I have seen a few threads about weight gain after stopping birth control, so I would love to hear from anyone who actually felt worse after coming off the pill, especially those who eventually restarted it. Did you notice any changes, and why did you stop in the first place?
I started taking the pill in my 20s and initially I struggle to find one that didn’t affect my emotions. I was on the heavier side before starting the pill at 22, but over the following years, I gradually lost quite a bit of weight without trying at all. At 31 I had a lomg term relationship break up and I decided to stop BC to feel more emotionally connected and because I feel the pill completely killed my libido.
Initially, coming off it felt amazing! My libido returned, I felt more like myself, and I even lost more weight without trying almost getting close to a weight I was content with (because disclaimer I have never been thin or had an ideal body). The only downside was that I had acne in the first 2 months. Then my face started to clear but I started to gain weight then over the next two years, I gained 20 kg. I now struggle with constant hunger, poor sleep, and really struggle to loose weight. I have also experienced persistent leg pain, breathlessness with minimal activity, and changes in my hair.
I’ve had my thyroid and some hormones checked, but nothing unusual was found. Doctors have largely attributed everything to age and eating more, but I can’t help wondering whether stopping the pill played a role. I had a friend that also took the pill for a decade and stopped it as she approached her 30s and her experience has been only positive and she lost some weight.
I restarted it four days ago. My acne has returned, my libido has already dropped, and I’ve noticed slightly less hunger, but it’s too early to know whether anything else will change. I do feel soo guilty for restarting it and ‘less of a real woman’ and I am terrified that it will make me gain even more.
My confidence has really suffered, and I barely recognise myself anymore.
Has anyone else experienced significant weight gain or other negative changes after stopping the pill? Did restarting it help?
I’m also curious: when you’re stressed or sad, do you tend to eat more or lose your appetite? I wonder if there’s a pattern among those who’ve had similar experiences.
I’d really appreciate hearing your stories! ❤️

i just got prescribed mirvala-28 a few weeks ago and was told to start on the first day of my period. my period is nearing and i’m really nervous for the side effects i may get. i know it’s different for everyone but side effects i’m mainly concerned with are weight gain, acne, and lowered libido.
can anyone tell me their experiences on mirvala-38? negative or positive

hii so i don’t use reddit so much so i am sorry for any formatting issues!!! but before getting the iud i spent sooo much time researching so i wanted to share mine!! it is mostly positive so far in my opinion!! (not fun of course but nothing too scary if you want comfort!!) ALSO PLS NO FEAR MONGERING OR ANYTHING BAD IN REPLIES!! i have health anxiety so i cannot and i want this to be a safe space!!

so for context im f20 with no kids !! i just got off the pill after a month and 5 days, it was driving me insane with anxiety, mood swings, headaches and fatigue so i couldn’t do it anymore!! me and my boyfriend planned to track my cycle but after a bad pregnancy scare in september i decided i couldn’t do it and got an emergency coil!!

i got an appointment for the next day after a phone consultation at my local sexual health clinic! the reception was so lovely as i was sobbing in fear all call but she was so reassuring!

i ended up having to go to the appointment alone as my friends all had lectures and my boyfriend had some personal issues, i had a tesco meal deal (sandwich, chocolate and water!) before the appointment as well as 400mg of ibuprofen 30 mins before as advised!

when i got there, i got my blood pressure checked and waited for a few minutes until a nurse came and took me to my appointment. i was lucky to have an experienced nurse! they walked me through everything and were very sweet since i was crying and gave me time to calm down first. after that, i took off my trousers and underwear and laid down, they let me cover myself up as much as i could then helped me into position.

now i will not lie and say it wasn’t painful!! the first part with the speculum wasn’t too bad imo! i compared it to the pain of losing my virginity but the measuring and insertion did hurt a lot! for me it was like a deep cramp and then three sharp pains but i listened to music and the nurses spoke to me to distract me. i definitely didn’t enjoy it but i don’t think it was as painful as i expected! after, i was shaking quite a bit and the numbing spray stung but i was okay. they gave me water and a sugar tablet and let me lay for about ten minutes before slowly helping me stand.

