PCOS - Inositol / Agnus Castus / Meformin etc etc etc

[Beaverfeaver2]

Today is CD 100!

I know about Metformin and have only recently started taking it.

It's not something I would like to stick with so have been looking into altenatives.

Mainly Inositol.
I have seems few threads on here which have been very positive so I will get some.

What I want to know is on researching Inositol other things have come up such as Agnus Castus.
The apparent side effects and dangers put me off that though.
Does anyone here have good experiments with Agnus Castus?

I am trying all other combinations of supplements such as:

Selenium (can't remeber why even)
Folic Acid
Vitamin D

I have had PCOS since I was 16 (now 28) and have been on metformin ever since. I have only just started TTC and am currently on day 75ish, so I can empathise! Have you ever had normal cycles? I can't remember ever having a regular cycle when I haven't been on the pill.

I'm interested in trying agnus castus to see if that has any effect. What potential risks have you found so far?

Agnus Castus is dangerous to take while pregnant. So you have to be careful taking it while TTC to make sure you stop if you become pregnant.

Apparently it can also cause weight gain and lower libido but it affects people differently so may not happen to everyone.

Ah well I'm a pro at getting all the negative symptoms so I'll no doubt be a celibate whale after week 1 I am getting lots of OPKs and will be temping so I'll be extra sure not to take it once I've ovulated.

I have heard good things about clomid with PCOS. If it's found I am not ovulating at all then I will beg to be put on that

I am the same with getting all the worst side effects.

I think I must be the only person to be able to put on weight with metformin and to have put on weight when coming off birth control!

Morning
I have used inositol and got pregnant twice within the first month of trying both times after unprotected sex for 4 years previously and no BFP!
I take 3 x 650mgs a day. The only side effect I had was a upset stomach for a few days that's it!
Will be starting it again in march again! Hope it helps you ladies :)

Ooh that's very encouraging news! Thanks for sharing I've never heard of it before so I'm off to do some googling.

Fingers crosses it helps for you :)

I started Inositol 3 months ago, on cycle 2 waiting to see if AF arrives. It is absolutely wonderful stuff. It has completely changed my metabolism, despite me eating like a pig for all of Feb, I've lost weight! I take 1g twice daily. Caused my IBS to be a bit worse to begin with but settled down now.

When I do get my BFP I will continue to take it as PCOS suffered have much higher risk of miscarriage and gestational diabetes.

Just be aware if you order from USA from Puritan's pride keep your order under £15 or you will have to pay import tax and £8 charge. My order was £15.45 plus £12.44, so because I was £0.45 over had to pay nearly double! Also you can get cash back from quidco for puritan's pride.

www.mypcos.info/1/q-a/is-dci-safe-to-take-during-pregnancy/

How did I not know this stuff existed?! I will definitely look into it. Especially if it helps with weight loss! My BMI is 25 but I spend hours in the gym and eat very little. It doesn't help I have type 1 diabetes too, so I inject insulin that I am then resistant to. Think someone is having a cruel joke!

AbFab86 you need to be very careful if you are a diabetic, especially if you are already on a high insulin dosage. The websites below has loads of info about it.

"The very first benefit of inositol is that it can enhance the sensitivity of insulin in human body, which is a favorable aspect for the control of diabetes. Another good aspect of this lesser-known nutrient is that it can reduce the resulting factors for diabetes, including hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. This is specifically true in case of women diabetic patients."

examine.com/supplements/Inositol/#summary7-0

diabetesinformationhub.com/DiabetesNutrition_Inositol.php

knowledgeofhealth.com/the-fda-approved-anti-diabetic-drug-you-can-buy-by-the-pound/

Puritan's Pride says co.uk but it is a USA website

Thanks for the links, I'll have a good read. I've had diabetes since I was 6 so I'm pretty on-top of it. I'm on quite a low dosage because I'm on this whole 'clean eating' thing and it has worked wonders. Anything that reduces the need for insulin can only be good though I think, especially when it comes to pregnancy. I won't take anything without my doctor knowing though just in case. I will be able to ask her about it when I see her for our next appointment next month

Some people get very impressive results on 4grams a day.
I have purchased the powdered formula so that will be easy as just a teaspoon in a glass of water each day.

Apparently it works better when taking folic acid (which I guess we all are anyway)

Pregnacare trying for a baby supplements contain inositol so they must know the benefits.
It's at a much lower dose than what I will be taking but still the 2nd largest ingredient in them.

Inositol is used a lot by people in fitness industry and people with depression too.
Sounds like a wonder vitamin if it helps people conceive, whilst losing weight and feeling happier at same time!

It does sound like a wonder drug! Too good to be true maybe? But then if you've had good results from it there must be something behind it. Interesting!

I thought so but its worked twice for myself!

Hello. Does anyone know if it's ok to take Agnus Castus, and Choline Inositol ?

Hi, myo-inostiol has been a miracle for me. I suffer from pcos and had been ttc for 5 years with 6 miscarriages - it wasnt until i focused on my pcos and started making changes to improve my egg quality that i finally managed to conceive. I compleatly understand how you feel ttc month after month - it can totally wear you down. As a result of my experience i actually developed my own brand focused on pcos. You can read about my story here www.myovacare.com/pages/about . Good luck with your ttc journey xx

I tried Angus cactus and I noticed that it helped regulate my period and I’ve started to ovulate. But I also noticed that it reduced my libido. Which isn’t ideal.

I've recently started taking inofolic (which is 4g myo inositol and folic acid) for Pcos. After a month of taking it AF successfully arrived, hair growth has been less, my skin hasnt been as oily and ive not been as hungry. I done alot of research into the studies behind it and it's been shown to help improve fertility in 70% of women. I think it says to take it for at least 3-6 months but I'm just going to keep going with it. You can take it when pregnant too.

That’s great. Don’t forget to check with your doctor when taking an inositol supplement since it can alter blood sugar levels.

Have you looked into the research on CoQ10? onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cen.13288/full