coming off the pill after 10 years

[readyforbabies]

hello all. I have just signed up today and this is my very first post. :) :wave:
I just wanted to see if anyone else was on the pill for a really long time, and whether it took a while to get your first period after coming off the pill? Today is day 33 of my cycle and I remeber (10 years ago) my cycle was about 25 days...... It feels so wierd that I actually want it to come so I can start TTC!

[MrsLH]

Hi! I was on the pill for about 9 years, came off it at the beginning of April this year. Had my first proper AF (after initial withdrawl bleed) after a 29 day cycle. 2nd cycle was longer (33 days). Am in my 3rd cycle now (CD15 today) and really hoping that AF won't arrive in July and i get a :bfp: instead! It seems i have been pretty lucky so far and AF has returned as normal, since my cycle was pretty regular b4 going on the OCP (bout 28 days). Hope yours comes soon! (i know how you feel, it is very stressful not knowing where you stand) Good luck :) and lots of :babydust2: to you...

[katalyst]

I've been on the pill for 11y (apart from a small break to try implanon) and stopped the pill on Friday last week and hence am no help at all as to how long it takes to get your period back except I know that you can ovulate at any time after ceasing the pill (hence people can fall pregnant after even missing one) and so it just depends on when that happens which is really individual.
Even my initial withdrawl bleed hasn't got itself organised yet so goodness knows how long it will take for my real AF to arrive!
What were your periods like prior to starting the pill cause that may have some impact on how long your cycle may be now.
Good luck!

[bub4rosie]

Hi readyforbabies! - welcome to bubhub!

I came off the pill after 10 years in January - after 100+ day cycle (I gave up counting!!!) and no BFP (despite lots of tests!!) I went first to my GP who was no help at all and basically told me to come back after 6 months of no period :crying: ... I then went to a Traditional Chinese Doctor who gave me a concoction to take twice a day - it tasted terrible but my period arrived a week later - I never knew I'd be so happy to see it!! I'm now due to have my 2nd period this week - we'll see how that goes! The TC Doctor said I need to keep taking the herbal mixture until I am having regular cycles and then I can think about getting pregnant ... I'm have everything crossed that it's sooner rather than later!!

I hope you have a much shorter cycle than me and that you get your BFP very soon!

All the best!

[VikkiB]

I was on the pill for 10 years as well. On the 18th May I took the last one. Two days later my last withdrawal bleed arrived, as per normal. I had bleeding/spotting for 15 days!!!

I remembered my cycle as being 31-32 days, but my first real period arrived after a 29 day cycle. I hope AF arrives soon for you! :fingerscrossed:

[sherbie]

Hi and welcome :wave:

I came off the pill in November after about 15 years, and it took about 4 months for my cycles to get back on track, they varied from 33 - 37 days for the first few months then settled on around 30 days.

After 6 months i got my lovely BFP.

[chloee42]

Hi readyforbabies :wave:
I hope you have better luck than me. After my withdrawal bleed off the pill (been on for 10 years) - it has now been over 80 days and still no period :no:

I had an ultrasound and they discovered 32 cysts in my ovaries - had i not have had the ultrasound - I would never have known. So I have been having accupuncture and I am on chinese fertility herbs as well as homeopathy drops daily - still nothing! I am off to a gyno/obstetrition next week to see if I need hormone tablets or if I need surgery to remove them.

Don't leave it to long to seek alternative treatment. I am 27 extremely healthy and I am having problems - the doctorstold me they can't really do anything until after 12 months - I am so glad that something has been picked up so soon.

All the best, hopefully you won't have these problems.
chloee xxxx

[readyforbabies]

Thanks so much for sharing your own personal experiences. I will def take all of that on board. I really didnt realise that coming off the pill and getting back into regular cycles could potentially be such a long process! Thanks Ladies

[Kat Harvey]

I've just stopped the pill (this weeks is the sugar ones) so i'm having the AF now. I've been on the pill for 12/13years without ever having a break.

Is the AF i'm having now the the withdrawal period your talking about, or should i be expecting another one?

[VikkiB]

I've just stopped the pill (this weeks is the sugar ones) so i'm having the AF now. I've been on the pill for 12/13years without ever having a break.

