Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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

POSITIVE stories about coming off cerzette please!!!!

46 replies

Riley1989 · 09/01/2019 13:49

Hi everyone - I am coming off cerazette contraceptive pill that I have been on for 13 years after being put on them as a teenager because my periods were absolutely horrendous!!!! So heavy and so painful that I would vomit and pass out nearly every time AF decided to appear! They were so bad towards the end every time she decided to appear I ended up in hospital on a drip having pethidine injections!! Since being on cerazette I have had not one single period for the whole 13 years and it has been great! Now me and my husband want to TTC this year so I have the dreaded task of coming off the pill and I'm so so so so scared as ALL I have heard are horror stories about people feeling so poorly and actually feeling worse coming off of it. The main worry for me is being at work/out and finally getting my period for the first time because I don't want to flood everywhere and end up being ill in front of people ( I have emetophobia as well which doesn't help at all!) because I know its a guessing game as to when your periods will return! What I would really like to hear is from anyone who has come off Cerazette/ the pill who have POSITIVE stories??? IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE THAT HAS ONE LOL. Thank you all in advance for any replies! MWAH xx

OP posts:
79andnotout · 09/01/2019 14:09

I took it on and off for years. I was really slack about making it to the doctors in time for repeat prescriptions so I had lots of coming off it and going back on, don't recall any problems in doing so.

I came off it for good two years ago to TTC, and my periods were slightly irregular (between 20-40 days) and gradually settled into regular 26 day cycles within a year.

Original poster
Riley1989 · 09/01/2019 14:19

Thank you for your reply 79andnotout!! I'm very good at taking it and have only ever missed two in the whole 13 years but that was due to going on long haul flights and forgetting about the time difference!! I hope I'm the same and have no side effects from coming off of it xx

OP posts:
79andnotout · 09/01/2019 14:43

Yeah the only problems I had was spotting mid cycle when I went back on it, for a month or two.

CritterTamer · 09/01/2019 15:58

Hi OP
I took cerazette continually for about 10 years and like you was amenstrual while on it. I think I had maybe 3 or 4 very minor bleeds during that time. I came off it with absolutely no issues at all - felt no different and normal periods returned bang on 4 weeks after stopping it.

Good luck 😊

elf1985 · 09/01/2019 16:05

Yep, came off to conceive and as I was much older my periods were so much easier to handle. Conceived really quickly (within 6 weeks) and then stayed off it until after my second was born. After him they were awful so tried to go back on it, the doctors robbed me off with a less known brand of he same thing (bollocks it was). Had to convince them to let me have it again and back to period free bliss.

Original poster
Riley1989 · 09/01/2019 16:16

CritterTamer - thank you so much for your positive post!!! YAY I could hug you lol xx

elf1985 - thank you for your reply!! I had the same issue on a couple of occasions actually! Noticed the pharmacist has prescribed me desogestrel the same mg as the cerazette but a completely generic brand and my god did I know it wasn't my usual cerazette!!! I didn't think it would cause any problems being the same drug but I had to get the DR to write on my future prescriptions MUST BE CERAZETTE because I came down so ill with the generic brand!! So strange xx

OP posts:
madeinthe80z · 09/01/2019 17:00

Hi @Riley1989 I came off cerazette this time last year and switched to condoms. I was sick of hormones in my body! I got my period pretty much 4 weeks after, ovulated straight away and had a regular 28/29 day cycle ever since.

I did get some symptoms, it was actually a bit like pregnancy symptoms but nothing that floored me and all were manageable. I used to get regular headaches on cerazette and when I stopped, that changed to none all month until week before I was due on and I got a monster headache!! I struggled with menstrual headaches before the pill so this wasn't a shock.

I tracked my cycles using Natural Cycles app and took my temp every morning for 6 months. I worked out from this that I ovulate on / around cycle day 18, which was very helpful when we came to TTC in September because I probably would have stuck to the generic guidance and gone for day 14 and it could have taken a lot longer...I'm now pregnant Smile

Original poster
Riley1989 · 09/01/2019 17:12

@madeinthe80z thank you so much for your reply and massive congratulations!! I'm hoping that I'm not going to get any horrendous side effects obviously I'm expecting a few niggles as the synthetic hormones leave my body but some of the stories I have read have been very worrying so its nice to hear even though you had symptoms they weren't all too bad! Good luck with your pregnancy journey xxx

OP posts:
Roxybaby12 · 09/01/2019 19:07

Hi, is it ok if I join in please? I’ve just come off this pill too, wasn’t really taking it properly-kept forgetting) and then DH and I decided we’d start trying but not trying!

Can I ask @madeinthe80z.. you said you had some pregnancy type symptoms.. if you don’t mind me asking would did you have? I’ve been having weird cramping for a week now, comes and goes around lower tummy and slightly in my back too oh and sore boobs! 😩 (been using OPKs to see if things were getting back on track)...
I don’t seem to have ovulated, not pregnant (did a test anyway) and no sign of af. It’s mostly having these cramps that’s bothering me. Can you shed any light please? Does this sound normal after coming off Cerzette?

Sorry to impose of your post @Riley1989 xx

Newyearsameoldshit · 09/01/2019 19:49

I can off last year and it was mostly okay.
Period returned after about 4 weeks, pretty sure I started ovulating after first period, a couple of short cycles but seem to be back to 28 days now 4 and a bit months on.

