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About two years ago I came off the mini pill. I came off the pill after 10 years of taking it.
Why?
Well, I was concerned about all the chemicals present in the pill. I can definitely say that I have never felt great when being on the pill. I was bloated quite regularly whilst on the pill, for example.
Coming off the mini pill was the best decision I have ever made. Though I experienced many side effects of coming off the pill.
I’ll tell you about the side effects of coming off the pill, or those that I experienced. I will also tell you what I did to deal with those side effects.
And if you want some tips on natural solutions to common skin problems in a handy PDF, grab my FREE guide here.
Some of the ways I dealt with coming off the mini pill might surprise you. Or not.
On this page you will find:
-
How does the contraceptive pill work?
- Why you might consider coming off the pill
- Acne after coming off the pill
- Thinning hair after coming off the pill
- Bloating after coming off the pill
- Periods when coming off the mini pill and the pill
- Conclusion
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Photo by danilo.alvesd on Unsplash
How does the contraceptive pill work?
It depends, which pill you are on.
The mini pill contains progestogen only. Progestogen works like progesterone, so there is no oestrogen in this pill. There is no break when taking the mini pill. It is recommended that you take the mini pill at the same time every day.
The combined contraceptive pill, like Lucette, contains oestrogen (the female hormone) and progesterone (the male hormone). With the combined pill you take a 7-day break from taking it. This is the week when you will have your 'period'. I say 'period' because it is a synthetic period created by the pill.
As with the mini pill, it is recommended that you take the combined pill at the same time every day.
Why you might consider coming off the pill
First thing’s first – coming off the pill is your choice, and your choice only. There might be many reasons why you are on the pill in the first place.
It may be that the pill helps relieve period pain; it may help acne (it did for me); or you are taking it purely as a contraceptive.
But like me, you might be wondering what are all those chemicals in the pill? How does that affect me? The pill is not exactly good for you.
It could be that you have tried all the pills possible and your body still doesn’t like it. I did that too.
Think about it like this: if it was not a really useful contraceptive, would you be on the pill?
If the answer is no, then you can only deal with a considerate partner who will understand this and put you first. And that’s the only kind of partner worthy of your time, anyway.
Another reason why you might come of the pill is that, like me, you can't be bothered with the faff of taking a tablet at the same time every day. Life gets in the way, and I missed my pill too many times to count.
Seems trivial, but don't you have enough to deal with already?
So, if you are considering coming off the pill, below are some side effects of coming off the pill after prolonged use. The side effects I experienced, anyway.
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Acne after coming off the pill
Having read up on this, I found that acne after coming off the pill is quite common. You are more likely to get acne after coming off the pill if you were using the pill to relieve acne.
Oddly enough, I found blemishes to be the worst around my chin and neck. Some people might call this hormonal acne, but its just acne.
How I dealt with acne after coming off the pill
Now I never had acne on my neck before this, so it was a new thing for me. I didn’t buy expensive creams to treat acne after coming off the pill.
This might be the mistake of many.
I went to the doctor who prescribed me a gel, that worked. It was not cheap, but not expensive either, but more importantly, it was effective. The gel was also prescribed by a medical professional.
Those creams you buy from a shop like Boots have not been created by a medical professional.
What do they know?
Well, they know how to market so you’ll buy their stuff.
I decided I cannot rely on the medication forever. I stopped using the gel prescribed by the doctor. Yes, I did get a few flareups here and there. But slowly (with a lot of patience) and some sulphur soap, my skin has settled and is much better now.
This was my experience. It doesn’t mean you will get bad skin after coming off the pill.
Thinning hair after coming off the pill
My hair changed very quickly after coming off the pill. It got worse. My hair became thin. The ends of my hair were dry and brittle. I had to keep cutting my hair because it looked so horrible. And I’m not good with short hair.
How I dealt with thinning hair after coming off the pill
Shortly after I noticed my hair change, and not in a good way, I went to the doctor again. The doctor seemed clueless and advised me that thinning hair coming off the pill is not a side effect. Well, it is. I was experiencing it.
I realised I am going to get nowhere with the doctor. Though you should always check. Checking with the doctor first can often save you time and money.
I did a lot of research into this and tried out all the recommendations available. What worked for me for healthy hair was this:
Henna hair mask. I do these henna hair masks regularly for thicker hair
Castor and coconut oil hair mask. I do this hair mask every week
Taking a lot of B vitamins. I found a lot of the B vitamins in brewer’s yeast and black treacle. I think these low cost and natural ingredients have done wonders for my hair.
For more information on the benefits of brewer's yeast and benefits of black treacle, read my helpful articles.
Bloating after coming off the pill
I know bloating after coming off the pill can be one of the side effects. Though I experienced the opposite.
My bloating significantly reduced. I felt much better in myself after coming off the pill. For me this was one of the positive effects of coming off the pill.
Periods when coming off the mini pill and the pill
You might experience heavier, lighter or irregular periods whilst your body adjusts. Your menstrual cycle can take a while to get back to normal after stopping taking the pill. Every person is different.
One of the mains reasons I came of the pill was because I didn’t like the idea of taking a tablet full of chemicals for most of my life. I didn’t like the idea of being affected by these various chemicals. I didn’t even know the extent of the effects of these chemicals on my body.
But I knew I no longer wanted to be part of that. And I am so glad I came off the pill.
Now for me, it took about 2 years for the effects of coming off the pill to wear off. My skin and hair are more back to normal now. I would definitely say that when coming off the pill, patience might be key.
Yes, there were times when I thought: I can’t do this, I’ll just go back on the pill. But then I though, all that hard work and suffering for nothing. So, I carried on. Besides, for me, despite the skin and hair side effects, I actually felt better when I can off the pill. That was the motivation I needed to carry on.
The contraceptive pill is meant to avoid pregnancy, so consider alternative birth control options. This makes sure you are looking after your reproductive health.
Personally, I think all the other birth control methods sound pretty horrible. But do your research and speak to your doctor.
Conclusion: coming off the pill is not easy, but it might be worth it
For me coming off the pill was definitely worth it. If you are considering coming off the pill, then at least you’ll know what to expect. Know that you are not alone. If you have been off the pill for a while and are experiencing side effects, then know that they will end, and you will be better for it.
And if you have experienced similar or different side effects to coming off the pill, share with me so that more women know what to expect.
Why trust The Clear Sky?
I am an educator and l am passionate about providing people with information about the beauty industry so they can be empowered to make an informed choice when spending their money. I take time to research beauty products. I recommend beauty products that are non toxic, have natural ingredients and often plastic free.
With over a decade of personal experience using natural ingredients for skin, hair and body I also provide many beauty tips which are simple, innovative and sustainable.
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