What will happen if I quit..

Avatar for mcmitchell58
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Registered: 03-25-2003
What will happen if I quit..
9
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 8:43am
Hi, I have a question and if this question has been asked about a hundred times, please feel free to point me in the right direction.

I am 45 y/o female who has been on Mircette & Kariva (generic Mircette) for about 10 years. I was put on it to control my periods, which were getting longer and heavier. There is NO threat of me getting pregnant. However, I have gained weight, in spite of running 25-30 miles per week and can't seem to lose weight no matter what I eat, or how much I run. My libido is currently non-existent and has been for a while.

My question is this: what will happen if I just stop taking the Pill? I'm sure my periods will come back, but maybe more regularly? Would I be able to lose the weight and perhaps, get some sort of libido going again?

Thanks for any help you can give me!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 9:16am
Hi mcmitchell! I am 39 and was on the pill for 20 years(minus 2 pregnancies) for birth control reasons. I quit the pill last August because I could not tolerate the headaches. Well, Instantly no more headaches, more energy, my sex drive skyrocketed and I lost about 10lbs! Really! I have never felt better! Now, at first my periods were very consistent, but the last couple of months they have been inconsistent. I have been having a lot of spotting. Unlike you, my periods are not heavy and they are not long. My dr said if this continued I may need to go back on the pill to control my periods. My husband had a vasectomy recently and we are awaiting the post vasectomy sperm test to be negative in June. Then I will not need to worrry about pregnancy. So, since the inconsistant periods I am having will only be an inconvenience, I doubt I will go back on the pill. If you dont mind your heavy and long periods-though that might change after 10 years and at 45 your body may skip a few-then I would forgo the pill. You can always go back on but I bet you will feel better overall. This is just my opinion, from my own experience. Let us know what you decide and how you feel! Good luck!

Josie

Avatar for mcmitchell58
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Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 10:35am
Thanks for your reply, Josie! I am tempted to try it, just to see what will happen.
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Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 11:08am
All I know is, 45 is when my mom started going through menopause, and she got SUPER-long, SUPER-heavy periods. So this might happen to you. However, this runs in my family, bad menopause does (i'm glad I have something to look forward to in 25 years!), so given that you aren't guaranteed those bad periods, I see no reason to keep yourself on the Pill, since menopause is a natural thing and you're going to have to go through it sooner or later. And it probably won't be as bad for you as it is in my family! If there's no risk of pregnancy, I'd say, go off the Pill and see what happens. Just my 21-year-old $0.02 though. Have you talked to your doctor about this? If not, I definitely would.

Good luck to you!!

Caitlin

Avatar for mcmitchell58
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Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 11:14am
I've talked to her, but not about this specifically. Mostly, we've talked about me staying on the pill a while longer. I've not discussed the weight gain/libido issues with her, 'cuz I'm embarrassed.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 11:20am
Aw, don't be embarrassed!! It's her job - believe me, I bet she's heard more embarrassing stuff than that before! :)

I guess I just don't understand why you're staying on the Pill if it's not to prevent pregnancy and you're unhappy with side effects. It does seem to me that menopause should be right around the corner for you (maybe within a few years), so what's the point? But if you're that unhappy with it, and are insisting on staying on it, why can't you try a different Pill? That might take care of some of the libido problems. I don't know about the weight gain thing, since weight gain on the Pill is usually a result of water weight, but a different pill might help that as well.

Like I said, though, I'm only 21, so what do I know about your situation? ;-)

Caitlin

Avatar for mcmitchell58
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Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 11:36am
I have been on the pill because my periods were very long and very heavy and I found that very unpleasant. I've really enjoyed having little to no period, 1-2 days, if that much. Sometimes, nothing. Ever.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 12:07pm
Have you been on one pill or another for the past 10 years with no break? If you have, you might want to give your natural hormones a try.

Before I went on the pill (at age 20) I had heavy, long, crampy (prescription worthy), PMS-y periods. I was on the pill for almost 10 years (went off at 30). while on the pill I had irreglar periods, less flow but often for a lot of days, cramps - but not as bad as pre-pill & PMS (don't remember how it compared to teenage moods/PMS). Now (I've been off the pill since last June) I have periods that last only about 5 days, with 2 or 3 of those being very light spotting, I *might* have cramps for an hour or two one day (& this hasn't happened avery month) and my PMS is practically non-existent (I've experienced a "bad

mood" for the afternoon a day or two before my period, but not every month).

The libido improvements are also wonderful. I didn't think I was doing too badly in that department, but it is *much* better now!!! Arousal is very quick & easy these days.

I realize that by 45 you could start experiencing menopause symptoms, which I don't have to deal with yet at 31, but I think going without hormones is worth a try. You say that pregnancy is not a possibility, so what do you have to lose?! If you find your periods unbearable again, you can always go back on the pill.

For me, I can't imagine the circumstances that would make me go back on hormonal contraception, I enjoy my body under the influence of its natural hormones way too much to change that. However, you won't know how your body will behave without trying.

Good Luck, come back & tell us what you decide.

Avatar for mcmitchell58
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 1:06pm
<<>> This is JUST what I was thinking!!

Thanks Everyone!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 2:19pm
I had an appt with my gp a few months after going off the pill and the first thing I told HIM about was my increased sex drive. I think he was afraid to be in the exam room with me;)! I am sure you dr will not think anything awful about your questions.