women and birth control

I'm here! Yes, that can be normal for some women going off birth control. As far as the hot flashes go, it's possible that her body isn't ovulating yet, which means she's not getting estrogen from either the pill or her body's natural processes, similar to what happens as women start getting into perimenopause. If she's not having periods, she's not ovulating, and ovulating is the means by which we get most of our hormone production.

The weight gain is more complicated, but some women lose weight when they go on the plll and gain it back when they go off, just as some women gain and lose the other way. The hormones in the pill affect a lot of things, sometimes insulin sensitivity and appetite, sometimes how water is retained in the body, and all these things can affect weight.

Just as they tell us to allow 2-4 months for our bodies to adjust to being on the pill, we need to allow 2-4 months for our bodies to adjust to being off the pill as well. As long as her doctor is in the loop, there shouldn't be a reason to worry, but she may need to allow herself some latitude while she's making this transition.

Good luck!

Judie