coming off the pill

[chloe]

Im 21 and have been thinking about coming off the pill as i have been on it for 5 years now (currently on Yasmin) so think i should really take a break and also as i dont need it for contraceptive purposes. the thing is im a bit scared to come off it becos i heard that your periods are really irregular and also becos i used to get bad pms too. also before i started the pill i used to be worryingly thin to everyone but it has given me a more womanly shape so im scared im going to lose my curves which i probably wouldnt normally have. does anyone have any advice or experiences with coming off the pill?

[crazykat]

hey there after i stopped the pill i got my periods back alomost straight away and were monthly so i was really happy with this. girls is this normal or have others had dif experiences?

[Sheridanp]

I have had major problems since coming off the pill. My periods have been extremely irregular...i am actually two weeks late now, and had to do a pregnancy test just to make sure (not pregnant). I do feel a lot better though not having all those hormones in my system, i just wish my cycle would fix itself up!!!

[Chloe]

hi there well idecided to do it and its been 9 days without the pill and i feel really good about myself (prob psychological!!)if you dont mind me asking, once you stop when is it normal for me to get the next period?is it unrealistic to expect it as in like the four weeks it would normally be?(before i was on the pill i was quite regular) also i have heard that you can detect when you are ovulating by body changes and then if you know you have ovulated you should get your period sometime after, does anyone know how you can detect ovulation?

[Little_S]

Hi,

I came off the pill only a week ago, after being on it for 5 years (I'm 21 btw), I'm quite excited about finding out how I'm going to be reacting in a months time, as I'm not really a moody person but will be finishing uni in 2 months time and will be pretty stressed! Should be interesting! But one thing that I have noticed is that my appetite seems to have gone up slightly, I'm still hungry after I've eaten, and am snacking a lot. I'm a small boned, average weight girl (7.5-8 stone) and don't really want to put on any weight! Is anyone else experiencing this?

[Chloe]

hey, your more or less in the same situation as me!i came off just a week ago and was only saying to my housemate how i cant stop eating!I used to get cravings around my period but now i seem to have them all the time.maybe its our hormones or something kicking in again after being redundant for so long!but yeh i hope it dont last becos i didnt think stopping the pill would make you put on weight!I just hope that i get my period in a months time or sometime around then!

[Little_S]

At first I thought it was the Tesco 8p noodles that I'm living off and how innutritious they are, but no . At least I’m going home for Easter soon and will be fed lots of fruit and veg!

[Chloe]

ah i miss being a student!!!im currently on my year abroad but go back to uni in sept for my last yr and cant wait, well except for all the work thatl have to be done after having it easy for a year and a half!!

[may anne]

I came off the pill about a month a go and my period was suppose to come on Friday..Im glad I read all the comments as im not as worried, even though my boyfriend is stressed. Just handed in my dessitation today so thought it might be stress, but hopefully it will come soon...do you think its stress or just that my body is regulating itself? Ive been extremely careful....well fingers crossed

[little_S]

No need to worry, apparently you might go without a period for about 6 months! It takes ages for your body to adjust itself, but I have heard a few times that you might be period free for up to half a year, then will be irregular, or it might be sooned than 6 months.

[k9trainingbiz]

Everyone's body reacts differently. There is no expected time frame to look for. Some return to normal in a month, some in 6-9 months. The pill is actually synthetic hormones designed to mimic pregnancy. It stops your body from producing natural ones. When you stop, your body has to start producing them again and then regulating, which is different for every woman and they can be irregular for a few month, too.

As far as detecting ovulation, there is a thicker discharge than normal, your body temperature will be slightly elevated and you will be desiring sex more than usual. There is also something called Mittelschmirtz, a pain on either side of the lower abdomen that lasts a day or two. This is the result of the egg being released from the ovary. Not all women experience this, tho.

[Chloe]

thanks k9, least il know what kind of things to look for as i get back to normal!

with being on the pill for so long i cant remember what normal is but i think il just b happy once i get the first period again and know that everyhting is ok!

its just annoying cos every now and then i get random almost period like cramps and keep thinking 'this will be it' but i just need to relax and forget about it i guess!

[k9trainingbiz]

Yeah, that's normal. Your periods may be somewhat erratic for a while when you do start - don't worry as long as you use some other reliable form of birth control. (But you already knew that !)

[Christy]

Five years on the same contraception is a long time. Presumably, you've had regular check-ups with you GP/MD. If you are considering stopping with any kind of hormonal contraception, it's best to consult your GP or Family Planning nurse first.

Once you stop using the contraceptive pill (whichever type) or Depoprovera (injections) there will be a certain period (please excuse the word) until your menstrual cycle becomes more regular. Irregular periods are not unusual for at least the first 3 months after stopping long-term hormonal contraception.

You shouldn't be worried, but if it continues, see your GP - for reassurance if nothing else.

Christy x

[Chloe]

yeh thanks there, hopefully everything will be ok!im currently in france til may and didnt really think about seeing my doc back home as i thought it would be ok to just stop. but il b back to uni in sept so will be able to see my proper doc then if not a temporary one while im at home if i need to see someone before.

i have always had the regular checks up until recently as they have started prescribing the pill for 12 months now. im not in a relationship now so im not worried about that but in the future if/when it happens i guess id go back to the pill cos i dont really know hw reliable other options are although if my system gets back to normal without any probs il be very reluctant to start up again!