Everything That Helped Me When Coming Off Birth Control Pills
It took me a very long time (almost 8 years) to realize that birth control pills just weren’t for me. The straw that broke the camel’s back happened last fall when I realized a new brand I’d started in April (with a slightly new formula) was one of the culprits behind an onset of depression. I finally made the decision to come off the pill at the end of September 2021 and have had 5 menstrual cycles completely off birth control for the first time since my early twenties.
I’ve learned a lot over the last few months, mostly that there isn’t enough information for those who are coming off the pill for reasons other than to get pregnant. While this isn’t a comprehensive post or one that outlines what everyone’s journey can be like, I hope it offers some context on timing, what’s helped, and how my body has reacted. This is the one time that playing the comparison may actually be helpful in at least offering up a point of reference.
The symptoms that led me to get off birth control
Caveat that these symptoms didn’t all happen at the same time, but did happen while I was on the pill over the last few years. Some pill formulas would exacerbate one symptom more than another. Ultimately the last pack I was on made me incredibly depressed and bloated, which is why I finally called it quits.
Vaginal dryness
Impacted sex drive
Extreme bloating
Triggered my existing mental health conditions to the point of being unbearable
Nausea
Hair thinning
MONTHS 1-3 WITHOUT THE PILL
PERIODS
I started having a “regular” period the first month I came off the pill. I put “regular” in quotes because even though I’m getting my period every month, the nature of it hasn’t actually been the same month after month.
PHYSICAL SIGNS I AM OFF THE PILL
My biggest, most immediate tell that the pill was causing inflammation in my body is that within the first month of being off of it I lost about 4 pounds of what felt like pure bloating. I’d been having weird side/organ pains while on it and it almost felt like the bloating was so present that it was squishing my insides. I felt such a relief and more in my body once I got off the pill.
After the bloating receded, some more positives included being more clearheaded, feeling less depressed, and over months 1-3 getting more of my sex drive back.
Because my hormones are still all over the place, I have been struggling with more acne than I’m used to (months 2-3 were the worst, it was a mix of face acne and back acne) and even now (in month 5) I still have more pimples pop up during certain parts of my cycle.
PERIOD TRACKING APPS
I’ve been using a combination of MyFlo and Flo to track my cycle. The apps are what help me see how irregular my periods have been, for instance, I have been able to see how my luteal phase was much longer the first month than it has been any month since then.
I like MyFlo better for understanding what week I’m actually in during my cycle, it does a better job at explaining things like discharge, symptoms, and how your brain is functioning during each week. I also like MyFlo better because it caters to anyone with a menstrual cycle who just wants to understand their body and cycle more versus Flo tends to feel like you’re tracking with the intention of getting pregnant, which since I’m not can feel kind off-putting. Right now I’m using Flo as a backup only, since MyFlo can sometimes crash and I’m scared I’d lose all my info.
BOOKS THAT HAVE HELPED ME UNDERSTAND MY BODY AND HORMONES
The last five months have been a journey in realizing our school system and medical system just straight up failed us. I wish I would have known more about hormone levels and what’s actually in a pill before I started taking them. Or at the very least had more guidance as I was coming off.
I’m thankful for a very good friend who walked this path a year before and basically gave me my “coming off the pill” orientation during month 1 and recommended these reads:
In The Flo: Unlock Your Hormone Advantage and Revolutionize Your Life by Alisa Vitti
Fiber Fueled by Will Bulsiewicz
Both are books that I’ve been working through slowly but that have opened my eyes to how much what we eat and how we move can actually impact our hormones and therefore our minds and bodies.
MONTHS 4-5 WITHOUT THE PILL
PERIODS
I’m still working on figuring out what’s a “regular” period for me. During month 4 I had mid-cycle bleeding (right when I was ovulating), which kind of freaked me out. I just went in for my annual pap and my new OBGYN said that ovulation bleeding can be normal for some women, but it’s a very irregular thing for me.
I’m nearing the end of my cycle this month and while I did have some intense cramping and symptoms around the time I was ovulating, I didn’t bleed this month. It’s something I’m still going to keep track of for the next few months.
PHYSICAL SIGNS I AM OFF THE PILL/MY BODY IS RESETTING
I can feel more hormones resetting and how beneficial this time off the pill has been for my mind and body. Right now, my mind and mental health feel the best they have in a very long time. I don’t feel as bloated as I had the last few years and overall my cramps + PMS symptoms were the worst on the first month off the pill, but tolerable thereafter.
I still get breakouts and I’m trying to track what’s flaring up my acne and which weeks it is to see if it’s something I can get a better handle on. I am also still actively trying to consume and learn as much as possible about what resetting my body post-birth control pills actually means.
Overall, I know I made the right decision for myself, my body, and my mental health. I don’t react well to hormonal birth control and how good I feel right now is all the proof I need. The journey coming off the pill has felt very unique and oftentimes lonely because there aren’t many first-hand accounts out there, but what I have found has been really reassuring. If you’re deciding to go down this road, or are already on it, I hope this helps offer even a bit of context.