coming off marvelon.....................help!

[fifilou]

hi!

I'm coming off marvelon after an eternity. I was put on it at 16 for irregular,awful,heavy periods and have been on it ever since with no problems. I'm now 32 and happily married, and thinking of trying for a baby later in the year.

I have researched this until I'm blue in the face and heard so many awful stories of bloating, pain, sore breasts, and no periods for 8 months. Is it all true?

I'm pretty worried by the whole thing. Should I come off now and let my body get back into things or should I wait until I actually want to start trying at the end of summer?

Any help out there?

[sniff]

i nver had those thing my periods were a bit irregular

and it took over 12 months to get pregnant when i stopped

[Sunyshineymummy]

I moved from Marvelon onto mini-pill and then came off that with no problems. This was because I had some high BP though, but maybe it's an idea?

[fifilou]

I dont think I'd want to change my pill if I'm coming off it soon? I've had no probs with marvelon at all.

I'm thinking of trying in september, after my holiday in early August. I'm worried coming off before that might mess up my hols! Maybe I should come off in late august and just see how it goes?

The doctor said it can take anything from three weeks to three months to get it back to normal, and I found this a bit weaird after reading so much on the net. The net is a scary place though and fills you with what you dont want to hear!

I'm in no rush to get pregnant, I'm thinking it will take a while anyway! my friends all took quite some time, it's not as easy as everyone thinks! Am I right?

Thanks for your advice!

[pesme]

you have absolutely not control over this. you might get pregnant the day you finish the pill or it might take 2 years.

[fifilou]

Blimey!

Thats a bit harsh!

I'm under no illusions that getting pregnant is an easy thing to do, just wanted some advice about the marvelon pill, and coming off it.

[Sunyshineymummy]

It took me three months from coming off mini pill to conceiving DS. I must admit though I felt so different after I came off it (increased libido and less moody round menstruation) that I will never go on it again. Now use Persona and find it really easy.

[fifilou]

I'm hoping there wont be too much of a change for the worst when I come off it. Sounds like there are benefits! thanks sunyshineymummy!

lots of people have said they lost weight too.

I'm pretty fit and healthy, so surely thats got to help with conceiving?

I guess theres only one way to find out!

Gosh, I'm getting quite broody, I ought to leave this website and stick to my late summer plans of trying, or there will be no Glastonbury or boozy holiday this year!

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Hi fifilou,

My periods were both irregular and painful in nature. I was put on Marvelon for those reasons.

You may well find that when you come off this pill these symptoms will return. It is not due to the pill and there is no evidence to suggest the pill is responsible for failure to ovulate. In my case there were/are other underlying problems which the pill has served to mask.

The pill leaves your system very quickly after you've decided to stop taking them - it certainly does not take anything between 3 weeks to 3 months.

I would advise you to seek medical advice from a gynae sooner rather than later if you experience such problems with irregularity of periods and pain. Some GPs are not of any use when it comes to dealing with such problems, hence my counsel to see a gynae for further evaluation.

My painful and irregular periods had two causes - endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome respectively. I am not suggesting that you were originally given the pill because of these two gynae problems but say that if such problems recur you should be investigated further to see if either of these gynae problems are issues.

[fifilou]

thankyou attilathemeerkat!

I was thinking of booking in with one so thanks for the thoughts. Its all so worrying!

I've been very silly and havent had an examination for a while! the last nurse was so very rough and horrid!

I came away crying!

[mum03]

fifilou - I was on marvalon for 10 years, precisely for awful painful and heavy periods. I found it great when I was on it. I too was worried coming off it, but I have to say that it was not as bad as I had feared and within by the 4th menstral cycle I was pregnant. The periods I had inbetween coming off the pill and getting pg were fine, not half as bad as they had been when I was younger.

I was told at the time of starting taking the pill that it could take 3 months to see the changes but I had immediate fantastic relief from it, I was also told it might take 3 months for the pill to get out of my system, and although that might have been the reason why it took 4 cycles before I got pg, I don't think so. It took 4 cycles before I got pg again the second time, and I had not been on the pill inbetween.

Also since being pg I have never had as bad periods as when I was younger. So my advice would be - come off when you are ready to start ttc at the end of the summer, and just see how things go. I hth.

[linjasmom]

Hey fifilou, I was on Marvelon for ages (cramped so bad I fainted and teachers used to send me home voluntarily ). After coming off it I had no problems whatsoever except heavier (but not painful) periods. Wanted to wait a couple of months before ttc and had a very regular, 28 day cycle. Got pg second month trying, so no prob there. Good luck to you!! XX

[fifilou]

thankyou so much mum03 and linjasmum

You have really helped put my mind at ease!
i really wanted to hear from people on marvelon as its different to other pills. Thanks!

many thanks to everyone who helped!

Had a chat with hubby last night and ive decided to come off my pill in august and see how it goes from there!

wish me luck!

[linjasmom]

I will keep my fingers crossed!! Why is marvelon different? Took it for so long after I had taken some pill with two phases first, so really don't know. Good luck again!!

[ScaryHairy]

I was on Marvelon for 14 years (also put on it for painful periods). My hormones went haywire when I came off it. I got very spotty and periods were very painful. However, it only took 6 months to get pregnant which is not half bad given the length of my cycle (35 days).

I don't think it is necessarily any worse than any other pill, but coming off and having "normal" hormones can be a bit of a shock when you have been on such an even keel for so long IYSWIM.

Anyway, good luck. I hope it all goes smoothly for you.

[mum03]

One of the plus points of coming off the pill was to have natural times of feeling very in the mood for sex. I had not realised until I came off the pill how much it surpressed my sexual appetite!!!!

[sandcastles]

I took a year to conceive after coming off marvelon, but alot of that was down to slopping planning with my fertile dates etc.

I don't remember any pains etc after stoppping it, I think my periods were slightly heavier, but that's all.

I have just come off of it again to go on to new pill, but the new pill has played havok with me, so I am nowoff that & TTC#2.

[sandcastles]

Agree mum03!

At the swap over & on the new pill I was surprised too!

[lizziemun]

Fiflou,

I didn't have any problems with bloating, pain, sore breasts, when i stop taking Marvelon my period where eratic before and where afterwards but only lasted 3 days. Wasn't in a relationship at the time getting pregnant wasn't a probelm.

The second/third time i came off after i got married and where ttc, again i didn't have any of the above mentioned problems and again period where only 3 days.

It took 18mth to get pg the 1st time. Another 18 to pg the 2nd time (ended in a miscarriage) then another 6 months the 3rd time (now 24weeks) I have to say this was less to do with marvelon and more to do with my hormone inbalance/eractic cycle could go anywhere from 3wks to 6 month without an period.

[ScaryHairy]

I agree Mum03. Made a huuuuge amount of difference in that department.