Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #30 on: December 30, 2009, 06:20:53 PM » by robertsonre08

Quote from: petersgirl on December 30, 2009, 05:33:25 PM

I know what progesterone does for pregnancy meaning it fights against miscarriages, so since I have PCOS and I am estrogen dominant should I not be taking my vitex extract? I've been taking it for three months and has made me regular like clockwork, but my husband and I are ready to start our family and I have read a few different threads that it does help immensely. Any information??

I can personally testify to vitex helping me to get pregnant. I also have PCOS and estrogen dominance along with insulin resistance and the blood sugar issues that go along with this. I took it in tincture form for about 2 months before I got pregnant with our second blessing. I pretty much discontinued it after I found out I was pregnant. Miscarriage hasn't been an issue, just the getting pregnant part. I hope that it works for you!
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We believe that I've already had a miscarriage, and quite frankly it's upsetting to know exactly what my body is doing meaning it knows I'm not producing enough progesterone so it keeps the cycle going, or get's rid of the fetus..I just have to stay positive enough to know that it's better sooner and before I'm completely attached than full-term, sounds maybe a little sinical but I have to look at it like that or I will be depressed. how did you specifically do the tincture??

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #31 on: December 30, 2009, 08:25:21 PM » by hi_itsgwen

Quote from: robertsonre08 on December 30, 2009, 06:20:53 PM

Quote from: petersgirl on December 30, 2009, 05:33:25 PM

Quote

We believe that I've already had a miscarriage, and quite frankly it's upsetting to know exactly what my body is doing meaning it knows I'm not producing enough progesterone so it keeps the cycle going, or get's rid of the fetus..I just have to stay positive enough to know that it's better sooner and before I'm completely attached than full-term, sounds maybe a little sinical but I have to look at it like that or I will be depressed. how did you specifically do the tincture??

Robertsonre08,
I'm so sorry about your loss. I had a low-progesterone early miscarriage, and from my understanding, the progesterone level is what determines the thickness of the womb lining. If the progesterone is too low, the lining is too thin, and it can't support a pregnancy. The fertilized egg needs a nice thick lining to emplant into. I was able to tell by how heavy my monthly flow was if I was back on track with my progesterone level. My doctors office was good to do an early blood test for hormone levels, so as soon as I thought I was pg, they would do a test and call in progesterone if necessary. If you're really sure it's your progesterone levels, then I don't see why you couldn't supplement with a cream for the first trimester if need be. If I understand correctly, once you get past the 12 week mark, the placenta is fully developed so your lining is not providing the sustanance anymore.

I'm not sure if Vitex is recommended while taking progesterone...would taking a supplement throw off your body's natural balance that the Vitex is trying to achieve? I've just done a bit of research on Vitex, but not used it personally.

Also, make sure you're considering the possibility of artificially raised estrogen levels from environmental sources, foods, and even herbs. If your estrogen levels are off the charts from these types of things, then the Vitex won't 'fix' that until you remove the estrogen sources.

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #32 on: February 16, 2010, 10:01:21 AM » by Yooper

Quote from: happy2Bhome on June 23, 2008, 05:13:02 PM

I have read that Vitex can decrease libido (sex drive). What would cause this...the estrogen or progesterone?

Old ? but an important one. Grin

The monks took it b/c it was supposed to help decrease libido. I think Vitex works differently w/ men b/c of the hormone package they're dealing with. Wink

I think many women (esp. estrogen dominant ones) have found an increase in libido with it.

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #33 on: February 16, 2010, 02:50:36 PM » by hi_itsgwen

Quote from: Yooper on February 16, 2010, 10:01:21 AM

Quote from: happy2Bhome on June 23, 2008, 05:13:02 PM

I have read that Vitex can decrease libido (sex drive). What would cause this...the estrogen or progesterone?

Old ? but an important one. Grin

The monks took it b/c it was supposed to help decrease libido. I think Vitex works differently w/ men b/c of the hormone package they're dealing with. Wink

I think many women (esp. estrogen dominant ones) have found an increase in libido with it.

It's my understanding from reading on it that it is a hormone balancer...so if you have overactive drives, it would quiet them. If you have an underactive drive, it would also normalize it over time. That's why you see so many conflicting testimonials with it, because each person's hormone imbalance and body is going to respond differently. It's not an instant fix, and takes several months for some, while others see results within the first week or two.

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #34 on: February 16, 2010, 03:00:17 PM » by Yooper

YES! That's what I forgot to include...it does balance hormonal things out.

Thanks, Gwen! Grin

Anyone get weepy on it?

