Coming off the pill next month- what do I need to know?

[notasize10yetbutoneday]

Hi All

Next month (after our holiday) I am planning to come off the pill as we want to TTC. I have been on the pill for 14 years (went on it when I was 14 because of bad periods) so I can't even remember what a 'normal' period feels like.

When i come off it next month, should we TTC straight away, or should we use other contraception for a while, til my body gets used to being off the pill? Would it be bad to come off the pill and (theoretically) then get pregnant straight away?

Feel a bit clueless about it all and no RL friends in the same boat so all advice appreciated.

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Hi there - this thread is a little old. If you'd like to know more about coming off the pill, we've got some information here. MNHQ

Lol notasize, I just started a thread with a similar question and also no RL friends in the same boat.

My dilemma is whether to stop now, with six pills left in the pack, or to finish the pack. We're planning to TTC end of September/beginning of October.

Hopefully those with more experience will be able to help!

Good luck!

Ha ha snap- I just replied to yours!!!

There is no problem becoming pregnant straight away, I did with our second child - you might get a doctor or midwife who huffs and says it's difficult to date a pregnancy if you haven't had a period, but a scan will soon sort that out!
Some women's bodies I believe do take time to adjust so don't worry if it doesn't happen straight away. Just try and enjoy trying!

Thanks blue. Feel v.overwhelmed though when i read all the medical and fertility acronyms on here- i think i have a lot to learn! Have just ordered Zita West's Guide to Fertiity & Conception off Amazon- I will let you know when it comes if its any good Mrswantstobeamum?

Yes, please! I ordered Toni Weschler's Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I'll let you know if that one's useful.

Don't feel overwhelmed (giving the same advice to myself)! Maybe we will both get PG straight away and will have no need to learn all the fertility acronyms!

BTW, you might be interested in the thread The Bus Stop - Waiting to TTC (Part 3). There are a couple of others there who will start TTC around the same time as us and it seems like a good group.

Thanks, yes we can exchange book reviews! Thanks will check out that thread, good to know theres others in the same boat.

I stopped the pill after about 8 years and got pregnant straight away (two weeks after my last period). DS was born 10 months ago, no problems. No problems dating the pregnancy either - probably because it happened immediately!

I have just come off the pill and am ttc, my GP said there is no problem with it, it's a bit of a myth about womb linings not being sufficient etc.

The one thing you may need to check is if you used the pill to manage period pan (as I did) you might want to get to the bottom of what caused the period pain (in my case it is endometriosis) as those things could have some bearing on conception.

yes be aware you can get pregnant straightaway and not necessarily at the point in your cycle you'd expect it. i think you are actually more likely to fall pregnant in that first cycle after the pill - there is some sort of boost.

My gyne said to start trying right away as some studies have shown that there can be a bit of a fertility boost in the months after coming off the pill......this is probably due to the fact that the ovaries (whose function was supressed on the pill) suddenly go into overdrive.

There is no need to wait for the hormones to "clear the body" another common myth or to allow your body to "adjust". Most women's periods will return to what they used to be pre-pill within a few weeks. So if they were irregular, or particularly heavy they will usually go back to being just that, and same for if they were spot on 28 days.

I would definitely wait to finish the end of the pack. Stopping the pill midway can cause disruption of the cycle. So get to the end of this pack and then conceive away!

Hello

I came off the Pill back in March after 14 years using it. I didn't finish the pack (the doctor suggested this) and I had a AF straight away (though it was more of a pill linked AF). I then had a 60 day cycle which caused me to reach for the pregnancy tests on several occasions. It wasn't to be. We didn't try in the first few months and were just happy to let nature take it's course. I'm now pretty familiar with my cycle (which is very useful) and symptons and I'm on my first cycle with the Clear Blue Fertility Monitor.

I would have loved for it to have happened straight away but unfortunately for me it wasn't meant to be.

TangoTime

Hi

Like BigGLittleG I also had doctors tell me that I should try immediately after coming off the pill. The first was a hemotologist and the advice was based on the suspicion that I had PCOS (since ruled out) and the theory was that the residue of hormones from the pill would HELP my body be in the best place for pregnancy.

The second was a gynecologist who has recommended I go on the pill for 3 months following a miscarriage. My period hasnt arrived yet (and its not the first time) so he wants the pill to "regulate" my cycles first before ttc.

I also have a son, conceived immediately after coming off the pill!

However, not knowing your true dates can cause extra stress and worry during the first trimester when you are so anxious for all the results to be OK. Might be worth waiting one cycle just for that reason.

good luck!

Thanks everyone for the advice...

BigGLittleG and TangoTime, I was impatient and came off the pill with 6 days left in the pack. I started an unusually heavy and crampy AF 4 days later, still ongoing. Ideally I'd like to start TTC in October. I'm really hoping to have a normal cycle or two first. If I have disrupted my cycle by coming off the pill early, what is likely to happen? Maybe a long cycle like TangoTime?

Notasize, I'm about halfway through Taking Charge of Your Fertility, and it is excellent. I will definitely be using the Fertility Awareness Method to chart during TTC, and may use it later as a birth control method. But even if you're not interested in using it for those purposes, it's really useful. How are you getting on with Zita West's book?

I went off the pill two weeks ago to TTC, and went to the dr at the same time who told me NOT to ttc until I'd had three cycles after going off the pill. I wasn't satisfied with her reasons why though (she said to cleanse the system or something) so am going for it anyway.

