Quitting Birth Control Pills

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My relationship with birth control began at age 15 when I got my period, (late bloomer) but with it came death cramps and vomiting. The doctor gave me the option of birth control or some other medication that may or may not work. Obviously, I chose the birth control (with my moms approval at the time). It felt weird to be on a medication like that when I was definitely not sexually active, but after some time it became routine. Sure enough, it relieved my pms, cramping, vomiting, and overall period sickness. Other than that I didn't notice birth control having any other affect on my life.

Fast forward 15 years and I was still on the darned pill. After 15 years and a variety of different types of birth control pills later, I decided that I was done. FINISHED! I have probably been on 10 different types of pills. Some pills were great, meaning they didn't affect my life except for relieving period symptoms, but others were horrible. I took one pill for four months that made me cry every day. After four months I realized it was the pill so I switched kinds. Another pill made me depressed for almost a year. I am a happy person, it takes a lot to get me down, but boy oh boy did I struggle that year! I tried everything to get out of my sad slump but nothing worked until I switched birth control. Once I switched pills the sun came out and I was my happy self again. I thought I was lost forever, but it was just that darned little pill.

So after years of ups and downs with birth control, I decided I was done putting extra hormones into my body. While it may work for some people, and has worked for me in the past, I am choosing to be done with it. Au natural is the way I want my body to be. The interesting thing about it though, is that being off the pill is almost worse than being on it.

First of all, I have now successfully been off the birth control pill for about 6 months. It has not been an easy time though. Immediately after going off the pill I felt great, my complexion was dewy and glowing (like it has never been before!) and I didn't get my period for three months. I wasn't so bothered by the missed period because I had heard of that happening, plus I was not eager to experience cramping again. After three months my period came and the cramps and vomiting were back with a vengeance, like they had never left. Then, my hair started to fall out. It has been falling out in clumps for the last three months! I've also had some chin-hair growth. (What?!) I now have a few solid black hairs growing from my chin that I keep track of and pluck more often than I'd like. Acne, that's another one. I feel like a teenager all over again with a forehead completely broken out. Lets see, what else...oh yes, the anxiety! The few days after my period finishes I experience some of the worst anxiety I've ever had. Sometimes it is so crippling that I struggle to get into my car and drive or run errands. After a few days though, it disappears until the end of my next period where it rears its ugly head once again.

Quitting birth control as it turns out, is NOT EASY. I am so happy to be free of the extra hormones, but this is almost not worth it. The times I have tried to come off it before have been similar, but short lived because of the awkward symptoms. This time I am determined to stay off. I know it will be good in the long run, but for now I feel like a mess. Oh to be a woman!