[nelie]

I will probably have to talk to my Gyn about this as well but... sometime early next year, I expect to try to go off my birth control pills and see what happens in terms of how I feel, my periods and my weight.

I'm a bit scared, I was first prescribed BCPs about 6 years ago to help control my hormones and PCOS symptoms. I have since lost 150 lbs and I want to see if my body can regulate its own hormones. The pills were also secondarily being used for birth control but that concern is being addressed a different way which leaves me the flexibility to go off the pills without worrying about pregnancy.

Has anyone tried going off their medication after losing weight? What happened?

[junebug41]

What a perfectly timed thread!

I am curious to see what other's experience is.

I went off NuvaRing in early October after being on desogen and then nuvaring for almost 6 years. I have also been charting my temps in order to TTC.

My hormones went crazy the first week after the withdrawl bleeding. I was horribly depressed, had the worst cramps and lower back pain to the point where I was in tears and my face broke out... it was awful. But then things mellowed out and I ovulated on day 18 of my cycle I had a 35 day cycle (unheard of before losing weight and going on bcp). 35 days!!

I spotted for several days, but my actual period was pretty light. My only real complaint is that the premenstrual migraines I had before BCP came back I will probably go to the doc about that one.

The temping was very helpful not only in TTC, but tracking estrogen and progesterone levels.

Things have really evened out. I actually feel more peaceful and relaxed, if that makes sense. As far as weight goes, I don't think it has adversely affected it. In fact, it seems more "stable". I did gain 5 pounds and bloat really bad the first couple of weeks, but that's gone and my weight doesn't fluctuate as much as it used to.

[Eliana]

My experience is the opposite. I don't know if my theory has any basis that can be back up by research, but I swear BCP's are what sent my body out of whack in the first place.

I always struggled with weight, but struggling meant a high of 140 lbs. And I always lost weight easily if I just tried. Then I started BCP's just before my wedding and could NOT lose any weight for the wedding. From there I steadily gained weight, which I thought was normal for a newly married bride. I got pregnant with our first son and never dropped one pound from his birthday. Nursing did not even help. I got pregnant with our second son and again, I did not lose any weight. When we TTC a third child, I had no period, which is when I was diagnosed. It just seems to me that none of my true weight problems started until I started take BC.

I stopped immediately. Of course we were also TTC. But I still have not gone back on them. I haven't noticed any changes positive or negative.

But, the only symptoms I have ever had are: No period (or one every 9 months), weight problems, IR, skin tags (possibly as everyone has a few). I think that's it.

[JigglyBits]

I went off BCPs in August and switched to actos (alternative to met). My cycles are 32 days apart.
The only things I noticed were a few breakouts, my hair is a little oilier than it was and my periods feel more 'real', when on BCPs I hardly got cramps and now that I'm off I get cramps (my abdomen area and back sometimes).
A good thing is my weight is coming off much more easily

[ibcnuldu]

The only thing I notice when I go off BCP is my hair tends to get a little out of whack. I don't find it any easier to lose weight off BCP. My periods are fairly non-existant with or without BCP. But I may be in the minority because I find that BCP doesn't effect me really negatively.

[Genki]

I stopped my BCP because they were expensive and I often forgot to take them anyways. It didn't seem to have any effect on me, but maybe that's because I didn't take them super regularly. My period was regular on its own for a few months after quitting, but then it started being late again. I am hoping that it regulates itself after I lose a lot more weight.