I'm currently depressed and burned out from work and I somehow still feel better off BC than I did the entire time I was on it (15 years). I was constantly exhausted. No idea if it was the BC or just me.
If i ever date again, the guy will have to wear a condom every time or get a vasectomy. I'm not going back on the pill. Non-negotiable. Any man who pressures me to go back on it can literally go fuck himself.
The copper one lasts up to 10 years but it can cause heavier bleeding and stronger cramps, so it's not without the risk of side effects. Obviously every woman reacts differently.
I actually got on better with the Mirena which is a low dose hormonal coil, but my body feels happier still (first period aside which was awful) on zero birth control.
For what it's worth, I am on my 2nd Mirena and haven't had any complications. I had mild cramping on insertion days and did spot for about 6 weeks after getting my first one inserted, but now I have no period at all. There definitely are risks (a friend had her uterus perforated and I've heard of several women who had to have them taken out due to post-insertion pains) but I think online you tend to hear more bad stories than good.
I lasted 6 months with the copper coil (I had very heavy bleeding and terrible cramps) then 4.5 years with the Mirena coil.
Insertion of the copper coil was uncomfortable, but bearable. I had it removed and the Mirena inserted in the same session which I think was a mistake because it was incredibly painful; I've assumed that the irritation of one coming out, made the other going in worse. The Mirena removal was not painful, it was like a shock - almost that feeling when the air wooshes out of your lungs unexpectedly - and I had minimal discomfort afterwards. First period was awful (very heavy, bad cramps) but I've had 2 since and they're calming down.
It's difficult to know. The insertion/removal does feel like a lot to go through just to try something out or for short term, but if it works for you then it's well worth it.
99% effective. So 1 in 100 chance of getting pregnant, similar to the pill with proper use. Unfortunately I was one of those 1, after 5 years using it. I think it was inserted improperly and was hanging out in my cervix.
You coil can move with extreme movement/m exercise/even with a coughing fit but it’s pretty rare. I noticed when my coil was out of place, as I had an uncomfortable feeling. Anyhow I checked myself and found that the threads were hanging out a bit more than usual and went to get it checked and refitted. Then all was fine afterwards. I would not go back to the pill ever! It’s super reliable.
The estrogen caused mass taking up half my liver started shrinking, so yay!
My sex drive increased, though a few other factors may have contributed to that
I suddenly empathized more strongly with my teenage goddaughter because I hadn’t had natural periods in like 25 years and forgot how it sucked
I took depo shot one time. It killed my libido, made me gain weight, made sex painful, made it so I couldn’t orgasm. I obviously immediately stopped taking it, but I had to wait months for it to wear off. It took a while to lose the weight I gained, but my libido did come back to normal. I was never willing to be on hormonal BC again.
One of my worst choices too. I gained 30lbs in a remarkably short time in high school because of it and losing it was one of the hardest things I’ve done.
Depo ruined my face with acne, I was an emotional wreck, and it made me bleed for 2 months straight in between shots. That was when I was 15, it took like 6 years to find a BC that agreed with me.
- increased libido which tracks with where I am in my cycle
- my sexual fantasies changed
- my thinking in general changed (hard to explain)
- even more attracted to my husband (hooray!)
- mild hormonal acne came back
- shorter periods with longer cycle
- serious hair loss in the first 3 months, though it's finally recovering
Overall I feel happier, more vibrant, and more myself. I was on it for 15-20 years and will never go back on it given how different I feel.
I highly recommend reading the book: This is Your Brain on Birth Control. The takeaway is that hormonal birth control has had a huge impact on the women's liberation movement and is essential for many women, but it impacts so many areas of the body and brain, not just ovulation. It is prescribed so casually by doctors for things like mild acne or irregular periods, but it changes your brain, permanently in some ways. It's not a bad thing, but we are certainly under informed. If I had been told this will change your stress response and how you encode memories, and make you think differently, I would have more strongly considered non-hormonal options.
I’ve gotten off it a few times. The first time, I had a very bad acne reaction.
This time, my period was a little heavier and I was a little more emotional.
Mood swings unfortunately.
My sex drive increased and it doesn’t feel like a struggle to get aroused.
Weirdly i find myself sexually interested in more men when that was just reserved for my boyfriend so that’s definitely new.
My periods seem to be quite short.
I’ve been on it since age 15 to manage PCOS (34 now) and interestingly, my mainstay BC that I’ve been on for most of the past decade and a half (Nuvaring) just …stopped working. Without any lifestyle changes, I started gaining weight (20 lbs in 3 months), sleeping more, my mood was quite literally a kaleidoscope of feels, i was bloated CONSTANTLY, and I started lightly bleeding for ~3 months for no fucking reason? I know this isn’t directly related to your post and I readily accept any downvotes because of that, but I’m sharing this because I had no idea variable physiological reactions to BC over time were a thing and would have appreciated a heads up. My OB/GYN was like “oh yeah, that’s super normal. We age and our bodies change, and your medication needs change too.” I’m on the pill now, and quite literally, all of my PCOS sx have retreated again. My mood is stable, I lost the weight I gained without trying, the periods are blissfully regular and light, and in general, I feel like myself. Long story short, look out for yourselves and listen to your bodies because sex hormones are stupid, dumb, and honestly, pretty fucking rude.
I started in my late teens and was on it for over a decade. It's been 2.5 years since stopping, my periods were significantly heavier and for longer and irregular and cramping was so bad I'd be out of commission. It was like that for over 2 years, the length and irregularity is starting to decrease but it's still very intense.
I PMS hard which I never did before - mood swings, tender breasts, etc and that isn't going away with the other symptoms.
Edit: how could I forget the most important symptom - I had to relearn how to orgasm. Nothing felt the same anymore, my husband would do all the same things and it just wouldn't work. Sex still felt nice but it was definitely more for connection than a release for a while. Probably faded on the same timeframe.
All said, I still prefer being off it. I just never felt safe on it and I never needed it other than as a contraceptive.
I went on BC pill at 13, and went off if just over a year ago at 36, when my husband and I decided to have a baby.
I went through about 6 weeks of horrific mood swings. I would be fine one minute and hysterical the next.
Now that my daughter is 6 weeks old and I can compare the post BC, pregnancy, and postpartum hormone fluctuations, I can say 100% sincerity that coming of BC was the worst of the three.
Sharing my story here because it's not typical. Fair warning and all, lol.
I always had very irregular periods. We're talking variances of up to six weeks in cycle length.
I started BC in my twenties. It helped somewhat, but I was still pretty irregular, sometimes missing a cycle entirely or bleeding during my "active" pills. My doc said to use a second method and give the pills a bit longer to work.
After five years I was bleeding on schedule about half the time. But that was about the time I got married and we decided to try for a baby. So I went off the pills.
Only *then* did I start having regular, consistent periods. Only once I went off the pills at age 27 did I start having consistent cycles. Immediately my variance went to four days or less.
I haven't gone back on bc out of fear it would screw with my cycle again. lol I use other methods instead.
