By Nicole Pajer
Birth control pills are, if used properly, 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. They can also clear the complexion, regulate a woman’s cycle and lessen the symptoms of PMS. The pill helps protect against pelvic inflammatory disease, may ward off endometrial cancer, and can decrease the risk of developing ovarian cysts. So why wouldn’t someone want to take it?
Numerous physicians tout the health benefits of the pill and are quick to whip out their prescription pads. They speak wonders 
about the positive aspects of oral contraceptives, with a mere mention of the fact that the first few weeks may bring some mild and quickly passing side effects. They encourage women to spend years on the pill and continuously refill annual prescriptions. What they don’t ever mention, however, is what being on the pill for a long time can do to a woman’s body, or what she might experience when she decides to stop.
Troubling Symptoms
Jennifer Brody was on birth control pills for eight continuous years before deciding to clean out her system. Her transition was not an easy one; she experienced an irregular cycle for about a year, including months without a period, and intense insomnia.
“I couldn’t fall asleep, even though I was exhausted. At first, I didn’t even connect this to getting off the pill, since nobody had warned me about the side effects. I had to go to my doctor to get a prescription for Ambien (a sedative), it was so bad. I started hallucinating. I thought I was losing my mind. Sleep deprivation will do that,” she explains.
Ariel Ruben stopped taking another brand of oral contraceptives due to impending surgery. “I went off because I have a condition called ‘vulvodynia vestibulitis.’” This common pain condition may sometimes, but not always be caused by the pill, and many women report the pain intensifies when on birth control pills. Ruben’s case was congenital but she was responding to orders from her doctor, who said “the pill can damage the vestibule skin and it needed to be healthy for the surgery to go well.” However, after seven years of taking her prescription, Ruben found stopping to be a far from easy task. “I didn’t get my cycle for three months. Even now, more than two years later, it isn’t back to normal—I get it every six weeks or so; it isn’t at all regular.” Ruben also experienced severe mood swings, vertigo and exhaustion.
What’s Really Happening
Dr. Stacey Kupperman isn’t surprised to hear stories such as these. Like many health professionals, the L.A.-based naturopath is seeing an increase in women with birth control pill-related issues, such as menstrual irregularities, difficulty with fertility, mood imbalances, melasma (hyperpigmentation on the face), changes in libido, food cravings, fatigue and thyroid abnormalities.
According to Kupperman, prolonged usage of oral contraceptive pills can also deplete the body of vital nutrients, thus leading to an abundance of domino issues. “The oral contraceptive pill depletes many nutrients, which are sometimes depleted for weeks to months after discontinuation. These include beta carotene, vitamins B1, 2, 3, 6 and 12, folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, tryptophan and tyrosine,” she says.
The pill robs your body! Find out what Supplements You Need after Being on the Pill
Oral contraceptive pills have been linked to increased risks of blood clots, especially in women who smoke, as well as a variety of depression and withdrawal symptoms in those who stop taking them. In addition, combined oral contraceptives have generally been shown to have an adverse effect on carbohydrate metabolism, which, according to Robert Krochmal, M.D., can lead to an increased risk of diabetic symptoms.
Krochmal has also noticed a link between oral contraceptive pill use and osteoporosis. “Because OCPs work by suppressing a woman’s natural production of both estrogen and progesterone, and even testosterone to a certain extent, long term use of OCPs during the fertile years may lead to a reduction in peak bone mass. I have found that some women who come to me in their perimenopausal years, who have been on OCPs for the majority of their life, already have the level of osteoporosis of a 70 to 80 year old,” Krochmal notes.
Irregularity
Of all the symptoms associated with getting off the pill, the most common tends to be irregularity of the menstrual cycle—skipping periods, between-period spotting, prolonged periods—which Kupperman explains is a complicated issue, since many women initially start the pill to treat various menstrual irregularities.
“They go on the pill for a number of years, and when they discontinue, they are presented with the same issues they had before.” After being on the pill for several or many years, many women find that their cycles are not only irregular, but are often worse than before starting the pill. Menstrual irregularities can also have serious implications for a woman’s ability to get pregnant.
Krochmal explains that when on the birth control pill, a woman’s eggs will be on standby. “While a majority of women will be able to conceive within a short amount of time after coming off the pill, there are a significant amount who will have difficulty due to the hormonal derangements caused by having been on the pill. So it is not an egg issue per se, but the hormonal balance required to orchestrate a normal menstrual cycle and ovulation that can be disturbed by OCPs.”
Spelling Out the Side Effects
Although the majority of press about the oral contraceptive pill skews to the positive end of the spectrum, there are a number of side effects that are disclosed by the pharmaceutical industries. The Yaz website, for example, yaz-us.com, lists the following under commons risks in their Q&A section regarding the pill. “The most common side effects were menstrual irregularities, nausea, headache, breast tenderness, fatigue, irritability, decreased libido, weight gain and mood changes.” If you dig deeper, the “most serious risks” column addresses YAZ increasing the risk of serious conditions, including blood clots, stroke and heart attack. The site also touches on the pill containing drospirenone, “a different kind of hormone that for some may increase potassium too much.”
