Coming off the pill

[Diddledumpling22]

I stopped taking the pill about two weeks ago. I finished a pack, had my withdrawal bleed then just never started taking it again.

A few days I had a small amount of bleeding. Today I'm having crampy feelings and a little more bleeding, not a period but just noticeable brown/red discharge.

I've been on the pill a long time and can't remember if I experienced this before! I'm just putting it down to hormonal changes but wondering if it sounds 'normal'? How soon did other people's periods return after stopping? Thanks x

Bump

Nothing after six months, so I went to the Dr, who said come back in another 3 months and we’ll run some tests. My period finally turned up the day before I was due to go back.

If you spend any time on the TTC boards you soon notice that 'normal' when coming off the pill is a huge range. What you've described definitely could be normal for you, but as a PP mentioned, doctors normally aren't interested until a number of months have passed. I would expect you should get a 'proper' period anywhere from 5-8 weeks after your withdrawal bleed and any spotting in-between can be ignored unless you're worried/in pain.

For what it's worth my first cycle after coming off the combined pill was 35 days so about 5 weeks. I'd been on the pill for about 14 years until then.

Thank you that's really helpful x

I havent come off it but know friends who have. Having discussed with them, I have come to the conclusion that when i do I should be prepared for anything for a few months. Sounds like the range of 'normal' reactions is very wide! (Incidentally for this reason, my friend chose to do it in lockdown so she wouldn't be as 'caught out' with irregular cycles during normal worklife.

I'm actually due to get married in July (covid permitting!) and I'm already panicking a bit about white dresses and irregular cycles :s

This is interesting as I will be in similar boat soonish OP - getting married Sept hopefully and thinking whether should come off the pill in advance as we will start TTC pretty much straight after (due to my age I don't have time to waste) but at the same time don't want to be worried about irregular cycles for the wedding and white dress abs for the honeymoon.

I came off mine one mid/late October, I remember it was bonfire night and my DH and I had sex, then mid August the following year out DC was born.

I think it just varies wildly. I came off it in December after 8 years, and my period came exactly 28 days after I took the last pill, and has come every 28 days since.