stopping Ortho tri cylen

Grimmerick
Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
in Chit-Chat
Any ladies on here stop taking this? What side effects did you notice after you stopped taking it? Acne,mood swings, depression,Irregularities, cramps, increased or decreased Sex drive? Did any of these subside after a while off of it. Just want to get an idea of what I am in for next year when we try to have a baby. I've been on it since I was 14 so I have no idea what it's like to be off it, and that makes me nervous.

Replies

  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
    I am on Ortho TriCyclen Lo, I stopped taking it and was put on a different BC but didn't notice a change in much except I did get cramps and some acne. I changed back to Ortho Lo, and I don't have cramps or the acne anymore. It can be different for every girl, but that's what happened with me when I changed.
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,832 Member
    I stopped taking it and switched to Depo Provera. I didn't notice any side effects.

    ETA: My sex drive has nearly dropped since I started taking proper BC (meaning as prescribed).
  • StrengthIDidntKnow
    StrengthIDidntKnow Posts: 543 Member
    Once I stopped, I noticed a huge increase in my sex drive. And on a related note, I got pregnant my first month off.
  • aray1107
    aray1107 Posts: 75
    I stopped Ortho a couple of months ago. My period seemed a lot heavier the first month and I had cramps, but it's been better since. I haven't noticed much of a difference in regards to anything else though.
  • TracyTucci
    TracyTucci Posts: 35
    I stopped taking it back In Sept. I now have more acne then i have ever had. It is finally starting to calm down. And i bleed alot more.
  • mindysreadyforchange
    mindysreadyforchange Posts: 103 Member
    When I stopped taking Ortho Tri Cyclen I was 26 and I had been taking since 16. The one thing that I really noticed, especially the first two months after quitting, I could feel the ovulating and it was painful. Also some acne and increased intimacy drive as well
  • andreacord
    andreacord Posts: 928
    A little bit of acne and heavier periods obviously but I dropped A TON of weight for some reason when I came off it .. like 6 lbs in a month. As another poster said, higher sex drive as well.
  • WifeNMama
    WifeNMama Posts: 2,876 Member
    I was near psychotic on every type of birth control I tried, migraines weekly, horribly weepy pms, and stopped using them altogether. You may just find yourself an entirely mellow person. I'm surprised they kept prescribing the same thing for that long, especially during teen years.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    Thanks guys this is really helpful! The more experiences the better
  • elenathegreat
    elenathegreat Posts: 3,988 Member
    Once I stopped, I noticed a huge increase in my sex drive. And on a related note, I got pregnant my first month off.

    This, exactly:)
  • skinnybearlyndsay
    skinnybearlyndsay Posts: 798 Member
    I have been on a variety of BCPs since I was 16 and stopped last October. After stopping, aside from realizing I have a dud lady bit, my acne got worse and my sex drive better. :) It took me a while to get "regular", but everyone is different.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    bump would love more replies!
  • Maude_Lewbowski
    Maude_Lewbowski Posts: 395 Member
    Any ladies on here stop taking this? What side effects did you notice after you stopped taking it? Acne,mood swings, depression,Irregularities, cramps, increased or decreased Sex drive? Did any of these subside after a while off of it. Just want to get an idea of what I am in for next year when we try to have a baby. I've been on it since I was 14 so I have no idea what it's like to be off it, and that makes me nervous.

    Bad cramps and some acne which cleared up and much heavier periods and it's been well over a year now. I've gone to acupuncture to try to help with some of it actually.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    You shouldn't notice much in the way of side effects after stopping any pill. I stopped and started a few (OTC included -- my first pill) and the only side effect I had was an irregular cycle for a short time.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    You shouldn't notice much in the way of side effects after stopping any pill. I stopped and started a few (OTC included -- my first pill) and the only side effect I had was an irregular cycle for a short time.

    I agree you shouldn't, but have noticed a lot of women do, they do say whatever problems you had before you took it will likely return. and I have heard about it affecting the sex drive a lot.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    You shouldn't notice much in the way of side effects after stopping any pill. I stopped and started a few (OTC included -- my first pill) and the only side effect I had was an irregular cycle for a short time.

    I agree you shouldn't, but have noticed a lot of women do, they do say whatever problems you had before you took it will likely return. and I have heard about it affecting the sex drive a lot.

    Oh, definitely any issues you had before will return. And I should have worded my post differently because everyone will have different experiences. But for the most part, usually stopping the pill will return your body to its "normal" state but shouldn't cause any additional problems. There are always exceptions!
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    You shouldn't notice much in the way of side effects after stopping any pill. I stopped and started a few (OTC included -- my first pill) and the only side effect I had was an irregular cycle for a short time.

    I agree you shouldn't, but have noticed a lot of women do, they do say whatever problems you had before you took it will likely return. and I have heard about it affecting the sex drive a lot.

