Is it possible to gradually wean your dosage of the birth control pill in order to kill the chance of an acne breakout afterwards?
I would have thought no, but perhaps I was just thinking of it the wrong way! There is one girl who has done it and had success… watch the video to find out what she did and how you can try the same thing.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9WyMLDUDBU
Visit this link to read the acne.org thread that I refer to in the video.
* And don’t forget, if you are going to try weaning off birth control pills, you need to use an alternative method of birth control to prevent pregnancy!
970 Responses
I saw this link too! I’ve been interested in this for a while, as I’m dying to go off of bcp after over 10 years of taking them, but I’m afraid of the acne. I want to know if this is safe though! But I’m afraid to ask my doctor, since they always think I’m crazy for stuff like this 😛 Also, clearly this method would require using a different form of birth control to prevent pregnancy!!
Well, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be any less safe than just stopping them… you can ask your doctor, but I’m sure they would say you shouldn’t do it! Doctors are really frustrating in that way… they seem to dismiss natural or alternative options right away… probably because they either don’t have time to discuss it… or perhaps it might be against some policy that they can’t tell you to use a medication in a way that’s not indicated. I don’t know. But anyway, that’s a good point about needing to use other birth control methods while you’re weaning, I will add that in as a note at the bottom!
Also, Tracy, don’t you think this kind of weaning would seriously mess up your cycle? I wonder if you wouldn’t just have breakthrough bleeding all month long.
You know, I’m not sure about that. People respond differently of course and maybe some people would have breakthrough bleeding…. to be honest, I really don’t know as I haven’t done this and I’m not on expert on it. But, if I was on birth control pills and wanted to be off them, I would definitely try this method. But that is because to me it seems more logical that it would be very gentle and easier on your body to wean off consistently like this over a long period of time, rather than weaning off by taking it one day but not taking it the next etc, or just quitting cold turkey. But maybe there would be issues that I’m not thinking of, and if you think there would be, then use your best judgment to decide whether to try it or not!
I’m in month 2 of weaning off of YAZ birth control pills. I take YAZ for PMDD (and acne).
My method includes taking a razor blade, cutting the pills in half, and then cutting one of the halves in half (to produce two quarter pill pieces). Right now, I’m in month two of taking 3/4 of a pill each day (that’s one half piece and one quarter piece). So far, what has happened?
a) my energy levels have improved – I felt sluggish all the time before and now I have lots of energy – also, I need to mention that this doesn’t fluctuate – I have energy all the time, no matter what day of the month it is
b) in the very beginning of weaning off, I got a couple of minor zits, which went away fairly quickly and I haven’t gotten any more since
c) I still have no period, AT ALL.
d) my moods have been consistently more upbeat, except this week as I near the end of my second pack of weaning off pills, I felt pretty emotional, but I have a LOT of stressors in my life very recently, so that could be why. Otherwise, I’m quite chipper.
Why did I want to go off YAZ?
Mainly because of what it’s doing to my joints and muscles. I’ve developed MAJOR cellulite all over my body (and I’m thin). Fronts of legs (UGHHHH), tops of arms, belly. I’ve never had cellulite in these places before. I learned that estrogen works to break down collagen in your body. This leads to cellulite. It also makes my hips and joints hurt, and my muscles have been feeling super weak and cramping up a LOT. So, YAZ has to go. But because I take it for PMDD, I don’t want to bring on a psychotic hormonal episode by just going completely off of it.
So far, my approach is working very well. I did start to get hot flashes in the past few days, which coincides with the extra emotion.
Also, some of my libido is definitely returning, which is a great thing. And, it’s kind of nice to feel feelings more deeply again, instead of functioning like an emotional robot. I plan to do another month at 3/4 pill, then cut down to a half pill.
Wish me luck!
Betty,
I have been on Yaz for 10 years! And want to wean off. I had the exact same idea to slowly cut the birth control in half with a razor blade. Last time I stopped cold turkey my hair fell out like crazy, and I got terrible acne, and horrible mood swings…So i went back on the dreaded pill. I want to stop again, and for good this time, because of the cellulite issue as well! It is now March, how has your experiment gone? would love to hear
any updates on weaning off the pill by cutting it? did you get any cystic acne? I’m about to start the weaning process once I finish the pack I’m in.
I just started the process of weaning off Birth Control pills –
Follow my weaning off birth control journey here! http://birthcontrolweaning.blogspot.com/
Hello. I want to share my experience with weaning off the birth control pill. Just so people can compare themselves with me: I am now 16 but have been on the pill since 14. I am generally acne prone, really bad during the 14-15 times but now at 16 it is quite well. I was on Yasmin, and I decided I wanted to quit. The pills were getting too expensive. I was very scared for the side effects of acne. But this is how I did it: 3 months. The first month I ate 2/3 of the pill by cutting. The second month 1/2 and the third month 1/3. I was also traveling at the time so my skin would get dry from planes, and I didn’t sleep much. HOWEVER, it all worked great for me. Every time I would cut a third of the pill out I would get a pimple or two, but then nothing. The process was all relatively smooth and weaning worked well for me. It has been since Christmas ’12 and I am still quite clear. Only thing is that I haven’t had my period yet; bit worried but I don’t know. Hope this helped!
Hi,
Thank you for sharing your experience! I stopped taking BC for awhile then the cystic acne emerged and I couldn’t deal with it. I went back on BC but this time I developed melasma on my upper lip which looks like a straight up mustache in the summer. I want to use this method to wean off the pill and hope that I will not get bad acne after. I had great skin before going on the pill!
You mentioned your skin did not go haywire. Is this true for the months that followed?
Hi, I found your site from acne.org and thanks for giving out tons of info! Anyways, I saw that link as well but I didn’t know the OP ever came back to report the current status. I think your suggestion of having a healty diet/lifestyle months before you plan to get off BCP is the best advice. Personally I wouldn’t recommend this “weaning off” method as we have no idea the composition of the pill, or how it’s made. It may very well mess up the cycle and gives you more side effects.
Hmm I thought she did come back a few months later and say it was still working out great for her!
Actually I asked my friend who is a doctor about this. She said she thought it would be fine to break or cut the pills, and she thought it would be a good idea as a way to slowly get your body accustomed to lower hormone doses! I have started weaning and am on my first week.
Oh very interesting! I’m really glad to hear that you checked that out…. please me know how it goes with the weaning!
Hey anna! I want to stop taking my pills also and last time i stopped i had horrible acne and was wondering if the weaning off gradually method really worked. It must be nearly a year now since you’ve stopped. Could you please take a little bit of your time and tell me how this method has worked out for u? Thank you
Hi Luneit!
I actually just revisited this post now and saw your reply almost a year later. Weaning off of birth control pills did work pretty well for me. I have been off of them for a year and a half now. I took about 4-5 months to wean off and did not experience acne during this process. I have had problems with acne since then so I don’t know if that is related to not taking birth control pills but at least I didn’t experience the “initial breakout”. My acne didn’t flare up again until about 6 months after stopping BCP. I’m working on other ways to treat my acne now, but am very happy to no longer be taking birth control. Good luck!
How bad was your acne flare up? Could you give any advice on how you have been dealing with it? Did you do anything else while weaning off the pill? Like any diet changes or supplements?
Hey! I have been on and off birth control for awhile now. My first major breakout came after I stopped taking birth control (and increased stress levels). I cleared up but broke out again after taking an antibiotic. I started to take a different birth control at the suggestion of my doctor, but I am not a fan and my acne hasn’t really gone away (and it’s been four months now). Generally speaking, I have been working on my diet and exercise routine (but I’m afraid stress is still an issue). I feel like whenever I start to get clear, something gets in the way and I break out again! So, I guess what I am trying to say is that I want to come off of birth control, but I don’t want my face to get worse, is there a way through relaxation and exercise that I can regulate my hormones?
Hi Audrey!
Get yoga, meditation, and any other relaxing and pleasurable activity will definitely help you to regulate your hormones. (as well as a healthy diet and exercise).
I’d also do some research on vitex (agnus castes)… it’s a supplement that seems to help a lot of women with hormone imbalances, and I think it usually helps with the type of hormone imbalance that occurs after you go off birth control. I’m still researching it myself, so I don’t know everything about it yet either – but look into it!
Do you think taking one less pill a week over a long time frame would be similar or is cutting daily recommended?
I think cutting them is a good idea……. I think skipping pills will just send your hormones all weird (since you’ll get the full dose, then withdraw, which will cause big fluctuations and so forth), and what’s what we want to avoid.
Thanks! I’m looking forward to this journey. I’m getting into yoga, loving green smoothies, and am going to buy your ebook after I get paid haha. You’re really an inspiration and I have a much happier and optimistic outlook on things now. Thanks. Keep it up!
Hi Tracy- I love your website. I am planning of coming of BCPS too soon and the only reason I ever got on them was for my acne. I was just wondering what the update of the weaning process has been for previous posters. Also, I have been reading alot about saw palmetto and mint tea, and have heard wonder stories about them for women coming of BCPS and acne, have you heard anything about these? Thanks in advance!
Hi Momo!
So far I haven’t heard from anyone with an update…
Also I don’t know a lot about Saw Palmetto as of yet.. I know peppermint tea is good for balancing hormones and is an anti androgen.
Hi Tracey!
I know it’s been a while since you posted this, but I just thought you might be interested in having an update from people trying to wean themselves off the bcp.
I’m French, and over the past 10 years I’ve taken Diane 35 (Dianette for those in the UK), Jasmine (Yaz), and Jasminelle (Yazminelle). I’m lucky not to have any of the terrible side-effects experienced by so many women. My lifestyle is pretty impeccable – I eat very well, no drinking/smoking etc, but the other morning ago I woke up at 4am in utter panic, and suddenly realized that I’d been on this junk for a decade (I’m 29)! I’ve spent the last 10 days documenting myself on the pills I’ve been on, and I’m shocked to read SO many terrible things that happened to innocent women who just followed the dr’s orders.
So that’s it. I’m quitting.
I tried to come off Diane 35 in 2004 and broke out badly after having been clean for 6 months (I also had NO period for 6 months), so I just went back on. I was already a health-freak, and I tried so many food combinations, but nothing seemed to do it for me. Now, reading your website, I realize that I may just have been sensitive to some foods – as you say, what works for some does not always work for others. And there was probably a hormone imbalance at the root of all that.
Anyway, I’m going to wean myself off Jasminelle. I’m going to start by cutting off 1/6 of the pill, then 2/6 etc, and I want to be off in within 6 months. Now I just need to find a good way of balancing my hormones once I’m done.
I’m really determined to go through with this, but after that awful breakout in 2004 I’m nervous. Although your posts have given me SO much hope, I’m still nervous about what’s going to happen once my body no longer depends on the chemicals. But voilà, I’ll keep you updated.
Peace <3
Hi Christelle!
I hope the weaning thing works out for you…. please let me know if it works or not, I’d love more stories and experiences with people who have done it and have succeeded! Good luck lovely, xox
Hi Christelle,
I’ve been reading your comments and have been inspired to get off of Diane 35. I’ve been taking it for over 20 years and the last 10 years I’ve been skipping my periods and taking them all the way through. I am going to try weaning off. I guess the first step is to actually have my periods rather than continually taking the pill after 21 days. I fear I have a very hard struggle ahead. It is great to hear the support that is given from this blog it helps to know there are others out there going through the same thing.
Hi Jenn,
Sorry it’s taken me forever to get back to you. I only just saw your comment.
I think it’s a great idea to start by taking a 7 day break between packs. I doubt that will cause acne, but you might start getting withdrawal headaches along with your “periods”. Your body is indeed addicted to Diane, and the gentler you are with yourself the better you’ll do in the long run. But according to ladies such as Kyra who managed to wean off Dianette with virtually no side-effects, it might not be such a rough ride after all. I would advise you to wean off extra slowly though, to make sure your body doesn’t get “shocked” by a sudden decrease in cyproterone (that’s the synthetic progestin – the addictive stuff).
If you can, read up on the ingredients in Diane 35, so you are as informed as possible on what to expect when you come off.
If you’ve been on the pill for years, your gut flora might not be very rich. I would suggest taking a good probiotic while you wean, and investing in a B complex vitamin. The pill tends to stop your body from absorbing B vitamines, and they are the good hair-skin-nails ones.
