Going off birth control...what should i expect?

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  • Leiki
    Leiki Posts: 526 Member
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    I've been on and off of it. I think the best way to predict what will happen is think about what changes your body endured when you went on it.

    When I went on birth control, my weight did not seem severely impacted. My acne disappeared. My periods became regular. My mood swings were more regular, but more frequent.

    When I went off my birth control, my weight did not seem severely impacted. My acne came back when I was stressed. My periods became irregular. My mood swings were irregular, but less frequent.
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
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    I had to be removed from two separate BC pills, the first because it increased my depression and the second because I had violent daily migraines. I'm talking "every daylight hour wearing sunglasses and wearing them to watch TV" bad.

    Personally I've never experienced weight gain when getting off them, I actually gained bad water retention from one of them so my ankles were always swollen and my socks left imprints. Depending on when you quit them your body may have a confusion period but it rights itself within a month or so. You could lose weight or it might not effect that area of your body at all. Really it comes down to your body and the reason why you were on BC pills to begin with. If all you had them for was to prevent pregnancy then you'll just notice whatever side effects you're having lessen and go away.
  • IvoryParchment
    IvoryParchment Posts: 651 Member
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    Everyone has different experiences. I stayed on the pill until menopause, because it made my skin clear and my cycles lighter. When I stopped, I lost 15 lbs without trying, though I had never associated the slow gain with the pills. But that was going from BC hormones to zero hormones, which isn't going to be the case for you.

    I have used sympto-thermal successfully for several years. My husband was very good about it, and we didn't take chances. But I can tell you that when I was on the pill and stopped to get pregnant, I have symptothermal charts that prove I either got pregnant 3 days before or 3 days after ovulation. You are hyper-fertile right after you stop the pill. It's a good idea to abstain a month or two.

    Safe choices if you don't have religious objections is using condoms all month plus practicing abstinence during the fertile period, or else using condoms all month plus taking Plan B the minute a condom breaks. Using dual methods like that is highly effective.
  • kandycesimpson
    kandycesimpson Posts: 1
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    I am on Microgestin FE/ 120 because of my Fibrocystic Breasts. Doctor's say that if I don't stay on Birth Control to reduce the Cysts then I should just quit caffeine. I have been on Birthcontrol for almost 2 years and although it helps my cysts, it makes me feel like crap and unhappy. I have gained probably 10-15 lbs and would like to lose it, but being on this BC it makes it impossible no matter how hard I try.

    So my question is; will I lose the 10-15 lbs that I gained, or will I keep gaining. Of course I walk everyday and I eat right, and will continue to do so even if im off the pill, but I don't wanna gain anymore than I have. its making me super unhappy, I have bad mood swings like im either sad for no reason, or mad for no reason. I hate it.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
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    I love how everyone is so different!

    I gain weight and had bad mood swings when I go off BC. Part of that may be due to pregnancy though :laugh:

    In seriousness, it took me most of a year to become pregnant with my daughter, and 18 months off BC to get my son, and I was gaining weight/acting real moody during the entire time. But, I also don't have any problematic health effects on my current BC; I tried a few different types to find one I did well on, and have stuck with it since.
  • nitnoo
    nitnoo Posts: 3 Member
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    The only BC I've had trouble with is the depo shot. I hope that gets discontinued soon!!!!!! I continuously gained weight for a year and a half before I finally realized it might be because of my shot. Then I got off it, and gained ANOTHER 10 pounds in like 2 weeks. Spent 6 months on low carb and working my *kitten* off and finally got back down to my pre-depo weight.

    Ughhhh I hate that stupid shot. Anyway I have been on the pill before and didn't notice any weight gain or mood swings. I'm currently on the patch and have had no side effects.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
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    The only BC I've had trouble with is the depo shot. I hope that gets discontinued soon!!!!!! I continuously gained weight for a year and a half before I finally realized it might be because of my shot. Then I got off it, and gained ANOTHER 10 pounds in like 2 weeks. Spent 6 months on low carb and working my *kitten* off and finally got back down to my pre-depo weight.

    I hope it doesn't, because it works GREAT for me. :( I've tried 3 different methods of BC before Depo, and it's the one I refer to in my post above when I say it smooths out my moods and I gain weight when I'm off it.

    Again, everyone is so very different.

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