Light periods after stopping pill

@Hope365 @Maisy24

I was actually on the pill for 4 years or so then the injection for another 5/6 years, had my last injection in September 2018 and my body hasn't been the same since!

• because obviously it's drilled into you when you're younger that you have unprotected sex once you get pregnant immediately right?! Little did they know 

@JennaRMD welcome goodluck with your phone appointment tomorrow! Keep us all updated.

I called the docs again this morning and they told me my referral has definitely been processed now so just waiting for a date!

Love having other people to talk to about this fingers crossed for positive outcomes for us all xx

@Maisy24 I've only been off the pill for 6 months and only really been TTC for 2 or 3. If I'm being honest I didn't really think I would nees to TTC, we were kind of on the mindset that we would just play it by ear and it would happen by Christmas, naturally. Ha! How wrong was I? As I said it's not that we are in any major rush at the minute but would hate to wait a year or 2 down the line and find out something was wrong. Just trying to nip it in the bud early if there is anything wrong so we still have time to fix it of we can.

@JennaRMD how long have you been ttc? Haha you definitely are not the only one. I thought I'd come off my pill after my wedding and be pregnant in a few months maximum! It's because they drill into us in school about being careful , "it only takes one time and you'll be pregnant" well I'm on for about 100 times and still nothing 🤣 xxxxx

@Maisy24 I genuinely think there's a high possibility that it could just be our bodies regulating. As I said all of mine have been every 28-30 days on the dot and all symptoms are exactly as expected. If we are all having incredibly light flows it seems too much of a coincidence. However even though I know this, I still can't help but worry! The joys of being female eh??!! Also, is it just me or did anybody else think this whole TTC thing didn't take as much time and effort as it seems to be? Maybe I was just naïve lol.

Hi both @ForeverHopeful67 @JennaRMD let's all try and keep eachother updated on this forum, hopefully we can share any advice we get ❤️

I'm on for 15 months ttc (only properly trying for about 10) My last three cycles have only just returned to normal lengths of around 28 to 33 days, I am really wondering if it is a case of our bodies trying to get back to normal and taking a while, it seems odd we have all been on the pill for so long.

On the other side I wanted to share some positive stories, my nanna has 7 children and said she hardly bled whatsoever, also my auntie said she thought she would find it hard to conceive as she hardly lost any blood but conceived two quickly. This makes me wonder if it's a non issue and we just focus on something that is out of the normal.

Then again like @Hope365 it could be due to lining so definitely worth checking, I'm giving it this cycle and then going back to the doctors to push for an appointment at a fertility clinic.

Looking forward to sharing this journey with others in the same position! Xxxxxx

Hi all!

I am in a similar situation at the moment. Started taking the pill when I was 14 due to hellish cramps and was on Microgynon for 9 years then put onto Cerelle for just over 4years. Had no period at all on Cerelle and asked my doctor if this would cause problems later on and she was insistent it wouldn't. I stopped taking the pill on May 17th this year and took approx 4 weeks until I got a slight show although it was more of a light brown discharge. I have had regular cycles since, between 28-30days and have all the symptoms of a period but it is still soooo light. Last month it was slightly heavier and darker brown and I thought it was maybe regulating but this month it is so light you wouldn't even notice it if you were wearing dark coloured underwear. I know it's my period as it's on time but I'm just so confused to why this is happening? It's only been 6months so not sure if it's just my body getting used to the fact I didn't have a period at all for almost 5 years. My husband and I aren't in any major rush (he is 27 and I have just turned 28) but I'd like to know sooner rather than later if there is an issue. I spoke to the nurse and she said as long as I was getting any sort of bleed regularly then this is normal but I don't know. My cramps were horrendous this month but barely anything to show for it. I have a phone appointment with the doctor in the morning. Just feeling emotional and rubbish about it all at the minute. Doesn't help that I have anxiety 😅 sigh

Hi @ForeverHopeful67, I know what you mean about it being nice finding others with a similar problem - outside of these forums I feel like the only person in the world going through this! Will be good to share how each of us gets on, and what we learn from our respective appointments - I find that what we're told and what treatments are suggested can vary so much doctor to doctor... How long have you been TTC? And were you also on the pill for a long time before? X