Good luck! SO happy you’re taking the big plunge! 🙂
Hi Jenn! So have you started to wean yourself off the pill yet? If so, how is it going for you?? I’m really interested to hear from people who have been taking it for a long time. I’m starting my first day of weaning tomorrow, I’m going to do it over 9 months. I’ve been taking the pill for nearly 20 years so I’m going to take it slowly. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed it will go ok!
Hi,
I have been on low dose birth control since 1987, a very long time, and my daughter, a nurse, who is now being treated for ovarian cysts by physician who’s specialty is hormone imbalance convinced me I need to wean myself from pills. Can I just replace with estroven and progesterone cream. Being 59, I need to wean ASAP. Thank you for this website.
Mary
Hi Jenn,
I wanted to know how your weaning off did go? I am taking Diane 35 too and would like to stop the pill. I did in the past and I have always experimented major breakouts, I got cystic acne last time. Thanks!!!
Hi Christelle!!!
It’s been a while now and I was wondering how the weaning off did go? How long did it take you to be completly off and did you experience major acne breakouts. I’m on Diane 35 since ten years an tried to to getting off the pill 2 times, each time I did break off, but last time I started to have very big and deep cystic acne for which my dermatologist prescrib me Accutane. I never want to take this drug again and I am really scared to come off the pill. Therefore, I would like to know more about your journey to weaning off the pill. I would like to do it on 4 months. Thanks
My Pcp is more of an alternative Md. He told me the pill is made of horse urine…Ahhhh. I expressed my concerns about acne breakouts he said only take the pill every other day for a few months, maybe 2, then drop down to every 3rd day for a few mos and so on untill ur off… he said ur body depends on that dose of hormones every day so if you slowly remove it you body will balance itself out. So u will have lots of pills left over but will not have to take them just throw them away.
Hey thats awesome… it’s cool to hear that from a doctor that it’s okay to wean off them just by skipping pills! Thanks!
Oops, sorry Tracy, I misspelled your name in that first comment!
Ashley, I know, horse urine, ughhh!!! Good luck with your “skipping pills” method. I’m cutting mine – this month I’m cutting off a tiny fraction, and hopefully within 6 months I won’t be taking it at all.
In case anyone wants to try the same thing, remember, pills are tiny and very difficult to chop up, so be extra careful!
Also, I think it’s very important to make sure that while we are weaning off birth control our lifestyle and diet is at it’s best. I’m thinking of going on a candida cleanse and taking some probiotics + coconut oil supplements while my body adjusts to all these hormonal changes. I just think that for anyone who’s been on the bcp for a long time, it might be worth taking advantage of this “weaning” period to make sure you’re not giving your body too much of a hard time processing extra toxins etc.
Good luck ladies! And a million thank yous, Tracy, for the time and effort and love you put into all your posts and videos. I only discovered your website very recently and randomly as I was reading up on how to quit birth control. Anyway, you’re awesome! Much love xxxx
Hi Tracy,
Thanks so much for your post about this weaning method, I am going to give it a try. I have been on the bcp since I was 16 (now 25) and I do think it creates imbalances in my body (Candida etc.) I have tried going off the pill ‘cold turkey’ a couple of times, but my acne came back each time with a vengence & I had to go back on. Anything is worth a try!
Good luck Charlotte! I hope it works out for you 🙂
I have wondering about some of this for the past two months. I had my tubes tied and stopped taking my yaz right away; however, within a few days I was having a huge hormone dump. Considering I already fight depression, I wasn’t willing to jeopardize my mental health so they put me back on the yaz. Thankfully, I have a group of doctors that have a lot of faith in me that I am very strong in my mental health. At some point I know I need to get off of bc. I would like to very slowly wean myself. I’m not concerned about the periods as I haven’t had one in months. Thanks for everyone’s input.
Hi everyone,
Just want to tell my story, I am so thankful that I found this site, thank u so much Tracy! I have passed my first month successfully weaning off the pill, I will start my second pack tomorrow! so excited… I was on loestrin 24fe for 3 yrs and had a severe hair fall while being on it… and I always had acne! So my doctor put me on ortho tricyclen high estrogen pill to take care of hair fall and acne and it worked and after being on it for an year I started having BP problems and my doc told me its because of the pill coz otherwise I am very healthy person with healthy eating habits, I was so worried, I wantd to get off the pill but so scared of hair fall and acne! My doctor has put me on 50mg of spironolactone to control my acne and my BP and she wanted me go on lower dose of orthotricyclen but I wanted to do ur way and I am so glad I am doing this way! First month is gone no major acne breakout( just one or two small ones) and I don’t see any signs of it coming! Hair is also great! BP was great when I checked last time! I will keep on updating my status but I really have lot of faith in this method! Thank you so much! I hope this message will help few others who are trying to get off the pill!
Good luck Gausha! 😀
any update Gausha! I have this same issue with my hair falling out after I stop birth control… and every time I go back on Yaz so my hair will come back. I want to finally wean myself off. Would love to hear if it worked for you, and the amount you took to wean off?
Hi, Wanted to say I am so happy to have seen this blog. As I am having issues so many others are having. Have been on several BP’s over the past 4 years for my skin. After coming off the birth control pill last time my skin went crazy and it scared me back on it, this time I have been on diane 35 for the past 7 months has done wonders for my skin, I can tell its a strong pill my emotions are crazy. Have been noticing a little bit hair loss recently which has really stressed me out and I want to come off it right away however concerns of a major hair shed and an acne break out, feels like a trap! Anywho I have been to the natroupath and following a vitamin rich diet with supplements and going to give this cutting pill a try and wein myself off of this high dose of estrogen the smart way which makes sense in terms of cutting your dosage down rather then cold turkey. So will keep you all posted on how this goes and if anyone else could provide feedback on any positive updates with this would be great. Also going to look at acupuncture during the next few months to get my hormones balanced while trying this process! Fingers crossed!
Good luck Rebecca!
Ok ladies. Here’s a brief update on how the weaning process is going (I’m into month-4). So far so good, girls! I started cutting my pills in February. I took 3/4 of a pill for 2 months, then 1/2 a pill last month, and I’m doing the same this month. Next month I hope to be down to 1/4 of a pill, and I want to do that for 2 months, and be totally pill-free by August (I’ve been on birth control for 10 years, and I’m siiiiick of it!).
The pill I’m taking is called Jasminelle (the French version of Yazminelle, I guess). It’s supposed to help with acne, but I’ve heard it can also cause strokes, and it has provoked several deaths in recent years (hello!!!). Of course, my gynecologist has never mentioned any of those things to me, and when I asked her about the link between breast-cancer and the pill she shrugged and gave me the feeling I was a hypochondriac.
Anyway, after reading up on all the ill-effects of the pill, and realizing that I’d been on it for a decade, I decided it was time to quit. Whenever I have tried to quit birth control in the past, the acne has come back with a vengeance. So this time I wanted to be prepared. I now know that the pill can cause gut-flora imbalances, and so the first thing I did when I began to cut my pills was take a probiotic (to get the good guys back in there). I cut out refined sugar (to help kill off the bad guys), gluten, and pretty much all dairy apart from milk kefir and some goat’s cheese. I realized at that point that tomatoes were giving me some issues too (sneezing, and rhinitis), and so I cut those out. Within a month, I managed to get rid of the mild eczema I had had on my hands and feet for the past 10 years, and au-revoir rhinitis too! I upped my intake of green-smoothies, and I quit cooking with olive oil (the French know a heap about traditional foods, but nobody ever told me that heating olive oil was toxic!).
So far, 4 months into the weaning process, my skin is, well, yeah, really good! 🙂 I’m not going to scream out for victory just yet, as I’m obviously petrified that the acne will return like it did when I tried to quit birth control cold turkey a few years ago. But, yeah, so far so good. I just wanted to give you ladies this update, as I know how daunting it can be to consider coming off the one thing you know has helped keep your skin clear for so many years.
If you have any questions, fire away! Otherwise, bonne chance! xoxo
Hey Christelle – good for you, I’m really happy for you that it’s working out well 🙂 and ps – if you want to write an article about it when you are all done, that would be awesome… (hahah I assumed you meant write an article for me, but maybe I’m just being optimistic..)
Hi Cristelle,
I was wondering if you had an update on the weaning process, did everything stay clear?
I am hoping to try this soon
Vickyxx
Hi Vicky,
Yes, I can update. In fact, I’m planning to write an article for Tracy very soon (I just haven’t had much time lately).
In a nutshell: on the acne front, all is clear. I’m really impressed, actually. It’s been over a year now since I quit completely, and my skin is fine.
On the cycle front, I’ve been regular – my cycle varying from 25-32 days (at the moment it’s averaging 25/26 days). I’ve had no PMS symptoms, minor breast tenderness from time to time, but no headaches or irritability. I have been taking vitex pretty much non-stop since I came off, and I’m sure that’s made a difference (I was very irregular before going on the pill). On the downside, my periods are long and relatively heavy. Sometimes, I can bleed for up to 13 days. I’ve had to include more iron-based foods. BUT, aside from one month when I had one nasty cramp, I am happy to say I’ve had not a single period cramp in a year. I have a fairly high tolerance to pain, but still, I wouldn’t switch long heavy natural periods for crampy cranky pill-induced bleeding… I couldn’t go back now. It feels so good to be natural. 🙂
My next step is definitely going to be Estroblock. I’ve done a bunch of reading up on it (via this website too), and I don’t know why I haven’t considered it sooner. I’ve read it can lighten heavy periods… so I’ll have to keep you posted as to how that goes.
I think I’m also going to invest in some MSM powder. I’ve heard it makes your skin soft and helps with hair and nail growth (not that I have problems in that area, but I want to give it a try). Also, it will soon be autumn here, which means that I’ll be cooking my vegetables more, and I want to make sure I’m still getting the benefits I would from raw veg. Voilà.
And if I may, do try this method! It’s so empowering to live more naturally 😀
Hello Christelle
Je suis française aussi et comme toi je prends la pilule (jasmine) depuis plus de 13 ans.. (imagine!)
je suis une personne très saine aussi, pas de gluten et de produits laitiers depuis un an non plus.
Je fais du sport, bref tout le tralala d’une femme saine sauf que je prends toujours cette pilule depuis des années (ironique non?)
Etant donné les cicatrices que ça m’a donné et le traumatisme que ça a crée (je ne sors jamais sans maquillage par ex), j’ai vraiment vraiment peur d’arréter cette pilule.. même si j’en meurs d’envie car probablement à cause de ça, j’ai eu une candida albicans
Mais pour être honnête la pilule ne m’a jamais fait une peau superbe. Je l’a prends par habitude et surtout par peur que ça empire si je l’enlève! J’ai même fait roaccutane et depuis ce moment là j’ai d’ailleurs des problèmes de santé (dont la candida albicans et tendinites à répétitions etc etc). Ma peau allait mieux mais après quelques mois d’arrêt de roaccutane, les microkystes étaient revenus. Par contre, depuis que j’ai arrété le gluten et les produits laitiers, j’ai remarqué que j’en avais moins.
Du coup je commence seulement à avoir une peau pas si mal que ça et j’ai pas envie d’arrêter ma pilule pour que tout s’écroule et que j’ai à nouveau pleins de cicatrices, de rougeurs et de boutons
Bref, comment était ton acné avant?
tu peux me donner des conseils sur ta manière de te sevrer, comment tu as fait, et sur différents options naturelles pour accompagner le tout?
j’ai lu dans beaucoup de site américain que les filles prenaient du vitex, du tea tree, ou de huile d’onagre
merci pour les détails, j’ai besoin d’être rassurée pour être sur de pas retomber dans le panneau 🙂
un grand merci par avance! et c’est super si tu as réussi!
Of course I’ll write you an article! 🙂
Hey I know this post has been up for a while, but I have some questions about acne and the pill…
I went off the pill last November ’11, and had breakouts only the 3rd month into stopping the pill abruptly (if I had known I would have waned off), but… too late now. It’s now been, around 6 7 months and it has gotten better… but to a point that I don’t know if it will? I had had acne before I went off, but not this bad! I’m getting bumps along my jaw line (which I never do), and on my cheeks (which I never do…) and my forehead… but they usually come on the RIGHT side of the cheek and mainly before my period.
