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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.

Original poster

Coming off the pill - nightmare!!

22 replies

Bumpforme2014 · 12/01/2014 23:01

Hey - I came off the pill in sept last year and had the usual withdrawal bleed followed by two 28 day cycles. Hubby and I started to try in Nov and thought I was pregnant because period was 12 days late, but all tests negative. Turns out my body is going crazy from coming off the pill. Now stuck with a 40 day cycle and having to use OPKs to predict ovulation!

Has anyone else had a tough time when they stopped taking the pill? I was on microgynon for 11 years with no real issues but since stopping I can tell my hormones are struggling, I'm so depressed and moody, extremely tired, headaches, light headed and dizzy! Seriously worried I don't know my own body and that my progesterone level is too low now :-(. Will this get better? I don't want 40 day cycles!!

Thanks for reading :-)

---------------------

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

OP posts:
RufousBartleby · 12/01/2014 23:09

Yes! I had really long cycles after coming off microgynon - some of mine were 60 days apart, my hormones were all over the place too - skin really bad etc. I was a really difficult time and I think it took nearly a year for my body to start to regulate itself. I went to the doctor and got him to check my hormone levels which did show an imbalance - this was a really straightforward blood test, and perhaps might be worth it for you? My doctor also referred me for some tests for pcos due to my periods being so irregular and as a result I spoke to a few doctors about this and despite most things you read saying the pill shouldn't have any affect on your fertility after you stop taking it they did acknowledge that some people don't go back to 'normal' straight away. The good thing was that I did get pregnant eventually, just not as quickly as I would have liked. Good luck!

Original poster
Bumpforme2014 · 12/01/2014 23:26

Damn evil pill, if I knew this I would have come off a year ago before I actually wanted a baby! I have a doctors appointment in two weeks time and will request a blood test, long cycles like this are because of low hormone levels I think. Good thing is I am ovulating okay but a little late for my liking.

Did you take any medication for yours? Do you have pcos as that's my other concern although my skin seems fine apart from incredibly dry on my face almost eczema like.

Did you track ovulation? I'm hoping if I do that properly I will get pregnant quicker.

I hate feeling so out of control like this :-(

OP posts:
Original poster
Bumpforme2014 · 13/01/2014 14:09

Bump

OP posts:
keepswimming1 · 13/01/2014 16:33

I also was on the same pill, for 11 years also. My cycles are 33 days long now but took a couple months to sort it self out. I used to get horrible symptoms at first around ovulation and during my period. Not as bad now, I just suffer with a really bad stomach ache now during ovulation for roughly 5-7days which I must see the doctor about.

babytinks89 · 14/01/2014 18:47

I'm a little different. was on the same pill... in august I missed my pill once got my cycle.. went back on th pill early september.. fell pregnant within that first 2 weeks of septembr had no idea how this happened as had been on this for so long and I always over lapped it too.. but sadly lost baby 10 weeks in :( not sure if hormones/body was still all over the place from not having the pill that iv been on for 10 years myself... gutted :( been off it though since then and we are trying again! first time was a shock and wasnt planned but got used to the idea :) im 24 now life is great so feels the right time!
good luck hun

Original poster
Bumpforme2014 · 14/01/2014 19:16

Thank you! Babytinks89 sorry to hear that news, you are very fertile as soon as you come off the pill as your body releases eggs fast so I guess this could be the same for missing one? Wasn't meant to be for you that time I guess but happened for a reason so maybe it was a sign for you to start trying - good luck! X

OP posts:
babytinks89 · 14/01/2014 19:25

thanks bumpforme! yeah exactly, everything happens for a reason Smile fingers crossed this time round and good luck to you!!

Helen87 · 14/01/2014 20:24

Hi everyone. I came off the pill end of October after being on it for about 10 years. I didn't have a period for 8 weeks (other than initial break through bleeding) and then when it did come it was really really light and lasted for 11 days. Since then I've had random bits of spotting throughout the month.

I had some nausea, stomach things and then some EWCM and the next day I got what I think is a positive on an OPK.

I'm currently coming up to what should be the build up to AF and I'm getting some symptoms that could be AF or pregnancy. I also I'd have come off ages ago or that I didn't want to start TTC for another few months because it's seriously rubbish feeling like you don't know your own body!

I spoke to a doctor on the phone a few times because I was concerned about the delay and always got told they wouldn't entertain looking into it until it'd been over 6 months, which I thought was a bit rubbish!

Interested to hear how you all get on!

