Women: Discontinuing Birth Control Pills

[The SARS Volta]

I know I did a good thing for myself by quitting oral contraceptives after 2 years of use. The side effects were unreasonable and persistent (spotting, water retention, mood alteration). Doctors advised me to "stick it out", assuring me that the side effects were likely to stave off after prolonged use and my system's adjustment would take care of it. I used them exactly as directed and waited it out, hoping the effects to normalize.

Wrong. I stopped taking the pills because they became unworthy of the main reason I began taking them (to regulate chronic PMDD--which is severe PMS). Initially, ceasing to use the pill felt great. Then a few weeks pass, and I feel like shit. My symptoms include dizziness, fatigue, inability to concentrate, anxiety that I never before had, depression that I didn't have either, severe cramps, nausea, insomnia, muscle and joint pain, etc. It gets in the way of daily life and causes me much anguish.

This could be the return of PMDD, because there's no way I could be pregnant. I always used condoms while on the pill and I haven't had sex recently enough for this to be possible.

I did some research and it appears that my symptoms and problems due to stopping the pill are common, and most likely a reaction of my hormones getting back to normal after being altered/controlled by birth control for two years.

Does anybody else have experience with this? If you have been on the pill yourself, or men with girlfriend or wives on BC. If so, what did you do to ameliorate the difficulties?

[Peace seeker]

you did the right thing

i aint no expert, but these symptoms should vanish in 2-3 months when your body gets back to normal

[The SARS Volta]

That's exactly what I've read and I am hopeful that is what happens, but in the meantime this is going to be cumbersome.

[clive]

smoke some pot in the meantime? :P sounds sucky.

[The SARS Volta]

Tried that--inconsequential relief . It is--I've had the flu before and narcotic painkiller withdrawals (from getting wisdom teeth removed) and this experience is by far rougher than all of the above.

[OldMan&TheWeed]

I’m a male, a husband, and a father of a teen-aged girl who has been, maybe still is (and in the future is sure to be) sexually active.

My wife never liked taking the pill, not because of any adverse reactions, she just didn’t like taking it. So, after the birth of our last child ten years ago (who was unplanned, but certainly not unwanted), I had a vasectomy. I’ve never regretted it. For guys who do not wish to father children, or who do not wish to father any more, it is the most reasonable way to go. In addition it frees your partner from the bother of contraception, and both of you from the fear of an unplanned pregnancy.

When our daughter started her period and became interested in boys, my wife and I were of one mind, our daughter was agreed as well. She has been taking the pill since she turned fifteen. In the year since she began there have been no obvious side effects. If any had arose, we would have left it up to her whether or not to continue the pill.

Some parents see the provision of contraceptives as giving their child permission to have sex. I view this as complete bullshit. If they are going to have sex, they are going to have sex, with or without protection. An unplanned pregnancy can of course alter the trajectory of a girl’s life, perhaps making college and career an impossibility and relegating her to and her child to poverty. For our peace of mind I’m glad my daughter’s on the pill.

[Mydriasis]

I had a girlfriend who said she had adverse reactions like you had to the pill, so she stopped taking it. But I'm not so sure about adverse effects after ceasing the pill, she seemed relatively fine and never complained about it at least with me.

I know it isn't much information but I figured I'd share.

[SageTree]

wow....

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a dramatic form of Premenstrual syndrome[1], afflicting 3% to 8% of women.[2] It is a mental disorder associated with the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

That list of symptoms encompasses practically every kind of problem a person could have, and almost sound like a symptom list for depression as well.

Sorry you are suffering Sars

[OldMan&TheWeed]

Maybe this is a bit off topic, but I just wanted to say something that I’m sure most folks here would agree with.

During the presidential campaign Sarah Palin advocated a strict abstinence-only pregnancy prevention program for public schools. It begs the question, how well did that work with your own daughter? Because clearly, it didn’t. Sarah Palin’s daughter chose to have sex (as most humans do) and became pregnant. Perhaps, if she’d been taught about birth control methods other than abstinence, she would not have become a mother at such a young age. She’s fortunate, though. Sarah Palin’s daughter has a powerfully connected mother, and is unlikely to face the crushing poverty that affects most single mothers.

I’m thankful that my daughters live in a time in which women have the ability to control their own reproduction.

[The SARS Volta]

^ agreed and welcomed opinions

[Blue_Dolphin]

Wow, after reading that link Sage posted I think I have figured out what my problem is. I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this Sars. Before I had my second child I was going through some bad periods. Painful and it would last for like 10 days! How long were you taking the pill? I do know it takes a few months for all of that shit to get out of your body.

I was on the Depo-Provera shot for about 2 years. Once every 3 months. In July, I stopped getting them for a few reasons. they made me gain weight, moody, loss of interest in sex, made me want to eat and I think it caused some depression. Also, Verk and I decided that it'd be cool to have another baby. Now, here I am 2 months later (5 months since my last shot) and I am still feeling ALL of those symptoms x2. It says online that it can take up to 12 months for this shit to get out of your system. It's a THICK creamy substance when they shoot you with it. I am pretty much miserable but I guess thats why they tell you over and over "do not stop taking this medication without talking to your doctor." ha. Anyways, I hope things turn up for you soon. I may not have symptoms as bad as you do but I feel some of your pain.

[Canuck Wisdom]

I can't really comment on your problems Sars, but I can mention that the girl I just started seeing introduced me to this thing called the Nuva Ring. Maybe you've heard about it already, but I think its relatively new in Canada.

I believe the process is similar to the pill, in that it releases hormones on a regular daily basis, but it is just a rubbery sort of ring that you insert into your vagina and leave there for a month. Do some research online anyways if you havnt heard of this. She seems to like it.

