going off of birth control

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2004
going off of birth control
1
Sun, 07-04-2004 - 5:16pm
I'm wondering what your opinions and advice are about going off of birth control. i have been on it for about 8-9 months and was ina serious , sexually active relationship the entire time. the past 4 months i've been single, and i've stayed on it just in case. now the time is coming for my monthly and i'll have to renew my prescription; my question is, now that im single, is it worth it to stay on?

im not a random hook-up girl, i wouldnt sleep with somebody i wasnt dating. so right now im sortof staying on the patch for no reason, because im not seeing anybody and i doubt i will be for a little while. the thing is i've heard from a lot of people that its not good for your body to go on and off hormonal contraception, and that unless i was going off for at least a year that it was a bad idea to do so. i.e. it would be unhealthy to go off it now, start dating somebody in december and go on it again and im on and off it every 2 yrs for 6months at a time or somethign like that.

i certainly dont want to confuse my body, but i'd save a lot of money if i wasnt on it. and its useless,im not having sex and my periods were relatively light and regulated before i ever went on it, so there's no point staying on it either.

should i stay on just in case because its more healthy or should i get off because its not really doing anything for me right now?

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sun, 07-04-2004 - 7:42pm
Hi aceofjades, welcome back!

I don't think it is 'harmful" to go off and on hormonal contraceptives. However, It will put your body through three months of adjustment every time you make the change. For some women there are relatively few or no side effects to the transition. For others it can be difficult. You might want to list the pros and cons. the monitory savings and physical discomfort (if any) and see if it's worthwhile for you to stop until you have a need. Let us know what you decide, ok?

Good luck,

      Jill