Anonymous wrote:I'm planning to go off for a variety of reasons (I'm 45, pregnancy is off the table obviously!).

If you were on birth control for a long time, what happened when you went off of it? What bodily changes and experiences did you have? How long did they last?

Have fun having a baby at 46.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went off at 46 and had period cramps, acne, and heavier periods that got very irregular. I had been on BC since my early 20s and hadn’t had period cramps since then so they were pretty jarring. Went on HRT at 47 and am now 6 months without a period.

Thanks! This could have been me but I haven’t been on HRT yet. Ugh, the chin acne from going off the pill after 20 years on it. Ugh. Plus heavier periods. Pp— Why did u go on hrt? Curious

This is PP. I went on HRT because of hot flashes and joint pain. And I was intrigued by the bone health, brain health, and cardiovascular benefits. So far it’s been great and I’ve had some unexpected benefits, like hair regrowth and thickening. I had experienced a lot of thinning in the last couple of years and it has reversed. And the vaginal estrogen has helped with utis and urinary frequency and urgency.

OP how is pregnancy "off the table?"

Anonymous wrote:I’ve got a 24 day cycle and my periods are a lot heavier. Not bad enough to go back on BC though.

+1. Periods closer together and for the first few months I broke out a little. Things have settled in now. Period is every 24 days and heavy for 2 then gone.

Doctor said I could stay on the pill until 50. At 49 1/2 my "periods" on the pill went from being very light to non existent. So I went off it and never had a period again. Couple of months of night sweats but otherwise fine.

Anonymous wrote:I went off at 46 and had period cramps, acne, and heavier periods that got very irregular. I had been on BC since my early 20s and hadn’t had period cramps since then so they were pretty jarring. Went on HRT at 47 and am now 6 months without a period.

Thanks! This could have been me but I haven’t been on HRT yet. Ugh, the chin acne from going off the pill after 20 years on it. Ugh. Plus heavier periods. Pp— Why did u go on hrt? Curious

I went on Lipitor instead of stopping pill

Very inconsistent periods with terrible PMS-type symptoms that did not go away for weeks at a time (perimenopause). My OB cautioned it would happen and she was right... this was 10 years ago before perimenopause was getting so much attention.

Heavy periods which turned out to be fibroids (but was early 50s). Back on a progesterone only pill, will attempt going off this fall, and see if I'm in menopause (with 18 months on the progesterone only pill, only 2 periods). Hoping for no bleeding at all and fibroids gone. Otherwise, I will need to have surgery

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dunno about "obviously". I went off at 44. Expecting a baby in October.

Yeah, one of the dumber comments I’ve read on here. I know of two women who got pregnant in their late ‘40s.

44 is not late 40s

I became pregnant. Ultimately miscarried at 12 weeks.

Outside of that -- monthly periods are normal. However, I've never had any period issues.