Helen87 · 14/01/2014 20:25

P.s. Babytinks89, really sorry to hear about your MC. Fingers crossed for the future ThanksThanks

WishUponAStar88 · 14/01/2014 22:50

Coming off the pill has been a nightmare for me too. Nothing for about 3months post stopping. Since then I have had 3 short spells of brown/ old bleeding, sometimes a week or so apart sometimes a couple of months. Annoyingly I asked my GP last year whether coming off the pill could make ttc more difficult as if so we would've used other precautions for a few months pre ttc. He said no, pill is completely out of your system within a couple of days. Wish I'd not listened and stopped ages ago!!

lil1ady · 14/01/2014 23:57

Hi. Glad I switched from mycrogynon a few years ago after reading this. I stopped loestrin in sept 12 and started TTC in Nov 12. AF was late that month so got all excited but loads of bfns. Af eventually arrived, and didn't leave for 7 weeks. since then my cycles vary all over the place from 30-37 days. I heard even if your temp rises you may still not be ovulating but not sure how true that is. I'd definitely suggest getting a blood test. I've found diet has been the best thing to help. If you can afford it switch to organic meat as they cover it in estrogen. Mine have got somewhat more regular since I did that. Good luck

givemeaboost · 15/01/2014 00:12

^^same as above, stopped mycro yrs ago as I was having unpleasant side effects, had the implant for 2.5yrs(awful) and have used loestrin ever since, always taken back to back and never had breakthrough bleeding, came off it last sept, took 6 wks for af to arrive and was normal length when it did, since then back to 28day cycles, im very lucky.
I would maybe ask your dr to test your progesterone levels as that would show whether or not you are ovulating.

Original poster
Bumpforme2014 · 15/01/2014 08:10

I just got my positive on OPK so I am ovulating but really late on CD22 now! Will watch closely to see how long this cycle is going to be, hopefully less then 40 days but at least 12 days from now so that is enough time for implantation! Also going to start taking some herbal remedies
Proven to shorten cycles.

OP posts:
barmybunting · 15/01/2014 08:29

Hi,

This all sounds very familiar! I came of microgynon at the end of June after about 8 years, starting ttc in October. My first cycle was 28 days so I naively thought I had been lucky! Since then, I've had cycles of 53, 34, 48 days or so. I seem to be oving around cd20-cd35. I did get a bfp last month but started bleeding about a week later so I guess that influenced that cycle length. I have oved earlier this month I think though, cd19 so I'm hoping it'll settle down soon!

Despite finding this all extremely annoying, especially the longer cycles, two friends have fallen pregnant off microgynon in the last year who had similar irregular cycles, one friend in cycle 5 (with cycles normally lasting about 40 days), she is due next month, and another friend on cycle 2, but cycle 1 had been 50 odd days and she got her bfp on around cd55 I think. So I am keeping fingers crossed!

Original poster
Bumpforme2014 · 15/01/2014 08:54

Thanks barmy that does give me hope! I'm telling myself it doesn't matter how long and irregular my cycles are as long as I ovulate every month and there is enough time between ovulation and next cycle for egg to implant. Feeling hopeful, really wanna get pregnant fast I've waiting all my life for this time of my life :-)

OP posts:
lil1ady · 15/01/2014 09:12

bumpforme a positive opk does not mean you are ovulating. it just means you are getting the lh surge. temping is the only way to confirm ovulation without a blood test and as I said I read somewhere the other day that even temping can be wrong but don't know how true that is.

Original poster
Bumpforme2014 · 15/01/2014 09:24

I have been charting but it is all over the place, generally my temp has been really low and it did rise today but not more than on previous days. I feel like I am ovulating lots of CM, bloating and pain down my right side. According to the OPK instructions a solid smiley face means I will ovulate in the next two days no?

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 15/01/2014 09:35

Bumpforme2014

It is no point at all in using OPKs with such a cycle as they are beset with problems if the menstrual cycle is irregular. There is no evidence to suggest that the pill is responsible for failure to ovulate but what it can do is mask symptoms of any underlying hormonal imbalance.

Charting too is beset with problems with such cycles and I was not altogether surprised that you have a chart that is impossible to determine. I would stop charting as of now, its not helping either.

You need a diagnosis first and foremost.

Long and or irregular cycles are often caused by hormonal imbalances; I would ask your GP to have some blood tests done to determine what your hormone levels, particularly LH and FSH, are.

I would also refrain from using herbal stuff as self medicating with these can actually make hormonal imbalances worse. If you did want to use such things you would be far better off seeing a properly qualified medical herbalist.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 15/01/2014 09:37

OPKs work on two misleading principles; namely that a rise in LH is immediately followed by ovulation and that there is only one rise in LH every month. Both are simply not true.

I would seriously consider having a day 2 blood test done to compare your LH level against that of your FSH level. My guess is that both of these are awry thus causing ovulation to be affected.

Original poster
Bumpforme2014 · 15/01/2014 09:38

Okay thanks :-( I have a doctors appointment in a couple of weeks but just wanted to continue trying this cycle anyway.

OP posts:
Helen87 · 15/01/2014 10:35

I get what you're saying but I presume you're unlikely to be wrong if the positive OPK is alongside other symptoms?!

lil1ady · 15/01/2014 19:25

It doesn't hurt to keep trying bump. are you taking your bbt at the same time each morning after at least 3hrs sleep. if you fancy giving the charting and opks a rest until you know more head over to the just shagging thread

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