An Unofficial Question for all the Ladies

I keep forgetting to post this, but I was wondering if any of you fabulous CF ladies who have tried and/or successfully used herbs and/or supplements (like Vitamin C) to bring on your period would be kind enough to post here about what you used and how it went? I've done a lot of research already into this over the past 20 years or so with about 1500 women I shared this info with, but I'm always wondering if I'm missing some info as I get ready to publish my book about herbal miscarriages.

I KNOW somebody here swore by parsley, and I'd love more details about how you used it -- fresh plant, how much, infusion or decoction (infusion is pouring boiling water over the herbs and letting them steep; decoction, which I believe is more effective with most of these herbs, is bringing the herbs and water to a boil for two minutes and then simmering the herbs anywhere from ten minutes to 20 minutes.)

Anything you can share about this is highly welcome! I'm wondering if there are some herbs or supplements out there that I've been missing as I pull this book together.

I've mentioned elsewhere that my fave recipe is a combo of fenugreek seeds and dried mugwort leaves. That's the one that has had a 100% success rate with the women I've shared it with, including me. I think it's a mistake to follow some of the info out there which recommends using black cohosh and blue cohosh in combination because I've NEVER known that to work for anyone.

So if you'd be kind enough to post any experiences you have with this here, I'd be eternally grateful!

ETA: I read your post wrong. I thought you wanted it for yourself. You're writing a book. Sorry. I will leave this post up in case it would be of use to other people.

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poofy
Certain essential oils are "contraindicated" when it comes to using them on pregnant women. The one that comes to mind immediately is pennyroyal. You might want to consult with an aromatherapist, or pick up a book or two about it. Two of them are Advanced Aromatherapy by Schnaubelt and The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Worwood.

Also, there are acupuncture points that are contraindicated for pregnant women. Tell the acupuncturist that your periods are irregular and you want to address that as your main complaint. Don't say you think you might be knocked up because they will worry about a lawsuit and won't touch you.

"Contraindicated in pregnant women" = may cause miscarriage, but that's what you want.

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"I have learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is easy and fun as hell"

:eatu

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SlumSlut
I've never had to do this, so I don't know if it will work, but it's worth a try:

Certain essential oils are "contraindicated" when it comes to using them on pregnant women. The one that comes to mind immediately is pennyroyal. You might want to consult with an aromatherapist, or pick up a book or two about it. Two of them are Advanced Aromatherapy by Schnaubelt and The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Worwood.

Also, there are acupuncture points that are contraindicated for pregnant women. Tell the acupuncturist that your periods are irregular and you want to address that as your main complaint. Don't say you think you might be knocked up because they will worry about a lawsuit and won't touch you.

"Contraindicated in pregnant women" = may cause miscarriage, but that's what you want.

Thanks for the input, Slum! Unfortunately, pennyroyal in oil form (essential oil form) is incredibly dangerous and frequently lethal (when taken internally.) It's possible that using it in MASSAGE/external form will give you the benefits (inducing your period) without the problems, but personally, I've always encouraged women to steer clear from that herb in every form. I'd even avoid the dried leaves for making a tea. Those aren't supposed to be dangerous, but I've known women to have bad reactions to them.

But yes, acupuncture is another sneaky tool to use -- a good one to put in the arsenal. You can always go to a practitioner with the stated intention of bringing on your period because you already have cramps and just can't wait to get it, tell him or her you're "due," and he or she will generally use the acupuncture points that release the uterine contents. Problem is, this is being deceptive, and acupuncturists as well as massage therapists usually want women to sign forms stating that they aren't pregnant, promise not to sue if they have a miscarriage, etc. I suppose you could always sign all that and still get the treatment you want!

Many herbalists of the pagan/midwife tradition are more understanding about giving you the herbs or herbal extracts you want, although some are breeders and will refrain from helping you. I like male Chinese herbalists myself - I've found them to be much more respectful of women knowing what they want their bodies to do!

One massage oil which is great to use externally is thyme essential oil. Thyme is also one of those stealth culinary herbs which, when taken orally, also can bring on your period (although it tends not be as powerful as fresh or dried parsley.)

Quick note: I'll be out of town this weekend and away from the computer, so if you post something here, I'll be able to respond Monday. Thanks in advance!

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SlumSlut
ETA: I read your post wrong. I thought you wanted it for yourself. You're writing a book. Sorry. I will leave this post up in case it would be of use to other people.]

No problems, SS! You raise some excellent points that I'll be sure to address in my book.

yeah, you're not supposed to take pennyroyal internally. The books say that. You inhale it, take baths in it, rub it on the skin. Same thing with Oil of Tansy. If you use it internally, it will inhibit the absorption of vitamin C and you get scurvy.

