Coming off the pill - how long did you wait?

[nervoussam]

Hi Everyone, its my first thread on here and am new to all of this.
We've made to the decision to start ttc, planning to start once Christmas and New year were out of the way (so I could definitely have a few vinos!).
I stopped taking the pill at the beginning of Nov, had a withdrawal bleed a few days later. But AF hasn't visited since! I know it can take a few months, especially after being on it for so long, but I can't say that I'm not disappointed to not be able to start at it now that we're in the New Year.
You have all these expectations of it being straight forward, but now I'm worried about what the journey may hold for us, despite it being so early on - I am a worrier and chronic googler!

What are your experiences of coming off the pill, getting your cycle back and then trying?

CD81 for me now from my last period (not counting withdrawal bleed) - please hurry up AF! :(

Have any of you talked in detail about the process with your OH's? I've alluded to some of it and said some of the things I'm doing and taking and have him on a multi-vitamin and avoiding the jacuzzi at the gym but haven't wanted to freak him out with the small details and take away from the romance/magic of DTD. What do you guys think?

I'm so glad I read this thread as I'm in a really similar situation! took last pill 02/12, had a withdrawal bleed and nothing since. Started panicking a bit, but now feel reassured.

I had a niggling feeling last weekend that I was about to ov, did an opk and got a much darker test line, so got started over that weekend. Wanted to do temping too, but couldn't get my head around it and my temp always seemed to be lower than was suggested as normal?!? Had all the other indicators though including cramping on one side, ewcm etc. So hoping that I did actually ov and it isn't just my body being weird after over a decade on the pill!

Due to test next weekend, or early in the following week, so currently half way through my first tww! It's bloody hard not to start symptom spotting!

I have a bit of a quandry too. I'm in the middle of treatment for an issue with my jaw (totally outing myself!) which involves orthodontic treatment and major surgery. I was due the surgery early this year, but due to NHS waiting lists it's now not likely to be until another 12 months! Because of that, dh and I decided not to wait and to start ttc now. Starting to think that should I be lucky enough to conceive soon, having serious surgery and looking after a newborn may be a bit of a nightmare! Really don't want to put off starting our family for another year though :-( Aaaargh, sorry for the long post!

Good luck everyone, hope to start setting some bfps soon.

Nervous I was the same, a bit reluctant to show oh how obsessed I had became with ttc! Obviously he knew we were but I never really told him at any point "right, I'm fertile now..lets go!"suppose he just thought he was having a good few months haha. Thats really why I ended up joining here, had so many questions and doubts and nobody else really knew we were ttc. So glad I did...even though I still thought I was crazy/obsessed, I could see hundreds of women were in the same situation as myself and it made it so much easier.

DH is quite into the idea of baby making (and DTD lots!) So I thought he would be quite interested in the science behind it. I'm also a Biology teacher so like going on about it but I think its was a bit much for him the other day when I found EWCM and shouted from the bathroom 'Wahoo, I've got mucus!!' I was worried I wasn't ovulating so was a bit over excited haha. Still waiting for real AF to show up so we can actually get cracking though, reckon this will be a six week cycle, yawn. I feel a bit like I am leaving him out if I don't include him though but I think that may have been TMI !

That made me laugh out loud! My DH said to me recently "please stop talking to me about your cervical mucus" hahhaa!

Ha ha! 'Things you never thought you'd hear you husband say!'

I was trying to explain CM to the OH and he freaked out haha! he's very squeamish too which made it so much funnier!

Just reread your post nervoussam, CD81! I am on CD32 and already v impatient! I am counting that from the first day of my withdrawal bleed though, is that the right thing to do?!

No I haven't mentioned CM to my OH (but telling complete strangers on the Internet is fine though!!), don't want to terrify him too much - and it does detract from the romance of it all nervous I agree!

CD35 for me now and still bloody nothing. Am definitely not ovulating or pregnant - I'm sort of doing an ovulation test once every three days or so to check nothing exciting is happening... For the first time in my life I'd be delighted for AF to put in an appearance!

oneyorkshirepud I'd count it from then too, if that helps, but no idea what's actually correct.

Ha! I know Valancy, never before have I looked forward to AF! Presumed I ovulated when I had EWCM, do you know if you can have this without ovulating? Don't think I had it when I was on the pill but wasn't looking for it so I could have done!

I honestly have no idea oneyorkshirepud, I don't remember it either but to be quite honest wasn't examining things quite so closely down there back then!! I had some EWCM around CD22 I think and just figured I ovulated late at the time, but counting forwards 14 days from then I'm hoping that means AF is on the horizon next week... How long ago do you reckon you ovulated?

Bizarrely (just noticed your message further up the thread) I'm also a Biology teacher. Is it just me or are you starting to feel a bit guilty about teaching Year 7 over the years about the 28 day menstrual cycle, ovulation always at day 14 and all as easy peasy as a sperm meets an egg... Lies, all lies!!

I know! Ha ha, I've been teaching the menstrual cycle again this week and have still been going with YOU CAN GET PREGNANT AT ANY TIME OF THE MONTH just in case, so the lies continue! Although I guess this is still technically possible so better let them know before they all get upduffed. Based on EWCM I think I ovulated on the 6th so expecting AF about the 20th. Was hoping to get pregnant in time for an Oct/Nov due date to make the most of teacher's maternity pay but due to ski holiday/ waiting for AF we would have to get pregnant first go! What ovulation tests have you been doing?

Hey, I counted from my last period as this is what the app I'm using did but it would sound better for my patience if it's from the withdrawal bleed. It's hard to count really until you have a proper period, hence why I'm so desperately waiting!

