Should I add vitex?

[HopeandDreamG]

Atomic: I know your not a huge fan of supps but this is what I have been taking
Supps:
Mine: Calcium Citrate 666mg, Mag 250mg, Vitamin C 500mg, Vitamin E 400 ie, Cranberry (can't find fruit equiv: called co. they said it was equiv to 8 glasses of cranberry juice), & folic acid. Acidophilus 2 a day.

I'm wondering if adding Vitex would be worthwhile. Or, is it too late anyway. AF is due Nov.12th (although FF says Nov. 10th-don't know why.) My first attempt will be this cycle. I didn't add it from the beginning bc I have normal cycles. Or to be more accurate assumed they were normal I never tracked before now! If its helpful my FF chart is attached. Also heard vitex can increase chance of twins and I'd LOVE twins as this maybe my last chance for a baby (don't think I could get DH to agree to a 4th). At the same time, I do not want to make pregnancy more difficult and have read that women get a BFP after stopping vitex.
I'd also be willing to come off of other supps if you think that would be helpful.

[rainbowflower]

I don't think vitex increases the chance of twins, if anything I'd have thought it would reduce it since it works in the opposite way to clomid/soya isoflavones? are your cycles irregular or do you OV late? if not, I wouldn't take it as it can mess up cycles where you're naturally more regular

[HopeandDreamG]

Thats actually why I wasn't taking it in the first place. I seem to ovulate CD17 (2 out of the 3 cycles I've tracked) and CD 16 the other cycle.

[NeedAGirl!]

I have been taking just one 400mg capsule daily. My cycles are very regular and have stayed that way.

[zanacal]

I took Vitex because it seems to sway pink and I didn't want to continue having the regular cycles I've always had and which I was having when I conceived my boys - I actually wanted them to be a little wonky because then I knew my body was doing something different to before!

[atomic sagebrush]

I'm not against supps, I just want people to take the ones that work the best with the least risk of getting too many nutrients!!

RE supps - If it were up to me I would for sure have you stop (gradually tapering off, that is, don't stop cold turkey) the Vit. C and E, and consider switching from cran to baby aspirin. I am not sold on cal/mag but there is enough evidence in their favor that I understand why people want to include them. A lot of people have had success with the FGD/IG style sway but I am not sure that all those people were taking Vit C and E, for sure.

I think you would be well advised to add a fiber supp as well, so Chitosan, Metamucil, etc. This will help absorb additional fats and fat soluble nutrients from your digestive tract and eliminate them.

How do you feel about saw palmetto or perhaps peppermint tea?

Re vitex - I think the best evidence we have seems to show that vitex does sway pink (I conceived an opposite taking vitex, just so you know.) Some evidence also indicates it sways twin (and I did conceive twins taking it and sadly lost one). I would go ahead and proceed with taking it AF-O, starting immediately even if you haven't started AF yet as long as you're 110% sure you're not pg.

How much folic acid are you taking?? While folic acid is no longer believed to actually cause twinning, it can ensure that both twins have enough nutrients to develop normally in the first trimester...many pregnancies start out as twins but then one is lost along the way. You might want to take a bit extra, up to 2000 mcg (micrograms) because you'll be getting less via diet on both the IG and LE Diets. You would take this throughout the first trimester and then gradually wean back to just the amount in your prenatal.

[HopeandDreamG]

That makes sense. I will stop the cranberry and take a baby aspirin instead (that's what a did daily before swaying). Also will stop c and e. Was only taking e bc I read it helps with implantation which i don't have a problem with. Should I take every other day then less etc.
Instead of folic acid I take metanx. I've been told my body doesn't fully metabolize or absorb folic acid so metanx is prescribed or doc gives me prescription strength folic acid. I wonder if I should be taking that instead during swaying bc I'm sure we don't know the effect of metanx on swaying.
I drink peppermint tea on occasion should I have it more often? I'm also open to saw palmetto. Is this to raise progesterone?

[HopeandDreamG]

What brand and mg of saw palmetto? Would you still add vitex? Would you make any other changes? Attempt cut off will b week of thanksgiving...
Calcium 666 mg
Magnesium 250 mg
Baby aspirin
Metanx or folic acid
Fiber supp

[HopeandDreamG]

Another thought: I stayed away from supps that I thought would possibly change my cycles/delay O. My cycle so far seems regular.

[atomic sagebrush]

That makes sense. I will stop the cranberry and take a baby aspirin instead (that's what a did daily before swaying). Also will stop c and e. Was only taking e bc I read it helps with implantation which i don't have a problem with. Should I take every other day then less etc.
Instead of folic acid I take metanx. I've been told my body doesn't fully metabolize or absorb folic acid so metanx is prescribed or doc gives me prescription strength folic acid. I wonder if I should be taking that instead during swaying bc I'm sure we don't know the effect of metanx on swaying.
I drink peppermint tea on occasion should I have it more often? I'm also open to saw palmetto. Is this to raise progesterone?

PLEASE take the prescription medicine. It doesn't matter if it sways pink, blue, or plaid, you NEED it. My son has spina bifida which by the grace of God alone is very mild, so trust me, you don't want to play around with it. I took 4000 mcg folic with my 4th son and he did not have SB. The Metanx actually has 3 B vitamins that work together to optimize your use of the folic acid.

Baby aspirin will also help with implantation, no need for the E.

Be sure to taper off C and E gradually rather than quit cold turkey for your health, jsut as you say, take it every other day at first then every two days, until you're taking it once a week and then you can stop.

Saw palmetto is mainly to lower testosterone without raising estrogen. IF you take SP, you don't need to drink the Pep Tea as well, you can do just the one. Pep tea is less effective than SP and it ~may~ raise estrogen, the jury is still out on that.

You can take both SP and vitex and that's what a lot of people are doing both here and on the IG site. Vitex seems to keep the progesterone flowing even as the SP lowers testosterone...since all three hormones are made from the same raw materials, we've been finding that trying to reduce one can sometimes have the effect of reducing the others as well. We're not entirely sure whether that is good for swaying or bad for swaying, but without prog. and estrogen, it can make it more difficult to get pg.

[TTC5]

Oh most def take your pescription hun!!!

[atomic sagebrush]

What brand and mg of saw palmetto? Would you still add vitex? Would you make any other changes? Attempt cut off will b week of thanksgiving...
Calcium 666 mg
Magnesium 250 mg
Baby aspirin
Metanx or folic acid
Fiber supp

Well, like I mentioned before, I personally would not take cal-mag if I were to ever sway pink again but that is just ME and a lot of people have had success with the cal-mag. I would still add the vitex because there were pretty good stats from IG on vitex, altho it didn't work for me.

I think the rest looks great.

Dosage of SP is 320 mg from AF-O
Dosage of vitex is 800-1200 mg from AF-O

Brand isn't really that important, but I would go with a reputable brand name like Nature's Way or Solaray. I've always had good luck with their products.

Would your DH do licorice root or is that out?

[atomic sagebrush]

Another thought: I stayed away from supps that I thought would possibly change my cycles/delay O. My cycle so far seems regular.

I totally understand your thought processes with that and be aware that vitex and SP DO have potential to change your cycle. The trouble is, that changes in a regular cycle may be indicative that the sway is working...your hormones are not functioning like they were when you conceived your boys, KWIM? So it may be that you actually WANT to see slight changes in your cycle for swaying pink. It does make using timing/frequency factors more difficult tho.

[HopeandDreamG]

I have dh taking licorice root. And I wouldn't stop taking my prescription. I have two one for prescription strength folic acid one is the metanx. I only have to take one not the other that's all I was saying. Thanks for all your input...VERY helpful
Once I add the vitex, can I drink the occasional peppermint tea or no?

[HopeandDreamG]

Atomic I hope I am not driving you bonkers. I forgot to mention that I am also taking two aciodphoplis a day. Probably forgot to mention because this week I didn't put it in my pill case. Yikes. I think the food deficiency is going to my brain!

