vitex + provera ok together?

*tinks* · 12-31-2005, 02:57 PM

i've been given a prescription for Provera for the first time and am due to start taking it tomorrow as AF has not arrived this month :-( but was just wondering: is it safe to keep taking Vitex as well? i'm not ttc, i just wondered as vitex is a sort of hormone regulator whether it might interfere with the Provera?

BuBu · 12-31-2005, 07:54 PM

My gut instinct would be to say," No, it is not ok.". I think it would be too confusing for your body (too many hormones...too many messages).

How long have you been taking Vitex? Can you wait for it to work? If so, I would wait a minimum of 3 months for the Vitex to start working. Vitex took about 3 months for me to get AF, but I noticed my mood swings stopped after taking Vitex about 10 days and I started to feel cramps and twinges after about 1 month - so it took awhile to work for me.

I found this site:
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/Her...|Vitex,00.html

It states:
Chemicals in chaste tree berries act like female hormones in the body. When they are taken at the same time as oral contraceptives or female hormone replacement therapy (HRT), chaste tree berries may interfere with the way the body uses the hormones. As a result, HRT or oral contraceptives may not be as effective, some women may experience increased side effects, and the risk of an unintended pregnancy may be slightly higher.

Hope this helps

*tinks* · 01-01-2006, 01:48 PM

Hi BuBu, thanks for your reply - i have been taking the vitex for about 5 weeks. i would like to wait to see if it works really, but went to see my gyn in middle of december and she thought it'd be best for me to take the Provera so that i would have AF before i go back to uni on the 15th january. she knows i'm taking the vitex and said i could continue taking it if i wanted to (she's not too keen on the whole herbal route though), she didnt say anything about not taking it while on the provera, but i just thought yesterday it might be best not to take it cos of the things u mentioned about it.
i have taken the provera today and not the vitex just to be sure. will start taking the vitex again after i have had AF. cos for now i'm trying to get through till june - when i will hopefully be graduating, then will review things in the summer - i may go onto metformin - its just for now my gyn doesnt want to upset me more by starting me on another bcp, or the met until i have finished uni, and def dont want to be going back on dianette, so am taking the provera, cos i am def better and more balanced when i have AF evry4-6 weeks or so. thanks again, i'm glad the vitex has worked for you!
i'm still a bit confused really - will speak to my gyn again and see what she says about the vitex cos she's given me 6 cycles worth of provera - may just take the vitex for the few weeks or so between taking the provera and having AF - cos some women stop taking it after ovulation and start again after having AF. oh i dont know, i'll have to have a think.

BuBu · 01-01-2006, 09:18 PM

claire_emma1,

Hey, I went off dianette (diane-35) too and my gyno wanted me to take Provera every 3 months (if I didn't get a period on my own). Of course after 3 months, AF was a no show, but still I couldn't bring myself to take the Provera. I was at the end of my rope with PCOS and my body just couldn't take anymore synthetic hormones. I tried to ask about herbs, but here in Canada, doctors also aren't very keen to endorse herbal supplements. I think it's the fact that they will lose money (I believe they get paid for every prescription that's filled)??!!! The fact that there's no benefit in it for them, they discount all natural benefits and remedies. That's just my interpretation. Since my gyno wouldn't help me or take my PCOS seriously, I had to find a certified Naturopath to work with me. She's been great - the best thing I have ever done for myself!!

I guess what I'm trying to say is keep in mind that your gyno may not be the best person to ask about herbs. They do not study herbs in med. school (at least here they don't). If you are truly intersted a certified N.D. is your best bet to answer any questions and council you with interactions with any drugs you may be on. My N.D. acknowledges benefits of all types of medicine and that they all have there place.

Sounds like you have to get through your 2nd semester at uni before you can tackle the joys of PCOS. It's good that you are asking questions and are so knowledgeable about PCOS. At 20, I had no idea there was any other way to treat myself.

You can try alternating Vitex and Provera, but if it were me, I think I would only do one or the other and not both.

Good luck with school and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Marsha

PS. What program are you graduating from in June?

*tinks* · 01-02-2006, 02:43 PM

Hi again Marsha, thank you so much for your advice! i'm actually seeing my gyn privately, but now its been described as a chronic condition my insurance wont cover it, so my parents paid for my last consultation. she is good - as soon as i went back to her in july and said i was having serious problems with depression on the dianette she said to stop it and to keep up the exercise and healthy eating - i went to see a nutritionist which was useful.

i didnt have any idea that there were any other ways to treat PCOS either until i suffered really badly on the dianette and started to do some more research and stumbled accross this site - which has been amazing - helped me realise i was not going crazy and that there are lots of other possible treatments. at the moment - i'm trying apple cider vinegar, green tea extracts and will continue on the vitex when i can.

i usually exercise lots - run, play hockey, walk everywhere at uni, go out dancing etc etc but have been ill with a cold and bad cough on and off for the past month or so, and have been at home for christmas, which is partly why i think AF hasnt come this month and over christmas i didnt eat quite as healthily as i would have liked.

yeah my priority is making it thru to when i should hopefully be graduating with a degree in Biology in June of this year, have got so much work to do tho - so many assignments but am just doing them one at a time starting with the smaller ones.

