Other side effects of going Off BCP (Poll)

PGASTL

The post below (about weight loss after BCP) made me wonder if anyone else had my same symptoms after going off BCP... (Sorry if this poll is done a lot... I've been lurking for a few weeks and haven't noticed it).

1) What BC were you using?

2) How long were you on it?

3) How long have you been off?

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped?

For me, I was on OrthoTri (or similar brand) for 10 years. I stopped taking it in in 6/09. When I stopped using it, I gained 5lbs practically instantly and my skin started breaking out terribly during the first 2 weeks of my cycle.

I feel like I'm in puberty again, lol!

williaw

1. Loestrin

2. 10 years

3. 1 year

4. AF went MIA, my skin broke out and I quit having daily headaches.

purple4u

 

1) What BC were you using? - Yaz

2) How long were you on it? - Little over 3 years

3) How long have you been off? - since December

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? - not much, my periods have been slightly heavier but otherwise I have been pretty much the same

gymnst1013

1) What BC were you using? can't even remember - maybe ortho

2) How long were you on it? 12 years

3) How long have you been off? 3 years

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? none

MaybeMom

1. Ortho Lo 28 (continual, so I never got my period)

2. 11 years

3. 3 months 

4.  Sex drive increase, decrease in nausea.  No negative side effects. 

kbeach82

1) What BC were you using? Seasonale.

2) How long were you on it? BC for 10 years, Seasonale for the last 3 or so.

3) How long have you been off? July 2009.

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? Skin broke out horribly, cramps from O all the way until AF arrived for a few cycles, killer headaches for the first few months.

MaybeMom

The only "side effect" was having AF visit again---sigh~

jteneback

1) What BC were you using? - generic OrthoCept

2) How long were you on it? - on 5, off 2, on 5

3) How long have you been off? - since July

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? - I had spells of wooziness for a few weeks, otherwise nothing.

XXXXX222

I was on Yasmin for about 6 months, and quit it a little more than 3 years ago.  Birth control pills make me insane, depressed, really whacko.  So mostly, I just remember returning to "normal" when I stopped.  I did gain a little weight, but I think at that point in my life I would have gained it either way.

I've been on BCPs short term (2 weeks) a couple more times since then, for fertility purposes, and they always make me psycho.  So I don't think I'll ever take them again by choice.

mchupie

1) What BC were you using? Tri-Sprintec (generic of Ortho-Tri-Cyclen)

2) How long were you on it? 10 years

3) How long have you been off? 6 months

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? I have a sex drive again but I'm a lot more emotional than I was when taking it

a.graves

1. Can't remember the pills I took because they kept switching them, then NuvaRing

2. 10 years all together

3. 1 year

4. Cranky, weight gain, no period, severely sore boobs, acne, and nausea

 

ConnCottager

1) What BC were you using?
Ortho Tri Cyclen for 6 years, Nuvaring for 3

2) How long were you on it?
9 years total

3) How long have you been off?
6 months

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped?
Major skin breakout and oily hair, increased sex drive, migraines stopped, irregular cycles

melissar617

1) What BC were you using? - most recently it was Seasonale

2) How long were you on it? - 1.5 years of Seasonale, a little over 5 years total

3) How long have you been off? - since March 09

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? - Definitely more skin break outs, less spotting between cycles (I used to spot for the last 3 weeks of the 3rd month, before starting my period)

Mrs.LD813

1) What BC were you using? OrthoTri for about 3 years, then Yaz for 2

2) How long were you on it? Combined, a total of about 5 years

3) How long have you been off? Since Sept.

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? This cycle (which started today thanks to AF's nasty arrival) feels like I am finally back to normal.  The first month off the pill, my body mimicked the short 28 day cycle...and then my cycles got progressively longer.  Last one, that ended yesterday, was 34 days.  My period is REALLY heavy right off the bat this time, and I have HORRID cramps, which was typical for me pre-BCP.  I also had very little fertile CM (eggwhite) the first few cycles.  Last cycle was a big improvement, so I am hoping that this heavy, cramp-laden period is a sign that my CM will be top notch!

heathercara

1) What BC were you using?  Yasmine then Yaz

2) How long were you on it?   17 years

3) How long have you been off?  1.5 years

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped?  super short LPs and bad skin break outs.  Not to mention the return of my PMDD

rrcraz7

1 & 2. NuvaRing 2 yrs, prior to that the pill don't remember the name 8yrs

3. July 09

4. AF is longer and heavier with days upon days of spotting and my face breaks out a bit more often 

PinkLove-S

1) What BC were you using? Orthotricylclen then Seasonale 2) How long were you on it? Ortho (10 years) Seasonale (3 months)3) How long have you been off? Since July 20093) What were your symptoms when you stopped? None unless lighter periods are a symptom.

mrsf123

1) What BC were you using? Yasmin BCP

2) How long were you on it? 2.5 years.  I'd been on and off it previously.