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"I have learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is easy and fun as hell"

:eatu

Have you read about using essential oils extensively? I'm not sure whether you are advising people to take essential oils orally, but this can be dangerous. They can still benefit users through absorption through the skin or inhalation. I'm not an expert, but I have read this in several aromatherapy books. However, I haven't read anything specifically about this use. Talking to an expert might be useful.

I'm not sure who you are talking to, but I have read extensively about essential oils and all the books warn against taking certain ones orally. I also have a degree in chemistry and would never recommend that people just put things into their bodies without knowing what they are doing. Also, I studied Chinese Medicine a long time ago and some of this I remember from that.

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"I have learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is easy and fun as hell"

:eatu

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dreamlife
Have you read about using essential oils extensively? I'm not sure whether you are advising people to take essential oils orally, but this can be dangerous. They can still benefit users through absorption through the skin or inhalation. I'm not an expert, but I have read this in several aromatherapy books. However, I haven't read anything specifically about this use. Talking to an expert might be useful.

Oh gods no, you never EVER take essential oils externally. A liquid herbal extract or herbal tincture is designed for oral use, essential oils taken internally can and will kill you! I go into great detail about the differences in my book, assuming that people aren't really experienced with this stuff. External oils are the type used in candles, aromatherapy products, and in massage oils---but you only use a few drops mixed in a base of a nice neutral vegetable oil like apricot, jojoba, sweet almond, or even olive oil. You CAN use just a few drops of essential oils on certain pulse points or acupuncture points to get some minor abortifacient effects, and thyme essential oil is one such oil. Other women have used pennyroyal oil externally to help bring on childbirth and/or induce a miscarriage, but I'm very wary about pennyroyal based on my own research and work with women, so I don't want anybody to be buyin' pennyroyal, 'kay?

PS Essential oils are the ones that come in a bottle with a cap on it; they smell very strong and are only to be used OUTSIDE the body. Herbal tinctures or herbal extracts, designed for oral use, have an eyedropper on the bottle and are meant to be taken orally, often in a little bit of water. If you go in a store and have any questions about which is which, please be sure to ask someone!

You can use certain essential oils as flavorings, such as peppermint, and they won't kill you. Trust me, I'm living proof.

Pennyroyal is also good as an insect repellent (moths, fleas, and ticks). So, I keep it around the house already.

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"I have learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is easy and fun as hell"

:eatu

Thanks! I use essential oils every day, and I know better than to take them internally, but I'm sure some don't. Thank you so much for making this clear to your readers (and us here).
Essential oils have amazing effects and I love, love, love them. However, I haven't explored tinctures yet. I haven't done the Bach Flower Remedies either.

I should clarify, folks, that I'm a holistic chick from way back with a former holistic counselling type of practice, and I'm trained in many herbal traditions, although I'm not a licensed medical professional. My book is an information type of book, but it's based on solid research -- including a lot of experiential research with roughly 400 women over the years.

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SlumSlut
You can use certain essential oils as flavorings, such as peppermint, and they won't kill you. Trust me, I'm living proof.

Pennyroyal is also good as an insect repellent (moths, fleas, and ticks). So, I keep it around the house already.

Sorry, it's late, I should have clarified that the CULINARY essential oils like oil of orange, oil of spearmint, etc. are one thing and can be used in foods --- but the essential oils I'm talking about are the type you find in health foods stores derived for EXTERNAL use only. Thanks for the correction!

And yeah, some people like to use the pennyroyal leaves as insect repellent. There used to be this great place called the Herb Store in Lititz, Pennsylvania run by a really wise herbal lady trained in one of the Native traditions by her grandfather, I believe. She always had the fresh pennyroyal there and did teach me about its insect repellant uses.

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loavesstillsuck
I should clarify, folks, that I'm a holistic chick from way back with a former holistic counselling type of practice, and I'm trained in many herbal traditions, although I'm not a licensed medical professional. My book is an information type of book, but it's based on solid research -- including a lot of experiential research with roughly 400 women over the years.

I'm excited to read your book! Best of luck on your project.

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dreamlife
I'm excited to read your book! Best of luck on your project.

Thank you very much. It's becoming a huge project, but I have a responsibility to nail down every single piece of information I provide to the women who might end up finding the book, wherever they are in the world (or in time and space if we end up being transported into some horrific "Enforced Pregnancy" reality sometime in the future!) It's weird writing something that you realize so many extremely desperate women are probably going to be reading -- it really forces you to be extremely careful, not assume people know what you're talking about when you use terms like "essential oil" or "herbal extract" or "infusion." I have to lay things out very clearly.

I do have a big, fat RANT section at the beginning, though, where I do talk about the TotZombies, the LifeScript, and the Conspiracy of the Childed -- to educate some people about the childfree viewpoint and the very real prejudices the childfree face. I hope you like that section!

Oh, and I CURSE here and there throughout the book, too. Gotta have a little fun. I don't have it in me to do "dry and boring."

