# Off 'The Pill' - where's the period??



## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

In preparation for TTC in a few months (I'm still weaning off another med), I stopped my low-dose combo birth control pill (Levlite, if it matters) 7 weeks ago - and I haven't menstruated since right after. No blood in 6 weeks. No hint of it, even. I'm not pregnant (not a hint of a symptom, negative hpt this morning), so... what gives?

My history: I'd been on the pill for 3-4 years, and before that my periods were _really_ irregular. 30-40 day cycles, 6-8 days of bleeding (I've only just in the last year gotten over the bleeping iron-deficiency anemia I've had since I was, like, _12_), lots of cramping. On the pill my cycle was, predictably, more regular, always coming somewhere between a few days I got off the pill and the day after I started the new pack. It was much lighter, too. For a few months (maybe last June-October), it was almost non-existant (and I had just made myself some nice pads!







) - I started doing pregnancy tests just to be sure what I was seeing wasn't implantation spotting - but the last few were definately there, though still really really short and light.

Aaaaaaanyway. If nothing happens before then, I do have an appointment with my family doc (a nice DO, emphasis on the O - she doesn't really do gynecological care, unfortunately) in a couple weeks - but if nothing happens by then, I'm going to be just a little freaked out, y'know?

Suggestions, thoughts, comments, chill pills?


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## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

I was going to post this exact same thread when I read yours! I have also been off the pill for a while (Orthocyclen), no period in sight, not pregnant (dh and I are using backup bc until May). I also had very irregular periods before I went on the pill...anywhere from 6-10 weeks between if memory serves--but honestly, but it was so long ago (7 years) that I can't really remember.

So if anyone has any info...help us both out!

And







to Arwyn!


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

Well, at least now we both know we're not alone.









Anyone who's been through this before wanna help us out? Pretty please?


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## Viriditas (Aug 30, 2004)

Hi,

I went off the pill in September. Since then I have had 2 cycles (59 and 67 days each, and I ovulated both times), and I'm currently on day 51 of my third post-pill cycle. I haven't ovulated yet.

Like the 2 of you, I was really irregular before I went on the pill. I only had periods every 4-6 months. I was on the pill for 7 years before I realized it was probably a bad idea to be doing this to an already wonky reproductive system!

I know the pill can really throw things off, and TCOYF says it can take months or even years for your body to normalize. I know there are others here who have been in that situation too, so they will probably post sooner or later.

ETA: I would highly reccommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility if you haven't yet, and start charting! It's been really helpful to me to understand exactly what my body is (or isn't) doing.

I don't know what else to tell you, except to relay my personal experience and say hang in there.









Amy


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## wasabi (Oct 12, 2004)

I was lucky and got back to normally really quickly after going off the pill after seven years or so of use. However I know it can be quite common to not get AF back or go back to normal for quite a while. I know that's true even for women who were regular before bcp but I think it's especially true if you were irregular before. The only thing that seems at all unexpected is that you did not get whatever your normal bleeding was after you took your last pill assuming that while you were on the pill that you did take sugar pills and have bleeding at regular intervals. Your body had no way of knowing that you weren't going to start you next pack of pills like normal so you should have had whatever bleeding you normally had after a pill pack was complete. After that though all bets are off. Good luck I hope things start straightening out for you guys.


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## zion (Feb 22, 2005)

I just went off birth control too. I also has the bleeding right after i finished like I normally would but my first real non-hormone induced period was definitly abnormal. It was much later than I ever remembered it being and I had spotting for like 6 days before and 6 day after

Your body can take 3-4 months to adjust when you start or stop any kind of hormonal birth control...longer for depo. Your cycles should return to close to what they were before you went on pill within 3 months or so. Talk to your doc but don't be alarmed if you have irregular bleeding or no bleeding for a while. If you got periods before you should get periods after birth control it just may take a little time!!


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zion*
If you got periods before you should get periods after birth control it just may take a little time!!

But I want it *NOW!* :LOL

Whoda thunk I'd ever say that? :LOL


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## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Arwyn*
But I want it *NOW!* :LOL

Whoda thunk I'd ever say that? :LOL

:LOL
Arwyn--AF just arrived today. And for the first time ever, I was actually thrilled! Getting ready to TTC really puts things into a different perspective.


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## chickiepickie (Nov 6, 2004)

I was on Yasmin (I know shame on me..) and didn't menstruate for 6 months after I stopped and didn't get preggo for 8 months. Weird.


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## wasabi (Oct 12, 2004)

I forgot to say before and then someone else's post reminded me that I did have a lot of spotting that first month. I think that's also par for the course.


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *NYCVeg*
Arwyn--AF just arrived today. And for the first time ever, I was actually thrilled! Getting ready to TTC really puts things into a different perspective.









Yaaaaaaaay! I'm so jealous. None for me yet, alas.

Ah well. I'm going to be looking into learning fertility signs more seriously (I know a little, enough to know I've been doing _something_ this whole time), and maybe acupuncture. Plus, I've got a preconception visit set up with a local midwife (meet and greet type thing)- maybe she'll have some suggestions.

And in the meantime, I'll just think wonderfully bloody thoughts. :LOL Thanks for all the supportive posts people!