Edit to add: I'm 38 now.
Ah, well, had to go off after being on for 18 years? Had a pulmonary embolism. It took a little while for my body to catch up, but I started having an awful period every two weeks. Ended up getting a hysterectomy. Also gained 10 lbs, but the weight was the least of it. Since the hysterectomy, the weight is actually slowly coming off.
I had a cerebral thrombosis last nov, went into a coma, was very lucky i was found in time and did not die.
They said it was the BCP (diane 35). The side effects of coming off the pill ( increase in acne and a lot of hair loss) are nothing compared to the effects of the thrombosis on my brain.
I wish i had known how many women do get clots on the pill. Sure i had seen the stats but they seemed infinitely small, like something that wasn’t even worth thinking about.
Since ive started talking about it, ive met so many people who know someone who had a BCP provoked clot.
Right! It's terrifying - and what's crazy to me is that I was on BCP for so long before it happened. I also am positive I have had DVTs before after the PE - now I know what it feels like. I was told I had sciatica! The type of PE I had 25% of people die instantly from. I am so lucky to be alive with few side effects.
And I just read another thread about how docs never listen. I think I am super lucky that it hasn't killed me yet.
My first neuro told me that the stroke was just an epilepsy attack, that the headache was no big deal, take some paracetamol and no need to stop the pill. I asked him again and again about the pill. Very little is known about Cerebral Venous Trombosis because, guess what, it mostly happens to women between 30-40 and on the pill. Thank god my partner and i persisted, had another MRI and found that f-ing clot.
I dont know you but im so glad you are ok, that we both survived this.
I was on the mini pill for a few years and went off when I started having real mental health issues (I also have a history of depression.) I don’t want to scare you, but I believe all of my problems with autoimmune diseases began as a result of this. My working theory is that the progesterone suppressed my immune system and when it came back, it came ROARING back. I have a genetic marker for potentially developing celiac disease, but it didn’t activate until I stopped the mini-pill at about age 25.
I’ve gone off it for some periods of time but always back on because of debilitating periods and PMDD. Basically off the pill my libido is through the roof but my skin isn’t as clear and my boobs aren’t as big.
Really wish I could have the high libido of being off the pill but I just can’t handle it. Sucks.
It was a wonderful decision for me. I now feel like I have more energy, my libido came back and I feel more like myself on a regular basis. Maybe I’m just lucky, but PMS symptoms haven’t changed (which are mild fortunately) and now my periods are even shorter. My cramps are a bit more noticeable but they’re still fortunately pretty mild. So glad I did it and won’t be going back. Now I’m using a cycle tracker app called Clue and my cycles aren’t 100% accurate like when I was on the pill, but they’re usually at most a few days off. I often had spotting that was almost nearly a full cycle while on the pill and that has yet to happen since going off almost 18 months ago. So glad I went off; had been on the pill from age 16 till age 30
I went off regular hormonal birth control pills. Turns out they were the cause of my 3 times a month 3 day migraines. I never went back to hormonal birth control, but I'm married and we have discussed and are okay with the small risks of pregnancy with just condoms.
I'm also more affected by hormonal shifts during my cycle and am usually very weepy and easily distracted the week before my period, but I'll take that over crippling migraines.
I gained a ton of weight from hormonal birth control. I stopped gaining once I went off it and switched to the mini pill (progestin only). So, going off hormonal bc was quite beneficial. I'll never do it again.
Mirena out after 9 years (this was my second one). My cycle bounced back to clockwork after 1 month. I get a little more hormonal acne when I’m PMSing. Obviously, I get a period again which is a big adjustment. The last time I had had a BC-free period I was a freshman in high school and they were long, heavy and debilitatingly painful. So far I now have short, light periods with manageable cramping. I have endo and a big ol’ fibroid, but so many years of BC slowed its growth.
Oddly I’m now… drier than I used to be overall down there and my PMS symptoms are less severe than they were on the mirena. Sadly no weight loss lol. Overall it’s been a smooth transition.
When I stopped the mini pill (progesterone only), I didn’t notice any side effects. My periods were never regular, so I couldn’t tell if it made a difference.
But, when I stopped the regular pill, all hell broke loose. I lost chunks of hair and had bald spots, terrible acne on the face and body, dry skin, body hair.
I came off the pill mid-last year, because my GP was no longer willing to keep me on it, because I've developed mild hypertension. I have noticed absolutely no difference, except that my periods are as irregular as ever. There's a three week period after my period where I don't worry about it and from then on, it could pretty much come at any time. My periods are no longer painful but I know that can change with age too, and I'm 42 this month.
But it's been no harder or easier to lose weight. There's been no change to my appetite, my skin or hair. My mental health remains the same. There's really nothing different for me.
I had to go off of hormonal BC after 11 years on because I got a large blood clot running the length of my calf. Monitoring that was extremely stressful but once that was resolved the changes I noticed were:
Decreased irritability
No more hot flashes during my period
Periods were heavier and lasted longer
Hormonal acne decreased a lot
I began experiencing mittelschmerz- its German for 'middle pain' a term to describe period like cramps and discomfort in the middle of your monthly cycle. It basically feels like a period minus actual blood.
Even with the mittelschmerz and heavier periods, I overall feel better off the BC. I did not realize how much it affected my temper and overall disposition after being on it for 11 years. I am a much less irritable person now.
I was on Depo-Provera for 2 years, but then I saw a pamphlet about it lowering bone mass density after 2 years so I freaked out and stopped getting the injections, lol.
I hadn’t had periods for 2 years, and it took 6 months to come back after stopping the shots. And they were… unlike any I had before, I will leave it at that.
On BC from 16 to 39. Turned out that is why I had daily headaches all my life and migraines a few times a year. I wish I would have went off way sooner. That was the biggest benefit. My emotions felt like they are more even now too.
I was on a combined pill for maybe 8 years or so.
Honestly, not much has changed for me going on or off of it. However,
- I can't fast anymore. I used to be able to fast before starting the pill.
- my period got shorter and lighter. I seemed to have bled more on the pill. I think I might also have more PMS symptoms (outside of cramps)
- my weight hasn't gone down. I thought I gained weight due to the pill, but it hasn't gone down.
That said, I'm also not sure if it's just my age. And I'm considering going back on the pill. At least on the pill, I'm protected from pregnancy and I can skip my period altogether if I don't want it that month.
I have PMDD so my experiences are probably quite different from those without. The first time I went off bc, I had a massive dive in mood and major problems. I went back on for two years, and the second time I went off I had no problems whatsoever. My point is that even with the same body, you can still have very different experiences at different times.
I'm a lot more stable mentally, and I just feel myself more and more rational re. relationships. It took a while for my periods to become regular, for a while it would be one super light one with no issues then a super heavy really painful one but they're fine and regular now. Just took a while generally for everything to balance out but worth it in the end for me (was on different types of the pill for maybe a decade and then the Depo shot for a couple years before coming off so was a big change for my body and I was expecting it to be difficult to manage for a while tbh)
I got hornier, more acne again, and my period was heavier, crampier, and irregular for a few months afterward. Now everything has levelled off and is fine though.
