Gaia Herbs Vitex Berry, Chasteberry, Hormone Balance for Women, Vegan Liquid Capsules, Black 60 Count

There are plant based solutions beyond the birth control pill! You do not have to live like this! The most empowering thing you can do is take your health into your own hands and advocate for yourself because nobody knows your body like you do. My menstrual cramps have been absolutely debilitating since high school. My periods have always been irregular but when they do come, they come with a vengeance. It is the worst pain I have ever felt… I’m talking fever, shakes, blacking out, screaming and crying. There were times when I would lose motor functions in my face and hands because the pain was so severe. I went to visit a doctor twice over the years and both times they put me on birth control without asking many other questions. The pill was NOT for me. I felt fuzzy, depressed, bloated, and the thought of pumping myself with fake hormones felt so unnatural. This couldn’t be the only answer… I knew that there had to be another solution out there, but clearly I was going to have to figure that out for myself. When my face had an acne breakout that got out of control, I started researching my symptoms and diagnosed myself with “Estrogen Dominence.” I began researching the benefits of Vietx (Chaste berry) and DIM supplements and how they can be taken together in order to regulate female hormones in my body. During the first month of taking these supplements, the first symptom to go was my breast swelling and tenderness. Before taking them my breasts would get so large and painful that it would hurt to move for weeks leading up to my period. After taking the supplements, I barely see a difference in my breasts during my period. The next symptom to go was my hormonal acne. I still get pimples occasionally but it’s not anywhere near as bad as it was before starting Vitex and The DIM supplement. (In full transparency, I also updated my skin care routine so it could be linked to that as well.) The first month on the pills I still got pretty bad cramps but they didn’t escalate to their normal peak. The next month, I got a few cramps that required a hot pad but it was completely manageable. This has been my 3rd period since beginning the supplements and beyond a few annoying cramps the day that my period came, I’ve barely felt any different than any other day of the month. I encourage you to research your symptoms, the dangers of birth control pills, and the Vitex and DIM supplements on your own because one size does not fit all when it comes to our hormones. Like any strong medicine, there are dangers with taking the supplements even though they are plant based. The last thing I’d want you to do is throw your hormones off further. I felt the obligation to share my story so that women experiencing similar problems know that solutions like this are out there and that living in immense pain or taking birth control aren’t the only answers. You are smart and you know your body best. Good luck on your journey!

Works wonderfully to alleviate PMS symptoms. I am 33 years old and currently on my second round of Vitex. I took it a few years ago to ease the transition from birth control pills and to possibly help increase my fertility. I got pregnant my second month on Vitex. Unfortunately, I lost that pregnancy, but I do not think Vitex was to blame for the loss, as the pregnancy was ectopic. I started taking it for the second time eight months ago at a lower dose (1 pill a day rather than two, same brand). I started taking it to help with my PMS symptoms and acne and to hopefully help with chronic spotting, which has plagued me since my ectopic. It helped immediately with PMS symptoms. I foolishly went off it for a few weeks, since I had been on it several months with no change in the spotting and thought it wasn't working, and had the worst PMS of my life. I was very depressed and irritable for a week. My cramps were awful as well. I started again the second day of my cycle and haven't looked back. I still have a bad day or two before my period, but it's a day or two, not a week.It hasn't helped much with the acne, which is cystic and awful. I'm on cephalexin for it, and that does seem to help a bit. As I said, Vitex doesn't seem to help my chronic spotting much, although I've started spotting later the past two cycles (9-10 days past ovulation, instead of 4-7 days past O), so maybe it's just slow to work for spotting or maybe I should take two pills instead of one, although that seems to give me a headache when I try. It hasn't helped with breast tenderness. I've always been an early ovulator (day 9-12), and had a long luteal phase (17-18 days). Vitex has decreased my luteal phase, which I don't mind since it was quite long, to around 14-15 days. My ovulation has stayed on its typical days. Thus, Vitex has shortened my overall cycle, which is usually around 24-27 days now.I am not trying to conceive, so I cannot speak for an increase in fertility this go-round, although I did recommend it to my hair stylist who had been trying for a year and a half. She has PCOS and has very long cycles, had attempted several IUIs, rounds of Clomid and Femara, was charting with opks and temps, and her timing had been perfect every month. She is currently pregnant naturally after taking Vitex for two months, which seems to be the magic number in terms of ttc.She and I both noticed the following on Vitex: Better moods, lighter periods, less cramps, better quality cervical mucus, better sleep, very stable temperatures, with lower pre-O temps and higher post-O temps. My pre-O temps are now almost always 97.7 with a 97.5 dip on O day, and 98.6 with a couple 99.0 spikes during my luteal phase. She runs cooler than I do, but her temps were also stabilized on this herb. She noticed a significant increase in her sex drive. Mine has always been high, so I didn't notice that, but I can say that Vitex has not decreased my sex drive at all.Vitex is supposed to take a long time to work. Perhaps it does for some, or perhaps it takes longer to work on certain issues, such as spotting or acne. Yet I noticed immediate improvement with PMS. For that reason alone, I HIGHLY recommend Vitex. My advice is to listen to your body, go gently, and be patient with this herb. Good luck, ladies!