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The introduction of a birth control method into your body – aside from condoms, of course – will likely mean observable changes to it, too. It is true whether you choose pills like Ortho-Tri Cyclen Lo, vaginal rings, intrauterine devices, or shots. The changes can include tender breasts, nausea, and weight gain, to name a few.
It then makes sense that when you stop taking any of these birth control methods, your body will also change. But since everybody is different, your reactions will be different, so it’s best to discuss these matters with your doctor if you have lingering concerns.
Increased Chances for Pregnancy
Please don’t be complacent that it will take a long time to become pregnant after stopping the pill because it isn’t so.
Research has shown that pregnancy rates for women who stopped taking the medication and women who used barrier methods (e.g., condoms) are almost the same.
In addition, 96% of women who previously used the pill became pregnant within a year after stopping!
Irregular Menstrual Cycles
Before taking the pill, patch, or shots, your menstrual cycle may have been regular, like clockwork.
But when you stop taking it, you may experience an irregular process, which can take a few months before it can become stable again.
But if you had irregular periods pre-pill and then enjoyed regular periods during the pill, you will probably experience a wacky cycle again.
A reliable schedule, or rather the long breaks between periods, is due to the synthetic hormones in the pill.
If your period completely stopped, as is the case for shots, it may take a few months for them to come back. Your regular periods will then come back, and so will your chances for pregnancy.
Issues with Periods
Due to the withdrawal of the hormones from the pills, shots, or patches, you’ll likely have some issues with your menstruation like:
- Heavier menstrual flow with more abdominal cramps and lower back pain
- The pre-menstrual syndrome may also come back; the pill usually contains ingredients that reduce feelings of irritability, depression, and anxiety.
- Weight loss can happen, typically among women who use progestin-only pills, injections, and IUDs. (But don’t go off the medication to lose weight since a healthy diet and exercise plan is far more effective)
- Unwanted face and body hair and acne may return. The pill also works in correcting hormone imbalances.
- Headaches may disappear
- Libido may increase, although only in a small percentage of women. On the other hand, the majority of women report a decreased libido.
Before stopping the pill, it would be best to seek your doctor’s approval for safety reasons. Then, at the very least, you can anticipate these changes and deal with them better.