First real AF post birth control?

PolarBear517

We are not yet TTC & as of right now don't plan to discontinue BC until right before TTC.

I'm a little nervous about having real periods after pretty much using hormonal BC for just shy of a decade with only a few months here & there between methods. As a pre-teen & young teenager AF knocked me out for the first 12-24 hours or so. I wouldn't have a shot at going to school during that window. I mostly just wanted to curl up in a ball on the shower floor with the water on full heat. I used to use mirena, and the cramping I experienced during placement wasn't as bad as I remember those cramps.

Hormonal BC helped A LOT & now my cramping is mild & doesn't interfere with my plans.

I realize this is just one of those things I'll have to suck it up & deal with when the time comes but I'm wondering what others have experienced? I'm sort of hoping my body will have adjusted & my post-BC AF won't be too much worse than withdrawal bleed.

Anyone have terrible pre-BC cramping & end up with manageable post-BC periods? Anyone find good methods for keeping cramps at bay?

kay707kay

I went off the pill after 8 years, I was the same as you before the pill -- terrible cramps, absolutely miserable. I've only been off for about 4 months, and had one normal period (same as you'd expect when on the pill), then just spotting :-/. I was expecting the worst too, but it hasn't been bad at all except not having any idea when the next period would come.

carolinagirl67

I was on the pill for 9 years. And just have my first AF. Everyone's body is different. But mine wasn't too bad, not as bad as I expected. A little more intense cramps, sore breasts & slightly heavier flow. And previous to BCP, I had horrible periods. Unbearable. So I was pleasantly surprised.

Jags8

Before going on BC at 18, I suffered from debilatating menstrual cramps (in my abdomen, back, and down my right thigh) for seven years. Curled in a ball, sobbing, throwing up. Heat and pain killers barely touched it. I missed so much school. BC was a gift! So I stayed on for almost 8 years until May when we started TTC.

My first two periods, I essentially had no cramping. Then I got pregnant but miscarried, and I had debilitating cramps then. But then the periods that followed, I've had cramps. They are more of an annoyance than anything, I guess. They don't feel pleasant, but nothing like what I used to experience as a teenager.

Ashley8761

My first period off of BC was terrible, the cramps started days before AF came. I had to call in sick to work the one day because they were so bad. Since then AF has been a bit better and the cramps aren't as bad. As the months go on it's not as bad as the first month.

If I had to go back and change it I would have gone off BC sooner and just condoms until we were ready to TTC.

acurtin713

After being on BC for 3 or 4 years I stopped in Sept and my first AF post BC was worst than I had been used to. I was absolutely miserable. But my AF for Oct, even though it was late, the cramps weren't as bad as the first one.

Sugarplum0217

I've gone off a few times in the last few years. One time, I had horrible periods again, another time I had two normal cycles and nothing for 3 months, another time I had completely normal 3 days easy periods. This time I didn't have a chance since I got my BFP. I have endo and I know that makes a bit of a difference. I just think everyone is completely different and to not be shocked or worries by some of the weird symptoms you may have.

Kingfisher1

I started on the BCP when I was 18 due to absolutely AWFUL periods, including severe cramps, heavy bleeding (I would go through Super pads [I didn't wear tampons] every half hour), my body temperature would skyrocket (sweating), and I would have terrible diarrhea.  I, too, would be out of school for at least a day or two.

About a year or two ago, I came off of the pill due to losing my insurance. Surprisingly, my period symptoms got a LOT better. I still had God-awful cramps and moderate-to-heavy bleeding, but everything else seemed to disappear, and the cramps were nothing some good old Aleve couldn't help.

MissAmandaAnn

This is currently my first month off of BC and I'm terrified!  Like many of you guys, my cramps would leave me out of commission for the first day or day & my flow was just so heavy!  I'm hoping I've grown out of that.  I've been on BC for 14 years -- been skipping periods on BC for probably 10 of those years.

While we're not actively TTC yet, we're also not opposed to it happening (or preventing it, I guess), but had a feeling it might take awhile after getting off of BC to conceive.