When will it balance out? will it EVER? since it has been 6 7 months already!
Thanks, i’m really worried as I am someone who freaks out over imperfect skin!!
Hi Cindy,
A good friend of mine stopped taking her pill (Dianette) cold turkey a couple of years ago, and she broke out quite badly at the beginning, and it took a little while for her hormones & skin to regulate. But the good news is that now, 2 years later (actually, her skin was great last year too, but she said she got the occasional pimple at that time of the month) she says she’s recovered her ‘baby soft’ skin again, after so many years of having pill-induced dry skin. So don’t be too hard on yourself. Your body will heal itself in time.
xoxo
Hi ladies,
I’m going through this exact same thing.
Stopped cold turkey in December 2011. It’s now been 11 months and no sign of it improving…
I’m also very healthy, no processed foods, sugar. I take omega 3s and drink a lot of water…
I have done a lot of research and read that the cyproterone actetate contained in Diane 35 can have some dangerous withdrawal effects and if stopped suddenly can cause undesirable androgenic effects – which we are experiencing.
I got this from the Wikipedia page about it:
“In addition, although cyproterone acetate reduces androgen production in the gonads, it can increase adrenal androgen production, in some cases resulting in an overall rise in testosterone levels.[30] Thus the sudden withdrawal of cyproterone acetate may result in undesirable androgenic effects. This is a particular concern because androgens, especially DHT, suppress adrenal function, further reducing cortisol production.”
The only thing is, I cannot find whether these “androgenic effects” are permanent or resolve themselves in time…
Hi Guys- Its nice to see this process working for people. I am currently doing this as well, but I am so scared that the acne is going to come back. I have been breaking out a little but I think it might be common? Has anyone else broken out? I usually get a pimple and usually goes away that day or the next. I was wondering if anyone noticed if their hair was getting oily? Good luck to everyone who is going through this process. This website is encouraging.
@ Cindy, from what I hear it takes about a year to get your skin under control, so you are almost there! I heard using a good greek yogurt and maybe Vitex as a vitamin can help, but I am not sure.
Hi Momo,
I’m breaking out a tiny weeny bit right now (after month 4), so I’m guessing this might be normal. But also I haven’t eaten that well these past couple of weeks, so you know… But yes, as for oily hair, I haven’t noticed anything in particular, maybe a little more oily. But it depends how often you shampoo your hair, and what product you use. I recommend using a gentle product that does not contain sodium laureth sulfate. On iherb.com you can get a gentle shampoo bar (J.R. Liggett’s Old Fashioned Bar Shampoo, it costs around 5$). It’s actually not a shampoo at all, but more of a soap. And it’s not tested on animals.
I think Vitex is good for balancing hormones, I’m planning on taking it once I stop taking the pill altogether (I’ve heard it can interfere with your hormones if you take it while you’re on the pill). Evening primrose oil is also recommended along with MSM. Some say Maca helps, and others say it aggravates their acne, so I think the best thing to do it to get your hormone levels checked once you’re done with the weaning process and take it from there. Good luck! xoxo
For anyone doing the weaning method, how does this work with your period?
I’m on Ortho-tri-cyclen Lo, have been on various BCPs for 10 years and really want to get off, but as all of you, am terrified of getting terrible acne. I never had acne before the pill, but I know every time I’ve tried to go off for a month, I break out and start the pill again.
I have the 3 weeks on, 1 week off type, where the amount of estrogen remains the same, but the amount of progestin increases every week. When I start, would I have to take 3/4 of each different color during the corresponding week, or do I just take them in a row and have leftovers?
Also, with your period, do you just stop on the 21st day as you normally would and let your period come? For those of you who have tried it, what are the effects on your menstrual cycle?
Thank you for any advice! I feel so much better knowing there are others going through the same thing.
Hi Olga,
I’m no specialist, so of course if you want to be absolutely sure of the safest way to wean off Ortho-tri-cyclen Lo, I would check with your doctor/naturopath, however, I can tell you what my experience has been so far in terms of getting my periods on time etc.
I’m on Jasminelle, and as far as I know that’s a regular dosage ethinylestradiol/drospirenone pill. Normally, with mine, I take it for 3 weeks, and then stop so that I can get my monthly period.
1) During the first 2 months I chopped off 1/4 of the pill, leaving me with 3/4 of the pill to take. I had no spotting between my period, but I got my period 1 week early both times. This didn’t bother me, I just kept taking it for 21 days (all the while taking only 3/4 of the pill), and then I stopped for a week, during which I didn’t get my period.
2) During the 3rd month, I chopped off 1/2 of the pill, leaving me with 1/2 of the pill to take. Strangely enough, I got my period on time, after having taken 1/2 a pill every day for 21 days. It actually lasted longer than usual (7 days-ish), and felt more like a “real” period, with real cramps, and I got a bit of a sugar craving.
3) During the 4th month, I continued to chop off 1/2 of the pill, leaving me with 1/2 of the pill to take. This time I got my period 1 week early, so I just continued to take my pill until I reached the end of the pack, and right now I’m waiting for 7 days as indicated on the pack before moving on.
Next week I’m planning to take only 1/4 of the pill. I’m nervous, as I’ve got a mini acne bump on my forehead, and a couple of mini bumps on my chin. Up until now I have been 100% acne-free. But I’m putting this minor breakout down to hormonal disruption and not having eaten so great these past couple of weeks.
Another thing I can say, is that for the past few days, during my last early period, I had mild headaches. I never ever suffer from headaches normally, so I guess it could be a withdrawal symptom. On the plus side, I’ve had less PMT symptoms since I started the weaning process in February 🙂
Good luck lovely, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate! xoxo
Hi Christelle,
Thank you SO MUCH for clearing that up for me. I definitely feel a lot more confident and comfortable going through with this now. Looks as though this week will be my first week trying to wean off the pill and it actually feels really liberating! I’ll keep you all posted with my results.
Thank you all again!
Hi Olga!
I’m about to wean off Ortho-tri-cyclen Lo, too, and was wondering if you could give an update on your experience. Thanks!
hi christele, i’d like to try thios process too im on diane for almost 2 years now .. and i want to get off from this pill. i took this bc i was diagnosed with PCOS. i just want you to ask for example on u started to wean on the pill by taking the 3/4 of the pill, what are you going to do with the 1/4 left? hmm are you going to throw it away?? and buy another pack? i hope u can answer my question. i wanna know all the details you were doing. thank you.
Hi all, Im halfway through my second month of taking 3/4 of my pills. Up until last week my skin has been great, but a few days ago I had a breakout and I have noticed my skin getting a little more oily. Hopefully its just a result of recent indulgences as it was my birthday last week (A LOT of sweet treats!). I’m thinking of doing a Candida cleanse soon and am taking a probiotic. Pretty determined to stick this one out and to finally get off BCP.
Hi ladies..
Just wanted to give you an update on the whole weaning process. Nothing has gone wrong since I started about 2 weeks ago. But I have decided to quit cold turkey. I can’t handle to stress taking the pill is causing mental stress and emotional. So I decided to stop yesterday which I hope was the right thing to do.. looking back at a few years ago when I started the pill for my skin now I feel like I have a bigger problem then just my skin caused by the pill and candida overgrowth. For all those who think there acne/pimples may be linked to candida I suggest looking into Mercury poisoning as a possible contribution to your candida along with the BCP. If you do have amalgam fillings do some research and see if you think there is a link to your problems. I am going in next week to a holistic dentist who specialise in removing amalgam fillings and replacing them. I would suggest doing your research and speaking to a naturopath but if you want to get to the root cause of your problems I would look at all the possibilities for the best recovery and I do think the weaning is a very good idea I just can’t take having to take something that I see as such a problem causer and I hope that this has been the right decision.
Hey Rebecca,
I totally understand. The weaning process itself is SO frustrating, as it still means that you’re taking the very thing you don’t want to have in your system (even if you know it’s not for long – I know I have to go out and get myself a new batch of pills, and I’ve been putting it off for the past week). Ultimately, you are your own best judge. I think you said you were on Diane 35, and I know from experience that that pill in particular causes emotional issues as well, so it’s only normal for you to want to quit asap. Good luck with everything, and remember to give your body time to heal!
🙂
Hey Rebecca
As you, i learned last year that i had the candida albicans. So i stopped eating dairy and gluten with less fruits for some times.
Now i feel better but i keep my pill (jasmine in french) and wanted to know more about mercury poisoning
Can you tell me more about it please?
Thanks
Léna
Hi friends, just want to update every one, that I have successfully completed 2 months and down to half pill from this month….skin is still very clear….I am feeling great, lost 3 pounds already……few headaches and lighter periods…..no breakthrough bleeding! Very happy! I am so glad that I found this site! Met with my Dr. Last week, she said there is no scientific explanations for what you are doing….. But if it is working keep doing it!Will keep updating…….
Thanks Christelle.. so have stopped taking it since Sunday and yesterday got very heavy bleeding which I know is normal just going to wait it out a pimple on my left cheek which I don’t care about. I know if i have to deal with break outs some facials diet and natural hormone balancing will eventually cure me. The anxiety and stress I have felt over the last few weeks has taken it’s toll unnecessary stress on my part I am sure….It’s so hard to be sure that you are going about things the right way and I really hope that these side effects reside and I don’t have any over the next few months need be as optimistic as I can, working with my naturopath on Candida and hormone imbalance as well as stress and anxiety and I hope with a lot of hard work in the next year I will be myself again I have great faith in this practise so if anyone out there is worried about side effect of BCP go see a naturopath they are very experienced with this kind of stuff and see it all the time.
Ok sorry to burden everyone again but can I ask a question which has been plaguing me and causing me so much anxiety. A month ago i noticed a bit of hair loss nothing severe but in the shower when washing and blow drying a lot more then what i am use to this has been happening close to a month now. I have been on dianne for 12 months for the skin and prior to that i have been on a bunch of other pills on and off with no problems related to my hair.. so I guess it freaked me out and I don’t know if i am overreacting or if it’s because of autumn i am losing a bit more or if it’s the pill even though i haven’t had problems with it before a month ago. So that’s a big reason why I just stopped it… the only issue i have now is i hear women experience problems with hair after stopping the pill so you could say I am sooo scared! I hope by stopping it i don’t have any issues but so scared that i might encounter more by stopping and i don’t think my mental state can handle it! Any advice on this one.
Hey Rebecca,
I have a good friend who came off Diane 35 2 years ago, and she said she went through the hair-loss phase for a few months, nothing drastic, but yeah, she said that was one of the side-effects of coming off that particular pill. But maybe what you’re experiencing is not related at all. When I started weaning off the pill in February, I noticed a bit of hair loss too, which lasted a couple of months, but I didn’t even think of mentioning it here as I put it down to it being winter here, and you know, in winter you just tend to lose your hair a little more.
Hormonal disruptions definitely can have an effect on hair loss, but it won’t last forever! My friend who came off Diane 35 now has gorgeous hair! She just went through a few months of hormonal stress. You need to stay focussed on how amazing you’re going to feel when you’ve finally recovered your natural cycle and health (and you will, Today, my friend has no regrets, and she looks so healthy, that’s what made me want to quit the bcp too)!
One last thing, if your hair loss does become more severe, you might want to look into taking a B-vitamins supplement and some magnesium – I know that they can help with hair loss.
Good luck lady! 🙂
Thanks Christelle.. it’s autumn/winter here at the moment so i don’t know if it’s because of the seasons or due to BCP. I have stopped taking it since last week and the first week i was an emotional mess feeling much better the last 2 days emotionaly. So i don’t know if it’s seasonal or the BCP it’s nothing major my hairdresser keeps telling me i have nothing to worry about so maybe just a combination of hormones and the weather. And putting all my efforts into diet, exercise and natural hormone balancing. So hopefully will start to feel a lot better soon. Feeling much more positive now.
Hi Christelle, I wanted to ask a question about your friend and dianne 35. A lot of what I have read on the interenet related to hairloss on dianne is that they experience it 3-4 months after stopping when I feel like I have been expereincing it after stopping the first week and I guess I am worried that stopping the birth control for now 3 weeks that it’s going to get worse in a few months rather then better. So I guess I am just worried that it won’t get better in the coming months when it’s been happening for close to 2 months now. I never had any issues with my hair prior to this and i guess I want to narrow it down to what the cause is
Hi Rebecca,
Yeah, the breakout I had after coming off Diane 35 eight years ago occurred after 3 months of having been off the pill, and I think my friend began to experience her breakout/hair-loss symptoms after having been off the pill for 6 months. I realize that this sounds a little scary, as you haven’t been off for very long time, and so I guess you’re worried about having yet to go through all of that.
