Have you STOPPED using birth control??

catshark209

I remember it took a few months for me to go back to normal. I hated my 6 day periods and major PMS so I got on the Pill. I started getting really moody and weird so I changed to another. That one caused breakthrough bleeding. I basically always bled. In addition to all that, I gained 10lbs.
I decided stop the pill totally and the first two cycles after Pill were off a bit but eventually I got back to normal. Fitness helps too with the PMS and bloat etc. My partner and I are extra careful but its been two years and no pregnancy scares. I am absolutely done with kids too. We have three between the both of us, so that's it.

nport1

My side effect was weight gain. I actually went to the doctor last week and was started on Metformin (because I have PCOS). So when I stop the pill all of the symptoms come back. I gained 20 lbs in two months....very unhealthy. Since last week I have lost 2 lbs once started on the medicine to control PCOS. Good luck!

XFitMojoMom

I have tried two kinds of BC (NuvaRing and LoEstrin Fe), and I have experienced the same side effetcs with both-- weight gain that seems stuck & won't come off, emotional mood swings, an almost non-existent sex drive, and constant lethargy/fatigue. :ohwell:

I started Nuvaring after the birth of my 2nd child. I believe it sent me into PPD, weight gain was out of control and as you said, ZERO Libido. I immediately took myself off of it and went natural, rhythm method. Since we are done with children, and made sure of that decision (4 years after the last child's birth), DH went for the big V last month.

mrb_9110

I stopped taking mine because it was making my depression worse, and the water retention just wasn't worth it. I tried 4 different kinds before I said enough with it all ready. I recently talked to my dr about getting an IUD, not sure about it yet but I think that is my next route.

I got the Mirena IUD (my pill was going to cost me a lot more than it had previously). it does have progesterone (sp?) but not estrogen, so the hormones in it are a little different. I've had a great experience with it, and my doc like some others let me get it even though i haven't had kids. The insertion was a little painful, but my periods are so light it was definitely worth it. if you're sensitive to the hormones altogether, there is a copper IUD with no hormones (the copper is toxic to sperm but safe for you). but if you are looking to have kids in the next few years, you may just want to go with condoms.

Qarol

I took Yasmin for years (the generic Ocella when it came out), starting around summer 2005. I stopped taking it after my husband's vasectomy (the all-clear came about 4 months after). That was around spring 2010. I never noticed any side effects while taking it. And I certainly didn't notice anything after stopping.

mlogan00

I haven't read all of the replies yet, but I stopped taking birth control about a year after getting married. It was making me pshyco. I was so mentally and emotionally unstable and it took me that long to figure out that was a big cause of it. I did also gain 40 lbs in that year.

I highly recommend the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility". It's really insightful about your body.

WhiteRaven

I got off the pill because my moods were like a rollercoaster.

I had had enough.

After being off of it I felt better, had a better attitude..

That, and I don't have to remember to take the bloody thing every day

Cheers
WR

4thehardman

I came off birth control twice. As you can see from my ticker. I won't be doing that again!

I take Diane, I have not noticed any moods or weight gain but that might be because I was fat and a bit of a ***** to start with :laugh:

marnijojo

I stopped Sept 24 - the day I was diagnosed with a blood clot. The doctor said that BC pills are a risk factor for blood clots in ladies 'my age' (whatever, doc - just say 'middle aged'). Periods are longer, but I have not been off long enough probably to notice any real changes. Acne was actually worse when I was on BC. Good luck making your decision - lots of great advice and info to consider.

ical50

It has been 3 years since I stopped taking BC and I do not plan to ever take it again! Everyday you will feel better and "more yourself". Like one of the other ladies said, the only side effect......a baby! We did natural family planning and it worked fine as long as you are very conscience of your cycle and keep track of your days! Best wishes!

Beatrix0810

I went off BC three years ago and I've never been happier (and no, I did not get pregnant!) you just have to commit to using other reliable forms of BC (hello condoms!). My body has synced with itself, and it feels amazing to have my own hormones running the show. I personally enjoyed the decision.
Weight gain wise- BC or not- its all about committing to healthy living- and as I have started my weight loss journey its only made me realize more how great healthy eating can make me feel- because my body responds way better without all those extra hormones running through my system.

Just my experience :flowerforyou:

Cool! Yeah, I think I'm in the same place as you were right about now... I'd like MY hormones back, please... haha :bigsmile:

I actually used to take Loestrin FE 24. Quitting hormonal birth controll has been the absolute BEST idea I've ever made. I suffer from chronic migraines and when I stopped taking hormones they virtually went away! I used to get 1 to 2 per week, I now get 1 per month MAYBE. I also lost 8 lbs. right off the batt after I stopped taking the pill. The problem is that I'm not married and still needed to hold off on the baby-coaster until I'm ready. So I had the Paraguard Copper IUD insterted into my uterus and, yes, it was a painful two minutes when they inserted it, but I get to wait until I'm ready to have kids AND there is no weight gain or other side effects to deal with. I feel 100% like myself again and would NEVER go back to taking hormones. The best thing about this IUD is that it's actually more effective than taking the pill. Go figure!

