Expert: Mia - 9/23/2008

Question
i am 25, married. i've been on the pill for about 10 years. i began taking it to regulate my period. they are mostly 3-4 days and very light. i decided to go off the pill about 1.5 weeks ago. we are not trying to get pregnant and are having protected sex until i can pinpoint when i am ovulating. i immediately started my period with terrible cramps. i am horribly moddy, hungry, and am having a terrible time focusing on anything - especially work, my face has broken out, and i have been on the brink of crying for at least a week. this sucks! are these all symptoms of me stopping the pill? how long will this last????

Answer
Hi Alexis,

I am sorry you are having so many symptoms. Yes, they are from stopping the pill. It can take a few months for your body to adjust back to your non-pill hormonal levels. For most women, it takes about 1-3 months to adjust, so you should start seeing an improvement in a few weeks. Also, once your body does adjust, your cycle will most likely be the same as it was before the pill, so if you had any symptoms then, such as cramps, you most likely will have then once you adjust back.

I suggest you wait a few more weeks and see if it gets better. If not, then give your doctor a call for suggestions. He/she may be able to give some advice on what to do to feel better while your body adjusts. If the symptoms get worse, or are too unbearable to wait much longer, give your doctor a call now.

I hope this helps. If you have further questions let me know.

-Mia