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PSA: Evening Primrose Oil

hrs2010hrs2010
in 3rd Trimester

Just so none of you do the stupid thing that I did last night:

 The bottle of Evening Primrose Oil says "take 5 softgels daily with food" so I popped 5 of them last night.  As it turns out, another delightful side effect of this stuff is that it acts as a "hormone balancer."  Which basically means that if your hormones are sort of out of whack to begin with and you take 2500 mg of this stuff, you will enjoy several hours of extreme irritability followed by an uncontrollable crying jag. (Of course, I realize I am blaming the supplement when really, I could just be experiencing 38 weeks 4 days of pregnancy finally taking its toll, but I did feel noticeably different about 2 hours after having taken this stuff).

I might stay away from the herbal supplements now.  Ugh. 

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Re: PSA: Evening Primrose Oil

  • meldotmeldot
    My doula has instructed me to insert EPO vaginally before I go to bed starting at 38 weeks, rather than taking them orally-maybe that would help instead?
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  • hrs2010hrs2010
    Yeah I may try that tonight.  I'm sort of icked out by the idea though.
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  • meldotmeldot

    i always thought that it was just to help prevent tearing, so I'm down to try whatever. Although I've also read that it "readies your cervix for labor"

     

     

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  • Mrs. TLCMrs. TLC

    if you plan to take 5, spread them out throughout the day, don't take them all at once....

    my doula recommends the following schedule:

    34 weeks - 1x/day orally

    35 weeks - 2x/day orally

    36 weeks - 3x/day orally

    37 weeks and on - 3x/day orally + 1-2 day vaginally(you can use a sterilized needle to puncture a hole in it before inserting it - put it in right before bed (after sex); wear a panty liner to bed to catch the drip)

    also recommends daily sex from 36 weeks on,,,,, not sure how/if that will happen, but will try!

     

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  • gracelord121809gracelord121809 member
    imagemeldot:

    i always thought that it was just to help prevent tearing, so I'm down to try whatever. Although I've also read that it "readies your cervix for labor"

     

     

    The only way it helps to prevent tearing is if you put the oil on your fingers and give yourself a pernial massage. Then again you can use any oil for a pernial massage and get the same effect. Shoving that pill up there only helps to soften or rippen your cervix, although some claim it can cause dialation. image
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  • cari12cari12

    That's because you're not supposed to take it all at once :-P

    I take 3/day (spread out, morning - afternoon - evening) right now but may bump it up to 4. I'm just doing orally right now, I get vaginal infections pretty easily if I'm not careful so I don't want to give myself any more reason to be uncomfortable and semen has the same effect so I'll see if some sexy time with DH works before considering putting anything else up there!

    I've heard it only works if your cervix is already starting to ripen though.

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