Timing coming off Cerazette

[Bump2be]

I'm new to Mumsnet, hello! The earliest I'd like to have a baby (my first) is mid January, so my extra maternity package kicks in - couldn't pay the mortgage without it. I'm on Cerazette, and need to be until the start of April (I think, counting backwards) to protect against getting pregnant early, but I know my body will likely be screwed up for a few months at least once I come off it. So, January is unlikely! Does anyone have any advice on coming off Cerazette? I know the timescales seem very clinical, but I'm the main earner at home, so.... Would be good to hear how you've dealt with Cerazette if you've been in a similar position. Bye for now!

[Junosmum]

It's sensible to plan financially. Unfortunately, cerazette, like all pills either messes up your cycle or you go straight back to a regular cycle- I was the latter, we used condoms when I came off it and then next cycle started trying, I got pregnant straight away. Some people don't get there cycle back for a year. You won't know until you start trying. FWIW, we also needed me to get my enhanced maternity- me getting pregnant in May would do that. We figured it would take months to conceive. I was wrong.

[Bump2be]

Thanks Junosmum. I think I'm looking at the extremes - almost immediate conception and so I can't try too early, or hormonal mayhem that may take a while to settle down! I don't have periods with Cerazette, but I can map my 'cycles' out with my moods, 5 weeks apart, give or take. I know that's not the same as a period, but I found it interesting that this pill can take away periods but the underlying emotions are still there!

[gunting]

I think the suggestion of coming off it and using condoms until you're ready is a good one.

I came off cerazette to ttc in March 2014. The actually coming off it was bizarre, I had morning sickness, cravings, backache etc. My cycles ranged from 45 days to 57(!) days for 7 months until they got back to normal.

In the end I conceived in January 2015 so it look 9 months. My son is 4 months now.

Like you say there are two extremes!

[Bump2be]

Hi Gunting, I've heard the withdrawal symptoms make a lot of women think they're already pregnant! It all feels very clinical at the moment - I've focused on my career so far and realised that no time is perfect at work, so I'm going with the start date of my extra maternity money. That'll make life easier while I'm off! I'm already on folic acid. I must sound like a planner!

[gunting]

Yeah I thought I must have got lucky and got pregnant a few days after I came off it!

It's good to plan though and taking the folic acid and budgeting will help a lot.

I hope it doesn't take too long for you, but even so I don't think about it now I have my son.

[Bump2be]

I've read on here about a few people conceiving within days, which is great that it all 'still works' but worrying financially if I time it wrong! I'm looking forward to dropping a few pounds between stopping the pill and hopefully conceiving, Cerazette and no periods has left me half a stone heavier than on other pills. I was about 1.5 stone heavier, but I sorted that out!

[underrugsswept]

I was on cerezette and had my first AF 6 weeks after I came off it. I stopped taking it 6 months before TTC and got pregnant on my first cycle.

[Cuppaand2biscuits]

I got pregnant within the first month off coming off cerazette.

[SunnyL]

I also got pregnant within the first few weeks of coming off cerazette - I never has a period. 2nd time round I got a period 6 weeks after coming off and fell pregnant a couple weeks after that.

[puzzledleopard]

Doctors talk about boosted fertility for the first couple of months coming off it thats why they strongly recommend contraception and can get pregnant even before your period has returned. What I got told at the doctors you can still get pregnant if you miss pills (and there are so many posts to prove it) so it clearly does not affect chances of getting pregnant in some women.

I've fallen pregnant twice on Cerazette both resulted in miscarriages though not idea if the miscarriages were linked to Cerazette, as I did not realise either time I was pregnant and was still taking it. I think I must have been sick or diarrhoea as I never missed any. They said it would be best to let the Cerazette leave my system before getting pregnant and to avoid falling pregnant straight after mc but I think a lot of that is because they can't date it.
I've stopped having periods now as well so if I came off to try (wont be for a long long time for same reasons as you financial) and I got pregnant straight away they wouldn't have a clue when to date me because I wouldn't have an LMP and we are dtd to often to pinpoint that either thats why its not advised apparently according to gyne.

