Vitex Question

[afrevert23]

It seems vitex hasn't been getting good results for pink sway, but people still recommend using it. Should I include in it my sway or not? Also, do you have to start vitex on cycle day 1 or is it ok to start a couple days late? CD4 for example?

[starr1202]

I have been thinking the same thing but I have regular cycles so not so sure I can start this. Sorry not much help

[atomic sagebrush]

I believe it sways pink. Biologically and theoretically it ~should~ sway pink. I feel like it helped me get my girl. I think our stats are a bit misleading in that people who use vitex are nearly always under 35 and it's among the first things we drop so the only people who tend to conceive while taking it are the ones who get pregnant right away (may be more fertile = more boys), have PCOS (more boys) and also may not have been on diet as long.

All that having been said, it is so troublesome for people that I am using it less and less. If your cycle is regular and you're going to be on diet 12 weeks or more, I probably wouldn't bother with it. If you're over 35 I feel it really cut odds of conception for those in that age group as well (which is why I rarely use it for them any more) I can't tell anyone what to do on vitex. I did get a boy and a girl while using it and I do feel it helped me with my sway for my daughter (I was doing a lot of stuff wrong when I got my boy) Follow your gut and just be sure you drop it sooner rather than later if it's causing trouble.

You can start it early in the cycle like CD 4 is ok, but the nearer you get to ovulation, the worse it may be starting it in terms of delaying O. YOu want to start it before the egg is really getting developed and not right before you're about to pop, because it may prevent that from happenng.

[afrevert23]

Thanks, Atomic! I'm 31 and my cycles used to be 28-29 days, but now are 35 days. I'm not sure if my cycles are longer due to the LE diet (although I'm not too strict with my diet), cardio (I run for 60 minutes 5-6 times per week), or the two early miscarriages I recently had (one in January and one in April). Maybe a little bit of everything. My BMI started at 19.7 and now is 18.6. Also my last period was very light. Is this a good sign that my body is changing?

I plan on TTC in July. I thought about taking vitex for 6 weeks straight and then stoping it on CD14 of the month I plan on TTC. Thoughts?

Do you mind me asking what you did wrong when you conceived your son while using vitex?

TIA!!

[dreaming_of_bows]

I have been wondering about Vitex as well. TTC isn't happening until Aug/Sept, would it be in my best interest to start Vitex now, and if so, AF-O or full month until month of TTC?

Sorry to jack your post Afrevert23 :(

[atomic sagebrush]

In this case I would NOT have you use vitex as it's tossing gasoline onto a fire. Your cycle is longer not from PCOS but from diet, weight loss, exercise and taking vitex will make matters worse for you.

Do NOT lose one bit more weight. This is imperative!!! Up cals till weight loss stops.

Longer cycles and lighter periods are things we see frequently with pink swaying. :agree:

Well, I wouldn't say I did anything wrong exactly since he's fabulous ;) but I was taking ALL the Ingender recommended herbs and spices - calcium, magnesium, extra Vit D, B6, acidophilus, Vit. C, plus prenatals since I had paranoia about getting pregnant at 39 without them. I was testing pH 2-3 times a day (totally swaycessed!!) and I had no visible CM and my pH was 4.5-5 every day for months and I didn't even know I ovulated!! So while I do think the vitex did something for me (in terms of drying up CM) it was not enough to overcome all those supplements I was taking.

[atomic sagebrush]

I have been wondering about Vitex as well. TTC isn't happening until Aug/Sept, would it be in my best interest to start Vitex now, and if so, AF-O or full month until month of TTC?

Sorry to jack your post Afrevert23 :(

If your weight is good and your O is not delayed for any reason and/or you have PCOS then yes I do recommend Vitex for anyone under 35.

The full month of vitex tactic may sway more than the 2w on, rest of cycle off pattern. The problem is that it can act as a birth control pill and actually stop ovulation (esp. when on LE Diet) and make it stressful and difficult to get it going again. So while I can see that this might work, it's so troublesome that I don't generally recommend it except for those people who are up for a bit of an adventure/experiment and have the time in their fertile window to play around with a possible loss of ovulation (albeit temporarily, it could take 3-6 months to get it worked out and most of us don't want to wait around that long to TTC

[afrevert23]

In this case I would NOT have you use vitex as it's tossing gasoline onto a fire. Your cycle is longer not from PCOS but from diet, weight loss, exercise and taking vitex will make matters worse for you.

Do NOT lose one bit more weight. This is imperative!!! Up cals till weight loss stops.

Longer cycles and lighter periods are things we see frequently with pink swaying. :agree:

Well, I wouldn't say I did anything wrong exactly since he's fabulous ;) but I was taking ALL the Ingender recommended herbs and spices - calcium, magnesium, extra Vit D, B6, acidophilus, Vit. C, plus prenatals since I had paranoia about getting pregnant at 39 without them. I was testing pH 2-3 times a day (totally swaycessed!!) and I had no visible CM and my pH was 4.5-5 every day for months and I didn't even know I ovulated!! So while I do think the vitex did something for me (in terms of drying up CM) it was not enough to overcome all those supplements I was taking.


Thanks for the response! I was wondering if vitex might make it hard to conceive. I think I will skip it for now. I do want to conceive this summer and not delay conception.

I know you recommend not losing anymore weight, but I have also read that you should be at your lowest adult weight when TTC girl. I need to lose one more pound to be at my lowest adult weight. Do you think this matters?

I'm trying to not stress about my sway. I think that is why I have relaxed on the diet a lot, but then I find myself feeling upset that I'm slacking and not giving it my all. I guess that is a normal trait for a boy mom! :)

[atomic sagebrush]

Your body doesn't have a record of your lowest adult weight and a pound never matters. I just use that because I have to give people a goal to aim at (and it's more constructive than telling everyone to gain X number of lbs. since a person who's 4-11 would have a very different need than someone who's 5-11)

i know it's counterintuitive but we are getting better and better results with a more laid back approach. :)