Side effects of stopping the birth control pill...depression?

Hi ladies,

I thought that I would share my latest with you... I'm feeling A LOT better than I was. A quite summary - stopped the Pill (after having taken it for 10 yrs) in November 2007... had my first ever panic attack on December 11th... life was rather up and down after that. I thought I needed anti-anxiety meds which I tried for a few days but I didn't like the way they made me feel. I was taking Ativan, almost daily, for a while there to ease my foggy/fuzzy head. I then started using a compound hormonal cream (progesterone) in mid February and so far, so good :-) I feel WAY better than I did... and I'm not using the Ativan anymore. I can't say that I feel 100% back to my "old" self, but I may never get to that point...but I can definitely say that my days are better and I feel much more normal, which is a nice feeling after feeling crappy for so long! My husband and I even decided to be "carefree" and see what happens...

Overall, I would highly recommend staying away from meds and asking your dr about the hormonal cream way. It's completely natural and without side effects... it's worth a shot for sure!

All the best =)

Hello ladies,

I, too, am so relieved to have found this site.

Here is my story, 32, married, was on Yazmin for over 6 years. Got off 2 weeks ago, and that's WHEN IT STARTED: vertigo, headaches, muscle spasms, tingling, numbness in hands and legs, some burning pain, ANXIETY, paralyzing phobia!

Went to my doctor at the sign of first symptom, then I convinced myself I had MS, so they sent me to 4 more doctors, incl. a neurologist, who sent me to have an MRI of the brain and spine (all normal), and diagnosed anxiety and put me on Xanax (I only took a couple). All that stress while waiting for the MRI results put me in a catatonic state, I could not cry anymore, and stopped eating.

Last week I finally decided to go to a holistic healer that my friends all rave about. Please know that I am skeptical by nature, but what that woman did to me stopped the symptoms in 7 sessions. Cost me about $1,000, but at that point of my depression, I felt it was worth every penny (for those in Los Angeles area, I would be happy to share my healer's info with you).

Now, I am convinced it is the effect of going off the pill, BUT, please go to the doctor and have yourself thoroughly checked out. It will calm you down.

I am not going to get pregnant for a few more months, just to see it if things balance out on their own. Yoga and protein (I had to cut out sugar and my BFF caffeine) has also helped tremendously!

If you need support, please email me at _[removed]_

And please find some girlfriends to fill up your time in the meantime!
Gia

Thought I'd add my experiences. I've never been on the pill, but for around 2 years I was consuming incredible amounts of soy milk, as well as soy products. I stopped because I found that the estrogen in them was making me gain weight around my middle.

I've now gone cold turkey on these for around 3 weeks and I've got exactly the same symptoms that everyone is talking about. I've got the foggiest head (so not normal), and and getting the oiliest face...causing acne (which I've never had before).

Worst however is the depression. I've never ever been depressed in my life but these few weeks I've just been feel 'off'. I'm feeling so alone and stressed out and worried about things. Also, I just feel so demotivated to do anything. I'm feeling pretty ordinary.

I'm guessing that this is just my body readapting. Please someone tell me that it will get better soon! There aren't a lot of messages that say it gets better...which is freaking me out.

On the upside, I've lost my appetite, and feel a little nauseous...so I've lost a but of weight...but I'd rather feel happy on the inside!

:-(

I have been on the pill for 8-9 years. I just came off a month ago. I am experiencing head aches, dry eyes and nausea. Are these things normal? one good thing so far, no middle of the month spotting...

I have to say I'm glad I found this site like the rest of you. I'm 48 years old and have been on bc for 5 years when my new doc wanted me to take less estrogen and prescribed YAZ. After reading the symptoms, I decided not to take it or anything else.

It's been 6 weeks sinc I've been off bc and feel aweful. I'm dizzy, have naseau, heaviness in check, don't feel like myself at all. I loved to go for walks in my neighborhood, but since coming off the pill, I almost pass out from dizziness after 15 minutes. I do hope all this stops as other have said.