Recent studies are showing that for some women, these risk factors may continue long after the pill is discontinued.
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Whether or not women develop these side effects depends on variables such as individual differences in liver function, length of time using the pill, baseline hormone levels, gastrointestinal health, age and lifestyle. “Not all women endure any long-term effects, while other women experience multiple side effects,” Kupperman explains. Still, this may be reason enough to give popping an OCP a second thought.
Kathleen Fry, a board-certified ob/gyn and author of Vitality! How to Get it and Keep It: A Homeopath’s Guide to Vibrant Health without Drugs, says it’s plain and simple: “The longer women are on the pill, the greater the side effects.” As an alternative, the Scottsdale, Ariz. M.D. recommends a nonhormonal IUD or a diaphragm.
Krochmal says while there are obvious complaints against condom use for both men and women, they should really be the first option. “For a responsible couple who is aware that there is no 100 percent sure method, the rhythm method is also valid,” he adds.
There are, of course, some undeniable positives to oral contraceptive pills. When taken as directed, they do a great job at preventing pregnancy, and they’re easy to use and cater to more spontaneous sexual encounters. While there are documented risks and side effects, they may not affect all women. The tricky part is predicting their repercussions over time.
The bottom line is that when it comes to birth control, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and the decision to select a certain method should be made on an individual basis. New options keep emerging and a male sperm-blocker pill is on the horizon. Do your research, consult a health professional, assess the potential side effects and find what works best for you.
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20 Comments
I know that this article was published a while ago but my wife has come off the pill, not for the purposes of having another baby but to have a break from it. She was prescribed microgynon 30 and has been on it for a number of years. While there is a lot of information about actually using the product and what side effects might be expected – there does not seem to be any official information on what to expect when coming off the product. She is reporting some of the symptoms as described in the documentation that comes with the pills for when you are using the product. Is this common – I can understand that drug companies might not want to encourage people to come off their product but surely there must be some requirement for these companies to publish information to help users when they want to stop using it? Am I just missing the point?
Unfortunately they don’t seem to be required to provide that. But you can certainly write to them and ask for it, and if you don’t get a response, take it to the National Institutes of Health or the FDA or at least Consumer Reports. This is how we start to get answers. In any event, in our June/July 2013 issue we will be publishing information about what vitamins and supplements can be helpful in restoring the nutrient depletion that we hear accompanies being on the pill.
I am 52 and came off the pill in April after being on it for 25 years. I stayed on them to avoid the long, painful periods I had when younger. I was trouble/symptom free all that time. Since coming off the pill, I have had tingling in arms/legs, fatigue, and a cramping, heavy feeling in my abdomen. I don’t know what is “normal” after coming off the pill or how long this will last. Don’t know if I will start periods again at my age? I certainly do not want to go back to all the problems I had before going on the pill. Most people I see commenting on sites like this are coming off to get pregnant and not due to age. Thoughts?
Recently came off the pill 1 month now. My libido has increase, but i get this strange abdominal pains even if not on my period. Anyone has this problem?
I went off the pill 6 months ago after taking it for 10 years. Within one month I experienced severe depression and mood swings. About 2 months ago I noticed a lump on the right side of my throid. I had two biopsies done and I just found out that it is thyroid cancer. My doctor couldn’t say for sure if this was all conected to stopping the pill but I have never had any health issues till now. I am 33.
I am going to go off the pill at the end of this pack, because my period symptoms are worse on the pill. I get cramping / spotting / headaches / fatigue all month long now. My doctor kept telling me to wait it out, that it would normalize. But it’s been 3 years and I am still feeling like crap. I used to get a headache once or twice a year, now I get headaches two or three times a week. I am worried about how I will feel when I come off of them, but I can’t imagine it being worse than being on them.
I have stopped the microgynon pill for a week now and feel horrible. I have heavy feeling in my abdomen and very moody, I have taken this pill for 23 years and am now 41 with 3 children and decided to stop taking pill so my husband had a vasectomy. Never thought I would feel this miserable…… Hope it all settles down soon
When I got off the pill, I had NO symptoms! It was awesome. I had always worried about my skin breaking out or mood swings. My cycle literally readjusted right away. I’ve been off for a year and my cycle was 27-29days, always. I just started birth control pills again and it sucks. I’m two weeks in and I have bloating, cramping, spotting, and fatigue. Is it worth it? Ugh.
I have also experienced strange abdominal pains after being off the pill for a few months. Not sure why though. At times, it can be sharp and quick pains and other times its a burning sensation. I also think my headaches were connected to coming off of the pill. I hope these symptoms don’t last for long!