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

NYC- I was on Orthocyclen for many years but now am on Mircette for migraines (lower dose than orthocycle with some progesterone during the last 5 days of the no-hormone week.) I hope that being on a lower-dose pill will allow my cycles to return more quickly when we're ready to TTC.

I wish you call luck!


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PikkuMyy*
NYC- I was on Orthocyclen for many years but now am on Mircette for migraines (lower dose than orthocycle with some progesterone during the last 5 days of the no-hormone week.) I hope that being on a lower-dose pill will allow my cycles to return more quickly when we're ready to TTC.

I wish you call luck!

I hope you have better luck than I. I've only been on a low-dose - because of the problems with migraines higher dose pills are known to cause - and yet here I am.

And no, still no flow. Dr's appt got pushed off another week - so 10 more days left before I enlist the help of the heavyweights. Hear that, reproductive system?? Get sloughin', already!!

What, me, silly?







:

:LOL


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

Heeeeeeeeeeere, period, period, period!

Oh peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerioooooooooooooooood!

Where th'heck are you??


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## Thalia (Apr 9, 2003)

I was on Orthotricyclen on and off for several years. Then I switched to the patch, Ortho Evra. I was on it for a year. It took about 6 months for my periods to get back to normal after I stopped taking it. I was very regular before the patch, and I was regular after, but it just took a long time before my cervical mucus came back and my periods were up to "full strength" again.

My sister, an OB-GYN, told me that it's a good idea to give yourself a few months off the pill before TTC, because the pill causes your uterine lining to atrophy, which, as we all know, is why we all don't bleed as much on the pill. It can take a while before your body is able to build up a healthy lining again, even if you are having periods. Now plenty of people get pregnant right after going off the pill and do just fine, but I wanted my uterus to be healthy and back to normal before putting a baby in there, KWIM?


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

What are you doing in the meantime for birth control?

Arwyn - did AF come to visit yet???


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

Condoms, and no. (I figured now might not be the best time to seriously work on learning, and using, FAM...)

I saw my osteopath last week (who, being the adorably silly goose she is, ordered a blood HCG (?) test, which, of course, was negative), and she spent a while working on me (helped a lot with my hip - no flow, though, yet), and I'm seeing an acupuncturist this Friday, who's reasonably confident he'll be able to help. And, I just talked to my yoga instructor after class (making her husband sit in the car waiting for her for an extra hour! :LOL ), and she, also a doula btw, suggested a couple of poses that might help, and said she'd do some research and get back to me.

So yea. No.







But I'm working on it! (And also working on accepting whatever may come - flow or no flow, fertility or no fertility.)

(And apparently I'm in love with the parenthetical remark tonight - go figure.)


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## jenniet (Apr 1, 2004)

Chickiepickie...Is Yasmin bad? I am on it. I have been on the pill for about six plus years. I am trying to remember when I went on Yasmin. I think it was about three years ago. I have always been nervous about the idea of any BCP, but Dh and I are not great about using condoms. However, if something is really dangerous I am sure we could be better. Anyone's thoughts are welcome!


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## erikanorth (Sep 27, 2002)

Hi, I went off the pill in the middle of August in 2002 (after being on it for aprrox. 3 years). I had the 'right away' period, but then nothing until October 1, when I spotted for two days. Then, the third week of October, I had lots of 'egg white' cervical fluid, and Yup, I got pregnant. It's different for everybody. I think the spotting is your body trying to ovulate again. I had the same kind of spotting before my period came back while nursing. Good Luck !!


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

:nana:







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That is all.


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

So she came????


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## Arwyn (Sep 9, 2004)

And how!!

Yup, I'm back to my prepill heavy bleeding, but it looks like it may be slacking off *knocks on wood*. I don't really want to have 8 day long periods again...

Anyway, I'm on my last week of the meds, so we might be TTC as early as a couple weeks from now. We'll _probably_ wait until next cycle, though.

Either way, I'm super duper happy.


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## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

Hooray, Arwyn! I hope things regularize after this. Once I finally got my period after going off the Pill (didn't take as long as yours, but longer than I expected) my cycles have been: 35 days, 28 days, 28 days, and 35 days. Considering I was wildly irregular before I went on the Pill, this looks pretty darn good to me.

Wishing you lots of


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## lisalisa (Jun 9, 2006)

Chickiepickie or jenniet

Did either of you find info on Yasmin being bad?

I've been on various bc over the past 15 years - was never regular before bc - including orthotricycline and lastly yasmin. I've stopped bc in January, got my normal period but then took 2 months to get the next one. I'm now at 68 days and still waiting for the next...and getting very worried.


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## jenniet (Apr 1, 2004)

lisalisa ~ I never had a problem with Yasmin. I was also very irregular before the going on the pill. However, I finally got diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). If you periods are really far apart I would suggest going to a reproductive endocrinologist just to rule out PCOS. I ended up having to use Clomid to get pregnant.


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## eloise24 (Nov 17, 2005)

Glad those AFs are showing up for you! I went off the pill in August and have yet to get my FIRST AF since then! Not even a drop of spotting. My midwife just started me on a 5-day progesterone pill, which should bring AF on within 10 days. I can't believe how excited I am! Now I just hope it starts and then is regular for a while so we can officially TTC!


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