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Home Stopping BC Pills??

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Jena17

Jena17

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Hi Girls, I am still technically a BIW and will be married on 10-10-09, but FH and I have been talking about wanting kids for a while now and as soon as our wedding I want to stop BC pills (I can''t wait, I hate taking them) I am 30 and want to have kids sooner rather than later. I keep thinking I want to stop them before the wedding, but don''t know what kind of side effects it might have on me. I know it will be different for everyone but I just wanted some advice from people that have went of BC pills. Thanks!
 
When I''ve stopped pills, nothing. I stopped using the ring 2 months ago. Nothing! So no side effects from me, besides a weird period last month (not the month after stopping it, just last month). Good luck!!
 
My skin got pretty horrible for a few months after I stopped the pill. I''ve always had trouble skin and the pill helped me keep a little more clear. My friend, who typically has gorgeous skin, had the same problem when she stopped. I''d say there was a noticeable difference in both of our faces. The other negative side effect (or something I wouldn''t want to deal with while ramping up to my wedding) was the onset of a regular length and volume period. I got so used to light ones and then when I stopped the pill it got a lot heavier and my cramps were pretty harsh.

Those two were the worst things but they didn''t outweigh the fact that I felt a lot more emotionally balanced off of the pill. If I were in your shoes I would wait until after the wedding based on the skin issue alone.
 
My skin was wrecked! I had decent skin before the pill, it was awesome on the pill... I went off and it was terrible. I went back on, and its better, but not as good as it was before I ever went on the pill.

Everything else was fine.. but the skin was bad enough that I was dying to go back on.
 
Word of warning... three of my friends went off BCP in preparation for getting PG after their weddings.

One was 9 weeks PG on her wedding day
One found out she was PG 2 days after the wedding
The third was PG by the time she was back from her honeymoon

You CAN get pregnant first cycle off the pill!

I took BCP on and off for about 16 years. The only difference when I came off was my skin wasn''t so great and my migraines got worse (I have cycle related migraines and so I would run 6 packets of BCP together to avoid the break that would bring on both AF and my migraine). My cycle always went straight back to 27/28 days instantly.
 
After 5 years on the BCP, I just recently had to stop taking it because I was diagnosed with Factor V Leiden, a genetic abnormality in the blood that can cause blood clots to occur more frequently. Since BCPs already have an increased risk of blood clots, my OB-GYN told me to immediately stop taking them!
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I just had my first period since going off of the pill and it was definately a lot heavier for the first 2 days. Also, I felt extremely fatigued and bloated, which I did not experience as much while taking BCP. Otherwise, my skin has been about the same and I have actually lost a couple of pounds.

DH and I are still discussing what to use as a BC alternative now that I am off of the pill. We definately want to wait a couple more years before starting a family.
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Definitely more PMS and much worse cramps. My skin was the main issue but that resolved after a few months. If I were you I would until after the wedding only because you want great skin. Plus if you were to get pregnant you couldn''t drink at your wedding
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I stopped mine about 4 months before my wedding. Didn''t get pregnant, BUT get ready for unpredictable cycles. I got my period 4 days before my wedding! NOT FUN!!!
 
Slight threadjack for Laura...you could take a progestin-only pill ("mini-pill") or get an implanon or IUD. I have the Mirena IUD and couldn''t be happier.

As for side effects of stopping the pill, I''d imagine acne would be the most outwardly visible. And of course there''s the surprise pregnancy (yup, you can get pregnant on your first pill-free cycle). You may have more cramping, heavier flow, or other period-related issues as well. So I''d try to time it so you don''t have a period during your wedding or honeymoon.
 
jstar - Thanks for the threadjack...HeHe!
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As far as other BC options, my OB-GYN said that I shouldn't take any type of BCP to avoid increasing my risk of blood clots. I may double check about the progestin-only pills to see if they are included in her "Do Not Take" list. Also, I have heard on commercials for Mirena IUD that women should have already had at least one child to be a good candidate. Is that true? Does it still release hormones into the body like the Nuva Ring?

Thanks in advance for your information!
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ETA: I Googled the progestin-only pills vs. Factor V Leiden and found this:

"While a WHO (World Health Organization) publication in the journal Contraception [1998;57:315-324] showed that oral or injectable progestin-only contraceptives do not increase the risk of thrombosis (DVT, PE, heart attack, or stroke) in the general female population, it is not known whether they are also safe for people with history of thrombosis or with a known thrombophilia such as Factor V Leiden."