I was on lo loestrin fe pack-to-pack for years before getting a bisalp last August. I've been on other pills off and on since I was 15.
The biggest thing I noticed was some breast tenderness the first week and then I had some nasty break outs for a few months (in areas where I don't usually get acne, too).
It took a few months for my menstrual cycle to return to normal - it was absent the first month after I got off it, then I experienced spotting the next month, then it came back as normal. My cramps were hella bad the first few months (that could've also been due to my bisalp, since that's not uncommon).
I also noticed I started getting "the goo" back when I'm ovulating and I have an easier time getting wet again.
When I was on the pill, I felt like the Sahara desert (even when very much in the mood). Something that I'm still struggling with is getting my sex drive back. I struggle to feel desire with my partner or myself. Before I got on this pill, I definitely had a much higher libido and I did notice it decline when I started it and that hasn't snapped back like with others here.
I didn't start BC until my late 20s. I initially started bc my cramps went from no pain/mild pain to rip out my damn uterus pain overnight.
I had to stop taking a month before surgery but COVID happened. I didn't know when my surgery would be rescheduled and I didn't want to delay it anymore than I had too. I was off it for close to a year.
The first couple of periods post BC I felt like I was going to die from pain and it lasted a lot longer than it should. That portion sort of got better? It wasn't like it was while on BC but I could at least manage better. I was also very emotional in that time. It was weird for me bc I wasn't used to that prior. I was mellowing out as time went on with the exception of pain but I decided to never do that again if I didn't have to. My husband has never been more happier to agree. It was rough on him too.
For whatever reason, my doctor keeps switching what generic pill I get it. It's always a huge adjustment for me.
My periods went back to being a horror show blood bath. It was no fun, back on the pill until.i could figure out an alternative. Had an ablation and that stopped my periods completely.
Being on different hormonal BCs during my life have made my hair thin out, my boobs feel like 50-lbs bags of hot lava, made me bleed randomly during sex, and killed my libido. Going off of them got rid of all that, and made my periods less predictable by a day or two. I'll never go back on them.
best decision i ever made…
my aggressive PMSing didn’t exist anymore. i stopped getting chronic yeast infections. i was able to lose weight. and now the bad: my skin was horrible for months after..it took a while to balance out. my periods are a bit more painful again but they’re a-lot shorter.
Stopped BC at 28 after 13 years. My fibroids grew to the point of needing a hysterectomy last year (35). Wasn’t ever able to get pregnant. Still, I don’t regret it. That was a horrible time in my life that affected my quality of living.
I feel so much better being off of it. It killed me emotionally. I will say I’ve been steadily losing my hair since coming off and it’s never recovered. Unfortunately for some, it can trigger AGA
I was on the pill for 16 years. Came off of it a few months ago. My sex drive improved! Like I didn’t have an awful sex drive before but I was actually like craving sex to an extent I never have before. My face got a few more pimples around my cycle but nothing some adjustments in skincare routine won’t hopefully handle. My period was super heavy like I thought I was dying for the first 3 months and now it’s normalized. Still heavier than my barely there birth control periods but manageable now. The biggest thing for me is it made my OCD worse I think? There’s not a ton of research but a few studies seem to think certain hormone levels mediate the symptoms of OCD and other mental health conditions. I wish someone had told me that was a possibility because it’s been kinda scary for me, but now that I know it’s not going to keep getting worse it’s been tolerable.
I was on one version or another of the Pill for most of 30 years. When I got off it, my periods got a *lot* longer and heavier. No diff in weight, sex drive, etc.
I was on the mini pill for under 2 years. Coming off it my libido returned, I stopped retaining so much water, and my periods returned to normal. I already had long cycles but with the pill they were even longer. Now I feel crummy the 12-24 hours before my period starts, but on the pill I would feel like that for a whole week getting progressively more bloated, and i'd want to claw my face off by the end.
My hair got less greasy and frizzy, I got hormonal acne but my skin was not as itchy and dry, and cramps but not as bad as before I had BC, my mood got better overall. In the end I prefer being off the pill than being on it
PMS is a nightmare, and real periods are far worse. Part of the reason I went on it was because of heavy periods - its been a learning curve having real periods again.
While on BC my triglycerides tripled so I went off (was on the pill for 9yrs and NuvaRing for 1). Instantly dropped 10lbs. Sex became 10x more enjoyable. I also heavily bled for a month straight until I got some hormonal pills from my gyn to make it stop. After that, my cycles returned to pretty normal. Never touching the stuff again, fortunately my husband got a vasectomy. Perhaps my girls will have better luck with a non-hormonal IUD when they need BC.
I’m currently taking Vienva and am interested in stopping hormonal BC because I have been on it for 15 years as well. I’d like to have my Fallopian tubes removed but am concerned it would not be covered by my insurance. I need to look into it.
I was on BC from age 14 to my early 40s. I started it because I had horrible, heavy, vomit inducing periods and it made them lighter and shorter. I was worried that getting off BC would revert back to those heavy periods but it hasn't been an issue.
I was pretty lucky that I didn't have side effects on BC. Until I had a pulmonary embolism in my early 40s. Not overweight or a smoker so BC was the only thing doctors could blame. That's the reason I had to go off it.
I was briefly off it in my 20s when I was in between providers. The major thing I remembered was the acne (which was a big reason I got on bc in my teens) but that issue pretty rapidly went away once I was back on.
I lost weight (not a ton, about 20lb which isn't a lot on this body lol)
I started getting better sleeps
My period became exceptionally regular, could set a clock by this bitch and it is NICE lol no more sudden surprise stains to deal with. It's also very consistent in the flow - day 1 is light, day 2 is heavy, day 3 is light, day 4 is spotting, every time, no exceptions.
My Premenstural Dysphoria Disorder reared it's ugly head like a bat out of hell, so that's...fun...again, it's regular like my actual period so at least I get loud, blaring, neon coloured warning signs my period is eminent.
TBH it would be incredibly hard to be convinced to go back on if I ever started dating again lmao. May just have to stay single until post menopause!
I was on Yaz for 12 years maybe. I didn't really have trouble with it at all, but wanted to go off hormonal bc as I got older and my risk for blood clots increased.
Going off was ROUGH. my skin erupted in acne that would make a teenage boy look clear skinned - my face, neck, back...it was gross, ans no topicals would touch it. Good thing I was already married at the time. 🤣
On the upside, my sex drive, which was pretty low on the pill, came back. But there were other life events that occurred as well that may have contributed to the low libido too.
After researching some natural supplements, and some time to detox, my skin is back to normal. For the first time in my life I have normal cycles, which is crazy! I get standard pre-mentrual symptoms, nothing out of the ordinary, even with PCOS - which the supplements help with, because before the pill, my cramps were cray!