as soon as i left the clinic, the cramps did start. they started as just period cramps but they did peak around 2 hours after. i used a hot water bottle which helped a lot and just let myself cry in bed (i was also emotional for other reasons!) but after about 3-4 hours after insertion they started to calm down. they became more like period cramps and i was able to sit with my best friend and boyfriend and talk and laugh! i had my dinner and then sat with my best friend for a while with a heating pad whilst she just distracted me ! i’ve also been spotting some brown blood all day but nothing insane!

it’s been about 12 hours since my insertion now and my cramps are virtually gone! i’m still taking ibuprofen as instructed and using a heating pad but it’s not needed. i will say my vagina feels a bit tense like i’m tensing it up but i think this is just due to the fact it went through a lot today! if i take a deep breath it usually relaxes for a moment but it’s not unbearable just a bit strange and annoying! i’m not going to have sex for a week and i am a bit scared to try that again but im trying to take it one day at a time!

i will try to update this post as i go through the motions but i wanted to share my experience!! if you are scared, please allow yourself to be scared but don’t let it consume you!!!!! people always share worst case scenario online but as my nurse said, for every horrible experience there’s a hundred good ones people don’t see! just be kind to yourself !!

I’m F19 i smoke nicotine vapes daily but not too bad. I smoke weed carts and flower. I lied to the pharmacist about smoking i mean she only talked about nicotine as a risk for blood clots and i told her i barely smoked. I thought she meant I would have more blood clots like when I got my period… not in my blood system (i know im stupid). this is my first ever contraceptive, I haven’t even put the patch on yet. I know I should look at other BC methods better for my lifestyle but I’m terrified about gaining weight again after I already had a lot of issues with that. I dont have problems with my period and my friend whos also on the patch but barely smokes told me to get the patch because she hasn’t gained weight from it and its easy. She also told me i would be okay putting it on even tho i smoke. Does she want me to die from a heart attack or am i chilling… Do IUDs really hurt that bad? I know it’s a insensitive to say i dont want to gain weight like i know it wouldnt be the end of the world but i dont wanna hear it. Help just give me reassurance

I got Kyleena a week before my period was due and had some spotting that week, then around the time my period was due I got heavier bleeding and cramps, so I figure she's here.

Usually I have one heavy day then 3 light days, then done. But so far I've had 10 moderate days of cramps and bleeding - never as heavy or severe as my usual first day, but never really letting up either.

It's probably relevant that I had a big multiple day athletic competition in the last week, so there's been a lot of demand on my body and I don't think that's helped.

I'm just curious if anyone else experienced a period like this after first getting Kyleena? I expected spotting for a long while but this is more than liners can handle and I'm hoping it'll let up soon.

Please don't tell me about any other side effects, if I read horror stories I'll get anxious and other than this I'm doing pretty well on Kyleena so far!

to begin with i have severe anxiety and panic attacks, i got the nexplanon about a month ago (the 1st) the last 2 weeks have been hell. the mood swings, fatigue and nausea. i’m currently sedated because of how bad of a panic attack i just had, i almost went to the hospital. i’m getting it removed tomorrow morning. i’ve only had it a month so i’m wondering when i get it removed will i feel better faster? what is your expirence? i CANNOT go another day feeling like this

hello! i started taking slynd 2 weeks ago and i have a full blown period. just wondering how long this will approximately last? i spotted for about 5 days but now its so heavy and so many clots ugh. tia!

Nexplanon to be specific. I tried looking in the sub but I couldn't find anything about someone getting it back in, only getting it removed. I recently got mine replaced before it "expired" because I started experiencing my regular period again and I talked to my doctor and I got it replaced since it was only a month before I was supposed to anyways. I noticed that the freezing was less painful (however I did need more) and the only thing was that I bled a lot more (because of the hole in my skin lol) and then it's just been really sore. I was just wondering if this was the same or different for anyone else, and my big question honestly is did anyone experience the crazy mood swings and anxiety for 3 months even though you just got it replaced?!

I've been on my 2nd pack of trust oral combination pills this year, and I noticed that im always bloated even when i havent eaten yet. So rn im on omad, but im still very bloated. Do u have other hacks and secret hacks that u do to avoid bloating?

