Question - how far in advance before TTC should I get off the pill?

daisyrose85 · February 2012

Hi everyone,

This is my first post! My husband and I don't plan to start TTC until late summer, but I'm starting to do some research now and check things out. I hope you can help me with a question I have about when to go off the pill before TTC - I have heard conflicting information.

Is it better to go off many months before you plan to TTC, to let your hormones regulate, give yourself a chance to chart, etc.

OR

Is it better to go off the pill just before you TTC? Some have told me that your body is the most fertile and regulated after your first natural period after stopping the pill.

Thanks in advance for any insight, I appreciate it

Pumpkin_Princess · February 2012

My doctor told me that it would be fine to go off of the pill and start trying right away. However, I was concerned about my body taking a long time to regulate and I wanted to know more about my patterns and whether or not I was ovulating so I went off of BC this month. We will also start TTC in August. It is different for everyone, so there really is no right answer. Some people get pregnant right away and some people take a year to start ovulating again. What you decide is up to you.

HenHen25 · February 2012

Welcome!

I was on the pill for 4 years before I went off. It took my body about 3 months before my cycles were regulated again. So I would recommend going off it a few months before TTC. Although, it wouldn't hurt to start TTC right after you stop, just dont expect it to work right away.

nicnique · February 2012

Hello and welcome.

IMO, I would stop taking the pill now to let your body regulate and get to know your cycles.

It can take some women a very long time to get back to "normal" after bcp, start ovulating again, etc.

Good luck.

westendtexan · February 2012

I went off the pill Jan. 7th. Here i am on CD53- no AF or O in sight. We aren't TTC until April, so we are using backup until then. I'm glad we decided to go off early, this wonky cycle is making me nuts- but it was definitely not a surprise. Go off of it now!

JellyTwoPointO · February 2012

Hi daisyrose. My personal opinion is to get off the pill now and use non-hormone prevention methods till you're ready to TTC. The Pill effects all women differently but for a LOT of women, it will take awhile to get out of your system, especially if you've been on it for quite some time. You've been putting artificial hormones in your body, so you need to give your body some time to return to its natural state and get into its own cycle and flow. (No pun intended!) Being on the pill can also mask any fertility issues you may not know about, so I would get off the pill now and start temping and tracking your fertility signs like CM now because that can be a good indicator for you on how your body is working. Finally, I am personally an advocate of a pre-TTC doctor's appointment with an OB or other care provider of your choice. It helps to have their involvement from the get-go and make sure everything seems ok to start TTC.

Good luck to you!

SchruteBucks · February 2012

I would get off now if I were you.

BLT20051 · February 2012

I got off it last April. We're not TTC until next year but the pill had horrid side effects for me(no sex drive, weight gain) and I've been charting TTA since then. We had a condom break and I got KU in June, although I later miscarried. So I'd recommend that you be absolutely sure you'd be ok if something similar happened to you. We know it's a possibility but we're ok with that.

kmmpbj09 · February 2012

I stopped taking BCP in October 2011. It has taken my body 4 cycles to regulate and develop a normal luteal phase length.

I would recommend stopping the pill sooner rather than later. Give your body a rest from the hormones. Learn your cycles and get charting down.

siple1am · February 2012

SchruteBucks:
I would get off now if I were you.

Yep.

MrsSJE2011 · February 2012

What my RE explained to me is that if you were regular preBCP then you want to get off a couple months ahead at the least, but if you were irregular preBCP then you want to wait until right before TTC as it can help regulate you for a while as BCP is getting out of your system. HTH!

NoeliaV · February 2012

I'd get off the hormonal BC now. Use condoms to prevent while you're not TTC, but take advantage of the time to learn about your body/cycle.

mhickey426 · February 2012

my doctor told me that as long as my cycle was regular before i went on the pill then it shouldnt be a problem once i stop. He said I can stop 1 or 2 months before i want to conceive

blonddnyc · February 2012

I would reccommend getting off the pill ASAP. I was on it for almost 14 years and I stopped in July 2011. The first 3-4 cycles were totally wonky, and it took at least that long until I started seeing a pattern or trend in my charts and things started to get "normal"

I would also HIGHLY reccommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility and starting to temp/chart if you can. It will give you a world of insight into your body and you will prob learn tons of things you never knew about.

Welcome to the board and GL! You will learn A LOT here!!

BellaLux · February 2012

HenHen25:

Welcome!

I was on the pill for 4 years before I went off. It took my body about 3 months before my cycles were regulated again. So I would recommend going off it a few months before TTC. Although, it wouldn't hurt to start TTC right after you stop, just dont expect it to work right away.

Yep, this!

MrsP610 · February 2012

lnrogers1220:
HenHen25:

Welcome!

I was on the pill for 4 years before I went off. It took my body about 3 months before my cycles were regulated again. So I would recommend going off it a few months before TTC. Although, it wouldn't hurt to start TTC right after you stop, just dont expect it to work right away.

Yep, this!

Agreed. My first three cycles off BCP were "normal" but it seems like I may not be the norm. My doctor said I could TTC right away after stopping BCP. I would have stopped using them earlier if I knew more about the process of getting pregnant.

tortuga47 · February 2012

LindsRockies:
I'd go off of it ASAP. Just use a backup method until you're actually ready to TTC.

Your cycles can be wacky for a while after stopping BC. It'll give your body time to level out.

This. Some women are lucky right away, but the vast majority, it takes a bit of time for things to get back in working order. Especially in a predictable pattern. GL

KansasFarmMomma · February 2012

I agree with everyone else. Get off asap. I was always normal before going on The BCP and was only on the pill for 10 months but it took me a YEAR to get back to normal again and get pregnant

JaimeLD6 · February 2012

Well my gyno said two months at least.

DH and I decided to go off now and ttc starting in May
GOOD LUCK

[Deleted User] · February 2012

Just to be clear, I think most on here would agree - by "go off now" we mean finish the pack you are on then stop. I may be overstepping by putting words in others' mouths, but I don't think it is a good idea to stop mid-pack

mrssunshine12 · February 2012

Bacon+lettuce+tomato:
I got off it last April. We're not TTC until next year but the pill had horrid side effects for me(no sex drive, weight gain) and I've been charting TTA since then. We had a condom break and I got KU in June, although I later miscarried. So I'd recommend that you be absolutely sure you'd be ok if something similar happened to you. We know it's a possibility but we're ok with that.

We're also not trying for a year, and I went off the pill this month after hearing some horror stories about how long it took people to regulate. I've also been on the pill since I was 15 and was really sick of taking it. I never realized how much it affected me... I always assumed something was wrong with me because I had little to no sex drive, I didn't know it was a side effect of the pill. The last three weeks have turned me into a different person, haha. I told DH I'm never going back on hormonal BC.