What Was Your Experience Going Off of Birth Control?

A few months ago, I stopped taking hormonal birth control. I’d been on the pill (same brand, same dosage) for about a decade. My period had been continually evolving during that time: From going completely MIA for many years, to returning in 2017 after an intense period of anxiety, to being wildly irregular and unpredictable ever since. I finally decided that I wanted to stop taking birth control in an effort to better understand the natural rhythms of my body, so I could start living more in alignment with them.

When I went to an OB/GYN to ask what to expect when getting off of birth control, I was stunned by the response: Why would I want to stop taking the pill in the first place? Instead of giving me tips on the adjustment period or telling me what changes I could expect to happen to my body after going off the pill, the doctor kept reiterating that hormonal birth control could be helpful in regulating my periods — although I spent ten years experiencing the exact opposite.

After I finally stopped, I became committed to keeping track of the side effects I was experiencing from going off the pill after prolonged use. Immediately, my acne began to flare up (which was the reason I got on birth control all those years ago), my PMS symptoms got more acute, and I started to lose a noticeable amount of hair. My periods became crampier, and much, much heavier — but they finally became regular, like clockwork. Finally, I could predict when I'd be PMS-ing or what days I could expect my period to come and go, which felt revolutionary.

Ever since, the topic of going off of birth control has continued to come up in conversations for me. I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to search for answers, to not feel heard at the doctor’s office, to grapple with the unknowns — so I asked others to anonymously share their own experiences. Of course, this is only a small sample and isn’t meant to speak for all experiences, but rather to serve as a guidepost for others considering making a change in their birth control journey.

R.S.

• Birth control type: Pill

• 10 years on it

• 1 year since stopping

• "I was not one to notice a lot of side effects while I was on the pill but I honestly just don’t remember what my period was like before I started taking it. I did notice that my periods got a lot more frequent and heavier a couple months after I stopped, which happened for 6 months before it finally started to regulate. It’s pretty much regular now, which I am grateful for. I feel more aware — aware of my body, aware of my emotions and the ability to control them. Since I’ve been off birth control I don’t cry as much and I feel more like myself. I’m glad I went off the pill, but I wish I knew that it would just take time to get my body back to normal."
  

K.M.

• Birth control type: Pill

• 2–3 years on it

• 2 months since stopping

• "I was so mad all the time when I first came off of it, just like really depressed and angry. Now it’s calmed down, but it was weird. I also came off because I’d been gaining weight consistently since starting it, and my weight is still increasing. I wish I’d known it would make me feel so weird for a while — I was so aggravated for, like, almost a month, and my first period afterwards was the worst I’ve ever experienced."

M.F.

• Birth control type: Combo pill

• On and off for about 4 years

• Almost 2 years since stopping

• "I had heard lots of positive feedback about going off, primarily around improving mental health (also, for me, the pills weren’t covered by insurance so that was a pro of stopping). Unfortunately, I had the opposite happen. I wasn’t too surprised when my cramps got worse and my acne resurged since that was a big reason for starting, but for about six to eight months right after stopping, my depression was a lot worse, and so were my PMS symptoms. It wasn’t until about 1.5 years later that I finally felt a little more regulated and like myself again. I wish I had known to be prepared to deal with deeper physical and mental health issues that were just being temporarily suppressed by my birth control."

K.Z.

• Birth control type: Pill

• 6 years on it

• 1 year since stopping

• "My periods really did not change much once I stopped taking the pill. I took birth control because I had periods from hell that were extremely heavy; lasted the full seven days; and caused me to feel faint, vomit, etc. While I was on the pill, my mental health declined severely. I started experiencing debilitating panic attacks that were seemingly triggered by anything. Ultimately, my decision to get off birth control stemmed from my decline in my mental health. I was hesitant, though, because everyone (including my doctor) told me my periods would resort back to the state in which they originally were and that, since I was getting married, I was taking a major risk. Looking back a year down the road, I wish I would have made the switch sooner. My periods have not been anywhere near as severe as they were when I started taking it and my anxiety has markedly improved."

M.S.

• Birth control type: Combo pill, IUD

• On and off for 7 years

• 1 year since getting copper IUD

• "I was surprised honestly by how much my body remained the same. I didn’t really feel a shift in terms of my weight or my body shape as far as I could tell. The shift for me was more emotional than it was physical. I wish I knew the difference that going off of hormonal birth control would make in the way that I relate to my body. For me, birth control really dampened my libido and I don’t think I fully realized that until I was off of it. Overall, I feel more connected to my body, and more aware of its natural rhythms."

L.F.

• Birth control type: Pill, IUD, ring

• About 9 years on it

• 1 year since getting copper IUD

• "I got off hormonal birth control because the hormones (progesterone) in it made my acne horrible and uncontrollable. I almost went on Accutane but decided to switch my birth control first to see if that’d help. My acne immediately started clearing up. I was surprised at how heavy my period was, since I’ve always had a light one. My cramps also got astronomically worse. That was the first few months and since then it’s gotten lighter but hasn’t regulated itself — I’ve had pretty much a non-stop period since May. I wish I knew how long it would take for my body to regulate my period on its own, but I still wouldn’t go back to other kinds of birth control because I’m forgetful and don’t want acne."

H.B.

• Birth control type: Several different pills, the patch, and a hormonal IUD

• About 9 years on it

• 1 year since stopping

• "When I got my IUD removed, I was expecting all of my other issues to be solved. During the pandemic I have struggled with hormonal acne, and I thought that without birth control things may regulate. I think I have been surprised by the length of time it has taken my body to recover from all the different forms of birth control I have tried, all trying to fix a problem the previous one (or some external force) started. After a couple months without the IUD, my acne was still flaring so I got on a hormonal pill used off-label for that for several months. So, right now is probably the first time I haven’t been on any hormone since I was a teenager. I’m just now discovering how my body behaves without hormonal birth control in my mid-20s and I expect it will be a journey of recalibration."

Have you quit taking hormonal birth control or considered it? What do you wish you knew? Let us know in the comments!

Meg Loughman (she/her) is a bayou-born, Brooklyn-based writer & content strategist. When she’s not journaling to lofi beats at a cafe somewhere, she likes to moodboard and partake in slow, luxurious breakfasts. You can keep up with her work on her website and tune into her sporadic dispatches & musings on Instagram.