I would be careful right up until the point you want to try I got pregnant with my DD when I was on microgynon 30. I think the same again I must have been ill around the time (sickness or stomach related) and didn't find out till 8 weeks. I was losing weight at the time which doctor told me can boosts your fertility as I managed to get myself into a healthy weight range so weight loss could give you a boost but it also how i found out I was pregnant as I plateaued and I got over tired extremely quickly.

[Bump2be]

Sounds like it can be very quick sometimes! I've read about the fertility boost some women see immediately after coming off Cerazette, that was part of my decision to take the pill right up to 9 months before my maternity package starts. I could come off it early and clear it out my system, or I could take it right up and see if I can spot when I ovulate using the predictor kits, so I don't miss a cycle. That first withdrawal bleed us gonna be a shock to see after no periods for so long!

[bobcat85]

It took over 6 months for me to have my first period after coming off Cerazette, then about 3/4 months after that for my cycle to become normal. It was quite an annoying time as the doctors thought I might have had polycistic overies (I didn't).
I'm 100% not going back on it.

[Mermaid36]

I came off cerazette in July last year (over 10yrs on it) and was pregnant by November....it only took a month for my periods to regulate....

[LuciBee231015]

Hi Ladies

I know this thread is pretty old now, but wondering if anyone has any updates following coming off cerazette and ttc?

I plan to come off on 31st July and dreading it. The moment you decide that You want a baby it's hard not to want it to happen straight away, but by the looks of most of these posts I'm going to feel very crap and take a long time to fall pregnant!

I actually missed 2 pills last week and dtd a few times (not intentional) but secretly hoping something happens... Not much chance I know...


X

[Redpony1]

I absolutely love Cerazette as i hate periods, but planning when to come off is scary. I have a fear of blood so taking ages to conceive and having periods again scares me. Will be another 10 months or so before i come off though, need to man up.

[OVO1410]

I've been on cerazette for 12 years. First time I came off, had a withdrawal bleed 6 weeks after last pill, positive pregnancy test 6 weeks later. This time I took my last pill on 7th April, withdrawal bleed on 8th May, positive pregnancy test on 1st July. So both times I conceived the first time I ovulated. I know there are lots of scare stories online about people coming off cerazette and having problems conceiving. But everyone's different and I know three people in real life who have fallen pregnant while taking cerazette.

[LuciBee231015]

I love cerazette too, no periods at all and no side effects. Been on it for about 6 years and microgynon before that for about 6 years.

Ovo - did you do opks when you came off cerazette to know when you were ovulating? Or did you just predict after having your first cycle?

I really hope I go back to regular cycles straight after... Scary as haven't had a period in 6 years, kind of forgotten what it's like!

[DontBuyANewMumCashmere]

I loved cerazette! No mood swings, bleed etc
I came off mid Jan 2014 and was pregnant by early March, two bouts of spotting that's all I had.

As an aside, after I had DD I asked to go back on Cerazette and they gave me Cerelle saying it's made by the same people and is pretty much the same thing.
Now I'm having light periods/heavy spotting every two weeks almost, so don't let them fob you off with cerelle

[OVO1410]

LuciBee - I've never done opks. This time I charted my temperature, just so I knew where I was in my cycle as I didn't ovulate until CD43! We always just dtd at least every other day throughout my whole cycle

[LuciBee231015]

I think I will start off dtd every other day and try looking out for ov symptoms and see how we get on. I'm so impatient though, I'll end up with opks after cycle 1!

[Usernamegone]

I stopped taking cerazette on 31st May as planning start ttc in Sept/Oct and wanted a few months for my cycle to get back to normal (I was clockwork regular before I went on the pill). Touch wood my cycle is so far regular (AF due Sat).

[LuciBee231015]

I'm liking the positive cerazette stories. Fingers crossed I am one of them! 8 days and I'm coming off eeeeek!

[lullaby23]

I came off Cerazette in March '14, had a couple of short cycles, started TTC in Junr and was pg by July

[LuciBee231015]

Wow lullaby! Fingers crossed I'm quick too! Congratulations!