Just when you thought having a uterus and having your hormones change couldn’t get any worse, I present to you the multiple negative effects of stopping your birth control pill. It is no surprise that stopping any form of birth control can have drastic effects on your mind and body; your hormones have already gone through drastic changes to now begin the process of reverting back. Whatever your reason is for stopping birth control, whether that is wanting to achieve conception, or you are experiencing negative side effects—this article will go over the possible side effects of stopping birth control, and how to do so safely.
When discussing birth control, I do so in the context of hormonal birth control—any contraceptive that uses synthetic hormones to prevent pregnancy (therefore excluding methods like condoms). Hormonal birth control includes:
Combined oral contraceptive pills
Minipill (progestin only)
Ring
Patch
Implant
Injection
IUD
Ryann Summers, a prenatal yoga teacher who focuses on trauma and reproductive health notes that the changes from going off birth control aren’t necessarily “side effects” but instead should be thought of as your body and reproductive system transitioning back to their pre-birth control state. As always, the experiences of coming off birth control vary from person to person, but here are explanations of what you might expect:
Changes to your period
Dr. Jane van Diss, OB-GYN, explains that for most people who quit taking birth control with estrogen and progestin, your ovaries and menstrual cycle will return to “normal” (pre-birth control) within the span of 90 days. For people who went on birth control to lighten their period, stopping birth control may result in the original heavy period returning. Furthermore, if your birth control was used to help treat menstrual cramps, you are highly likely to experience menstrual cramping during your period once you’ve stopped taking birth control.
Headaches/migraines
Another period perk is those menstrual headaches which can be a reason for people to seek out birth control. These migraines can appear around day 14 of the menstrual cycle. When on birth control, the estrogen present assists in keeping headaches at bay, but once off birth control, the headaches can return.
Acne
An imbalance or fluctuation of hormones can result in acne which could result in yet another reason to seek out birth control. Birth control helps to decrease the amount of testosterone in the body, which treats acne cysts, Dr. van Dis explains. But once you stop birth control and the synthetic hormones are out of your system, the original skin problems may return.
Mood swings
In an ongoing battle, we are torn between being on birth control and experiencing mood swings, or stopping birth control and experiencing mood swings. There is no winning which supports my opinion that having a uterus sucks.
Are there actually any benefits of quitting birth control?
The most commonly mentioned benefit of coming off birth control is a change to your sex drive. For a lot of people, myself included, birth control can have a negative effect on libido. So, when stopping birth control, there is a chance that you may find yourself feeling more interested in having sex. Note that coming off your birth control will not result in a definite change to your libido.
How to safely come off your birth control
Unlike other medications, such as topical steroids, you do not need to “wean” yourself off the pill. It is perfectly safe to simply go ‘cold turkey’ and stop completely. However, if you are quitting because of the negative side effects of your birth control, it may be worth talking to your local doctor about switching to another type. There is no medical reason to stop your pill at a specific time, but logistically speaking, it is far better to stop when you have finished your current pack as you will have a better idea of when your period is likely to happen. You may also want to prepare in advance for the “withdrawal bleed,” shedding of the uterus lining that usually occurs within two to four weeks of stopping the pill. Your first few periods may be heavy or longer than you are used to, and hence it may be helpful to stock up on some more absorbent period products and your favorite snacks.
There is no definite way to know which effects you may experience after stopping birth control. Some people may just experience acne while others experience multiple intense side effects. Either way, the most important way of getting through this journey is self-compassion.Being aware that your body is going to go through changes, and knowing that this is totally normal and natural, will help with navigating the changes. If mindfulness doesn’t work for you, a visit to your primary care provider, some pain relief, and your favorite hot water bottle can also do the trick.
By Stephanie McCartney