On November 8, I started taking 50mg Pycnogenol® (GNC brand) per day for the next 60 days.
On November 18, my menstrual period started. It was lighter and less painful than usual, such that I was able to withstand the pain without taking painkillers.
(I bled normally for about a week, and then continued to be “spotty” until 5 days before the next menstrual period.)
On December 16, my menstrual period started, and it was completely pain-free. The flow was normal for me (on the heavy side).
(Again, I bled normally for about a week, and then continued to be “spotty” all the way up to the next menstrual period.)
January 9 was the last day of taking 50mg Pycnogenol®.
On January 13, my menstrual period started, and it was also completely pain-free. Again, the flow was also normal for me (on the heavy side).
(This time, I bled normally for about a week, but there was no “spotting” at all until the next menstrual period.)
On February 6, my menstrual period started, but the pain was back and just as debilitating and excruciating as ever. I was in a fetal position and bedridden for 24 hours, even with the help of painkillers.
Since February 7, I’ve resumed taking Pycnogenol® (The Vitamin Shoppe brand), but this time with 30mg per day to see if that wouldn’t cause the “spotting” and still deliver a pain-free menstrual period.
What prompted me to take Pycnogenol® in November? I was having an itchy rash all over my shins, front of my thighs, my stomach, front of my arms, and front of my neck. Suspecting the rash was an allergic reaction of some kind, I thought Pycnogenol® would help. About 10 years ago, I started taking grape seed extract because a friend recommended it for boosting energy. (I had low energy level.) It turned out that grape seed extract boosted my energy (without making me jittery like caffeine does) and relieved my environmental allergies in the spring and fall. I took grape seed extract for about 5 years, but eventually stopped out of laziness and I believed it boosted my appetite. So, knowing that grape seed extract is similar to pine bark extract, the ingredient of Pycnogenol®, I wanted to give it a try to help with the rash. It turned out that Pycnogenol® didn’t relieve the rash and itch, but it somehow affected my menstrual period. (By the way, the rash/itch relief came when I stopped eating certain fruits.)
What is Pycnogenol®? I’ve just looked it up. According to MedlinePlus:
Pycnogenol is the US registered trademark name for a product derived from the pine bark of a tree known as Pinus pinaster. The active ingredients in pycnogenol can also be extracted from other sources, including peanut skin, grape seed, and witch hazel bark.
Pycnogenol is used for treating circulation problems, allergies, asthma, ringing in the ears, high blood pressure, muscle soreness, pain, osteoarthritis, diabetes, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a disease of the female reproductive system called endometriosis, menopausal symptoms, painful menstrual periods, erectile dysfunction (ED), and an eye disease called retinopathy.
It is also used for preventing disorders of the heart and blood vessels, including stroke, heart disease, and varicose veins.
Pycnogenol is used to slow the aging process, maintain healthy skin, improve athletic endurance, and improve male fertility.
Some people use skin creams that contain pycnogenol as “anti-aging” products.
Who knew? Let’s see if Pycnogenol® at 30mg a day will help me with next month’s menstrual period. Stay tuned!