PS I was doing some research today about how much crap women in the US military have to go through if they are raped and seek an abortion, or if they simply want an abortion. Every month it seems new laws are being floated out there which make it harder and harder for military women to get abortions from military health providers, even if they pay for the procedure with their own funds. UNBELIEVABLE! I want to send these women care packages of parsley! Of mugwort! Of fenugreek seeds! Fool the men into thinking da little womben are going to just cook them up a nice dinner, when really, they're bringing on their periods!

(Problem is, though, these herbs work best at the VERY first sign of a missed period to two weeks. You can use them up to five weeks after a missed period, but the efficacy drops of as you get out past two weeks beyond a missed period, which sucks. So maybe mothers whose daughters join the military should just quietly be provided with these types of "care packages" to take with them!)

As mentioned in the Protect Life Act topic, vitamin B6 seemed to help bring on a late period for me. I've never had much success inducing bitchy periods with vitamin C, parsley or black cohosh (though I think black cohosh is meant more to relieve menstrual pain or menopause symptoms).

Also, while not herbal in nature, sometimes rough sex or masturbation can push things along when done along with herbal methods. It can cause your uterus to contract, so I suppose if you do this along with taking parsley orally (to soften the cervix), you might be able to kick start a period that way. I'm a bit embarrassed to say I've spent quality time with myself in this manner and had my period start as a result. :redface

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Cambion
As mentioned in the Protect Life Act topic, vitamin B6 seemed to help bring on a late period for me. I've never had much success inducing bitchy periods with vitamin C, parsley or black cohosh (though I think black cohosh is meant more to relieve menstrual pain or menopause symptoms).

Also, while not herbal in nature, sometimes rough sex or masturbation can push things along when done along with herbal methods. It can cause your uterus to contract, so I suppose if you do this along with taking parsley orally (to soften the cervix), you might be able to kick start a period that way. I'm a bit embarrassed to say I've spent quality time with myself in this manner and had my period start as a result. :redface

Nothing wrong with spending quality time with yourself!

One thing I've personally found to be true (and also with my work with hundreds of women) is that using TWO herbs with a combo of emmenagogue and abortifacient qualities works the best for bringing on a late period........whether you're preggers or not.

Emmengogues are herbs which have a gentler effect on the uterus, spurring things on to simply bring on a late period. Abortifacients are more "hard core" in that they send a VERY strong message to the uterus to release its contents, NOW, whether implantation has occurred or not.

I've actually had 100% positive effects in my own experience and in the women I've recommended this to who have tried it with fenugreek seeds and mugwort because on a chemical basis they seem to hit that elusive, perfect point where emmenagogue meets abortifacient.

So this is the info I'm going into in great depth in my new book. Stay tuned!

Although I have never tried any herbs, I probably will now because I was unaware of all of this!hankyou Honestly, and I do realize how unhealthy this is, but what has worked for me in the past is very strenuous exercise, like three times what I would normally do in an average workout, followed by a couple of caffeine pills and massive amounts of alcohol. After awakening the next day after having finally passed out, let's just say it usually accomplishes my mission. It's unpleasant, but not as bad as what I had been dealing with prior to it.

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If YOU are the "exception" to what I am saying, then why does my commentary bother you so much?
I don't hate your kids, I HATE YOU!

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kidlesskim
Although I have never tried any herbs, I probably will now because I was unaware of all of this!hankyou Honestly, and I do realize how unhealthy this is, but what has worked for me in the past is very strenuous exercise, like three times what I would normally do in an average workout, followed by a couple of caffeine pills and massive amounts of alcohol. After awakening the next day after having finally passed out, let's just say it usually accomplishes my mission. It's unpleasant, but not as bad as what I had been dealing with prior to it.

Hey, Kidless, your exercise regimen is perfectly understandable! One thing I've discovered almost universally is if a woman sends a VERY clear message to her body that now is not a good time to have a baby, and sometimes this might include very strenous exercise, she will usually bring on her period and/or have a naturally miscarriage.

Doris Duke very famously did this. She fell in love with a Samoan fellow when she was staying out in Hawaii. She got pregnant. Of course, back in the day, zillionaire unmarried white heiresses didn't have babies out of wedlock with relatively "darker" Samoan fellows. So she went out surfing multiple times a day, brutalizing her body, and eventually had an early miscarriage.

The main problem I find is when women didn't know they were pregnant (I have my own stealth horror story with that, having dealt with an unintended pignancy while on Alesse birth control pills).....so they weren't able to exercise or take the appropriate herbs early on. After about two months into a pignancy the hormones in the body sort of take over, and it becomes much harder to rid yourself of an unintended pregnancy.

Get to it EARLY, however, and TAKE CARE OF IT, and herbs, as well as Vitamin C and/or exercise, will almost universally bring on your period when you want it.

