Here's my experience with the pill. 15 years of no contraception whatsoever (and many partners) then met (now) DH and he insisted on contraception so tried the pill for about a week and literally couldn't stomach it, so stopped it. Immediately got pregnant and that was 17 years and 4 kids ago.

Be very very careful. :)

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

When I stopped the pill I got the most horrible cramps, and heavy period I have ever gotten in my life, about 2 weeks after I quit. My doc said that as long as I returned to somewhat of a cycle in about two months I was okay. (and that new cycle ended up being a period every 35 days). Hormones are scary stuff.

I seem to recall it take several months to get back to normal after going off. If you're really concerned call your Dr.

Not sure how old you are, but if you're in your late 30s or older... nothing's normal. I'm waaaaay less bitchy, but my cycles are all over the place (last one was 32 days and light, the one before was 35 days and super nasty heavy). If you're under 35, you should get back to a regular cycle within 2-3 months....

AP

PS: good for you!

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

I'm not trying to get pregnant, if thats why you're congratulating me...I've been on the pill for a long time and I'm tired of feeling like a farm animal stuffed with hormones. There are other methods of birth control out there. I'm 26 and I had almost no period for the past 3 years, while on the pill so I don't know what to expect. I guess I shouldn't stress just yet. I don't know if I should count the cycle from when I started the last pack of pills or from I stopped them, because I did have a "period" after taking half a pack.

No the congrats is for deciding to get OFF it ;-) I was on BCP from 16 til 34, then off for 1.5 yrs then back on for ~2 more then off for good. Give it time, but do mention it to your doc. Count from when you had your "half period" and watch for 2-4 months, then go see doc. You'll prolly be due for your annual pap anyways... ;-) Your cycle should return unless you are super low BF, have an eating disorder, train in excess of 35+hrs/week, or had late menarche... but I vote with don't stress on it now, give it a bit of time...

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

I've been off the pill for about six months now - and all feelings of "normal" have disappeared. I'm lucky to feel "normal" about 10 days out of the month. My doctor (excellent gyno) said it would probably take me close to a year to get "normal", especially since I'm a petite endurance athlete that has been on it for years, and years, and years.

Here's my experience

• Regular cycles - yes, almost immediately
• Headaches - yes during the cycle
• Cramps - yes during the cycle
• Weight - actually lost about 2-3 lbs within a month of not taking the pill
• Acne - OMG, it won't stop especially around the chin and jaw line. I didn't even have it this bad in High School. I found the Aveda version of Proactiv that I'm going to start using soon.
• Bloating - so bad that I sometimes feel like I'm 6 months prego
• Swelling - during the cycle, the girls on top ( men if you're reading this, I'm not posting pic so don't even bring it up ;) )

BTW - I am trying to get prego, so if you have any "housewives" tips and tricks let me know (i.e. does holding your legs up in the air after the "fun" really increase your chances).

nope. i quit taking pills in feb/10 after 15 years, and at 31 i'm still not on a regular cycle yet. then again, i kind of hormonally fuct myself; quit taking pills in feb, quit smoking in mar, then quit eating meat in may. back to omnivore now, and hoping things will settle down, since i had some weight gain and obvious nutritional deficiencies in the last 6 months.

never really got more than a bit of bloat and nausea, with a *small* (confirmed by my husband ;) amount of extra moodiness whether i was taking pills or not. i'm anywhere from 3-7 weeks between cycles, to the point that i ended up wasting money on a pregnancy test one month after a broken condom incident!

cheers!

-mistress k

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ill advised racing inc.

Yeah you have a bunch of other factors going on... and I suspect that many of us chicks who race/post here do. I was back to normal when I was off within a few months, but after stopping a few years ago (my 2nd time stopping and LAST!), the cycle came back within a month but was highly irregular. The first few months were very very light, almost a mini cycle, but then after that it went all haywire because of (as you wrote) all sorts of other factors. Some of us will have regular cycles until menopause, some of us will be all over the place our entire reproductive lives, most of us will be somewhere in the middle... you and are are in the middle believe it or not ;-)

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

i can't even remember if i was regular prior to starting BC - too long ago! i just don't stress about it now :)

cheers!

-mistress k

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ill advised racing inc.

i stopped after 15+ years...(I am 34). For awhile...NOTHING happened. Other than my libido increased a titch and I finally lost that last 5 lbs I wanted to. Now (8 months later)...random, long-lasting periods. Hormonal headaches. And acne. Lots and lots of acne (actually, BACKne :(). And my hair is all falling out.