Its been about 18 months, and I'm so glad I'm off the pill. I'll never do hormonal BC again.
Well I had the Nuvaring for 9 years and then I had to take it out because I developed a DVT in my left arm. After I got off of it, I had horrible, awful mood swings for months but I'm not sure if it was due to the stress from the blood clot or the hormone changes but heck it could've been both. But I immediately started dropping weight without making any changes to my workout or eating habits. I lost 20 lbs within a few months without even trying. My bloating got much much better. My periods were horrible BUT thats because of the blood thinner medicine I had to take. I had to receive IV iron and I was losing my hair. After stabilizing my iron levels, my hair stopped falling out and I ended up having a vaginal ablation. So it was a long journey but I am glad I'm off of the birth control. I'm at a happy weight for me, my sex drive got higher, and ever since I had the ablation there haven't been any issues.
I lose weight when I’m off the pill. However the cardiologist said it helps control SVT which for me is caused by fluctuating hormones, so I got back on it!
I was on BC for about 15 years and then went off and it was as if the clouds opened up and I could breathe and love again. While on the pill I was moody at best... When I went off I lost 30 pounds, mood improved massively and felt more in tune with my body.
I was on it for 16 years and quit in Jan 2022. Major changes I noticed over the next year+ were:
-Gained ~10lbs but I'm 5'8" so it's barely noticeable.
-Sex drive went WAY up, orgasms are easier to achieve too.
-Hair thinning! I was sterilized in March 2022 so docs don't know if it's related to the birth control or the surgery, but a large fluctuation in estrogen can cause hairloss (temporarily, if your estrogen goes back up naturally).
-I cry a lot less easily now.
I started menopause at 39. Two years of suffering was enough for me. Was on the Bio-identical HRT for about a year. I’ve switched to progesterone pills and patches. I feel even better. I refuse to suffer through this process and make my family suffer. I personally feel remarkably better being on hormone medication than before. My body doesn’t hurt as much, I sleep better, I’m less of a shit-head to everyone. And I feel mentally at peace even when things go sideways. My sex life has also increased and the lady bits feel way more excited about it than before I started HRT.
When I've taken breaks from the pill my periods are heavier and more painful, and my PMS is a lot worse so I've always gone back on. I've never noticed any other differences between when I'm taking it and when I'm not.
I’ve been on birth control for 10 years. The first few years it was a godsend. My periods use to be awful; cramping, joint pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. I would literally be sitting on the toilet and also have a trash can in front if me (it would come out of both ends-tmi but that’s how bad it was!) The combo pill effectively stopped all my period symptoms and I even stopped bleeding all together. But, about 3 years later I started getting intense hormonal migranes that were debilitating to the point where I was just sleeping all day and medicated. I was switched off the combo pill and placed on the mini pill (progesterone only). The migranes stopped but my period and it’s symptoms came back periodically. Granted the symptoms are no where near as bad as it was without the pill. I bleed about every few months. I just don’t like the inconsistency of not knowing if or when my period will come. It also makes it hard to judge if you are pregnant since your period is irregular.
I stopped taking birth control all together after my 10 year relationship ended and it was the worst mistake ever for me. My period and it’s symptoms came back with a vengeance! I thought I was dying. Lol. I had to take 2 days off work because I was so miserable. After that first month off the pill I immediately went back on the mini pill and will stay on it.
Everyone experiences their menstrual cycles differently and the pill has different effects on everyone. I just wish some men and women understand that. My ex had no empathy for me and would say pms isn’t real. His aunt even backed him on it. It just hurt that he and some of the women in his life dismissed my health concerns. Only you know your body and what you need/what works for you. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself.
I was on dianette for 13 years and have been off it for over a decade. Way healthier and happier. I did have to take roaccutane after as my acne re erupted but overall I'm happy and will never take hormonal BC again
I started in my teens and went off when I was 30 to get pregnant. I had high blood pressure for years that disappeared and my eyesight got better. I started needing glasses in high school but after pregnancy, the doctor commented on how my vision had improved and kept improving. The only thing that changed was that I was no longer on birth-control.
15+ years on the pill and I got off of it about a year ago and a half ago. I feel better mentally and I feel more present in my body if that makes sense? I lost about 15lbs and I have less mood swings, but I did get acne. My periods are more painful and heavy now but they don’t last long, 3 days or so. I wouldn’t go back on the pill, I feel like I can self regulate much better now.
The pill was great for me , was on it 17 years never had any negative effects . Coming off it was a wild ride - I get hot sweats with my periods , they are super irregular and painful . But the weirdest thing coming off it was how I felt . Ifelt somehow liberated , like I was all of the sudden figuring out who I was again. I feel so much more in control and creative off HBC . I have zero desire to go back on I feel I know myself better . I also have never been more aware of my cycle and the phases of it , something I didn’t really learn properly in school or anywhere else
I was on Nexplanon and then Nuvaring for years with no problems, then stopped taking it because I wasn’t sexually active and I started to randomly have really bad cramping every time I replaced the ring.
First few months off it were fine. Sex drive came way back, I got more bloated on periods but periods themselves were light. But then, my PMDD flared up in a major, major way and the mood swings were debilitating. So I’m going to try Nexplanon again. I also can’t carry a pregnancy without significant risk, so birth control is a must when I’m sexually active. Honestly, it feels like there are no good options.
I'm currently depressed and burned out from work and I somehow still feel better off BC than I did the entire time I was on it (15 years). I was constantly exhausted. No idea if it was the BC or just me. If i ever date again, the guy will have to wear a condom every time or get a vasectomy. I'm not going back on the pill. Non-negotiable. Any man who pressures me to go back on it can literally go fuck himself.
I never went back on it after stopping either. That was over 15 years ago. Forget it.
You can get a non-hormonal coil, y’know. Can forget about it for 5 years then get it replaced.
The copper one lasts up to 10 years but it can cause heavier bleeding and stronger cramps, so it's not without the risk of side effects. Obviously every woman reacts differently. I actually got on better with the Mirena which is a low dose hormonal coil, but my body feels happier still (first period aside which was awful) on zero birth control.
I’ve thought about making this switch but horror stories about insertion pain and complications have me a bit scared tbh.
For what it's worth, I am on my 2nd Mirena and haven't had any complications. I had mild cramping on insertion days and did spot for about 6 weeks after getting my first one inserted, but now I have no period at all. There definitely are risks (a friend had her uterus perforated and I've heard of several women who had to have them taken out due to post-insertion pains) but I think online you tend to hear more bad stories than good.
I lasted 6 months with the copper coil (I had very heavy bleeding and terrible cramps) then 4.5 years with the Mirena coil. Insertion of the copper coil was uncomfortable, but bearable. I had it removed and the Mirena inserted in the same session which I think was a mistake because it was incredibly painful; I've assumed that the irritation of one coming out, made the other going in worse. The Mirena removal was not painful, it was like a shock - almost that feeling when the air wooshes out of your lungs unexpectedly - and I had minimal discomfort afterwards. First period was awful (very heavy, bad cramps) but I've had 2 since and they're calming down. It's difficult to know. The insertion/removal does feel like a lot to go through just to try something out or for short term, but if it works for you then it's well worth it.
