Coming off pill … experiences

JJ1989 · 2023-10-19T08:07:23+00:00

I came off my pill 6 weeks ago as we are looking to try for a second baby at the end of this year. I have just started my period, but pretty sure I didn’t ovulate as I have been take my BBT and using ovulation tests and never got a peak, or saw a temperature rise. Has anyone else had a similar experience? When I came off the pill to try for our son I ovulated straight away and went into regular cycles so it’s a slightly different experience this time!

rupertbear91 · 19/10/2023 09:58

I think it just depends. I stopped mine 4 weeks ago... no bleed yet but I did get positive OPKs 2 weeks ago but no bbt change.
Also having awful symptoms of nausea, fatigue, very emotional. It's not fun!

I would imagine now your body will kick start ovulation. I have seen some birth control detox tablets which have good reviews by conceive plus I might try... apparently they help ovulation after coming off the pill.

Sitchervice · 19/10/2023 10:00

For me it took 9 months of irregular periods before I fell pregnant. It was frustrating.

I just want producing progesterone and it took my body some time.

I'd give it 3 months and if it's still an issue and your concerned then talk to your doctor as your experience was different last time.

Edit: spelling error

Oganesson118 · 19/10/2023 10:01

I came off the Pill in May, stopped using condoms in June because "it will take ages" and got a positive result in July.

lenalove · 19/10/2023 10:07

I came off the pill after 10 years on it and subsequently had no period for around 9 month which was really disconcerting. It did eventually return, and my cycles were long at around 45 days, but we conceived on our first cycle of trying after that!

readingismycardio · 19/10/2023 10:08

For me it took one year for periods to come back to regular. Not sure about ovulation as I wasn't tracking, but it was super frustrating. I'd never touch birth control pills again in my life. Best of luck, OP'

AlienSuperstar · 19/10/2023 10:09

Hi OP.

I came off the pill almost 3 weeks ago and expected it to take around 6 weeks before I got a period. Last weekend I had egg white CM and ovulation pain so i'm convinced i've ovulated. I was shocked as I had only been off the pill 2 weeks at that point and didn't realise things would happen so quickly.

I also could be wrong and maybe my body is just getting ready to get back to normal. I am now patiently waiting for either my period or a positive pregnancy test.

I did not have a withdrawal bleed which I found strange.

Original poster

JJ1989 · 19/10/2023 10:11

@rupertbear91 yes I have actually bought some of these pills, but didn’t want to try them just yet and see if after this period my body ovulates on its own, if not I may give them a go!

Thanks everyone! It sounds like it’s very much wait and see but it’s hard to be patient 😁

OP posts:

hamustro · 20/10/2023 22:28

I came off the pill at the start of July, had a withdrawal bleed as usual a week or so later, then a very, very light period around mid August. I was pleasantly surprised that my period seemed to come back so quickly (even if it was super light), but I clearly I got ahead of myself as I haven't had a period since!

I'm not really sure what to think! I've done a lot of reading on here and other websites and there doesn't seem to be much consensus. Some places say the pill leaves your system really soon after finishing the pill so if your periods are irregular something else is going on. Some women say that their pill never came back naturally and they got diagnosed with PCOS. On the other hand, loads of women say their period was absent for months and then came back naturally and they conceived without a problem!

I'm still taking prenatal vitamins (when I remember!) and have started taking inositol as I've half-convinced myself that I have PCOS. I'm looking into other supplements to take that might help with hormonal imbalances, such as spearmint tea, but don't know if this will actually help at all!

LavenderSweetPea · 21/10/2023 06:02

I came off the pill in September 2021, I didn't have a period until January 2022 and it was so light although I did get a bbt rise so I think I might have ovulated. Then nothing at all after that. I was diagnosed with PCOS and started fertility treatment (leteozole) in July 2022. I stopped the fertility treatment after 5 months as I had fallen pregnant but the pregnancy was ectopic and I needed a break from everything.

Low and behold after the ectopic pregnancy was resolved my period came back, I had a few semi regular periods before deciding to try again in March this year. I went back to redo the fertility tests again as I assumed I needed to restart fertility treatment but they came back normal (hormone profile and scan which before were way off what they should have been both normal). They then diagnosed me with post pill syndrome rather than PCOS but said I could continue with leteozole. I decided to try naturally instead for a few months and then fell pregnant almost straight away in May.

