Side effects of going off the bc pill?

RhiannonW

Cathlete
I want to go off the birth control pill. I've been on them for 20 years and I want to be pill free to see how I would feel.
Have any of you done this? Did you experience any side effects? If so, what were they?

Thanks everyone.
 
I went off the pill last December and lost 6 lbs. LOL I have had a little more acne than before. My skin was perfect, now I get a zit once in a while. It took some time for my period to become "regular" again. Otherwise, nothing major. I wasn't on the pill for 20 years though.

Have you discussed this with your health care professional?

Tamikka
 
I will call my ob-gyn. I wanted to hear from some women who have done it in case I developed more questions.
I fear my acne may go haywire when I go off the ortho-tri-cyclen. I went through Accutane treatment, then went on ortho-tri-cyclen. My skin has been wonderful since. For that reason I don't want to go off the pill, but I'm hoping to gain energy and sex drive by going off.
 
Rhiannon- I never knew that one of the side effects of bc pills was descreased sex drive. I've been on bc pills for about 20 years, too, and now you've got me wondering ....perhaps I'm not as "bizarre" as my husband thinks I am when it comes to sex drive!!!!!! :)
Thanks for your post!!!!!
 
I didn't go off the pill but discussed it with my OB/Gyn in December. I have been taking the pill for 19 years and was fearful of long-term results of taking hormones.

My doctor urged me to stay on the pill as opposed to another form of birth control. I asked about having my tubes tied and other forms. He told me pros and cons of each option.

He let me know that I have been very lucky with the pill - same pill for all 19 years, only have periods about once per year, no cramps, no PMS, no hormones. If I switched to another option, all that could potentially go away.

And, thre is no guarantee that if I jump back onto the pill after a few months that I would regain my hassle-free status.

My final question to him -- what do you have your wife doing? She takes a low dose pill similar to mine. I figure if he knows all the risks of the different methods and he keeps his wife on the pill, he must believe that the benefits outweigh any risks.

Lastly, he told me when I reach age 40, he will start testing me every other year to find out when I hit menopause so I can get off the pill when it is the right time.

I would recommend talking to your doctor. I set up a visit seperate from my annual exam and went in with a list of questions so he would know I wanted to have a serious discussion.

Michelle
 
When I go off the pill, (to concieve), i find myself overall more happy and energetic and have a large sex drive, its easier to lose weight too!! I feel more in touch with my womanness, I guess...haha. I prefer to be off but we are not ready to have our last baby yet (i wanna go for number 4 cuz I got 3 boys..yaya I know I am nuts I've been told) after that I'm getting the tubes tied...I just dont like the way I feel on birth control pills, but they are very effective, thats why I take them regardless.
 
Not to scare anyone, but I stopped taking the pill and a month and a half later developed an extemely painful ovarian cyst. The ER doctor prescribed BC right then and there, because he said they would prevent problematic cysts from developing again. During the time I was off the pill I also got cramps and zits, but those were there before I was on the pill so I guess it wasn't really a side effect of coming off the pill.
 
I had my tubes tied in January and went off the pill after being on it for 20 years.

Pros: Lost 5lbs., I worried about being on the pill, I worried about not knowing when I would go thru menopause, the operation was easy

Cons: bad PMS for about 3 days I could easily snap at anyone, zits, 3 heavy period days + longer periods (7 days) so I have my period 3 out of 4 weeks of the month, vacation & weekend periods.

Again, everyone is different but every month when I get my period I always remember how much easier it was to be on the pill.

Debbie
 
NONE :) so far anyway. I just went off about a month ago, already had my first cycle, flow was normal just like on the pill. I was originally on the pill to help with acne but my face is even better without it!!

Colleen

PS I was also on it for about 20 years.
 
:) It happened to me too. About a month after I stopped BC, I felt great. I was sure there was something wrong with me because my sex drive was very low. I really do believe it was the BC.
 
Michelle:

you are so lucky! Don't mess with it, stay on your bc pill til your doc tells you to! I'm jealous!!!

Clare
 
I have tried the BC pill only twice in my life------for about 6 mos. each time----I had NO libido (sex drive). After going off, I was fine. My sis has the same reaction.
 
I went off about 4 months ago. The only things I've noticed are my periods seem to come a little more frequently (every 25 days) and they are a little bit heavier and longer than they used to be (but not much).
 
I also had a lower sex drive when on the pill, specifically on Allesse (was great for my acne though!). What better birth control than not wanting sex in the first place?:p I new this was a side effect, as it was listed as such when I read up on the medical info. Always read the documentation that come with prescriptions!
 

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