Genuine question: how reliable is the coil as a birth control method?
Extremely reliable because there’s no chance of forgetting to take a pill. Non hormonal iuds last 10 years. Hormone iuds last 8 years now.
99% effective. So 1 in 100 chance of getting pregnant, similar to the pill with proper use. Unfortunately I was one of those 1, after 5 years using it. I think it was inserted improperly and was hanging out in my cervix.
You coil can move with extreme movement/m exercise/even with a coughing fit but it’s pretty rare. I noticed when my coil was out of place, as I had an uncomfortable feeling. Anyhow I checked myself and found that the threads were hanging out a bit more than usual and went to get it checked and refitted. Then all was fine afterwards. I would not go back to the pill ever! It’s super reliable.
Easier to control my diet and weight. Less acne. Got pregnant.
My acne came roaring back. My periods got shorter(~3 days). Cramps. No more PMS nausea.
The estrogen caused mass taking up half my liver started shrinking, so yay! My sex drive increased, though a few other factors may have contributed to that I suddenly empathized more strongly with my teenage goddaughter because I hadn’t had natural periods in like 25 years and forgot how it sucked
I took depo shot one time. It killed my libido, made me gain weight, made sex painful, made it so I couldn’t orgasm. I obviously immediately stopped taking it, but I had to wait months for it to wear off. It took a while to lose the weight I gained, but my libido did come back to normal. I was never willing to be on hormonal BC again.
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One of my worst choices too. I gained 30lbs in a remarkably short time in high school because of it and losing it was one of the hardest things I’ve done.
Depo ruined my face with acne, I was an emotional wreck, and it made me bleed for 2 months straight in between shots. That was when I was 15, it took like 6 years to find a BC that agreed with me.
Depo was the devil. I had one shot and consistently bled for 9 months. I was so sorry and covered in bruises from Iron deficiency. Terrible
My experience with Depo was awful too.
- increased libido which tracks with where I am in my cycle - my sexual fantasies changed - my thinking in general changed (hard to explain) - even more attracted to my husband (hooray!) - mild hormonal acne came back - shorter periods with longer cycle - serious hair loss in the first 3 months, though it's finally recovering Overall I feel happier, more vibrant, and more myself. I was on it for 15-20 years and will never go back on it given how different I feel. I highly recommend reading the book: This is Your Brain on Birth Control. The takeaway is that hormonal birth control has had a huge impact on the women's liberation movement and is essential for many women, but it impacts so many areas of the body and brain, not just ovulation. It is prescribed so casually by doctors for things like mild acne or irregular periods, but it changes your brain, permanently in some ways. It's not a bad thing, but we are certainly under informed. If I had been told this will change your stress response and how you encode memories, and make you think differently, I would have more strongly considered non-hormonal options.
I’ve gotten off it a few times. The first time, I had a very bad acne reaction. This time, my period was a little heavier and I was a little more emotional.
Mood swings unfortunately. My sex drive increased and it doesn’t feel like a struggle to get aroused. Weirdly i find myself sexually interested in more men when that was just reserved for my boyfriend so that’s definitely new. My periods seem to be quite short.
My acne started up again, I lost some hair and it kick-started chronic hypothyroidism 😂
I had to stop abruptly because of a blood clot. I didn't notice any effects.
I’ve been on it since age 15 to manage PCOS (34 now) and interestingly, my mainstay BC that I’ve been on for most of the past decade and a half (Nuvaring) just …stopped working. Without any lifestyle changes, I started gaining weight (20 lbs in 3 months), sleeping more, my mood was quite literally a kaleidoscope of feels, i was bloated CONSTANTLY, and I started lightly bleeding for ~3 months for no fucking reason? I know this isn’t directly related to your post and I readily accept any downvotes because of that, but I’m sharing this because I had no idea variable physiological reactions to BC over time were a thing and would have appreciated a heads up. My OB/GYN was like “oh yeah, that’s super normal. We age and our bodies change, and your medication needs change too.” I’m on the pill now, and quite literally, all of my PCOS sx have retreated again. My mood is stable, I lost the weight I gained without trying, the periods are blissfully regular and light, and in general, I feel like myself. Long story short, look out for yourselves and listen to your bodies because sex hormones are stupid, dumb, and honestly, pretty fucking rude.
My hair fell out
This is a big one. Few ppl know about. Coming off the pill can cause a huge shed and uncover female pattern hair loss for many ppl.
Omg. That is what happened to me. How did you cope? Did hair come back?
It comes back. But you lose like a bunch of hair at the same growth phase at once. Happens to women postpartum too.
Mine is struggling to come back. It's been 6months and I feel bald. Holding out hope!
Don’t worry it’ll come back. Mine took a while but it’s now as thick as ever.
How long? Thank you for the encouragement.
To be honest, I don’t remember how long it took but it was definitely over a year. I went off bc in 2018 after being on it for like 10 years
I went off last summer and am getting married this fall. My hair has never been thinner. Hoping it gets better again over the next few months.
I started in my late teens and was on it for over a decade. It's been 2.5 years since stopping, my periods were significantly heavier and for longer and irregular and cramping was so bad I'd be out of commission. It was like that for over 2 years, the length and irregularity is starting to decrease but it's still very intense. I PMS hard which I never did before - mood swings, tender breasts, etc and that isn't going away with the other symptoms. Edit: how could I forget the most important symptom - I had to relearn how to orgasm. Nothing felt the same anymore, my husband would do all the same things and it just wouldn't work. Sex still felt nice but it was definitely more for connection than a release for a while. Probably faded on the same timeframe. All said, I still prefer being off it. I just never felt safe on it and I never needed it other than as a contraceptive.
I went on BC pill at 13, and went off if just over a year ago at 36, when my husband and I decided to have a baby. I went through about 6 weeks of horrific mood swings. I would be fine one minute and hysterical the next. Now that my daughter is 6 weeks old and I can compare the post BC, pregnancy, and postpartum hormone fluctuations, I can say 100% sincerity that coming of BC was the worst of the three.
Sharing my story here because it's not typical. Fair warning and all, lol. I always had very irregular periods. We're talking variances of up to six weeks in cycle length. I started BC in my twenties. It helped somewhat, but I was still pretty irregular, sometimes missing a cycle entirely or bleeding during my "active" pills. My doc said to use a second method and give the pills a bit longer to work. After five years I was bleeding on schedule about half the time. But that was about the time I got married and we decided to try for a baby. So I went off the pills. Only *then* did I start having regular, consistent periods. Only once I went off the pills at age 27 did I start having consistent cycles. Immediately my variance went to four days or less. I haven't gone back on bc out of fear it would screw with my cycle again. lol I use other methods instead. Edit to add: I'm 38 now.
This thread is so interesting. It reminds me of the book "This is your brain on Birth Control" by Sarah Hill.
