Does coming off the birth control pill lead to PCOS?

Leilanie · 08-09-2007, 03:23 PM

I've recently just come off dianette (in March this year) after taking it for 7 years. Before that, I was on another birth control pill called Logynon which I was on for 3 years. For the first 2 months, I had periods twice a month and sore breasts - it was like going through puberty all over again. Then it seemed to settle down. But during the past 3 weeks, Ive noticed that my skin is much more oily than ever before and my acne is particularly bad, only on my face (chin, cheeks, jawline, forehead). Is this normal? What are the sypmtoms of PCOS and can coming off the birth control pill affect this?

Navi · 08-09-2007, 04:42 PM

The short answer is no. PCOS is usually already in your genes somewhere, it just so happens that BCPs can hide the symptoms if they develop while you're on it.

Check out the newbie section for more information on symptoms, especially the Newbie Road Map topic. Oily skin and acne are symptoms, but by far not the only ones! Other common symptoms include menstrual irregularity, hirsutism, hair loss, insulin resistance, weight gain/obesity, and ovary/pelvic pain.

maz2007 · 08-09-2007, 04:51 PM

Hi there,

I totally agree with the last post. I came off the BCP 18 months ago and things got progressivley worse as the hormones from BCP dissapeared. PCOS is not caused by BCP (well not as far as I have read) but the pill (and all its hormones) mask it.

There is good info at www.soulcysters.com

HTH

x x x

Jashobeam · 08-09-2007, 08:04 PM

Yep, the theory I see most is that BCPs mask the symptoms, which then come in abundance when the meds are stopped. Here is the link mentioned above:

The Newbie Road Map

La Blanca · 08-09-2007, 09:17 PM

I second everything that's been said the PPs. I had no symptoms for the 11 years I was on BCPs. They came on immediately upon stopping them to TTC.

Sanyia · 08-10-2007, 11:26 PM

I was on bcp for 7 years, ds was conceived while I was still taking them. I did not have any symptoms of pcos other than acne while I was taking the pills. I was just diagnosed last month; however, now that I look back I realize I started having symptoms of pcos almost immediately following going off the birth control. I gained 10 lbs the first month, could of had some thing to do with the fact that I had just quit smoking too...it's hard to say for sure. The main symptom I noticed was the hair on my stomach because very dark (it's black and I'm pale white with light brown hair, it sticks out like a sore thumb) and coarse. I just thought it was something to do with being pregnant, I know now it was the pcos rearing it's ugly head for the first time in my adult life.

Leilanie · 08-11-2007, 11:45 AM

Thanks for the information! Its reassurring to know that these symptoms are normal after coming off the BCP, especially since Ive been on it for most of my adult life and therefore didnt know what to expect otherwise. This helps a lot!

greem101 · 08-12-2007, 01:43 PM

I was on dianette for 5 years and my skin and hair were real bad after i stopped it. Dianette was designed to help clear up acne, more than as a bcp i think. When you come off a bcp, your symptoms can get worse again, as some bcps help and others just mask the problems. I hate taking bcps as i always get side effects. I was put back on dianette after having ds but my hormones were still not right. Then my doc decided that i shoudnt be on it anymore and the hosp put me on cerazette , but am not keen on that either as i was getting migranes and getting depressed and moody. Go back and speak to your dr and see what they can offer. I am back on herbal meds this wk and feel a lot better. Take care.