Agnus Castus

[BBisBBack]

Sounds like a harry potter spell doesnt it? However I have been advised it might help me concieve? I have unrecognised PCOS. As in my doc did a scan and blood test, scan showed one cystic ovary blood test did not support this. So as I have on DC docs will not help or explore further. In my area you are only entitled to one child it would seem. My DS was conceived naturally, so i haven't lost hope just yet but its been 16 months. I am trying to get fit loose weight eat well etc but a friend recommended agnus castus.

I have bought it and taken it but im not sure its the right thing??? Ive also heard about preseed? At this moment id take a holy man watching if i thought it would help haha!

AC can in some cases make hormonal imbalances worse.

It can be a bad idea to self medicate with AC: if you really want to take this you should only do so following the advice of a medical herbalist.

I would change GPs if the GP is being unhelpful.

When were the blood tests done and what hormone levels were tested for and on which days?. If any of those details were wrong the test result is meaningless.

Hi, i had the scan and then had the blood test but as my periods are so irregular i believe it was day ten ( it was ages ago) i have already changed GPs once treatment i have received is same. Been advised to loose alot of weight and in my heart of hearts this will obviously help (i am getting there!) but conceived my DS t half a stone heavier than I am now. I am
Continuing to try and loose weight though. I had my suspicions that AC may not be helping so I will stop taking it. I currently take evening primrose oil,multi vit with iron, Vit c and folic acid. I had previously been denied a smear due to my age but have now been invited to one, I am thinking this would be a good idea? I am Quite concerned really as the docs seem blaisè about it but for all I know it could be serious.
The sensible rational me chips in here and says that my periods have never ever been particularly regular, so I do think it is PCOS myself but im unaware how I can manage it without docs intervention?

Give my son was conceived naturally i would rather manage it myself if possible as im sick of the opinions of 'medical professionals' they seem to lack the human factor around here

To have pcos your blood tests have to come back showing signs of it, it is very possible to have polycystic ovaries without having the syndrome, many women have polycystic ovaries. So it is possible you are one of those women. i have been diagnosed with pcos and i havent had a scan because they no longer do scans. It is also possible to have pcos with no cysts on the ovaries. Anyway as for AC, i would go and speak to a herbalist and see what they say. if you are not having periods at all then it cant really mess them up any more than they already are, but its whether you think it is worth it or not. Good luck

I didnt know that, my doc has never even mentioned that that could be the case. I dont think they really care tbh!

I am having cycles but they fluctuate in length the last one has been 58 days, Im just finding it worrying and a bit depressing.

DH and I could admittedly do more in terms of sex, but he works shifts, and energy levels are often depleted!! Thats why i would quite like to take a targeted approach, but altho i do cervical mucus spotting, I have been told my condition (whatever the problem is) would like give false negatives on OPKs? This seems to of been the case as I used them for about twenty days and had all negatives. Admittedly I suppose i should do them for a whole month but having to do them at 2pm is a bit of a bugger. If anyone has advice on OPKs id be grateful. Heck at this moment in time advice on anything would be fab!

I agree with the advice to speak to a herbalist before taking AC. It is pretty powerful stuff. I tried it (under the guidance of my acupuncturist and herbalist) and it did seem to help, but my cycles were already pretty regular. I didn't get pregnant but the AC or other supplements I was on plus acu seemed to bring forward my ovulation slightly and lengthen my luteal phase by a day or so. I cannot say which element was most help as I used them all together.

The diagnosis of PCOS is a mess, frankly. I was first diagnosed almost 20 years ago, when I was a teenager. When I started fertility investigations, my blood tests didn't show a hormone imbalance, but I still suffer fro insulin resistence and some excess hair. Some scans have shown PCO. At the last two scans I had, one showed a normal right ovary and a PCO left ovary and the other showed a normal left ovary and a PCO right ovary and they were only a couple of weeks apart. Regardless of what blood tests and scans show, I know the hair and my reaction to eating sugar are not right. So I try to follow a rough and ready low GI diet (I don't follow a specific plan but try to limit white carbs and sugary food). I've never struggled with my weight but I have heard of lots of overweight PCOSers getting pregnant when they dropped some weight. Have a look at the Verity PCOS website for more advice.

I am confused as to why you have not been invited for a smear. Are you very young? I started having smears from age 18 but I think they start at 25 now? It's a good idea to have them regularly but I very much doubt that your lack of pregnancy is related to anything a smear test would detect.

Hi I think i need more info on pcos and i need to make a commitment to loosing weight. The weight part i am doing anyway. Re age i am 24 (25 in 3 weeks) hence smear. It sounds a young age to e concerned about fertility but issues around this caused my bio mother some issues so its quite a sensitive subject. I think DH and i do need to commit more time also.

I had gest diabetes in my pregnancy so insulin issues to my mind would make sense, i wasnt aware this could be a factor. Is there anything I can do / take to improve / combat any insulin issue? I still regularly check my blood sugar as i do still have funny ' turns' i just end up feeling a complete bloody failure!

Hi BBisBBack, I came off the pill 12 months ago to start ttc, my cycles ranged from around 30-35 days for the first few months then they gradually got worse where they lasted sometimes atleast 48 days. I did some 'research' (googling ;)) and got some AC and EPO from holland&barrat ..I started them around october and ever since my cycles have gotten shorter and are now down to 34 days so its worked well for me :) however I don't know what the advice is regarding your poss pcos. I also started taking pregnacare conception this month!