Hi, I’m so glad that other people have symptoms like I have after coming off the pill! What makes me mad is that no one tells your how bad this pill is!!! I must admit its so convenient and easy but Shew…..I came off it over a week ago. I’ve had enough of it! Our family is complete and my husband has had a vasectomy. My symptoms have also been horrible. My poor uterus! You can’t even touch the outside of my abdomen! Exhaustion and very sore breast add to the mix! Now I wait and see when my next period will be! I’ve been on it for 20 years with a 2 breaks when I had my children. I’m 36 years old. This form of contraception should come with huge warnings! A friend of mines dr has said she should just stay on it until she is 50 yrs old! Shocking!
I stopped the pill in May because I was getting awful symptoms while on the inactive sugar pills. I decided i was tired of dealing with it. I was on it for 6 years and am 26 now. Since stopping it, I’ve had weird neurological problems including tremors, headaches, pressure in head, tingling and burning sensations and fevers before my periods which are coming about every 6 weeks. These symptoms started almost a month to the day that I stopped birth control. I’ve been to the ER and tons of doctors and no one can fin anything wrong. i don’t think its a coincidence that i stopped birth control and have been dealing with all these problems. I don’t know if this is normal or not.
Just came off the pill last week after being on it for 8 years (after my last baby was born). I stopped taking it because of a few issues: melasma on my upper lip, and more recently a low thyroid function test result. We are hoping that stopping the pill will correct these issues over time, but I am noticing some other things going on that I wonder could be related to stopping the pill. I have felt “off” and shaky the last two days and then yesterday I began having what felt like menstrual cramps, but not quite the same. It almost felt like a dam was about to break…or my uterus was going to explode through my abdomen. Kept me up at night…anyone else experience this & have any explanations?
If you are getting abdominal pains, bloating, or any tummy pains please get it checked. I had the same thing and found ovarian cysts. Better to be safe and know if it doesn’t feel normal.
Not sure if this discussion is still going on? However, i came off the pill about a month and a half ago after being on it for 10 years, i was on microgynan first then femodette for the last 4-5 years. About 2 days after i stopped it i began to feel so low and sad about everything and have no enthusiasm for anything, i put it down to hormone changes. However i have also suffered constant breast/underarm tenderness and uncomfortableness near enough every day since, only after reading up on what people have been saying I’m thinking maybe my struggle to sleep every night, even when tired is to do with coming off the pill too! I get headaches and also feel sick every now and then for no apparent reason! Im just waiting to see how long this all lasts!! Im 25. Has anyone else had any similar symptoms to me and what did you do? Its beginning to rule my life where I’m constantly worrying everyday.
I am thinking about getting off the pill been on for 23 years tired of the bad headache an cramps an very moody feel like I need a break what should I do .
I went off the pill after being on it 17 years. I had constant aches all over my body that I didn’t even realize were from hormones until I went to a Neurologist and nothing they gave me helped. Then I was put back on the pill three years after going off. The pain all over my body vanished. But now I am stuck on birth control! I am getting married and want to be off it.. because there is still a slim chance I could get pregnant at my age but it wont happen on the pill. Also, the last pill I was on killed my sex drive and gave me pain during intercourse. Ive been off three months now and I had my first real period two weeks ago. I had a nightmare headache after wards ( though I have migraines anyway) for like 9 days straight and for the last 5 days I’ve had flu like pain all over with no other symptoms of being sick at all. All the doctor says is that if the “pain all over my body comes back again I have to go back to the pill.” I do NOT WANT to be trapped on this pill. I am 43 and honestly aside from everything else it’s dangerous to be on the pill at this age. I had pain all over the last time I went off … off and on for three years so I assume if this side effect comes back it wont just go away. Any suggestions?
I came off the pill over one and a half year ago and I am still loosing my hair and had terrible cystic acne for months. Although my skin is getting better thanks to some plants, my hair loss is scaring me…
I will never get back on the pill. It messed up my body big time. Of course doctors will never admit it but the pill IS dangerous. A friend of mine nearly died of a blood clot a few years ago because of this so called medicine. Dont’t get back on it otherwise you will be stuck and won’t dare getting off again.. and the longer you take it the more harmful it is.
Hello!
I came off the pill in June and have had a terrible time! I have gained 10-15 pounds all around my stomach and thighs. I have been dieting and exercising more than I ever was on the pill and I just keep gaining! I have read several forums of women with the same symptoms as me and no one seems to have an answer other than going back on the pill. I feel tired all of the time and have no energy, joint pain, and very low sex drive.
Hey Lisa,
Hows it going? i went off my birth control 3.5 weeks ago and have gained 5 lbs despite exercsising and eating 1200-1500 calories daily. have you found that the symptoms/weight gain have slowed down at all? are you feeling any better?
Although I have had my tubes tied, I went on BC pills to regulate my period and control heavy bleeding. After 6 months I decided to get off the pill because I constantly felt bloated and I began gaining weight. I’ve had a headache for 3 days and I feel depressed. I’m usually a happy person, who loves life but lately I could care less. I’m hoping it will pass soon…..