10 Things That May Happen to Your Body When You Stop Birth Control

In general, if your period is wonky three months after you stop any form of birth control, it’s a good idea to check in with your doctor. If you used hormonal birth control, then you may have a condition called post-pill amenorrhea, which prevents your body from creating the hormones it needs to ovulate and have a period. The name is a bit misleading because amenorrhea can happen when you stop any form of combined hormonal birth control—not just pills.² It sounds scary, but this doesn’t happen to many people. And if you don’t get your period, your doctor can recommend treatment to induce ovulation.²

4. Or if you had hellish periods, those might return.

When you stop hormonal birth control and your hormones are adjusting, your period (once it returns) may feel different. That means if you suffered from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and typically got moody or hungry—but birth control lessened the effect—those symptoms may start up again.

And if you started birth control to tame a heavy, painful period, going off it will likely bring those side effects back—but sometimes to a lesser extent, Dr. Kickham says. And it might take a few cycles for your periods to get worse if you’re someone who is susceptible to a hellish period in the first place.

If your period wasn’t so bad before you went on hormonal birth control, then your cycle should not get worse once you stop. “If it does, you should see a physician to find out why it’s happening,” Dr. Kickham says.

5. You may have hormonal headaches.

Changes in estrogen levels can cause headaches and, more severely, trigger migraine attacks in people who have the condition, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. So if you went on birth control to manage hormone-related headaches or migraine, there’s a chance your head pain could return. For folks who get hormonal headaches or who have menstrual migraine, attacks generally happen a few days before menstruation and during the period.³

6. Or you may experience fewer headaches.

Since hormonal changes can cause headaches, some people may start getting headaches after going on hormonal birth control but never make the connection. Oftentimes the headaches subside after your body becomes accustomed to the hormones, but that’s not always the case.⁴ For example, “If you’re a headachy person, you might notice an improvement when you come off the pill,” Dr. Kickham says. “I’ve had patients with low-level headaches and they never really mentioned it to me until they went off and noticed they suddenly have relief,” she says.

7. You may notice a difference in your sex drive.

It’s generally hard to research sex drive because there are so many factors that can influence a person’s libido (read all about those here). Researchers have studied whether combination or progestin-only birth control affects sex drive, but the results have been mixed.

Anecdotally, some people say any type of hormonal birth control affects their sex drive, while others don’t notice a difference in desire. So if you are struggling to figure out why your sex drive has plummeted and it very much bothers you, you should pay close attention to any possible changes after deciding to go off birth control, SELF previously reported.

8. Your boobs may look or feel different.

Some people retain more fluid while they are on hormonal birth control, potentially leading to some physical changes like breasts, hips, and thighs that appear fuller, according to the Mayo Clinic. Hormonal birth control can also cause breast tenderness, so you may notice that your boobs don’t ache or that they look a tad bit less full when you go off of your contraception.

9. Your blood pressure may change.

If you’ve ever looked up the side effects for combination birth control, you may have noticed that high blood pressure is usually listed. That’s because hormonal birth control, particularly types that contain estrogen, can potentially increase blood pressure, according to ACOG. Of course, not everyone experiences changes in blood pressure while on birth control. It’s also possible that your blood pressure may have increased only slightly, so it didn’t raise any red flags during physical exams. But all of this could explain any dips in blood pressure after stopping hormonal birth control.

10. You may experience breakouts.

Estrogen can reduce the amount of sebum, which is a waxy, oily substance produced by your skin to help it stay moisturized.⁵ But excess sebum, which can return once you stop hormonal birth control, can also lead to acne if it blocks the openings of your pores.⁶ That’s why some brands of hormonal birth control are FDA-approved to treat acne. If you were on birth control to help treat acne or if your complexion suddenly became blemish-free while on birth control, there’s a chance you may start breaking out again.

What to know about stopping birth control safely

It’s always a good idea to talk to your prescribing doctor before making any sudden medication changes. That said, unless you’re using birth control as part of your treatment plan to manage a health risk or condition, it’s not inherently dangerous to stop using your birth control if you have the ring or patch, take pills, or receive injections, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Getting your hormonal implant or IUD removed requires a medical appointment, as you should absolutely never try to remove those devices yourself. In any situation, talking to a doctor you trust can help you transition off birth control and help you understand what comes next.

Sources:

1. StatPearls, Medroxyprogesterone
2. SASGOG Pearls of Excellence, ​​Post-Pill Amenorrhea
3. The Journal of Headache and Pain, Migraine in Women: The Role of Hormones and Their Impact on Vascular Diseases
4. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Headache as a Side Effect of Combination Estrogen-Progestin Oral Contraceptives: A Systematic Review
5. International Journal of Women’s Health, Examining the Use of Oral Contraceptives in the Management of Acne
6. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, Acne

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