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

angiebarker
angiebarker Posts: 127
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all,
So as you may or may not know last week i had terrible heart palpitation and went to the E.R.... They ended up just saying that i had an episode of tachycardia. I called my doctor who is more into the natural approach as possible and she told me that my birth control could be the cause. I know that some people have problems with it and i have been on birth control for almost 4yrs. I was unsure but my fiancee and i have also noticed that my mood swings are ridiculous! It is to the point where i am so emotional that i cry and yell and we fight over stupid petty things. I don't want this to ruin my relationship or our future marriage. He told me yesterday he will not leave no matter what. We are soul mate. Anyway, because of all this i am going to stop taking my pills and take the more natural tract ovulation and cycle route. I was wondering what happened to you guys when you when off birth control?
I have heard that people gain weight and that is a very scary thing for me. I really do not want to gain or get acne. Which i have also heard can happen. Anyone drink yogi women's moon cycle tea? Did it help?

sorry for the rant i just need some help and want to fix all this before it ruins my fiancee and my life. <3 Thank you all who can help.
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Replies

  • SueD66
    SueD66 Posts: 405 Member
    some people lose weight, i did.
  • ozzcrow
    ozzcrow Posts: 7
    My implanon will be out in July. I'm excited to see if I lose weight more easily once I'm off. I've aways heard birth control makes you gain weight.
  • hazleyes81
    hazleyes81 Posts: 296 Member
    I had very high heart rate with YAZ. I also became irrationally angry while on it, which was the final straw for me and why I went off of it. After I went off of it, I did lose some weight and got back a little energy, but nothing of significance. Mainly, I could exercise without my heart rate going over 230, which was nice.
  • bobie1978
    bobie1978 Posts: 204 Member
    that's why I went off it.. made me moody.. When I went off of the pill it made my hormones crazy for a few weeks.. then I was fine.. I am sure everyone is different.
  • kdrew1
    kdrew1 Posts: 36 Member
    bump

    I have been wondering the same thing and would appreciate any feedback.
  • purplegoboom
    purplegoboom Posts: 400 Member
    I actually lost a ton of weight when I went off the first time.

    The real reason I went off BC the first time around was because I was angry. All the time. At nothing in particular, either. As soon as I went off, my mood went back to normal.

    I can't wait until hubby has his vasectomy and I can go off again!
  • SmashleeWpg
    SmashleeWpg Posts: 567 Member
    Nothing happened with me except that my mood was more stabilized. I didn't gain or lose. I do get the occasional pimple now and then, whereas I used to have a totally clear complexion on the pill, but it was a small sacrifice to pay - I was a nutcase on the pill!
  • CrazyHedgehog
    CrazyHedgehog Posts: 30 Member
    My implanon will be out in July. I'm excited to see if I lose weight more easily once I'm off. I've aways heard birth control makes you gain weight.
    ^ My implanon ran out, and I didn't get it removed straight away... night mare, hormones were up and down like a yo yo,
  • Tonnina
    Tonnina Posts: 979 Member
    More than likely you will see a boost in weight loss. Birth control releases hormones that tricks your body into thinking it's pregnant, so it will hold on to more weight.
    When you go off you can experience weight loss more easily. You can also experience more acne breakouts (if you are prone to them), PMSing and all the emotional moodiness that goes with it (If you are prone to it), and heavier flow. This is true for any type of birth control.
    To avoid unwanted pregnancies, make sure to use condoms on top of counting days. Both my brother and sister were conceived using "bad Math" as my parents say. Of course no true method, a side from abstaining from s.ex will prevent pregnancy 100%.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    I went on bc after about 3 months on mfp. I could not for the life of me lose weight on bc. I went off and am back to losing consistently!
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    I was on low-dose estrdone (?sp) for a year while breastfeeding, then switched to BeYaz for two months. The second month was horrible- heart palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, leg cramps, etc. Finally put it together and stopped taking the D*MN pills.... even though my OB thinks it wasn't that.

    I was HUNGRY for three days- couldn't eat enough. Then my appetite dropped to a normal level. It took a week for the side effects to disappear, but now I feel great. I'm not grumpy, etc. I'll probably go nuts once my TOM comes around, but I feel great now, and have had more energy, and been nicer to my family for the past few weeks.