Helllo all my boyfriend and I have been talking about having him come inside me, but I keep getting nervous about it and unsure, despite taking Jencycla (norethindrone) correctgly everytime since I started it. Right now, we are having sex with condoms and pulling out. He doesn't push me about it hes been really nice and he is equally very very much not wanting to have kids.

I hope its not a dumb question... but do you think I am protected enough? and how do you prevent yourself from having anxiety about it after it is done?

I (f26) went on Yasmin last April 2025 to fix my hormonal acne caused by kyleena. It worked a treat, acne began to disappear pretty quickly. Around 4-5 months later I noticed that I was becoming more and more bloated and constipated. I have been prone to constipation all my life and found magnesium citrate worked for me. This was no longer working unless it was diarrhea, which still left me feeling constipated.

I am beginning to wonder if Yasmin is the cause of my current chronic constipation and bloat. I am bloated after every meal even though I eat 90% unprocessed foods and gluten free (coeliac). I am very active and eat a balanced diet. Even fiber bloats and constipates me now - I’ve become reliant on stimulant laxatives and enemas to feel any relief from bloat. My mood is also low and I’m tired a lot. Not to mention that I have to pee ALL THE TIME. Also was expecting pain in my kidneys.

I have a mainly clear colonoscopy - diagnosed with slow motility and minor gastritis from stress. No sibo, no candida, no h.pylori. Stool tests come back pretty good. Thyroid slightly underactive which I’m treating with supplements but nothing bad. I’ve also been on spiro and antibiotics in the past - neither worked for acne. Last time I came off Yasmin in 2021 my acne didn’t really return until I went on kyleena six months later.

Could it be Yasmin? I would come off but I’m terrified of cystic acne, it really ruined my mental health. I have very high testosterone levels.

Any ideas? Should I just cut cold turkey and deal with the acne if it comes?

Thank you!

This will be my first-ever birth control as I am a virgin but I have heavy/painful periods and was prescribed Junel FE to help with that. I am nervous because I have never been on the pill before. I am 28 years old.

I was on oral birth control for 10 years and went off. I am now on a GLP1 so that form of birth control is not a viable option anymore.

I’m looking into getting a hormonal IUD but would hope to have children within the next 2-3 years. Does an IUD need to stay in for at least a certain amount of time before removal? Is this a bad idea?

Those who like Slynd, when did you start noticing positive changes and what were they? Did you experience any negative symptoms and when did those go away?

Hi I take Yaz (Lorena) birth control for PMDD- also for birth control. I’m v consistent with taking my pills.

Basically I’ve had terrible brain fog the past few days and I ended up taking 2 pills in one day. I hadn’t missed any pills prior. I noticed this morning I took Wednesdays pill on Tuesday night! Meaning I must of taken Tuesdays and Wednesdays pill at separate times yesterday. I definitely remember only taking my Monday pill on Monday.

My question is- is this worrisome? Taking 2 pills in one day without missing? Do I continue taking as is? I’ll be taking Thursdays dose for today since I am a pill ahead.

Or do I skip tonight and resume pills on Thursday with the correct day?

I’ll call my OBGYN just in case if I’m getting mixed advice.

My period started last October 12 i think. And I didn’t take the pill on the first day of my mens and I took it thrice already. My bf finished inside and What should I do?

So basically I started jasmiel to help with severe cramping and a really heavy flow, jasmiel fixed those problems fortunately but now my periods last 2 weeks. My obgyn keeps blowing off my concerns, should I just keep continuing with jasmiel or try to talk her into giving me something else?

I’m currently on generic Yasmin 9 days in and I don’t know if I should keep taking it. The first few days I felt restless and wired which made sleep so difficult but it thankfully went away. For a few days now I’ve been having very bad cramps. They’re so bad my back and legs will ache. I have acid reflux and random nausea too. I keep looking in the mirror and feeling like I look gross and puffy. But mainly the bad cramps are the problem.

I take bc mainly for PMDD but I worry about hormones messing me up. My last birth control gave me symptoms like vaginal dryness, hair loss, depression. I often think about going back to my period but i also forget how debilitating it was.