I never experienced the hair-loss thing, but the acne was enough trauma to deal with, and I didn’t stick with it. I just went right back on the pill as soon as I got my period again (6 months after having quit cold turkey). My friend was braver than I was, and she stuck with it, and she said that the hair-loss and acne lasted for 6 months give or take, and then suddenly everything fell into place, and she stopped losing her hair, and her skin cleared.
If this helps, know that neither I nor my friend were particularly healthy at the time. I was eating a heck of a lot of sugar and dairy and gluten and soy (I had no idea they were possible allergens), and my friend told me she used to binge out on bread and cheese and cookies too, so that can’t have helped. I guess what I’m saying is, your body wants to heal itself, and it needs help – plenty of love, and rest, and exercise, and a healthy diet and maybe some supplements such as Vitex and or evening primrose and or DIM etc (perhaps you could discuss these options with your naturopath).
It might take you a few months to get there, during which you might experience a little hair-loss (hopefully it won’t be more than a little). But it won’t last, and that I can guarantee. Hair-loss can occur when your hormone levels are out of whack. Perhaps you could get them tested (a saliva test should do the trick, if it isn’t too expensive, otherwise you could ask your gynecologist for a blood-test). Once you know if you’re dealing with estrogen dominance, or PCOS, or whatever, you’ll be able to fix things more quickly.
How bad is your hair-loss ? I mean, is it noticeable by others, or are you just worried it’s going to last a long time?
Good luck girl, wishing you all the best 🙂
Hi Christelle! Sorry for bothering you but I have been following your weaning off process as I would like to do the same. But I am so terrified at the idea of having the same side effects as I had last time I stopped my pills :/
So I was wondering if you could please continue updating your posts for some time even after you’ve completely stopped taking anything, after the 6 months of weaning off are over. I would really appreciate that as that’s what’s stressing me out the most with this process: even though you may have less acne while weaning off, but does it still continue working after the weaning off process is completed, after you stop the pill completely? If yes, it would give me so much more hope and confidence, and you would be a real life savior! I’ve searched everywhere on the internet feedbacks from people after they’ve finished their weaning off, but nothing. Mostly people provide comments and feedback while they are weaning off but when they finish unfortunately they stop updating 🙁
Anyways thank you very much for your time and bonne chance pour la suite! 🙂
Hi Mona, et merci!
I know, it’s so frustrating. I’ve searched on countless forums to try to find accounts by women who’ve managed to quit the bcp this way, but nobody seems to follow through once they’ve actually come off the pill completely. Obviously, I’m going to keep on updating even once I’m done (next month is my “last” month!) as I think that if this method works it will be encouraging for other people who want to rid themselves of artificial hormones without experiencing all the terrible side-effects.
But you know how it is, what works for one person doesn’t always work for another, so even if this method works for me (crossing fingers big time!) it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will for other women. Having said that, I think it seems so logical; your body has been relying on artificial hormones for years, if you take all of that away suddenly, of course your system is going to be confused and do all sorts of weird stuff. Why put your body through that much stress when you can just reduce the dosage slowly?
Since I’m on here, I may as well update:
Two weeks ago, after having taken only 1/4 of the bcp, my period came 1 week early, again. This time, I just stopped taking my daily dose when I started to bleed (light period, 5 days), and I started taking it again last Monday.
What I’ve noticed since last week is that my breasts are painful, and my lower belly feels kind of tight, almost stiff. If my calculations are right, I should be ovulating (at least that’s what I’m attributing the pain to). I’ve also felt a little nauseous, and weak. But hey, as they say in France, you have to suffer to be beautiful!
I’m eating lots of healthy fats: salmon, cod liver oil, coconut oil, ghee, avocados, etc. (I’m a skinny girl, and I always worry that I’m not getting enough calories and nutrients). I’m also trying to avoid high glycemic foods because they can influence the production of androgens and cause candida (not so simple though, as there are lots of birthdays and family get-togethers this month, aagh!).
Voilà. Bon courage to all of you! xoxo
Oh yeah, and no acne so far! 🙂
Hi Christelle,
Thank you infinitely, you do not know how much this means to me! Even though I haven’t stopped yet and as you’ve said, there’s a chance that it may not work for me, I already feel so much more hopeful 😀 I am happy that you still have no acne, and really hope that it will stay the same even when you come off it completely.
If I may I have another question for you. When you tried to stop the pill previously, did you get any increased hair growth on your body? Cause that’s also one of the symptoms I had and I am also terrified of that happening again 🙁
(Bref si jamais je parle en français parce que j’habite en suisse mais je pensais que c’était mieux que je t’écrive en anglais comme ça tout le monde peut comprendre. Je prends la pilule Belara tu connais? Elle est assez connu par ici, elle est aussi anti-androgenique comme la Diane 35).
Voila courage courage! Becs!
Hi Christelle
Thanks for this post, it is the most comforting post I have read about coming off Diane 35. And I think I’ve read every single reference to it on the internet.
I am on month 11 off Diane 35 and still breaking out.
What makes it worse now is that my skin and hair are ridiculously oily AND I have tons of red marks due to the past 11 months. It’s basically a disaster.
Can you please provide more info on how your friend’s acne got better? Did she take any particular supplement which made a good difference?
Thanks!
xox C
Hi Coco,
I feel your pain. Diane 35 is a nightmare pill. First and foremost, I’ve heard that MSM cream is great for scarring and red marks. I’ve also heard that turmeric masks are highly anti-inflammatory and can really help sooth sore skin tissues. Actually, turmeric is amazing when taken internally too as it has very strong anti-acne properties.
Ok, so about your break out, I can’t say for sure how long it will last for you, but in my friend’s case, she said she started breaking out about 6 months after having come off the pill, and the acne breakout lasted for a whopping 6-7 months (I know!). The good news is, after having been off birth control for a year, the acne just gradually subsided and today she looks great, no scarring, nothing.
From what I’ve read about Diane 35, it seems to be a very strong pill that in pretty much all cases causes a breakout when you suddenly quit (apparently one of its composing elements is highly addictive and what you experience when you suddenly stop feeding it to your body is similar to the withdrawal symptoms a drug-addict might feel when coming off drugs… I know, bet your gyno never told you that would happen!). So far, you’ve done an excellent job being off the Diane for 11 months! You deserve a massive cheer for that! 🙂
What you need to do now is be extra gentle with yourself. Your body is still trying to get back on track, and it will eventually find its bearings, but there are a few things you can do in the meantime to give it a helping hand:
1- A candida cleanse. Diane 35 (like many other pills) causes candida big time. Candida in your intestinal tract can throw your system out of whack and aggravate or even cause acne. If I were you, I would look into a candida diet type thing for a week or two (or more if necessary) and observe the effects on your acne. Taking probiotics afterwards is a really good idea as it helps replenish the gut with healthy bacteria (the good guys that Diane 35 killed off).
2- Invest in a bottle of fermented cod liver oil and turmeric supplements for vitamin D & A (roaccutane is nothing more than synthetic vitamin A, and there’s no point taking that junk when you can get natural source vitamin A in cod liver oil). Some people swear that fermented cod liver oil alone has healed their acne for good.
3- I should have put this as number 1, but hey. Burdock root is a great detoxifier. You can drink it in herbal-tea form or take capsules. In all cases, it will help your system rid itself of the excess hormones. It might cause an initial detox breakout though, so you may want to wait until you’re on holiday or at home alone for a bit before you start taking it to avoid the extra stress of having to deal with people.
Just a question, how long were you on the Diane for?
Let me know if you have any other questions etc,
Good luck! 🙂 You’ve already come so far, I’m sure you won’t have to put up with the acne for very long now.
Ah, and I almost forgot… vitex is recommended to help balance out your hormones. I’ve been taking it for 3 months now, and my skin is great (not sure if it’s the vitex, but anyway, so far so good… you might want to give it a shot). 😉
Hi Christelle
Thank you for the kind words it really cheers me up to hear a positive story with this nightmare pill. Thanks also for the recommendations, I will go pick up some tumeric asap. Also It’s funny that you mentionned th cod liver oilas I just ordered some from green pastures (with butter oil). I should be receiving th CLO tomorrow and can’t wait to try it.
I’ve been reading about vitex but have been very reluctant to mess around with my hormones any more… How are you feeling on the vitex?
Finally, my overall diet is close to the candida diet but I find it way too hard and depressing to go through those candida cleanses. Wondering if your friend did a candida cleanse? I’m just so tired of doing drastic things that don’t really improve my condition.
I want my old skin back sooo bad, i’m actually considering accutane but want to tough it through a bit more before biting the bullet. It’s gotten to thr point where my whole life is affected by this and I wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety about never getting my old skin back
I am so so so angry at doctors for prescribing me this pill which is ruining my life.
Im so angry at myself for trusting doctors and taking this for such a long time.
I have been on and off Diane 35 for over 7 years. I initially took it to clear VERY mild back acne, I had nearly nothing on my face. I was on it for 2 years then stopped for 6 months and only got mild acne on my back, nothing on my face. I got back on it after 6 months because the back acne was bothring me, I took it for 2 years and then stopped for 2 years. During this break I got more acne on my face but it was nothing close to what I have now. Stupidly, i got back on it for 2 years. At that point my hair was much greasier and it felt like I had lost some hair density too, but it controlled my mild acne. After 2 years of feeling guilty for taking it everyday, I decided to stop. First 3-4 months were good, barely noticeable breakouts, then i started messing around with different face washes, concealers etc… In an effort to regain my perfect skin and thats whdn my skin broke out like i had never experienced in my whole life! I then resorted to the acne.org regimen which helped resolve some pimples but also damaged other parts of my skin.
Now i am left with a HUGE mess. Lots of traces, oily face, oily hair and a few breakouts a week which leave red marks for centuries.
I don’t see the end of this nightmare 🙁
Thanks for the support!
Xox c
Also to
I apologies for all the typos! I typed it all on my phone :S
I completely and utterly sympathize, Coco. When I tried to quit the Diane 8 years ago after having been on it for 2 years it was a catastrophe. Had I known back then that accutane was a possible solution, I’m sure I would have taken it. Anything to take away the uncontrollable acne.
The thing about accutane, apart from it being very damaging for the liver (but I’m sure you’re aware of that, you probably just want to be done with the acne for once and for all, which I totally understand) is that if you start taking it you’ll automatically be put on the birth control pill again (to avoid you getting pregnant – as accutane presents a serious risk for the fetus). And so in the end it’s the start of another vicious cycle, because one day you’ll want to come off birth control… and, well, you know how it goes.
That’s the theory. In practice I realize it’s much more difficult actually having to deal with acne right here right now, and I know how desperate I was when I came off Diane 35 cold turkey (I went right back on after 6 months of having been off… too much for me to handle).
If ever you do end up going back to both control just to clear up this breakout, maybe you could try to go from Diane to a lower dose pill, and then gradually wean off… that’s one suggestion.
But if you do feel you can stick this one out and let your body figure stuff out I’m sure it will in due time. My friend is so happy she stuck it out, and I promise her skin and hair look incredible today (she’s been off Diane 35 for 2 years now). Think about it anyway
xoxo
Hi Christelle!
You are so kind and sweet to have taken the time to help me, I really appreciate it!
So I bought the following:
Coconut oil (taking 1 teaspoon/day) + cooking with it now.
A detox tea containing Burdock root + red clover leaf + ginger.
Fermented cod liver oil + butter oil capsules (from Green Pastures, taking 3/day).
I’m now adding 1 teaspoon of turmeric in my morning shake (organic rice protein powder)
I’m also taking 1 tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel every day and 1 tablespoon of olive leaf extract.
I am drinking lots of water and trying to eat very well (very low gluten, no sugar other than from fresh fruits (and even that in moderation), no dairy (other than the butter oil in my CLO capsules).
We’ll see where this takes me, I’ll update you if I see progress. I’m really excited about the cod liver oil and heard that it has really helped other girls.
