take it every day! Thank God i created this thread!

Ms2011

Casualcontrol1 wrote: »

Ok so you only use it for about a week or two? I was under the impression you take it every day! Thank God i created this thread!

Well you see that's the thing with taking something that is unregulated, you're not really sure of the effect it will have on you until you take it.
Alot of people find they have to take it for months before it takes effect others (like myself) find it has an immediate effect, whether that effect is one you want again is something you won't really know until you've taken it.
Almost everyone agrees though that you should stop once you've ovulated & begin again if your period arrives.

Lucyfur

So, do you take it from day 1 to day 12-ish?

I've only taken it once, after a miscarriage, to try to bring on my period....I've never tried to take it from a TTC point of view

Ms2011

You can take it that way if it suits you, for me the effects were so strong & so immediate that I'd only start around day 3 until about day 10. It would bring on period like bleeding & sometimes headaches so I would stop after a week & by day 13 I'd ovulate.
There'd be no way I'd ovulate on day 13 without AC, it could be any day from 17-30 so it made pinpointing when I'd ovulate & therefore when to dtd v.hard.

Casualcontrol1

I am having the spotting at the minute like you said. Did you find it's makes you very bloated looking? I look like I put on half a stone but I know I haven't!!

Ms2011

I don't remember too much bloating but everyone's different. I mostly got headaches.

yellow hen

Ms2011 wrote: »

I don't remember too much bloating but everyone's different. I mostly got headaches.

I'm on cd2 and just started it again today. How much do you take? Is it 15-20 drops twice per day or is once enough?

Casualcontrol1

I only take it once a day it says twice but I think it would be too much, each to their own though

Ms2011

yellow hen wrote: »

I'm on cd2 and just started it again today. How much do you take? Is it 15-20 drops twice per day or is once enough?

I took 16 drops once a day, I found the liquid form v.strong so I didn't take it a second time per day.

yellow hen

Ms2011 wrote: »

I took 16 drops once a day, I found the liquid form v.strong so I didn't take it a second time per day.

Thanks, I think I only took it once last time too.

yellow hen

Just an update. I took agnus castus for the first 14 days of my cycle. On cd15 now and never got a positive on the cheapie ov sticks. I'll try again next month but I had zero side effects this time around. Hopefully will get hycosy done by the end of the month.

Ms2011

Everything I read about AC said it takes awhile to take effect, I just had the opposite experience but that doesn't seem to be the norm.
Hope you have some positive results soon x

Lucyfur

Ladies, where did you buy it? H & B used to stock it but it's no longer in my local shop or online

yellow hen

Lucyfur wrote: »

Ladies, where did you buy it? H & B used to stock it but it's no longer in my local shop or online

I got it in the health food store on the top floor of Dundrum but I imagine other health food stores might stock it.

Neyite

Lucyfur wrote: »

Ladies, where did you buy it? H & B used to stock it but it's no longer in my local shop or online

There is a place very near me that might do it, I can pop in on the way home today, I can check and send it on if they have. If you tell me what exactly to ask for? I'll probably be going up town during the week on my lunch too so can also check a few local independent health shops.

I'm tempted to try it while waiting for my march appointment. Good/Bad idea?

Lucyfur

Neyite wrote: »

There is a place very near me that might do it, I can pop in on the way home today, I can check and send it on if they have. If you tell me what exactly to ask for? I'll probably be going up town during the week on my lunch too so can also check a few local independent health shops.

I'm tempted to try it while waiting for my march appointment. Good/Bad idea?

You're a star! Gonna pop over to another health shop here, I'll let you know!

Good idea? Can't make me any more not pregnant would be my way of looking at it! I wonder would the clinic have an opinion?

yellow hen

Lucyfur wrote: »

You're a star! Gonna pop over to another health shop here, I'll let you know!

Good idea? Can't make me any more not pregnant would be my way of looking at it! I wonder would the clinic have an opinion?

I floated it past my GP last time and I got a look of consternation. I think many medical practitioners have little or no time for herbal or homeopathic remedies. I felt a bit like you Lucyfur, it couldn’t make me less pregnant and it also made me feel less helpless whilst waiting for the appt for the Hycosy.

Neyite

Lucyfur wrote: »

You're a star! Gonna pop over to another health shop here, I'll let you know!

Good idea? Can't make me any more not pregnant would be my way of looking at it! I wonder would the clinic have an opinion?

Well, I do know that they said you shouldn't mix anything, even herbal, with any fertility meds when you are on them, due to possible contraindications, and I'd agree - herbal stuff can be powerful and its not given the full testing rigmarole as other medications so they dont really know how they interact with prescription meds.

But I'm off the Clomid now, and other than a HSG which will probably be next cycle, I'm guessing end of January, I'm only waiting until March to see Dr. E and make a plan. Did you hear he is retiring from the public system in the new year? He'll still be working in the other clinic though. I heard that at my appointment just before Christmas. Dont know who will be replacing him yet.

So yeah, like you, it cant make me any more unfertilised, so no harm to give it a month or two I guess!

Lucyfur

I'm done with the public system. I'd much prefer to pay. I found my last public appointment to be frustrating and left with unanswered questions, where as in brookelawn, everything was answered and nothing rushed. Brookelawn were also really interested in all the supplements we take!

yellow hen

So just to update on what's happening with me. Last time I took ac it was because my cycles were up to 60 days long and I wanted to shorten them. After one month it had the desires effect so I was delighted. Three years later I'm taking it to see if it helps me ovulate. My cycles are somewhere between 25 and 29 days. So I'm only on cd17 now and I am totally crippled with period pain. It's the sort of pain I'm used to so there's no mistaking it. I'm so disappointed. 17 days! Anyway, just wanted to give a heads up to anyone who hasn't yet started it!

pwurple

Yes, that was my experience too yellow hen. Neyite, to be honest, I wouldn't take it if you have an appointment in just two months. It took me a good while to get back to anything resembling a normal cycle after taking it.

yellow hen

pwurple wrote: »

Yes, that was my experience too yellow hen. Neyite, to be honest, I wouldn't take it if you have an appointment in just two months. It took me a good while to get back to anything resembling a normal cycle after taking it.

Still nothing but it'll make its appearance sometime soon I think. I had reservations about taking it in the first instance and I'm so annoyed I didn't go with my gut. For a natural remedy, it does what feels to be unnatural things to your body.

Neyite

pwurple wrote: »

Yes, that was my experience too yellow hen. Neyite, to be honest, I wouldn't take it if you have an appointment in just two months. It took me a good while to get back to anything resembling a normal cycle after taking it.

That's actually what I was thinking the last day or so. I'll hold off I think, I'm a bit wary of it.