Since I'm probably in perimenopause but never felt symptoms because I was on the pill, I'm not getting hot and my face flush a few times a day. For the past 10 months, I also have bad acne that I didn't have before

I went to a local health food store that gave me Menopausal Formula to try. I've only taken it for 2 days so know I need longer to see what happens.

I hope we can all help each other get through the experience of all these symptoms coming off bc.

This website has been very helpful! I went off the pill (Trivora) two weeks ago and the side effects the first week were the worst, EXTREME fatigue, nausea, mood swings and dizziness. Almost thought I was pregnant from the side effects. Now mainly it is just a constant bloated feeling and fogginess, just not feeling myself. Did I mention, increased appetite? I want to eat everything! Well good luck ladies, hopefully these effects won't last too long.

The bloat is horrible! I've been off for only 2 weeks and I have gained 5 pounds which is no doubt water weight. I look exactly like I did when I was pregnant 9 years ago. My stomach is distended as if I were pregnant now (which I assure you I'm not) and my fingers/toes/legs are all swollen. I feel miserable. I'm also very crabby and moody as if I were VERY ppre-menstrual. Anybody else look newly pregnant? Do I have to look and feel like this for months while my body "adjusts?" Help!

:cry: :cry:

I'm really glad i found this site! I went on Yaz in October for vanities sake, to clear up some mild acne. My OBGYN told me that it would help my mood during my period and also clear up my complexion and after four months, i was worse than when i started. My complexion remained the same, and instead of helping my mood, it made me more uptight and moody. I had no problem biting someone's head off, especially people closest to me.

After a particularly bad bought of depression and anxiety, which i had never suffered to that extreme before, i stopped the pill cold turkey. I got my period as usual, but still felt moody, but not to the extreme that made me stop the pill. About a week or so out from my next period, i suddenly became highly anxious, depressed, tired. I would almost have a panic attach, which was followed by a really bad headache. The weird thing is that everything i was feeling seemed to turn off once i got my period and then i would be fine for another three weeks. Then it would start all over again, to a less degree, but still enough to impact my daily life for those few days before my period.

During these bought, i could cry at the drop of a hat, I have increased anxiety when even thinking about going out or talking with my best friends (which has me concerned). I also feel short on patience and could love the person i'm with one minute and feel completely and utterly annoyed with them the next. I just feel on edge and like i'm not myself. I'm sad and angry about being like this because before i went on the pill, i was fine. I would have the occasional anxiety over school or work, but nothing to this extreme. And i would get a little short on patience a day or two before my period, but once again, nothing to this extreme.

I started taking an evening primrose oil about a day ago on the recommendations of some friends, so i hope that helps....has anyone tried this? I've been using adivan to calm me down and help me sleep at night, but i don't want to become reliant on it because i know how highly addictive it can be.

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know! Thanks for reading this overly long e-mail.

Find myself very dizzy at times. I was at the grocery store yesterday and almost fell into the dairy section. I stood there and called my husband just to talk me through it. I'm sitting at the computer now and feel like falling into the computer. I hope this stops soon. These dizzy spells are horrible.

