Vitex/Agnus Castus - experiences?

[Aw326]

Hi all,

I'd like to hear about other people's experiences with Vitex.

I've recently started taking Vitex/Agnus Castus to improve ovulation and cycles. I had the hormonal IUS (Mirena) for over a decade and after having it removed I have had 24 day cycles with only 2 fertile days using OPK (one flashing smiley one solid smiley). This is the first month taking it and I've already had one more fertile day than normal and better cervical fluid. My last period was lighter too. I'm taking 400mg in the morning first thing and 400mg in the afternoon.

Looking forward to hearing your stories!

I don't have anything to share I'm afraid but will be watching with interest - I started AC this cycle as after coming off the pill 7 months ago I ovulate late (CD25 being the earliest) and have a short LP of 8/9 days. Am CD16 at the mo and not ovulated yet x

Good luck @MintGreenLife. How much are you taking? I've read it can be very helpful for extending the LP. I ovulate around day 11 of my cycle so my LP is around 12-13 days, not a huge concern, but I'm still hoping it helps improve my fertile window, which is seems to be doing already.

@Aw326 I've started small and am just taking 400mg first thing to see how I go, will probably increase to the same as you next cycle. Hope it works for you x

I took vitex whilst breastfeeding with a hope it would bring back my periods. It didn’t. I’ve been taking it to try and regulate my cycles ever since I stopped bf but for me I don’t think it was working. But different people have different experiences.

Have you heard of shatavari and vitamin b12? I heard that they help so I’ll be trying that now. Good luck 😊

Absolutely awful for me unfortunately
I started it on cd1 so start of period and bled for 10 days! Then ovulated very late on cd23 but had no ewcm and no pain when I’m usually in agony over ovulation, didn’t fall pregnant then had another 10 day period

Never again!

This is my 7th pregnancy, hopefully my 4th baby. I've taken AC 3 times and gotten pregnant each time (once full term, a second time the pregnancy was lost at 10 weeks and lastly for this pregnancy, currently 18weeks). No idea if it works or if its a placebo but from what I can surmise, it doesn't do any harm and isn't expensive so I was happy to try it. I took it initially to try to regular my cycles after my second baby -I had ongoing spotting issues when I stopped feeding despite having regular cycles throughout the breastfeeding period. Within a month I was accidentally pregnant with my third baby (5th pregnancy). Then when we decided to TTC a fourth I didn't get pregnant straight away despite tracking ovulation (in the past I had gotten pregnant easily) so I tried AC again and became pregnant. That was lost but a subsequent pregnancy (this one) is going strong 🤞. I couldn't find much information about when to stop AC so generally I take a low dose for a few weeks after a BFP. Again, there was nothing to suggest it would be harmful to a foetus and I was hesitant to stop something which may have been beneficial -or it could have had no effect! 🤷‍♀️ As I said though, not harmful, not expensive, worth a try.

thanks @Boc86 @calimommy @Mommybear05 for your experiences. All very different from one another!

I am not sure whether its the vitex or a faulty OPK, but I've had a flashing smiley face 6 days in a row now. Been dtd a lot, but worried my husband will go on strike soon! Very different from the 1-2 day fertile window I normally have.

Do a pregnancy test. Only time I had extra smiley faces/positive OPK was when I was already pregnant.

I ovulated late on it
Days later than normal

I found with my spotting carrying on anyway the best thing I could do is stop taking it to see if things settle down. I’ll let you know how I get on. Good luck.

Thanks @Boc86 and @calimommy, I may stop taking it now I'm not sure what's best.

I am still getting the flashing smiley today, but it was my last one. I'll start with the strips tomorrow that might give a clearer picture. I think we'll just keep dtd every other day in case my peak is still coming.

And @Mommybear05, I will take a test late next week. I'm only cycle day 15 right now. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Oops, sorry @Mommybear05 and @calimommy, I reversed my comments to each of you in the above post, apologies!

@Mintgreenlife how is it going for you? Did you ovulate this month?

I had the flashing smiley for 6 days and then ran out of CB OPKS. I got the cheapies a couple days later and it showed no ovulation so it must have stopped.

I stopped taking the vitex after ovuluation, felt fine for a few days and have been queasy on and off for the past 3 days. Hope it's morning sickness and not a side effect of stopping the vitex...

@Aw326 hey :) funny you ask that as I finally got a positive OPK today on cd28! I chart BBT so hopefully will be able to confirm ovulation in a few days. How many DPO are you now? I'm mostly taking AC to try and lengthen my LP, so will see if it's helped at all in a week or so I guess x

@MintGreenLife fingers crossed your BBT matches up and you have a longer LP this time around!

I'm not sure exactly which day I ovulated because I was getting flashing smileys for so long, but I'm guessing I'm about 10-11 DPO. I have a very short cycle, only about 25 days... so I should know in 3 days either way (unless vitex lengthened my cycle). I need to get some more pregnancy tests so that I can investigate this mystery!

Good luck to you x

@Aw326 let me know if you end up testing :) thanks so much, am feeling hopeful this cycle x

Hi @MintGreenLife - in the end it was a BFN - but it's ok, I'm still feeling hopeful about the Agnus Castus/Vitex and will see how this month goes. Any luck for you?

@Aw326 Sorry to hear that. I got my BFP yesterday :) x

I’m not sure that Angus Castus can give you more fertile days. Your fertile days are limited by how long an egg can survive. So I think that is fixed. I think the idea is that Angus castus is can help to regulate your cycle, and enable you to better predict your fertile days. You are technically fertile for 24 hours after the egg has been released (because that is how long the egg lives for), but your fertile window extends before that time as sperm can survive for several days inside of you. So if you have a regular cycle you can predict when you will ovulate and make sure you have sex from 2 days beforehand.

I had a very irregular cycle and so took Angus castus. But it resulted in an everlasting period so I stopped!

Girls just got my bfp. I’m sure it’s to do with vitamin b in my case. I had been having a short luteal phase and spotting throughout. Half a cycle on vitamin b and the spotting cleared right up and I got my bfp. Might be worth a try to help balance your hormones 😊

@Mommybear05 congratulations! X

@Mommybear05

Girls just got my bfp. I’m sure it’s to do with vitamin b in my case. I had been having a short luteal phase and spotting throughout. Half a cycle on vitamin b and the spotting cleared right up and I got my bfp. Might be worth a try to help balance your hormones 😊

@Mommybear05 congratulations! I also credit my BFP to strong vitamin B does. Agnus castus didnt work for me but Vitamin B did. PCOS and long irregular cycles.... I carried on taking it til about month 5 I think

@itsmeagainagain thank you. That was my next question really as to how long to take it. I hear it’s water soluble so not dangerous so I’m going to keep it up for the foreseeable

Morning @Mommybear05 I kept taking it as I had a previous miscarriage and was worried about that....you could always check with your GP though just to be sure. I think I stopped around month 4 or 5... all the best x

Congratulations @MintGreenLife and @Mommybear05!! So wonderful!!

I will try the b vitamins. I'm already taking seven seas conception but maybe I need a higher dose.