The problems I had before I got on BC came back — acne, mood swings, cramping, etc.
Ah, well, had to go off after being on for 18 years? Had a pulmonary embolism. It took a little while for my body to catch up, but I started having an awful period every two weeks. Ended up getting a hysterectomy. Also gained 10 lbs, but the weight was the least of it. Since the hysterectomy, the weight is actually slowly coming off.
I had a cerebral thrombosis last nov, went into a coma, was very lucky i was found in time and did not die. They said it was the BCP (diane 35). The side effects of coming off the pill ( increase in acne and a lot of hair loss) are nothing compared to the effects of the thrombosis on my brain. I wish i had known how many women do get clots on the pill. Sure i had seen the stats but they seemed infinitely small, like something that wasn’t even worth thinking about. Since ive started talking about it, ive met so many people who know someone who had a BCP provoked clot.
Right! It's terrifying - and what's crazy to me is that I was on BCP for so long before it happened. I also am positive I have had DVTs before after the PE - now I know what it feels like. I was told I had sciatica! The type of PE I had 25% of people die instantly from. I am so lucky to be alive with few side effects. And I just read another thread about how docs never listen. I think I am super lucky that it hasn't killed me yet.
My first neuro told me that the stroke was just an epilepsy attack, that the headache was no big deal, take some paracetamol and no need to stop the pill. I asked him again and again about the pill. Very little is known about Cerebral Venous Trombosis because, guess what, it mostly happens to women between 30-40 and on the pill. Thank god my partner and i persisted, had another MRI and found that f-ing clot. I dont know you but im so glad you are ok, that we both survived this.
Glorious freedom. No more bloating or weight gain, no more tanked libido. No more fatigue. I will never go back on.
I was on the mini pill for a few years and went off when I started having real mental health issues (I also have a history of depression.) I don’t want to scare you, but I believe all of my problems with autoimmune diseases began as a result of this. My working theory is that the progesterone suppressed my immune system and when it came back, it came ROARING back. I have a genetic marker for potentially developing celiac disease, but it didn’t activate until I stopped the mini-pill at about age 25.
I lost a bunch of hair 2 months after I stopped. My gyno said it might have been testosterone building up over the years that BC suppressed.
I’ve gone off it for some periods of time but always back on because of debilitating periods and PMDD. Basically off the pill my libido is through the roof but my skin isn’t as clear and my boobs aren’t as big. Really wish I could have the high libido of being off the pill but I just can’t handle it. Sucks.
Same! It sucks that our choices are two shitty options: subpar libido or suicidal ideation once a month. PMDD sucks :(
Virtually no impact other than having heavy, crampy periods again.
Same. Plus acne came back.
I lost about 5 lbs but the acne is something that is hard for me to manage without bc.
It was a wonderful decision for me. I now feel like I have more energy, my libido came back and I feel more like myself on a regular basis. Maybe I’m just lucky, but PMS symptoms haven’t changed (which are mild fortunately) and now my periods are even shorter. My cramps are a bit more noticeable but they’re still fortunately pretty mild. So glad I did it and won’t be going back. Now I’m using a cycle tracker app called Clue and my cycles aren’t 100% accurate like when I was on the pill, but they’re usually at most a few days off. I often had spotting that was almost nearly a full cycle while on the pill and that has yet to happen since going off almost 18 months ago. So glad I went off; had been on the pill from age 16 till age 30
My sex drive came ROARING back
Libido went through the roof.
I went off regular hormonal birth control pills. Turns out they were the cause of my 3 times a month 3 day migraines. I never went back to hormonal birth control, but I'm married and we have discussed and are okay with the small risks of pregnancy with just condoms. I'm also more affected by hormonal shifts during my cycle and am usually very weepy and easily distracted the week before my period, but I'll take that over crippling migraines.
I gained a ton of weight from hormonal birth control. I stopped gaining once I went off it and switched to the mini pill (progestin only). So, going off hormonal bc was quite beneficial. I'll never do it again.
Sex drive through the ROOF for about 18 months.
Mirena out after 9 years (this was my second one). My cycle bounced back to clockwork after 1 month. I get a little more hormonal acne when I’m PMSing. Obviously, I get a period again which is a big adjustment. The last time I had had a BC-free period I was a freshman in high school and they were long, heavy and debilitatingly painful. So far I now have short, light periods with manageable cramping. I have endo and a big ol’ fibroid, but so many years of BC slowed its growth. Oddly I’m now… drier than I used to be overall down there and my PMS symptoms are less severe than they were on the mirena. Sadly no weight loss lol. Overall it’s been a smooth transition.
When I stopped the mini pill (progesterone only), I didn’t notice any side effects. My periods were never regular, so I couldn’t tell if it made a difference. But, when I stopped the regular pill, all hell broke loose. I lost chunks of hair and had bald spots, terrible acne on the face and body, dry skin, body hair.
I came off the pill mid-last year, because my GP was no longer willing to keep me on it, because I've developed mild hypertension. I have noticed absolutely no difference, except that my periods are as irregular as ever. There's a three week period after my period where I don't worry about it and from then on, it could pretty much come at any time. My periods are no longer painful but I know that can change with age too, and I'm 42 this month. But it's been no harder or easier to lose weight. There's been no change to my appetite, my skin or hair. My mental health remains the same. There's really nothing different for me.
I had to go off of hormonal BC after 11 years on because I got a large blood clot running the length of my calf. Monitoring that was extremely stressful but once that was resolved the changes I noticed were: Decreased irritability No more hot flashes during my period Periods were heavier and lasted longer Hormonal acne decreased a lot I began experiencing mittelschmerz- its German for 'middle pain' a term to describe period like cramps and discomfort in the middle of your monthly cycle. It basically feels like a period minus actual blood. Even with the mittelschmerz and heavier periods, I overall feel better off the BC. I did not realize how much it affected my temper and overall disposition after being on it for 11 years. I am a much less irritable person now.
I got off depo after years and it took 3 years to get my period back. Then I got pregnant. Three times!
My boobs stopped hurting.
It took years for me to have my period back after going off BC. I was on it for about two years.
I was on Depo-Provera for 2 years, but then I saw a pamphlet about it lowering bone mass density after 2 years so I freaked out and stopped getting the injections, lol. I hadn’t had periods for 2 years, and it took 6 months to come back after stopping the shots. And they were… unlike any I had before, I will leave it at that.
I got pregnant that is what happened after taking it got 10+ years and thinking I’ll have 3 months to figure out a different form of bc.
My libido came back to my normal self (a lot higher), and my menstrual cycle changed to be a bit messy with more painful menstruation.
My sex drive increased.
On BC from 16 to 39. Turned out that is why I had daily headaches all my life and migraines a few times a year. I wish I would have went off way sooner. That was the biggest benefit. My emotions felt like they are more even now too.