I've added evening primrose to the other things I'm taking now as I read that it can help. Had a massage yesterday to help relax me (bit down the last few days as we had a family death on Thursday which has hit everyone quite hard). Have my initial acupuncture session on Tuesday so I'll let you know how that goes.

Some good news and AF arriving next week would be amazing. #thinkred

I'm sorry to hear you had some bad news nervoussam, but the massage sounds like a good idea. DH and I have been doing 30 days of yoga ('with adriene') from you tube. It's so relaxing and lovely. And has got to be good for baby making! I am a little confused about the whole withdrawal bleed thing still (sorry if I am being dense!) Did you stop taking your pill mid - pack? I finished my pill at the end of the pack and then had a 'period' which I am assuming is the withdrawal bleed..? How have I made it to the age of 29 without knowing this stuff?!?

Hi ladies,

I stopped pill at start of Nov and have be ttc since. AF came in Dec and again yesterday 36 days after first AF. Feeling agitated as with my first little one I conceived pretty much as soon as I stopped conception.xx

Hi shorty, don't be disheartened, you have only just started ttc! Thanks for the info re: AF hopefully all ours will be along soon (the first and last time any of us are looking forward to AF!)

I have finally (also at CD36!) started spotting - pretty much did a happy dance in the bathroom that something was finally happening! Had some cramps last night and been a bit grouchy today, but thought it was just all in my head... It's about two weeks after I had some really, really bad cramps and some EWCM so hopefully I'm getting back into normal cycles again (used to be bang on 28 days every time).

OH is a bit disappointed we've not conceived on the first month, but have tried explaining that my body is just getting back to normal. Pointed out we'll have lots of dtd next month and he seems quite happy now ;)

oneyorkshirepud Yep I'm the same in wanting an Oct/Nov baby ideally, I reeeeally dislike my current school (planning to go part time or do something else after having first baby) so definitely hoping to get the most maternity leave possible if all goes well. We'll see!

shorty Sorry to hear that - was your cycle always quite long or do you reckon you're still getting back into the swing of things?

Hi Vacancy Jane nope I was always 28 days was so excited when AF was late but 5 negative test later she came!!! Ah well more baby making fun for us all!!

Valancy Jane, congratulations on AF arriving!! Ha ha! Sorry to hear you don't like your current school. It is very tricky with jobs when you are thinking about ttc, ttc, pregnant, on maternity leave, part time and then possibly going through all that again, makes it v hard to change jobs/get promoted etc! I'm sure you already know but if you don't go back to your current job you will have to pay back some of your maternity pay. I had a friend in your situation who just handed her notice in, had state maternity pay and then got a pt job in a college which she loves!

I was on Cerazette for over ten years and came off about June and periods returned fairly quickly but took me 6 months TTC and I got my BFP just before Christmas and now 7 weeks tomorrow ??
I know Cerazette is a bit of a minefield with results TTC and I worried a lot.
Good luck!

I stopped my pill (mid-pack which may have been naughty) in July and have had weird erratically long cycles since!
Put them into an app and they average out at 50 days! I did an ovulation test recently and it was positive which is promising.
All my periods have been really light aswell, apart from my current period which is more "normal".
I want my 30 day cycle back! Don't think I'll ever go back on the pill now, never had problems when I was on it but this has been really annoying, especially when ttc and predict when I am ovulating.

Hi all, just wanted to share my coming off pill story in case if helps anyone worrying out there (I too thought it was a scary unknown journey of length unknown)!

Came off pill in May 2014 after 15yrs on it.

• Had first lmp approx 38 or may have been 42 days
• Then a 38 or 42 second cycle.

So first two cycles were fairly lengthy. & Had lots of typical preg symptoms but nope no super fast luck but just hormones righting themselves! I don't think I o'd first of these nor second (started temping on second cycle and no clear temp shift).

Then quickly settled down into perfect 28-30 days cycles with ovulation mid cycle (confirmed by my temping and opks).

1st - no luck (but helped to then know my o date)
2nd - lots of dtd before o date based on last cycle. No luck!
3rd - I o'd three days earlier than prev two cycles which kind threw me a bit! Got enough dtd in due to my thoughts on umm this seems like fertile cm even if days before my "normal" o date. No luck.
4th cycle we was back to "normal" o date and we got our bfp 12dpo (few days before period due)!

So a total of 6months off the pill for me, or 4th month of normal ovulating cycles. Not too bad after 15th of duping my body with pills!

Hope that helps to share another "coming off the pill after 10,12,15 etc years story"!

Good luck all!!!! X

Thanks MrsF, definitely helps! I just need to be patient is anyone else feeling ginormously fat whilst waiting for AF? I may not be able to get pregnant yet but I already look like I am!!

Also anyone looking to regulate your cycles read up on Angus cactus a herbal remedy which can help. I think when actively trying only meant to take on first part of your cycle (I.e. before ovulation)as you are not meant to take while pregnant.

I bought a bottle of tablets (only £6) after my third ovulating cycle looked like My O might be jumping about by three / four days ready to help regulate my cycles if needed but then got up-duffed that next cycle so never took any in the end!

Worth looking into if regulating your cycles may need a bit of herbal help. Every little helps.

Everyone is so different! I never realised, I came off the pill in October after 5 years, and got back to normal straight away but noticed my cycles were 33 days so longer cycles instead I'm now CD34 so I guess I'm classed as late, no symptoms of AF just very sore Boobs
I feel bad cause were not TTC, just not been too clever with condoms, which I know is stupid But were just taking each days as it comes now and just waiting to see, really don't know if I should test ? I haven't been stressed or really keeping track of my period I just knew it was meant to come yesterday.

P.s I do hope everyone does get their BFP!