anxiety attacks after stopping birth control

I'm so happy I'm not alone here! I have been freaking myself out to the point of more panic attacks! I was on the pill for a little over a year and I got off because it made me nausea all the time. But this is definitely worse. Does going back on birth control help? I have a gyno appointment soon and I'm not sure what to do!

Hi ladies! I know this forum is about two years old now but this is still a current issue. I stopped birth control about 7 weeks ago and it has been the worst thing I've been through so far. The first 3 weeks being off birth control I had cramps, headaches, nausea and was very emotional I thought I was pregnant and took a test about every week, all of which were negative. Then it finally dawned on me that it was because I stopped birth control. Those physical symptoms started going away the week before my period but something worse came...anxiety. I woke up one morning having a full blown panic attack which I've never had before! I thought I had pneumonia or some kind of heart problem... I went to see a doctor about all of the things I've been going through and they are oblivious or hiding something about the effects that birth control has on your body! I got no solution except to go see a counselor and pay 200 dollars a session, no way!! The anxiety got worse, it would come on randomly while eating, driving and even spending time with people. It then switched to a disconnected feeling where I couldn't feel any happiness just anger and sadness, I felt like I was in a dream every day I woke up or should I say nightmare. I didn't even remember conversations I would have with people sometimes... I came across this forum and felt relief that a lot of you have found comfort and started to heal and go back to your normal self. I recently started having better days. But yesterday I had coffee because I've been craving it since I stopped drinking it to help my anxiety... I definitely regret that considering today the disconnected feeling is back! ITS TRUE STAY AWAY FROM CAFFEINE. Well I hope if I continue to do that then it will get better. I will come back and let all you ladies know when I recover. Best luck to all! If you have an suggestions for me, let me know!

I would not recommend going back on as many of these women have tried to do that and ended up having worse symptoms on it and trying to get off again wouldn't be helpful. I know it's a hard battle, but let your body heal. It needs to flush out those toxic hormones from your liver! Take it easy, talk to someone about what you're going through and remind yourself you will get through this. Keep living life as you would, surround yourself with people. Most importantly drink LOTS of water!

Hello everyone....I am experiencing the same symptoms right now...(nausea, anxiety attacks, migraines, ups and downs) it is turning my life upside-down...affecting my job, my marriage, MY LIFE!..I got off the pills 5 weeks ago after 3 years of taking them because of high blood pressure....the OBGYN assured me that getting off the pill will not have side effects...needless to say that was not true. Can someone please tell me how long are these side effects going to last and what can I do to feel better...I am seeing a neurologist because of the migraines. They just wont stop! and I and tired, so tired...please help! how much longer???

Hello everyone. I commented on this post a while ago. I'm now at 3 months (beginning the fourth month) after the beginning of the symptoms (extreme anxiety) and I'm feeling so much better. No more anxiety attacks, I can function as I normally did. However, I still have weird feelings that I eventually learned to control, unusual fatigue and a feeling of nervousness that is almost always there.
Courage! It will pass eventually, and each day you overcome is one step closer to your recovery. I STRONGLY suggest going to see a naturopath or/and a psychologist/psychotherapist if you can afford it! Also, m-e-d-i-t-a-t-e.
I have to say that this experience was super (super.) hard but I learned so many things from it that I feel grateful afterall.

Hey ladies. I'm glad I found this forum. I had been posting on another "feeling depressed after birth control." There are only a couple other girls that are active on there so it's unfortunate but still comforting to read your stories.

I'll be 9 months off the pill on the 26th. I was on a low diasage pill (microgestin) for about 2-1/2 years. This was a pill you could take everyday to not have a period or skip a week to have a period. I chose to have a period for the first 1-1/2 years. Then decided to take the pill all the way through the last few months or so. The problem is I went back and forth.. not having a period for 2 months then deciding to have a period the next month, I think that may be what contributed to my body finally going haywire.

First off I gained about 35-40 pounds while on the pill. Now that I look back I slowly started to change while on the pill personality wise, I became less active physically, always tired, stressed out easily, nervous, and bloated.

It wasn't until my last 6 months on the pill that I really started to feel strange. Out of no where one day I got a hot flash and heart palpitations, it scared the c**p out of me, I had no idea what anxiety or panic attacks were. 2 months later and still in the pill, I stsrted to feel unhappy and strange, like a haze was over me. I also had really bad sinus issues, my sinus felt very dry. So I stopped the pill, thinking maybe that's why I felt so crummy.

The same week I stopped I woke up with a plugged ear, i had my first full fledged panic attack that sent me to the ER 2 weeks later. My ear was plugged for a month, and now I still struggle with ETD, where my ear fluctuates from feeling full and needing to pop. The docs don't have many answers some say it's allergies, I've looked up online that it can be tied to hormones as well. I've read on other forums where women have gone through the same n how birth control gave them allergies.

