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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Having a bad reaction to a herb (agnus castus) help!

46 replies

HJKL09 · 26/01/2021 18:18

Posting for traffic as I'm pretty desperate!

I've been taking agnus castus for around a week now to help with PMS and I'm having a bad reaction to it. This funny turn coincided with me taking the last pill this morning and coming on my period.

I'm very nauseous, feeling spaced out and jittery. Stupidly anxious (which I most definitely am not usually) and severe fatigue.

I last took one this morning.

How can I get it out of my system?! Will anything help.

OP posts:
Elieza · 26/01/2021 18:34

Do you have a herbalist near you that you could phone for advice?

NettleTea · 26/01/2021 18:44

vitex is usually started on the first day of your cycle but to be honest its a pretty slow working herb (I am a qualified/practicing herbalist)

also Im assuming its a standardised extract, so not a whole plant complex,

vitex is a slow working herb, so you usually need 2 or 3 months to see a difference, its a gentle push, not a hard poke. If you stop taking it now it wont be long til all this has gone, and to be honest Im very surprised you are having such an extreme reaction after such a tiny dose for such a short time.

So long as you are not taking any other medication, you can try either milk thistle or st johns wort - both speed up the way that your liver processes metabolites

Original poster
HJKL09 · 26/01/2021 18:56

Thank you for the replies, I'm really pleased my post caught the attention of a herbalist.

I too am surprised that I'm having such a strong reaction, stupidly I didn't do much research beforehand. It was reccomended to me, I bought some on eBay (natures aid PremEeze agnus castus) and that was that.

I've taken 1 pill daily alongside magnesium and b6 (it's definitely not them I'm reacting to)

I do tend to be sensitive to medications but naively assumed that wouldn't be the case with natural herbs Blush

I've been searching online and in a PMS group I'm part of and while these reactions aren't overly common I've come across a fair few people who have reacted the same.

I will try to get hold of some milk thistle or st John's wort tomorrow.

On the off chance that I'm not able to, do you have any idea how long it'll take until these effects wear off? Blush

OP posts:
Lunariagal · 26/01/2021 19:36

I've had a reaction to this although not quite the same. I felt anxious and I had absolutely no patience and a very short fuse. Stopped taking them and I would say it took a couple of weeks to feel more normal.

NettleTea · 26/01/2021 19:47

youve only been taking them a week so I think a couple of days or so. Its also coinciding with the first day of your period when your hormones change quite rapidly anyway, so that it almost certainly contributing

Original poster
HJKL09 · 26/01/2021 20:42

Eek a couple of weeks is daunting, @Lunariagal. I really hope it doesn't take that long for me. I only have 2 weeks of the month where I feel ok as it is. How long were you taking them before you stopped? Sorry to hear you reacted badly too.

NettleTea indeed you raise a good point there, hopefully as my natural hormones settle after the start of my period these side effects will quickly taper off.

God I had no idea natural herbs could be so unpredictable. This serves as a lesson learned for sure. If I'm ever tempted to try anything like that again ill be consulting a herbalist first.

OP posts:
CoopsMalloops · 26/01/2021 20:52

I took the same for a few weeks and I felt great, until I didn’t...the nausea, almost like morning sickness was awful.

Stopped taking them and felt better after a day or so.

Original poster
HJKL09 · 26/01/2021 20:59

I'm sorry they didn't agree with you either, Coops. I had high hopes as I'd heard so many good things about them.

Thinking back, the side effects began before today. They just switched up and become overwhelming today.

My period actually started yesterday morning but the day before I had stomach pain in my upper abdomen and body aches that I never get with my PMS usually. I didn't make the connection to the agnus castus at the time.

OP posts:
Gunpowder · 26/01/2021 21:05

Is there any chance you could have Covid? My two most significant symptoms were awful fatigue (like being newly pregnant) and overwhelming anxiety. I also felt nauseous.

Might it be worth a test given NettleTea says AC is usually slow acting?

Original poster
HJKL09 · 26/01/2021 21:27

@Gunpowder

Is there any chance you could have Covid? My two most significant symptoms were awful fatigue (like being newly pregnant) and overwhelming anxiety. I also felt nauseous.

Might it be worth a test given NettleTea says AC is usually slow acting?

I wouldn't have actually considered covid to be honest.

I had a recent negative test (19th Jan) and haven't been out much at all since. Nobody else in my household is ill in any way.

I may see if I can get another test just to rule it out though as you've given me pause for thought.

I had it last year (tested pos late july) and it manifested as common cold symptoms.

I bloody hope it's not, I bubble with my mum and she's a much older person.

OP posts:
Gunpowder · 26/01/2021 21:35

Sorry to bring Corona into everything! I mentioned it because anecdotally lots of people have told me they felt anxious/sad when they had Covid (including people who I would never think of as anxious like my dad) and then I read something about it being a symptom. (Maybe Zoe app?)

Anyway, it sounds unlikely to be Covid if you’ve just had a negative test and you had it in July! I hope the AC leaves your system soon and you feel better.

Original poster
HJKL09 · 26/01/2021 21:41

@Gunpowder

Sorry to bring Corona into everything! I mentioned it because anecdotally lots of people have told me they felt anxious/sad when they had Covid (including people who I would never think of as anxious like my dad) and then I read something about it being a symptom. (Maybe Zoe app?)

Anyway, it sounds unlikely to be Covid if you’ve just had a negative test and you had it in July! I hope the AC leaves your system soon and you feel better.

That's ok Gunpowder it was a reasonable suggestion to be honest.

