Expert: Ramona Quilter - 10/31/2006

Question
in may 2006 I quit taking ortho tri cyclen to prepare for pregnancy.  I had  a regular period about a week after I quit taking the pill.  Since then, I have had no period to speak of.  I was told that it could take up to three months to get regular again and to try eating/drinking things with a lot of follic acid in them, but still nothing.  I have taken 3 pregnancy tests all negative.  Is it normal to not have a period for 6 months after quitting the pill?  Am i even ovulating?  Any info. about this would be really appreciative and would help ease my mind a lot!!  

Answer
There are a lot of factors involved in fertility and in infertility.  Taking the pill suppresses your period, ovulation and your normal hormones.  Sometimes your body straightens out again after getting off the pill and sometimes it doesn't.  

You are older now than you were when you started taking them, so that is also a factor.  The steroid hormones in the pill can damage your body and your health.  It doesn't happen to every woman but it does to some and it is a risk and side effect from being on artificial birth control hormones.  You can find out if you are ovulating by several methods, one of them being NFP.  

I hope your body starts working right for you soon.