Irregular cycles after birth control

[S1obhan98]

Hello everyone new to this, I’ve recently came of the pill 8 months ago my cycles where ok for about 4 months then in January it all went down hill my cycle was 50 then missed a period in March and April and nothing as such today in May. I’ve spoke to my doctor and he said give it time for my body to regulate has anyone got any stories or advice that could help me

Hi, we're just bumping this thread in case anyone's around with some advice.

Hi, I was in the exact same boat as you last year. I came off the pill in Feb 19, had a period 6 weeks after, then one 4 weeks after that. I then went a whole 100 days without one! Within that time I went to see DR and was told it's normal to take some time to regulate once coming off of birth control. An absolute nightmare when ttc! Once it returned after the 100 days I was still fairly irregular being anywhere between 28 - 39 days ish, but luckily the last couple months I have been pretty regular with a 30 (ish) day cycle. So hoping for my BFP soon!! So, it did take almost a year for mine to get back in rhythm after 6 years on the pill. I hope this helps x

Thanks Ellie for getting back, it’s just an awful feeling I regret ever getting on birth control I just hope it settles down soon I just hope it’s nothing serious just dream of having a my own wee family soon, 100 days is very long but I’m glad they have settled down for you and hope you get you BFP soon. Thanks so much for getting back x

@Ellie1878 did you do anything to try and help regulate your cycles ?

Hi @S1obhan98, it's strange how they can start off regular after coming off the pill and then just go pear shaped isn't it?
I went through similar, came off the pill in 2017 and the first two cycles where ok then it went to 84 days, 65 days.... my sister (midwife) recommended Agnus Castus to me and I managed to get them to 30-32 days before I fell pregnant (planned). If you're TTC then only take up to ovulation. Might be worth looking into?

Hi @NoCallerID it’s so strange, I must look into that I’m worried if I take some vitamins to help regulate my cycle that it might mask something else like pcos but all I’m experiencing is messed up cycles I’m not over weight or have any over hair growth got my bloods done in march and all came back clear, do you depend on the Agnus castus to help regulate your cycles or did you only take it short term ?

I only took it to regulate my cycles when TTC. I think you're supposed to take it 6 months and then give it a break. Personally I don't mind my cycles being long when I'm not TTC.

Did you ever get test done to see why your cycles are so long ? It’s just at the minute me and my partner aren’t trying to conceive it’s just for my body to actually feel normal

No I didn't. My sister has PCOS, so I wouldn't be surprised if I had it mildly.
I came off the pill and we TTA for half a year before our wedding and TTC straight after. I think it just takes quite some time to get hormones back to where they should be. I had terrible spots at first, took low dose antibiotics to keep it under control and all sorts. No having not been on HBC for 3 years I get the occasional breakout but it's not as bad at all compared to the first months coming off hbc. (And I never had bad skin as teenager or anything).

After I came off the pill I started temping straight away. I bought the book taking charge of your fertility by Toni Weschler and I learned so so much and successfully avoided pregnancy until after our wedding and then conceived first cycle despite being not spot on with my period but I just knew my body. I think that it was very important and had there been severe irregularities I would've had them checked, a chart can give you so much information like hormone imbalance etc and it's very helpful to have if you were to get tested for certain things.

@S1obhan98 no worries! I hate seeing a post unanswered. I started taking angus castus but it didn't really help for me, I lasted 3 months but noticed no change. I suppose everyone's different! The last couple months I have been taking a multi vitamin called 'Fertility Smart' and 'Inositol' (Inositol mainly for suspected PCOS) and they seem to do the trick! I also use the app Flo and it's usually spot on! X

Hi @S1obhan98

I know this thread is over a year old but I’m hoping you recieve this and can come back to me - I’m in exactly the same boat as you were and I wanted to see how you were getting on?

