Hi, guys -
I'm not sure how far I can go in recommending or not recommending something, based on my own experience, and in particular, I don't want to recommend something and then have someone with a bad reaction and it have been my fault, but I do want to share my positive experience with herbs.

I wasn't ovulating for a few years, and when I went on Clomid, I did ovulate, but the entire month was such an ordeal with the moodswings and the way it made me feel in general. I also ovulted fairly late, and when I got AF, it was extremely painful, and I would fall into a depression that I would place along the same lines as a suicidal depression (how low it was, not that I would do that).

Anyway, I read A LOT, and had done QUITE A BIT of research on herbs. A while back (before Clomid), I had tried Vitex and ovulated that month, but figured it was just fluke. But, after the Clomid didn't work, I decided I might as well go full-on and try herbs for real, I had nothing to lose!

So, for two and a half months I've been taking False Unicorn Root and Vitex (along with a couple of other herbs that aren't the active ingredients and I won't bother getting into right now). The first month, I ovulated around CD 16 (requested a progesterone test to prove it) and had a fairly mild AF 14 days later and no depression.

The next month, I ovulated EXACTLY on CD 14, with a very strong OPK and had the most mild AF I've had in years, without any depression. Also, during the month, I don't have any noticeable side effects from the herbs like I did with the Clomid.

I HIGHLY recommend herbs, given that you don't have any unusual conditions or are on prescriptions that can interact with them. The two I named are the typical ones that have been used for thousands of years for infertility.

Oh, one other thing - with Ovulex (which is a wider mix of ingredients), I suffered SEVERE migraines, that I didn't get with the individually picked out herbs. Also, I have bipolar disorder, and I believe either Ovulex or Fertility Blend (one of the other "mixture" supplements) has gingko biloba and/or ginseng, both which noticeably cause a manic/depressive mood cycle and can affect mood in general, not necessarily in a good way. (My doctor even agrees with this)...so be cautious if you think you have any kind of mood disorder.

Ok, I'm done! Hope this wasn't too much, but I really wanted to share this with you!...Oh, and it has to be the herbs, I don't ovulate on my own anymore.

Good luck and baby dust to all of you!

Sarah

Thank you for that posting. I have been trying to figure out if that Ovulex is a good thing or not. I am trying Fertilaid at the moment. I am not sure if it is working or not this weill be the end of month 2. Thanks again

Great info Sarah. I don't have ovulate on my own but have other issues and have been looking into taking herbs as well. So thanks for sharing!! Lot's of luck to you:)

deluka

Thanks Sarah

When I went to the accunpuncturist for the first time last week, she mentioned that she also prescribes herbs inividually based on your individual needs. Do you think that you need to be monitored for your liver and kidney functions to make sure that there is no buildup? I'm not sure how herbs work, I imagine that they are in a tea form? But since they are still passing through your body do we need additional monitoring?

:)

Hopeful -
That's a good question. I do see a doctor regularly because I am on a prescription medication, and have told her what I'm taking. She didn't say anything negative about the herbs, but I didn't address that specific question either. I didn't know that herbs could build up. I know certain things are processed through the liver, and others are not. I don't know if anything can actually build up in the liver itself - it can either damage the liver, like when you take too much acetaminophen or alcohol; or levels of something can become toxic because it's too much for the liver to process. So, I suppose it is possible that certain herbs have a potential to become toxic, the same way that certain drugs do, that you have to get liver function tests for. I am interested in finding out if there can be any adverse reactions to the herbs I'm taking. I've never read that there could be, but I'd like to find out. Thanks for bringing that up.