Evening primrose oil when ttc?

[spg1983]

Hi all, DH (34) and I (28) are on cycle #3 ttc #1. He has a child already from a previous relationship who was conceived v v easily but my cycle is pretty irregular and it's probably going to take a bit longer...

We are "trying" (!) every other day but I've noticed that in the last year, I've only had ewcm once. Starting with the current cycle, I've therefore started taking evening primrose oil (2000mg per day) and also drinking more than normal in order to improve cm quality.

I was absolutely convinced during the 1st cycle that I was pregnant but I wasn't and felt like a total idiot :(

Since then, I've stopped stressing over it but would just like to give myself as good a chance as possible. Have also ordered a clearblue fertility monitor just to get a better handle of timings etc.

Firstly, is the evening primrose a good idea? I know I need to stop taking it once I've ovulated. Secondly, is there anything else I can do to improve our chances?

Thanks for reading this - sorry it was a bit long!

Hi. I take EPO like you in the same amount and for the same reason and also try to drink more water in the run up to ovulation. Honestly I can't say it made any big difference for me. Perhaps a little but these days I 'go looking' for EWCM and changes in CM generally, so the little difference could be just more attention paid.
I have heard good things from others and I still take it as it's certainly doing no harm. I have also heard of plenty of women who get pg without noticing EWCM.
Good luck.

Hi, I too have heard that people have taken it and they feel it helps, I guess feelin g like you are doing something to help can also go a long way from a psychological point of view! xx

Ok well I guess that's hopeful - at least I'm not doing anything that'll hinder our efforts!

I have been taking it, but I have read that you should only take it up to ovulation. Therefore I stop when I ovulate.

However, I have been taking a vitamin B complex and noticed that I get an almost obscene amount of EWCM. That said, I have always had some.

I've been taking it for the last month after noticing that I really don't produce much at all. I feel it has made a difference, and I'm actually generating the stuff now instead of wishing I was. I stopped taking it 2DPO because after by that point it's done all it needs to do. I would say, based on my limited experience, that it certainly won't do any harm, and may just help.

Regarding what else you can do, it depends how your cycles normally are. Mine are a bit irregular so I take agnus castus to try to improve things (stopping about 5dpo until AF arrives). I also take multi vits with iron, and folic acid. I pee on sticks, lots of. I scrutinise my clear blue fertility monitor. I obsess about how my temps are looking on fertility friend. But most of all I come on here, where I can mental with like minded people in a similar situation and put the world to rights.

Very good luck with your TTC journey, I hope it will be a quick one :)

Forgot to mention, due to the relative lack of ewcm, I also use conceive plus to aid with keeping the little fellas alive long enough to speed date my neggy.

Ok, am currently on cd 11, no real noticeable increase in cm (yet) but I do have a tender tummy, I feel as if AF is on her way and will arrive tomorrow - obv this is not the case. Am due to ovulate on cd15-16. Does anyone know if this is something that often happens when taking evening primrose?

No, I doubt very much that this is related to EPO use. I have never heard of any 'side effects'.

Oh dear...
Will keep an eye out then. Maybe it's my ovaries gearing up to release a super-strong egg and my uterus getting super-comfy to host it!

I wish...!

Update - I have just noticed ewcm for the first time in about a year - this is amazing for me, it must be down to the evening primrose. Now, where's that DH of mine? An guessing I need to find him quite quickly now that the ewcm has made an appearance!