I went through severe anxiety my first 4 months off the pill. Months 2-3 were the worst, I would cry and feel hopeless and never knew or understood depression until this experience. I had tension headaches everyday for the first 5 months, stiff neck knots in my shoulder areas, body aches. My hair fell out for 6 months straight. I also developed a food/chemical intolerance. Anything that had to be injested I was having a reaction to. I had to go gluten free, no dairy, no sugar, no caffeine. Even eating meat feels too heavy at times.

It does get better, the first 4 months were the hardest, but you feel the anxiety lifting little by little very gradually when it's your time to start to heal. Most women feel worse around ovulation or on their periods. My anxiety always comes back hard while on my period. Supplements do help, eating a whole food diet, and staying away from alcohol n caffeine will make you feel better.

Good non-synthetic vitamins to take for hormonal imbalance are whole food multi-vitamin, maca, ashawaganda(will help with stress levels), B-vitamin, oceans 3(healthy hormones fish oil). Since they are natural they can be a bit pricey but they've helped a ton. Probiotic is must, BC throws our gut flora off.

Sorry about the long post, but there is no short response or post with all the stuff BC has put my mind and body through. I've been off 8-1/2 months, haven't had a panic attack in 4 months. Anxiety is almost non existent most days these days,it's true that you start to see more good days than bad, but I still struggle around my menstrual cycle and my left ear messes with me where I feel the constant need to swallow to clear my ear.

My post pill symptoms were:

Sinus/ear issues
Food intolerances/ allergies caffeine sugar
Vericose veins
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Insomnia
Heart palpitations
Inflammation
Acne
Hair loss
Depression
Nervousness/startle easily
Digestion issues(could be caused by stress or pill)
Daily tension headaches
Stiff neck back
Chest tightening
Tight throat

I honestly feel like I've left some out. I hope other girls haven't been hit as hard as I have from BC, don't let my story discourage you, most women are better within the first year. I've been feeling better n better with each period that I have. I know how frustrating and stressful this can all be when all you want to do is feel better!

Hi! I really relate to several of your symptoms with the panic attacks, migraines, stiff neck and shoulders, nervousness, food intolerances, nausea, etc. I have been off birth control for over 3 months now and it slowly seems to get better but sometimes it gets really bad. I really hope you keep posting month to month about how you are doing, it helps to know that you are getting better in hopes that I will too. Thank you!

Please tell me how you got over this? Please I'm miserable and surrering so badly with panick and anxiety attacks

This is how I feel and no one understands at all. Everyone around me keeps saying, deep breaths and it will be okay. But I'm so miserable. I hate my Life now. I will be surprised if I have a job soon as they happen at work and I have to walk out. My partner seems angry that I feel this way.
I'm sick every morning with the fear of panic attacks happening. Thinking of a happy place doesn't work!! Counting to 10 doesn't work.
I scream in my car... I cry so much I can't breath. I feel like I'm loosing my mind. I forgot how I use to feel!! I feel this is how I will always be, upset and a mess everyday! I don't eat as I'm worried I'm giving my body more to throw up. I drink water to try and stay full in a day. I think mad thoughts and I don't see a good outcome. The doctors won't help, they never told me that coming off the pill would do this to me, Iv been off it for 6 months now and it feels like the anxiety and attacks are just getting worse. Please if anyone can help. I need it. I'm desperate.

How long were you on birth control before?

I have been dealing with this for the past 3 years. I had to finally go on anxiety meds to help me with the symptoms. I am finally starting to feel like I can transition off my meds now. Email me and we can chat about it! I have a support group that I can add you to as well

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I'm almost 10 months off. My anxiety didn't start to slowly lift until my 4th month. I felt horrible until my 7th month, but it was still getting better when compared to the first 4 months being off the pill.

My allergies and food sensitivities are pretty much gone and my ear is now clear(had ETD for 9 months, could be allergy or hormone related) but the stress this entire ordeal has put on me is what bugs me the most now. Mentally I am better, but snapping my body out of stress mode has been a challenge.

I truly feel your pain, and unfortunately the only healer is time and watching what you eat as foods and supplements can trigger anxiety or allergies. I only feel anxiety the week of my period, but I used to have it 24/7. The only thing that calmed me were Valium or xanex, but that's not a permanent fix.

This was the hardest thing I've ever had to go through honestly, and I'm still traumatized by it all, but I know I keep getting better and that's what keeps me going. That and reading other girls success stories.

Have you had a period yet? With each cycle I had I started to have more normal days after the 4th month. I have completly lost my faith in doctors, they believe the cure to everything are anti depressants, which in some cases are needed, but they should be handed out with more caution being that they can at times make things worse if your mind and body can't sync with a certain pill or dose which can set back your healing even further.

Detoxing, anything you can do to relax(tea yoga acupuncture baths) DIET, and good whole food supplements will help but they are no magic cure and can add up in cost. Look up candida also, the pill wreaks havoc on our gut. anxiety and panic, brain fog are listed as some of the many symptoms. They say health starts in the gut so maybe try a probiotic and natural aloe Vera juice daily to stregnrth your digestive system and overall organ function.

