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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

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Original poster

Agnus castus

24 replies

CassMonkey · 05/04/2012 19:02

Has anyone got any experience of this herb and whether it helps you conceive? I'm on day 41 of a cycle, third cycle of ttc since coming off the pill, first two periods were 33 days and now this! Took an agnus castus tablet tonight hoping it will bring on AF. Has anyone else tried it or do you know anyone who has?

OP posts:

fhdl34 · 05/04/2012 19:11

I know someone who took this for PMT and I was going to take it but then the same week I went to the healthfood shop to buy it, I had an inkling after 4 years of TTC that I was finally pregnant. I was so didn't buy it. Be careful though, I'm sure at the time the reason I was on the fence about getting some was that it can go the other way and really mess up your cycle. Might be best to speak to a herbalist or someone similar.

Original poster

CassMonkey · 05/04/2012 19:17

I wonder if there is anything else I can do to bring on AF or boost progesterone? Or maybe I didn't ovulate and that's why no AF - and if that happens, do you then go straight on to another cycle and another chance to ovulate? So confusing, never thought I'd want to see AF so much!

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SecretSparkle · 05/04/2012 22:24

This reply has been deleted

The OP has privacy concerns about this post and so we've agreed to take it down.

Original poster

CassMonkey · 05/04/2012 22:50

Thanks secretsparkle I had two AF's after coming off the pill, both 33 day cycles, so thought maybe I was on a cycle but now this. I did temp for the time when I should have OV based on a 33 day cycle but my temp was basically the same for three weeks, no rises at all, so I gave up. I haven't tried the whole OPK thing - I do have some though, not sure whether to wait now or if i might still OV. Does anyone know if you can have a really long cycle and still OV and get pregnant? I hope nothing's wrong, really trying not to stress! Might just be coming off the pill, or PCOS related. I had a teeny tiny freak out that I don't ovulate and the thought terrified me! Any advice is really appreciated! X

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morecoffeewantsmorechoccie · 06/04/2012 04:30

Hi cass I have 2dc and also have crazy cycles.they can be 50plus days at times! [buhmm] I obviously still ovulated at some point, but not sure when- we dtd everyother day to make sure we didn't miss it! I am currently ttc dc#3 and this time its not going well, but I have a lot of other factors affecting things, not just long cycles (and I won't bore you with the details!)

Original poster

CassMonkey · 06/04/2012 12:52

That made me feel better thanks - there's hope! Just lots of dtd! Did you try temping or anything else to pinpoint it at all? Did you ever find out why they are irregular or is it just one of those things some people have? Maybe it's not as weird unusual as I thought! Good luck with #3 :-)

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morecoffeewantsmorechoccie · 06/04/2012 16:47

Hi cass had loads of tests and scans done via gp,but nothing has come up yet. I'm currently waiting for an appointment to come through after being referred to the fertility clinic, but this morning got a very faint bfp!very early days, but fingers crossed all will be well with this little coffee bean! Fingers crossed for you! [busmile]

newyearsday · 06/04/2012 17:34

Hi cass, I'm watching replies with interest. I'm waiting for AF to return after breastfeeding. I've been wondering if there's anything herbal I could try to kickstart the hormones.

I can really recommend charting if you have irregular cycles. My cycles were anything between 30-40days. After over 12mths of trying, I charted and got pg on the 5th cycle. And I learnt so much about my body! Toni Welscher's book is worth a read.

morecoffee congratulations, very exciting!

randomswitch · 06/04/2012 18:10

Hullo Ladies, I'm relatively new to Mumsnet and I'm struggling with some of the abbreviations. What does AF stand for? I get it must be one's period right? But why AF?

eurochick · 06/04/2012 19:14

It's the somewhat twee "Aunt Flo"....

elizaregina · 06/04/2012 19:23

I have pcos, I didnt have a period since decemeber, i lost weight and was also taking agnus castus and wild yam, regulary as well as vits. I fell pregnant we have been trying for over two years. I think you have to take it for a while. I was also taking it the first time, and also lost weight, got active, ate well and it happened.

Original poster

CassMonkey · 07/04/2012 11:32

Congrats morecoffee, that's great! Fingers crossed all goes well :)

Day 43 now - still no sign at all of AF! I stopped taking the Agnus thingy though, as I found a site which said you shouldn't take it after you ovulate as there are some theories (not backed up) that it might lead to mc. I don't think I have ovulated but as I'm not sure if there is still a chance I might ovulate ridiculously late this cycle, I'd better be on the safe side. Unless it's impossible to now ovulate this late? Am being as healthy as possible, loads of exercise. And loads of dtd! Apparently vitamin B6 is another good one for helping with hormones/fertility? Does anyone know anything about that?

From next month I'm going to temp and start doing the OPK and do a proper chart and not give up when my temp stays constant. At least that way I can show my doc. Although my mother in law was telling me yesterday not to stress, as she was quite anxious about it and it ended up taking her five years!

Oh and randomswitch about the abbreviations, there's a tab called 'Acronyms' at the top with them all there, I was stuck at first too with the mumsnet code! Some of them are a bit cringy like AF!

