TTC and having hormonal problems since coming off the pill - HELP!

[bluefreckles]

I have been off the pill (Yasmin) since the end of September last year - nearly a year now. Prior to this I have been on the pill (Yasmin for last 6 years and others before that - Cilest, Diannet etc) since I was 16. I am now 30 years old - so a long time.

My fiance and I decided last year that aged 30 and 36 we would come off the pill and without giving it too much thought or pressure we would let nature take its course.

There has been no pregnancy yet which is frustrating enough but what's worst is that since coming off the pill my skin, weight and temperament have suffered considerably.

I reckon I have put on a stone since coming off the pill. I say I reckon because I haven't yet had the guts to get on the scales

My complexion is now horrid. I have overly oily and spotty skin which doesn't improve with any remedies or treatments. I don't even remember having skin like this when I was a teenager.

Add to that my mood has dropped significantly and you'll see why my self-confidence is now at an all-time low.

PLUS - still no pregnancy

Has anyone else gone through this and had a positive outcome?

I actually have an appointment with my female GP this afternoon so I'll be able to update this thread later on and hope to see it through to the, hopefully, shining end!

I'm keen to hear from others in the same TTC/hormonal nightmare...

Yes, this happened to me! Came off the pill after more than 10 years, and didn't get a regular cycle back at all, plus, like you OP, had the spots and greasy hair of a teenager - was grim!

Had hormone tests and transvaginal scan and although no cysts were identified I was told I had PCOS based on the hormone results - have always been a bit sceptical about this as I had no other symptoms and honestly just think that for me the pill had a long lasting effect on my cycle (however much this is not supposed happen!)

The positive side is that I think there is a very good chance your body will stabilise itself - it did for me and now I have a DS.

However I remember how horrible the waiting is and how low I felt about myself, so you have my complete sympathy

Iv had v similar experience to woodwaj...my doc told me if I wanted to go for the dye test now I could but that in his opinion given the problem appears to be ovulation that trying clomid for 3 months would be a better way to start. FC no more tests will be necessary (only had bloods and one scan so far) x

Thanks Mrs D, I have been referred to a fertility specialist who is then hopefully going to give me Clomid. Are you being monitored on Clomid or just been given 3 months to try? My doc said I would have to be monitored and was pushing me to go to his private specialist but we don't have the money for that so hoping NHS will be as thorough... x

Hi J200-I'm being monitored for the first cycle. I had a nightmare with my GP, was able to see a private gynae through work medical insurance (bit naughty i said it was for period problems which is-i keep telling myself-technically true!) ttc treatment obv not covered so iv paid for clomid myself and will pay for the scans. It's a lot of money so id def advise pushing for what you can on nhs. Most consultants seem to do a mix of private and nhs so id hope that the standard would be similar/the same. Best of luck x

Hi Mrs D,
Do you mind me asking how much is it going to cost you? I have health insurance through work too and have had my scans done privately as investigations into period problems too, my private gp has referred me to his private fertility specialist as "getting a second opinion on my pcos" so I wont have to pay for the first consultation but if the treatment cost it isnt that bad then i will pay for the treatment for the first cycle to speed things up. Thanks J

Hi all, I'm totally in the same boat as you guys! Stopped yasmin in January after being on that and microgynon since I was 15 (now 28). At first I had two 28 day cycles, then a 60 day cycle (!) Just recently I had two normal 28 day cycles and this month I've had no period just browny mucus for 5 days (sorry tmi). We wanted to start ttc this month and its like my body is taking the piss out of me! So now I have no idea when I will ovulate next month because I didn't really have a period this month, has anyone else had anything like this? I thought about going to the doctor but didn't really want to get more fake hormones as its fake hormones that have screwed up my system so much in the first place!

On a side note, my skin has been terrible since stopping the pill, much much worse than it ever was as a teenager, I had no idea how to deal with oily skin as have always had very dry, eczema prone skin before. I recently found this blog

www.beautymouth.com/2012/05/acne-cheat-sheet.html

Her double cleansing method and advice about acne has been the only thing that has helped! If you have cystic hormonal acne the harsh spot fighting products will only make it worse! It seems weird at first using oil as your first cleanse but it has improved my skin no end and made me feel so much more confident again.

Anyway sorry for the essay I'm just so glad I found people in the same boat, fingers crossed for you all that you can get it sorted ASAP and get on with the baby making! X

Hello all.

Re the skin...

So I've stopped using the facial system I bought which has salicylic acid in it and is for spot prone skin (which I spent loads on recently) and just bought the Garnier 'Fresh' system with grapes and my skin is clearing up!

I wonder if the teenage type problematic skin systems actually make things worse...

bluefreckles I had the same problem, soon as the spots appeared I attacked them with proactive and the harshest spot creams which was the worst thing I could do! Ending up with red flaking skin and more spots! Am now using a facial oil as a first cleanse then gentle face wash for sensitive skin as second cleanse, works a treat!

Have you finished your Norethisterone now MrsD? I am going to the loo a lot more than I normally would hoping AF has arrived, no luck as yet!

Hi woodwaj-I have now finished the norethisterone and am awaiting AF!!! Has she put in an appearance for you yet? Really hoping she comes soon as I'm keen to get started on the clomid!! Eek it's so exciting!!! X

It arrived this morning but very light im going to check again later been out all day I should start clomid tomorrow!!

Eeek- very excited for you woodwaj-FC all goes well on the clomid-I'd be interested what (if any) side effects you get.

Also if you don't mind me asking how many days did you take the norethisterone and also how many days did you have to wait after stopping before AF showed?

So excited to be able to start my clomid so hopefully she'll show soon!!!

AF seems to have gone :( Will have to keep waiting, I had my last Norethisterone on Wednesday night and I took it for 7 days.

I am excited about starting it but I am hoping for no noticeable side effects, Ive read that its best to take it in the evening to ease symptoms!

Its here! No mistaking it today!! Did you have any side effects from the Norethisterone?

Glad AF arrived for you. Still no sign of mine but is early days. I didn't have any noticeable side effects with the norethisterone but I'm quite worried about clomid side effects!

Are you a day behind me? Hopefully it will be quick! I also got a letter today for the scan on my ovaries. That's on 25th September. A few days after I stopped Norethisterone I started getting slight headaches and became very tired, I actually had a sleep Saturday afternoon which is very unlike me! Could have been worse though

I think I'm a couple of days behind you woodwaj. AF has put in an appearance today (yay!) so clomid starts tomorrow!! Feeling quite excited altho DH finally managed a SA and things aren't as good as we hoped. Doc still thinks clomid is worth a go but our chances aren't as good so I'm not pinning my hopes on it.

Ive started today just about to have the first one! Sorry to hear about the sa but I defo think a positive attitude helps keep me posted!!

GL woodwaj!! Il be starting tomorrow so just a day behind. Eeek!