Name: Samantha
Did you have a pregnancy test? Yes
How was the pregnancy ended? Using Dong Quai. (only)
Is there anything that clued you in that the herbs might be working before bleeding started? With the first dose of 1000 mg (2 capsules), I began to feel cramps.
Is this your first pregnancy? No
What was the date of the first day of your last menstrual period?
What was the date when the herbs were started? April 26,2001.
What was the date the pregnancy was terminated? April 27,2001.
Were you using birth control? No.
Did you experience any symptoms or signs of pregnancy? I felt tenderness in my breasts, nausea, and fatigue. When did they start? About 3 days before my period was due.
Please include a summary of dosage information. My first dose was 1000 mg (2 capsules of the Dong Quai root), my second dose was the same and I began to cramp. The third dose was also 1000 mg but spotting stopped, so I began to double the dose beginning with the fourth dose. On my sixth dose bleeding began. I stopped taking the capsules and let my body do the rest of the work.
I began taking Dong Quai capsules at 8:00 on April 26,2001.I took 2 capsules (1000mg) every 4 hours. I had very mild cramping with the first dose and spotting after the second dose. But when the spotting stopped I had very strong doubts that it wasn't going to work. When I doubled the dose on the fourth dose, I didn't feel cramping at all. Then, I really started to worry about the herbs turning out to be unsuccessful. But at 5:00 on April 27,2001 I began to bleed. I didn't observe what came out in a cup, but I did notice that I passed a lot of blood clots, and the blood seemed to appear thicker than usual.
Side effects. The only side effect that I had was that I had more frequent urination, and a little dryness in my throat. (I found myself swallowing a lot and taking in more liquids than usual.)
How did being pregnant make you feel physically? Awful. I hated the nausea and my breasts were so tender that it was painful. And just the thought of being pregnant again (I am a mother of two) was unimaginable. Not only could I not afford another child, being a full-time college student and my husband being the only one working in the household, but the stress alone would have killed me! I am so glad that I found your web page. I think that what you're doing is a blessing to everyone and I applaud you for your giving and helpful heart. Thank you very much!
There are many lessons that can be learned from an experience such as this, Do you feel you have learned something from this experience? If so what? I feel that I have learned that you can't always rely on your body to do the things that you expect it to. Sometimes you need help from Mother Nature and the wise knowledge of people willing to help you.
Is there anything you would have done differently? I think I would have used herbal contraceptives instead of relying on my body's rhythm.
Submitted April 27, 2001
Age: 22
Weight: 153
Height: 5*1*
Pregnancy Test: Positive.
Herbs were successful.
Used: Dong Quai
When was it taken? April 19,2001
What was the result. Very Positive. Result came out very quickly. (Within seconds.)
Were you successful in using the herbs? Yes
My last menstrual period began on March 18,2001.
Do you know the date of fertilizing intercourse? What was it? March 31,2001 or April 1,2001.
What was the date you were expecting menstruation? April 18,2001.
How long do your cycles usually run? 30 days.
Do you cycle regularly or irregularly? Regularly.
How many weeks pregnant were you when the herbs were started? About 3 weeks
For how many days were the herbs used (total)? Almost 1 full day.
What kind/method of birth control/contraception were you using? Closely monitoring my most fertile days.
Do you know how/why it failed? I think I ovulated sooner than usual.
If you were not using birth control, please share why not. This method proved successful for 3 years.
Any positive effects? My breasts weren't as tender and my nausea wasn't as severe as before.
Where there any negative effects? No.
How did the herbs make you feel physically? I just felt very mild cramping at first and pressure in my vagina. (Felt like something heavy wanted to come out.)
