how long did it take everyone to 'get back to normal' after coming off the pill

[lalexander]

I came off the pill 7 months ago, had a 'withdraw' bleed and since then nothing. I have tested intermittently and obv BFN.

How long did it take everyone else to return to a normal cycle???

SO FRUSTRATING!!!

[FluffyJawsOfDoom]

That's quite a long time to not have a period. Have you discussed this with your GP? I'd be considering requesting tests for PCOS after 7 months; it sounds like you might not be ovulating.

I was on cerazette for 5 years. Came off it, had AF after 6 weeks, then after a further 5 weeks, then got back to "normal" with a cycle of 28-33 days.

[Gennz]

Took a year, almost exactly, for my cycle to settle into a regular 30 - 32 day rhythm. I'd get AF and then nothing for 2 - 3 months. Was not TTC (copper IUD) but if I was I would've been driven to distraction. So glad I came off the pill when I did.

[lalexander]

I've been to see my GP, had a few blood tests to check for hormone levels to see if I was going into early menopause (i'm 26!!) thankfullly they were all fine,

the GP just said come back if nothing after a year,

can you ovulate even if no period??

[FluffyJawsOfDoom]

You ovulate about 2 weeks before your period, so you won't know when it happens until you get AF, but if you're not getting your period it's unlikely you're ovulating iyswim? (sorry I bet that made no sense at all - the short answer is no, it's unlikely)

[lalexander]

this may sound a bit stupid but until now, i will not have ovulated, unless within the last two weeks??

[FluffyJawsOfDoom]

Exactly :)

[Aworryingtrend]

I came off the pill in October 2010 and after the initil withdrawl bleed didn't have one for 6 months, at which point I went to the Dr and begged for her to do something. She gave me a course of Norethisterone which you take for 5 days, then it brings a period a few days later. After this I did get periods but very irregular cycles- as short as 28 days sometimes then up to 60 days. 6 months after the Norethisterone they had settled into around 33 days.

[Hai1988]

Not gonna be much help but i seemed to get back to normal straight away.

Came off the pill at the end of feb and had withdrawal bleed as usual, then had 29 cycle and normal period.

[CritterPants]

lalexander - just a quick post but the same thing happened to me. I had no periods after 8 months off the pill, blood tests showed my hormone levels were all fine, but an ultrasound scan showed I have polycystic ovaries. Don't let your GP fob you off - ask for a transvaginal ultrasound to find out what's happening. If you're TTC the next step will probably be a course of progesterone to induce a bleed, followed by Clomid to try to make you ovulate. Just my own personal experience! I know how frustrating it is.

[HaveALittleFaithBaby]

I had a withdrawal bleed then had periods within a 25-30 day pattern so within a month! which have finally settled into a 26 day cycle now -about 2 years after stopping the pill. But I agree with critter, it's normal to be a bit irregular, it's not normal to have nothing for so long.
As a touch of encouragement, my friend has Pcos, she hadn't had af for 2 years, was wanting to ttc but no idea when/if she'd been ovulating. She was off to a big party so did the whole well I'd best test just in case and guess what - BFP! She was a bit but delighted of course! So yes, you could ovulate at any given time resulting in a period being triggered and couple of weeks later, or more hopefully a BFP! I would push for your GP to start investigations but in the mean time keep dtd three times a week, every week to try to be in with a chance of hitting an egg if you do release one!

[Gennz]

^ oh I thought I should add, I went to an endocrinologist after about 10 months because I was worried my cycle was all over the show. He did a couple of blood tests and said oh I might have PCOS (because of LH being high at the time of testing I think?) but that he couldn't be sure (that was $300 well spent...) I had been on the pill 3 yeras and depo provera for 5 years before that - my holistic doctor said it was likely just taking a while for everything to get back in sync.

My cycle settled down shortly thereafter so I didn't really worry any further. have since had a day 21 test and all looks like it's functioning normally. Some PCOS symptoms are the same as thyroid issues (which I eventually discovered that I do have) so if you are worried, perhaps get thyroid hormones/antibodies tested as well.

[TremoloGreen]

Hi there, I came off the pill in October after being on it intermittently for about 15 years!

I felt really dreadful for about three months - aches and pains, mood swings, bloating, headaches etc. and I didn't have any periods in this time. The GP gave me norethisterone (synthetic progesterone) which gave me a bleed. I also had an ultrasound to check what was going on and blood tests. All the blood tests were normal but I had signs of mild polycystic ovaries on ultrasound.