after dianette i am really wary about synthetic hormones - i hate taking anything i dont have to really - even when i have a headache i'd rather not take an asprin or anything unless its really awful. however my gyn knows i suffered v badly with depression on the dianette and has said she thinks the Provera will help - and it is only for 7days each cycle so its not like it will be everyday and i'm hoping as the provera is a progesterone type pill it wont have such a bad affect on me as the dianette which i think is oestrogen based. hope will only have to take the provera for these seven days,, then when my cold and cough goes - (am going to see my GP tomo) then can get back into running etc and healthy eating and hope will get AF on my own again - as i did actually have it for the first few months (although it was not very heavy) after stopping dianette my gyn didnt expect (think it may have been to do with the vitex i was taking - i stopped it however in october when my gyn said not to bother - really wish i hadnt - may go back onto that brand - i think it was the GNC type - which brand are you using?
another question - what does N.D. stand for? you said you're seeing a naturopath - is that just an abbreviation for that?

Thanks again
and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you too!
love claire xxx

BuBu · 01-02-2006, 06:55 PM

Claire,

Sorry, yes, N.D. is a naturopathic doctor. In the states (USA) and provinces (Canada) that regulate naturopathic medicine, naturopathic physicians use the N.D. initials after their names. In Canada, NDs that are certified, take a minimum of 3 years of premed, then can apply for the 4 year program of Naturopathic Medicine. This is the one major College in Canada that issues these degrees (although there may be more now):
http://www.ccnm.edu/college.html

This is the brand of Vitex my Naturopath has me on and it is fabulous :
http://www.metagenics.com/products/c...ail.asp?pid=90 It is a blend of vitex, ashwaganda, and black cohosh. I feel very lucky to have coverage for naturopathic services. Although, my coverage does not cover supplements, just the consultations. I wish I would have discovered this earlier, as I have had coverage for years, just didn't look through the fine print.

I remember what university is like....especially that close to grad!!

So don't beat yourself up too much about not having a period this month. My N.D. once told me that if you don't have the time to have a period, your body won't. Meaning that if you are under stress, fatigue, or illness it is just too much! In order to have a period, you have to give your body the time and the space to have one. That sounds alittle weird, but has been true for me!!!

Hope your appointment goes well tomorrow and that you feel better soon,
Marsha

*tinks* · 01-04-2006, 03:03 PM

Hey Marsha,

thanks for clarifying what ND stands for. i might try to find one near me when i finish uni in the Summer and have the time to look properly.

i had a bad day on monday - was feeling moody and generally not good - probably cos of the Provera, but also cough and cold.....- but went to doc yesterday and have now got a course of antibiotics so hope shud make me feel better soon.

i dont seem to be too bad on the provera though - thought my moods etc would be worse - has been nearly four days - only three to go so i'm keeping my fingers crossed things will stay relatively ok. i had a headache last night and felt slightly nauseous at times yesterday - but def no worse than the PMT i have on my own (so far anyway!).

have had a look for the brand of vitex u r on but not sure u can get it in the UK - also i'm not too sure about taking black cohosh.... will have to do more research when i get a chance.

that doesn't sound weird at all - i have been very stressed and being ill def hasnt helped, and has probably got something to do with why i didnt get AF last month.

anyway - i'll stop rambling now- ive got lots of essays to try to write.
thanks again for ur input - it really is appreciated - its so nice to have ppl to talk to about PCOS and everything that comes with it!

what did u study at university?

take care

Claire xxx

BuBu · 01-04-2006, 09:10 PM

Hey Claire,

Funny you mentioned that you were sick....now so am I.

Head cold and fever are my problem - YUCK.

I studied Anthropology with a major in Archaeology.It took me about 5 years after graduating to get a full time job in my field, but it has been worth it. It's nice to go to work and like your job. The 5 years I spent waiting, I held small contracts at the museum, volunteered at the museum, was a waitress, and did alot of travelling (mainly to Europe - England, France, Italy, Greece). Greece was my favorite my far!! Have you travelled much?

I found this:
http://www.naturopaths.org.uk/town.asp
Thought this might come in handy for latter as you can do a search to find a registered Naturopath near you.

I'm glad I have you girls too. This message board has been much more informative than what doctors have told me about PCOS. It just proved to me that health really is in your own hands, you have to be proactive. You only get one body.
Speaking of which....I am going to rest my weary one...

Cheers,
Marsha

*tinks* · 01-05-2006, 07:26 PM

thanks for the link - i will check it out soon!

sorry to hear u are feeling ill as well, i went to the doctors - it seems ive got the thing thats being going round - chest infection etc etc - she gave me a week's course of antibiotics - hope they'll help, i was a bit moody yesterday and not feeling great today - just keeping my fingers crossed that the antibiotics will kick in soon so it'll just be my whacky hormones i have to deal with!

sounds like you had a good time travelling! ive been to cyprus, greece, france and a few other places on family holidays when i was younger, but i'm planning on going travelling properly- if i ever finish uni! - i'd like to go to singapore, new zealand, maybe australia... not really sure yet - going to save up some money and go with a friend.

u're definately right - we do have to be proactive - the doctors are not always right or they just don't know enuf about pcos- as i have found out - we have to take charge - listen to their advice but do what feels right for us, because - yes we only have one body.

well keep resting and i hope u feel better soon!

Claire x