AIBU to ask how you felt coming off the pill?

[M0reGinPlease]

I've been on the pill (Femodene) for about twenty years now, bar a break of about three years for TTC, being pregnant and breastfeeding. I never really thought it was causing me any problems before but the older I get the more I dislike taking it. I'm grumpy, short tempered, no interest in sex and my boobs ache a lot. I know this could just be me being a grumpy cow but I'm convinced hormonal contraception messes with you. I don't remember feeling like this when I wasn't on it.

We're 99% sure we'd like another baby. DH is 100%, I'm the 99%! I have three packets of pills left and I'm contemplating finishing them and then just not taking it any more. If I get pregnant, great. If I don't then at least I'm off the pill.

How did you feel when you came off it? Anyone else noticed an improvement in mood?

I came off the pill in Jan 2016, having been on it for about a decade. The positive effect on my Mental Health was insane. A huge difference.

I've had OCD since I was a kid & suffered with crippling anxiety through my late teens/twenties. I'd just sort of accepted that I was an anxious person & always would be...but within about a month of stopping the pill it was like a dark cloud had lifted. I still had/have OCD symptoms, but much milder, and the anxiety is pretty much gone. Even though a pretty stressful year (lost my job, got pregnant, my Sister diagnosed & treated for Cancer, moved house, had baby) I felt a ton better than I did when taking hormonal contraception. Sex drive also massively improved, boobs stopped being tender all the time (I always thought it was just PMS) & weirdly my hair started growing really quickly(?). My periods took about 6 months to go back to normal, then I conceived DS1 in the October.

I've just had DD2 & my OH been put on the local waiting list for a Vasectomy. No fucking way am I going back on hormones, and unsurprisingly a lifetime of condoms doesn't seem to appeal to him

Long time ago, but I actually welcomed pmt back into my life. I felt like I could feel a proper range of emotions again good and bad rather than everything being a bit dulled.

It was a while ago but I my libido increased and I felt more in tune with my body. Cycle went back to its original 21-24 days.
I tried to go back on after kids but within a week I felt fat and sad - didn't have this first time around - so I binned them (still feel guilty for wasting NHS resources...).

I didnt have a period for 3 years after coming off the pill. I was a hormonal psycho with sore breasts, and period type pains . Never used hormonal contraceptives since .

Mini pill was awful and we realised about six weeks in so I came straight off.

Normal pill...no change except my skin went ballistic and spotty (and has remained so...sigh).

Brilliant. The weight fell off, the black cloud lifted and my libido returned. The effects had all crept on gradually so I didn't realise how bad they had got until they weren't there any more.

I loathe the pill. I was on various brands from 15-25 to help with PCOS, but it made me depressed, bloated, and I had no interest in sex. I’m 42 now, and haven’t been depressed in the interim. I did, however, get awful cystic acne every time I stopped the pill.

Same as @PreggoFeminist86. Came off the pill summer 2017 and my anxiety was so much better, I’m more balanced. Didn’t change my weight but never mind! Currently pregnant but no way am I going back on hormonal contraception once DC is born.

The first time I've heard of someone else being on Femodene , I always had a pain in the arse time getting it as it was only ever ordered in for me.

I feel more like myself , I came off it in August. I no longer cry for no reason, my mood has improved , I'm more optimistic and my sex drive is finally back after going missing.

I've had no weight loss but I've gotten used to being a bit squishy .

Thanks everyone- amazing positive stories.

@Thistle23 I was originally prescribed it when I first went on the pill. I had a brief period of taking Cerelle while I was breastfeeding and it made me mega psycho, so GP put me back on Femodene as I hadn't really had any problems with it before.

Deffo thinking it's the last three packets and no more now. DH has been pre-warned it'll be condoms or the snip after (hopefully!) DC2 !!

Slightly different here. I was on the pill for twenty five years! No problems, although I did take it back to back and had only about 1 break or ‘false period’ a year.
Anyway I came off it to conceive, was pregnant within 10 days! Was sterilised then as I am in my forties and we didn’t want more children. So now I am about 18 months into having proper cycles and periods with no hormonal contraceptives and I hate it. I have a gp appointment next week and I am going to ask to be out back on the mini pill. I have always been pretty stable and now I have awful grumpiness and rage the week before period and then heavy bleeds and days of sobbing afterwards. It’s driving me bonkers and I can’t even trust my own feelings.
Just a slightly different perspective I am afraid.

I cannot believe the difference since stopping hormonal contraception. Echoing other posters, like a cloud had lifted! Feel so much more balanced, in tune with my body and cycle. Now have copper coil and it's a win all round. Would never go back!!

Fucking amazing. Like a heavy coat had been taken off my shoulders. DH commented on the dramatic improvement in my mood, energy etc.
Since coming off hormonal contraception to have DD I've discussed this with so many women who had the same experience, including one who said she didn't realise its abnormal to be "a little bit suicidal" until she stopped taking the pill. God bless the copper coil!

Coming off hormonal contraception was fantastic for me physically. The doctor refused to believe that it could be contributing to headaches... told me all my symptoms were caused by stress which they obviously weren't as they cleared up within a few months of coming off it and I'm just as stressed! Also stopped crying all the time which is a bonus It gets brought up every time I go into the doctors though and I have to explain that I'm happy to accept a 3% higher chance of getting pregnant instead of having a headache every day It seems to work really well for some people though, I wish I could be on it without getting side effects.

I had horrible hot flashes. Awful.

Pregnant :-).