I'd never touch hormonal birth control again after what I've been through the last two years. But on the plus side, it does go to for that although it can take ages your period can come back even if it takes a super long time.

hamustro · 21/10/2023 13:25

LavenderSweetPea · 21/10/2023 06:02

I came off the pill in September 2021, I didn't have a period until January 2022 and it was so light although I did get a bbt rise so I think I might have ovulated. Then nothing at all after that. I was diagnosed with PCOS and started fertility treatment (leteozole) in July 2022. I stopped the fertility treatment after 5 months as I had fallen pregnant but the pregnancy was ectopic and I needed a break from everything.

Low and behold after the ectopic pregnancy was resolved my period came back, I had a few semi regular periods before deciding to try again in March this year. I went back to redo the fertility tests again as I assumed I needed to restart fertility treatment but they came back normal (hormone profile and scan which before were way off what they should have been both normal). They then diagnosed me with post pill syndrome rather than PCOS but said I could continue with leteozole. I decided to try naturally instead for a few months and then fell pregnant almost straight away in May.

I'd never touch hormonal birth control again after what I've been through the last two years. But on the plus side, it does go to for that although it can take ages your period can come back even if it takes a super long time.

That's really interesting. Lovely to hear you got pregnant after all that!

Was it a GP who diagnosed you with post pill syndrome? Something I find weird is that there are so many women who have issues like this after coming off the pill, but all official guidance says the pill should leave your system shortly after stopping, and I think the NHS says you should get periods again with 3 months. The NHS also says the pill won't affect fertility and there is no mention of post pill syndrome or the pill causing PCOS or similar symptoms. This is totally at odds with the experience of a lot of women (which I understand is anecdotal evidence, but it seems to be a very common experience). Have they just not done enough research into the pill?! Who knows. I'm just thinking out loud, really, because I'm finding it frustrating and isolating that my experience (and the experience of many other women, like you) seems to defy official guidance.

LavenderSweetPea · 21/10/2023 13:35

@hamustro yes it was the gp who said it was post pill syndrome, although it's not an official diagnosis they are allowed to give on the NHS he said that true PCOS doesn't just disappear they way mine did. Added to that I'd never had any PCOS symptoms before going on the pill.

I think it's fair so say most women have their normal fertility return quickly after stopping the pill, my experience is hardly typical, but as you say it's also not unheard of. I think there's just not enough research that's been done to test fertility before and after taking the pill.

hamustro · 21/10/2023 13:43

LavenderSweetPea · 21/10/2023 13:35

@hamustro yes it was the gp who said it was post pill syndrome, although it's not an official diagnosis they are allowed to give on the NHS he said that true PCOS doesn't just disappear they way mine did. Added to that I'd never had any PCOS symptoms before going on the pill.

I think it's fair so say most women have their normal fertility return quickly after stopping the pill, my experience is hardly typical, but as you say it's also not unheard of. I think there's just not enough research that's been done to test fertility before and after taking the pill.

I suppose it's a hard thing to research as when women come off the pill they're usually a number of years older, have possibly gained/lost weight, exercise more/less, etc. I just feel like a medical anomaly compared to official guidance and it's messing with me, even though I know other women have experienced it too. Hopefully it will all work itself out in the end and I don't get carted away as a creature of special scientific interest😂

LavenderSweetPea · 21/10/2023 13:54

It's not been tooooo long since your first proper post pill period so you're doing better than I was at that point 😂I'll keep my fingers crossed AF turns up for you soon. If not get to your GP before the end of the year for some tests just to check in. Honestly my GP said he saw it all the time (I mean why not warn women when they start taking the pill 🙄)

I tried everything. I honestly mean everything. All the supplements and nothing seemed to make any difference except for infolic alpha which was recommended to me by fertility doctor following my ectopic. Can't tell you how much money I spent on pills and potions!

From other women I've spoken to on here who've had similar, most of us had a regular period come back eventually - and once mine finally did to be fair I got pregnant in only two months of trying so things could have been worse. I'm 24 weeks today so I'm just desperately praying now this really really is my rainbow baby 🌈

I'll keep my fingers crossed your system sorts itself out asap for you!

hamustro · 21/10/2023 15:33

Thanks! Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy!

rupertbear91 · 21/10/2023 22:14

Sorry to jump on the thread.... anyone else in the same situation. Finally started my withdrawal bleed after stopping the mini pill 5 weeks ago this morning. Thought it was proper bleeding at first but now it's just a mix of red/brown only when I wipe... is that normal?

Would I then be classed as starting a new cycle after this?

blgld · 22/10/2023 10:44

@rupertbear91 since coming off the pill in May this is all I'm getting at the moment (every month) and yes I'm counting it as my period.

Old me would've counted it as spotting only, as it definitely doesn't feel like enough to consider a real period, but a few people on here have reassured me they've had 'periods' like this and still conceived... so I'm assuming (hoping) this is my new 'cycle' 😕

Hope that helps.