I guess they have not performed many studies on the matter...
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interested to see if there will be anymore responses
i have been ordered by the dr. to go off bc pills IMMEDIATELY because it sent my blood pressure off the wall!!! i used to have such bad periods i would vomit and seriously hope that does not return
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went in to find out why i have migraines and got this instead! ugggghers
 
I''ve been off BCP about 3 times since I''ve started taking them in my late teens. All the times I was off of it, was due to insurance reasons since I needed to work for my company for 3 months before getting group insurance. Well, each time I''ve gone off it...I was the devil incarnate. The hormones were soooo bad! I couldn''t stand myself! I never thought of myself as a B*tch, but I am when I''m not on BCP....at least for the first two months. I was a hormonal wreck! Cry one instant, laugh the next, and then blow up!! (I''m worried for my FI...) I''m hoping to talk to my doctor about it and see if BCPs just have to get completely out of my system for me to be normal again, since I was not this bad before I got on BCP. When I didn''t take them, I (who never got bloated ever before) finally experienced bloating and cramps. Plus my flow was much more intense as well as heavier. That''s my experience so far. So at the moment, I''m not looking forward to TTC time since to do that, I''d have to be off BCP.
 
Hey Jena,
I stopped taking the pill last September, so I''m just about at a year. I noticed a slight increase in ovulation and PMS symptoms, but nothing major. The pill did nothing to ease my mood swings around that time of the month so that didn''t change. I found myself getting cramps mid-cycle and again during my period and I also noticed a lot more breast soreness during PMS. My cycle stayed super regular though.
 
When I went off the pill in the spring, I had a lot of breakouts for the first month or two. I went and bought all new products- Aveda face wash, toner, moisturizer and used them consistently, and very soon after my face started clearing up. I don''t use them anymore, but my skin is still clear and I think it''s sort of balanced itself out. For me, it was well worth it to be off the pill.
 
Thanks everyone! I have decided to wait until after the wedding to go off of them! I actually can''t wait, but am a little nervous and I hope I don''t have bad side effects. I never had bad PMS before and these pills I am on now have made my moods so much worse so hopefully it will be better when I get off of them!
 
I am back and still trying to decide if I want to start a new pack of pills now. I have 16 days until the wedding and I will be finishing my last pack of pills Sunday so it will be 13 days before the wedding. Do I buy another pack of pills to avoid any side effects that may occure? I am mainly worried about the acne, I have never had acne but I don't want it to start after I get off the BC pills. I know we want to TTC right after the wedding. I just really can't wait to get off of BC Pills, I hate taking them and how they make me feel!
 
I went off mine about 4 months ago, and I say keep taking them until after the wedding. You never know what side effects you will get, or when you will get them.

The Bad: For me, the first few weeks were fine, but my first period was insane. Like so much pain I wanted to go to the hospital because I thought I was dying. The next two were manageable, I started getting acne on my face and back at 2.5-3 months and it''s still horrible. I never had bad skin before. I got my fourth period today and it was worse than the first, I didn''t think that was possible. So I don''t know what to do about that, I can''t live my life out of commission 1 day/month. I can''t take advil or ibuprofin b/c of allergies.

The Good: My libido has gone from non existent to more than my DH''s (yay!). My thinning hair is actually regrowing (looks like baby hair coming in).

I just got a prescription for a copper IUD, not sure if I can handle worse cramps (or if it''s even possible to have worse cramps) so I''m still thinking about it...
 
I stopped taking BC pills some time back in college and there were no side effects that I can recall.
 
I stopped last January - use the FAM method. Honestly, what I noticed was mostly positive - I felt happier and healthier, and much more in tune with my body''s natural cycle (this probably had more to do with reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility). My skin does break out a little bit more during certain points in my cycle, and I notice that my breasts tend to get a little more tender right before my period - I never noticed these things when I was on BC. My second period after quitting BC was very heavy with a lot of cramping - first period off BC was very light. Really, the biggest thing it took me to get used to was having cramps again, but a little ibuprofen and I''m fine.
 
I had no side effects, other than my periods became more unpredictable than when I was on the pill.
 
I broke out like CRAZY. Face, chest and back (ew, I know). Breakouts like I had never experienced before, even as a teen. It was really bad at first, then improved a bit but my skin was still crappy for the entire 9 mos I was off.

My cycles were also weird, every 50-60 days or so but that isn''t really the pill''s fault... It was just masking that before.

