The contraceptive pill is one of the most popular forms of contraception for women - but you may notice some surprising changes once you stop taking it.
For many women, taking the pill each day comes like second nature and they hardly notice taking it. But this does mean that coming off the medicine can sometimes be a shock to the system, particularly if you've been using the pill for years.
It can take a lot of trial and error to find the right contraceptive for you as everyone is different. Sabeela Yasin, a Clinical Pharmacist at Simple Online Pharmacy, has revealed the symptoms you may experience if you come off the pill, and how doing so can affect women's bodies.
She said that while all contraceptive pills contain synthetic hormones which suppress ovulation and alter the uterine lining and cervical mucus to prevent pregnancy, they can also affect other systems within the body. And this can cause some changes when you come off the pill as those hormones are removed.
The first change is that some people may experience breakouts when coming off the pill. This is because some contraceptive pills have "anti-androgenic effects" which the expert said lowers testosterone levels in the body. "This can reduce acne, which means you might experience breakouts when you stop taking them."
She said it can also affect your sex drive in "complex ways" and explained: "If your sex drive has reduced whilst on the pill you may find that your libido may improve when you stop taking it, due to the increase in testosterone. Although some women may also experience vaginal dryness due to a decrease in oestrogen levels."
Sabeela said it can take your body some time to get used to not being on the pill, and it may make periods irregular, or heavier than usual with more severe cramps or PMS due to the uterine lining becoming thicker, while the natural cycle resumes. She added that it's possible for a delay before your period returns, especially if you have been on the pill for a while. If you have any concerns about irregular or heavy periods, however, you should speak to your doctor.
"You might also experience mood swings and fatigue as your hormone levels fluctuate. This is more likely to happen if you have previously experienced these symptoms or have had premenstrual syndrome," the expert added.
Some women also say the pill affects their breast size, and while Sabeela says the pill can increase the size of your boobs, this is usually temporary. She said: "The more long-lasting effect of the contraceptive pill is put down to weight increase due to changes in diet and activity caused by the hormone influence. If the medication has increased breast size this will usually go back to normal upon treatment cessation, and any tenderness will end too."
If you are considering coming the contraceptive pill, Sabeela said: "We would advise that any woman considering the contraceptive pill should get a risk assessment performed by their clinician to determine treatment suitability."
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