XOX Coco
Hey christelle… yes it is all very scary and something that is stressing me because I have only been off for a month… i have never had issues with any bcps and hair before and I have been on several different ones over 4 years.. so i wonder whether dianne had an effect on my hair while being on it… it’s not noticible and everyone doctors, hairdresses are telling me I am fine.. although over the past 2 months I noticed more hair shed then normal example when i shower and blow dry i notice a lot more and notice more hair fall throughout the day.. when they say normal amount is 50 – 100 i would be in the normal but I do notice a lot of hair fall which just started out of nowhere 2 months ago… i am super stressed that this is something I am going to have to deal with for a long time or not know what the cause is… being off the pill 1 month i have broken out on my chest and 1 on my face and that doesn’t bother me… it’s not knowing what’s going to happen over the next few months and I pray I am one of the lucky ones that doesn’t have to go through this as I said I have never had an issue related to hair and bcp before.
Hi Rebecca,
I’m sure your symptoms are nothing to worry about. You say it’s winter where you live? You know, a lot of the time we tend to lose our hair a little in the winter anyway, plus if you’ve undergone a hormonal shock it might have worsened it a little. But I wouldn’t focus so much on what might happen in the next few months. If I were you I’d focus on right now. Diane 35 can cause candida, which in turn can stop you from absorbing nutrients (namely B vits). So If I were you I’d focus on getting all your nutritional needs met now so as to keep your hormones as balanced as possible. If your hair loss is due to a hormone imbalance, it will continue as long as your hormones are out of whack… do you see what I mean?
Although I’m sure your hair loss really isn’t anything you need to stress over, I do think that by taking the focus off that and back onto your overall health (making sure you’re well fed, and exercising, which also helps hormones to balance out), you’ll regain control over the situation, and that in turn will mean you won’t be worrying as much!
You’ve already completed a whole month without the Diane, that’s already really cool! I’m sure you’re doing really well! 🙂
Coucou Mona,
Your English is really good. I thought you were a native speaker! 🙂
To answer your question about hair growth after coming off birth control, I have to say I was lucky not to have suffered from any of that. The symptoms I had were acne (which started after 3 months of having been off, and got worse and worse until my whole face was covered, ugh nightmare!), and depression (and when I say depression, I mean crying for hours and hours in my bedroom without a triggering factor. I would come home from university and think, ok, it’s time to have a good cry), and feeling really low and tired. I’ve never had that since, I’m a happy person usually. But I think hormonal symptoms can vary from one person to another, because my friend who also quit the Diane had hair loss issues (she says it was severe), and others experience facial hair growth.
Je ne connais pas Belara, mais sinon je pensais à un truc qui pourrait peut-être atténuer les symptômes post-pilules pour toi. Tu pourrais peut-être demander à ta gynéco de te préscrire une pilule plus faible pendant quelques mois, histoire de réduire la dose, et ensuite tu pourrais commencer à “te sevrer”, comme je fais… qu’est-ce que tu en penses ?
Bon courage ma belle 😉
Hey Christelle! I am returning you the same compliment, your english is very good too ^^
Okay well I guess I had even worse symptoms than you. Like you said each person reacts differently. I had acne on my face, back and chest (which I never had before starting :/), more body hair and like you, I was depressed as hell! I would also cry like every single day and I couldn’t concentrate on my studies anymore. Me too I am a very happy person usually and I’m also scared of losing that too once I stop. How are you feeling emotionally now that you are weaning off?
Sinon merci pour ta proposition 🙂 Tu sais, en plus j’ai pensé à la même chose que toi mais après je me suis dit c’est peut-être pas une bonne idée que je change encore de pilule, je sais pas. Je me suis dit ça va juste me créer plus de dérèglement hormonal, t’en penses quoi? C’est ce que tu as fait avec la Diane 35 toi? T’es passé à Yasminelle dans ce but?
Merci encore pour tes conseils! Bisouxxx
Coucou Mona,
Yes, quitting cold turkey is rough! 🙁 Luckily, this weaning thing is great in that respect. I feel totally “with it”; no emotional ups and downs whatsoever. Before I started weaning, my boyfriend used to notice how I would get irritable 3-4 days before my period (poor him, haha), but I haven’t experienced that since I started weaning. What were you on before when you tried to quit?
(Sinon, ouais, je comprends ton dilemme. Mais finalement ce n’est peut-être pas nécessaire de prendre une pilule moins dosée avant de te sevrer. Jasminelle est anti-androgénique aussi, parait-il, donc tout compte fait c’est un peu la même chose que Belara, enfin les effets sur la peau sont les mêmes j’imagine. Juste une question (si c’est trop perso tu n’es pas obligée de répondre tkt), est-ce que tu souffres de syndrome OPK (PCOS) ? Moi, je commence à avoir des doutes en ce qui me concerne, parce qu’avant de prendre la pilule il y a 10 ans j’étais super mal réglée… je ne sais pas pourquoi on m’a donné la Diane pour commencer, mais maintenant que tu me poses la question je commence à me demander si ce n’est pas de ça que je souffrais (on ne m’a jamais diagnostiquée) ! J’étais un peu conne je crois, j’ai juste suivi les conseils de ma gyn sans me poser de questions, c’est nul (c’est elle qui m’a dit, au bout de 5 ans sous la Diane : “bon, on va passer à Jasmine, ça marche bien aux States”, puis 3 ans plus tard : “bon, on va passer à Jasminelle, c’est la même en moins dosée” !). Enfin bref, je crois qu’il n’y a pas de “bonne” méthode pour arrêter, mais je crois qu’il faut se fixer un objectif et s’y tenir. Moi j’ai les boules, mais bon, trop tard, j’ai déjà commencé, héhéhé 🙂 )
Bisous, and good luck with finding your own plan! xxx
Coucou Christelle,
Ecoute je prenais Ologyn, je sais pas si tu connais. Mais je l’ai pris que pendant 6 mois. Et après que j’ai eu tous les symptômes que je t’ai dit, je suis allé voir des médecins et ils m’ont fait une échographie et ont vu un kyste, enfin ils étaient même pas sûrs en fait parce qu’il était pas énorme et ils savaient pas si c’était une follicule un peu grande ou bien un kyste. Enfin donc je sais vrmt pas si j’ai le syndrome OPK. Mais à vrai dire je suis persuadée mnt qu’en fait, les médecins ne savent absolument rien. Quand je leur ai demandé pourquoi j’avais une poussée de poils, ils n’avaient aucune idée, d’ou l’échographie. Et je n’ai jamais eu de règles irrégulières auparavant….franchement je sais pas.
Si j’ai le syndrome OPK, j’en suis sûre c’est à cause de la pilule, parce que avant la pilule, j’avais aucun problème quoi que ce soit; I was a completely healthy person srlsy. J’ai souvent entendu dire et les médecins m’ont aussi dit quand je suis allée les voir que tous les symptômes allaient peut-être de toute façon arriver que je prenne la pilule ou pas et qu’en fait la pilule bloquait ses effets la. Et donc c pour ça que quand t’arrêtes, tu as ses symptômes qui sortent. Mais dans ce cas, ça voudrait dire quoi, qu’en six mois j’ai développé tous ses trucs bizarres et que la pilule n’y ai pour rien? Moi j’en doute fortement! La seule chose qui avait changé dans ma vie c’était la pilule et c’est pas possible qu’elle ne soit pas la cause de tous ses problèmes. Moi aussi j’ai écouté bêtement mon gynéco qui m’a dit voilà prend cette pilule même si j’étais un peu hésitante et voulais utiliser d’autres méthodes plus naturelles mais elle m’as tellement fait peur comme s’il n’y avait que LA pilule qui marchait vrmt et que si je ne la prenais pas j’allais tomber enceinte. Donc du coup j’ai décidé de la prendre. BIG MISTAKE. Anyways ça sert à rien de regretter mnt, ce qui est fait est fait donc voila, faut s’y faire. Peut-etre tu devrais te faire checker aussi si tu as des doutes par rapport au fait que tu as le syndrome OPK mais franchement je suis devenue un peu sceptique avec les médecins. Mais ça c’est juste moi lol. Mais dit toi qu’il y’a de grandes chances que tu n’ai rien et s’ils voient par échographie qu’en effet t’as rien, au moins tu pourra être sûre enfin et avoir l’esprit plus en paix 🙂
En tout cas merci énormément pour ton soutien, en ce moment, je passe vraiment par des périodes d’anxiétés terribles a l’idée d’arrêter mais j’ai vraiment envie d’être forte cette fois-ci et au moins, je m’attends a tout, pas comme la dernière fois ou tout m’est tombé dessus par surprise. Et puis t’inquiètes pas, n’ai pas les boules, de ce que tu m’as raconté, ton arrêt a vrmt l’air de bien se passer cette fois. En tout cas je suis avec toi dans mes pensées et je te souhaite que tout se passe bien par la suite. En attendant moi j’attendrais tes updates et vais gentiment me préparer psychologiquement pour suivre dans ta voie 😉
Je t’embrasse xxx
Coucou Mona,
Rha la la, je suis d’accord. C’est scandaleux. On ne nous explique rien et on distribue des cachets à gogo. Moi aussi je suis de plus en plus sceptique quant au diagnostique du syndrome OPK. J’ai rdv avec ma gyn en août, et je vais lui demander s’il elle peut me faire une écho.
Je comprends que tu sois angoissée. Mais finalement dans tout ça, tu as pu te rendre compte que les docs n’étaient pas forcément dignes de confiance, que la pilule n’est pas aussi géniale que tu l’espérais (et pas sans séquelles, puisque le sevrage est rude), et qu’il ne te reste plus que toi et ton corps. Je crois qu’il faut faire confiance à la nature. Même si tes trouves post-pilule de la dernière fois ont clairement été causés par un dérèglement hormonal, la nature se renouvelle sans cesse, et ton corps fera de même lorsque tu arrêteras ta pilule actuelle.
Je suis persuadée que mes troubles post-pilule de la dernière fois étaient dus à ma manière de métaboliser le sucre. On sait bien aujourd’hui qu’on peut renverser le syndrome OPK avec un régime pauvre en sucres, et on sait que la production d’androgènes est aggravée par une consommation élevée en sucres (sans parler de la candidose, qui est aggravée par la pilule). La dernière fois que j’ai arrêté la pilule, je ne faisais pas du tout attention à réduire ma consommation de sucre, et tous les symptômes que j’ai eu laissaient penser que je produisais trop d’androgènes… tu vois, là j’essaye de réduire les sucres, et pour l’instant ça va, je n’ai pas d’acné. Donc peut-être qu’un régime pauvre en sucres t’aiderait aussi à passer le cap une fois que tu auras décidé de “te sevrer”…
Gros bisous et plein de courage! 😉
Salut christelle! Alrs ta eu les resultats pr le syndrome OPK? Ils tont dit quoi les docteurs? Bisou
Coucou Mona,
Je suis nul, je ne suis toujours pas allée voir la gynéco. Il va falloir histoire de vérifier tout ça, mais je suis rassurée, pour l’instant j’ai eu mes règles tous les mois depuis que je ne prends pas la pilule, donc à priori il n’y a pas de problème à ce niveau-là… mais bon, il faudrait que je fasse un scan pour en avoir le coeur net.
Sinon, j’ai vu que tu souffrais d’une inflammation type vaginite. Tu sais, quand je prenais la Diane j’avais candidose sur candidose sur cystite. Mon médoc ne me disait jamais que ces infections étaient dû à la pilule, mais bizarrement quand j’ai commencé une pilule moins dosée tout a disparu, et depuis que j’ai arrêté tout court je n’ai jamais rien eu de la sorte. Si tu veux mon avis, le fait de réduire la dose de la pilule en te sevrant ne peut pas faire du mal à ton corps, ne t’en fais pas pour ça. Je suppose qu’ils t’ont filé des antibios? Si c’est le cas, tu peux faire une cure de choucroute crue/kéfir/yaourt ou capsules probiotiques pour re-peupler la flore intestinale, et le mieux c’est aussi d’éviter les aliments sucrés. Mais en tout cas le fait de te sevrer de la pilule ne devrait pas poser problème pour ton corps (plutôt le contraire). De toute façon, tu continues à prendre la pilule, mais la dose est juste un peu réduite si tu la coupes. Au pire si tu ne le sens pas tu peux reprendre la pilule pendant un mois et commencer le mois prochain…
Je te fais un bisou ma belle! Ça va s’arranger 🙂
hey! oui je prends des antibiotiques alrs je vais manger du yaourt au probiotiques je pense. Je vais attendre de finir le traitement avant de commencer a sevrer. J’espere sincerement que tt ca est lié a la pillule et que ca s’arretera quand j’arreterais la pillule aussi 🙂 En tt cas merci encore pour tes conseils!!!! je tembrasse
Ahh, je viens tout juste de lire ce com hehehe! Désolée je suis à l’ouest!