It has certainly piqued me to wonder because the body aches I was getting the other night were something I'd never had with PMS before. Everything hurt especially my back and my legs.

I did a Google search (and MN) and saw that body aches are quite common with PMS for some people so I put it down to that.

After all of this started today I reflected back and concluded that the body aches were caused by the A.C too, or is that ridiculous?

I didn't consider covid at all given my resent negative result.

OP posts:
BrownFootStool · 26/01/2021 21:42

Agnus castus made me feel very jittery and hormonal to the point I had to stop taking it. I've tried it twice and I'm about to give it another go.

itchyfinger · 26/01/2021 21:46

I had an awful reaction to Angus castus. I took it for PMT but after a 2 weeks had the worst PMT episode ever and then had my P 2 weeks early. T'was shite. Just stopped taking it and went back to normal.

MaxNormal · 26/01/2021 22:04

Agnus castus raises your progesterone, it's also called chasteberry as monks used to take it to suppress their sex drives.
Any hormonal fuckery can make you feel extremely strange indeed and cause all sorts of side effects.
I really don't think it's covid.

bookgirl1982 · 26/01/2021 22:06

Really interested to see your post. Have been taking agnus castus for about 6 months and feeling much the same as you recently. Maybe will stop for a bit and see if it eases.

Original poster
HJKL09 · 26/01/2021 22:08

It's so reassuring to hear from others who have reacted badly (however I am sorry that you did!)

I have felt like I'm losing my marbles today and have been so withdrawn and on edge. DH has had to completely take over with the DC whilst I've spent the day jittering and willing it to pass.

OP posts:
Summerhillsquare · 27/01/2021 08:14

OP, PMS/PMDD is a serious medical condition. You can access treatment, there is a defined pathway, starting with things you can do yourself with minimal side effects (Vit B6 and magnesium), all the way up to hysterectomy, with lots of options in between.

See the guidelines form the Royal College of Gynaecologists here: www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/gtg48/

Keep a diary of your symptoms for at least 2 months, ideally 3, take them to your GP and ask to either be referred or to start on the more advanced treatment. If they refuse (many GP's are ignorant of women's health) ask for another GP. Some areas will have a women's health clinic you can self refer in to.

Do not suffer with this nonsense any longer. I speak from bitter experience.

LagneyandCasey · 27/01/2021 08:55

I hope you feel better soon, op. It made me really bloated and nauseous for a week or so after I taking it.

I've tried all sorts over the years but starflower oil is the only thing that makes a difference. I take 2000mg every day and up it to 3000mg a few days before period is due. PMS is still there but it's just a 'down' feeling rather than hating everyone and plotting to leave dh. I don't get the awful aching thighs during my period anymore and breast pain has completely gone. I couldn't live without it and on the did time I've run out I've noticed the difference.

Lunariagal · 27/01/2021 08:55

@HJKL09

I'd been taking a half dose for a couple of months for what I thought was pmt and turned out to be perimenopause. I never again want to feel like I did when I took it.

I also had intrusive / impulsive thoughts and sometimes acted on them. My behaviour was significantly out of character. Its made me very vary about taking supplements because nothing id read about the side effects talked about this.

HalfSizeMe · 27/01/2021 09:11

@LagneyandCasey

I hope you feel better soon, op. It made me really bloated and nauseous for a week or so after I taking it.

I've tried all sorts over the years but starflower oil is the only thing that makes a difference. I take 2000mg every day and up it to 3000mg a few days before period is due. PMS is still there but it's just a 'down' feeling rather than hating everyone and plotting to leave dh. I don't get the awful aching thighs during my period anymore and breast pain has completely gone. I couldn't live without it and on the did time I've run out I've noticed the difference.

I take starflower oil too. I take 1000mg every day and it stops me wanting to kill people. If I stop taking it the feelings come back.
Original poster
HJKL09 · 27/01/2021 09:16

Thank you so much for the replies, I'm really grateful for the advice and to know I'm not alone.

I'm only 27 but I've been dealing with PMS/PMDD for almost two years since giving birth.

I've asked three medical professionals to consider me for a hysterectomy but none would even consider it (and that's for other reasons before I knew what was going on with my hormones)

I've been reluctant to go back to my GP about my hormones because I'm worried about being fobbed off with birth control that'll make things worse. I'm extremely sensitive to meds and hormone changes (and herbs it seems) and I've had a bad reaction to the contraceptive injection before.

I suffer for around 4 days during ovulation and then feel so poorly for a week before my period is due, it's like having a mental health collapse and flu every month Sad

If BC makes me react anything like the agnus castus has (messes with my hormones) I won't be able to cope with it.

I'm going to push myself to call my GP tomorrow (hopefully I'll feel a bit better by then, I'm still really foggy today from the AC)

I do have months worth of symptoms written down as I've been tracking it all for a while.

Ideally I'd like a face to face appointment as I have too much to go over, a 5 minute call won't suffice, but I'm not sure they'll let me go in as it's not 'urgent'

Does starflower oil have side effects btw?

OP posts:
spoonrace · 27/01/2021 14:56

Agnus castus..I had a ferocious temper on it and put on weight. Didn't have any side effects from starflower oil.

Original poster
HJKL09 · 27/01/2021 15:52

I'm going to buy some starflower oil I think, thanks those of you who've mentioned/reccomended it.

I'm feeling a little less awful than yesterday so it should be on its way out, fingers crossed.

OP posts:
LagneyandCasey · 27/01/2021 16:05

I've not had any side effects from starflower oil. I've been taking it for a few years now. Hope it helps, op, although it can take a few months to feel the benefit. It's best to take it with meals.