My hormones were a bit wacky the first month off - mega high sex drive, tingly nipples, period type cramps through a lot of my cycle. I seem to be back to normal though fingers crossed!

Original poster
Riley1989 · 09/01/2019 20:16

Hiya @Roxybaby12 please don’t apologise your not imposing at all Smile it’s good to get as many experiences as we can! And nice to know what you have been experiencing as you are newly coming off this pill so thank you for joining! xxx

OP posts:
Original poster
Riley1989 · 09/01/2019 20:18

@Newyearsameoldshit thank you for your reply! Don’t think I will mind the higher sex drive lol I’ve found it interesting that most of you lovely ladies found your periods returned after 4 weeks! Seems like that is the general timing but of course everyone is different xxx

OP posts:
takemetomars · 09/01/2019 20:25

the drug will leave your system very quickly and you should then return to your 'background' fertility and cycle. There is no delayed return to fertility with this drug.
Can't comment about the nature of your menses going forwards, you are considerably older now so that may make a difference, you will just have to wait and see

Original poster
Riley1989 · 09/01/2019 20:59

@takemetomars thank you for your reply! Good to know it will leave my system quickly Smile

OP posts:
Stuckforthefourthtime · 09/01/2019 21:04

If you've been on it for 13 years you may actually be pleasantly surprised by lighter than expected periods. I had horrific periods as a teenager and went onto birth control then when I went off it in my mid twenties my periods were much better, still heavy but my hormones (and emotions) had settled down a lot so the other symptoms were still there but weaker and I was much more able to cope.
Horrible periods also meant that even

Stuckforthefourthtime · 09/01/2019 21:07

Meant to say even the less good bits of pregnancy were great for me as was better than going back to my 3 week cycle!
Also - when you do get pregnant, look up the lactational amenhorea method. By breastfeeding on demand (and cosleeping in my case, though it's not required), I also managed to stave off getting my period back 10-11 months after each pregnancy, without having to take any pills, which was great for me

madeinthe80z · 10/01/2019 06:28

Hi @Roxybaby12 for the first few cycles after coming off the it, I had all kinds of cramps, nausea, off food, sore boobs!
I remember thinking that if we weren't using protection I would think I was pregnant. I may have even tested.

What was great for me is that because I was off the pill for 9 months before trying, once the initial surge had stopped after the first few cycles, I began to get in tune with everything my body did throughout the cycle. My boobs would be agony just before ovulation, I'd get a monster headache 5 days before my period etc. The first time I got pregnant, I actually had an inkling because of the differences.

Original poster
Riley1989 · 10/01/2019 08:56

@Stuckforthefourthtime thank you so much for your reply and all of the info! I really hope that my periods will end up being lighter as I went on the pill when I was 16 and I’m 29 now so fingers crossed the age difference will help 🤞🏻 xx

OP posts:
Endofrelationship · 10/01/2019 10:20

Came off cerezette, got my period 28 days later then conceived the following month, first month of trying.

Missed 1 pill, stopped breastfeeding DS and got pregnant with DC2!

gossipgirl28 · 10/01/2019 10:39

I came off cerezette in Dec 2017 to start TTC. I'd been on all types of birth control for 10 years.
Took 6 weeks for my period to return and a further few months for them to regulate. I did notice my periods were much much lighter and only lasted 2-3 days.
I fell pregnant in Sept 2018 after 9 months TTC. Currently 18 weeks. Good luck, xoxo

Mseddy · 10/01/2019 11:04

I was on cerazette/cerelle for about the same length of time as you. I had heavy irregular periods before I went on it in my late teens. I came off it 8 months ago to TTC and my cycle has been a dream. The first few weeks I felt a little odd, mostly headaches but it went away quickly and didn't cause me much of a problem. My cycles have been 27/28 days spot on from the point of coming off. My periods have been much lighter than they used to be and I haven't had a problem with them at all. I'm emetophobic too and there has not been even one moment of panic thinking I would vomit so don't stress about it. I will say I feel so so much better being off it, like I'm back in charge of my own emotions again. I'm not as tearful and don't have mood swings half as bad as I used to. So I wouldn't worry xx

Mseddy · 10/01/2019 11:06

Also just read your ages, I went on at 17 and came off at 29 too so fingers crossed your body will cope the same way mine did x

Original poster
Riley1989 · 10/01/2019 12:10

Thank you all for your reply’s 💕

@Mseddy thank you so much for your reply! Nice to meet another emetophobe who understands why we get so worried about side effects! Hate emetophobia had it all my life!! I really hope I have the same outcome as you coming off this pill because the pain and bleeding were so unbearable and then the vomiting Because of it was my worst nightmare! Good luck on your journey xx

OP posts:
wannabebump · 10/01/2019 13:15

Hi, I hate to be the one with the not-so-great experience coming off this BC.

Between taking my last pill and AF showing with in excess of 100 days. Very much pregnancy symptoms during the withdrawal - tired, sore boobs, sore nipples, cramps etc.

I was only on it for about 23 months as well, so my cycles definitely haven't just returned to normal 😔

Good luck, everyone is different, baby dust to us all x

Original poster
Riley1989 · 10/01/2019 13:36

@wannabebump thank you for your reply! Sorry to hear you had a bad time this is what I have read a lot from people coming off this pill! It’s good to hear your experience so I have an idea what to expect If I do have withdrawals and I hope you are feeling better now! Baby dust to you too 💕💕

OP posts: