question about going off the pill

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-20-2004
question about going off the pill
3
Sat, 11-20-2004 - 3:15pm
Hi, I've recently gone off of Ortho-tri Lo alittle over a month ago, I ended the pack before stopping. Before I started the pill I had very regular periods, but since being on the pill I've had extreamly early, long, and annoying periods. I guessed that my period would come about 28-30 days since my last period. I guessed wrong because I thought it would have come a week ago. I took a pregnancy test and it was a negative so I know I'm not pregnant. How long should I wait until I talk to a doc? Is it normal to compleatly skip a period when you go off the pill? Did anyone ever have the same thing happen to them when they stopped b/c? Thanks for the advise!
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2003
Sat, 11-20-2004 - 4:17pm
That is very normal. It can take a couple of months before your cycles regulate. Even before I was sexually active it was worth it for me to take the time to chart my cycles just so I knew when my period would come.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-19-2003
Sat, 11-20-2004 - 11:30pm
I stopped back in October of last year (OTC-Lo), and my cycles are still irregular. From November to December of last year I went 39 days before my next one, and repeated that a month or so ago. It's not fun.
I never charted my periods before I took the pills, and only started doing that the month before I quit, so I don't remember how regular they were before that.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2004
Sun, 11-21-2004 - 9:40pm
Hey there...
I was on the pill for 9 years. I went off of it, and two years later, my periods are still not "normal". I think it's one of those things that varies from woman to woman. Some of my girlfriends are every 28 days like clockwork. I cycle about every 40 days, with heavy/long periods. You are probably fine. Your body probably just needs to get used to regulating itself - instead of hormone pills.