Today, I arrive at the end of my third month without synthetic hormone and I wanted to share with you here and on Youtube my journey around stopping the contraceptive pill. Before starting, I would like to point out that the choice of contraception is a personal, free and informed choice. This decision was accompanied by the health professionals who accompany me and in whom I trust.
Contraceptive pill : what is it ?
As its name suggests, the contraceptive pill is an oral contraceptive method to prevent unwanted pregnancy. The pill does not prevent STD/STI contamination so the condom should be combined.
There are several types of pills, either with estrogen derivatives or progestins. Some are taken without interruption so you will not have a period but possibly spotting (loss of blood). Others have 7 day breaks with periods (false periods).
There is also the morning after pill which is an “emergency” option.
Stopping the contraceptive pill : why ?
It had been over ten years since I had been on hormonal birth control pills and I was starting to get fed up. Tired of subjecting my body to so many hormones…and then, I noticed that my body was putting up resistance.
Paradoxically, my body presented all the signs of a premenstrual syndrome (PMS) whereas under hormones, the variations which can partly explain this phenomenon did not have to be. I took it as “I (my body) do resistance”.
I thought about the possibility of quitting, under what conditions, how I would experience my sexuality afterwards, etc…
Before passing this step, I spoke about it with the health professionals who follow me and the decision was recorded. Indeed, among the options they presented to me to stop the pill, nothing attracted me, did not make sense so I made the decision to use only the condom to protect myself (while being careful with my period of fertility in my cycle).
3 months after stopping the pill
It has now been 3 months since I quit and I am pleasantly surprised at how my body is reacting. Obviously, what I experience in time t may not be what I will experience all the time or what you, the reader, will be able to experience/feel.
For the moment, my cycles are generally regular. My period (bleeding) lasts less than when I was on the pill. My PMS is roughly equivalent with a state of fatigue, sugar cravings, more skin-deep emotions. I do not have particular pain or cramps in the lower abdomen.
During the first month, I noticed a little more abundant white loss but nothing in particular since then.
On the other hand, recently, I noticed (and it is the gynecologist who explained it to me), I had an impact on my milk ducts which were slightly blocked. It is in no way serious, painful or otherwise. It even resolves quite quickly. However, in the slightest doubt, it is better to consult.
If you are interested in knowing more about my progress on this path/experience, let me know !
If you need information on contraception, you can find your way around family planning.
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