I''m back on BCP now, for a few reasons, and I''m HOPING my skin gets better.
 
Date: 8/25/2009 10:50:07 PM
Author: LauraSLP07
jstar - Thanks for the threadjack...HeHe!
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As far as other BC options, my OB-GYN said that I shouldn't take any type of BCP to avoid increasing my risk of blood clots. I may double check about the progestin-only pills to see if they are included in her 'Do Not Take' list. Also, I have heard on commercials for Mirena IUD that women should have already had at least one child to be a good candidate. Is that true? Does it still release hormones into the body like the Nuva Ring?

Thanks in advance for your information!
21.gif


ETA: I Googled the progestin-only pills vs. Factor V Leiden and found this:

'While a WHO (World Health Organization) publication in the journal Contraception [1998;57:315-324] showed that oral or injectable progestin-only contraceptives do not increase the risk of thrombosis (DVT, PE, heart attack, or stroke) in the general female population, it is not known whether they are also safe for people with history of thrombosis or with a known thrombophilia such as Factor V Leiden.'

I guess they have not performed many studies on the matter...
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Click to expand...

Hi Laura! Sorry I didn't see your post earlier! While it's true that the studies haven't really been done, in theory progestin-only pills and devices are safe for people with hypercoagulable states, as estrogen is the component that is thought to be responsible for the clotting issues. The Mirena IUD does release progesterone, but NOT estrogen, and the effects are mainly local (basically just in the uterus) and it doesn't even get into your bloodstream enough to block ovulation. If you don't feel comfortable with any hormones, that's perfectly understandable (because blood clots suck!), and I would definitely think about the copper IUD, which is 100% hormone-free and works very effectively for up to 10 years.
 
Date: 8/25/2009 10:50:07 PM
Author: LauraSLP07
jstar - Thanks for the threadjack...HeHe!
1.gif


As far as other BC options, my OB-GYN said that I shouldn''t take any type of BCP to avoid increasing my risk of blood clots. I may double check about the progestin-only pills to see if they are included in her ''Do Not Take'' list. Also, I have heard on commercials for Mirena IUD that women should have already had at least one child to be a good candidate. Is that true? Does it still release hormones into the body like the Nuva Ring?

Thanks in advance for your information!
21.gif


ETA: I Googled the progestin-only pills vs. Factor V Leiden and found this:

''While a WHO (World Health Organization) publication in the journal Contraception [1998;57:315-324] showed that oral or injectable progestin-only contraceptives do not increase the risk of thrombosis (DVT, PE, heart attack, or stroke) in the general female population, it is not known whether they are also safe for people with history of thrombosis or with a known thrombophilia such as Factor V Leiden.''

I guess they have not performed many studies on the matter...
5.gif
Click to expand...
Coming out of lurkdom for a moment...

I have hypercoaguable blood and the MTHFR-C677T gene mutation (related to the Factor V) and also cannot take bc pills. I was diagnosed this summer after I had a blood clot (DVT) in my calf and my ob/gyn, family doc, and hematologist said absolutely no hormones. Not even progesterone. I''d get a second or third opinion if your doc allows you to take any type of hormones because, trust me, having a clot is no fun. My muscles atrophied and it''s now been nearly 4 months since I''ve been able to walk normally. I am in constant pain and it''s not known if I''ll fully recover.

You may also want to have an in-depth conversation with your doc about having children. I will probably not be able to have any more (I have a 14.5 month old son) because there is too much risk of me getting another clot. This is hard to deal with and scary too - can''t take bc pills to prevent pregnancy, don''t want an IUD and condoms are not the most effective form of bc. Needless to say, DH and I are very careful
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All that said, I was forced off the pill when I was diagnosed with the DVT and it''s been a bit crazy. I''m on Coumadin (blood-thinner), aspirin therapy and percocet and my flow is extremely heavy the first few days - this is to be expected from the drugs though. My skin is a wreck for like a week before, during and immediately after my period (so pretty much all the time) and my skin is also much more oily than it ever was before. My cycles are random but, luckily, my cramps aren''t really any worse than they were when I was on the pill.
 
Yep, many docs will err on the side of caution by saying no hormones at all. It''s also an understandable way to practice; many medical decisions are based on risks that are more theoretical than real. Different doctors may counsel you differently based on their own experience and preferences.

