Vitex question - help please

[Erin514]

I've been taking vitex 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off to bring back PPAF, timing it to line up with my former cycles (which were 28 days) since I didn't know when to start. I'm on day seven off vitex and my period is starting (yay!). Am I right in thinking that I should count tomorrow morning as cycle day 1 and start popping vitex again for the next 14 days?

[honeybee37]

I'm not an expert but that's what I'd do. I take it from AF - O.
Glad your AF returning! Hoorah!

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes continue for the next 12-14 days and then stop. If doing OPK, if you get a positive BEFORE the 12-14 days, then stop vitex then.

[ThinkingofPink]

I know this is an old post but hopefully you'll see this and can answer. I'm just wondering how long you were taking it before AF came back? How old was your little one and how often were they nursing? My son turns two in a few weeks and I still haven't gotten mine back. We've been ready to try for a girl for a year now but my periods have not returned.

[Erin514]

Hi thinkingofpink,
No problem. I took 14 days of vitex to line up with when I used to get my periods before pregnancy, and I only needed two cycles on vitex to bring it back. I've kept on taking vitex CD 1-14 since then, and so far my cycles have been regular and I'm still breastfeeding with no problems in my supply. My LO is now 16 months (so he was 14 months at first PPAF). I was back at work since he was 12-months and I only pumped once during the day and then BFd him when I got home, again before bed, and a bit during the night. I even stopped pumping at work altogether before trying vitex and that still didn't bring back my cycles, so I think the vitex is what worked for me.

With my first son, who also BFd a long while, I didn't get my first period until about 18 months and then I didn't have another one until about 22 months or so. I was nursing him more frequently day and night (and that was without vitex).

If you are nursing a lot at night you could try to reduce night feedings and see if that helps, I've read that going a long stretch at night without nursing has a bigger effect on hormone levels that going a long stretch during the day. If you decide to try vitex just be aware that some people report word side effects with their mood/anxiety (you can check out the vitex thread if you haven't already), but I haven't had any symptoms except frequent cramping my entire cycle the first two months I took it, and nothing else after that. I take two nature's way 400mg capsules/day CD 1-14. I read that some people believe it works best first thing in the morning so I take two capsules together on an empty stomach when I wake up.

Good luck! I hope this helps!

[ThinkingofPink]

Thank you so much! That helps a lot. I'll be working on night weaning and if that doesn't bring it back I'll start vitex again. I took it a while back but I don't think my body was really anywhere near ready and I didn't take it for long. I'm just so desperate to get af back so I can fully get into swaying. I'm scared of starting way too early and getting burned out. Thank you!

[atomic sagebrush]

I know this is an old post but hopefully you'll see this and can answer. I'm just wondering how long you were taking it before AF came back? How old was your little one and how often were they nursing? My son turns two in a few weeks and I still haven't gotten mine back. We've been ready to try for a girl for a year now but my periods have not returned.

Mine came back also within 2 cycles. :agree: If it doesn't work after 2-3 months it probably isn't going to and then take a break for awhile. I agree that it didn't work the last time because you weren't ready to O yet, and also we get best results if you take it AF-CD 12/14 in the same pattern that your cycle was before you had your last baby. For reasons we don't know, our cycles will often come back at the same time of the month they were before (example, my first two were both born on the 9th of the month, my second 2 were born the 21st and 22nd - my body just tended to ovulate around the same time of the month for a few years between conceptions)

[dancingdiva88]

Hi ladies, I'm down to one feed before bedtime for my DD and still no cycles have returned. I'm going to wait a few more weeks and if nothing has started I'm thinking of taking Vitex. I've never taken it before so not sure how much or what days to take it etc? Also do you stop taking the Vitex once it kick starts your cycle andnyou get your first period? Also I'm wanting to sway boy - does Vitex affect a boy sway? Sorry for all the questions - bit of a rookie here!

[Erin514]

Vitex is *thought* to sway pink but I believe it was not getting strong results so I wouldn't worry too much about it ruining a blue sway if you've got the HE diet and everything going for you. Why not take vitex for a few cycles and stop as soon as you get your period? It will stay in your system for a couple months but after that you should be in the clear for blue (those of us who keep taking it after cycles return are swaying pink).

I took nature's way, two 400mg tablets each morning on an empty stomach for CD1-14 (guessing at when CD1-14 would be based on pre-pregnancy cycles). If you get a different brand, follow the dosage indicated.

[dancingdiva88]

Thanks Erin, great info. I noticed Atomic wrote that if your period doesn't return after 2 or 3 cycles on the Vitex, it probably won't yes?

[atomic sagebrush]

DD, how far are you postpartum??

I am really not recommending ANYONE who is swaying blue, to take vitex. The whole deal with swaying blue is that you want your body to be fully fertile and in as good of condition preconception as is possible, and if your body isn't Oing on its own yet, I don't think it's quite ready yet and you may be more likely to conceive a girl. WE don't want to "trick" your body into getting pregnant if it isn't wanting to just yet.

Additionally, vitex sways pink anyway. It isn't a magic bullet to be sure (I got a boy and a girl taking it, and 3 boys without taking it) but I do think it sways pink. :)

[atomic sagebrush]

Thanks Erin, great info. I noticed Atomic wrote that if your period doesn't return after 2 or 3 cycles on the Vitex, it probably won't yes?

It would eventually, but my point is, that if you start taking it long before your body "wants" to ovulate, it is not going to help to take the vitex. Vitex is best used when your body is "thinking about it" anyway.

[dancingdiva88]

I'm 8 months postpartum which is still fairly early. I'm thin PCOS, no insulin or hormone issues - just polycystic ovaries. I had ovarian drilling just before I fell with my daughter and it was successful in releasing my own eggs. My RE put me on clomid to give my eggs a boost in quality.I'm not exactly sure how long after you stop breastfeeding you should expect a period and when to worry if one doesn't appear?

[atomic sagebrush]

The odds are very high your body is just not ready. It is not "natural" for our bodies to have babies that close and it has mechanisms that make child spacing more like 18 months to 3 years between kiddos.

Stopping breastfeeding can make your period come usually within 1-3 months, but if your body just doesn't feel ready it is not going to ovulate. It's the way the body prevents you from being too taxed between pregnancies. Being pregnant and giving birth is a very big toll on the body and so many times your body will be trying to NOT get pregnant (not ovulating regularly, having a short LP) if you haven't had enough time between pregnancies.

[dancingdiva88]

Thanks atomic. I'll take your advice and just see how everything goes over the next few months. By the end of December if nothing has returned then I'll start to worry.

[atomic sagebrush]

Don't start to worry, just go to the doctor and hear what they say. It is most likely that your body is just doing its "natural birth control" thing to make sure you have an adequate spacing between kiddos. We forget this in our modern age where we have tons of food, warm clothes, and roofs over our heads but not very long ago a pregnancy could be fatal for both mother and child and so our bodies have mechanisms in place to ensure we don't get pregnant when our bodies think it is too risky for us. (even though our brains know differently, our bodies are like "nah bro srsly we just DID that")