Anyone with PCOS tried vitex

fun_girly

Hi all, I have heard that a herb called Agnus castus or vitex can help irregular periods or help re-start periods and maybe even hep with fertility for woman with PCOS, I was diagnosed around 10 years ago and am TTC #2. I have a 7 yr old conceived with weight loss and clomid although this time around I have a lot more weight to lose, I also have irregular periods so when I heard about this I thought I would give it a go while losing weight has anyone got any success stories/ info?

FaeryChaos

I used to take Vitex, and it worked. I just got annoyed over all the supplements so stopped for a while. I now take Myo-Inositol via Pregnitude, which I love. Though I am also trying out Maca Root with DIM. I've just started that and not sure about it yet.

Here is some info (I have a blog I use to keep track of stuff)

Vitex - This seems to be the herb most commonly used by women with PCOS. Vitex has a direct effect on the pituitary gland; the gland involved in regulating hormone production. It seems to increase the level of LH, although the studies that have shown this have been conducted in women without PCOS. Therefore, this does not mean it increases LH levels in women with PCOS. The fact that it works so well in women with PCOS lends great support to David Hoffman's (11) assertion that vitex is an adaptive herb that does whatever the body needs it to do. It seems to restore progesterone to a normal level , which is helpful for those with low progesterone levels. Low progesterone levels can cause miscarriage so vitex can help to prevent this. It is also used for irregular menstruation, amenorrhea and PMS.

Myo-Inositol - Encourges Ovulation in women with absent or irregular menstrual cycles with PCOS. Decreases Leptin, and helps with Wieght loss in PCOS. Improves Mood, and can help depression according to studies. It is really good for your liver. Helps hirsutism. Decreases androgens. Helps Insulin Resistance. Decreases acne. Lowers total and free testosterone levels. Improves quality of eggs

Maca Root- has gained a reputation for helping balance hormones and reverse hypothyroidism. It is an endocrine adaptogen, meaning that it does not contain any hormones, but rather it contains the nutrients necessary to support normal hormone production.

DIM - Di-indolylmethane, or DIM for short, is a plant compound with health-promoting properties. DIM and other plant indoles are found in all cruciferous vegetables. DIM stimulates more efficient estrogen metabolism.

A_Dabauer

I've lost 40 pounds since starting on inositol in September... Started Estrosmart with Vitex (dim and Vitex) in November and with in two cycles I was cycling every 28 days instead of 40 to 60 days.... I've been very pleased with the results.

KnitOrMiss

Another hypothyroid supplement Iodoral. It is an iodine/iodide supplement that help hugely with symptom relief for me, even after meds brought "test levels" into normal range without affecting my symptoms. I haven't been retested yet as i needed to wait some months first.

aSaltandBattery

FaeryChaos wrote: »

I used to take Vitex, and it worked. I just got annoyed over all the supplements so stopped for a while. I now take Myo-Inositol via Pregnitude, which I love. Though I am also trying out Maca Root with DIM. I've just started that and not sure about it yet.

I take Vitex and the Pregnitude supplements, it has myo-inositol with folic acid. I also take a regular multi vitamin. This is what seems to work for me so far. I tried taking the maca root a couple of times and the most recent time I ended up going to the Dr.'s because I had a yeast infection. I have no idea if it was actually related, but I have never had a yeast infection before and I had been taking the Maca Root for a little over a week when that happened. So correlation doesn't prove causation, but it was enough for me not to want to keep using Maca Root again personally. I'm probably just being paranoid, but that was my experience with it. The Vitex and Pregnitude have been really helpful to me. I had my first TOM Jan 1since the last one July 2014 and I had been taking Vitex since October and began with Pregnitude at the beginning of December.

I googled a lot about vitamins for PCOS and compared what they were useful for and what symptoms I had. I also used WebMD to see if they had any listed side effects or interactions. I wouldn't recommend just jumping on a vitamin bandwagon to anyone without talking to a doctor first, that just wasn't an option for me at the time. So far it seems like it's working out though

Alliwan

I take Vitex, Evening Primrose Oil and Inositol. They have helped so very much. Periods are more regular and much less heavy and clotty. (TMI sorry) I can now go a whole period without overflowing once where before it was 2-3 times a day. The period cramps are much less with it too.

My daughter also has PCOS and was 75 days out on her period. Her pdoc said to try Vitex and EPO for her too as they wouldnt interfere with her psych meds and she's been regular since then, also with less pain.

Vitex is supposed to balance the estrogen/progesterone ratios to a normal amount. So if you are high in estrogen and low in progesterone or the other way around it is supposed to balance it. Takes a few months but it is worth trying imo if you are NOT on fertility meds right now. They stress that you cant take vitex and other fertility meds at the same time at all.

ohheythatgirl

Vitex, licorice root (for lowering testosterone levels) & metformin helped me to regulate my cycles, lose 20 lbs and get pregnant after almost 2 years of battling to get my cycles regulated. I had been on metformin alone for awhile with no change. I "tested" my herbal supplements by going without for 1 month and I didn't get my period that month. I am a huge advocate since I had so much success. I am still nursing my son so I cannot take the herbals, but once he is weaned I suspect it will help me with the weight loss again.