[jaybee11]

Hi everyone,
I have been doing a ton of research for a few years. I'm long overdue joining here, probably because I try to hard to deal with my issues alone, so I don't really know where to start. I tried strictly herbal nbe about 5 years ago for a year with no luck. Had my first baby so stopped for a while. Then tried noogleberry for another year, and stuck to it, with no luck. Tried PM without cycling, for around 6 months with absolutely no results, and had my second baby so stopped. Now I want to try PM again, with cycling, I'm even charting my temps to determine when I ovulate because I have very long cycles, around 43-45 days on average. I have always had long cycles and had my hormones checked and was told I just have long cycles and no imbalances since I was able to have 2 smooth pregnancies. I breastfed both babies. Started out as 34a, gained a cup while breastfeeding due to mere engorgement with milk. Now I'm smaller and emptier than I have ever been in my life, totally deflated and as much as I've already tried to get somewhere with growth the decrease and deflation has just been adding insult to injury and it's really discouraging. So I'm hoping to find the right combo of methods/supplements to get somewhere, with the help of you great people here...
A bit more on me, I'm 5'6" with a slim build, high metabolism, with shoulders, waist and hips almost at the same width, meaning rectangular/athletic shape and I have to stay slim to feel comfortable in my skin because when I gain weight it doesn't ever go to my boobs. Only to my arms, stomach and legs. My entire chest literally stays bony no matter how much weight I gain. So to be proportional I have to stay very slim. I have a low BMI like around 21% but like I said any higher won't help my boobs. Now I don't know if this paints a hormonal profile 'pic' for anyone..or if there's anyone out there with suggestions or with a similar situation..I'm desperate to get the tiniest bit of results..
Thanks so much for reading all of this.

[jaybee11]

I forgot to add a couple things. I just turned 31. I've always been keen on good nutrition and have a good diet with high protein and healthy fats, take a multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin d, zinc, vitamin c, probiotic and msm. I just received my PM from Biovea, and am thinking of starting my new program next cycle, with fenugreek and saw palmetto in luteal phase.
That's all for now! Thanks everyone!

[TibetanPrincess]

I forgot to add a couple things. I just turned 31. I've always been keen on good nutrition and have a good diet with high protein and healthy fats, take a multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin d, zinc, vitamin c, probiotic and msm. I just received my PM from Biovea, and am thinking of starting my new program next cycle, with fenugreek and saw palmetto in luteal phase.
That's all for now! Thanks everyone!

Strive for a 28 day cycle (ideal). Once you stabilize your menses, you should be growing in no time as long as your program does not interfere with it and bring it back. Long cycles are NOT normal. I can't believe they told you that.

[jaybee11]

Thanks for your reply. In the past every time my hormones were tested and deemed 'balanced' the only treatment or suggestion I would get for my long cycles was to regulate it with birth control. I tried almost every bcp pill out there and finally realized it wasn't for me because I was not myself on them and can't tolerate the emotional and mental side effects it had on me. Nor did they have any effect on my breast size anyhow. So now I'm back to square one and now have no idea how I would regulate my period to be 28 days long. Normally my temps show that I take almost a month just to ovulate (and that's how I got pregnant!) with a two week luteal phase. However this month my temps are showing I took about 14-16 days to ovulate but my luteal phase is appearing longer than 2 weeks so either way I've had both longer luteal and follicular phases, by 2 weeks usually, explaining my 43-45 day cycles. I started massaging with PM cream from Biovea, have been taking milled flax seed daily for a month and have also been drinking organic soy milk daily for a month, which might explain how I ovulated sooner than usual. To balance off the potential estrogen dominance I've been taking fenugreek but have only started that a couple weeks ago, as I plan to start my PM program next cycle..
Thanks again for your input.

[TibetanPrincess]

Sounds like you are going to have research extensively to find the right herbs for both luteal and follicular phase. Good luck!

[jaybee11]

Thanks, that's what I'll work on next!

[jaybee11]

On second thought, there are times I think that the 28 day cycle concept is based on a population average and is the textbook number. And I've read that anything up to 45 days can still be considered a normal cycle. In which case, if I'm charting my temps, getting a clear biphasic chart that shows when I ovulate, can't I work with that and take PM in my follicular phase and other herbs like fenugreek and saw palmetto in luteal? As long as I am working within my own cycle? I'm confused...

[AbiDrew85]

28 day cycles aren't JUST a population average - they're also an ideal.

But... As long as you have a regular 45 day cycle there's really no reason to force it to a 28 day since there's a high chance you could throw yourself into irregularity, which is far far worse.

I think tibetan just figured automatically (and incorrectly in your case) that your "long cycles" were a case of irregular cycles... but since that isn't the case... There's no reason you can't adapt whatever you like to your own cycle...

[TibetanPrincess]

On second thought, there are times I think that the 28 day cycle concept is based on a population average and is the textbook number. And I've read that anything up to 45 days can still be considered a normal cycle. In which case, if I'm charting my temps, getting a clear biphasic chart that shows when I ovulate, can't I work with that and take PM in my follicular phase and other herbs like fenugreek and saw palmetto in luteal? As long as I am working within my own cycle? I'm confused...

I used to think the same thing. I never had 28 day cycles mine were always 30-34. I just don't see why mother nature would do that for some. I would think we would all be the same on the clock. Take bowel movements. I think every single human on this earth should be going at least once a day (ideal).

I am no doctor but I have never felt so much better since my 28 days have started. My growth seem to pick up a little more too. But I say try it. See if NBE works with it. There is no hurt in trying but my gut says 28 days is a more balanced woman.

[jaybee11]

Thank you both for your input! Interestingly enough, and not sure if anyone else has noticed something like this, but this cycle all month I was having milled flax and organic soy milk daily and I think it made me ovulate much sooner than usual because my cycle was 30 days long! A huge improvment from the usual 43-45 day cycle! So I'm happy about that and feel I have more of a balanced starting point to work from. I guess I should start a program page and go from there. Thanks again!