I have been following this website and thread for about 4 months now and I have even met a buddy I communicate with and have referred many people hear to look at whats really going on....
I too was on the pill (ortho tri-cylen lo) for 7 years.. and mid november begininning of December I just stopped the pill- cold turkey- I dont think I even finished the pack. Well like most of you I found out it was a BIG MISTAKE..... My whole life has went from 10 to 0 in a matter of weeks...
2 weeks after I stopped taking the pill I experienced the dizzy spells, I would pack up and leave work because I felt so bad and that I could pass out..I thought something at the job was making me sick, the water, the ice the air, they even put a carbon monoxide detector at my desk...
Then one day it felt as if my heart stopped and started and I got dizzy and felt as if I was going to pass out, I got scarred of course and my heart was racing so so face, my co-workers were scared and called the EMT- who told me I had had a panic attack.... well hmmm- what for....
It wasnt until a co-worker mentioned that I had been acting really crazy and weird the last two weeks- and what had I done because I was not the same person from 2 weeks ago.... I thought about it and remembered- I had stopped taking my BCP's and she said- thats what it is- your hormones are off... and she believed me to be peri-menopause... Well I was fine for the next 2 weeks and then when my 1st cycle off the pill came on- A COMPLETE MELTDOWN.. I couldnt eat or sleep.. I finally made it to my dr and he told me I had general anxiety and gave me a presc for xanax and an 8 month supply of lexapro- to this day 3 almost 4 months later- I have taken not one lexapro and only taken 1 xanax when I couldnt sleep- and it didnt help- I needed to take 2- I am not a pill taker at all so 2 would have never been swallowed....
after the period stopped, I was fine 2 weeks later ovulation time, no panic, just major dizzness and fogginess.... 2 weeks later cycle again and another melt down- not as bad but BAD.. I am now an emotional roller coaster.... ok for a few weeks and the same thing again.... but each period has gotten better and I just had my 4th one and it was almost a home free cycle- I had 1 bad day of anxiety and nervousness... and another day I had come and go symptoms..
The only thing normal is my period- which comes like clockwork, no other problems...
I have seen every doctor under the sun and nothing is wrone with me.. I dont know if thats a good thing or bad thing...
I went to see a homepathic doctor and she has helped me more than any other doctor I have seen...
I found out through test that my vitamin d level was deficient, potassium was low and I am boderline anemic...
Homeo gave me some presc strenght vitamin d and It helped my mood so much...Birth Control pills deplete you of vitamin d, b, your magnesium and calcium... no one ever told me this, I found out through research....
I take now daily, vitamin d, c and magnesium/calcium citrate mix, omega 3 and a multivitamin- well I am supposed to take the omega and multi- but have yet to choke them down-- oh by the way everything is in liquid form...

I just watned to give an update from my last post! I've been to both my OB/GYN and my GP since, and am feeling MUCH better. My OB/GYN checked my thyroid (which was fine) and said that she could prescribe me a light anti-anxiety medicine. I declined and she suggested Fish Oil. I took those for a while, but decided to visit my GP for a full physical just to make sure everything was ok. I did find out that I'm slightly anemic, but other than that, everything else checked out ok. I think getting confirmation from both doctors helped with the constant panic feeling and I'm feeling better every month. No more headaches, no more numbness (which I was assuming were anxiety related), appetite is back to normal, still a little lightheadedness every now and then, but I haven't had a panic attack in about a month and a half. My period still isn't normal, but I think my body is straightening itself out. Hang in there ladies!! :D

Hello Ladies,

Mine is also an update. Looks like most of us are dealing with lots of depression or anxiety or BOTH (in my case). I am also having a terrible time after years on Yasmin, and I hit anxiety, panic attacks, tingling, muscle spasms. I had many many tests done, brain MRI, MRA, blood, nerves, etc. I recommend you do all that to calm down.

Nothing was found in me (thank God), but I am still anxious and depressed, right now it’s been one month since I got off the pill. I am now taking Lexapro, I did not want to take more pills, but I felt I could not function, and my depression was AWFUL.

Someone on here asked why ladies don’t write how they are doing a few months later, I would be willing to guess that they are now ok, it probably takes a few months to rebound, and after that we will not hear from those ladies, as they are now feeling better and moved on. Which is what I wish all of you.

Keep us updated when you do get better, it really helps all of us that are still going though it.

Gia

Hi all,
it's great to read all your experiences.
I stopped taking the pill almost a year ago after taking it for about 14 years (I'm 35) because my husband and I wanted to try for a baby. Well, things came very different!
The first thing I noticed after stopping is that my sex drive increased a lot, however, instead of wanting more sex with my husband I started to become interested in other guys (without actually doing anything). Although I'm not constantly thinking of sex anymore I have still lost almost all my feelings for my husband who I know is a great guy. At first I thought it's just that my body needs to adjust and then everything will come back to normal, but how long should I wait? It's becoming a real strain on our relationship. The idea of starting a family and spending the rest of my life with my husband still makes me panic. On the other hand health wise I have never felt better, and overall I feel much more selfconfident and like a woman. It's just that it confuses me that I can't make out which me is the real me and what I should do!!

I noticed in an older post that someone mentioned women used to get their periods on the full moon! Why is that? I'm interested because (even though I am on birth control now) my period always seems to come on the full moon, or winthin a few days of it.... even my mom noticed! What does this mean?
Also, to all the ladies out there, I think leaving information and responding to eath other on this forum is a great way to help get through the "sickness". I'm sure I will be checking back as I am going off the pill this week (after my period finishes). I have been on 3 different birth control bills, the latter being Ortho-Lo because it has the least or no amount of estrogen in it, which was making me very nausous with the other pills (and I was advised not to take one with estrogen as my mother's breast cancer was estrogen based).

I originally started taking BCP because of my acne, which was painful and didn't respond to topicals or antibiotics (which also gave me yeast infections :'( ). The BCP worked wonders for me. My mood became regulated, my acne has times where it is non-existant, and my periods have no longer been accompanied by excrutiating night sweats on the night of my period or debilitating cramps throughout.

After 5 years, I have decided to stop AGAIN however because I have been experiencing pinching in my legs, and tingliness, which I am afraid may be signs of developing clots (I'm only 25!). I say again because I tried to "quit" last year but felt so crappy that I went back on the pill. Almost immediately after stopping the pill I noticed that my appitite changed and I was gaining weight. I couldn't sleep and was experiencing aweful nightmares. Has anyone else had that happen? A girlfriend told me she'd heard of the nightmare thing as being a reaction to coming off of the pill.

...And my acne came back- really strong. The worst thing was I felt my mood slipping. I am a very happy go-lucky person, very into outdoors and excersizing and spending time with my honey. Last year it was just too much to bare and I started the pill again.

I'm really scared about what is going to happen, but I feel that I should stop the BCP and once I do no more ever! I've talked to my bf about what happened to me last time, and am reading up on vitamins I should replace after stoping the BCP. I feel like I'm preparing for my body to go to war... but I just don't want to feel like that again!

Any recommendations???

Yes lots and lots of hints...
I know that war zone oh so well......
First get a nice multi-vitamin.... and start taking it
take some vitamin d ( bcp deplete your body of this I was at 8 and the normal is 30 when I came off- but I dont do milk products )
Get a magnesium/calcium CITRATE supplement... and take it everyday...
get plenty of rest and exercise......
I suggest going to the doctor and getting all your blood work done... check vitamin, d, b, c and potassium levels and get your hormone levels checked as well.... the whole kit and kaboodle... I say this because when I first got sick and my test results were normal- I kept getting you are in normal range of someone your age- well they had nothing to compare it to... So get yours before you come off the pill, so if you do start to have any of these peoples like last time or what some of us ladies have been through, you can go back and get your blood work tested again and see if there is any difference and I am sure there will be..
No I am no doctor, but I been living in this body 36 years now and I dont care what medical school you went to or how long you went to school YOU DONT KNOW MY BODY.... Those cardavers you practiced on- werent me and there are alot of differences between us one being- HE/SHE is DEAD I am still LIVING AND BREATHING ... and going through hormonal HELL....
As you can see I am frustrated by this, I dont know what to do.
Maltija-- I was on ortho tricyclen lo for 7 years straight and I have taken i prior to that on and off for several years and never experienced the problems I am now...
I now have bad acne- and never had a problem with it before.. only a pimple or two on cycle week... feel free to email me if you would like any more info---- _[removed]_...
good luck- this is a great place to be and find out all kinds of info

It's now been about 10 weeks now that I've been off the pill.

I'm taking my multi-vitamin plus added a vitamin b-complex.

Finally, the symptoms are going away. I haven't been dizzy in over 2 weeks. The pimples are still coming and going but aren't as bad as before.

I think as weeks go by, all the symptoms I first felt should be slowly going away.

Thanks to everyone here for sharing.