@Hope365 @Maisy24 would love to know how you two get on also! Just been reading through your posts and I've also been referred by my gp to the fertility clinic ( awaiting app) to look into my periods as they are practically non existent and very light when they do decide to show up! In a bitter sweet way it's nice to know I'm not alone with this as I'm TTC also and it seems most people I know don't have these problems! X

@Maisy24 yes I am with the NHS. The scans were done through the fertility clinic though, I'm not sure it's something your GP would organise. If you've been trying for 15 months though you can definitely get referred to a fertility clinic so I would do that if you haven't already - hopefully you wouldn't have to wait too long for the referral, then when you get to the clinic that's where you would push for them to check your lining. I totally get the not being forceful thing - I'm the same - but this fertility journey is making me much more pushy then I ever thought possible! I just care (and worry!) too much about this to sit back and be passive...
I've sent you a DM - turns out we have an inbox on Mumsnet (though it took me a while to find!) Xxx

@Hope365 that sounds exactly like me! Thanks for replying it's reassuring to know someone else is having this experience. Annoying the appointment isn't until February but that will be here before you know it with Christmas in between! I also don't know how to DM 🙈 or I would as it sounds like we could be ttc buddies!

Are you with the nhs? Wondering if this is something they will do. If I haven't conceived this month then I'm going back to the doctors and asking them to check my lining. I'm not a very forceful person so I struggle but I honestly do think it's odd to have such a light period and I think it's the lining!

Xxxx

Hi @Maisy24, of course, happy to keep you updated!
Your situation sounds very much like mine - I was on the pill for 14 years, and have now been TTC for 13 months with no success (and crazy light periods). Like you my doctor wasn't concerned about the light flow, just regularity - my periods were actually also irregular but seemed to have settled a bit now (though still quite long cycles). My basic tests also came back all normal - hormone blood tests and scan, but like you the scan was early in my cycle so I worried it wasn't the right time to check lining. We got referred to a fertility clinic quite quickly (think we got lucky!), but even there they dismissed the light periods, until I pushed to have a tracked cycle - where they do a number of scans throughout - and found that my lining was way too thin during the luteal phase (5 mm). All that to say that in my experience you really need to push to get your lining checked - it doesn't seem to be a standard test... I guess cases like mine are rare and most of the time light periods don't mean lining issues - I hope that's the case for you - so they don't tend to worry about it.
They have finally acknowledged the problem and I have now been referred to see an endocrinologist to decide on possible treatment, though unfortunately that appointment isn't until February - I'm trying to move it forward though so I will keep you posted as soon as I find out more. Feel free to DM me if you want to chat more (if DM is possible on mumsnet? This is my first time using it!)
Xxx

@Hope365 would you mind keeping us updated on the treatment path for this?

I also have very light periods since coming off the pill (12 years on it) i am lucky to get 2 full days and even then it isn't heavy. I went to the doctors and she wasn't concerned at all, she said as long as it's regular that's what matters. I have had hormone blood tests, and ovulation blood tests. And also an internal pelvic scan. Everything came back fine. I specifically asked about the lining at the scan and the doctor said everything was normal. I was on CD 9 on the scan so my worry is how would they know about the lining at that point, surely its to soon?

However I have been ttc for 15 months and nothing! So I am wondering if it does matter.

Xxx

@Rainy34, how are your cycles now? I would be very interested to hear how you are getting on. I came off the pill in June after 6 years of taking it and am wondering how long my flows will take to return to normal, if they ever do. I was on the combined 21+7 pill for 6 years and then the mini 28 day pill for 2 months, and then I went cold Turkey as they weren't treating me well. I get brown spotting for a week and then a 5-7 day period currently, and I can't remember this being the case before I went on the pill. I spend two weeks with no issues, then the cycle repeats. I'm wondering if I should be worried and how long I should wait to see my GP. Do you have any advice?