3) How long have you been off? Now, I've been off for 10 months

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? I just felt a lot better.  I had much more of a sex drive too, which was nice.  I don't think I'll ever go back on BCP for that reason. I do get a pimple around ovulation time, but it goes right back down each cycle!

Bunniehug

1) What BC were you using? Yasmin

2) How long were you on it? 9 years

3) How long have you been off? Since January 15th

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? I gained about 4 lbs, but I actually think that was from all the drinking I did in Jamaica. My skin was actually SUPER clear for the first month, and just this week it broke out a little (probably because of AF..biitch!), I didn't even get AF cramps, which usually I would really bad before I was on BC. I have also had an increased sex drive (which may also be because we are TTC..)

So nothing very exciting really. Thank god!

MrsLoos

1) What BC were you using? Kariva (generic)

2) How long were you on it? 10 years

3) How long have you been off? 7 months

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? Headaches, weight loss, lighter, shorter periods with fewer/less painful cramps, boobs got bigger. I think I was one of the lucky few who had very few symptoms coming off BCP and whose cycles went back to normal immediately. If I would have known my periods would have been so much lighter and shorter I would have stopped a long time ago! I don't think I will ever take BCP again.

byrne15

1) What BC were you using? nuvaring

2) How long were you on it?  2 years

3) How long have you been off? 3 years

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? none.  i got pg with ds while on the nuvaring (didn't use it at the correct timing that month)

sbuxsweetie

1) What BC were you using? Yasmin, then Ortho Lo (generic), then Ortho (generic)

2) How long were you on it? All together, around 6 years

3) How long have you been off? This is cycle #2 off BCP

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? I've gained about 5 lbs and have had a few breakouts. My cycles are also a bit shorter than they were before BCP (but with a normal LP)

youngin12

1) What BC were you using? Tri-Nessa (generic for Ortho)

2) How long were you on it? 5 years

3) How long have you been off? 4 months

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? I was the biggest b!tch MH ever met for 2 weeks, my sex drive increased and has stayed that way, I didn't gain weight instantly, rather it seems like I am gaining it all now (maybe 5 lbs.) and gain it a lot easier, I was exhausted for about 2 weeks, my first AF after the pill was the worst AF visit that I could remember.

Marinewife81

I took Yasmin once, and experienced the same "crazy" feeling. I switched pills and that went away. But over the course of many different BC I had varying levels of PMS severity. When I was off last time (was off for 1 year then on for a few months, now off for about 2 mos) my skin broke out really bad, but I had lighter periods w/less cramps and not really any PMS. I do get menstrual migraines, though...usually a day or 2 before AF shows. Got one today, so I know I'm out this month. On to cycle 2!!

O2BaMom

1) What BC were you using?
I tried everything (b/c made me very hormonal), Nuvaring for last 1.5 years

2) How long were you on it? 
10.5 years total

3) How long have you been off?
3 months

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped?

I've broken out just a little, higher sex drive, no weight gain, migraines competely stopped, overall happier (feel "normal") but my hair feels more oily.

Edit to include: my cycles haven't leveled out yet (first one was 35 days, second just started at 43 days)
 

MJHershey

) What BC were you using? Ortho Tri-C Lo for 5 years then Mircette for one.

2) How long were you on it? 6 years

3) How long have you been off? 6 months

3) What were your symptoms when you stopped? sore boobs at first, then acne. Unfortunately none of the GOOD stuff came back yet (sex drive, losing weight).

rac20585

1.  Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo for 3 years, then Yaz for 1 year.

2.  4 years total

3.  Since early September

4.  Immediate return of acne, oily skin, and oily hair.  Dramatically increased sex drive!  Had some hair loss at first but now it is actually getting thicker.  Anovulatory cycles.  Weight remains the same.  Decrease in headaches. 

TiannaRose

1) Nuva-Ring and Ortho-cept

2) NR last two years Ortho-cept for the 10 years before that. 

3) Off for just under a year

4) when I stopped I got and still have horrible acne that I never had before and I developed the sex drive of an 18 year old boy.