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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.

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Original poster

Coming of the pill to get pregnant

18 replies

pinsent · 13/09/2011 18:07

Hi,

I'm new to this site and am generally looking for advice from people in similar situations to myself.

I have recently got married and am eager to start trying for a family. I have been on the pill since i was 16 (12 years in total) and i wanted to get advice about coming off it and starting a family. I am currently on marvelon and have been for a couple of years apart from a recent 3 month stint on dianette. I have been doing some internet based research and the general consensus seems to be that you have to wait until you're having regular 'natural' periods before trying for a baby, and that this can take up to a year to establish and then it could take up to a further 2 years to concieve. If this is the case i feel like i should come off the pill sooner rather than later as i am so worried that it will take this long.
Just so you know a bit about me; I am 28, fit, healthy and don't smoke.
I would really appreciate it if people with similar experiences to myself could get in touch to let me know how they have found this process. I realise that no 2 people are the same but it's just nice to hear that others have the same concerns and worries.
Thanks. x

OP posts:

Pipbin · 13/09/2011 18:24

Come off it sooner rather than later. It does take a while for things to get back to normal.

Some people tend to wait for a cycle so they know where in their cycle they are so they can pinpoint ovulation.
You do get a fertility spike when you come off so I understand.

I came off in April and I'm still getting back to normal.

StickyGhost · 13/09/2011 18:30

Agree, it does take a while for stuff to go back to normal; a year sounds like a long time though. I did the same thing last year (exactly same age as u and similar situation) and it took 3 months to get pregnant, which is what i had read the approx. time would be for fertility/ovulation to return to normal.
U could always get some ovulation sticks to be sure of what is going on when u do stop the pill?

TryLikingClarity · 13/09/2011 19:06

Each person reacts differently, I think.

FWIW, I came off pill (after using it for almost 10 years) and got pregnant 3 months later.

DS is now 19 months old and totally healthy and lovely :)

My period came back straight away, for same length as before and it didn't mess me up at all.

One bit of advice is: if you're ttc then you should start taking Folic Acid as soon as you start ttc as it helps reduce the chances of your DC having spina bifida.

All the best! Try to relax and enjoy this time in your relationship.

DialMforMummy · 13/09/2011 20:07

Come off it and start shagging. You are fertile as soon as you stop it.
Some people get pregnant easily, some don't. The best advice:
Try to relax and enjoy this time in your relationship

AmandaCooper · 14/09/2011 00:07

My thoughts on coming off the pill:

Against: Apparently there is a fertility surge once you come off the pill which means that if you manage to time it right you have an increased chance of conception in the first month. My GP is an advocate of this method, which has to be a shout in its favour. Charting and using fertility monitoring is probably unnecessary for most people and could be counterproductive. Also, there is a risk you will get pg before you intended.

For: Some people find that it takes a while for their cycle to get back to normal after they come off the pill. A small minority find that it has been masking a problem. If you want to use a fertility monitor, you may need to wait several cycles before it will work for you. If you come off the pill you can start to learn about your cycle. After 13 months charting I can make extremely accurate predictions about when I will ovulate and when my period will start. If you don't chart or use OPKs you won't know whether your period is late or whether you are just having a longer cycle than usual. FAM works well as a contraceptive method.

Have posted this before, sorry for repeating!

Cacacaz · 14/09/2011 07:15

I was in a similar situation OP, having been on the pill for over 9 years. I stopped taking my pill at the end of July/beginning of August, I am now 5weeks +5days pregnant.

dontcarehow · 14/09/2011 08:52

I'm not trying to scare you but you asked for experiences!

I came off the pill last july and have had only one natural period since. Was expecting to get pg straight away and kept testing because I wasn't having periods. eventually went to the doctors after 6 months and discovered I had thyroid disease, possibly masked by the pill. Have been on treatment for that and considered in remission since about May, but have only had one period. So I'd say come off it as soon as possible.