I am pretty much oblivious to the womens issues side of things, but the only issue I've seen with the nuva ring is when I spear it with my penis (its about that size around, flexible) and it comes out on me. Interestingly also, that has happened but before I pulled out it added... a little something extra for her. Sorry if too much info, its new and exciting to me.

[The SARS Volta]

Wow, after reading that link Sage posted I think I have figured out what my problem is. I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this Sars. Before I had my second child I was going through some bad periods. Painful and it would last for like 10 days! How long were you taking the pill? I do know it takes a few months for all of that shit to get out of your body.
I was on the Depo-Provera shot for about 2 years. Once every 3 months. In July, I stopped getting them for a few reasons. they made me gain weight, moody, loss of interest in sex, made me want to eat and I think it caused some depression.

I don't have long, heavy periods like that post-birth control, but I do get horrible life-altering symptoms apart from aunt flo, worse than I ever had before using hormonal birth control pills. I was on them for two years straight.
They made me gain water retention weight--when I quit taking them, it was all gone immediately. I was very apathetic toward sex the whole time I took the pills, and still am. They caused mood swings and depression--not really worth it if I already use rubbers.
From what I've read recently after getting off the meds, all forms of hormonal birth control have the same terrible side-effects regardless of the type of pill or shot and alter the body's natural process of hormone regulation. Not worth it, IMO.

[K10]

I can't really comment on your problems Sars, but I can mention that the girl I just started seeing introduced me to this thing called the Nuva Ring. Maybe you've heard about it already, but I think its relatively new in Canada.

I believe the process is similar to the pill, in that it releases hormones on a regular daily basis, but it is just a rubbery sort of ring that you insert into your vagina and leave there for a month. Do some research online anyways if you havnt heard of this. She seems to like it.

I am pretty much oblivious to the womens issues side of things, but the only issue I've seen with the nuva ring is when I spear it with my penis (its about that size around, flexible) and it comes out on me. Interestingly also, that has happened but before I pulled out it added... a little something extra for her. Sorry if too much info, its new and exciting to me.

Holy shit....I was wondering if that would happen with the nuva ring during sex. My girlfriend is a bit inconsistent sometimes with her birth control which scares the piss outta me so I kinda suggested that she try that, but I was really wondering about that exact issue. Would that decrease it's effectiveness? Also the idea of having something stuck up there for a month kinda makes me uncomfortable. Whole deal seems kinda weird but also like a good alternative to the depo shot which I have known a lot of girls to have problems with, i.e. blowing up like a baloon and weird hormonal shit.

[badgoalie85]

don't get preggers, sars.

[The SARS Volta]

I can't really comment on your problems Sars, but I can mention that the girl I just started seeing introduced me to this thing called the Nuva Ring. Maybe you've heard about it already, but I think its relatively new in Canada.

I believe the process is similar to the pill, in that it releases hormones on a regular daily basis, but it is just a rubbery sort of ring that you insert into your vagina and leave there for a month. Do some research online anyways if you havnt heard of this. She seems to like it.

I am pretty much oblivious to the womens issues side of things, but the only issue I've seen with the nuva ring is when I spear it with my penis (its about that size around, flexible) and it comes out on me. Interestingly also, that has happened but before I pulled out it added... a little something extra for her. Sorry if too much info, its new and exciting to me.

I'm even more apprehensive to letting something foreign live in my snatch than I am to taking a pill. I've heard it has the same basic side effects as the pill, also. It would creep me out, personally, lol.

[The SARS Volta]

don't get preggers, sars.

I think I can handle that. Condoms are a pretty good bet, and if that fails once in a blue moon...morning after pill. It's incredibly easy to not get knocked up if you don't want to.

[rollingthunder]

Sars, a friend of mine did have an adverse reaction to getting off the pill and she took it for PMDD. She ended up having to get on a less intense pill for a few months to ease herself down from it. kinda what they do to crack addicts and such. It does a number to you if your body really isnt accepting it, and you might want to talk to the doc about it. Good luck hun and i hope things get better for you

-Thunder

[Blue_Dolphin]

I think all types of BC are annoying and "weird" in some way. The implant is freaky, the patch is annoying, the pill is too easy to forget, nuvaring is weird, I personally dont like condoms, the shot is ok but still kinda iffy and the IUD is crazy but the most practical imo. I wish it wasnt so easy to get pregnant without some form of birth control. It sucks because every single form of contraception has side effects. Some are worse than others.

Again, I hope everything works out for the best, Sars. Maybe you should talk to the dr about some way to ease off of it . Good luck.

[The SARS Volta]

I think all types of BC are annoying and "weird" in some way. The implant is freaky, the patch is annoying, the pill is too easy to forget, nuvaring is weird, I personally dont like condoms, the shot is ok but still kinda iffy and the IUD is crazy but the most practical imo. I wish it wasnt so easy to get pregnant without some form of birth control. It sucks because every single form of contraception has side effects. Some are worse than others.

Again, I hope everything works out for the best, Sars. Maybe you should talk to the dr about some way to ease off of it . Good luck.

I think the condoms are the lesser of all evils regarding contraception. Women AND men both (probably equally) get a reduced sense of pleasure. However, each get STI/STD protection which is important outside of a secure long-term relationship.

All hormonally altering birth controls on the other hand, have atrocious side effects. I've known people who have it far worse than myself, and it's slowly improving for me.

I'm reading/hearing all that seeing a doctor would produce is getting a prescription for more hormone-altering pills to ease the effects of discontinuing the pill, but I don't want to risk putting my system through MORE hormonal, mental and physical turmoil.

Can't win, man
Thank you, though.