In short I’m nearly 32, came off the pill last November (2020) after being on it for 11 years (Microgynon/Rigdevon) After my withdrawal bleed my first real period came on Boxing Day being a 54 day cycle.
2nd cycle took 63 days
3rd cycle 36 days
4th cycle 39 days
All 5/6 days- normal/heavy flow.
Since then nothing- I’m now on CD101! I feel so down and worried something is wrong. I know you should never Google but it always gets the better of me and Ive read some really scary things.
My & my partner arnt trying to conceive at the moment (withdrawal method) but I came off the pill as I wanted to give my body a break and prepare to maybe start trying next year.
Im definately not pregnant- tested twice.
I did have my first covid vaccine CD49 so not sure if this has anything to do with it or if I’m just clutching at straws.
I know it can take a year to settle down but over 3 months with no period is starting to worry me. Although irregular I did have 4 real periods to begin with so I don’t understand where they have now gone. Last weekend I did have 2 days of spotting so I thought AF might be on the way but nothing. sad
I do have blood tests booked for Thursday but I’m so anxious and worried…I would love nothing more than to be able to have children so the results really worry me.

As you can see my situation was very similar to yours so I just wondered how you got on and how your cycles are now?

:)

@ellie1878 - I hope you don’t mind me asking how your cycles are getting on now too?

Thanks both

Hi @HeavenlyHoping, I found out I was finally pregnant in June 2020 after a long 16 months of trying and worry. My baby boy was born in Feb 21 and is now 6 months old! I really believe the 'fertility smart' vitamins were to thank for this. I also lost around 10lbs in the weeks before finding out I was pregnant. I hated the phrase 'it will happen in good time' when ttc but I truly believe in this now. My periods were all over the place too like yours so it was hard to pin point ovulation, but I made an ovulation journal and tested every single day until the OPK was positive and made sure we dtd on these days, this did help as I actually ovulated a lot later in my cycles than I thought! I really hope all good things are coming your way 😊 X

@HeavenlyHoping
Definitely don’t think that you might not have a family in the future. There’s loads of things to help women and men to have a chance of a family.
When your getting the blood test is advice to get your AMH tested this looks to see about egg quality but if it’s very high it could mean PCOS and check your testosterone. Mines was a little high but my gp told me nothing to worry about that I was ok. We needed up going private to a clinic in ballykelly. In January I was told I had PCOS I had a idea I had it I gained weight was getting hair on my belly and periods were just non existent but I did start taking inositol, this brought my periods back after taking them for a month and every 30-35 days I was getting my period with them. I wasn’t ovulating due to the PCOS I didn’t have mature follicle to conceive. I’d recommend getting ovusense if you are trying to get pregnant it did show when I was ovulating but clearly they were mature enough to make a baby. We started clomid in May at 50mg it didn’t work that time I was upset and thought IVF was our only way. They up the dose to 100mg and we got a mature follicle in June. Now I’m 11 weeks pregnant today. I’d advice you to get a scan done to check your ovaries and for any scar tissue incase it could be endometriosis but none of these things will define you as a women it sucks that some women have these conditions but there’s always a path to get where you want to be. You could be lacking in zinc that can affect your periods but I’d push to get full testing so you know what could be the reason. I generally believe in taking inositol zinc magnesium and pregnancy care has helped be last year in October to get some form of periods. I’m greatful to know I’m not the only women to have infertility issues I don’t feel so alone but I’ll be forever thankful to science that has created treatment for me to have a baby and for other women. Let me know how you get on and I know it’s hard not to worry x

Congratulations to you both @S1obhan98 & @ellie1878- it’s really comforting to know you both went on to fall pregnant and had/having a baby. I’m really happy for you both! It makes me feel more positive - I just really hope I don’t have a hard time getting there myself. I’m not the strongest person and the whole thing makes me really anxious. I’d be absolutely devastated to not be able to conceive and have a family with my partner.
We’re not actually trying to conceive at the moment - I just wanted to give my body a break from the pill. We were thinking to start next year so I guess I have the rest of the year to try sort my body out.
I keep hoping I’m just one of those unluckier ones that takes up to a year to setttle down. I have read it can take up to a year so I’m holding on to that at the moment. Wishful thinking…
I might try the inositol/vitamins & see if they help. Can you start mid cycle or would you suggest starting on day 1 of my cycle whenever that may be?
Thank you again for both taking the time and coming back to me- I’m glad you both had happy endings! Let’s hope I do too…. :)

I started as soon as I got them and took 2 every day don’t stop taking them if they work for you and even track ovulation with ovulation test just to have a idea but I’d request your doctor to do a day 21 bloods whenever you get a period because this will tell you if you have ovulated or not. I fully understand I’m too anxious person and don’t do well with upsetting things. But there’s a whole community out there to support you @HeavenlyHoping