Is the AF i'm having now the the withdrawal period your talking about, or should i be expecting another one?
You're having your final withdrawal bleed. Mine lasted 15 days with spotting (May/June 09). I'm having my first real period in 10 years after a 29 day cycle. :wave:

[BBB]

I went off the pill (after about 7 years) at end of January, got first AF end of March, and second one end of May. No sign of third one yet. So even though my cycles were about 4.5 weeks before I went on the pill, since coming off they have been about 8 weeks. I'm hoping they start coming more frequently though! Good luck.

[desperatetofall]

Hi, I was on the pill for 10 years before coming off to start TTC. To start off with my cycles were really long, first one 35 days but as each month went by they started coming down. After 5 months of trying I finally got my BFP. I started going to a naturopath who put me on herbs to try and get my cycle short (apparently it's better to have a shorter cycle than a longer cycle). We're now TTC #2 and I'm into our 2nd month of trying and I've just started acupuncture and a herbal drink as I think this really helped me get pregnant the 1st time.

[stelepe]

Hi everyone,
I took my last pill in March this year, and got my period straight away with a 29 day cycle...now my May cycle was 37 days and this cycle is already 37 days and still no sign of period....I really want to conceive and we have been trying every second day. I was on the pill for 3 years and on Depo prior to the pill for 3 years...I have two boys already and i fell pregnant so quick with them both thats its got me wondering how much damage does the pill do?

[MrsA]

Hi there.. :wave:

I was on the pill for over 10yrs, no break inbetween..

i didnt have any major probs.. had a month or 2 where AF would be 40 days, here and there, but nothing ongoing.. AF was very light though.. :confused:
we still havent conceived since approx this time last yr, but that's due to other reasons...:no:
i hope all works out well for you.. and you get your :bfp: real soon!!!!

best wishes..:)

[traloumick]

Hi all :),
Just reading your posts and have now started to worry! I'm going off the pill in September, I run out then, no more scripts, just a logical choice, I've been on it for 14 years, had a wee break with an implanon. Have been trying to explain to my DH that it could take up to 6 weeks to get a cycle, I didn't realise it could take that long just to get a regular period. I'm very glad now I'm going off it in September, otherwise I would be following what DH wanted & not do anything until January.
Thanks for sharing your stories ladies, this site is really helping me:yelclap:all the best for you all

[TTCin2009]

I was on Triqular for about 5 years then Yasmin for 2. I had no problems with Triqular but Yasmin turned into a nightmare - breakthough bleeding, chocolate cysts and reoccuring period pain. Anyway, when I went off it completely (3 years ago), AF turned up 28 days later and has done so ever since. The only difference is that my periods are now very light - I only bleed for 2 - 3 days and barely need a pantyliner. (sorry if it's tmi)

[stelepe]

well no positive result again this month. got my period after 42 days :no:
dont know how long its going to take to get back to normal...it is very hard to concieve when every cycle is different...might just stop trying for a while and give my body a chance to get back to normal:(:(
good luck to everyone else though!

[Sunny81]

I have now been off the pill for 13 months after being on it for 12 years with only one small (I think 3 months) break.
AF has only started settling down in the last 4 months to 29 days but before that it was anything from 27-41 days, but I have found out since stopping the pill that I have PCO which could be the problem.
That's a bad part about being on the pill all those years though cause I would never have known I had PCO.
Hope that doesn't scare you too much... just my contribution to the thread!
Oh and I'm still TTC with no luck :(

[chloee42]

Hi Sunn81,
just I question I have PCO too and haven't had a period now for over 115 days since coming off the pill.

Just wondering what you have been advised to do about it? I have tried accupunture, chinese herbs and homeopathy but have stopped as it was costing a fortune.

Have you been to see a gyno/obs yet? How many cysts do you have? What are some things you have been advised to do to help with TTC?

I am so glad to find someone who has PCO and not PCOS - I find very little info on PCO and I'd love to hear anything you are trying that might help me!