    Oh, and I lost two pounds during the super-hungry phase....... weird.
  • angiebarker
    angiebarker Posts: 127
    Thanks everyone! I am glad to know that i am not the only one who has experienced these symptoms. I am not sure if my doctor who i am seeing this week will have me finish my pack which ends late this month or go off asap. I will keep you updated.
  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 671 Member
    a baby?:wink:
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I lost weight within the first month. It took about that long for my hormones to stabilize, so for that month I kind of felt like I had PMS the entire month. One minute I was sad, the next angry and the next I was happy. I had weird cravings and some acne. It was kind of rough and that was when I decided I would NEVER, EVER take hormonal birth control again. Oh and It did take my periods a few months to go back to normal too.
  • rugbyphreak
    rugbyphreak Posts: 509 Member
    please do not use the cycle method to determine when sex is "safe" unless you want a child. that method doesn't work at all! invest in a pack of condoms.

    going off the birth control, you should lose a little weight. your periods will be irregular at first, usually they'll last a little longer than usual the first few months. you may get headaches or mood swings from the change in hormone levels. one of my friends had some hair loss, but it was only temporary. her body was really sensitive to hormonal changes.

    good luck!
  • ncw89
    ncw89 Posts: 61 Member
    Bump, I'd like to see answers.

    I have Implanon and really want it out. It has to come out in 12 months anyway so I'm thinking of getting it out sooner rather than later. Since getting it in I've gained around 1.5-2 stone and honestly I don't know if it's the implant or if I would've gained it anyway but I'm interested in whether I'd lose weight more easily once I'm off it. Even if it all comes down to psychologically finding it easier it would be a bonus.
  • Heidi_M78
    Heidi_M78 Posts: 143 Member


    I can't wait until hubby has his vasectomy and I can go off again!


    ^^^ Me too!!^^^^
  • applejacks1552
    applejacks1552 Posts: 30
    I've been able to lose weight both on and off the BC, but my perception is that my mood and energy levels have been better since getting off which makes losing weight easier I think. Also have a lot less headaches. Who knows . . . it could all be in my head. Other than heavier and less predictable periods, the change was positive.

    I decided to quit it since we may TTC later this fall and wanted to get my cycles back to normal well in advance while losing weight. Plus with my family history of high blood pressure and my scare with Pre-E during my last pregnancy, it just doesn't seem worth the risk anymore.
  • MandaJean83
    MandaJean83 Posts: 675 Member
    I was off the pill for 6 months after my divorce (no need to be on it, and it was making me moody as heck, just like you say you are)...and man, I felt great! I dropped a few pounds without putting any effort forth and my moods improved. I wish I didn't have to be on the pill, but unfortunately I think an unplanned pregnancy would be too much for me to handle right now with full time work and grad school...so I will deal with the mood swings...LOL

    Also, I had acne before going on the pill...and when I came back off, I only noticed a spare pimple here or there. No volcanic eruptions of acne. :wink:
  • kristi_asco
    kristi_asco Posts: 183
    bump!
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    My husband had a vasectomy several years ago, so I thought I could come off my oral contraceptives (Yaz). In reality, not so much! I lasted four months and went back on! Without the Yaz, I had horrible mid-cycle/ovulation pain, debilitating cramps at the onset of my period and mind-blowing paranoia and mood swings the week before. My normal, natural hormones made me a crazy person! haha I'm happier, saner and feel better on oral contraceptives.

    BUT... hormones are so individual that each person is going to have a different experience going on or coming off birth control.
  • newcraft
    newcraft Posts: 11
    I was on ortho-tri-cyclen for about a year, had an ovarian cyst, and I actually found myself to be more moody without the b.c. The cyst resolved, mood swings aren't as bad, been off of it for about 3 months, and just have to say that I didn't notice any major difference before or after with ability to lose or gain. Sorry to be the spoiler, but it's not always a given that b.c. will make it harder, it all depends on your own chemistry and what you're taking.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    My daughter had the same problem. Went off the pill and lost about 20 lbs. She feels so much better. But, now she has to be diligent about other birth control methods ( she is 21). UGGGGGGG
  • tataliciousd89
    tataliciousd89 Posts: 465
    I got downgraded to a progesterone only pill about two years ago because of heart troubles and started breaking out a lot more when that happened, but I went off my POP about 2 weeks ago and really nothing has happened. I'm happier, but then again I also just got rid of a douche bag ex-boyfriend. I haven't gained or lost a significant amout of weight, my energy level has not been affected, and I haven't been any more moody (I'm maybe even a little less moody, but that is related to the above). I also haven't had my period yet, but I have to be in white pants for the next couple weeks so I'm sure I'll start at the most inopportune time.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    Everyone is different, and different brands of pills cause different reactions, so what happened for me may or may not happen for you.

    Also, keep in mind that if you are going to marry this guy, I would hope that a medical reaction would not scare him away. Isn't marriage supposed to be in sickness and in health, for better or worse? If this is a make or break situation, you don't need this guy around at all, let alone marry him.

    So... that being said, I actually lost weight, and I have more energy. I also have a lot more pimples since going off the pill. I honestly feel like a teenager again the way my natural hormones have taken back over. It's nice, and I actually like it a lot.

    I got off it in October, and we more or less abstained until last month, when I got the Paragard IUD put in. I haven't had it long enough to evaluate much, but so far I love it. I wanted that time in between methods just to see what my natural body is like, and I'm glad I did. I do notice a few subtle differences in my nether regions due to the Paragard, but my body, and my vibrant personality is back, and that's exactly what I needed. I was a sloth when I was on the pill.

    Chances are, it's not going to be nearly as bad as you expect it to be.
  • secoke
    secoke Posts: 69 Member
    I was on bc for seven years (I have horrific cramps without if) and went off for a little while to do some medical testing. Now I have Mirena (IUD with hormones similar to the pill). I never noticed any weight gain with the pill or with my IUD but I do notice it is harder for weight to come off with my IUD, I've had very active friends tell me the same thing. My acne was actually fine when I wasn't on birth control, on the IUD I have a bit of an issue.

    To echo what other people have said about contraception, please use something else other than ovulation monitoring unless you do want a child. Especially after being on birth control for so long your cycle will not be very regular and pregnancy is very easy.
  • katy4399
    katy4399 Posts: 136 Member
    On a side note, if you get pregnant right after going off the pill it increases your chance of having multiple babies :O
  • ExcelWithMel
    ExcelWithMel Posts: 192 Member
    I went off in January after 10 years on the pill. (DH got a vasectomy). My flow is much heavier, but I have lost consistently since then. But I've also refocused my commitment to lose these last 10 lbs. so that may be it too. No pimples, but I've had about 10 in my whole life so was never a problem for me. If pimples are a problem, try oil free lotions.
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
    Hey all,
    So as you may or may not know last week i had terrible heart palpitation and went to the E.R.... They ended up just saying that i had an episode of tachycardia. I called my doctor who is more into the natural approach as possible and she told me that my birth control could be the cause. I know that some people have problems with it and i have been on birth control for almost 4yrs. I was unsure but my fiancee and i have also noticed that my mood swings are ridiculous! It is to the point where i am so emotional that i cry and yell and we fight over stupid petty things. I don't want this to ruin my relationship or our future marriage. He told me yesterday he will not leave no matter what. We are soul mate. Anyway, because of all this i am going to stop taking my pills and take the more natural tract ovulation and cycle route. I was wondering what happened to you guys when you when off birth control?
    I have heard that people gain weight and that is a very scary thing for me. I really do not want to gain or get acne. Which i have also heard can happen. Anyone drink yogi women's moon cycle tea? Did it help?

    sorry for the rant i just need some help and want to fix all this before it ruins my fiancee and my life. <3 Thank you all who can help.

    To get pregnant

    No seriously, both my sister and my cousin had been using the rythm method successfully for the last year and both are now pregnant. The also combined it with the pull-out method which does not work either, as both have shown!

    If you don't want a hormonal contraceptive but do not want to get pregnant look into a paraguard IUD or get fitted for, and learn how to use, a diaphram.
  • yvonnej1
    yvonnej1 Posts: 904 Member
    bump!

    Correct, you get a baby bump :wink:

    But seriously my hormones were all over the place when I did, acne and I sweated more, plus after years of convincing myself that was why I couldn't lose weight it proved to have no difference at all!
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