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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Cerazette stories please.

161 replies

deethra · 28/03/2021 16:10

After being on cerazette for 7 years, my OH and I have decided to TTC baby #3.

While on cerazette my AF stopped completely, at the time I thought this was wonderful, but now we are TTC, I have no idea what my cycle is or when it will ever come back. 😭

I have 'only' been off Cerazette for 5 weeks, which I know in the grand scheme of things is a very short amount of time. I know I just need to be patient and let my body find its groove again. But every day feels like a lifetime, waiting for AF.

I haven't had any sign of a withdrawal bleed or anything. I was expecting to atleast of had that by now?!
Lots of bloating, sore boobs and cramps, but nothing else.

I should also say, I am 37. So I have that little (irrational) nagging voice in my head telling me my body clock is ticking. Hence the lack of patience and added anxiety. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Please share your stories of coming off of cerazette. Did you have a withdrawal bleed? How long did it take for AF to arrive? How long after stopping cerazette did it take for you to conceive?

Thank you. ❤

OP posts:
feliznavidad2 · 08/04/2021 17:34

These stories are both reassuring, good luck @Ivy99 and thanks for sharing @tisonlymeagain

No developments here although was a bit of a (?) hormonal wreck yesterday, felt like awful PMT. No development on the bleeding front though.

I'm just trying to relax and take it as it comes (she says...)

Fingers crossed for you deethra 🤞🏻 - I've been up for DTD constantly since stopping the pill except for the last day or two Blush Apologies if TMI Grin

tisonlymeagain · 08/04/2021 15:55

Hello! Here's my happy story.

Had been on Cerazette for 2 years, no periods at all during that time. Came off Cerazette at the end of March, had one 'period' at the end of April, got BFP at the end of May. I was 40 at the time.

Ivy99 · 08/04/2021 15:44

@deethra that’s ok! I just know I searched forever on here for everyone’s stories when I came off the pill!

But you’re right, even knowing you’re not alone helps massively! Especially as no one knows we’re TTC so can’t speak to anyone!

Yea I’m not sure if it was coincidence or not, but I was like 6 days late, well I say late, that was just extending from the 23 day cycle, but as soon as I stopped taking them AF arrived!

I’ve found tracking quite helpful and the clear blue OPKs were really helpful this month as they measure your fertile window, not just the LH peak. As last cycle I tried to DTD around the date my app told me I was ovulating and I think I ovulated much later, so who knows.

I really hope this is our month as it’s our birthdays this month so it’ll be a lovely surprise for OH! But trying not to get my hopes up!

So much for the “we will just see what happens” when we started this! 🤣

Original poster
deethra · 08/04/2021 14:59

Hi @Ivy99

Thank you so much for sharing.

It is so frustrating! So I know I for one am really grateful to anyone who shares their experience. I know we're all different, but just knowing you aren't alone can make such a difference.
Hopefully we can all support each other.

I'm currently taking the pregnacare before conception vitamins. It does say on the box that it can cause a delay or change in your monthly cycle. I wonder if its worth changing to just folic acid like you did. Hmmmm, definitely something to think about.

Sending you lots of baby dust. 😊🌟

OP posts:
Ivy99 · 08/04/2021 14:35

Hi Everyone, just thought I'd join to add my experience :)

I came off the pill on the 8th of Dec last year. And I'd been on carrelle for around 8 years and then they put me onto Carazette as they just did a 3 month prescription as of course no doctors appointments allowed then. But carazette realllly messed up my mental health big time, so came off early and beyond happy that i did!

So I had a 'withdrawral bleed' around 2 weeks later, but it was literally just a small amount (Brown) and then nothing after. Then around 2 weeks after that (Around 4 weeks stopping the pill) i had a few days of spotting but only brown discharge (Sorry TMI!) and it wasn't until around 8 weeks since stopping the pill that i finally had my first proper cycle and it was only around 23 days.
I also tracked absolutely everything on the 'clue' app as i went on the pill as a teenager so i don't remember anything cycle wise from before then lol.

