Anyone been on the contraceptive pill for a LONG time and now stopped taking it?

[SPARKLER1]

I had been on the contraceptive pill for 17 years. Started taking it at about 16 years of age. Had just met my BF (now my dh) aaaahhhhhh!
I had also suffered with severe period pains for years so the pill was to help me to deal with that also.
It did as planned and my periods were much lighter and less painful.
The only time I stopped taking it was obviously while TTC, pregnant and BF my two dds.
I made the decision, along with the doctor, to stop taking the pill just before christmas as it was felt that I had been on it more than long enough. So that's been about three months.
Started my third period today since coming off them and I have felt dreadful. Huge stomach aches and aching running through the tops of my legs. I am so worried that things are going to go back to how they were when I was younger.
Anyone been through this? TIA

[nulnulcat]

im going through same was on pill from 16 til 32 when i had dd been off it for 2 years now, have endometriosis so periods were always bad and very painful even when on it to be honest they are bad now but not much worse than when taking it but they seem to be getting worse every month i dont want to go back on pill so i just take pain killers every month and curl up with hot water bottle at every opportunity

[SPARKLER1]

It's awful isn't it? I'm on day two today and the pains I am getting today are reminding me of childbirth.
I just want to curl in bed with a hot wattle bottle on my stomach but have to carry on as dd2 isn't at preschool today.

[olivo]

I felt like this when i came off in october Sparkler1. I never thought periods could hurt so much when the first one came along, after 11 years of being on the pill. Happily, I fell pg within 6 weeks of coming off it so only had to go through it the once.

Hope you feel better soon.