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Wellness

I Stopped Taking Birth Control For 6 Months — Here’s What Went Down

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Felicity Warner

This article has been syndicated from Stylish Sassy & Classy, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here. 

So, let’s talk BC real quick. Birth control is notorious for having some nasty and downright weird side effects. I personally got off birth control back in September for a few reasons of my own and let’s just say it was certainly an experience.

It’s important to note that everybody reacts differently to birth control, even if two people are taking the exact same brand and dosage. Birth control can have its set of advantages and its disadvantages and you’ll really never know how your body will react until you get on the pill yourself. Here’s what happened when I got off birth control for over 6 months. (Spoiler: I decided it would be best for me to get back on it).

Why I got off birth control

I got off of birth control for two main reasons. First off, I had a lapse in my health coverage for a month — this is what prompted the idea of getting off birth control. Yes, there were ways to still get my medicine even without coverage, but this obstacle made me start to think about getting off of it. I have heard so many stories from women who had been on BC for years and got off and how much they loved the way their bodies felt off of it. I had been on BC for over 10 years (I got on it at a young age to help regulate my period). 

How my body reacted being off birth control

Skin & hair

I expected my skin to react to being off BC, but the hair came as a surprise. Many of my friends said getting off BC cleaned up their skin. Sadly, this was not the case for me. I got a lot of hormonal breakouts, but they got better after me being off of BC for 4+ months. I definitely had more hormonal acne then I previously experienced (yikes). Now that I am back on BC, my acne is once again acting up. As for hair, I noticed my body had a lot of hair (peach fuzz) all over it after getting off BC. That’s not the end of the world, but I was pretty surprised. 

Weight

I’ve heard rumors that when you get off the pill, you could lose some weight. I personally didn’t notice any difference in the weight gain/loss bring off BC.

Sex

I would have to say one of my “favorite” things of getting on BC was its effect on my sex life. I felt sexier and more interested in being intimate while being off BC. So now that I am back on BC, this will be something I will have to work around.

Regularity

Having irregular periods was the reason why I got on birth control back in middle school. So I don’t know why I was so shocked that I am still irregular when not on BC. I only got my period twice while being off of BC for over 6 months. Since we are not ready to have kids yet my Dr. and I thought it would be best if I got back on BC to help my regularity.

When it comes to deciding if being on birth control is right for you at the moment, consider your own personal options and your lifestyle. It never hurts to try it or get off it to see if you notice any difference in the side effects you’ve been experiencing. 

Read the full post here. 

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Felicity was previously the Style Editor for Her Campus Media. Felicity graduated in May of 2018 from Florida State University with a double major in Editing, Writing, & Media and Media/Communication Studies. Before joining the team full-time, Felicity was a staff writer, content editor, the managing editor, and the campus correspondent throughout her four years at the FSU chapter. She has interned with Better Homes & Gardens, Sarasota Magazine, and Sachs Media Group during her college career. In her spare time, Felicity likes to explore new coffee shops, go to any local concert, or hunt for new finds at her favorite thrift stores. Felicity was previously the Style Editor for Her Campus Media. Felicity graduated in May of 2018 from Florida State University with a double major in Editing, Writing, & Media and Media/Communication Studies. Before joining the team full-time, Felicity was a staff writer, content editor, the managing editor, and the campus correspondent throughout her four years at the FSU chapter. She has interned with Better Homes & Gardens, Sarasota Magazine, and Sachs Media Group during her college career. In her spare time, Felicity likes to explore new coffee shops, go to any local concert, or hunt for new finds at her favorite thrift stores.