I was also taking the seven seas TTC tablets from the day i stopped the pill, and i had a 23/24 day cycle and then a 28 day cycle and because it was a week longer i was convinced i was pregnant but BFN :(
I then stopped taking those tablets as apparently they can lengthen your cycle. Although that wasn't actually a bad thing for me then! I now only take folic acid. And i am currently on Cycle 3 of TTC our first! And I'm in the 2ww which i dread!

Also i had every pregnancy symptom under the sun when i first stopped the pill! and my hormones went a bit whack but they've fortunately settled down a bit. I also used clear blue OPK's this month as my app was tracking ovulation on the wrong days.

Sorry for the long post, but i was at this point back then and it's so frustrating!

Hope you're all doing ok!

Original poster
deethra · 08/04/2021 14:09

How's its going @feliznavidad2?

I had cramps yesterday morning, and then milky mucus in the afternoon, but nothing since. I wonder if that's me ovulating.

Today is the first time since coming off the pill that I feel semi normal. I also want to jump on DH, which again is the first time I've felt remotely 'in the mood' since coming off the pill. Luckily for DH, he's out all day. Lol.

Trying not to get my hopes up that I'm through the worst of the side effect. 😊

OP posts:
feliznavidad2 · 06/04/2021 17:28

Yeah, we're trying but doesn't feel very well scheduled as no idea if even ovulating yet so just sort of doing it when we fancy. 😆

I have got a stash of pregnancy tests now as otherwise it's like being in limbo. I don't think my very short spotting episode was my withdrawal bleed unfortunately - it wasn't really even proper spotting; lots of pinky/brown discharge.

Fingers crossed things get moving for both of us soon. Also v bloated here and horrible cramps at times but then other times feel fine. 🤷‍♀️ so weird!

Original poster
deethra · 06/04/2021 12:57

Wish I could say I was @feliznavidad2, but unfortunately not! 😓
I had the light brown spotting on the 1st and 2nd, but nothing since. I wouldn't even call it spotting really either. I put a pad on in the hopes things would develop, but there was never any need for a pad.
I'm hoping this was my withdrawal bleed?!
I wonder if your 6hr bleed was yours?? 🤞🏻
I have cramps still, but my boobs are no longer sore.
The bloating is really starting to get to me now, I'm fed up of leggings and super baggy tops.

Are you TTC now? We want to start properly from the 17th, and I'm worried with each day that goes by that AF won't arrive before then.
I wonder what our chances are of conceiving before having an AF?

OP posts:
feliznavidad2 · 06/04/2021 11:00

It's been 23 days since I stopped taking the pill and still nothing, apart from that 6 hours or so of spotting. Trying to stop flapping that this means no periods forever - I'm such a catastrophiser. 🙄

Hope you're all having better luck than me? @deethra? x

Original poster
deethra · 02/04/2021 15:19

@feliznavidad2 It's infuriating isn't it.
I thought maybe AF was starting yesterday morning. I have light brown spotting (TMI? Sorry) and awful cramps, but it isn't developing into anything heavier.
My hormones feel all over the place today too.

OP posts:
feliznavidad2 · 01/04/2021 20:44

No news still here... wee'd on a stick just incase, again... but BFN. 🙄

Original poster
deethra · 30/03/2021 21:35

@KittyWoods Thank you!!
Annoyingly I have no passed history to go by with myself. With DC1 I managed to conceive while on rigavidon (not actively TTC). After DC1 was born, I went on the depo injection, which was great while I was on it, but when we decided to try for another baby, it took us over a year to conceive. DC2 is now 7.
There's so many varying stories of coming off of cerazette, but yours definitely gives us some hope. So thank you.

OP posts:
Kat668 · 30/03/2021 21:10

@KittyWoods thank you, this gives us hope!!

