Agnus castus after MC - good idea, bad idea?

[Decaff]

Just wondering if anyone has experience of this? I have never used it but am thinking about trying it when we start to TTC again which will be following my first post-MC period (just had an ERPC last week).

Just wondering what thoughts were on letting body get back to normal naturally or whether AC might help it along a little - or indeed mess the process up?!

My hormones were all over the shop after my mc and my body never managed to recover on it's own. When the doctors told me to wait it out for at least 6-12 months before getting any treatment, I was willing to try anything to try and help my body along.

I heard some really good things about Agnus Castus but my experience was not a good one. I know that some people rave about it, but all it did for me was lengthen my cycles and mask a suspected progesterone deficiency. So I had stupidly long cycles -leading me to hope that I might be pg, only to result in very heavy and painful periods after about 42 days! Tbh I didn't continue to take it for the recommended 3-6 months, as it made everything so much worse. My temperature charts flattened out, my periods got worse and it gave me pg fatigue without the pg. It also tastes vile and costs a fortune!

I doubt I'll ever know if Vitex really was to blame for things going even more badly again, but I don't ever plan to try it again to find out! Good luck with whatever you decide. X

*going even more badly wrong. Sorry - can't type today!

both miscarriages, my hormones returned to normal very quickly - in fact my cycles were immediately back to normal. I wouldn't take it unless you know there is a specific issue that it treats - I would wait one cycle and see what happens.

First of all, Im really sorry about your mc, its horrible and I understand why you want to get backto normal asap.

re the AC, its a really, really bad idea. Im really concerned that people seem to be suggesting that posters try AC while TTC (not on this thread) without taking advice from a qualified homeopath. we wouldnt suggest clomid without consulting a gp/cons, AC isnt THAT different. It is a powerful drug and should be treated as such.

it can take a while for things to get back to normal, but AC wont speed that process up.

good luck

Thanks for your replies. They have really made me think. I think I was in the - it's freely available without prescription so can't be that potent - camp. Forgetting that some of the freely available stuff can have serious effects. I, like you Glittery, had only really heard positive stuff about it.

Hearing your experiences and thoughts has made my mind up that I will give my body the chance to settle down naturally.

I am just feeling V impatient to get back to 'normal' and it took a few months for that to happen after my first MC.

I do understand. my last mc was 8m ago and Im still not back to normal, but there is no real normal where recovery from mc is concerned. Ive had 12 now, and ime each one was hugely different.

Im glad that you have decided against the AC though, it does genuinely concern me that people just take it without consulting a professional. you can buy clomid and preogesterone on the internet, but doesnt mean you should do it. iirc a poster on here once bought fertility drugs to inject so that she could have twins, hugely irresponsible imo. if you do want to help things along maybe consult a reflexologist or see about acupuncture?

see a herbalist, let them decide what you need. any stuff you get otc will be crap quality anyway so unlikely to do too much either way.