I really hope you feel better, it does get better for most, everyone is different, and depending on how long you were on the pill whether you had periods or not, plus your overall health will play into factor. Keep your head up.

Look up reviews on Amazon for Oceans 3 healthy hormones, it's a natural high quality fish oil that helps to stabilize hormones. It's helped me and I wish I would've taken it sooner than when I did.

I have had 3 periods since off birth control, they are not steady cycles but I am having them. Like you, my anxiety gets much worse before my period. I started taking ashwangdha last week which is an ingredient in Oceans 3 it seems to help most days, but sometimes it does nothing.
Yes I do agree that I lost my faith in doctors, my doctor recommended getting back on birth control. Also many doctors I've talked to told me there is no correlation between getting off BCP and all my symptoms, but clearly to all of us it is real. I just wish they heard what we said and did something about it.
So instead of paying hundreds of dollars in hospital bills now I'm just putting my money towards supplements to see which one works best.
I am slowly getting better, my anxiety comes and goes instead of every day. The biggest problem for me is that I can't get my brain fog to be lifted. It affects my memory and my every day tasks. I work and am going to nursing school so it is taking a huge toll on all of it.
I also have lower pelvic cramping every day and I can't seem to figure out what to help it.
But I will post my progress as the months go by.
I've had some really good support systems and some people who think I'm crazy. This is definitely the hardest thing I've been through. Thank you for your reply and explaining! I will definitely try some detoxing methods to see if any of those will help.

I have been off the BC for almost 2 years. IT'S BEEN HORRIBLE. ever since I got off I got everything water retention, mood swings, irritability, at the beginning not be able to be "calm", not feeling myself, intrusive thoughts random bad thoughts, anxiety,panic,fear, scared to even have thoughts avoiding certain things.

The first few months were horrible...Did I get better? Yes, I have improved but I have like 70% more to go I'm still dealing with anxiety, intrusive thoughts, OCD and confessing thoughts it has changed me a lot. Will I get better? Yes, I have faith but my journey is taking long. I had a huge relapse yesterday it is before my period so I kind of get it got frustrated and cried on and off for like 12 hours. Just mainly disappointed that it's taking so long and I just don't know how to "forget" all that's happen and how I've been thinking and acting these past 2 years. I know I'm not going to wake up tomorrow and feel 100% but I feel with every passing day it will work out.

My advice as I've tried acupuncture and anti-depressants. The anti-depressants didn't help me at all I tried two different ones and different doses. Nothing. Either I am anti-depressant drug resistant (I didn't get side effects or improvement).

The three things to follow:
1. Have faith it will take time and a lot of inner strength to fight thru you will have your "I'm getting better days" and then "your I'm never going to get better I'm different, I can't do this...why me?!" type of days.

2. Repair gut flora..A lot of probiotics and not the cheap ones do research on high-quality ones. I'm doing research please share if you find. I believe Bio-K yogurt is good.
Don't just take one or just for one month and expect to be fine. Take one long-term maybe several months. It will be costly but worth it!
3. Spend money on high-quality multi-vitamin and Omega 3 someone here recommended oceans 3 healthy hormones (omega-3). I take "Garden of life" multivitamin" they are whole food based not synthetic cheap quality stuff you buy at your local grocery.

4. EXERCISE EVERYDAY (when ur heart is pumping and your sweating) type of workout. Not yoga, or just weights really get your body pumped up until your sweating and excreting toxins.

5. Please research phytoestrogens there's food that contain it and it mimics estrogen in your body try to limit your contact with it. Also, try to avoid plastic water bottle. GLASS ALWAYS BETTER. Also, don't drink water from a hot plastic water bottle you leave in car super unhealthy.

6. Find a hobby or activity to distract yourself.

7. Journal every day. How you feel, your hopes, your dreams...etc.

8. For those with insurance please take advantage of seeing a therapist. I was going and it helps at least understand how your brain is functioning.

9. Look up "Sole water" treatment which is what I'm currently doing...my mom told me just recently it just basically puts minerals back in your body. I add magnesium drops to it too.

10. Watch what you eat stay away from processed food, high sugars and eat lots of greens. Please if you eat meat try to invest a little more in organic meats with low fat.

11. I think our bodies are in need of SERIOUS repair and taking these steps would help taking all these steps is hard especially since we have to do it long-term to fix it, I myself have not been following them all but I NEED TO and I'm setting my mind to do it. Perhaps if I had done all this earlier I would have been much better. My triglyerides level are really kind of high (not sure if it's me) or caused by the anti-depressant I was taking so I def need to be strict with diet etc. and my vitamin D is low and if you google low vitamin D levels even something so small as low vitamin D can cause many mood shifts and depression etc.

I have a support chat with Dana, *she is in this forum. Message me here your phone numbers and I will add u guys or emails.

I am curious how long you took birth control? I only took BCP for 7 months and only 3-4 months off. Also did you have a period the first month you get off? I would love the extra support 

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