    Oh, definitely any issues you had before will return. And I should have worded my post differently because everyone will have different experiences. But for the most part, usually stopping the pill will return your body to its "normal" state but shouldn't cause any additional problems. There are always exceptions!

    That really worries me because I used to get such bad ones that I couldn't function. I would turn two shades lighter than chalk and dry heave continuously along with having the worst cramps, well actually it was the cramps that made me pale ,cold sweaty and nauseous because they were so bad, I would literally have to sit in the bathtub a few times a day and nothing would touch it, no painkillers would help at all after starting BC no problem.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    You shouldn't notice much in the way of side effects after stopping any pill. I stopped and started a few (OTC included -- my first pill) and the only side effect I had was an irregular cycle for a short time.

    I agree you shouldn't, but have noticed a lot of women do, they do say whatever problems you had before you took it will likely return. and I have heard about it affecting the sex drive a lot.

    Oh, definitely any issues you had before will return. And I should have worded my post differently because everyone will have different experiences. But for the most part, usually stopping the pill will return your body to its "normal" state but shouldn't cause any additional problems. There are always exceptions!

    That really worries me because I used to get such bad ones that I couldn't function. I would turn two shades lighter than chalk and dry heave continuously along with having the worst cramps, well actually it was the cramps that made me pale ,cold sweaty and nauseous because they were so bad, I would literally have to sit in the bathtub a few times a day and nothing would touch it, no painkillers would help at all after starting BC no problem.

    Mine are very heavy and last up to 7 days if I'm not on a hormonal BC, but thankfully I don't have the cramping and stuff. I do get very tired, though, and fuzzy-headed. It's why I need to be on some form of BC until menopause, even if I'm not worried about pregnancy. It sucks because the pill stopped working (my periods were getting heavier and lasting longer and for two years my OB tried different ones and nothing worked). So the only other option really was Mirena and that's making me fat.

    I can't win!
  • MandaJean83
    MandaJean83 Posts: 675 Member
    I had been on ortho tri cyclen for about 6 years and stopped it after my divorce...my moods improved and my sex drive increased by a ton, but I had longer and heavier periods with more cramping. Oh, I also dropped a few lbs without changing my diet or exercise!

    I hated having to go back on the pill...but I don't really want a baby just yet... :-)
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    Thanks so much guys this is really helpful
  • roberts1186
    roberts1186 Posts: 1
    I am also nervous. I've taken OTC-lo for about 3 years now and I want to stop for certain reasons, but I have been reading other peoples stories and I have ONLY heard of woman who have suffered from terrible acne, if not terrible cystic acne. It scares me to death. I had TERRIBLE acne growing up, from about 4th grade to 9th grade, and it finally started clearing up. I had decent skin in high school, mainly bad on my back, chest and shoulders, and once I got to college, It cleared up for the most part. In other words, I know how awful and debilitating bad acne can be. Well since being on the birth control my skin has been great...I never thought of this being because of the birth control though, I thought I had just grown out of acne. But since seeing these horror stories I wonder if the birth control DID help. Now I'm scared to get off of it because all woman are saying is how terrible and horrible their acne got and it completely threw them into depression and they are embarassed to leave their house now and everything. Will someone please tell me if they have a success story because I am afraid that I'm never gonna want to get off it, but I want kids someday! Ahh haha.
  • Gismo918
    Gismo918 Posts: 1
    I discontinued ortho tri-cyclen a month ago after taking it for about 13 years. So far, so good. I never had acne before so I don't haveacne now. My sex drive is crazy now! I can't remember thinking about sex this often before but my husbandloves it. I have cried a lot more since discontinuing the pill and after reading about the mood swings of others, I understand why. I also never had cramps before but had to call out sick from work on my first period because my back pain was unbearable. Our goal is to be pregnant by summer so we'll see how this goes. I read on another site that it takes an average of 1-3months for your body to return to normal but it could take a year. I'm hoping for 1-3 months. Good luck!
  • LoreBetty84
    LoreBetty84 Posts: 2
    I have been on it since I was 17, I stopped at 27 bc my life got hectic with my marriage and life...
    Keep in mind everyone's bodies are different, so please take everything with a grain of salt.
    I lost weight. Like 10 pounds(could be attributed to fitnesspal though, not sure bc it's simultaneous) . I got everything I had before I was on it. Meaning: terrible teenage-style acne, longer periods, worse cramps, crazy moodswings, emotional pms, generally a feeling of hormonal imbalance. Being off it for a year and a half, and not planning to have kids soon, this is my first month back on it. My biggest reason, yes, acne is great, but it's mainly the hormonal imbalance. I don't enjoy feeling like a crazy person dude. lol:laugh:

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