Coming off the pill- how long for periods to regulate?

I've been on the pill for 10 years and due to get married this August. So H2B and I decided I should come of the pill now to sort out my cycle. I'm on day 43 now and still no sign. I am definitely not pregnant because we have been extremely careful but I do have PCOS which I know could be the cause. I just wondered if you ladies could tell me if your cycle was irregular (with or without PCOS) and how quick it took to regulate.

I just wondered if I should be seeing the doctor or how long I should give it.:\(

Thanks in advance!

Hi there.
I am interested to see the responses to this I came off Cilest after about 12 years on the 27th Nov 2009 (just worked out thats CD106!)and I am still waiting my first propper AF to arrive.
I have just made an app. to see the doc this eve, not that I am holding out much hope in them being helpful! And as far as I know I don't have PCOS.
I hope you cycle sorts its self out quiclky.
XX

Hiya MrsAClarketobe...I was on Microgynon 30 for 7 years and then changed to Cerezette for 2 years. I came off the pill in October last year, had 2 regular periods and fell pregnant in January.
However, My sister has just come off the pill in December (Micro 30) after a good few years and has had one period in Jan and is now 3 weeks late with 3 BFN's..I think it depends on how your body reacts to it. My nurse told me it could take anything up to a year for your cycle to return to normal..I wa just V.Lucky I guess.

Good luck TTC

Bec x
11+4

I was on microgynon for years and when I came off it, it took 6 months before I had a period. xx

this is one of those questions how long is a piece of string i was on the pill for 12 years and came off 6 months before we started trying,my periods were regular,i got pregnant the second month of trying,went back on it after my son was born,then when we decided to try for baby number 2 (and 3 in my case twins) i came of the pill and ot pregnant the first month so i was very lucky
good luck

sarah

Hi

I was on cilest for 15 years and came off the pill nearly 3 years ago, one of the reasons i came off was due to the lenght of time I had been on it and I had now idea was my natural cycle was!

However my periods were very very irregular for the first 6 - 8 months and I think I probably had 1 day of spotting in the first 3 months, but all the symptons, tender breats, cramping etc but no show and very short (1 or 2 days) but heavy periods for months afterwards.

Now I am now quite regular (for me!) around 29 - 31 days each month (taking my temp to track my cycle) but that has only been in the last 6 months.

Stress played a part for me as my place of work was closing so I had things to deal with there, plus we were sellling a house, so that may not have helped me.

Eveyone is different, but if your concerened I would see the doctor and get checked out to put your mind at ease.

Good luck xx

Fall3n-ang3l & BecWilliams- you were very lucky to concieve so quickly.

Thank you for your replies. I am worrying because even though I know I have PCOS, I kind of hoped it wouldn't be too irregular and that the pill may have helped. Just hope it gets sorted. xx

Hi There,

I have PCOS too and basically if I wasn't on the pill I would never have a period so there is a chance that if you have quite bad symptoms your periods may not return. xx

Thanks for your reply Sarah_Jolly. It seems like such a long time ago as I have been on the pill for 10 years. I did have periods then and they were irregular and would range anything between 2 months and 6 months. Do you think my body will go back to this cycle or do you think the pill or being older could make it worse? I don't mean to pry but do you intend on having/have a family? Has a doctor discussed what they can do to help those of us without periods?

There really isn't a simple answer to this as it totally varies person to person! I was lucky (so far at least). I came off Cilest after 13 years at the beginning of January, and touch wood, so far my cycles have been 26 days exactly....lets hope it continues like that!

Another lucky one - I was on the pill (Cilest, Microgynon, Dianette then back to Cilest) for 16 years, came off it aged 35 and my periods started again like clockwork and got pregnant third cycle.

I was told an interesting statistic yesterday. Apparently there are as many women having abortions in their mid thirties as there are in their teens, because there is so much publicity about fertility falling in the over 35s that women of that age start to get a bit slack about birth control/come off the pill thinking they don't need it any more, when in actual fact very many women are still very fertile indeed.

Not trying to offend anyone who is struggling to conceive at all - just thought this was food for thought and it may give some of you something to be optimistic about.

Good luck to those trying to conceive. x

Im interested in the responses too, i came off microgynon30 on 29th jan and am still waiting for af, i was on it for nearly 6 years. x

Hi girls x

I've been on various things for the past 12 years (pill, injection and then patch). I came off the patch (same as the pill) in 2006 for a year ish break because i'd been on it for so long. It took 6 months for my AF to come back at all. Then i went back on it before it becoming regular.

This time was very different and i've been lucky. First cycle was 47 days and second was 37, i'm having my second AF now. This is going to be my first month ttc.

I went to the docs today and she said that this time i've been quite typical with them getting shorter and hopefully regular soon. But she also said that it's probably because i had a break a couple of years ago.

So from experience, just come off it asap and don't start worrying until you get to the 6 month point.

I was on microgynon for 13 years and came off in mid Jan, I'm still waiting for a period (on cd56) I went to dr's last week and have to say my dr was really nice and helpful. I have a blood test tomorrow to check my hormone levels and to make sure there's nothing wrong with thyroid or anything (or I'm not pregnant - but pretty sure I'm not) and then I have another appointment when the results come back to discuss the next steps. My dr said it can take a while for periods to return but thought waiting 2 months was long enough for them to start looking into it. Incidently I've been told that as my bmi is technically underweight (although not by much) this could be a factor as body needs fat to make oestrogen but this is only one theory - might this apply to you too?
It's awful waiting as I just want to get on with ttc and wish I'd come off pill sooner!

xxx

Hi Flossie81,
I could have almost written your last post too!
I went to docs yesterday after coming of the pill in Nov and still no AF. I am going for blood tests too to check hormones ( I know my thyroid is fine).
I too have a BMI which is a little on the low side, not sure I want to try and put any weight on though.
I wish I had also come off the pill a lot sooner.
Hoping you get your AF soon (never thought I would find myself wanting AF to arrive!!).

XX