In terms of the medical evidence, here is a good, readable article that draws from reliable sources (peer-reviewed medical journals). It gets a tad technical but is very thorough. This line is important:

"In the patient with an active DVT or PE, progestin only methods should be avoided also, but they can be used safely after resolution of the acute event.
...
Patients diagnosed with hereditary thrombogenic mutations (Box 1) should avoid combination hormonal contraceptives, but they can use all types of progestin only methods safely."

So, if you currently have or are being treated for a clot, like Diva who is on Coumadin, you shouldn''t take either kind of pill. But once the clot is resolved, POPs are OK, even if you have a diagnosis like Factor V Leiden or MTHFR (or any of the other inherited hypercoagulable states). Of course, there may be some resistance to using any kind of hormone after you''ve had a clot, and that''s a perfectly natural reaction. But people should definitely know about this as an option and be able to discuss it with their doctors. Hope that helps!
 
Everyone reacts differently. I would wait until after your wedding to stop. I know several women who got preggo from stopping their BC a few months before their wedding. I was on BC for 13 years before I stopped to TTC. My first period off was pretty bad but I got preggo the first month we tried (docs like you to wait one or two cycles after your stop). There is no predicting what will happen so I would just play it safe. Good luck!
 
I went off the pill in March 2008. I had been on it for about 8 years, tried all different kinds, and finally ended up on the patch. My body produces a lot of estrogen on its own, so when I am on the pill I gain weight and my breasts get quite large. The pill doesn''t really work well with my body, it makes me moody and I always hated it. My mom and doctor had always pushed me to try the IUD, but I refused. Finally, I thought about what I was doing to my body by putting all these hormones in my system, and I just needed to get off of them.

I decided in March of 2008, that I would go through with an IUD, and at first I was scared, but it has been the best decision I have ever made. My skin did change at first, I have always had good skin, but I started to break out quite a bit more after I went off the pill. My hormones have evened out now, and I don''t worry about it anymore. I didn''t really lose the weight I had orginally gained on the pill, but I have to admit I haven''t really tried that hard to. My breasts went down about a cup and a half, but I am still a full C so I''m not worried about it ;)

The one thing is the cramps, going from almost no cramps to harsh cramps was an adjustment, but a year and half later and they are now evening out. I am always on time with my schedule, but it does last longer and it is heavier. I am on the copper IUD, as I didn''t want any hormones in my system, I just felt that for too long my hormones weren''t my own and I needed to be me!

Now when my DH and I decide to get pregnant I just go and get it removed, and my body is ready. Depending on how fertile we are, we can conceive the same day I have it removed. Plus it is a one time thing that I can have for five years, I never even think about it. I don''t feel it (I did for the first two days, as the string is still hard), and I have never had children or been pregnant. I went to a specialist and she put it in while having me on ultra sound to make sure it was in correctly.

Hope this helps anyone who is debating to go off the pill for reasons other than conceiving. I am soooo happy with my decision and only wish I had listened to my doctor and mother years ago. I personally hate the the pill/patch.
 
I went off the pill about 2 months ago and haven't had a period since then. I had some very light spotting, but that was it. Is this normal? I wasn't worried, but I'm starting to be...

ETA: We are NOT trying to concieve.
 
Date: 11/4/2009 10:43:13 AM
Author: GoingCrazy29
I went off the pill about 2 months ago and haven''t had a period since then. I had some very light spotting, but that was it. Is this normal? I wasn''t worried, but I''m starting to be...

ETA: We are NOT trying to concieve.
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Yeah, it happens. My BFF didn''t get one for 9 months after stopping her BC. Ask your doc if it''s stressing you out, though.

Jena, I would get one more pack - I wouldn''t stop my BC this close to my wedding if I were you. Not only for the skin issue, but because sometimes your cycle gets broken after getting off the pill and you can have extra long periods or multiple ones.
 
Well I am officially a Newlywed now!! I have been off of the birth control pills now for a little over a month and no bad side effects as of yet. But i also haven''t had a period yet either. We are TTC and it''s a little hard to know when you are ovulating if you don''t have a period. It''s also going to be hard if I don''t get a period for a few months to know if I am actually pg or if it is just due to my cycle not being regular yet!
 
I went off the pill almost 6 months ago (NOT trying to conceive
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) and I have only had 2 menstrual cycles. My skin has been giving me issues ever since, but otherwise I am thrilled to be free of synthetic hormones. Try the FAM method to learn your cycles better. Though it is usually used for TTC, it can also help for "trying to avoid"(it has saved me a fortune on home pregnancy tests!)
 
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