How many mgs have you been taking of AC and EPO? x

Hiya, ive been taking 1000mg of AC and just a one a day capsule of EPO, im at the stage where i'll try anything, my cycles have been 12-56 days! Its such a nightmare x

Oh god 12-56 days! That's gotta be so frustrating!
I take 1600mg of AC ..I've got the 400mg capsules so I take 2 in the morning and 2 at night up until ovulation, and then I take 3000mg of EPO..I have the 1000mg capsules so I take 2 in the morning and 1 at night up until ovulation again. I don't know why I take them like this I just decided to! Lol maybe cos I'd be taking 7 capsules in one go if I took them all at the same time..I'd probably rattle if shaken! Haha, its nuts what we are willing to do isn't it..I'm thinking of trying pre-seed soon if I have no luck this cycle, not sure yet though..any other things you've tried? x

To be fair with conceiving our son we had sex EVERY day, we haven't done that so we have both agreed more sex is needed! I was considering preseed too. I have also decided to get onto a specific conception multi vit then stop everything else as thats what I was on last time. Ive found watching for EWCM to be a comfort altho not sure its helped haha! Im also trying to shift some weight and logging all cycle data(thank the lord for iPhone apps!!) any other ideas from anyone? X

I am currently on day 168!!!
I have been ttc for a year now and only had 3 oppertunities to conceive :(
Having sex every other day for 168 days is hard work and im fed up and peed off :(
Cant wait to get the fertility appointment!!!

They advise ttc every other day BB, so try that, they say the sperm isnt as good if you do it every day!

Good luck! Ive given up!!x

Aw 1st its soul destroying isnt it?! My problem is no fertility person will touch is due to Me being overweight and now due to me having a DC already. They dont seem to see the probs i have may be a symptom rather than cause! So frustrating i currently take a multi vit plus iron, vit c plus zinc, EPO and folic acid, don't know if it helps but certainly makes me feel im doing something!

Charting my cycles is both good and bad as i have a handle on length etc but its a stark reminder! Was taking 1000mg o AC but given the advice ive stopped!

I will try every other day then, in reality that may be more practical x

yea it is horrible! and everyone wanders why im soo gumpy?!!!
i lost 4stone before ttc at slimming world, ive now put loads back on and need to get back to sw, but just cant seem to get motivated. all this stress makes me want to eat!! I really disagree with the fact once you have one dc they wont help you. i have a friend in that situation and i think its so wrong. Good luck with the weight loss. Have you tried reflexology or acupuncture? people say that can help x

I haven't as yet but it is something i do um an ah over! Its just so frustrating isn't it! The worst comments are "just relax" an "you should be grateful" argh i cant relax or rather i cant be more relaxed than I am its not me! And i am supremely grateful! Is your DP much help? Mine is a typical bloke... He just doesnt get it most of the time!

Have you been referred? X

I am sympathising here ladies. I feel that you are not taken seriously if you have concerns about fertility if you already have one child. A lot can happen/go awry in a few years! 1sttimetryer kindly replied to me earlier today when I voiced concerns over my rubbish cycle. I really hope it happens for us all! Getting a balance between having enough sex and too much sex? Bloody hell, I'll tell himself tonight that we can't coz we did it yesterday-but tomorrow is a sure thing!!! xxx

Everything takes soo long too, since the doctors have said they will refer me ( i dont have any dc) i have been waiting about 6-8 weeks, because i had to have more tests before the clinic would see me, my dh had to have tests, now finally we have to wait one more week and the dh's results should be back and we can be properly refered and hopefully the wait wont be too long. I've given up on sex!! lol! it isnt working as im not ovulating and it had become a chore because we werent getting a break at all, so just doing it when we want to at the moment! dh was rubbish to start with, then he was good and he got really upset seeing everyone with babies, as since we found out i have pcos there are been about 40odd people get pregnant that we know! (yes i know! a lot and it really dont help!!)Now hes just annoyed that im so miserable all the time and just gets angry with me lots :( i know iim being miserable but when all my family and friends are having babies and im having to coo over them it doesnt help!! Got no friends in my situation and my friends have been crap to be honest! Better go to work! speak later!! Have a nice day!x

Aw 1st im glad youre referral is soon, my DH had a load of tests too i was due to start having them When i found out i was pg, found all the timescales hard on the tests as if your cycles are irregular its hard to say on the third Hour of say 6 precisely have a blood test!! PITA

Skip u are very right alot does change, I dont even know if I am ovulating im reasoning that to have a period (albeit long or short cycles) ovulation must of occurred, but again I don't know that thats true!

Its just a nightmare! I try hard to not be bitter but it is hard, i suppose the only easy bit is that unlike with a first with a second ive not been secretive people kno i want another. Double edged sword tho as then you get people saying when are you having another, you don't want a huge age gap etc all the while you are thinking bugger off bugger off!! My RL friends jut dont get it and i get the feeling it makes some of them uncomfortable others jut plain bored! Honestly if I hear "just relax and it will happen" any more i may end up on the news!!

Hope you all have a good day x

Poor you!

Just wanted to add you can have PCOS and the symptoms but it not show up on the blood test. My blood tests where 'normal' but my scans clearly show one polycystic ovary. The consultant I am seeing says he only sees the blood test confirmation in 50% of cases. I have terrible acne, excessive hair (nice!) and really can't eat sugar. The fact you have irregular periods is also a huge indication of this.

The weight thing is key though and as you know, symptoms can be managed very well with a healthy BMI I think but that is quite tough when PCOS makes it so easy to put on weight!

I really do sympathise! I tried AC but it stopped me ovulating! I stopped taking it and had accupuncture to get it back but have not gone back on it since. I am taking some B vitamins though for better egg quality as apparently that can be an issue with PCOS. I would go back to your GP and really push for a referral, downplay the fertility aspects, PCOS is a serious condition that can lead to lots of problems and needs proper treatment.