It's strange TTC I've decided (after all of two weeks) and can't help feeling a bit naughty not using contraception although I know I've made the decision with DH in a rational adult way

Thanks all, some really useful advice about what to expect.

mrswantstobeamum im a bit disappointed with the Zita West book actually- my primary reasons for buying it were to understand my cycle more, what happens during the cycle, ovulation etc. But only a few pages are devoted to that. The rest is a bit too 'new-age' for me spending ages on all the different vitamins you need, detoxing, meditation, etc. Which after 30-odd pages was a bit much. The rest then focuses on problems conceiving, and the reasons for infertility, which i almost hope not to have to read, IYSWIM.

It sounds like the Taking Charge book might be worth a look though?

Notasize, it sounds like TCOYF is exactly what you're looking for. It explains everything you are looking for in an intelligent but not too complicated way. Everything seems very clear to me now. If you do follow the Fertility Awareness Method, it involves taking your temperature every morning, checking your cervical fluid, and (optional), checking you cervical position every day. You chart these things and can then understand how long your cycles are, when you ovulate, etc. No detox, meditation, etc. Even if you don't want to chart, I still think the book is useful.

Penelope, congrats about coming off the pill! I came off a week ago and am still surprised every night to remember I don't need to take it. I know what you mean about feeling a bit naughty - it's just so instinctive to use contraception. Good luck TTC!

Thanks Mrs,sounds like thats more what Im looking for.

Have you actually come off the pill now?! EEEEK that is so exciting! I am sending positive 'BFP' thoughts your way.

Yes, I came off the pill mid-pack...once we had made a concrete decision to TTC soon, it felt strange to keep taking it! I guess I was impatient, as I only had 6 pills left. We'll see what happens with my cycle now...I'm charting using the method in the TCOYF book.

Not TTC for another month, but very excited! You are planning to start TTC around that time too, right?

Be aware that you make have the most bonkers moodswings when you come off the pill. Like PMT with knobs on.

If it does happen don't feel surprised, and no, you're not going mad. It seems to settle after a cycle or two.

I came off the pill 7 months ago and we're not officially ttc yet, so actually avoiding my fertile times using the 'standard days method'. Has worked so far, and we're going to start actually ttc soon which will be good - no fun having to say 'no tonight darlin' at the exact time your body is crying out to be impregnated!

You could try that for a month or two? Gives your body a chance to settle into regular periods which makes your pregnancy easier to track, and can be no bad thing for your body to adjust to being pill-free. It's not by any means a reliable form of contraception but it wouldn't be a disaster for you to be pg so it's fine.

My experience of coming off the pill was a 42 day cycle (lots of pg testing!) and I ovulated that month, and it was so painful I was doubled up in pain at work and took a day sickie to go to the doctor look on t'interweb to find out what it was - felt like such a wuss when I realised it was just ovulation pain! It's been 12 years on the pill to be fair :)

Anyway just to warn you your first ovulation may be painful, apparently it's common after not shoving an egg down your tubes for a while, the first one to make the journey is a bit unwilling or struggles its way down. I had 2 days of pain and nausea. I'm still highly aware of when I ovulate (which will be good for ttc) but it's not anything like as bad as the first one.

notasize10,

It is unnecessary to use other contraception when you come off the pill; the pill also leaves your system very carefully after you have taken the last tablet.

Painful periods, particularly if this is an ongoing problem should always be investigated further by a gynae (NOT THE GP!) to ascertain the cause. There is much ignorance of endo and this is why I remained undiagnosed with it for so long. I also note you were originally put on the pill for "bad periods" - which to me anyway is another possible indicator of endo as well.

snoozathon,

If what you have described happens again I would make a GP appt asap. Ovulation pain should not be that painful; infact what you describe could well have been endometriosis. The doubling up in pain and having to take a day off work are all things that I have had.

Also a 42 day cycle if consistant would also now warrant a visit to the GP as you may not be ovulating regularly. A "normal" cycle is a cycle length of between 21 and 35 days or with less than 4 days of variation from month to month.

Attila,

Thanks for your concern - I came off the pill due to mid-cycle bleeding with mood swings and exhaustion to accompany it, and I couldn't find out why it was happening despite ultrasound, blood tests, smears etc. All sorted now I'm off the pill so the docs just shrug their shoulders

I assume endometriosis would have been picked up at my ultrasound? My cycle has settled into 31 days with no probs and the mid-cycle stuff has stopped, so I think the pill was the problem, although I've no idea why - was on it for 12 years and the problems only started in the last 2.

Love being off it, but we're not quite ready to ttc so it's a risky business - I'd be happy, poor DH would be the sensible one being bloody terrified about how to pay the mortgage!

Sorry for brief hijack OP x

Domesticslattern I have just finished my last pack too (though not TTC yet) and it's really helpful to be prewarned about mood swings so thanks! Should I prewarn DP? "Darling, apologies in advance, but in three weeks time I will be turning into a lunatic..."

Not at all, this si all so helpful. Like you snoozathon I had an ultrasound so i would have hoped endometriosis (sp?!) would've been picked up then...you would hope...

My plan now is to come off the pill on the last day of our holiday (4 oct) and then like snoozathon not actively TTC (avoiding fertile times/withdrawal method) until Ive had at least a couple of cycles and I am getting used to being off the pill. I realise these methods still carry a degree of chance of getting pregnant which lets face it wouldn;t be the worst thing as thats the aim of the game anyway!!!

I didn't realise that about moodswings, domestic slattern so thank you. DH will be terrified overjoyed to hear that!