27 April 2012
an introduction to chasteberry
It's Friday again already. The kinda nice thing about working part-time and being in school part-time is that each weekday is varied and different, so the thrill of the weekend isn't as sharp as when I worked in a cubicle 40 hours a week. For example, on Mondays, I volunteer and then go to the office. On Thursday, I study all day - at home, a coffee shop or the library (usually a combination). But sometimes I switch it up and work on Thursdays instead, as I'm lucky to have the ability to be flexible with my work hours.
What's crazier than the fact that it is Friday is the fact that it is the last Friday in April. I keep saying this, because it keeps blowing my mind: the months are going by so, so quickly. We're now basically 1/3-done with 2012. Perhaps its because I'm accomplishing a lot within a short period of time - and taking classes that concretely mark the beginning and end of particular times of year.
An update on the fertility/hormones front is that my cycle continues to be completely irregular and wacky. Since June of last year, when I stopped hormonal birth control, I've had 5 cycles averaging 60 days in length, with potential ovulation in two of them (meaning: its not clear if I did or didn't, but I might have). On top of that, since I got my IUD two-and-a-half months ago I've had to deal with spotting pretty much all the time. At my 2-month post-insertion check up, the nurse at Planned Parenthood said that spotting is sometimes just a side effect of having an IUD and it may continue until its removed (probably several years from now). I can't help but wonder if continual spotting is a sign that the uterus is unhappy having something wedged up in it. Spotting all the time is not fun.
I am nearing the 1-year mark of being off hormonal birth control (yay!). When I first decided to do this, I read that it can take years (plural) for some women's bodies to re-adjust after HBC. I hope(d) mine is one of them... but I also might be default set to "irregular cycles all the time". I haven't had nice 30-day cycles since at least age 15/16. I remember them being pretty clockwork for a short time around that age because I charted them on the moon calendar and remember noticing I always got my period on the half moon, but the scant mention of periods in my old journals indicates they've mostly been irregular and I was on and off HBC during the end of HS and college, so I don't have clear data of my cycles over multiple years unaffected by hormones.
Ideally I'd go to a naturopathic or homeopathic doctor to be treated with a combination of herbs and acupuncture, but I can't afford that and I'm sure my insurance doesn't cover it (it's the kind of insurance that doesn't cover any contraceptive methods other than permanent sterilization). After doing some research on what the homeopaths would recommend, I've gone the frugal route and given myself a prescription for "herb therapy". There are some great books and websites by herbalists, and Chaste Tree (aka Chasteberry or Vitex) is one of the most widely used herbs to help regulate female hormones and reproductive capacities via the pituitary gland. I bought a tincture of it back in December in Oakland at this lovely (and quite massive) natural pharmacy store next to the Trader Joes in Rockridge. I used it two or three times, but I wasn't yet ready to delve into a committed regimen. (I was also just getting into sleeping in complete darkness, and wanted to see if it had any effect.) I think I also wanted to give my body some more time to hopefuly regulate itself before adding any external catalysts. But I'm getting tired of not knowing what's going on, and decided to take the first step in adding a supplement that might help.
Chasteberry is a plant that yields tiny little berries, that are dried and used to create liquid extracts (tinctures) or pulverized into capsules or tablets. The Greeks believed it deceased libido (hence the name) but I don't think they've found any evidence of that. It is used extensively in assisting with endocrine function.
The common prescription is taking 30-40 drops of the tincture 2-4 times a day for 3 months. There are no listed problematic side effects, although there hasn't been a lot of research done in this country on herbs so every woman seems to have her own experience. The American Academy of Family Physicians writes, "The German Commission E approves the use of chasteberry for irregularities of the menstrual cycle, cyclical breast discomfort, and PMS,2 and it is widely prescribed by family physicians and gynecologists in Germany", which is a nice seal of approval. I feel that Europe does many things better than the US - healthcare being one of them.
I've been taking it for five days, so I can't report any changes yet. I squeeze the drops into a cup with a small amount of water, as the taste is quite bitter. Now that I'm used to it, I'm going to try eliminating the water and putting the tincture directly under my tongue - this is apparently the best way. It's empowering to decide on my own to take a step towards healing my body with a substance I could make at home, given the dried berries and some vodka. I know that my busy schedule and the stress of tests, exams and staying on top of my job is not helping this quest, but I am doing what I can to reduce the impact. I make an effort to exercise three times a week, even for only half an hour each time, and I keep up with affirmations as much as possible. I'd like to include some quiet meditation/breathing time as well, but if the stress of fitting that in overrules the benefits, then it's better to leave it out!