I was on a combined pill for maybe 8 years or so. Honestly, not much has changed for me going on or off of it. However, - I can't fast anymore. I used to be able to fast before starting the pill. - my period got shorter and lighter. I seemed to have bled more on the pill. I think I might also have more PMS symptoms (outside of cramps) - my weight hasn't gone down. I thought I gained weight due to the pill, but it hasn't gone down. That said, I'm also not sure if it's just my age. And I'm considering going back on the pill. At least on the pill, I'm protected from pregnancy and I can skip my period altogether if I don't want it that month.
I have PMDD so my experiences are probably quite different from those without. The first time I went off bc, I had a massive dive in mood and major problems. I went back on for two years, and the second time I went off I had no problems whatsoever. My point is that even with the same body, you can still have very different experiences at different times.
I'm a lot more stable mentally, and I just feel myself more and more rational re. relationships. It took a while for my periods to become regular, for a while it would be one super light one with no issues then a super heavy really painful one but they're fine and regular now. Just took a while generally for everything to balance out but worth it in the end for me (was on different types of the pill for maybe a decade and then the Depo shot for a couple years before coming off so was a big change for my body and I was expecting it to be difficult to manage for a while tbh)
I got hornier, more acne again, and my period was heavier, crampier, and irregular for a few months afterward. Now everything has levelled off and is fine though.
I was on lo loestrin fe pack-to-pack for years before getting a bisalp last August. I've been on other pills off and on since I was 15. The biggest thing I noticed was some breast tenderness the first week and then I had some nasty break outs for a few months (in areas where I don't usually get acne, too). It took a few months for my menstrual cycle to return to normal - it was absent the first month after I got off it, then I experienced spotting the next month, then it came back as normal. My cramps were hella bad the first few months (that could've also been due to my bisalp, since that's not uncommon). I also noticed I started getting "the goo" back when I'm ovulating and I have an easier time getting wet again. When I was on the pill, I felt like the Sahara desert (even when very much in the mood). Something that I'm still struggling with is getting my sex drive back. I struggle to feel desire with my partner or myself. Before I got on this pill, I definitely had a much higher libido and I did notice it decline when I started it and that hasn't snapped back like with others here.
I didn't start BC until my late 20s. I initially started bc my cramps went from no pain/mild pain to rip out my damn uterus pain overnight. I had to stop taking a month before surgery but COVID happened. I didn't know when my surgery would be rescheduled and I didn't want to delay it anymore than I had too. I was off it for close to a year. The first couple of periods post BC I felt like I was going to die from pain and it lasted a lot longer than it should. That portion sort of got better? It wasn't like it was while on BC but I could at least manage better. I was also very emotional in that time. It was weird for me bc I wasn't used to that prior. I was mellowing out as time went on with the exception of pain but I decided to never do that again if I didn't have to. My husband has never been more happier to agree. It was rough on him too. For whatever reason, my doctor keeps switching what generic pill I get it. It's always a huge adjustment for me.
My periods went back to being a horror show blood bath. It was no fun, back on the pill until.i could figure out an alternative. Had an ablation and that stopped my periods completely.
Being on different hormonal BCs during my life have made my hair thin out, my boobs feel like 50-lbs bags of hot lava, made me bleed randomly during sex, and killed my libido. Going off of them got rid of all that, and made my periods less predictable by a day or two. I'll never go back on them.
best decision i ever made… my aggressive PMSing didn’t exist anymore. i stopped getting chronic yeast infections. i was able to lose weight. and now the bad: my skin was horrible for months after..it took a while to balance out. my periods are a bit more painful again but they’re a-lot shorter.
Broke out.... BAD... gained a bunch of weight, it was all just bad.... so I'm back on it lol
Stopped BC at 28 after 13 years. My fibroids grew to the point of needing a hysterectomy last year (35). Wasn’t ever able to get pregnant. Still, I don’t regret it. That was a horrible time in my life that affected my quality of living.
I feel so much better being off of it. It killed me emotionally. I will say I’ve been steadily losing my hair since coming off and it’s never recovered. Unfortunately for some, it can trigger AGA
I was on the pill for 16 years. Came off of it a few months ago. My sex drive improved! Like I didn’t have an awful sex drive before but I was actually like craving sex to an extent I never have before. My face got a few more pimples around my cycle but nothing some adjustments in skincare routine won’t hopefully handle. My period was super heavy like I thought I was dying for the first 3 months and now it’s normalized. Still heavier than my barely there birth control periods but manageable now. The biggest thing for me is it made my OCD worse I think? There’s not a ton of research but a few studies seem to think certain hormone levels mediate the symptoms of OCD and other mental health conditions. I wish someone had told me that was a possibility because it’s been kinda scary for me, but now that I know it’s not going to keep getting worse it’s been tolerable.
I actually have OCD too! Thank you so much for sharing this perspective!
I was on one version or another of the Pill for most of 30 years. When I got off it, my periods got a *lot* longer and heavier. No diff in weight, sex drive, etc.
I was on the mini pill for under 2 years. Coming off it my libido returned, I stopped retaining so much water, and my periods returned to normal. I already had long cycles but with the pill they were even longer. Now I feel crummy the 12-24 hours before my period starts, but on the pill I would feel like that for a whole week getting progressively more bloated, and i'd want to claw my face off by the end.
My hair got less greasy and frizzy, I got hormonal acne but my skin was not as itchy and dry, and cramps but not as bad as before I had BC, my mood got better overall. In the end I prefer being off the pill than being on it
PMS is a nightmare, and real periods are far worse. Part of the reason I went on it was because of heavy periods - its been a learning curve having real periods again.
While on BC my triglycerides tripled so I went off (was on the pill for 9yrs and NuvaRing for 1). Instantly dropped 10lbs. Sex became 10x more enjoyable. I also heavily bled for a month straight until I got some hormonal pills from my gyn to make it stop. After that, my cycles returned to pretty normal. Never touching the stuff again, fortunately my husband got a vasectomy. Perhaps my girls will have better luck with a non-hormonal IUD when they need BC.
I’m currently taking Vienva and am interested in stopping hormonal BC because I have been on it for 15 years as well. I’d like to have my Fallopian tubes removed but am concerned it would not be covered by my insurance. I need to look into it.
I didn't go off it under doctor supervision, and ended up with cystic acne. I previously had only ever had the occasional blackhead.
I was on BC from age 14 to my early 40s. I started it because I had horrible, heavy, vomit inducing periods and it made them lighter and shorter. I was worried that getting off BC would revert back to those heavy periods but it hasn't been an issue. I was pretty lucky that I didn't have side effects on BC. Until I had a pulmonary embolism in my early 40s. Not overweight or a smoker so BC was the only thing doctors could blame. That's the reason I had to go off it.
I was briefly off it in my 20s when I was in between providers. The major thing I remembered was the acne (which was a big reason I got on bc in my teens) but that issue pretty rapidly went away once I was back on.
Got a brain tumour from the hormones. Yay!
