cnanougr

GETTING OFF BCP is a big story! Let's find out how we can do it in the best possible way. My story can be the basis for your opinions, suggestions for all of you that want to proceed in living your life without...>>>BCP! :-)

My story in brief:
-Diagnosed at the age of 17. Irregular Periods, acne. I am a lean cyster.
-Followed acne therapies suggested by many dermatologists, acne was a “come and go” situation.
-A gyno informed me that acne is due to ovarian cysts and put me on BCP (Diane 35 - anti-adrogenic dose) that I took for ~10 years (in the meantime I decided to get off BCP once, but no period and terrible acne came back).
-The last 3 years I switched my BCP to Meliane (low dose pill, micro-pill).
-BCPs both two types were excellent for my symptoms. Acne cleared completely and periods were regular (day and even time!).
-I recently visited an endo (very famous here in Greece, academic with many scientific papers on PCOs) and suggested me to get off BCP and try to find a better more natural solution. Then in 3 months we will have some exams and maybe in 6 (if 3 months are not enough to bring me back to my physical measurements – I used to take BCPs for many years and my hormones will take time to go back to their physical numbers).
-So, my endo asked me to have 2-6 months off so as to see which is my hormonal profile and then decide what to do.
-I am afraid of being off BCPs and without any help (herbal, etc.) for so long, since all feedback I get from other cysters is that after getting off BCP à no period & acne back! (awful!).

-Besides I do not want to make any mistake in my hormones that will take time to restore.

Also, considering that I am 34, I would like to have a baby within the next couple of years so the treatment that I will follow from now on is very important for me.

Every suggestion / feedback from you would be highly appreciated.

janedrap

Hi, I cam off BCP nearly three months ago. In some ways it has been a success - don't suffer from PMT or hormonal acne on my chin, in the way that I used to before I started on the pill. On the other hand, the really disappointing thing has been that I haven't yet had a period. I didn't even always bleed on the week off between packets of BCPs. My body seems very resistant to having a period, even though I'm also slim and not hirsute.
When I first came off pill, I was hoping I'd be able to get pregnant straight away so we had lots of sex and waited. It's been disappionting that it's been so long now and still no show of af
anyway, the only helpful advice i can give is perhaps to think about taking agnus castus and adopting a low GI diet. I've stopped eating sugar, so instead of snacking on cake and biscuits, I eat loads of nuts, dried mango, toast and peanut butter, um, fruit, oatcakes etc. that seems to have helped me enormously. i can't believe how clear my skin is, even though my hormones are clearly in a muddle. good luck with it, i think it's worth coming off the pill, just to try to establish a better cycle. i wish i'd come off earlier as i'm so keen to get pregnant and clearly it's going to take awhile.

mkaz

This is my second stint off bcp and I'm doing sooooo much better than the first time! The first time I went off I just did it. I had one period in almost an entire year and just felt awful. This time, however, I'm the most "normal" I've ever been.
I decided to visit a naturopath before I started and he gave me a few things to take. Also, he had me go out and get The Schwarzbein Principle/Diet book. I learned a lot about eating right from reading that book. There are some other great books posted on this site to check out too.
I have some acne and PMS now, but I welcome that over being on some artificial hormone. I don't want to be on the pill and just mask my PCOS symptoms any longer. Acne can be taken care of with some Tea Tree Oil, and PMS just takes an undertanding partner!
There are a lot of natural hormone support supplements out there. I would really recommend seeing an expert about them - just to find one well suited to you. Diet and exercise is key as well.
Good luck! You can do this!!

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enligh10dwon

I was on BCP for three months and the only positive thing about it was that my hair growth slowed down tremendously...I took myself off in Decemeber because they totally killed my sex drive--I mean it was non existent and causing relationship problems...Also, (tmi) whenever I did dtd, I would uhh...dry out quickly...I also gained 7 pounds in the three months on them which is weird because I usually lose weight on BCP...But I quickly lost the 7 pounds within 2 weeks of coming off them...My post BCP cycle was 29 days--shortest one I've ever had and I'm waiting to see what happens this month...Not currently TTC but I do take soy to ensure that I O and continue to have periods

I do feel better being off BCP my sex drive returned and not a moment too soon *lol* And I find that I am able to lose weight a lil more easier now so to heck with BCP I refuse to take them again!

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cnanougr

Thank u all for your reply! :-)
Day 12 after getting off BCP. I started going to the gym and this will help a lot I guess. Also, I take a multi-vitamin and I follow a GI diet (most of the times! :-))

mkaz

Good luck!

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