Stopped taking BC

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-02-2007
Stopped taking BC
5
Tue, 03-13-2007 - 11:50am
I stopped taking the birth control pill at the end of January and was just wondering as to what to expect. Although I feel very liberated and thrilled about my sex-drive returning, I am starting to grow weary of the less pleasant side effects.... so far, I've had cramping, nauseau and I haven't had a 'deflated' stomach in over a month. What else is there to expect and how long does this last? Thanks!
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Tue, 03-13-2007 - 3:27pm

Hi sparky2007, welcome!


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-02-2007
Tue, 03-13-2007 - 5:09pm
Thank you for your reply! I appreciate it.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-12-2002
Wed, 03-14-2007 - 5:02am

Hi sparky2007,

I had a Mirena IUD, and had it removed seven months ago. While many of my problems have certainly improved a heck of a lot, I'm still dealing with them. Instead of having acne all the time, I now have outbreaks. But at least the vaginal dryness is much improved, and I've finally reached the point where I don't have yeast infections all the time, and also don't get them after every act of intercourse due to the friction on my vaginal dryness! My cycles still tend to be a bit wacky, which I've noticed from charting my cycles for the last four months.

I now get bloated before most of my periods, which is annoying, because a pair of perfect fitting dress pants that I wear to work suddenly become really uncomfortable. Of course, the 3 1/2 years I had my Mirena, my periods were reduced to spotting, so I didn't get bloating, and I didn't get cramps. And about four days or so after ovulating my boobs start to hurt all the way through to about the third day of my period. But considering with the IUD they got to the point where they ached badly on a daily basis, I suppose that's also a vast improvement. It just annoys me that prior to ever starting birth control, I never used to feel bloated or have sore breasts before my period!

That was my experience with something that is supposed to act on primarily on the uterus and have fewer side effects! Some women come off the pill and start cycling normally straight away. There are women on the Natural Family Planning Board with me that are only just starting to see normal cycles after more than a year off the pill.


 


 


iVillage Member
Registered: 02-02-2007
Wed, 03-14-2007 - 10:30am
Wow, poor you. Compared to your problems, mine are nothing. I hope things will get better for you. All I can say is, I hope some day we won't have to deal with this anymore. Of course, could we even trust men to take care of birth control? Ha! Thanks for the info and for putting things in prospective for me. I sure hope it won't take a year for me to have regular cycles again.... What a drag.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-12-2002
Wed, 03-14-2007 - 7:55pm

Chances are you will get back to normal faster than I have. I have reacted badly to every hormonal birth control I've tried! The Mirena was my last option, and was a walk in the park compared to how I reacted with the Depo shot lol. Now we rely on me charting my cycle, and him using condoms during my fertile times.

Good luck with getting back to normal.