anxiety attacks after stopping birth control

Your symptoms seem identical to mine and I was just curious if it got better and how long it took after stopping? Did you find anything that helped you during your hardest times?

I thought I was the only one!! I thought I was losing my mind. I have always had depression and anxiety since the age of 19 and this year has been the worst of my life at the age of 27 now I was experiencing spaced out symptoms so my doctor referred me to mental health where they changed my medication for only my symptoms to persist and get worse over a period of 7 months I have been suffering but trying to cope and then thought I would come off my pill to try for a family and after a month I feel like a vegatable, can not do anything, starring into space, the feeling of being inside someone else's body and full on anxiety attacks to a point my heart was irregular and took to A&E! Today I was urgently assessed by mental health after being bounced into one person to the next and getting no where and was told I was retarded which made me cry chronically! I thought it was my antidepressant tablets but now I can see it is not a good time to try for a baby as I can not cope with the feeling if losing my mind. I have been signed off work as not fit until I receive the help I need but I never told any of the professionals I came off my pill as did not think it would have any symptoms towards my anxiety! So glad I have researched this as I was getting so frightened! Thank you :)

I am a 45 yr old woman and was put on birth control pills after the birth of my last child 14yrs ago due to panic attacks and anxiety.  They felt my hormones were off.  I went off this last September and felt wonderful, high energy, weight loss, happier and high libido. Then as the time passed the anxiety has returned, I'm shakey, unable to drive my car without feeling like I'm going to pass out.  I just feel so strange all the time.  I don't want to go back on the pill but I don't know what else to do.  I really felt like I was alone here, but after reading all these posts I guess I am not.  I don't need antidepressents, have tried them in the past and they made the anxiety worse.  I do take Clonopin and have been given a small increase after being on it for several yrs, but that isn't helping either.  Going off the pill is the only thing that has changed. Any info on my post will be helpful I'm sure!

I only took birth control for 1 month before quitting, and started experiencing the exact same symptoms that everyone has been mentioning as soon as I quit. I think that, because my hormones were already off-balance due to being completely new to the pill, that's why I'm experiencing such severe anxiety so soon. I also have occasional bouts of depression, a very rapid heartbeat, and little to no libido. Is anyone else in this same position? I'm wondering how long it will last. Meditation and yoga are tremendous helps, but there's only so much you can do when your hormones are out of line. Good luck to you all! Practice conscious breathing as faithfully as you can :-)

I read this topic a lot when I was going through this but now I'm here with some positive news!

Like you, I want to make clear I have had no problem with anxiety, panic attacks or anything like that ever in my life, before birth control. I started Yaz in February and experienced a panic attack 6 weeks on it - I immediately stopped taking it but unfortunately, the panic attacks, lost of appetite, anxiety related to NOTHING didn't stop. After one month off the pill I was such a mess I went to the doctor who didn't know what was causing my anxiety, he took my thyroid levels and they came back normal.

Second month I was feeling sometimes a little bit better. Third month I felt like I had a "relapse" and felt a lot worse again. This time the doctor prescribed me benzodiazepine to ease the most severe panic attacks. He also tried to get me on antidepressants but since I felt like it was just my hormones, I refused. I felt a lot better during my period and after it was over, started feeling bad again! It certainly didn't help my doctor said he didn't think it was possible that a 21-year-old could have any problem in her hormones.

After my third month I got back on birth control, the Nuvaring which is supposed to have less hormones. I have been using it for three months now and you know the last time I had a panic attack? The day before I started it.

So if my doctor has the balls to ever again suggest it wasn't my hormones, I'm going to show him this post. If it isn't our hormones, how do you explain a completely happy person suddenly being succumbed to anxiety? How do explain that I was cured of panic attacks immediately after starting another birth control if it wasn't my hormones?

I'm almost a 100% sure I would've recovered from my panic attacks little by little without birth control but I unfortunately have to be on it. I would say it can happen that the first month recovering is toughest, second is sort of "wow, maybe I'm sometimes feeling a little better?" and third month you relapse, going back to desperate mode again.

So don't let anyone tell you it isn't your hormones. It IS. Go easy on yourself. You will get better once your hormones regulate but it might take some time.

Me Too!!!!  And depression and almost a paranoid state that everyone is against me.  I started up again and likely don't need them for birth control.  I'm almost 48 and had a uterine ablation. Not likely a candidate for pregnancy so I thought I'd go off to keep the hormones out of my system.  NOPE.  The last few months have been utter chaos in my poor little head.  Swirling out of control.  Everyone notices but can't quite put their finger on it.  I've been white knuckling it to not loose it at my loved ones.  I am so, so happy that you are all sharing your experiences because I thought I was going crazy.  Thank you. I am not sure if it's placebo or what but I feel like I'm a different person today. 

It has only gotten worse for me so I went back on the pill yesterday and I swear I feel like a different person today. Maybe not 100% and maybe only a placebo. But I have been on the slow boat to hell over the last few months since I stopped taking them. I wanted my body to be free of the chemistry. But more importantly for me and the people I care for... I need my body and my brain back. If I lose two years on the back end, at least life will be pleasant while I'm here now.