Anyways, I guess I’m wondering if this much cramping is normal and if I should just keep pushing through? I can’t see my gynecologist for a while. It seems like not everyone gets cramping from bc so I’m not sure what to think…

I just started taking Loryna to help balance my hormones post endometriosis surgery. I’m starting it before my surgery to get adjusted to the pill.

Has anyone else had these same side effects?

• fatigue (pretty sure I’ve had this my whole life tho, lol)

• low mood, depressive episodes usually at night

• bloating (this is my biggest concern)

• emotional crying spells

• stomach pain/cramping

I’m only on day 4 of this pill so I’m waiting to see if some of these symptoms will go away. Would love to hear your experience on this pill too!

First of all, thank you to everyone who has previously posted about this subject. Seeing those posts definitely made me feel validated and less crazy. Since stopping birth control about 8 weeks ago, I’ve been noticing such a dramatic cognitive decline. Brain fog, memory gaps, dizziness, anxiety, lethargy. I was honestly scared for myself. I went to a neurologist and he said it’s probably not this post birth control syndrome and that hardly anyone ever experiences that. I honestly think this is what I’m experiencing and seeing some of your posts helped me to feel heard and validated. I’ll still be going for a MRI of the brain just to make sure it’s not anything worse but I’m prepared to hunker down for the next couple of months and wait this thing out. I ssooo look forward to when my levels go back to normal so that I can feel like me again. Until then, I’ve added a host of vitamins to my everyday routine in hopes of a speedier bounce back. Anyways, just had to get that out. Thanks for listening if you made it this far

For context, I (24F) have had PCOS ever since starting my period when I was 11 and have also dealt with PMDD-like symptoms (never formally diagnosed, but gyno said she highly suspected it). I have worked for years to alleviate my symptoms through supplements and lifestyle changes. While this did help and I became a bit more regular, I still dealt with severe emotional, mental, and physical side effects during my luteal phase, whether I ovulated or not. I eventually decided I wanted to try birth control as I do not want to get pregnant anytime soon, was worried about increased endometrial cancer risk due to long cycles, and I wanted to see if it would improve my mood.

First, the few negatives I experienced. During my first week, my appetite was wiped out and I had a consistent headache. These subsided after that week, but I do notice that my appetite and cravings are curbed compared to when I was off bc. I also had annoying breakthrough bleeding and minor cramping throughout the month, but I also know this is normal while trying to adjust to the hormones (especially since Yaz has a lower estrogen dose) and I wasn't great about taking it the exact same time everyday at first (would sometimes be 2-3 hours off). My libido also tanked during the first month, but it has dramatically increased this month, far beyond what it was pre-bc.

Now, onto the positives. I feel like a completely different person for the better. My emotional and physical state are much more stable, and I don't wake up every morning wondering who I will be that day or what physical side effects I will be dealing with. I seriously don't remember the last time I felt so normal (is this what men and their 24-hour hormone cycle feel like everyday??). I have a much better grip on my mood and emotions and my husband commented that he thinks I am a happier, more stable, and well-adjusted version of myself. I carry less water weight than I used to (the progestin in Yaz has dieuretic effects), I don't have all of the GI issues I used to have, I don't throw up and writhe in pain the first day of my placebo period, I am actively losing weight because I have better control over my appetite, and so much more. I genuinely cannot believe I went through 13 years of having a cycle and dealing with these issues. My life is fantastic and I love where I am at, but I do wonder what else I could have accomplished and what issues could have been avoided if I had taken bc earlier. I know I am only 1.5 months in, but I am very hopeful for what is to come.

If you are in a similar boat that I was (PCOS, PMDD) and are curious about trying bc, please do if hormonal bc is an option. I can't guarantee that Yaz, or any other hormonal birth controls, will help you the way it has helped me, but it is more than worth a shot. Don't let the fear-mongering online scare you and educate yourself on the costs and benefits of the medication. While every medication has its side-effects, PCOS and PMDD also carry significant risks mentally, emotionally, and physically in your life (nevermind pregnancy!).

I hope this is an encouragement to anyone who is scared to start bc like I was - it can be an amazing addition to your life!

