what happened when you came off the pill?

[gingerroot]

I've been on the pill for over 10 years, I am in my late twenties.
The huge positive for me is that I had atrocious periods (suspected endo but awaiting endoscopy) and whilst I still get bad pains, it is shorter and more manageable. I also love knowing when the period will be and knowing I can prevent it (continuing the packet).

DH and I do want kids, but I don't think we're quite ready and I can't get pregnant for another year so that when I am due I'd qualify for enhanced maternity (difference in pay is £3k a month for 6 months!)

However, starting my pill correlates to when my emotions became more irrational - I became very jealous, highly alert etc. I have always shown OCD symptoms (now diagnosed) but the anxieties were not heavily on relationships and I was more trusting, but now I am always worried about SOMETHING in my relationships. I am far more depressive, struggle to calm down and my resting heart rate sits at 90-100 bpm despite being a healthy young woman. I always get pulled up for blood pressure when I have my pill check but it's always dismissed as I have no other signs and it's borderline.

I've read about people finding a huge change when they come off hormonal birth control.

AIBU to think my life could be completely different?
Please tell me your stories.

My own OCD symptoms improved considerably. On the flipside I deal with a lot more 'natural' emotions now such as getting irrationally sad or angry with my cycle. My libido is vastly improved. My periods didn't change whatsoever but I know others say theirs got heavier, back to what they were before going on the pill.

I had been on the pill for about 12 years (also had terrible periods when I was younger). I had one 28 day anovulatory cycle then very irregular periods for months although I was drinking a lot and didn't have a very healthy lifestyle so I don't imagine that helped. It also took me a long time to start producing fertile cervical fluid. I just kept getting the thick creamy stuff like I did when I was on the pill.

I have a daughter now and although I don't want any more children I am choosing to keep away from hormonal birth control. I didn't realise the pill was killing my libido and causing extreme vaginal dryness until I stopped taking it. BTW I really recommend the book "Taking Charge of Your fertility". It's very informative and taught me to track my cycles properly and to understand what was going on in my body.

My thrush that I’d suffered with for over 10 years cleared up.
Very frustrating that all the specialists I’d been referred to in the past had never suggested it.

I was on the mini pill; I came off it and got pregnant at the first time of trying about a month later (planned).

No hormonal or other changes for me, but I don’t take or use hormonal contraception now.

It sounds to me like you might have other health issues going on. Is your mental health poor? It might actually be that which is causing some of your physical symptoms.

I take sertraline for PND and highly recommend it.

Fertility can return immediately so unless you want to get pregnant don't do it just yet. I have 3 children and fell pregnant first cycle on each of them. It's a risk if your not sure on how fertile you are.

I am scared about falling pregnant unexpectedly but realistically we have a big enough house, financially secure, DH is a teacher so that’s secure enough. We could survive on his salary alone but I enjoy our lifestyle now.
@VestaTilley yes poor mental health, if I look back OCD has been there since I was 5/6 - especially the compulsions. Always around family life (parents argued) and school work. I did also panic my friends would abandon me.
But I have learned now with diagnosis how to stop those types of behaviours and move on.
However, I went on the pill at 16 and I do remember changing. I was so much sadder but also maybe that’s part of meeting my first boyfriend.

I also went from being naturally fit and healthy to gaining weight easily and this has fluctuated dependent on the pill I’m on. I’ve taken different antidepressants and they did nothing including beta blockers - heart rate remained high which always concerned nurses but nothing ever done!

I've been off the pill for a year, having been on it all my adult life. My period cramps and bleeding are off the charts. My libido is through the roof. My mental health has never been great, overall though I am less anxious and less depressed now, but when I am it is more intense. It's predictable though, because it really does follow my cycle. I know which week I am going to be in tears at the thought of getting a bus and which week I am going to eat everything in sight. I can plan around that, and it's kind of reassuring in its way, now that I'm used to it. I don't suffer from OCD either way.

On balance, I would never go back to taking the pill.

For me I noticed no difference at all when I came off the combined pill after 15 years. Despite it being possible that your fertility will return straight away after coming off the pill, I would recommend coming off it in advance of when you want to start and just take precautions before you are ready to start trying. I came off in the September and didn't ovulate until 3 months later for the first time so it can take a little while (or longer).

I gained nearly a stone.

@Morgan12

I gained nearly a stone.

See, I think the pill caused me to gain weight, at least reducing my metabolism. So a small part is hoping i drop weight easily ha

I got pregnant within a month of coming off the pill twice. My libido increased but not massively, my periods were longer/stronger symptoms/some PMS, a bit more spotty… in general I would say quite small differences to my body but a massive change in my fertility if you’re not ready for kids, use alternative contraception!!

For me, it felt like a grey cloud lifted.

No idea I came off the pill and was pregnant before even getting a period.

Although I’m a much happier nicer person when pregnant so could be pregnancy or normal me off the pill.

I’m planning on coming off again soon because we don’t need it anymore but I’m dreading what my periods might be like.

Absolutely nothing happened to me, I must be on my own!

Oh no, I’m sorry to hear about your struggles, OP.

Do you have private medical cover through your work? That’s how I got my PND diagnosis after my useless GP said it was just “exhaustion”

That may be an avenue to explore if nothing else has worked thus far, though I appreciate its out of reach for many. I wish you all the best.

Thanks @VestaTilley - I've been diagnosed with OCD which is fitting. I was prescribed Venaflaxin but couldn't get on with it so just take betablockers. I am doing ok but I would love to see if I feel different!

My period didn't come back at all. Went to the docs and turns out I have an underactive thyroid. Never knew.

I didn't feel hugely different when I stopped taking the pill after 10 years but there was a definite feeling of calm.

I was just on the mini pill and it gave me MURDEROUS RAGE and killed my ability to focus and my libido. I got off and I was a much better human.

If you want to get off but don’t want to get pregnant, there are other contraception methods, some which are very reliable (condoms) and some which are “not likely to get pregnant but would not be a disaster if I did”.

When I came off my periods pretty much instantly went into a regular pattern, like clockwork. They're heavier and more uncomfortable but my mood is immensely more stable. I feel less angry and irritated in general. Just happier. No other changes but DH and I agreed that after we've had kids he'll get a vasectomy so I won't have to take hormones again.

Yes be warned. I came off pill and was pregnant within 6 weeks...!

Coming off was fine for 6 months. Then it got bad....i spend one week depressed, exhausted, barely able to get through the day (like so exhausted i cant do anything in the evening and i sometimes physically cant get from kitchen to bedroom without a rest at the end of the day). Then a few days intense cramping that i cant exercise without it getting worse).

So now im looking for another hormonal contraceptive.

Would give a 1/10.

I lost a stone, stopped having horrendous mood swings and got my sex drive back.
On the down side the period pains and zits came back.

I got pregnant a couple of weeks later But that was a while ago, when I was 33 Second time I came off the pill it took a few months until I got pregnant, periods came back fine right away, but I was older. Still managed to get pregnant within a year.

After having DC2 I had the implant fitted for a few years, took it out last year. My periods are back to normal and very regular.

Didn't notice any hormonal changes but my periods didn't return for 6 months, which surprised me!