Anyway I assume you don't think its too late to make these changes. I hope its not. I picked up Vitex (solaray) and SP (vitamin shoppe brand)today. SP says it promotes prostate health. The bottle says 320mg, Saw Palmetto Extract standardized herb. Just double checking this is correct. I also picked up Zyrtec and Metamucil pills. I started titrating down the C and E, and I am taking a baby aspirin instead of Cranberry. I think I will leave the Cal (666) and Mag (250) and just won't up them closer to O.

Dh is taking Cal (666), Mag (250), Viatmin C (500), Cranberry, and licorice root 2 a day. Should I make any changes to his supps?

When I have time I will sit down and post my revised plan. I have changed some things from experiementing and getting full disclosure from Dh! Interesting stuff!!

Af is due any day and this will be my first attempt. Despite all this I am doing everything I can to stay relaxed to keep down T levels as best I can...sat in the yard in the sun yesterday, will get pedicure and mini back rub today too!! I think you might need one after all my posts!! LOL
Thank you very much for ALL your time...

[HopeandDreamG]

Dosage of SP is 320 mg from AF-O
Dosage of vitex is 800-1200 mg from AF-O


Atomic: last Vitex questions. I purchased Vitax Solaray brand. It says Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) (berry extract) 225mg, and Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)(berry) 100mg. So I assume this is 325mg. So if I take 3 I'm at 975mg. Perfect right?
Lastly, they are capsules. Do you believe that the gelatin is insignificant?

[HopeandDreamG]

Bumping for Atomic. Hoping to hear from you this weekend!

[atomic sagebrush]

I have dh taking licorice root. And I wouldn't stop taking my prescription. I have two one for prescription strength folic acid one is the metanx. I only have to take one not the other that's all I was saying. Thanks for all your input...VERY helpful
Once I add the vitex, can I drink the occasional peppermint tea or no?

Yes, that's fine. Pep tea and SP are a no-no.

[atomic sagebrush]

Atomic I hope I am not driving you bonkers. I forgot to mention that I am also taking two aciodphoplis a day. Probably forgot to mention because this week I didn't put it in my pill case. Yikes. I think the food deficiency is going to my brain!

Anyway I assume you don't think its too late to make these changes. I hope its not. I picked up Vitex (solaray) and SP (vitamin shoppe brand)today. SP says it promotes prostate health. The bottle says 320mg, Saw Palmetto Extract standardized herb. Just double checking this is correct. I also picked up Zyrtec and Metamucil pills. I started titrating down the C and E, and I am taking a baby aspirin instead of Cranberry. I think I will leave the Cal (666) and Mag (250) and just won't up them closer to O.

Dh is taking Cal (666), Mag (250), Viatmin C (500), Cranberry, and licorice root 2 a day. Should I make any changes to his supps?

When I have time I will sit down and post my revised plan. I have changed some things from experiementing and getting full disclosure from Dh! Interesting stuff!!

Af is due any day and this will be my first attempt. Despite all this I am doing everything I can to stay relaxed to keep down T levels as best I can...sat in the yard in the sun yesterday, will get pedicure and mini back rub today too!! I think you might need one after all my posts!! LOL
Thank you very much for ALL your time...

Nope, never too late!!!

DH supps are fine (DH can get away with more nutrients than DW and it may help.)

SP 320 :agree:

Way to go with keeping T levels low!!!

[atomic sagebrush]

Dosage of SP is 320 mg from AF-O
Dosage of vitex is 800-1200 mg from AF-O


Atomic: last Vitex questions. I purchased Vitax Solaray brand. It says Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) (berry extract) 225mg, and Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)(berry) 100mg. So I assume this is 325mg. So if I take 3 I'm at 975mg. Perfect right?
Lastly, they are capsules. Do you believe that the gelatin is insignificant?

yes, that's just fine!!! Tiny amount of gelatin in caps is insignificant (the blue swayers have to drink a LOT of gelatin!!)