Vitex/Chasteberry

Herbs freak me out. I'm always scared to mess with them since I don't really know what I'm doing. But I have found one recently that has worked wonders for me and I wanted to share. For those of you whose monthly cycle brings excruciating pain, or for those who have more of a 'now-and-then' cycle, you may benefit from Vitex (also known as Chasteberry)too. I've held off saying anything because I wanted to be sure that it was the Vitex working and not just some fluke.

In the past three years, I have started having miserable cycles. It was at the point where Ibuprofen didn't help my misery like it used to. When I told my OB (the same one who told me to "hold it" when I told her I was peeing all the time--turned out I had a UTI. She also told me that it was impossible for me to have infertility issues if I've already had a child.), she told me it was just gas and I should take Gas-X. Obviously, that didn't work since it wasn't gas. And no, I don't see the same OB anymore. She was a flake. So back to miserable cycles...Yes, my cycles have been miserable. I had gotten to the point where I was going to ask my doctor for a laproscopy because I suspected endometriosis. When you can't function for two days each month, it tends to grab your attention. So what did I do? The same thing I always do when I have a medical condition. I started Googling.

Let me preface this by saying, I had heard of Vitex before. I have a close friend who has PCOS and doesn't ovulate normally. After one month of this wonder herb she started ovulating normally. On her third month she was pregnant. Her son was just born two weeks ago. So I knew that it worked for people who didn't ovulate.

In my Googling frenzy, I discovered that Vitex balances the hormones. Then I read that while it definitely helps those who don't ovulate normally, by bringing their hormones back into balance. It is supposed to help endometriosis and heavy cycles as well. It all does the same thing by restoring balance to a woman's hormones. So I began taking it. It is supposed to take three months before you will notice any difference. I noticed a difference the first month. I did have some pain, but it didn't even last a day and my cycle was lighter. What a relief! But I held my new secret close to my vest wanting to see how the next month played out. This month I had NO pain, except for normal menstrual cramps.

While I don't know if I had endo or not, I do know that Vitex is my new miracle herb. I can't take it while on fertility drugs. Be sure to tell your doctor of all herbs you are taking as they can interact with prescription drugs. I know that if I had a rough time, there are probably others out there looking for answers. If you're willing to try a gentle herb, give it a shot. I'm sure glad that I did. It's such a difference when you don't have to plan your life around your cycle.