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #35 on: February 16, 2010, 03:07:53 PM » by boysmama

I would agree with the last few posts...vitex seems to be an adaptogen. However, if you combine it with other herbs you can get a more specific reaction.

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #36 on: February 17, 2010, 04:57:34 PM » by petersgirl

I wanted to give a little vitex "testimonial"

I have struggled with wacky hormones ever since puberty - am now 31. I have been diagnosed with PCOS and have the whole array of symptoms. I was able to get pregnant with our first child after a year of trying but then had a much harder time with our second. Insulin resistance had become an issue and I seemed to not be ovulating. I began to take a homemade tincture of vitex three times a day (about a dropperful) and within a month and a half I was pregnant with #2 - who is a healthy, happy 4 month old now. Breastfeeding was also an issue with my first - I never had enough milk. Shonda Parker mentions in her writing that vitex can help with this IF the problem is an excess of prolactin. I thought I would give it a try. I haven't had to supplement a bit and ds is a nice chubby baby. Quinoa is the other key to that - but that is another post. I am very thankful for this herb!

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #37 on: February 18, 2010, 01:23:51 PM » by herbs girl

Quote from: Yooper on February 16, 2010, 03:00:17 PM

YES! That's what I forgot to include...it does balance hormonal things out.

Thanks, Gwen! Grin

Anyone get weepy on it?

Yooper my sister has gotten weepy on Vitex, but she also uses progesterone. Natural Progesterone has made me weepy. I believe Femaprin Vitex to be one of the best Vitex there is. One capsule a day is so easy, too. There have been 31 clinical studies on it.

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #38 on: February 18, 2010, 01:29:21 PM » by Yooper

Quote from: herbs girl on February 18, 2010, 01:23:51 PM

Quote from: Yooper on February 16, 2010, 03:00:17 PM

Anyone get weepy on it?

Yooper, my sister has gotten weepy on Vitex, but she also uses progesterone. Natural Progesterone has made me weepy. I believe Femaprin Vitex to be one of the best Vitex there is. One capsule a day is so easy, too. There have been 31 clinical studies on it.

Hi!

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure if it's Vitex or all of the sad things going on in life right now. It is a good thing, actually, that I am expressing emotion more.

I added a natural prog. cream this week. I don't know too much about what I'm doing, but testing to see how I respond. I couldn't access the cream last month so I started Vitex. Now I'm not sure if I should stay on both.

Mine is the NOW brand and it has Dong quai in it, so that adds another consideration.

My prog. was tested (blood) and it was on the low end. Getting older has made me think it's worth trying, since I hope to have more children.

But that's for another thread. Wink

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #39 on: April 07, 2010, 01:29:07 PM » by Lav

Hello everyone, I know this is a little old but this is my situation and I am hoping to getting a little advice.

I am 27, not ovulating, was on clomid for a year, last dose 150 mg.
I started herbs since clomid, I was never told, raises the chances of ovarian cancer which my mother has already so, I quit that clomid stuff quick.

I am taking- 2 EOP making the dose 2000 mg per day, split in morning and eve until O, then down to 1 flax after (but I never ovulate according to the strips, doc tests, and mucus)
- 2 red raspberry leaf pills at 400 mg each, split again
- 2 red clover extract- split once again (both of those I was told the whole cycle to regulate my cycle and provide pms relief)
- 3 vitex a day one per meal until O and then one a day (it equals 1500 mg of vitex for which I was told to take 2000)

Other than normal fish oil and multi that is what I take. I am 5'8" at 205 pounds, working on getting more weight off. I have MS, and the doc I am allowed to go see does not believe in vitamins at all proclaiming that your stomach acid kills everything before your body can adsorb it;which makes no sense to me).

So does this look like a good idea? I have been working with herbs all my life, looking for a way to calm my MS, which I have been told by a few docs that I am one of the healthier MS patients that have seen so it must be working.

I have been considering acupuncture for fertility. I have used it in the past for MS but not for anything else. Also we are on a budget so maybe acupressure? Anyone tried that? We just have purchased a house and am ready to start our family, so any ideas would be helpful.

I have read here that someone mentioned wild yam, any idea the dose that is suggested? I know I have hormone issues so I am hoping the red raspberry helps with that.

Lav - yes I was playing with the colors, I learned when I was working on my AA in psychology that splitting things up allows people to think there isn't as much to read as there really is.

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #40 on: April 07, 2010, 09:02:09 PM » by mykidsmom

I highly suspect your progesterone is very low and that is why you aren't ovulating. I don't see anything wrong with what you're taking except it won't solve low progesterone if that is your trouble.

