Soy Isoflavones vs Agnus Castus

[WishingIWasLucky]

Posted this in conception too! Consultant said he's happy to prescribe clomid due to unexplained infertility. We've not decided yet! But, Agnus castus and soy Isoflavones seem to be getting quite a positive press related to conception.
Ive heard all the arguments against taking these....however, would still love to hear positive successes on either of these? Are they taken separately, or can they be taken together? How much doseage and when in your cycle? Thankyou in advance. X

Hi WishingIWasLucky

I've never heard of Soy Isoflavones, but have taken Agus Castus. I've always had irregular periods (when not on the pill), could go months and months without a period. Had blood tests at the doctors saying my hormone levels were normal and then fobbed off and told to come back when trying for children.

Went back when decided to start trying and was told to try for a year... come back if no success so started doing my own research.

Started taking agnus castus and success... periods started about 2 months later and every 5-6 weeks thereafter. Fell pregnant within a few months and am now pregnant with DC3!!! I took them daily everytime we were TTC.

Hope you have success.

Thankyou for the feedback Iloveholidays! Congratulations on your babies. Wishing you a lovely pregnancy. I think I will start on the AC then. My cycle is 26-28 days. OPKs do pick up on ovulation around mid cycle. I am a little hesitant as didn't want to mess my cycle up. Also, on some threads, people are recommending to only take until upto ovulation. I may do that. Not sure whether to take continuously throughout cycle. Thankyou for sharing your story. X

I had limited success from AC a couple of years ago. Shortened my cycles for a couple of months only then back to 50+ days so stopped taking it after about 4 months.

I did take SI for 2 cycles more recently. I didn't take it for the 3rd cycle as I then began accupuncture and ended up with BFP from that. I can't say whether the SI contributed to me ovulating or not. The dose I took was CD 3,4,5 - 3 tablets, then CD 6 4 tablets and CD 7 5 tablets. I remember they made me sleep like a log!

I took agnus castus both times fell pregnant had been taking for a good few months before due to irregular periods and PCOS.

last time I hadnt had a period for about three months but fell pregnant!

Brocoli, wild yam and manuka honey I belive are also hormone regulators?

Congratulations, Eliza and penguin on your BFPs . I think I'll take the IS, with the broccoli, yams and honey, and then take it from there! Thankyou. Will post if we get some good news. Please keep those fingers crossed. Unexplained infertility is so disheartening! :-(

I have pcos or did because when i had a 6 week pregnancy scan it showed my ovaries were now clear. I am now almost 37 weeks pg.

I took soy isoflavones for 2 months on days 2-6 and they seemed to be working as I was ovulating on day 21 as opposed to up to day 50 in my longest cycle. I then didn't take it the next month as I was away and then ovulated around day 18 and got pregnant that cycle.

Having said that I was also doing a low gi diet, acupuncture and taking maca so it is difficult to know what worked but my skin was clearer and my cycles were shorter so something was working! Good luck!

LIG- congratulations on your bfp! I will try the SI first, my BMI is 23, and I am generally quite fit and healthy. Where did you get the maca from? Which brand? When did you take it in your cycle and how much? I think I'll try that too ! The way I see it I've got nothing to lose really- as have resigned ourselves to the worst case scenario of a childless life. So, if there's even a tiny chance then we'll take it!
Thanks for your support ladies x

ps first PG was accident - second was after two half years of trying, i hadnt done AC or anything, doc put me on metformin to help regulate blood sugars, so when he did that - i also started to be more healthy, took AC etc....a few months later....

good luck and do post back!

Another positive post for AC. Definitely helped make my cycles more regular. Good luck

Thankyou Eliza. Will do. Please keep me in your thoughts. Hope it works for me. I am so pleased that you got there! X

Congrats Jen- and thankyou! It's refreshing to hear such positive tales about AC! Most people generally very negative about it.

I took AC to regulate my cycle while ttc, I was having very long cycles 46 days on average, first month on AC I fell pregnant cycle 4

Could have been coincidence but it was the first time I'd ov'd early (day 16 as opposed to 28) I had a positive opk along with ov cramp and ewcm. I took 2000mg AC a day along with 3000mg epo up until I ov'd as they say if you take it after ov it can cause tiny contractions.

Currently 10 weeks pg

Congratulations pinkie! Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope the AC brings us some luck too x

I have polycystic ovaries and had DC1 in 2008. I am 38 weeks with DC2 now, but it took me 2 years to get pregnant. My periods have always been irregular and I don't know if it was like a placebo effect, but I took AC for 2 months and then I fell pg. Certainly worth a shot. I took it in tincture form, pretty rancid, but worth it! Fingers crossed for you. x

I took both soy isoflavones and agnus-castus (not together!) over the course of a bout a year. Neither of them made me ovulate, nor did 50mg of Clomid but 100mg of Clomid did and I got pregnant the first time I took 100mg.