Susun Weeds Wise Woman Forum

Hello herbal friends!

I have been very interested in putting myself on vitex. Unfortunately I have endometriosis and while I believe Ive learned that vitex can be useful for that I also have to take the birth control pill for now, until I can get my surgery. Ive also read that vitex is contraindicated with the BCP so this is what Im wondering. Is vitex contraindicated with oral contraception only because it makes the pill unreliable for birth control? Or is contraindicated for some other reason? I dont need the birth control pill for contraception I only take it for extreme menstrual pain and heavy bleed and it would be self destructive for me to go off it at this point. I hate it but I only need it until my surgery next year. Thank you!

Susun's book "Down There, Sexual and Reproductive Health The Wise Woman Way" has a chapter on Endometriosis and I don't see a mention of Vitex at all there. However she does say this about Shiitake Mushrooms "inhibit endometrial cell growth and may inhibit endometriosis too".

The only cautions I've seen regarding birth control pills and Vitex is that as you stated the Vitex causes the BCP to be less effective.
Vitex is used to prepare the womb for pregnancy and manage/regulate hormones so I wonder if it could antagonize the BCP and cause some other issues?