Taking Vitex after Taking Soy Iso CDs1-5

[maidentomother]

I know it's not recommended to combine Vitex and Soy Isoflavones. But I am thinking of reducing my V dose next cycle (going from 1200mg to 800mg daily) or possibly stopping on CD14/O, and I will definitely go off V completely if I don't conceive next cycle.

But for this upcoming cycle - I plan to take 200mg SI on CDs1-5, during which time i will stop taking V, then I would like to resume taking it on CD6. Can I do this? Assuming you don't recommend it, how unwise do you consider it and are there any particular reasons you advise against resuming V? I presume the main issue is that the V would work against the SI making it less effective. Could I increase my SI dose and decrease my V dose to try to mitigate that potential issue? Since I typically need high doses of most supps/meds, increasing my SI might be wise anyway. Is there a max possible safe dose for hyper metabolizers? How about 300mg? Or would waiting longer to resume V be a better solution; I personally had good results in terms of LP temps & length the 2 cycles I took V from O to AF only, so I could try that again?

[maidentomother]

Bump bc AF arrived just now! Does it matter at all what time of day I take the SI?

The only good thing about AF arriving early is that I can afford to go off Vitex completely, since I would actually prefer O to be delayed by a week this cycle or the next!

[tweedledeedum]

Bump! I have no idea but I'm interested to read any responses!

[The Anchor]

Take the SI before bed...not out of necessity but to thwart the side effects. I got terrible headaches and nausea.

[atomic sagebrush]

You are asking me questions to a level of specificity that I do not have.

I advise against it simply because I like to err on the side of caution and it's recommended against doing that, so I stick with the recommendations. Allegedly they work against each other to be less effecive (since Vitex may inhibit estrogen for many people, you need your body to be capable of a big burst of estrogen after you stop the SI). Thus I don't think it's a good idea to resume it after you stop the SI. But there just aren't studies done on these things (not even in more typical drug combos, really) and I just can't tell you about doses, etc.

I NEVER recommend taking vitex O-AF in months you are TTC.

[maidentomother]

Okay, ty atomic - and Anchor! I just took my 200mg, in late evening, out of curiosity to see if I feel anything (I don't). I will do 200mg the first 3 days and 300mg the last 2 days, based on some reading I did and knowing how my body typically needs more of things, especially things that affect sex hormones. But if I have any bad side effects I won't go up to 300mg.

I feel like I've asked this before and you explained, but why no V from O-AF in TTC cycles? It seems to work ideally for me taken that way, as it doesn't delay O or dry up my fertile CM, but elevates & stabilizes my LP temps as well as significantly lengthening my LP from short to 13-14 days! Of course, I am not yet pregnant and I know my timing was ideal for 2 of my 6 cycles TTC so far (otherwise: in 2 cycles I only BDed after O, in 1 cycle I BDed 5 days before O, and then the 'best' timed cycle of my first 4 before my TTC break, was BD 3 days before O).

I will for sure not take V until I O, though, to assure I give the SI a proper chance to work.

[atomic sagebrush]

Because I don't think it's safe to take herbs when you may be pregnant, and I also don't think it's safe to STOP herbs when you may be pregnant. I felt like back on IG I saw several miscarriages among the ladies who took vitex till BFP and I just prefer not to have people take it that way.

[maidentomother]

I have worried about that myself. Sigh. I guess we'll see how I feel once I've Oed.

I DID end up having really awful gas (but not out that end...more like burping, I call it feeling erpy) the first night, it even prevented me from falling asleep for ages. Last night I took it right before falling asleep, no issues. Although my temps are a bit high, usually they drop down by now especially off Vitex...

[atomic sagebrush]

When I got pg with DS 4 I thought I had AF and took the vitex for 2 weeks and then stopped it, and luckily it all went ok, but I had really big regrets about it. :/

[maidentomother]

I can imagine I'd feel the same. I wouldn't be surprised if the V was somehow responsible for the early bleeding, either. Maybe it's really just best to take V all the time pre TTC and then not at all.