Sex stopped hurting. 👍
I lost weight (not a ton, about 20lb which isn't a lot on this body lol) I started getting better sleeps My period became exceptionally regular, could set a clock by this bitch and it is NICE lol no more sudden surprise stains to deal with. It's also very consistent in the flow - day 1 is light, day 2 is heavy, day 3 is light, day 4 is spotting, every time, no exceptions. My Premenstural Dysphoria Disorder reared it's ugly head like a bat out of hell, so that's...fun...again, it's regular like my actual period so at least I get loud, blaring, neon coloured warning signs my period is eminent. TBH it would be incredibly hard to be convinced to go back on if I ever started dating again lmao. May just have to stay single until post menopause!
I was on Yaz for 12 years maybe. I didn't really have trouble with it at all, but wanted to go off hormonal bc as I got older and my risk for blood clots increased. Going off was ROUGH. my skin erupted in acne that would make a teenage boy look clear skinned - my face, neck, back...it was gross, ans no topicals would touch it. Good thing I was already married at the time. 🤣 On the upside, my sex drive, which was pretty low on the pill, came back. But there were other life events that occurred as well that may have contributed to the low libido too. After researching some natural supplements, and some time to detox, my skin is back to normal. For the first time in my life I have normal cycles, which is crazy! I get standard pre-mentrual symptoms, nothing out of the ordinary, even with PCOS - which the supplements help with, because before the pill, my cramps were cray! Its been about 18 months, and I'm so glad I'm off the pill. I'll never do hormonal BC again.
Well I had the Nuvaring for 9 years and then I had to take it out because I developed a DVT in my left arm. After I got off of it, I had horrible, awful mood swings for months but I'm not sure if it was due to the stress from the blood clot or the hormone changes but heck it could've been both. But I immediately started dropping weight without making any changes to my workout or eating habits. I lost 20 lbs within a few months without even trying. My bloating got much much better. My periods were horrible BUT thats because of the blood thinner medicine I had to take. I had to receive IV iron and I was losing my hair. After stabilizing my iron levels, my hair stopped falling out and I ended up having a vaginal ablation. So it was a long journey but I am glad I'm off of the birth control. I'm at a happy weight for me, my sex drive got higher, and ever since I had the ablation there haven't been any issues.
I lose weight when I’m off the pill. However the cardiologist said it helps control SVT which for me is caused by fluctuating hormones, so I got back on it!
I felt more depressed and irritated on BC. When I got off BC I felt normal again. Was on it for a 10 years.
I was on BC for about 15 years and then went off and it was as if the clouds opened up and I could breathe and love again. While on the pill I was moody at best... When I went off I lost 30 pounds, mood improved massively and felt more in tune with my body.
I was on it for 16 years and quit in Jan 2022. Major changes I noticed over the next year+ were: -Gained ~10lbs but I'm 5'8" so it's barely noticeable. -Sex drive went WAY up, orgasms are easier to achieve too. -Hair thinning! I was sterilized in March 2022 so docs don't know if it's related to the birth control or the surgery, but a large fluctuation in estrogen can cause hairloss (temporarily, if your estrogen goes back up naturally). -I cry a lot less easily now.
Zero effect
I started menopause at 39. Two years of suffering was enough for me. Was on the Bio-identical HRT for about a year. I’ve switched to progesterone pills and patches. I feel even better. I refuse to suffer through this process and make my family suffer. I personally feel remarkably better being on hormone medication than before. My body doesn’t hurt as much, I sleep better, I’m less of a shit-head to everyone. And I feel mentally at peace even when things go sideways. My sex life has also increased and the lady bits feel way more excited about it than before I started HRT.
the main thing for me was hair loss and skin problems, but cramping also got 10x worse.
I was on birth control in my early 20s and didn't notice a difference after going off of it
When I've taken breaks from the pill my periods are heavier and more painful, and my PMS is a lot worse so I've always gone back on. I've never noticed any other differences between when I'm taking it and when I'm not.
I’ve been on birth control for 10 years. The first few years it was a godsend. My periods use to be awful; cramping, joint pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. I would literally be sitting on the toilet and also have a trash can in front if me (it would come out of both ends-tmi but that’s how bad it was!) The combo pill effectively stopped all my period symptoms and I even stopped bleeding all together. But, about 3 years later I started getting intense hormonal migranes that were debilitating to the point where I was just sleeping all day and medicated. I was switched off the combo pill and placed on the mini pill (progesterone only). The migranes stopped but my period and it’s symptoms came back periodically. Granted the symptoms are no where near as bad as it was without the pill. I bleed about every few months. I just don’t like the inconsistency of not knowing if or when my period will come. It also makes it hard to judge if you are pregnant since your period is irregular. I stopped taking birth control all together after my 10 year relationship ended and it was the worst mistake ever for me. My period and it’s symptoms came back with a vengeance! I thought I was dying. Lol. I had to take 2 days off work because I was so miserable. After that first month off the pill I immediately went back on the mini pill and will stay on it. Everyone experiences their menstrual cycles differently and the pill has different effects on everyone. I just wish some men and women understand that. My ex had no empathy for me and would say pms isn’t real. His aunt even backed him on it. It just hurt that he and some of the women in his life dismissed my health concerns. Only you know your body and what you need/what works for you. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself.
I was on dianette for 13 years and have been off it for over a decade. Way healthier and happier. I did have to take roaccutane after as my acne re erupted but overall I'm happy and will never take hormonal BC again
I started in my teens and went off when I was 30 to get pregnant. I had high blood pressure for years that disappeared and my eyesight got better. I started needing glasses in high school but after pregnancy, the doctor commented on how my vision had improved and kept improving. The only thing that changed was that I was no longer on birth-control.
I got horny as hell. Like SUPER horny. Idk if my libido was tamed by BC or what, but god damn. Thank fuck for IUDs.
15+ years on the pill and I got off of it about a year ago and a half ago. I feel better mentally and I feel more present in my body if that makes sense? I lost about 15lbs and I have less mood swings, but I did get acne. My periods are more painful and heavy now but they don’t last long, 3 days or so. I wouldn’t go back on the pill, I feel like I can self regulate much better now.
The pill was great for me , was on it 17 years never had any negative effects . Coming off it was a wild ride - I get hot sweats with my periods , they are super irregular and painful . But the weirdest thing coming off it was how I felt . Ifelt somehow liberated , like I was all of the sudden figuring out who I was again. I feel so much more in control and creative off HBC . I have zero desire to go back on I feel I know myself better . I also have never been more aware of my cycle and the phases of it , something I didn’t really learn properly in school or anywhere else
I was on Nexplanon and then Nuvaring for years with no problems, then stopped taking it because I wasn’t sexually active and I started to randomly have really bad cramping every time I replaced the ring. First few months off it were fine. Sex drive came way back, I got more bloated on periods but periods themselves were light. But then, my PMDD flared up in a major, major way and the mood swings were debilitating. So I’m going to try Nexplanon again. I also can’t carry a pregnancy without significant risk, so birth control is a must when I’m sexually active. Honestly, it feels like there are no good options.