Good luck! You won't regret your decision. I can promise you that!

mscoco10

I stopped the pill back in June. So glad i did. i didn't have any side affects after. I say use condoms and the ole withdrawal method should work out okay.

4thehardman

The hormones are a real ***** but the cycle method didn't work for us. I got pregnant with the triplets when I was breastfeeding Sophs and she was 7 months old. Heck of a shock so I will stick with the hormones since I don't want to get sterilised. I'd take too many hormones over none at all!

hpsaucette

Not sure if anyone else has mentioned it but the coil is a great alternative to the pill. I was on POP pills, progesterone only, which really didn't work for me hormonally with all kinds of side effects and a complete pain to remember to take every day. A few of my friends got the hormonal coil before me all without practically any side effects or discomfort, two of them were really lucky and don't get periods/spotting at all, I have minimal. Because it's er...localised the actual amounts of hormones is tiny in comparison with the pill, plus you don't have to think about it at all for five years, or less if you wanted to stop birth control before that which is easily doable. There's also the non-hormonal copper coil which actually has about the same percentage protection as the pill!
Good luck!

I have never heard of the "coil" What is it and can you get it through your gyno? Is it the IUD?

Yeah the IUD or IUS, one of them is the copper one and the other hormone release (mirena), sorry should have used it's proper name

coyoteo

I was on various birth controls for 10 years....and then decided to stop and my hormones were ALL messed up. The dr diagnosed with with pcos, which I'm sceptical on because I was totally fine before birth control....and I don't have any other symptoms. So really, I wish I had stopped sooner or never started!!!

Salexan13

I'm on NuvaRing and I love it! I'm not having any side effects like I was having on the pill. The question is would you rather gain weight from BC or would you rather gain weight from a baby? Its kinda a lose lose situation. Either way your guna gain weight and your hormones are going to be retarded.

killerqueen17

I'm on NuvaRing and I love it! I'm not having any side effects like I was having on the pill. The question is would you rather gain weight from BC or would you rather gain weight from a baby? Its kinda a lose lose situation. Either way your guna gain weight and your hormones are going to be retarded.

I guess you didn't read my original post... lol. I was on NuvaRing, and unfortunately for me it definitely caused a lot of side effets. But anyway, it's not just the weight gain, there's a lot more going on than that. ...and I'm gonna have kids in a couple years anyway, so if one arrived a little earlier, well that's wouldn't be a huge deal...

Again, many thanks to everyone who answered!! :bigsmile:

brunzella92

I went off bc this past August w/o any side effects. I was on a low ogestrel one. I've been on bc since i was 19, so A LONG TIME lol! I remained on it due to cysts. I switched to the Depro shot......wanted to shoot myself, it was awful, worst side effects and huge weight gain Anyways, i've been fine off the pill for several months now and my period is now every 25 days instead of 28-30 but oh well I am also trying to start a family!

kimberly130

I stopped about 6 months ago, I think the formula changed or something, I was going from calm to CRAZY over nothing, freaking out and being a nut job for no reason. The pills made me really sick all the time and Id cry if you looked at me the wrong way. My poor husband thought he was going to have to admit me! (thank goodness hes so patient!) Anyway, I stopped after being on it for over 10+ years and it was like a cloud had lifted! I was calm, NICE, and didnt feel like puking all the time AND i lost weight! After a while I talked to 2 of my friend and they said THE SAME THING!
One "bad" thing was my period was really heavy, but once I got back into the swing of exercising I noticed it got better and my cramps were not so bad!
Whew good luck to you and I hope this helps!:glasses:

wigglemytoe

Google Mirena. I would highly recommend it. I have not experienced weight gain from it and any pms symptoms I had prior to the Mirena procedure remained the same and didn't worsen or change. An added bonus is that periods are diminished or non existent for many women. I was one of the lucky ones and have not had a true period in at least seven years The procedure took literally less than five minutes at my OB-GYN office, there was no discomfort before, during, or after, and was covered by insurance. It lasts up to five years or can be removed sooner if pregnancy is desired before then.

killerqueen17

Google Mirena. I would highly recommend it. I have not experienced weight gain from it and any pms symptoms I had prior to the Mirena procedure remained the same and didn't worsen or change. An added bonus is that periods are diminished or non existent for many women. I was one of the lucky ones and have not had a true period in at least seven years The procedure took literally less than five minutes at my OB-GYN office, there was no discomfort before, during, or after, and was covered by insurance. It lasts up to five years or can be removed sooner if pregnancy is desired before then.

Yeah I have heard both good and bad things about Mirena... I've researched all the IUD's but they seem to not recommend them for women who have never given birth. Apparently it is more likely to fall out and/or cause problems for a woman who has never been pregnant... so that sort of deterred me!

darrcn5

Hormonal birth control is the devil for me. I was on Ortho Tricyclen and Ortho Tricyclen Lo at a later point. HUGE mood swings, irritability, lower sexual desire. When I stopped taking it, the side effects went away within a month.

