when to take agnus castus

[omama]

Hi all, can any of you lovely people help?

We're ttc #2, cycle 11 & in desperation i've bought some agnus castus tablets & a conception multivit containing rda of vit B6 as i've read both these can help regulate cycles & lengthen lp (mine is 10-11 days).
But im not sure when to take the AC- is it something you take throughout ur cycle or just for a certain part of your cycle eg cd1 to ovulation or during lp? Is it something i can start right away or do i need to start on cd1?

Hi I started it cd 1 until ovulation. But just to make you aware, it increased my cycles and shortened my lp so was a total waste of time, but for others it is sucessful

I took it CD1 to ovulation too. It didn't seem to do anything to my cycles, good or bad!

I take it throughout the cycle, it has brought me a lot of success in the past although it seems to make me spot more. When I don't take it, my cycles look better but I can't get pregnant so go figure. My luteal phase is also 10/11 days.. it doesn't increase it at all though.

The reason people don't take it after ovulation is because it says on the packet not to take it when pregnant. This is because, like most supplements, no thorough testing has been done on the outcome for ethical and financial reasons. Anecdotal evidence from online suggests no harm, and years ago I read a site that suggested that theoretically it couldn't cause any problems. I actually took it until the end of the first trimester with my last two children and slowly weaned off it because I figured if it was regulating my hormones, the last thing I wanted to do was take that regulation away when it mattered the most.

It's something that can take up to three months to work, so I wonder if stopping before O means it never has a chance to build up in the system.

It's a personal choice though depending on how you view the risk.

As to its effectiveness, it works wonders for some women and totally messes up others' cycles completely. As you're on month two, and a 10/11 day LP is definitely sufficient (I have three DC) and it could make everything go horribly wrong, I'd leave it a while in your shoes. No harm in the B6 though - never heard of anyone having a negative effect from that!

Good luck!

Hiya thanks for the replies.

murder we're trying for dc 2, its our 11th month of trying, hence why i was thinking of trying these things. Up to now have just been going with the flow & for the last 2 months using opks. That was very helpful explanation of why people dont take AC post ovulation, i got my tablets from H&B but it doesnt say that on the packet. Hmmm food for thought. I think i may give it a whirl from next month, i can soon stop taking it if it messes my cycle up.

Ah, sorry I misread! Yes, cycle 11, definitely worth a go! After six months I always feel it's worth trying anything