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loavesstillsuck

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kidlesskim
Although I have never tried any herbs, I probably will now because I was unaware of all of this!hankyou Honestly, and I do realize how unhealthy this is, but what has worked for me in the past is very strenuous exercise, like three times what I would normally do in an average workout, followed by a couple of caffeine pills and massive amounts of alcohol. After awakening the next day after having finally passed out, let's just say it usually accomplishes my mission. It's unpleasant, but not as bad as what I had been dealing with prior to it.

Hey, Kidless, your exercise regimen is perfectly understandable! One thing I've discovered almost universally is if a woman sends a VERY clear message to her body that now is not a good time to have a baby, and sometimes this might include very strenous exercise, she will usually bring on her period and/or have a naturally miscarriage.

Doris Duke very famously did this. She fell in love with a Samoan fellow when she was staying out in Hawaii. She got pregnant. Of course, back in the day, zillionaire unmarried white heiresses didn't have babies out of wedlock with relatively "darker" Samoan fellows. So she went out surfing multiple times a day, brutalizing her body, and eventually had an early miscarriage.

The main problem I find is when women didn't know they were pregnant (I have my own stealth horror story with that, having dealt with an unintended pignancy while on Alesse birth control pills).....so they weren't able to exercise or take the appropriate herbs early on. After about two months into a pignancy the hormones in the body sort of take over, and it becomes much harder to rid yourself of an unintended pregnancy.

Get to it EARLY, however, and TAKE CARE OF IT, and herbs, as well as Vitamin C and/or exercise, will almost universally bring on your period when you want it.

I'd MUCH rather try the herbs than what I have been doing for over two decades to bring on periods!wink

Oh, catching it early on is absolutely paramount in accomplishing the mission too, you are 100% correct about that! Once the hormones flood the body and the little parasite gets good and comfy in the baybee oven, few things short of a lucky accident or a doctor's suction will likely pry it off. Seriously, sometimes, especially being peri-menopausal, I feel like my body is just "stuck" and it makes me miserable. I never have minded the short lived symptoms of "normal" periods, but this new bullshit is for the birds! I can not TOLERATE bloating for extended periods of time, those annoying cramps like you are almost gonna start and don't, weird cravings, and all of that other shit that early menopausal symptoms can cause.

I want that shit OUT of my body and when it does finally happen, I feel like a million dollars until the NEXT time it happens, which has been every 3-4 months for the past 2 years or so. I can't WAIT to try the herbal method and see if it works better for me!hankyou

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If YOU are the "exception" to what I am saying, then why does my commentary bother you so much?
I don't hate your kids, I HATE YOU!

Maca... taken every morning in my yogurt. Keeps the cycle regular so that I don't have to induce anything.

If I forget for a while... will start up again and after a couple weeks I'm good to go.

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J-lolo
Maca... taken every morning in my yogurt. Keeps the cycle regular so that I don't have to induce anything.

If I forget for a while... will start up again and after a couple weeks I'm good to go.

Hi, J-lolo! Sorry I didn't respond here sooner.

Maca is an interesting one. I'm assuming you're perimenopausal or menopausal? It seems to be most successful to bring on your period when you're in that age range. For younger people, it can have different effects depending on your unique body chemistry. In most traditions it's actually used to INCREASE fertility. I was doing some research on it and came up with loads of "I'm desperate to get pregnant!" forums where pignant women swore by maca to help them get pignant. It has some kind of paradoxical effects, chemically speaking. On the one hand, it can be used to increase fertility in one's childbearing years, and some herbalists also use it to bring on the actual birth and assist with that. But it seems that its tendency to hasten childbirth can also make it helpful for bringing on a late or a missed period in some women.

I would be interested to learn more about your experiences with it, if you check this thread again! Thanks in advance for your info.

Maca is one that I've personally found to be quite good within my circle for assisting with hormonal balances before and during menopause, much better than dong quai, which is so often the "go to" herb when women are looking for an herbal alternative to going on estrogen therapy. It can be great for hot flashes, mood swings, and the like at that age, and weirdly, if you're headed into menopause or already in menopause, it doesn't increase fertility at that age. It increases fertility when you're a little younger.

Many contradictory effects sometimes with these herbs!

My nieces come to me for pregnancy prevention advice. I will be waiting for your book!!! Please post when it's available. I love being the cool aunt who helps them out.

I don't know about bringing on periods, but fenugreek makes you...um...more "palatable" in the ladybits region....

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"[GFG's pregnancy is] kind of like at the stables where that one dumb, ugly-ass mare broke out of her corral one day and got herself screwed by the equally fugly colt that was due to be gelded the same afternoon."- Shiny

I guess I'll continue cooking with fenugreek on a weekly basis or so. Yet another incentive, in addition to the fact that it tastes good!