Chloee xxx

[miasmumma]

Hi just thought i would share a positive experience with you:).
I came off the pill after 7 years had a withdrawal bleed 3 days later lasting 5 days then waited 6 weeks for a real period and fell pregnant the next cycle. so chin up it can happen faster than you would expect sometimes:yes:

[Dan 27]

Hi everyone - I'm new to this forum! I feel soooo much better after reading everyone's replies to this thread. I was on the pill for 12 years and came off it about 5 months ago TTC. My cycle has been quit long since coming off the pill - about 32 days. Although this month it was only 28 days. My periods have also been lasting only 2-3 days, and up until my last one have been quite light. I was expecting to come off the pill and get pregnant straight away (this has happened to alot of my friends!) - guess everybody is different! Maybe next month will be it...:)

[Hanna88]

I was on the pill for 4 years before coming off it to TTC #1 in mid February 2008. My period came 28 days later and after that up until May 2009 I only had 3 periods. I recently spoke to my doctor (who isn't much help) about it and he asked me to go back on the pill for 3 months and then come off it again to see if my periods regulate. Since I started the pill again in May 2009 I have had 2 periods (both on time but I suspect this is only because of the pill and the first one I had in June was awfully painful and really really heavy - sorry if TMI!). I will be on the pill for one more month (as that will be 3 months as requested by my doctor) and then I will come off it again and fingers crossed my period regulates so DP and I can start TTC #1 yet again. I just don't understand why I only had 4 periods over 15 months when my period was quite regular before going on the pill :S

[luvtobeamum]

HI everyone,
I think that everyone's body reacts differently when coming off the pill. My periods took about 6 months to fall into a normal pattern, and a normal cycle length.
I know plenty of women who came of the pill and only had to look at their husbands and they were pregnant. Unfortunately this is not the case for me and my DH. After being on the pill for 12 years we have now been trying for 14 months with no success.
I know that after I finally have my much awaited for bub that I will never be going on the pill again... I seriously think it is a contributing factor to my "unexplained infertility"...

[sparkles123]

Hi

I came off Yasmin 7 weeks ago and still no AF. Went to the doctors today and she said to be patient and if it hadn't turned up in 6 more weeks to come back for further testing but she was quite reassuring that this is quite normal as the pill turns off your natural hormones and these might take awhile to turn back on.

It is still possible to fall pregnant and she said that it might happen without AF even arriving.....just have to keep testing and watch out for classic symptoms.

[BornToBe]

I'm also quite nervous about TTC after being on the pill for just over a decade, no breaks. I first started taking the pill to regulate my cycle back when I was 14. I now wonder if docs should be prescribing it to girls from such a young age! Surely there are side effects from the long term use.
It would be my first pregnancy and since I've no experience TTC in the past I just have no idea whether it will be something that 'just happens' or not... yet. :fingerscrossed:

Best of luck OP :bfp:

[mum_I'm_hungry]

I was on the pill for 13 years, came off, didn't get any kind of cycle back properly and was pregnant within about two months. I went on the pill again between kids, went off and was pregnant within a month, again with no proper cycle...

[Heyside]

Hi all :),
Just reading your posts and have now started to worry! I'm going off the pill in September, I run out then, no more scripts, just a logical choice, I've been on it for 14 years, had a wee break with an implanon. Have been trying to explain to my DH that it could take up to 6 weeks to get a cycle, I didn't realise it could take that long just to get a regular period. I'm very glad now I'm going off it in September, otherwise I would be following what DH wanted & not do anything until January.
Thanks for sharing your stories ladies, this site is really helping me:yelclap:all the best for you all

I am in a similar place as you, I was planning of coming off the pill in Nov as that is the end of the 3 packs I currently have. I do have more scripts but have decided it will be a good time then, we will be both ready and its also a good time financially to TTC. Reading these posts though I am wondering if I may be better just finishing my current pack of the pill and allowing my cycle to settle down before we TTC.

Can anyone advice me on this??? I am new to the site and all of this seems a new world to me as this is my first time.

[traloumick]

Yeah, the title doesn't sound flash, does it!!
Anyways, stopped taking the pill after 14 years a week ago, got normal AF, so now the waiting begins, I didn't realise I should've started charting at day 1 AF, but as it was still chemically induced, I guess it doesn't really matter.
DH is still apprehensive, but too late now, a committment has been made, only 2 days off technically!
Anyways, time to wait and see what happens, time to get the cycle sorted then its TTC early next year, hope it all sorts itself out, still worried, especially about the pain of AF, and the spotty face!! (the hormones were good for something besides no babies!!)
All the best, baby thoughts with you all:babydust2:

[Heyside]

I actually came of the pill two weeks ago after reading posts on here - thanks for the advice guys!!

I had my withdrawel bleed straight away and it lasted for 4 days which was usual for me while I was on the pill. Today I have had some spotting though - is this still connected with my withdrawel bleed or is this my first real AF?? I haven't had any real stomach cramps or other signs which I was expecting as I use to really suffer with period pains before going on the pill.