I wish I could get my sister to talk to you (she's not a WellTeller). She was diagnosed with MS 15yrs ago (she's almost 39). She had all the brains scans, showed lesions, etc. Every year she ended up in the hospital because of it. Last year I convinced her to get allergy tested because I had allergies and I know they can run in families. She tested highly allergic to several things. I believe the main one was gluten. When she pulled those four things out, her MS symptoms disappeared. Completely. She actually believes she never had MS, but instead had food allergies that were exhibiting themselves in MS symptoms. The positive scans for brain lesions makes me think that food allergies cause a lot more damage then even I thought. She is married to a doctor and he now absolutely believes all of her trouble was caused by her food allergies.

I say all that to say, you just might want to get checked. It won't fix your hormones, but it could help fix your MS.

As for your hormones, if you are very estrogen dominant, you will need to work at pulling phytoestrogens out of your life as well as balancing out the progesterone/estrogen balance. Have you had your progesterone checked?

patti

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #41 on: April 08, 2010, 05:58:58 PM » by Lav

Yes you are right, I am estrogen checked and it is dominate, the doctor say it is the fat releasing the hormone. I am a bmi of 31 and it is not an acceptable level to the fertility doctor.

What exactly could one do to get rid of extra estrogen in the system?

Also, along with my MS it would seem people who have autoimmune illnesses are more prone to allergies, my allergy happens to be gluten. I found out that it is basically inflammation in the small intestine and is was causing so many problems.

With this discovery of the gluten problem the weight just keep coming off and staying off.

Right then, what could I do to rid the body of extra estrogen?

I have purchased some yams, but not wild yams. But I am thinking of buying some wild yam root and seeing if that helps. I am unsure what herb to take that works on that. I am taking red raspberry leaf to balance the hormones, do you feel that is enough?

Also thanks for replying ^.^...

Lav

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #42 on: April 10, 2010, 12:00:41 AM » by hi_itsgwen

Hi Lav,

If your problem is estrogen dominance, then that is where you need to start. Your hormones cause your reproductive cycle to work properly when they are in the right proportions to one another. Instead of aiming to raise the progesterone to the right percentage, you'll want to seriously consider focusing on lowering the estrogens back into a healthy range.

I highly recommend the book Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels. It is a book aimed at weight loss. But surprisingly, it's one of the best resources I've seen for explaining how your hormones affect your whole body. Metabolism=hormones=edocrine system...which is responsible for almost every chemical reaction in our bodies. She goes into pretty good detail about how to lower estrogens, and even which estrogens are good and bad.

Also, you can read these two threads for more on estrogen dominance:
Xenoestrogens
Phytoestrogens

Vitex is a wonderful herb, but I think the *major* issue is reducing your estrogens, and then rebalancing with herbal support.

(I like your blues! My favorite colors.)

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #43 on: April 10, 2010, 06:38:50 AM » by Yooper

I am also seeing that thyroid issues (due to deficiency in iodine) are the root cause of a lot of hormone issues. Something to check out:
https://www.drbrownstein.com/bookstore_Iodine.php

I just read his book from the the library, and after exploring estrogen dominance in my own life (more likely low progesterone which keeps the estrogen out of "check"), I am thinking that, going deeper, the problem is iodine deficiency. I *think* also <finger tapping>, that in my research I've read about MS and this relationship, too, but I need to check.

Here are some threads for those interested:
http://www.welltellme.com/discuss/index.php/topic,2037.180.html
http://www.welltellme.com/discuss/index.php/topic,1488.0.html

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #44 on: April 10, 2010, 10:46:22 AM » by SweetEden

I am wondering if anyone knows if vitex is safe in pregnancy? Huh

Thanks for all the info gals.
Does anyone know the suggested dose if it is safe? I was told it would help with the pms type symptoms and emotional roller coaster that tends to go with my pregnancy's. I am not confirmed pregnant yet, but here is hoping!

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #45 on: April 11, 2010, 06:02:49 PM » by Lav

Hello ^.^...

Well... I am heading to the Doctor again tuesday, going to requesting some hormonal testing. I want to know what is going on there now with all of my herbs.

I hope all goes well, I am unsure about vitex and being with child. I will find out what I can in my herbal books.

Lav

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #46 on: April 11, 2010, 08:07:43 PM » by beelover

Hi Vitex is NOT safe for pregnancy. If you are having hormonal issues and depression during pregnancy I would recommend Pit lyph whole. This is a natural supplement that we give to our mom's all the time. It causes the body to naturally make progesterone on its own. This will help your depression during pregnancy as well.