I just had a really bad panic attack. I only used BC for a couple months. I've been off them for a little more than a month now and I can't believe how horrible this is. I want my life back.

Hello Everyone

I just want to start by saying Thank you for starting this topic. 

I am currently 31 and I have had a few anxiety attacks in the past but probably only 2 and they were not bad.  My doctor told me after my last one that I needed to be on Lexapro which I followed since I didn't really know what was going on. I was on it for about 6 months and I was on the pill at the same time. It worked fine but when I decided to come off of the lexapro I felt fine. This past July after being on the pill continuously since I was 18 I decided I didn't want the hormones anymore and I wasn't using it as a BC just a regulator. Since I finished my period in July I have been a wreck and it seems like it gets worse. 

I went back on the Lexapro because I thought it was the anxiety attacks not my hormones. I hate HATE living like this. I am in a constant state of worry. I am still able to work and do everything I usually do. I am seeing a Naturpathic but I dont think she understand what is happening to me either. I have a therapist who also believes it just issues from before. 

The more I read what you ladies are writing I think its not just me. I am just hoping things getting better soon. This is the worst feeling I have ever had! I will NOT ever go back on the pill if this is the side effects of coming off. The other side effects I have had is weight- almost a steady spot- no loss, Headache (bad enough my GP wants me to follow up with a Neurlogist), and no sex drive. 

I would love to keep reading about peoples progress and I will keep updating as things get better and the WILL get better I mean they have to.

 

I have advised all my friends to get off the BCP as soon as possible. This is just horrible and should be explained as you start it. 

Brandi

 

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Hi, I would like to know how do you feel? Is it better now? Did the Naturopath help you? I am in the same situation...Thank you for your answer! Have a good time, Zuzka

Hi
I came off birth control coming towards the end of Aug 2013 abd about a week or so later I started to feel strange and have done ever since. Some days I feel better than others. Anxiety, irratable and low mood mainly in the mornings. This is so frustrating and just hoping it is my hormones and things will settle soon as it's coming up 2 months now!
How long did you take to feel better and what were your main symtoms?
I was on microgynon for 11 years and had to stop due to migranes

Hi, i came off birth control also on Aug cause I had problems with my breath (now I know it was anxiety) and since the time I feel totaly weird and strange every single day and have many other problems and very strange thoughts...I was on BC for 7 years and then I had new for two weeks which cause me this problems...New feelings which I am having it right now is feeling confused...would you like to talk about it?

All of your posts have eased my mind today. 

 

After being on several birth control pills for acne, I came off dianette in May. Four months later I found myself in a whirlwind of negative and frightening, constant thoughts. This brought on panic: racing heart, shaking, cold head, feeling disassociated and not 'present'. This anxiety is so hard to deal with, as the more you try to push it away, the harder it hits you.

My current advice: do not engage the thoughts, let them 'float' - do your best to laugh at them and be bored of them.

Know that you are not alone, and that this too shall pass. Your hormones and adrenaline levels are so high, and this causes a fear of losing your mind, and are out of control.

Yoga, eating well, taking hormone balancing vitamins and a lot of water is good. You are in charge.

Hi girls! I am in the same situation like all of you. I am 25 years and was on Pramino for 7 years but one day they dont just no more sell it. So I had to change to low hormons Sylviane. I took just for two weeks and it was horibble so I had to stop taking. Since the time it is still horrible!!!I just dont know who I am anymore. I would like to know if anyone of you are scared because of diseases? I am so scared...I know that all of this is because of anxiety but I am so scared...Thank you for your answer! Have a nice day:)

Hello ladies! This discussion has literally been a life saver. I was on Microgynon for 3 years and had to suddenly stop in June 2013 when I was rushed to the doctors with a hemiplegic migraine (thought I was having a stroke!) I was then switched to cerazette. 4 days after starting this bc I had the worst panic attack at work. And because I had never had one before I didn't know what it was and had occurring ones for the rest of the evening and throughout the night (which was not nice as I went on holiday with my boyfriend the next day!) For about 3 months I suffered from severe anxiety and panic attacks. I spent my days feeling weak, shaky, as if I was going to die, had horrific headaches where I thought my head was going to explode. I couldn't eat and lost over half a stone in a month. This all truly ruined my summer! :( I was starting to feel better and becoming myself again until I had a period that lasted 3 weeks. I was then told by my GP to take two pills a day. I have been doing this for the past month and my panic attacks have come back worse, I can't enjoy anything and I'm missing uni (which is important as I'm in my last year). After searching the internet I have found that cerazette can cause anxiety, so mixed in with the symptoms of coming of microgynon I've been unlucky as hell, but am sure I can put this all down to a rapid change in hormones! Got an appointment next month to discuss these issues and see what other options I have. I'm only 20 and not ready for a child so I need bc. Hope this helps for some of you! And if anyone has experienced the same with these two pills can you give me an idea of how long it will take for me to return to normal?