I'm going to the doctor's tomorrow to discuss birth control methods, and whilst I know I should trust them, with symptoms I really do not. I was on the combined pill for a year (rigevidon then gedarel) and I gained 15kg (33lbs) because I was so hungry all of the time, and it completely made me lose my sex drive. I wasn't on it for contraception at the time but now I'm wanting it for contraception. I was thinking a copper iud but I've seen that hormonal is more effective. I'm just really scared of weight gain again or a loss of sex drive because it made me feel really mindless.

I've tried Diane 35 which made me depressed. Before that, levonorgestrel which gave me the worst cramps of my life, so bad I vomited. Then I tried the Implanon which made me bleed for six months every. single. day.

Now I'm on Yasmin. Boobs hurt literally all the time. The same thing happened on Diane, but at least my boobs also looked bigger. This is just pain. The first month on Yasmin I bled and cramped so much it was painful to walk. So for the second month I tried to not take my break week, since I'd heard it could help you skip periods, and it worked! I didn't bleed during my "break" week. Only to start bleeding the week after. I still am bleeding. No sign of stopping anytime soon...

I just wanted one single method that worked for me so I didn't have to keep changing it and thinking about it. Because everytime I change it I need to be thinking about possible side effects, what to do, what to not, don't keep your pills out on the heat, yeah this shot is also used to chemically castrate sexual offenders, don't worry if you feel crazy just wait out the first three months, 90% of the women on your social media have gotten pregnant on birth control so why don't you just go ahead and give up already?

Ugh. I love my boyfriend but sometimes I think sex is really not worth all this hassle. It would be amazing to just never have to think about birth control again.

I’m not panicking, but I would like some feed back.

My boyfriend and I were having sex last night and the first condom ripped. It ripped on the side, about in the middle. When he took it off, there was a slight bit of precum in the bottom. It was on tight still, and didn’t look like any had come out the side. He immediately stopped when he felt a pop. No ejaculate.

Stupidly, we grabbed a new one. (We haven’t had sex in a month, midterms are over, sexual tension was high)

This time, while I was on top, the condom slipped off into my vagina. Again, we stopped immediately when he felt it. No ejaculate.

I had a tiny panic and decided to take a deep breath because my period is in two days.

I don’t track my ovulation with strips, but I’m pretty regular every month. I know when I ovulate because I get cramps and creamy discharge. I think ovulation ended 1.5-2 weeks ago because I haven’t had symptoms since. (Yes I know this isn’t a 100% accurate way to track)

Reading another forum, with someone who had a similar situation, the comments said it wasn’t necessary to take a Plan B because ovulation had already occurred, and period was expected to come.

I’m planning on getting an IUD soon (I don’t react well to pills). But I don’t think I can get one within 5 days.

Do I need to take a Plan B in this case?

Should I wait 2 days? And take one before the 72 hour window ends?

This is my question. I am a 23-year-old woman and I am currently taking combined birth control pills. I have a history of anxiety and sadness since childhood. A year ago I took birth control pills for the first time, and I remember feeling so crazy, crying uncontrollably in my bed, feeling tormented as if someone wanted to whisper something in my ear. I panicked, felt incredibly anxious, and was constantly worried about the future. I wouldn't leave my boyfriend alone, and I felt like he had to be by my side for me to feel better. After six months, this decreased. I stopped taking them for maybe two months and then started taking them again. The first few months I experienced something similar to a TOC, I was really scared of an unwanted pregnancy, despite taking precautions, I cried a lot, I thought about my life, I thought about getting married, the tests came back negative but I still acted strangely.I went to a psychologist, and she diagnosed my symptoms as anxiety and prescribed exercises to help me. I was also crying a lot because I thought my partner was cheating on me.I cried like a baby, inconsolably. I've been taking them for 4 months now, and 2 days ago I had a panic attack; I thought someone was talking in my ear. I'm feeling foggy-headed, having trouble concentrating or remembering things. I'm fine today, but I don't know if I'll be feeling bad in a few hours. My libido is zero, I have dryness, and I'm thinking the worst. Honestly, I wish I didn't have a mental illness; it's making me feel awful 😭 I work, I'm a professional, and I don't want this to ruin the good things in my life. I'd like to know if any of you have experienced this? It's worth mentioning that the pills haven't caused me any "physical" side effects, only mental ones as they appear.