5 Things That Happened After Coming Off Birth Control

Let’s talk coming off BIRTH CONTROL. Awkward? Maybe. But I’m going to talk about it.

This blog is all about honesty, and if you’ve been a reader for awhile, you may know that I’ve written about other taboo topics such as negative people, anxiety, and divorce to name a few.

Taking birth control is such a personal decision, and at the end of the day, you need to do what is best for you. I am here to share my story with it.

I started taking the pill in high school for horrible period cramps. You know the ones. I took it pretty much continuously for 15 years. Crazy, right? When I started taking the pill, I was in amazing shape as a swimmer on the high school team, but I did notice some weight gain after I started taking the pill. Nothing crazy, and TBH, as a teenager, I didn’t pay close attention to my body at all. So I continued to take it.

I did not experience any other issues with the pill other than having zero acne. It was smooth sailing.

A year or so ago, I got a nagging feeling that I should to reconsider taking the pill. Simply because I didn’t like putting synthetic hormones into my body, and after learning about Natural Family Planning, I decided I was done with the pill. We’ll get into NFP another day because that is a HUGE topic. And I’m still learning.

So here I am, sharing the changes I’ve seen in my body since going off the pill. I hope that it will prep you for what’s ahead if you have chosen to go off the pill and help you feel not so alone.

MY 5 THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO MY BODY AFTER COMING OFF BIRTH CONTROL:

1. Acne. Just to be clear, I have never struggled with acne. Not before taking the pill, and not during. I would get an occasional zit every once in awhile, but nothing crazy. Now? I get zits around the time that I get my period. They’re not bad, but little ones pop up around my chin area, which is the spot that women have hormonal breakouts.
2. Oily hair. I used to be able to go over one week without washing my hair. Welllll…my hormones paid me back, big time after going off the pill. I had always had a VERY dry scalp and very dry hair. I still struggle with psoriasis on my scalp, however, my hair becomes greasy if I don’t wash it every day. That party is over!
3. Thicker hair. This happened super fast, like within 2 months after no more pill. And the change has been very noticeable. I color my hair, so it requires extra TLC, and I haven’t been using any new treatments. It is healthier, thicker, and longer than ever! Not complaining about this one.
4. Regular periods and ovulation. To be honest, I was really terrified that I wouldn’t get my period again (I know, I know, paranoia at its best, but after YEARS of not having it, I was scared) and when I got it within 20 days of coming off the pill, I was SO excited. Since then, I have gotten it every month like clockwork. I’m learning to track my cycles and it is so amazing how our bodies NATURALLY work. I was so clueless to the signs that my body was clearly showing me before I started taking the pill because I was never taught how to read certain signs. Again, more on that when I talk about NFP.
5. Weight loss. I have lost 8 pounds since going off the pill, with no other changes to my diet or exercise routine. Much of this weight loss was around the hip and thigh area.

I really spilled my guts on this post, and I hope that you found it helpful. Please feel free to email me, DM me on Instagram, or leave a comment to let me know about your experience.

xo, Lynn