T’inquiète, j’avais ça tous les 4 matins quand je prenais la Diane, même Yasmine d’ailleurs. Ça va s’arranger. Il faut juste faire une cure anti-sucre, et manger du yaourt/kefir comme tu le fais déjà. Bisous ma belle, j’espère que ça va comme tu veux la vie aux states! 🙂
Hi Tracy!
I just noticed that since I’ve started commenting here, I haven’t even thanked you yet! :O So thank you!!!!! 🙂 Thank you for dedicating your time into putting up this blog, it has helped me out tremendously. From what I’ve searched, this is the only place that I managed to get any kind of answers concerning the weaning off process. I don’t know if you have read my comments, but I also want to wean off the BC pill because of the bad effects I had when I stopped previously. Christelle has given me some advices and insights so hopefully soon enough, I will also go through the same journey of weaning off. I will definitely update too for those who are interested and for you too if it interests you. Hope you don’t mind that I’ve written some things in French, if it bothers you I can totally rewrite them in English :/
Anywayyyyyys, I love your blog, not only this part with BC pills, but everything else you write. Thank you once again xoxo
Hi there,
I thought i would share my experiences with you after weaning off the pill Dianette, which i have been on and off for 15 years.
I have had two children during this time and my periods came normally within a few weeks of stopping whilst trying for them. I was lucky to get pregnant within 2 months of stopping both times so didnt get the acne breakouts i have suffered when i just wanted to stop taking it. I have tried twice cold turkey…after 6 weeks the dreaded acne came back…so in a panic i went straight back on it.
In May 2011 i decided to cut my doesage to half a pill..a few months into it my skin became alittle oily but then seemed to normalise itself…i carried on taking half a pill for 10 months and then cut down to 1/3 in February.
In April this year i decided to come off it all togther to see how i got on after lowing the dose for so long. After 3/4 weeks my skin and hair became oily but not as bad as when i had come off the pill cold turkey in the past. I am now 10 weeks off it completely and my skin is great..just a few spots i got while i was on the pill before my period but nothing major. My hair seems alittle oilier but haven’t noticed any difference in hair loss..in fact my hair dresser commented on what great condition it was in.
Somethings iv’e also been doing is drinking peppermint and spearmint tea, taking Vitex and Dong Quai to help regulate my hormones. My period returned after 6-7 weeks but hear it can take longer with some women. This is definitly the longest iv’e been off it and so far so good. I dont want to get my hopes up too much but fingers crossed and i will update again..
Hope this helps you x
That’s great news, Kyra!
I’ve just ordered a whole load of Vitex capsules too, as I’ve read it’s amazing at regulating hormones.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Best wishes for the rest of your post-pill adventures! 🙂
Thank you Kyra!
Good luck with your stopping, hope everything works out for you. And feel free to update, any good news is a blessing 😉
xoxo
oops sorry my english is not that great, I meant to say please update more if you can, i dunno why i said feel free ^^
cheers x
Au fait, Mona, ça fait longtemps que je ne t’ai pas lue! J’espère que tout roule pour toi ma belle, et que tes aventures post-pilules vont comme tu veux! Donne des news quand tu peux, ça me ferait bien plaisir! Bisous 😉
No worries it’s great we can give each other tips and i will keep you posted on my progress. I recommend the Vitex and Dong Quai as i am sure it has helped me :-)) Take care and speak soon.
ps your English is very good!!
Kyra, you mentioned that your acne returned 6 weeks after you stopped taking the pill cold turkey. I wondered if it happened all at once or if you started to notice a difference earlier?
For others who have experienced breakouts after stopping birth control, did the problem come on gradually or did things seem to change overnight?
Thanks for your insight!
Hi Kyra,
I started having acne after 4 months of stopping the pill cold turkey. And it came gradually to become worse and worse. But I had mostly on my back and chest. I don’t exactly remember when exactly, but after a year it started to get a little better. But the process was too slow, it was getting better at an extremely slow pace. So I just couldn’t handle it anymore after so long, and therefore, went back on the pill.
Hope this helps!
xxxxx
Arffffff I have serious issues! So sorry I wanted to write that previous message to Emily! :O
Hi Emily yeah it was Approx 6 weeks that I started to get small bumps under my skin… By 8 weeks they had broke out especially on my jawline area on the right side… Like painful cysts and into the third month it was awful and really got me down so I went back on. It wasn’t until reading up on dianette that I realised it was a nightmare pill and now wish I had never gone on it! Even after having my children the doc suggested going on the pill again for contraception so I asked to go back on it as my skin had been great not knowing then what I know now. Well things still going great and I’m on week 11 on Monday :-)).
Hi Emily,
When I stopped taking Diane 35 cold turkey (a few years ago), I was clear for about 2-3 months. The cystic acne only started well into the 3rd month.
And I have a friend who went off Diane 35 cold turkey 2 years ago, and for her the breakout only started when she’d been off the pill for 6 months (she stuck it out, and said it lasted about 6 months, and then her skin became totally clear).
Voilà, hope that helps 🙂
Lol no worries Mona… It’s strange how we all get the ance at different times after stopping, which must mean its our hormones for sure as everyone is different. I’m just hoping that this weaning is working. It’s seems to be so far x
Hi ladies,
I just wanted to update. And, I have a question for Kyra, regarding your cycle. When you were weaning, did you experience breakthrough bleeding, or any other problems?
For the update: these past 2 cycles, I have been taking 1/4 of the pill. Last month, I had minor breakthrough bleeding for 1 week before my period actually came (then my period lasted a week, so basically 2 weeks of bleeding, not fun!). But as far as the acne is concerned, I am 100% clear. In fact, my skin is looking great. I’m not crying out for victory yet, but so far so good.
This month, I’ve decided to cut down to 1/8 of the pill. It’s not easy to cut it into such a tiny fraction, and I’m sure I’m not very accurate with the dosage, but the aim is to wean myself off it completely by the end of this cycle. Wish me luck, girls! I feel a little daunted, but pretty determined.
🙂
That’s great news Christelle! Good luck girl! I’m sure you’ll be fine 😉 xxx
Merci ma belle! 😉 xxx
Hi Christelle, No i didn’t get breakthrough bleeding..maybe it was beacuse i stayed on half a pill for ten months ( i did this beacuse i felt i needed to to wean longer cos i had been on it for so long) In the last two months of weaning i went to 1/3 and still had a normal light bleed between. It took abit longer for my natural bleed to come and i have just had my second period which came exactly to the date so my cycle is definitly back to normal. I am on week 12 now and still ok. I find my skin oily still after aprrox 3 hours of washing and my hair needs washing at least every other day as gets oily at the roots. i have had a few pimples in last week but i expected that anyway with my period..defo still better than coming off in past and never gone this long. I suppose this next 2 months will be telling for sure. I can handle a few spots not just the mass outbreak all at once. I know how you feel about the doseage…which i s why i thought would come off at 1/3. Im sure lowering the dose is bound to help with the hormone balance. Im hoping my skin will become less oily as they settle down. Fingers crossed and will keep you posted 🙂
Hello ladies,
I have a ques. for Christelle, How about ur hair? because I am more worried about hair! Well I am going to start 1/4 pill from this cycle also… so far I have not experienced any acne or hairloss! Also want to share that I have started washing my hair only once a week for an year now… initially my hair use to get very oily and I use to get headaches because of not washing it, but after few months my body adjusted to that… my hairfall reduced tremendously and my hair stays fresh and no oil even after 7 days, I am getting so many compliments on my hair these days!I see around 50-60 hair when I wash my head after a week and around same amount when I style them after washing! During the week… I just see less then 10 hair fall when I style!Forgot to mention that I am not using any conditioner… after washing I quickly rinse it with apple cider vineger mixed in cold water and afterwards I put very little leave in conditioner. So far this method is working very well for me! I am concerned about loosing more hair after I am done weaning off pill! Christelle, because you are two months ahead of me I want to know ur experience!Thanks!
Hello ladies,
I have a ques. for Christelle, How about ur hair? because I am more worried about hair! Well I am going to start 1/4 pill from this cycle also… so far I have not experienced any acne or hairloss! Also want to share that I have started washing my hair only once a week for an year now… initially my hair use to get very oily and I use to get headaches because of not washing it, but after few months my body adjusted to that… my hairfall reduced tremendously and my hair stays fresh and no oil even after 7 days, I am getting so many compliments on my hair these days!I see around 50-60 hair when I wash my head after a week and around same amount when I style them after washing! During the week… I just see less then 10 hair fall when I style!Forgot to mention that I am not using any conditioner… after washing I quickly rinse it with apple cider vineger mixed in cold water and afterwards I put very little leave in conditioner. So far this method is working very well for me! I am concerned about loosing more hair after I am done weaning off pill! Christelle, because you are two months ahead of me I want to know ur experience!Thanks!
Hi chicks,
Kyra – Wow, I’m happy for you. I think Dianette is a stronger pill than Jasminelle though, which might explain why you didn’t get breakthrough bleeding when you reduced the dosage. But hey, you seem to be doing really well with your cycle and your skin (it’s normal to get a little spotty at that time of the month). I’d say all in all it’s very encouraging for us. Do you think the vitex is helping (ah, sorry, more questions – are you taking vitex in capsule form or tinctures? And what’s the dosage per day? I just bought a jar of capsules from Nature’s Way; the dosage is 400mg per capsule… does that sound right to you?)?
Hi Gausha. I understand. Hair-loss is scary. Fortunately, I haven’t experienced any significant hair-loss so far. But, and this is a significant but, I am a dark brunette with a lot of hair on my head (and curls), so even if I were to lose my hair, it wouldn’t really be visible, which is why I haven’t be focussed on this particular problem. But in all honesty, I think I did lose a little hair when I first started weaning in February. I noticed that it tended to come out a little more when I washed it or combed it. But I put that down to it being winter here (I live in France). Since then, I’ve had no major hair-loss. Don’t get me wrong, it does come out a little when I wash or comb it, but that has always been the case for me, even when I was much younger.
In your case, Gausha, I would keep up your natural hair-care routine (I’m all for the natural approach, and your system seems really good), and maybe, if you are worried about sudden hair-loss, try weaning even more gradually. Basically, the reason your hair sometimes falls out when you come off the pill is because a) your hormone levels change suddenly, and any hormonal shock affects hair-growth, and b) because your androgen levels may have risen, and a high adrogen level can be responsible for hair-loss on your head, and hair-growth in other areas of your body. I think you said you were taking spironolactone? Spiro is an anti-adrogen, so yes, it does affect hair growth too. Are you still taking it? I ask because that is to be taken into account if you’re worried about hair-loss…
Christelle
xoxo
Hi Christelle,
Yes it is one of the stronger pills for sure..im very encouraged i have gone this far and how well my body is dealing with it so far. Yes i am sure the vitex is helping. I started taking it two weeks after stopping pill altogether so my body had a small rest in between. I take 2 tablets every morning (it says 1 to 2 tablets each day on pack)..each tablet is 1000mg so i would assume that is the maximum dose..they are in small grey tablet form not capsules. I take 500mg of Dong Quai also each morning. I hope after 6 months i can assess how i am doing and lower the dose to 1 tablet of Vitex maybe..Ive been taking both for 10 weeks and had no side effects. Hope that helps you x
Ps i got the Vitex off Ebay…says Lindens Apothecary on front. It was buy two get one free so quite resonable x
Ah, thanks, Kyra. I think I’m going to do the same as you (I might up the dose a little and take 2 x 400mg capsules, if I feel daring! We’ll see.). I don’t think I’m going to take dong quai – my family has a history of cardiac arrhythmia, and I’ve heard dong quai can be a bit troublesome for some, so I’m not going to risk it. But apparently, vitex is a reliable supplement for lots of women, and I don’t think there are many side-effects. Voilà. Well, thanks for your help, and lots of good vibes for the rest of your adventures! 🙂
Hi Christelle,
I have also dark brunette but I have lost lot of hair when I was on loestrin 24fe BCP(high androgen). Right now my hair is just fine… I am just worried coz I have seen how severe the hair loss was! I am still on 50mg spironolactone, I have not increased my dose… and I know it’s anti androgen pill… and it is diuretic too.. That pill is working just fine for me because my BP was also little high because of the BCP.