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Original poster

CassMonkey · 07/04/2012 11:41

Ooh, right after I posted I went to the loo and there is some v light bleeding! AF is here! (erm why am I so happy, it's not a BFP!) oh well it means another cycle and another shot. Not sure it was the one agnus thingy tablet I took! Wonder if I should try taking it from now then for the first few days of the cycle and see if that helps with anything? Any other agnus thingy stories or other magic herbal remedies etc?

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RedRobin36 · 08/04/2012 01:10

Hello cass! I have an agnus castus story for you ..I started taking it about 4 or 5 months ago. I came off the pill just over a year ago and started ttc a few months after that, my cycles went from okay to completely nuts (35, 38, 45! ect.. que false hope!) So I did some googling research and got some agnus castus from holland&barrat, along with evening primrose oil as that also helps with all sorts such as fertile CM. I take the AC and EPO on cd1 until I ovulate, it has worked wonders for me, for the past few months they have gradually got down to 28 days! I take 4x400mg of AC a day..2 in the morning, 2 in the evening (instructions are on the bottle) and I'll have to get back to you on the dosage of the EPO, I take 3 capsules a day, I think it may be 3000mg. They are quite pricey but h&b usually have deals on! I'm yet to get my bfp but not too worried as my cycles have only just settled down! Hope that helps and good luck! x

Original poster

CassMonkey · 09/04/2012 10:55

It seems to have really helped you! I wonder if your cycles would have settled down anyway, I guess there's no way of knowing. I think I'm going to take a few tablets early on in this cycle and see if that does anything. Do you know if it helps with prompting ovulation? Is there anything that actually kickstarts that? My plan this month is to also temp and do the ov sticks, but also to really try and relax!

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Original poster

CassMonkey · 09/04/2012 10:59

Oh and about the evening primrose oil-has anyone had any negative experiences with that or do you think that's completely safe to try too? x

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Spananah · 09/04/2012 11:24

Hi there, agnus castus worked brilliantly for me. I stopped ovulating in the middle of last year and my doctor prescribed Premular, a brand name for agnus castus, for me. I started ttc last month, and got a bfp last week. However, a couple of things to note: I was told by my doctor that it would take at least three months to work, as it naturally encourages your body to produce progesterone. This timing was spot on for me. I would also recommend talking to a naturopath or holistic doctor first, as it can have side effects. Good luck!!

Original poster

CassMonkey · 09/04/2012 13:43

Congratulations! I didn't know doctors prescribed it, that must mean they think it can work. I think I'm def going to give it a go for a while I think, just at the start of each cycle, and I'll take a light dose. I'm not sure how to even contact a good holistic doctor or naturopath, I don't really want to pay ideally, can you speak to someone like that for free? Other than that I'm going to try and be super healthy this month. A bad start as I've got a nasty hangover after a wedding but I am on AF after all!

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bossyboop · 09/04/2012 16:14

I saw some in the poison garden at Alnwick gardens

Original poster

CassMonkey · 09/04/2012 17:23

It's not poisonous though! Although worryingly it can apparently lead to multiple ovulation and births?! Has anyone else heard that? Have been googling again! The thing is, it seems to be a good idea only if low progesterone is the problem, and I'm not 100% sure that's the problem and I'm not ovulating. My temp didn't show an increase though so that does sound like it could be the problem - are there any other low progesterone symptoms other than the long/irregular cycles?

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Original poster

CassMonkey · 09/04/2012 18:44

Hi spananah, when did your doc tell you to take your tablets - was it the whole cycle or just up until ovulation, or from ovulation to BFP or AF? A thread I'm reading on a website has conflicting advice - one person claiming to know as expert herbalist says it's AFTER ovulation you need the progesterone boost not before which is the opposite to other advice. Thank you x

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Spananah · 09/04/2012 20:30

I was told to take it throughout the cycle - I took one tablet every morning at the same time, which gave me 180mg agnus castus. However, I wasn't ttc at the time, so don't know if it would be different. I also wasn't ovulating at all, so that might be a reason to keep going all the way through. I called my dr after my bfp and he told me to stop taking it, so I was still taking it the first two weeks after conception. I'm not in the UK and where I am, premular is prescription only so you can only get it from your doctor. I'm definitely no expert on how it should be taken - just wanted you to knowthat it worked for me after what I thought was a terrible diagnosis last year! Best of luck

mummmypirate · 16/04/2012 16:24

Hello, I'm a bit late to this thread but have read with interest - my story is very similar to RedRobin - enjoyed pretty standard 28 day cycles after coming off pill initially, but have got longer and longer since Xmas - currently on day 37 with no sign of BFP or AF. Really want to reduce their length so up for giving Agnus Castus a go. My big problem is that I'm gettting positive OPKs and CBFM readings but then AF is really late, so I don't think I'm actually releasing an egg when my gadgets say I am - last month there was 19 day gap?!

eurochick · 16/04/2012 16:54

OPKs only detect the LH surge that comes before ov though, so you ovulate a bit later. I've read that a 10-16 day luteal phase is considered normal and you are at the long end of it, maybe slightly beyond it, but not far off.

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