Apparently it is totally normal for it to take up to a year although doctors recommend going for tests after about 6 months if nothings happening. I can't believe I didn't know about this before I even started taking them. I would have come off it years ago.

farfallarocks · 14/09/2011 09:29

I have heard about the fertility surge post pill

I stopped the pill in January and got my periods back straight away but it has taken 7 months to get a normal cycle back (they were 21 days!) and a normal flow (too light)

I got pregnant reasonably quickly but miscarried. Now trying again so my advice would be come off as soon as possible, I now wish I had come off it sooner but I naively assumed I would get pregnant straight away like most of my friends!

pozzled · 14/09/2011 09:34

I was on the pill for around eight years before TTC. I hadn't heard any of the potential issues, so just took folic acid for 3 months then stopped taking the pill. My periods seemed back to normal immediately and I got pregnant in about 6 months. But I did miss the period before I got pregnant, which made my dates very confusing but wasn't a problem otherwise.

I'd say just come off them when you're ready to start trying.

MadameGazelle · 14/09/2011 14:11

I came off the pill in 2005 after 10 years and was pregnant the following month, think GP's tell you to wait until you have a regular cycle before TTC as it makes dating the pregnancy much easier that's all. Good luck!

Original poster

pinsent · 14/09/2011 18:59

This mumsnet is amazing, i can't believe how many replies i have had. I really do appreciate you all taking the time out to offer me advice.
I am still confused and i don't know what to do. I just wish you could choose a month to get pregnant and it was that easy.
We had planned to start TTC in April and i was considering coming off the pill now and using other contraception whilst my body got back into its' normal cycle, however i don't want to miss out on the fertility surge that you get when you first come off the pill.
I would quite happily start TTC now as i am so eager to start a family. However I am being bridesmaid for my best friend in July, who has already bought us expensive beautiful slim fitting dresses. I know that sounds ridiculous but i just feel like i would be letting her down if i couldn't carry out my bridesmaid duties. Plus having been a little bit of a bridezilla myself when she was my bridesmaid, i know how stressful weddings can be without giving her anything else to worry about.
It's all so confusing and i still have a lot to think about, but your experiences and advice have definately helped, so thanks again. :-)

OP posts:

AmandaCooper · 14/09/2011 21:27

Pinsent I'm sure your friend's wedding day is an important day for her but what frock you wear can't possibly be so important in the grand scheme of things that you should compromise your plans for starting a family! None of us know what's around the corner, you'd be taking a risk for no good reason.

MrsRobertDuvall · 14/09/2011 21:31

I was on the pill for 18 years non stop, came off it after honeymoon and was pregnant within 3 months.
Went back on it after dd, came back off about a year later and within 6 months was pregnant again.
I was 36 and 39 .

themightyskim · 14/09/2011 22:51

another one who has been on the pill for 16 years, its taken us 6 months and my periods have been a bit hit and miss during that time

jetgirl · 14/09/2011 23:01

Well, being the naive thing that I was (hadn't discovered mumsnet then!) when we decided to have a baby I came off the pill, waited until I had 1 period then we just went for it and I got pregnant first attempt. We weren't expecting it to be that easy, I hadn't started taking folic acid, or any other supplements and as it was Christmas party season had a few nights out getting very drunk not thinking I could be pregnant. Cue positive test and me deciding I was the worst mother ever before the baby was even born!

I am normally a great overthinker of things, but with this I would say first of all just get down to it, as it were and enjoy it! Once you have kids, it's much harder to find the energy, or not be interrupted!

Original poster

pinsent · 15/09/2011 14:28

Thanks again for all the messages. Particularly nice to read the success stories, particularly Mrs Duvall... very impressive. Although it is just as important that i read and take on-board the not so happy stories too.

Amanda: I totally see where you are coming from and i'm inlcined to agree, but i just know how disappointed my friends face will look when i tell her, even though i know she will be lovely about it and say that it's ok.

Dan and i have been talking and think i may come off the pill around Christmas and start charting... think that's what they call it?! Although i am very new to this and i welcome any advice and opinions. I'm going to go to the library and do some more research, plus book an appointment with my nurse to get some advice. Especially as i had LEEP treatment done in February, although i have had a smear since then that has come back as normal... hurrah! And i think the LEEP treatment affects carrying the baby full term as opposed to getting pregnant.

Once again, thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it. x

OP posts:

TryLikingClarity · 15/09/2011 17:25

Pinsent - I'm also going to come off the pill at Christmas :) TTC DC2. DS will turn 2 years old in February and I'm getting broody again, but for one reason and another DH and I want to wait till the end of the year.

I'll be rooting for you as you ttc!

Original poster

pinsent · 15/09/2011 17:44

Thanks. I'll be rooting for you too. It's just so exciting! x

OP posts:

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