I have one more question… is anyone taking probiotic supplement?? I just started taking a week ago.. I am having hard time getting adjusted to these pills.. I am getting severe headaches and I also feel little congested when I get up in the morning! Does anyone else got the same symptoms!
Also what is the good time to start taking Vitex and Donq Quai?? I thought it should be after we r done with weaning off process!
Hey Gausha,
I see. I’m sure that if you wean off birth control you won’t suffer from extreme hair-loss, because your body will adapt to the hormonal changes slowly. Plus, if you’re already taking spiro, I don’t think your androgen levels will shoot up suddenly. Maybe you could try weaning off that too once you’re done weaning off the birth control pill?
To answer your question, I won’t be taking vitex until I’m totally done weaning.
As for probiotics, I’ve been taking some for several months now. I take Pearls Probiotics. They’re pretty good, I think (I take the yeast balancing ones). Although, if you’re experiencing congestion, it might be because they contain dairy… are you sensitive to dairy products? I know sometimes dairy can make you sneezy. But, honestly, the best probiotics are probably the ones you get from food itself – sauerkraut, kefir etc…
Good luck! 🙂
Hi Christelle,
I am so glad I decided to put in my own research on the birth control pill. I’ve been on it for three years, stopped taking it in Dec, then broke out MASSIVELY after a few months. I caved and went back on, thinking it was perfectly safe. Unfortunately, that is not the case! My skin is looking better and better because of the pill but knowing that it is all fake and covering up my hormone imbalance, I feel awful.
I’m going to start doing exactly what you’ve been doing, however I was wondering if you need to have a backup form of birth control when it comes to pregnancy? I am going to have a copper IUD put in, if I can have it put in during my next period that would be ideal, but if I need to I will put it in much sooner.
I’m also going to be taking natural hormone regulating supplements, drinking herbal teas, exercise, avoiding gluten, sugar, etc. I also have an appointment with my naturopathic doctor on Saturday where I will discuss this with her. I’ve heard that acupunture helps with the balancing of hormones as well.
Hi Hannah,
I feel your pain. Obviously, I have no guarantee that this weaning thing I’m doing is going to keep me acne free once I’m done, but I am convinced it is the gentlest way to come off medication that my body has been depending on for years. I haven’t spoken to my gyn about what I’m doing, and that’s a risk I’ve chosen to take.
Yes. You definitely need back-up contraception (I should have mentioned this before. I totally forgot!). My boyfriend and I are using condoms – far from ideal, but in the long-run I’d like to ditch those and invest in a LadyComp, which is supposed to be very reliable, and non intrusive. But I’ve heard that copper IUDs are good too, and at least you know there’s no hormonal treatment involved.
I have to add that before I started weaning off birth control, I had a long talk with my boyfriend about all the ins and outs and pros and cons of coming off the pill, and coming off it this way. It was important for me to know that he was going to support me throughout all of this. As you can imagine, it wasn’t fun going back to condoms after all those years, but now we’re fine with it, and we’ve agreed that if I fall pregnant, that’s ok too.
It sounds like you’re doing it the wise way, with the naturopath & herbal supplements. I think the first step to balancing hormones is doing your own research and finding out exactly how your body should be working naturally, and then, yes, avoiding stimulants and high glycemic foods. See what works for you! I find that eating as varied as possible – even including a little gluten and dairy (as long as it’s from organic sources) is fine for me. The only thing that I feel is a no-go for me is food with a high sugar content, even fruit, and soy products. 🙁 Otherwise, you could try licorice and spearmint tea. Both are said to be good for balancing hormones. As for acupuncture, I’ve never tried, but I’d love to hear if it works for you!
Good luck, girl! 🙂
Thank you so much for taking the time to maintain this blog. I am a 22-year-old and have been on Yaz for the past 8 years of my life (yikes!) I’ve read every single comment on this thread and looked up some of the bcp’s mentioned. Many of them seem to have a coating, and so does Yaz. Christelle, have you figured out whether coating matters during this weaning off method? I realize that yours didn’t have it, but many of the other women on here listed bcp medications with coating. I am psychologically and physically traumatized by Yaz and am entirely ready to start this process. Would you recommend that I finish this current pack and THEN start the weaning off process with the new pack, or just start tomorrow? Thank you so much for doing this. I’ve been researching extensively for the past week with little hope and even considered staying on Yaz until I finish my last semester of college because I was terrified of the side effects. This blog has given me so much hope!
Hey Diana,
I know, this website is amazing isn’t it?!! I was so relieved to have found it too (hooray for Tracy!!!)!
To answer your first question, my pill is coated too. I read that you shouldn’t interfere with coated meds, but I decided to do it anyway, because whatever it is that’s in that pill is interfering with me and my health! I figured that taking a lower dose of hormones, even if it meant chipping the coating, couldn’t be worse than taking the whole dose, which is why I went ahead and chopped my pills up anyway, despite the coating.
If I were you, I’d finish your current pack, and then wait a week until your period ends, and start chopping your next batch. You need to sit down and establish how long you want to be weaning. I too had been on the pill for years (10 years!), and so I figured that I would need a good 6 months to reduce my body’s dependence on those hormones. I decided to do 2 months on 3/4 of the dose, 2 months on 1/2 the dose, 2 months on 1/4 of the dose, and this month, I’m taking 1/8 of the pill, just in case… normally I should be done in a couple of weeks. But you might want to do things differently! 🙂
Good luck! And let us know how it goes! 🙂
Christelle,
Thank you so much for your quick response. You said wait until I get my period ends and then start the weaning off process with a new pack. Should I be doing this even if I usually START my period when I start a new pack? I usually start it on my last non-active pill/first couple of new active pills.
Hmm, I see. I’m not sure how your pill works, but I’m guessing it’s one of those non-stop pills where you take it for 28 days running, and the final week of each cycle you take “non-active” pills. Is that right? If that’s the case, I suggest starting the weaning process when you start a new batch of active pills, regardless of where you’re at with your periods.
Hope that helps 🙂
Ok ladies, little unplanned update here.
I just got my period this morning. Normally, I should be finishing my current batch of pills in a little over one week (which is when I normally get my period), but it appears nature has other plans. So I’m calling it a day. I’ve decided to discontinue my pill, and let nature do the rest ( 🙁 so much for my week by the sea!).
It’s a little overwhelming, because I’ve been weaning for so long, I feel like I should give it another month… just in case… but at this point I don’t think it will make any difference. So this is the final plunge. Maybe it’s just the hormones, but I almost feel a little emotional, and happy to have been able to share my experience with all of you.
My diet is good. I eat pretty much only whole foods, only organic meat (once or twice a week), dairy and eggs, wild fish, organic local fruit & veg, few grains, hardly any gluten grains, and I’m watching my sugar intake. In terms of supplements, I’m taking cod-liver oil, spirulina, and some B-Vits, and when I finish my period, I’ll start taking the vitex. I had planned to go on all sorts of cleanses and detoxes once I was done weaning, but in the end I’ve decided to take it slow, and give my body time to adjust.
Thanks for your support, ladies! You’re all awesome! I’ll keep updating, of course. I’m sure I’m still going to need your input and advice in the coming weeks and months. Wish me luck! 🙂
Hey Christelle!
Good luck for the rest of your journey! I think you made the right decision! don’t worry, I am sure everything will be fine, you have been doing so well up until now, I don’t see why it shouldn’t continue so. 🙂 On top of that you have been weaning off for quite some time and eating healthy, so I remain positive that this method really works!
Take care girl! xxx
Hey Christelle, sounds like you have done the right thing there 🙂 Im sure you have done enough weaning as as long as the dose as been lowered for a while your body will not go into shock like it does when stopping cold turkey.
You have an excellent diet well done…my diet isn’t too bad but i still eat things i shouldn’t lol..excercise is good too.
Im on week 13 now and pimple free..had a few over the time of my period but they all cleared up again. i’m feeling really positive for us and wish you luck.
Speak soon x
Good luck Christelle! I think u have done enough weaning…. and u will be perfectly fine! My best wishes are with u! I think this is really going to work!
Coucou ladies,
15 days off birth control, yay! So far so good (although I want to wait a good few months before I start crying out for victory).
My period lasted 6 days, and I started taking Vitex on day 8 (400mg/day – on the bottle it says to take three times that dose for the first 8-12 weeks, but I don’t want to risk it, so I’m just taking one capsule a day). I had really sore breasts and lower belly the whole week following my period, but today I’m feeling much better. No acne in sight.
🙂
YAY! so happy for you christelle! 🙂 keep in touch! x
Hey ladies..
So I thought I would give you an update on my situation after abruptly quitting the pill (dianne 35) 2 months ago. So about 4 months ago while taking Dianne my body was a mess.. i was ridiculously hormonal, miserable, depressed, put on weight, started developing anxiety, candida overgrowth, and then out of nowhere my hair started to fall out…. that was the drawing point for me.. So i did try the weining process for a few weeks but decided to stop i couldn’t take putting it in my body anymore. So anyway after about 6-7 weeks of stopping bcp the hair went back to normal (thank god!!! But then I thought i am going to have to battle the acne again… nightmare! So for the past 3 months I have been working with my naturopath on all of my issues mainly focused on the candida and hormonal imbalance. Have been getting acupuncture done weekly and taking Chinese herbs among the many other supplements I am taking! I am also doing lymphatic drainage, having my 2 amalgam fillings taken out next week, colonic irrigations, I have gone totally organic with my eating, I try to be as natural as possible. And I plan to stick with this for as long as it takes. And although about a month ago i started getting small break outs again I feel like it’s a lot more controlled with my eating habits and everything else I am doing… not to bad! I feel 100x better! I definitely feel on the road to recovery. And will be getting microdermabrasions to keep the acne under control ( which is only on my chin and just a few spots). Will keep you all updated and good luck with the weining it sounds like it’s working great : )
That’s really good news, Rebecca! So happy for you!
Wow, looks like you’ve managed to get a lot of your issues under control naturally. I’m curious, what is lymphatic draining?
Ah, and another question… for Rebecca, or for the others… have you (any of you) managed to retrieve your cycle since you quit birth control? That’s what I seem to be having the most trouble with. I’ve pretty much completed a whole cycle without being on the pill at all, and I got very light bleeding on day 21, and now I’m at day 26 and I’m still spotting. But on the bright side, no pms irritability or sadness at all, no headaches, nothing like that… and on the acne front, one insignificant and barely noticeable pimple (my boyfriend laughed when I pointed it out).
I’m suspecting I have estrogen dominance. I need to get my levels checked, but the symptoms are there. I’ve just ordered some evening primrose oil capsules and natural progesterone cream. I didn’t really want to go down that path, but I’m feeling very uncomfortable – think constant breast tenderness, cramping in the lower belly, a little nausea, very little libido, etc., although I’m feeling great mentally, my body is clearly battling. In fact, I have so trouble sleeping whatsoever. I really feel that my body is repairing itself overnight. The vitex is probably helping, so I’m definitely going to continue taking it, but I think my body might need an extra push, which is why I’m going to give progesterone cream a shot too.
Voilà, girls. Let me know how you’re all getting on! 🙂
Hey there!
I am almost through my second month of weaning off my BCPs. So far things have been going well. I had acne before, which is the main reason I got on to BCP. I regret it so much, I have had negative side effects with mine and it’s the pits to quit (as I have read) I take AmethiaLo which is the generic for LoSeasonique.. So I only have 4 periods a year- the only pro to birth control 🙂 This will be my first time trying to come off the pill. I have wanted to for a while but I was too scared because of all the stories I have read about women who experienced acne worse than ever when they came off, specifically cystic acne, which I struggle with. Currently my skin is doing good, but I am also on an acne cream called acanya. I have though been experiencing bleeding in my second month of coming off the pill. Its not a lot, not like a normal period, just light spotting, its more inconvenient than anything.
