[Asteria]

Hi! So this is long and I apologize for that! Here goes.

I am 22 years old, 5'5, around 115lbs. Even though I used to weigh 30+lbs more, I have always had a small chest... 32B (though I usually buy 34 because I have wider ribcage). I could probably wear an A really. I have had my hormones all tested recently and everything came back normal except slightly elevated prolactin, but nothing of concern. I do have suspected endometriosis though (heavy/painful periods, IBS, IC, etc).

However, I have symptoms of high DHT anyway (hair growth/loss in the wrong places, oily skin/hair) so before I got my hormones tested, I decided to try Saw Palmetto for two months. I only took it from CD 1 - 15 because I am also TTC. It did a lot of nice things... brighter "bigger" eyes, my nose looked smaller (it tends to get poofy at times), more feminine face shape, and fuller lips. However, side effects for me were more acne (maybe temporary?), hair shed, and oh yes - WEIGHT GAIN! It's about 5lbs in total from my usual weight, but I measured my thighs weekly (I know, obsessive but I was experimenting LOL) and they steadily increased over 2 inches each. Yikes. I also started to get a bit of dimply cellulite looking stuff on the backs of my thighs. But my waist actually got an inch smaller and so did my arms, etc I think because I take coconut oil too.

I did get a small increase in bust size, about an inch and a half, or two inches certain times of the month. It wasn't really as much as that sounds though, they look exactly the same, still really small, just a little fuller underneath. So it's not really worth the trade.

So I am looking to try something else! I really loved the good effects so I'm sad to see it go, but I hope I can take something else. I gain weight really, really easily. I know I am at a healthy weight now, but it yo-yos around a lot, no matter what sort of fitness/diet I have. I would like something that has an added effect of weight management/loss.

I am probably going to start drinking spearmint tea again which I know is also a DHT blocker and my DHT levels are fine, but I drank it before for about 5-10 days each month and I swear it made my leg/arm/etc hair grow slower! But it also causes... erm, personal dryness and libido decrease so I want to counteract that with an estrogen.

Is fenugreek safe to take while TTC? Are there any long term effects? How often do I take it, how much, and for how long can I take it? Could I take it potentially until menopause (so like 30 years maybe lol!) without danger? Do I need to cycle it?

At this point, I would even like to just see the same nice effects of fuller lips and whatnot. Here is my other concern - I have read phytoestrogens can take over natural estrogen production in women with normal (not high/low) estrogen levels. This happens apparently with birth control pills as well... So I don't want to become dependent on herbs to have estrogen since my estrogen is normal.

Where does this stand for things like red clover? What are other herbs that have feminizing effects on natural females with normal hormones? I just want a subtle boost. =) Would fenugreek be enough? I'm not expecting miracles, just the same kind of thing the SP did without the weight gain and moodiness.


IN SHORT... I talk too much so here are my issues I want to solve:
-breast growth
-fuller lips/more balanced facial features
-fuller/thicker hair
-libido/dryness issues
-possibly fertility

What herbs can help this? Or combinations? And how much?
Sorry for all the questions!

[Feather_rose]

Hi Asteria,

Sorry I cannot help you with all of you issues, but maybe you can get some info from what I have been doing. Like you, I tent to have elevated prolactine and likely testosterone, since I have some facial hair (not lots) and more defined muscles than I deserve, since I don't work out.

I started taking fenugreek about 1 1/2 months, three weeks ago added licorice, red clover and wild yam extract, and a week ago added peppermint and hops. Just as you described, I have noticed a considerable slowdown in the grow of facial hair and what grows is so thin that it is not noticeable. My lips are fuller and my acne has decreased. That is the good part. The bad part is that the fit physique has gone bye bye too. No weight gain, but definitively more floppy, soft. After reading your post I ran to measure my tights, and not, no increase, actually they reduced a bit.

As far as breasts, up to the point of adding hops I had not change in sensation (no growing pains or tingles). After the hops I have nipple sensitivity, but not tingles or pain. I am doing the herbs together with Brava, and I have some gains, but I can not tell whether is from the herbs or Brava.

So maybe you can try those herbs to get the "femininity boost" you are looking for. I think the effect on the facial hair started after the red clover/licorice/wild yam addition, which makes sense, since licorice is proven to reduce testosterone levels.

Best of luck,