@deethra ha same here! Last night I couldn't sleep as I had a weird pain/ache in myeft side/back. Spent all day wondering if its linked ha ha

Original poster
deethra · 30/03/2021 19:39

@Kat668 🤞🏻🤞🏻

We're actively TTC from the 17th April (counting down the hours 😂😂) so you can guarantee on the 16th April AF will come with full vengeance. 🙈

I have such a bad lower back ache today. With every ache or twinge lately I wonder if it's a sign somethings happening. I swear I'm driving myself crazy, haha.

OP posts:
KittyWoods · 30/03/2021 19:08

I came off it after 5yrs on with no periods. Had a bleed two weeks later, and was pregnant with DS1 before a second period was due. Went on it after DS1 and again came off for TTC. Period two weeks after coming off it, DS2 conceived the following month.

I know stories vary. For me it was simple both times.

Kat668 · 30/03/2021 19:02

@deethra that's brave! 😂😂

Still nothing here too but I think I'm ovulating so maybe I might manage to conceive before a period! 🤞😂

Original poster
deethra · 30/03/2021 18:30

@feliznavidad2 Nothing here either. 😔
I even tempted fate by wearing light cream trousers today, haha. 😄

OP posts:
feliznavidad2 · 30/03/2021 17:38

Still no bleeding here...

Original poster
deethra · 29/03/2021 10:28

@Figgypullx Wow, you seem to be going through the exact opposite.
I guess this is why there's so little information online with regards to what to exspect when coming off of birth control like cerazette, everybody goes through such a different experience.
I really hope your body finds its groove soon. Fingers crossed this current bleed is your 'proper' period, so you can start tracking things properly.

OP posts:
Original poster
deethra · 29/03/2021 10:17

@Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket
Thank you!! You've given me some hope!

@20viona Really!! Thats amazing. I've convinced myself that this will be my life now for a year+, so you've definitely given me some hope.
I know everyone has a different experience, but just knowing there's a possibility of some light at the end of the tunnel soon gives me hope.

I wish I could just forget about it and stop stressing, but every time I go for a pee, I'm wishing and hoping for a sign AF is starting. It's all consuming atm.
If you'd have told 17 year old me, that one day my every thought (for 5 weeks) would be wishing my period would hurry up and start, I'd have told you that you must be crazy, haha.

OP posts:
Figgypullx · 29/03/2021 09:51

Hey! So I seem to be the opposite! Funny how our bodies react in different ways. I came off cerazette (after 14 years no periods) on 14th feb. 5 days after that I had a very light bleed (?Withdrawal bleed) then 20 days after that I had a heavier bleed for 3 days, I assumed this was my period then on CD16 I came on again, still not a heavy bleed but now been on for 4 days! Just so frustrating knowing what’s going on with my body x

20viona · 29/03/2021 08:58

I was on cerezette for 10 years and came off in august 2018. Got pregnant in October 2018 so didn't take long. Had one period in between and implantation bleeding which I thought was a period lol.

Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket · 29/03/2021 08:24

I was on cerazette for about 10 years before I started ttc and conceived in the first month off it. Cerazette hadn't stopped my periods though so I don't remember waiting for a withdrawal bleed.
Good luck everyone x

feliznavidad2 · 29/03/2021 07:49

@deethra it's just v pale pink and brown discharge now 🤔

I had a regular bleed whilst taking Cerazette (weirdly) and that always began a bit like this where I'd end up hoping that it would just begin due to feeling bloated, grumpy and uncomfortable so fingers tightly crossed that it's just being a bit slow...

Also not telling anyone that we're TTC, I personally feel it adds another layer of pressure.

Original poster
deethra · 29/03/2021 07:45

Ohhh no, did the spotting not come to anything @feliznavidad2?

It is nice to feel like you aren't alone. We have decided not to tell anyone we're TTC, so its been a long few weeks of Google searching and stress. 🤦🏼‍♀️ (Google is not your friend when you're over 35, coming off the pill and TTC)

OP posts: