Are you thinking about stopping your birth control? If you’re like most women, you probably started using birth control at some point in your teen’s or early 20’s. There are many different reasons why you may have started using birth control in the first place, besides pregnancy prevention. And you may want to stop using it for a variety of different reasons too. Whatever your reason, there are some things you should know about stopping your birth control before you make any changes.
Here are some things you can expect when getting off birth control.
Your period might be a little weird at first
If you decide to stop your birth control, it may take a few months for your periods to start up again. Even if you had pretty regular cycles before you started birth control, it can take some time for them to normalize again. You may also have spotting in between periods and longer or shorter periods than usual. For women who had irregular cycles prior to birth control, your body will probably go back to having irregular periods.
You should also expect your period to become heavier than it was while you were on birth control. Birth control tends to make your period lighter and some women will have their period stop altogether. The return of heavy periods and cramping are common when stopping birth control.
PMS symptoms can return
One of the benefits of most birth control products is they can lessen and sometimes stop certain PMS symptoms from happening around your period. Hormonal birth controls level out your hormones which makes you feel less irritable and depressed. When you stop taking those hormones, your mood swings can come back. You might feel more crampy and bloated around your period too. If your birth control has the tendency to cause headaches, they may go away when you stop taking it.
Our Total PMS capsules are the perfect blend of vitamins and nutrients to help counteract those annoying PMS symptoms and regulate your natural cycle.
Your body might change
Some women might experience some weight gain and breast enlargement when using certain forms of birth control. Stopping birth control can cause you to lose any weight you may have gained and can shrink your breasts back down to their pre-birth control size.
Birth control also helps treat acne by leveling out your hormones. When you stop, the acne can return as your hormones begin to fluctuate again.
Hair loss or hair gain can happen
Birth control can cause changes in your hair. Some forms of birth control contain hormones that slow down the rate at which you lose hairs on your head. When you stop taking those hormones, your hair loss can accelerate over the next several months.
When you stop birth control, your body may produce more of a hormone called androgen. Androgen can cause coarse, dark hair to start growing on your face, chest, and back.
How to stop taking birth control
Before stopping any birth control, it’s best to have a discussion with your healthcare provider. They’ll be able to walk you through how to stop your birth control and if there are any side effects you should expect.
If you’re stopping the pill, patch, or ring – You can stop taking or using these hormonal birth controls at any time, you don’t have to wait until the end of your cycle. Your periods may be off for a while but it should begin to normalize by 3 months.
If you’re stopping with an implant or IUD – You’ll have to make an appointment with your healthcare provider to have them remove it. Once they take it out, you can expect your period to start within the next four weeks. You may have some spotting and cramping in the meantime.
If you’re stopping the birth control shot – When you’re on the shot, you typically have to go into your provider’s office once every three months to receive the injection. There’s nothing you can do to counteract the shot once you’ve received it, you’ll just have to wait for its effects to wear off at the end of the three month time period. It may take up to 10 months for your fertility to return depending on how your body reacts to the shot.
How soon can I get pregnant after stopping birth control?
How quick your fertility returns after stopping birth control is going to depend on which form of birth control you were on and how long it takes your body to begin ovulating again. Hormonal birth controls, like the pill, patch, or ring, can take about 1 to 3 months for your fertility to return. If you’re on progestin-only pills, fertility returns pretty quickly and you could become pregnant within a month of stopping. Most women who are trying to get pregnant are able to conceive within a year of stopping their hormonal birth control. For implants and IUD’s, once the device is removed, ovulation returns quickly. Many women will be able to get pregnant starting a month after removal. Stopping the birth control shot can take the longest for ovulation to restart. For some women, the wait can be as long as 10 months.
If you’re looking for a natural cleanse to help support your body’s detox from birth control, try our Birth Control Cleanse capsules. Chaste Tree Berry and B vitamins help your body return to your pre-birth control self.
If you’re thinking about stopping your birth control, the best thing you can do is to have a conversation with your healthcare provider. They can help you understand what to expect and provide guidance on the best way to stop your birth control method safely. It’s important to be patient and gentle with yourself during this transition. If you experience uncomfortable symptoms like acne, PMS, or hair loss, there are natural solutions available to help ease the transition. Supplements can help support your body’s natural detox process and restore balance to your hormones. By taking care of your body during this transition, you can help ensure a smooth return to your natural cycle.