I would also recommend this to the lady that is estrogen dominate along with Dr.. Christopher's hormonal changese and Wheat Germ Oil. My mom and sister who are both Estrogen dominate take these supplements and there has been a huge difference. Mom also takes GLA which is Borage oil.

To the lady that is lacking iodine Kelp is a natural source of iodine. It is a wonderful all around supplement to take .I buy it by the pound and capsule it in 00 tablets mixed in equal parts with spirulina. HTH Beelover

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #47 on: April 11, 2010, 09:33:51 PM » by mykidsmom

Beelover,

Who makes the pit lyph? I would be very interested in finding this.

thanks,

patti

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #48 on: April 12, 2010, 08:21:44 AM » by beelover

Hi Patti
It is a product from nutri west if you google nutri west pit lyph whole you should be able to find out information on it. It usually goes for eighteen dollars for a 90 tablet bottle. So if you would like to try it PM me as I sell it for 14.00 plus shipping.

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #49 on: April 12, 2010, 09:18:17 AM » by Lav

Bee lover stated "I would also recommend this to the lady that is estrogen dominate along with Dr.. Christopher's hormonal changese and Wheat Germ Oil. My mom and sister who are both Estrogen dominate take these supplements and there has been a huge difference. Mom also takes GLA which is Borage oil. "--- thats me ^.^...

Anyhow, I cannot have any thing wheat O.O.... wheat intolerance. O.O... I am going to look that up, also

Patti, Vitex is not 'recommended' while a patient is with child due to certain neurological defects. I am unsure, but there was someone who took it when she was prego and was just fine but we all are different and it depends a lot on you I would guess.

Wink

Lav

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #50 on: April 13, 2010, 09:55:55 AM » by mykidsmom

My naturepath put my 12yr old DD on vitex in an attempt to help level out her hormones. She's been on it 3 months and while I notice a huge difference emotionally, she is still trying to cycle every 8-10 days. She just started her cycle in December of last year. Her cycles are very very light and she only bled for about 2-3 days. On the vitex that has extended the bleeding to 4-5 days but she's still cycling every 8-10. I know it's normal in the beginning for their body to kind of freak out and take awhile to get into a normal routine but how long do I wait with the vitex? From my calendaring it appears her body is trying to cycle on or close to when I ovulate and again when I start my cycle. Shocked

My main concern is her grandmother and aunt (husbands side) were horribly deficient in progesterone and had cycles every 21 days their whole lives because of it. She is built just like them. I am low in progesterone although healing well. My ND doesn't want to supplement with it because she's so young. My biggest concern is I don't want her cycling at 21 or 24 days her whole life. It's not healthy and tends to pre-term babies.

Any thoughts? I know it can take some time for vitex to kick in. Anyone know how long?

patti

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #51 on: April 13, 2010, 04:56:09 PM » by mykidsmom

Quote from: mykidsmom on April 13, 2010, 09:55:55 AM

BUMP

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #52 on: April 13, 2010, 05:32:29 PM » by beelover

Hi Patti,

Generally it takes 90 to 120 days for vitex to kick in. However if your daughter does not have any progesterone or very little progesterone in her body then by giving her the vitex alone you are " Kicking a dead horse" so to speak. Meaning that Vitex regulates and balances the hormones if the body does not have those hormones to begin with then she is not going to get any help. So I would suggest that you start giving her one sarsaparilla capsule a day along with the vitex and see if that makes a difference gradually increasing the sarsaparilla until you notice a difference.

On a side note three days of bleeding in some women is considered normal. As is a light flow.

Lav

If you are wheat intolerant the Wheat Germ Oil may or may not bother you . If it does you may get the same results with Olive oil and Vitamin E oil together. As the reason the Wheat Germ oil works is that it is so high in vitamin E. the Borage Oil would also be beneficial.

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Re: Vitex [Chasteberry]: When, Where, Why & How Much?
« Reply #53 on: April 13, 2010, 09:27:48 PM » by Lav

GREAT NEWS GUYS!!!

The doctor said I am not anything, my hormones have balanced, I have ovulated two months in a rot now, and my hubby is now going for a test himself.

I did try this differently...

I had sex on one of my ovulation days, and after I used an insted product to "trap" the sperm by the cervix. So... I hope this works.

So the amount of vixtex, red raspberry leaf, epo and red clover must have worked just as well as clomid without all of the side effects.

I hope it works, the important thing is I did ovulate, yay!!

Lav

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