Experiences coming off the pill after extended use?

[CoalCraft]

Hi all!

First off, I'm brand new to Mumsnet so please feel free to gently correct any faux pas :) also I'm typing this in mobile so sorry for any typos

I'm looking for some first hand experiences of coming off the pill after prolonged use. I've read info online but it's not quite the same as hearing it from people directly. I'm 25 and have been on the pill for 9+ years now. For the first 3-ish years I was on the fixed dose kind, but I started getting light spotting so Dr switched me to the kind where the dose varies over the packet. This didn't actually do anything for the spotting, but I never did go back to the fixed dose kind. Spotting has continued sporadically every since but 2 GPs and sexual health nurse all think it's nothing to worry about so I try not to read anything into it.

I am planning to come off the pill and start TTC with DH this spring (March ish) and would love to know what to expect from people who've been in a similar situation. Things I'm not sure about are how quickly my cycle with resume, and how to know, really, what stage I am in my cycle. I haven't had a natural cycle since I was 16 and at that point I didn't give any thought to following it, and if I had noticed anything I've forgotten it, so basically I'm clueless! This would be my first time TTC and I've not been pregnant before.

I know it's scientifically not true but I can't shake the anxiety that being on the pill for so long will have negatively affected my fertility D: Fortunately I've read online that half of women that come of the pill and start TTC conceive within 6 months, which is comforting :)

Basically just looking for experiences and a bit of reassurance! I'll be the first of my friends TTC (to my knowledge of course) and don't have close family in that place either, so I basically don't have anyone I'm close to that's had a baby within the last 25 years! Lol

Thank you x

I was on it for 7-8 years. Came off and was pregnant pretty much straight away!
Good luck OP.

Firstly I'd say come off the pill before you need to and use other contraception. Then you aren't panicking about how long your cycles take to resume normality. You can then use a period app top track it and start working out what is normal for you. Makes life much easier!

As for the rest of it- literally there seems to be no pattern. Its different for everyone. I was on the mini pill. I'd also had the depo injection and the normal pill before that. 25 years in total. My first bleed took about 2-3 weeks and then my cycles were pretty regular 27-29 days. I suffer with spotting in my luteal phase though. I've been off it 18 months now and only just TTC.

I was on it for around 10 years. Didn't come off it to TTC, but I remember being surprised that my period came exactly 28 days after my withdrawal bleed started.

I was on it for 13 years but decided to come off 8/9 months before we wanted to start trying, just to prepare my body etc, might be worth coming off sooner and just using other protection to give your body a break

Thanks for replies everyone :) it's awesome there's such an active and supportive community here!

I think the suggestion to come off sooner and use other means of contraception in the meantime is sensible, still definitely give that some thought

Should be "WILL definitely"

I didn't have a period for a year after coming off the pill. The dr did blood tests and said I just had to wait for it to get out of my system.
That is an unusually long time but don't be surprised if you don't get a period straight away.

My periods were irregular when I came off the pill for the first 4 months. I had just booked an appointment to see gyno to check if this was normal and I fell pregnant. I would say don't stress about it.

I came off the pill after 4 years, 1 year of depo and then another 2 years of the pill and got pregnant with DS within a week!

I've been off the pill for 6 months after being on it for 8 years. First thing was the withdrawal symptoms I had were horrific, I felt sick for weeks, had constant headaches and everything. Periods are very irregular and cycles have been up to 50 days so I definitely recommend coming off early and using other contraception!

I came off the pill in November after being on it for a number of years as well as also having the implant. We're not looking to start TTC till maybe this December but we thought it would be good to see what my body is up to and use other contraception. I had a withdrawal bleed pretty much straight away then first natural period end of December. I've not yet had a second period but have the Ovia app to track. I might just be blaming this on the pill but since coming off I have had some pretty bad mood swings! Me and OH don't normally argue much at all but I've been a right b**ch recently! My skin is normally good and before I used contraception I didn't have problems but recently I have come out in a lot of spots all over my face! Initially when I came off the pill I thought I looked as though I was loosing a bit of weight. That was before Xmas and now I feel the opposite!! Did anyone else have anything like this? I might just be trying to find something to blame it on other than probably eating and drinking too much shite over Xmas! We're planning a wedding in August so I am probably a bit stressed with that as well but it makes me feel better to blame hormones!

Thanks again for the replies guys!

Sounds like there's been a range of experiences! Fingers crossed I'm in the "easy conception, no substantial side effects camp"!! But if it ends up taking my body a while to get back to normal, that's okay too.