I am soo frustrated at all the confusing information out there. Just a little history.. I've tried Met, and clomid.. and neither worked for me.. fired my doc, and decided there has to be a much better, gentler way for me to get my body working again...
But I get soo much complicated information. here's some examples...
Low-carbing... I've read over and over where low carb is supposed to be great for pcos.. so, I start low carbing.. and start reading on other discussion boards, and there are hundreds of posts on how Low carbing has messed with peoples cycles... so what is it?? does it even out your cycle, or mess it up?
vitex... take cd5-15.. take cd5-28.. take cd1-28 .. it helps your estrogen.. no.. it affects lutinizing hormones.. no.. it contributes to estrogen dominance.. no.. it affects progesterone..
dong quai.. it is like heral clomid.. take it CD5-11.. no, take it all month long..
And it goes on and on... I am completely in tears... I am trying so hard to get this right for my body.. and I just don't know what to do any more... is there a "herbal bible" out there that the professionals use?? or... is there a standard protocol for trying herbs for conception.. you know.. "start with vitex 500 mgs for three months... then add.. blah blah blah"?!??
I am just sooo tired of all the "junk websites" out there that give you bad advise...
And, If you are thinking that I should just go to a naturopath.. I have been trying to locate one in St. Louis.. but, I can't seem to fine one...
I am so sorry you are frustrated!!! I too get confused, but I have to remember that every person is different. I have started with 400mg of Vitex - realized that my AF's were only spotting and for 10 days - so after 3 months I increased it to 800mg and I had a more normal AF. Now I am charting to see if I O on Vitex. If not, than I will add in something to help with that such as SPI. So, as you can see I am taking it slowly to see what my body reacts to. Hang in there and try one thing at a time - than you can adjust as necessary.
Chin up,
__________________ Jill, Met (2000mg) & Spiro (100mg)
Anna (7), 100mg Clomid
Lane (5), 100mg Clomid & 30mg Actos
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Sorry that you have been finding your research so frustrating. As SPCnut said, it is a matter of finding the solutions that suit you, and unfortunately it takes time to work it out. Take a look at this site. It is from a British naturopath who regularly treats women with PCOS. She has some good recommendations for the different herbs you can try, although she doesn't give dosages for them all.
For a comprehensive overview of different herbs and supplements for different symptoms, I highly recommend Colette Harris' PCOS Diet Book. Again, she doesn't give dosages, but the list includes pretty much everything that has ever been suggested for the various PCOS symptoms.
Perhaps the best thing is to decide what your specific problems are and try out the things that are meant to help with that. Start with the suggested dosage on the bottle, and if that doesn't work, adjust it. You really need to give it at least a few months. I understand your feeling that you don't have any time to lose, but while you seethe about it all being so complicated, you can be trying things out to see if they work or not !
I don't mean to be flippant when you are obviously are so frustrated by the whole thing, but I really recommend that you just give something, anything a try, at any dosage, and if that doesn't work, then try another way. There really isn't any other way around it with supplements. Nobody scientific wants to say conclusively that they really do work, and so all we can do is experiment.
I wish you the very best of luck, and hope you find the solution for you!
((((HUGS))))
Aggs
__________________ me: age 32, afro-caribbean dh: age 37, scottish married july 2000
Dx: February 2003
BCP 1996-97 (made me unbearable)
Sx: annovulation 3 years after BCP then v. irregular AF, overweight, mildly bad skin, mildly hairy, skin tags, dark patches
Took herbal prescription containing Vitex, also Multivitamin and Mineral, Chromium, B-Complex, Co-Enzyme Q10, Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc, Evening Primrose Oil and Folic Acid (just in case!) - AFs became regular at 35 days - IT WORKED!!! DS born 26th February 2004
Herbs are not medicine! We have to get that mentality out of our heads when deciding to try herbs! There is NO standardized dosage for any herbs, because everyone reacts differently to different things. You have to trust your instincts. Herbs don't work like medicine does. When using medicine, you put chemical substances into your body to affect the way your own hormones and body chemicals work. When using herbs, your body is provided with the nutrients it needs to then go ahead and do what it's supposed to do. This often takes longer than popping a pill. The best thing you can do, is decide which herbs you think would be best for you. Ignore all the information. Get ONE reputable source, and follow your gut. Then love your body, accept it with all its faults, and give it permission to do what it needs to do to heal you. And be patient! It won't happen overnight, and sometimes not even within a month.
Honestly, all the information that conflicts out there, it seems to me we don't really know what it does. Just that it works for many people. Not all, but many.
Those are great websites eponine... I guess I have just been rushing things.. I probably should just stop everything except the vitex, and give it a few months to work... but, I have just been so frantic about my passing age.... we older girls really can get ourselves in a panic about this aging thing.. and our biological clock running out...
When I started this natural route.. I was as confused as you .. it takes some time to devise a plan .. you have to make it up as you go.. even I can't low carb .. so insted to pointing you to websites here is my protocol...
Morning I drink a glass of vegetable juice .. all greens & carrot .. takes a lot of time and energy to make but worth it
Fertility blend 3tabs
Bitter gourd 2tabs (works like met)
Fish oil 2tabs
Tea in the afternoon- female toner & green tea
Yoga classes 3 times a week + 15min walk
30 min walk rest of the days
Eat lots of veggies .. stay away from white flour, white sugar & white rice .. replace them with whole grains.
This has helped me a lot .. my cholesterol was at a high of 232 .. now its 180 .. lost weight ..facial hair is disappering .. had a good af with the help of NPC .. temps have been steady so far this cycle .. waiting for "o" ... this would be my ultimate victory.
It does take some time to work .. but atleast lifestyle changes will not harm.. and you will be more healthy should you decide to go on to injectables.
Basically you need to stop reading about how everyone else does it and do it your own way for yourself!
I took Vitex and Dong Quai along with 1500 mg of Met ALL MONTH LONG! I read that you should take it only a certain number of days, blaa blaa blaa, but I did what I thought was best for me and took it the entire month. Now I'm 6 weeks pregnant, surprise for us!!
I've heard many things about NPC and I'm very worried about this pregnancy. So MY choice is to take NPC 3-4 times a day in the same place, my belly. Everything has worked great so far. What works for everyone else is not always going to work for you. Your body is not every other women's body out there, it's your own. Do with it was makes you feel better. As long as you read about the drugs and know their safe, your dosages and levels will be different and you'll need to experiment yourself.
Torie's right. Devise a plan for yourself. What works for you isn't going to work for anyone else! And scarletkab, 36 is not old! You have plenty of time!
I am sorry that you are so frustrated. I am 33 and in the same boat. But like all the great ladies here have said, it just takes time and you will have to experiment and find a plan that is right for you.
I went through met for a year, clomid two cycles and nothing. My cycles have always been irregular and I have lived with this for almost 17 years. I only get really frustrated when my husband and I are trying to concieve.
A great program that is not low carb or low fat is the book "8 Minutes is the Morning" by Jorge Cruise. I have been following this for about two weeks and am having great results. His website is http://www.jorgecruise.com
My daily regime is:
2 exercises from Jorge's book in the morning after I eat. You only do four sets/12 reps each of the strength training exercises, they are easy and it only takes 8 minutes. I try to follow the eating card in which I get 1400 calories a day. And every other day I do some form of Aerobic exercise from Kathy Smith's videos.
I take a womans multi vitamin, b-6 complex, Femaprin which is 325mg vitex/100mg B-6, Flax seed oil extra, Vitamin E, and a combined pill of magnesium, calcuim, and iron, and NPC (Progest) cd 7-27.
I think of my grandmother everytime I take all the pills and usually it makes me laugh because I have seen what she takes at 73 years old every day for all her ailments .
I drink some type of herbal tea in the morning and at night before going to bed.
So just hang in there. And never forget that you are not alone. LOL
__________________ Femaprin (Vitex/B6)
Multi oil (Omega 3s, 6s)
NPC for pms headaches
frustrated to tears.. :( 
I know the feeling 
.