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mmm-mmm-Momo Charms
Handmade beverage charms, jewelry, and miscellanea
http://momocharms.wordpress.com

good grief. I sure hope that doesn't happen to me. I've not noticed anything different, no cycle yet but then again, before I hardly had it either. I do NOT need to be 42 with wrinkles, gray hair, AND acne! I had hoped I'd lose a bit of weight, but not so much.

Yep, I get the backne as well, ugh it sucks, esp under the racer-back bras. Sometimes I break out so badly on my face it's horrible, have to use cover-up (I never wear make-up except mascara). I look 17 but my bod sure doesn't Ha! how's that for cruel eh?

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

What you had after you went off the pill was just a "withdrawal" bleed. It may take a few months for your cycles to get back to normal (if more than 90 days go to your OBGYN). If you don't get it back, have low body fat and train for triathlons you most likely have hypothalamic amenorrhea and will either need to gain more weight, train less, eat more or all three to get it back (or take ovulation meds).

Good luck!

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Team Danbury Audi - Triplet Mommy!!!

fyi: my acne (which has been pretty constant since i was 14) has settled down a LOT since i backed off on sugar, grains and dairy. i can actually predict breakouts based on my nutritional intake now, regardless of my cycle.

may want to try at least gluten & casein free to control it if it's a pain.

cheers!

-mistress k

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ill advised racing inc.

yeah I don't eat a lot of sugar as is, and have found that I am allergic to chocolate (how sad is that), either of those will certainly exacerbate it.

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

even if it means the occasional pimple, i flatly refuse to give up the single square of lindt excellence 90% i eat for dessert pretty much every day ;)

cheers!

-mistress k

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ill advised racing inc.

I would say yes ;)

Finish the job in missionary position, have a pillow under your butt to elevate and DO NOT MOVE for 5-10 minutes.

Worked twice for us. I'm sure there are a lot of other factors involved, but why not help your chances by using gravity?

I stopped the pill at the end of August, had one cycle, and was preggo by October. You also have to find your fertile days--about 10 days from the first day of your last period. We had two go-rounds during that time (1 to 3 days depending on the person) and one of them had the magic bullet. (I'm also 35 and had been on the pill for about 10 years). One other little tip my cousin's wife gave me was take Robitussin a few days before and during the fertile days. It thins mucus down there just like in your lungs and lets the little swimmers through easier. Not sure if it's true but between the calendar math and cough syrup, we got pregnant way faster that we expected.

Sometimes you don't have a period after stopping the pill. Wait several days and take a test. If negative, wait a week and take another one. See what happens.

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I have failed at many things, but never in my desire to try again.

If your trying to get preggo - ovulation predictor kits (pee on a stick to tell if your about to ovulate) or charting. The book Taking Charge of Your Fertility will teach you so much about your body and cycles you probably don't know. Even if you don't chart afterwards, worth it's weight in gold I thought.

After stopping the pill - it took me 16 months to get preggo with my son (plus a miscarriage at month 13), ovulatedo n day 14, like women are supposed to, but that was so not normal it was scary. Nothing was in sync for a long time. This time (I'm currently 19 weeks along with baby #2), I got pregnant (ovulated) on cycle day 30 - no joke. Thought I had a period starting cycle day 40, + preg test on day 42 when the "period" stopped. Obviously it wasn't a period. I guess I'm just saying good luck, no 2 cycles are alike. And yup - legs up after the deed was done has worked twice for us!

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Harry: "I expected the Rocky Mountains to be a little rockier than this."
Loyd: "I was thinking the same thing. That John Denver's full of shit, man."

Thank you Cassie and SynchSkater. You're right - the legs in the air AND Robitussin worked!!!! The doctor has yet to confirm, but this morning's test was postive, positive, positive.

To echo what others have said:
I was on BCP for about 8 years. I went off and was told the standard 2 months or so, then discovered that my cycles were nuts and it took a little over a year to conceive our first child because of the wacko cycles.

I did not go back on them for my 2nd child, they are 19 months apart and I charted in order to get pregnant so I just continued that some and tried the other non-hormone methods.

I did do the patch after the second thinking that we were done, hated it. I did use a Mirena IUD for 3 years and had multiple issues on that as well, so it was taken out early as we were going to try for a 3rd child. 1 month later I was pregnant with her to our shock and happy surprise. I had a tubal ligation done after that (c-section for frank breech) and a subsequent ablation for heavy periods that resulted in anemia.

No periods in 4 years, feel good, still have PMS but don't want to stab people in the eye.