Anyway, since the norethisterone, I have had two regular, long-ish cycles (37 and 40 days).This is what my periods were like pre-pill. I ovulated both cycles, going off temperature and ovulation tests.

I think 7 months is a long time. I would ask for the progesterone tablets and for blood tests on day 3 of the cycle after (presuming progesterone gives you a bleed). I learned about the day 3 thing off this board! This is apparently the best time to get a clear picture of what is going on. You want tests of at least oestrogen, progesterone, androgens, FSH, LH and thyroid function. Push for an ultrasound too - make sure you tell the doctor you are trying to conceive.

Good luck!

[kurlyvoice]

Just to add a different story into the mix...

Came off the pill Christmas 2010 and didn't have any kind of period until May. Two week bleed, fortnight off, then nearly two months bleeding/spotting, up to the end of July. Saw the gp who referred me for an ultrasound which I had towards the end of August and found out I was 6 weeks pregnant on 1st September (the rubbish ultrasound dude had thought the sac was a cyst). So I obviously ovulated at some point. My "cyst" is now 13 months and we're ttc-ing no.2, and for the first time in 8 years I have regular cycles!

Don't take no for an answer - get yourself referred for a scan and a gynae chat...

[FlangelinaBallerina]

I came off it in July and was knocked up in November! Had been on it for over 9 years and had sort of a turbo cycle as soon as I came off. By that I mean quite an extreme one- it was only 20 days and all symptoms were very exaggerated. I could tell when I was ovulating as poor DH got no rest at all, and my breasts were like rocks for about a week before my period (sore breasts always being a PMT symptom of mine before). In retrospect I think that was my cycle trying to sort of reassert itself, if that makes sense.

It's possible you won't have a period at all, if you think about it. For example you might ovulate tomorrow and get pregnant in a fortnight. Also, there isn't necessarily a correlation between periods and ovulating. not every ovulation always leads to a period even if you don't get pregnant, and not all bleeds are a period following an ovulation.

[lalexander]

thanks for all the info and advice, at the moment I am jsut going to keep in fingers crossed that something happens soon. My GP seemed happy to wait for a year before thinking of the next step and at the moment I think I am happy to keep ttc'ing and see what happens.

it is just so frustrating, for the start of your adult life, everything tells you - don't get pregnant, if you have unprotected sex - you will get pregnant, this is not true!!!!!

[Pinkie29]

lalexander with you on the 'look at a willy and you'll get pregnant!' spent the last 13yrs on the pill avoiding it and had a never ending lecture from my dad throughout my teens! Now we want it it's not happened as quick as we'd like and seem to be surrounded by people who 'just fell' mostly whilst on the pill! x

[Priscillaqueenofdessert]

Hi ladies. I came off of cerazette in April last year after being on it for 2 years (was on the combined pill for 6 years before that). After having the usual withdrawal bleed I had 3 very irregular periods and then nothing until December, and then again nothing until march! I went to the drs and they did blood tests which all came back normal but they sent me for an ultrasound to check for pcos just in case. After the ultrasound and an always enjoyable internal!!! the result came back as inconclusive as they saw dark spots which could be cysts but also a large dark spot that they thought was a follicle preparing to ovulate!? So after jumping on DH at every available moment just in case i now have to go back to the drs to find out what the next step is

[mrsbugsywugsy]

I came off cerazette around Christmas. I had one 45 day cycle where I had constant PMS, which was fun. Followed by a 33 day cycle, then a 30 day, then a 29 day. So hopefully things are settling down.

I had been on cerazette for about 5 years then the combined pill for ten years before that.

[Grillamo]

I came off of the contraceptive patch back in January and not seen AF since. Its odd that after years of hating it, im actually wanting a period! Its strange, but i think im sort of having all of the symptoms (pmt, slight cramps) But no bleed. Has anyone else had this or am i talking out of my backside? (i usually am!)

[lalexander]

yeah i totally know where you are coming from Grillamo, every few weeks ( i havent been paying enough attention because it has never developed into anything) but yeah had occasional cramp, but never a bleed.

not sure what that means,

[Priscillaqueenofdessert]

Me too Grillamo I don't think there's any regularity to it but I get cramps and tender nipples (usually a big period symptom for me) but no bleeding at all. I'm so glad it's not just me

[Grillamo]

And there was me thinking i was a nutter imagining things! I feel a bit cheated tho, PMT but no excuse to veg out and eat chocolate! where is the fairness in that?!

[mrsbugsywugsy]

I had it too. I assumed it was just hormones sorting themselves out.