Evening Primrose Oil when TTC - yay or nay? Wonder tab or devil's juice?

[Bearface]

Hello there,

I've just started using EPO this cycle and I wondered what your experiences of it are? I've been reading up on it and have found out rather worryingly that it has been liked to breast cancer, so I'm not sure if I should carry on taking it or not? Do you think it's okay to take for a relatively short period of time when TTC or should I ditch it?

I know that as with all medical research there are pros and cons and it depends probably a lot on your family history, but any advice would be helpful.

Thanks everyone.

I've used it before - pre ovulation as apparently after ovulation it can cause contractions which (again, apparently) you'd want to avoid as it can allegedly interfere with implantation.

It's supposed to increase CM from what I've heard, but I've not noticed a huge difference on the cycles I've used it to be honest. Other women swear differently though.

Lots of people use it to help balance hormones for non TTC reasons. I personally wouldn't be concerned about the links to cancer as if they were that dire you wouldn't be able to buy the stuff or it would be prescription only, and I'm quite sure there's other stuff in everyday life that increases the risk more. But it's all about your own comfort level really and everybody is different.

I used it for 6m up to ovulation, and found I got more CM but it was not EWCM so not sure it was very helpful. Then I realised that it was causing awful spots on my back and chest which I'd originally put down to going off the pill. So I've gone off it and find just drinking a bit more water around that time of the month has the same effect.

I've heard that flaxseed oil can have the same effect but without the effect on hormones? I never really researched it though. Grapefruit juice is another one. If it's the oils in EPO which have the effect I would think flax or another supplement would have the same effect; but if it's the hormones, probably not.

Maybe take it for a few months to try and if there's no effect on your CM then stop. That'll have no effect on your cancer risk - if there is an effect I'm sure it's cumulative. Changes to hormones though can have other effects on the body, nothing happens in isolation. Just like having a baby very early in life is superprotective of breast cancer. And being on the pill long term increases risk of breast cancer but decreases risk of ovarian cancer (or the other way aroudn?).

Thanks Murder and Moggle - really useful info. and good advice.

I use it pre-ov and have done for years. It was recommended by a consultant I saw for killer PMT that was really affecting my life. It really made a difference for me. I hadn't heard about the breast cancer risk. That is a little worrying (my family is full of it). But it seems there is nothing you can do these days without increasing the risk of some cancer or other, so I won't be losing sleep over it.

I used epo for 3 cycles upto OV and it made a huge difference to my cm. made it very watery. I took 2000mg per day. I conceived in July but sadly it ended up being a chemical pregnancy.

The only side effect I have had to epo is painfully sore boobs in the 2ww and an even painful AF.
Cramps seemed worse when I was on epo. So I am not taking it anymore as I was just getting my hopes up with the sore boobs.

Okay - thanks guys.

So, when you say you take it up to ov, do you mean you start on cd1 and then go up to the day of ov?

Also, is it best to take 1000mg or 2000mg? I've been taking 1000mg.

I would stop earlier than day of OV.
So for example I OV between cd14-16. So I only take epo from cd1-cd10.

Don't want to risk it upto OV day just incase.

I found 1000mg didn't do much to my cm and 2000mg was much better quality cm.

Okay - thanks RedRobin and everyone for the advice. You're a useful bunch!