A question for the ladies...
#254099 - 03/23/06 07:10 PM
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Hello Ladies,
I have a question about birth control pills.. but about going off of them, not staying on them.
I went on BC a week after I turned 18. I used to have not so awesome cramps, however, I can't remember if I went on BC because the cramps were really that bad, or if I had to say that to convince my mom that it was a good idea. 
Anyways, I've been on them ever since. I'll be 25 in August, so I've been on them for nearly 7 years. I am contemplating going off them.. not bc they bother me in the least bit, but just bc I'm not seeing anyone right now, and I'm not sure when I will start seeing anyone again (I don't see anyone in my near future).
What are your experiences going off it? Did you lose any weight? Is it worthwhile to go off them even if its just for 6 months or so? My only concern is that they thought that I may have had an ovarian cyst about three times.. however, they all occurred while on BC and BC is supposedly meant to ensure that they don't come. However, the doctor isn't even sure that they were cysts necessarily.. it may have been trapped gas as a result of my period.
Basically.. my question is will I be all messed up if I go off them... bc I'm thinking maybe I should just bc I don't necessarily need them right now. Also.. is it possible to go off them and then restart in the future easily?
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I'm pretty sure you can go off and on them as you like. I would only say that don't recommend doing it too often. One of my friends did that because she didn't like the idea of taking hormones/medications, so she only took it when she was in a relationship. She had mood swings like crazy when she switched on or off, and seemed to gain weight during both. And remember when you start them again it takes up to 3 months for them to work fully.
If you're worried about the length of time (7 years) that you've been on it, just realize that BC pills have been around for a very long time, and many many women have taken them. Try asking your doctor what sort of studies have been done about long-term use, since there should be lots of information about it. I have been on it now for 8 years, so I'm starting to ask questions like that too.
If you're thinking this is only for 6 months, maybe a year or so, I would say don't bother changing it. As for the cysts, BC is usually the first step tried in treating them.
Hope that helps,
Kat
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Kat
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I went off the pill and back on twice---and didn't experience any negative effects that I remember, other than it took my period a while to become "normal". The last time I was on was for about a year, and then I went off the year I got married and it took not long at all to get normalized. And I noticed that my symptoms weren't that much worse, my only problem is I'm a little irregular so I had to predict my period based on symptoms instead of knowing the exact day.
This is a total personal choice, and I'm not anti-birth control by any means, but unless there is a strong medical reason, it seems like it would be better to be off them if you don't need them.
As for weight change, I'm not sure I really noticed any. Small if any, for sure.
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it's a personal decision, but I've done the same thing, and, sigh, everytime I went back on it I gained 5 lbs. And it does make your periods more miserable, less predictable, and you get hormonal if you KWIM.
that's just my experience. I just changed pills last month if you recall, as I was scrambled on the ones I was on. I'm still ironing out the kinks from that, by the way.
Good luck though.
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Keep on keepin' on...
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Why didn't your doctor do an ultrasound to see if you really had the cyst or not?
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thanks.. I think i'm going to call my doctor and ask about it.
I'm not against BC either.. however, I am worried about being on it for so long and not actually needing it right now. My periods were always very regular even before the pill, so thats not something i'm totally concerned about.
When I first went on the pill 7 yrs ago, my doctor told me that it is unsafe to stay on it for more than five years at a time without a break. Now the facts have changed and they have said that its ok to stay on it as long as you need. It does scare me though that nowadays more and more women are having trouble getting pregnant and having difficulty. not that i'm getting pregnant anytime soon, but sometime in the future i'd like the option.
I see what the doctor says.
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nope...
#254117 - 03/23/06 09:11 PM
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I had random pains in what I thought could be my ovary for two months during my period, but not bad enough to go to the doctor and I wasn't even sure what could be causing it.
The next month it hurt just as bad, and by that point I decided to go. It felt like something had ruptured before I went, and by the time I got to the doctor she felt around my ovary area on my stomach and couldnt' find anything strange, nor was it hurting or tender. She said that if they came back next month to come in for an ultrasound. Well *knock on wood* the pain hasn't come back since (this all happened around sept).
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yeah my fear is weight gain for sure. I already have about 10 pounds I'd like to lose, so I was hoping going off it would make me lose weight, considering going out it occassionally makes people gain.
When I first went on at 18 I gained about 10 pounds. HOwever, when I was 21 I switched brands and lost more than 10 pounds with the new kind. So i'm not sure if that was just by chance, or if it had to do with the pills I was on?!??!?
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Ashley,
If you are hoping you will lose weight from it, I don't recommend going off the pill. Going off didn't affect my weight much. (Neither did going on, by the way.) The PMS cravings can be a lot worse when your hormones aren't controlled and you're actually ovulating. This can lead to water retention and big weight fluctuations.
I was on the pill for almost ten years and am having some problems with my hormone levels now that I'm off them, but I don't think being on the pill had anything to do with that. It just masked the fact that I had problems going on, so I didn't know about them.
There's no science that says you need to give your body a break, but intuitively, it makes sense to me to give your body a chance to "remember" how to ovulate.
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Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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I started the pill when I was 16!! I stayed on it until I was 32. When I stopped it, I had no problem what so ever. I did not lose any weight but my periods were regular at 28-29 days and didn't really increase in intensity at all. I did find that my cramps were a little worse but nothing serious. I started ovulated the first month I stopped them and actually got pregnant the first time the second month off of them! They say my fertility "issues" don't have anything to do with me being on the pill for so long but who really knows!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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