I recommend the Paraguard IUD. It is a copper IUD, so NO hormones, which is awesome.

havalinaaa

I stopped using hormonal birth control a few years ago for many of the same reasons that you did - moodieness, weight gain, and lack of sex drive. I was on nuva ring when I stopped, but had previously used at least 3 different pills (ortho tricyclene, ortho-lite, and something else I don't remember). Now I use a combination of condoms and avoiding sex during the 5 days surrounding my ovulation.

My mood swings are better, the weight gain stopped and dropped off, though I gained it back later for other reasons, and the sex drive is definitely back. I feel so much better off hormonal birth control than I did on it! I intend to get an IUD one day, the copper one not mirena, but probably won't until after I have my first child. I have two friends who tried an IUD before having children and both had it removed within 2 months. But then again I have one friend who has an IUD and never had kids and has no trouble, but I'd rather wait personally.

nyctraveler

LOL the above post made me laugh.

I don't think there are any side effects. Some pills are supposed to help with the moodiness so I would recommend trying some different types of pills to find one that works better for you.

Ditto been on it for over 4 years

epona_mus

I only had good side effects from various low-dose BCPs but tried the Mirena IUD as a more long-term solution. The Mirena IUD perforated my uterus and migrated into my abdominal cavity. Main side effect was birth of child #3 along with massive hemorraging (12 unit transfusion required).

fiberartist219

I stopped taking mine about 6 weeks ago. Since then, my appetite is less (yay for losing weight!) and my acne is back. I feel like a teenager again.

My husband and I are abstaining until I decide if I want to get an IUD. I'm pretty sure I want to get the Paragard, but I hear it makes your cramps and bleeding worse for the first few months. I don't even know what my period is like without the birth control pills. I had a period right after stopping, and again about two weeks later. I'm due to start again any day now, but I don't think I will. My period is irregular when I'm off the pills. My doctor said that if I don't get it in 2 months, something might be wrong with my hormones and my thyroid. Ugh.

I want to have at least one more complete cycle before I get the Paragard just to see what my natural cycle is like.

darrcn5

Fiberartist, I have had my Paraguard for 9 months now. It did make my cramps and bleeding worse for the first 6 months, but now they are the same as before. I do have a couple days of spotting pre-period that I did not have before getting the Paraguard.

jess_blonde

Google Mirena. I would highly recommend it. I have not experienced weight gain from it and any pms symptoms I had prior to the Mirena procedure remained the same and didn't worsen or change. An added bonus is that periods are diminished or non existent for many women. I was one of the lucky ones and have not had a true period in at least seven years The procedure took literally less than five minutes at my OB-GYN office, there was no discomfort before, during, or after, and was covered by insurance. It lasts up to five years or can be removed sooner if pregnancy is desired before then.

Yeah I have heard both good and bad things about Mirena... I've researched all the IUD's but they seem to not recommend them for women who have never given birth. Apparently it is more likely to fall out and/or cause problems for a woman who has never been pregnant... so that sort of deterred me!

Your risk of expulsion is only slightly higher than that of someone who has previously been pregnant. Many who are nulligravid (no pregnancies) have very successful insertions and do not expel. There are smaller IUDs designed specifically for people who have not been pregnant but they are generally not available in the US. If you are interested in traveling to Canada or Europe, there are more options (the Flexi-T 300 is a T shaped IUD designed for a smaller uterus; the Gynefix is a frameless IUD that is implanted in the fundus of the uterus, also works well for a smaller uterus).

Can you explain what you mean by an IUD causing problems for people who have never had children? There are a LOT of misconceptions still floating around the internet (and even in medical circles) courtesy of the Dalkon Shield and I like to dispel them where I can!

Mkrug221

I stopped taking BCP a couple of months ago. I was on BCP for 10 years and had no issues. Came off when I wanted to get pg and got pg. After having my first daughter I went back on Ortho Tri Cyclen and I was having horrible side effects. I woke up feeling sick every single morning. I felt like I was pregnant again. The OB switched me Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo and apparently it wasn't strong enough and I ended up getting pregnant with my 2nd daughter. After her birth I decided to try for an IUD. I went in and it was extremely painful to have it inserted. I went back a week later for a follow up and turns out it wasn't inserted correctly. They took it out and said I would have to try again. I haven't gone back to get it done and I haven't gone back on BCP. I feel so much better. My only side effects are a little acne and I have short cycles (24/25 days generally).

tree5981

I stopped taking BCP about a year ago. I have been on various types for 13 years. I stopped because I was having decreased circulation in my lower extremities and I am in my 30's now so I may want to start having babies soon. I found that it took about a year for my body to adjust back to normal after I stopped taking BCP. I was depressed for about 6 months, I started breaking out with more pimples, my sex drive was all screwed up, and the worst part is I gained about 25 in 6 months without ever changing my diet. Which is weird because I thought that getting off birth control would help me lose weight. But now that my periods are finally back to the way they used to be 13 years ago my weight has stopped increasing, I don't break out as much, and my moods are back to normal. I will NEVER take birth control again. It totally screwed up my body. It took a whole year for me to get back to normal and I'm sure its because I was on them for so many years. Everyone is different though, we all have different hormone levels and respond different.