Thread: Dong Quai, Vitex or other Herbal drugs?

Oysterie, I'm not on any of those but my narutopath has put me on fish oil - DHA/EPA ones (can only have those ones) minerals and vitamins too and 1000mg of folate.

I read that red raspberry leaf should only be taken near the end of the pregnancy. I almost bought myself a box and I read it and it said on the box to avoid drinking it at all during early pregnancy-so I put it back on the shelf. Red raspberry leaf is supposed to fascilitate labor by reducing the pain because it prepares the uterus-for the same reasons I used to drink it around my AF to help with the cramps. Never heard anything about it making you more fertile, but if it does I would stop drinking it as soon as I found out I was pregnant.

I don't know enough about the others to advice you on them.

As far as the fish oil goes-what is the reason your neuropath decided to give you fish oil? I understand once you're pregnant that Omega 3 has a remarkable connection with higher IQs in children if taken during pregnancy and in early childhood. Many pregnant women avoid castor oil and such because of the great fear of mercury poisoning, and some decide to use vegetarian sources of Omega 3 for that reason. You also should consider the kind you use-a lot of the encapsulated pill kinds that give you "Fish" breath are rancid and very poor quality. If you do decide to take it it's best to buy a bottle where the oil is loose and not in capsules-you can smell it and it should NOT have a rancid fishy smell-it should not smell at all-the reason for it is that they tend to use better quality for the bottle than for the capsules-they assume you cant tell either way if it's in a capsule. It's best to refrigerate the bottle once you buy it-and some women even use a wine vacuum top to replace the regular top on the bottle before putting it in the fridge.

A plethera of information Ahlam...nicely done! I can't really comment much on the herbs. But, too, question the fish oil thing. You said your nuero doctor put you on these for TTC? Where you are from, is that the type of doctor who provided prenatal care like an OB? I have read in many many place about the vitamins to take to increase fertility, and none of them mentioned fish oil. I know you do need to avoid mercury during pregnancy and while TTC. I have read it is best to take prenatal vitamin and folic acid.

Good luck TTC!!

Duh, I meant cod oil when talking about Omega 3, or any other fish oil. Sorry, I'm still not used to my mornings without coffee.

Hi everyone,

I visited my doc today and showed him some of the info on Vitex etc and also on that of the drug "Fertilaid". He says he cannot recommend it because there are no evidence of proper tests, dosage or side effects.

He also cautioned me about the Red clover found in Fertilaid. He said it is known to induce heavy bleeding.

So, I guess for now, I will not consider these herbal remedies.

I got my last Lupron shot today for endo, and next month he is going to put me on Clomid.

I wonder if Evening Primrose can be taken with Clomid?

You have to be careful with the fish oil - has to be EPA/DHA as the other typoes are made from the liver which of course is Vitamin A. It actually helps with inflammation within your system as well as the benefits during preg such as cardviovas function - and lots more!