I'm
Pretty sure mine were lighter than normal for a while after stopping the pill

Hi Abs and MrsC, I'm sorry I didn't mean to panic anyone! It seems you have both not been off the pill for that long (even though I know it can feel like ages!), so I wouldn't worry too much just yet - I was told it can take anywhere up to a year for things to regulate after the pill. I have also been told lots of times that periods do get lighter with age and that light periods don't necessarily mean thin lining, so chances are you will both be fine! 😊
Apparently though there are rarer cases like mine where things don't recover properly (so angry that doctors do not warn us of the risks...), so definitely worth going to the doctor if things don't improve - you might have to push to get your lining checked though, my crazy light periods were dismissed as normal by the first few doctors I saw 🙄

Hi,

I Came off the pill in May after being on it for 7 years, I had a withdrawal bleed a few days later. I then had a long 105 day cycle and AF was lighter than usual. I then had a 47 day cycle with some spotting about 5 days before AF then AF was soo light and seemed as if it was on and off for 5 days.

Don't even know what is going on now as I've only had 2 AF's in 6 months nearly.

I had a blood test done about a week before my first 'proper' AF as the doctor said it was weird to not have AF for more than 3 months after stopping the pill and everything came back normal.

Driving me mad!

@Hope365 Oh crikey reading this has made me panic! I came off Microgynon in July and still haven't had a proper period. Last month it was 'heavier' but it still wasnt right. Although I did have red 'fresh' blood (sorry if tmi), whereas before it was quite dark so I might have had a small step in the right direction.

My periods have definitely got lighter since stopping the pill which is confusing too. I'm going to see what happens this month and go to the doctors if it's no better.

Sorry to use you've been trying for so long. Wishing you lots of luck for the future. And thanks for your post it was really helpful

Hi ladies, really helpful finding this thread and not feeling like the only one with crazy light periods since coming off the pill. I stopped microgynon a year and half ago and my period is still so so light - only really 1 or 2 days of 'flow', but too light for even light tampons. We've been TTC for over a year now and have started going to a fertility clinic - I have had two tracked cycles (scans at various points throughout the cycle) and they have confirmed that my living is very thin, likely too thin for implantation :( I have been told by many people, including doctors, that light periods do not always mean thin lining, so you could all be fine, but its definitely worth asking to get your lining checked if you're worried about it.
We have an appointment coming up to discuss treatment options so it's definitely not the end of the road, just good to know what the challenges are so that they can be addressed and hopefully fixed!

This thread has been so helpful ladies, I came off Microgynon in July after 14/15 years and have had 3 regular cycles, but only spotting so very, very, very light periods and have been a bit concerned. Think I still might see my gp if things dont pick yo but it's good to hear its happening to others x

Thank you so much that makes me feel so much better. I just went off pill a little over a month ago and we are TTC officially starting in 2 days time. My first period post pill is super super light like enough for even a panty liner so I was worried it means I’m not ovulating but you said yours were also super light and you fell pregnant so that makes me feel much better. Yours were also so light ?

This came up on my "I'm on" posts and I realised I responded 3 years ago! My periods were very very light after stopping the pill. I conceived my son first month of trying (about a month after my post in this thread saying we weren't TTC yet - ha). I went back on the pill after he was born and stopped it again in March last year. I fell pregnant again straight away and my due date is in two days!

So I wouldn't worry about light periods post pill at all.

@Kcinova17 It can't hurt to ask a Doctor but you might get the same line I did "See how your periods are after 12 months" (which will feel like the longest wait in the world)

So is it a normal thing or to go and see the doctor?

Same. I came off Cerelle in Oct 2017, we've been TTC for 16 months and I'm still having ridiculously light AFs.
It took 4 months for my first bleed and then I got them regular with the help of Agnus Castus. Just disappointed they're not heavier as I feel it means my womb lining isn't getting thick enough for an egg to implant.

I wanted to ask for some help!! I have been off the regividon pill for 3 nearly four days and i have been getting bad cramps then i got period but have now verg light periods that actually nothing is on the pad need some help advice thanks!!