My fear now is, as I have read up more on the weaning off method is that I will break out afterwards because it seems like all the stories I have read have been people who tried the weaning off method because the FIRST time they tried to come off birth control they broke out so they got back on and later tried the weaning off method with success. My fear is that since this is my first crack at weaning off the pill that my body will still experience the shock… I’m just worried. I need hope 🙂
Hey there,
Sounds like you are all doing well…and it will be normal to take time for your cycle to re adjust itself. I had my period after about 6 weeks of quitting and then it was normal after that..slightly more heavy than when i was on the pill but i expected that. i get cramps and sore breats just before i am due to come on aswell..but i have always experienced that. I believe the vitex is working to help regulate me and keep my hormones in check.
I have been completely off 4 months today!! I get the odd spot here and there and a few more around the time of the month but nothing to even notice really. My skin is still oily and i have to wash my hair daily but apart from that i am feeling really well.
I know some experienced the breakouts around 6 months so i feel i am still not out of the woods but going off my personal past record of quitting i am exceeding the 2 month mark when i have broke out in the past.
Can i ask Christelle..what is progesterone cream?
Thanks Kyra,
Looks like you’re doing very well! I’m glad you’ve got your cycle back.
When I saw my gyno last year, she told me that if you were regular before going on the pill, you’re likely to be regular once you stop, and likewise, if you were irregular before, there’s a fair chance you’ll be irregular when you come off… I was 18 when I went on the pill, and I was terribly irregular back then. I never had PCOS, but I’m thinking of adopting a special PCOS (low glycemic foods) diet for a while to see if it helps me to get on track…
Progesterone cream is used to help some women to kick-start their own progesterone production when they are suffering from hormonal imbalances such as estrogen dominance. If you choose natural progesterone cream, it’s said there are little to no side effects. Some women really swear by it. Here is the link to a website I found with questions & answers about the role of progesterone, etc.
http://www.johnleemd.com/store/faqs_progest_crm.html
Thanks for the quick reply! So glad to hear how well you’ve been doing! 🙂
Hey Christelle
Quick question 🙂
How do you know when you have ostrogen dominance?
to be honest, i don’t know a lot about it… even though i had been on “jasmine” for 13 years… (oh my gosh… why does every dermatologist gives you the pills when you only are 14 or 15 years old! i find it scandalous! i never really experience my body withou the pill and it’s became an habit for me. When you’re young, to take what they tell you to take.
But now, you wanna quit but you know it will probably going to have consequences…
That’s great thank you Christelle 🙂 might look into that myself. Take care and will keep updating :-)) xx
Question for Christelle – As I mentioned earlier I am on quarter pill now… and this will be my last month hopefully on bcp.. I will start my new pack from Monday.. My periods were very light this month.. very light close to nothing.. I am little worried… Is it OK?? Did u experience that too??
Hey Gausha,
I’m no expert, so I can’t give you much of an explanation for why your period was light this month, but I can say that your body is adjusting to a lower dose of birth control, and that can have an effect on your cycle – for some it might mean heavier periods, for others lighter, I suppose. How long have you been weaning now?
I’ve been off for one whole cycle now, and I started bleeding on day 21, with light bleeding to start with, and then mega heavy bleeding until pretty much yesterday. I haven’t counted, but all in all I’d say that was a 9-10 day period. But I felt great, little to no tiredness, no psm, and no acne. My appetite has totally increased since I’ve been off the pill too.
Honestly; Gausha, I don’t know if it’s ok or not to have a light or heavy period. Right now I’m learning to get back in touch with my body, and I’m enjoying it, but if you feel anxious, do get in touch with a naturopath or a gyno to discuss your concerns. But my guess is your body needs time to adjust – some say it can take up to a year to retrieve your cycle after having quit birth control, so I wouldn’t stress too much. Just make sure you’re eating well and getting plenty of rest.
Good luck sweetie xoxo
Hello,
I just wanted to post a comment to say thank you – to Tracy, Christelle and Kyra in particular.
I have been on Dianette for 15 years. I came off it cold turkey 4 years ago with horrendous results – terrible acne on my cheeks and neck. It was so bad I was prescribed Roaccutane for a year and ended up back on Dianette as you have to take the birth control pill with it.
Since then I have been terrified about coming off Dianette again but I think about it constantly, often getting upset. I feel like it is holding me to ransom!
However, reading this blog has been very inspiring and as of yesterday I have begun to reduce my dose. I will update you with any results in due course but I just wanted to say thank to those who have taken the time to share their experience and offer advice.
Caroline
Hi Christelle,
To answer your question about Lymphatic drainage. It’s a technique they use you clear you lymph nodes which when blocked or not working correctly don’t flush toxins and hormones correctly. I had 1 session don’t know if it made the world of difference honestly… but I am willing to give anything a try.
In terms of my skin not the best not the worst… I have been breaking out over the last 6-8 weeks although I did abruptly quit the pill (I didn’t wean like you girls) that was due to unbearable side effects I was experiencing.
I am getting hormonal test results back from my naturopath tonight so we will be able to see what’s what and hopefully work through those imbalances.
As well as starting some microdermabrasion sessions this week to minimise the break outs while I work out the internal issues.
My diet is pretty damn good (no what, sugar, dairy etc.), I take chinese herbs, I take naturopathic vitamins, I do acupuncture once a week. I am having a colonic tomorrow and a foot detox spa. ( I don’t even want to think about all the money this has been costing) But honestly If I can get through this it will all be worth it!!!
I have also ordered some coconut water as I have read it’s great for skin among many other health benefits.
Will keep you guys updated. All the best.
Hi Caroline,
You more than welcome and this site is fantastic where are can share our experiences. I know how you feel as i too have been frightened of the consequences of quitting.
I am on week 17 after stopping completely and although i don’t want to get my hopes up, it is most definitley the most successful attempt, with only having the typical minor breakouts you get at that time of the month…which i can handle.
Good luck Caroline 🙂 x
Hi Christelle,
I am weaning for almost 6 months now… I am on a quarter pill now.. this is going to be my last month.. I just started a new pack yesterday! I really don’t have any other symptoms, good news is my blood pressure is back to normal and I have stopped taking the medication for the BP… I was on 25mg anyways…but I am still on spiro.. that I will wean off after 6 months. Also question about VITEX.. I have heard that it can increase the progestrone level in the body that can trigger hairloss and other stuff..I was on the high estrogen pill, I think my body needs extra estrogens right now… is vitex a good idea??? I am leaning more towards Dong Qoui… but side effects says that it has some ingredients in it that can cause Cancer.. so I am very confused about which vitamin to start after I am done weaning off .. right now I am just taking Flax oil 1000mg vitamin once a day!
Hi Gausha,
Good to know the weaning is working out well for you. I think you’re probably right to wean off spiro too, it really seems to be the most gentle way of coming off long-term prescription drugs.
Regarding vitex, yes it is supposed to help the body to produce progesterone, but that is not a bad thing at all! It’s the hormone that triggers hair-loss in women, not progesterone. In fact, progesterone actually helps the female body to regulate any excess estrogen or testosterone, so if you’re suffering from PCOS or hair-loss or any other condition caused by excess testosterone, you definitely need to make sure your body is producing enough progesterone (if you’re on spiro, it’s because you suffer from excess testosterone, not progesterone). That’s where vitex can come in handy, because it doesn’t contain any artificial hormones, but it helps your body to find it’s own hormonal balance. Dong quai is said to help stimulate blood flow in your sexual organs. I’m not taking it because it can have an effect on your heartbeat, and since my family has a history of arrhythmia, I’m skipping the Dong quai, but loads of women swear by it, so definitely give it a shot if you think it will help.
If I may, I really don’t think you need to be getting any extra estrogen. Our modern polluted environment is already jam-packed with a chemical form of estrogen known as xeno-estrogen, which can be found in most regular detergents, and in plastics (even drinking water out of a plastic bottle, or heating food up in a tupperware box can have harmful effects). If you’ve been on the pill for several years, there’s a fair chance you’re already estrogen dominant, so you don’t want to be creating an even bigger imbalance. The reason women who take the pill for years end up estrogen dominant when they come off is because it’s easier for the body to produce estrogen (and it probably has tons of it stored up from years of oral contraceptive use) than progesterone. When you come off the pill, your hormones can go haywire if there isn’t enough progesterone to regulate the excess estrogen and testosterone. Dianette is not just a high estrogen pill, it’s also a testosterone suppressant (just like spiro), so the two combined will stop your body from producing testosterone altogether. When you come off the pill and the spiro, your body is going to start producing testosterone again, naturally, and you’re going to need to make sure you’re keeping those levels in check as it’s the excess testosterone that causes acne, hair-loss, and facial hair-growth etc. You might want to look into getting your hormones tested once you’re off the pill, and then maybe trying something like the “PCOS diet”, which is said to help keep androgen levels down…
I hope that helps. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Good luck! 🙂
* it’s the hormone testosterone that triggers hair-loss in women, not progesterone (oops, typo – I missed a word!)
Thank u soo… much Christelle!!You have cleared lot of my confusion! I really appreciate all your help! Hope things are smooth on ur side too!!
Hey ladies.. thought I would give a quick update. I have been off for 3 months now and I went to the naturopath and had my hormones tested. Got the results and says I am high in testosterone, low in progesterone and have bad estrogens whatever that means. Anyway I am not taking supplements to rise my progesterone levels which will lower my testosterone. Point being I don’t think you can judge your own hormone levels and take different stuff without knowing what the imbalance is. My advice would be go get tested by a naturopath. She says it may take a couple of cycles before I get balanced but it makes me feel a lot more comforted knowing I am doing the right things.
I think you’re right to have had your hormones tested professionally, Rebecca. It’s so much simpler than fumbling about in the dark trying to guess what imbalance you might be suffering from.
I think I might do the same, although in France it’s not as easy to get hold of a saliva testing kit, so I might have to stick with the regular albeit not all that reliable blood test…
Hi Christelle,
Please can you tell me how your skin is now after weaning, have you finished weaning altogether now? I have just got to my second week of cold turkey but am thinking of starting the pill again today but only in halves to avoid the nasty acne. Just wanted to see how you were getting on now, thank you x
Hi Sophie,
Yes, I weaned off the pill for 6 months, and I’ve been completely off since mid July. So far, I’m pleased to report that my skin is doing incredibly (and surprisingly) well! 🙂
I have no acne whatsoever, which, to me, is miraculous, because the last time I quit (cold turkey though), I broke out veeery badly!
I still want to wait a few more months before saying “ok girls, this weaning thing is the way to go”, as it’s only been a month and a half since I’ve been free of hormones altogether (and this month my period hasn’t come – I was expecting it to come on Saturday… :-()
As for my lifestyle & cleansing routine, I’d say I am definitely eating well – lots of fresh veg and fruit. I do eat dairy – organic yogurt. I try to avoid gluten and sugar, but I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with eating perfectly. I also don’t wash my face with anything other than water, and only once a day, when I wake up. I wear no foundation at all, no moisturizer, just a few drops of jojoba oil on my face in the morning, and before I go to bed.
If you don’t mind my asking, Sophie, what pill are you on? Have you ever come off birth control before? – If so, did you get acne? I ask because every pill is different, and everyone’s experience is different, so it helps to know what you’re taking. Also, you said you came off cold turkey… how long ago was that?
All the best,
Christelle 🙂
Hi Christelle,
Thanks so much for your reply. Okay, the pill I’m on is dianette – possibly the worst one!! I decided to go off it 2 weeks ago at the end of my packet as I’ve been feeling depressed and my sex drive is zero!! So I finished the packet (been on for 6 years) and stopped, so so far 2 weeks with no pill, anyway I have since read about severe rebound acne after a few months, and honestly I won’t cope with that at all, as it’s only been 2 weeks I figure I can start taking half pills for a couple of months then quarter etc, I have 4 packs of pills left. I went to the doctor to see if this rebound acne was inevitable and could not seem to get a straight answer. Infact, I was only put on this pill for very mild acne (it is supposed to be for severe acne which I have never had) – so should never have gone on it in the first place.
(very angry at the original doctor). In answer to your question I’ve never come off it in the 6 years so don’t know what the effects will be. The problem is I can’t find any info on the statistics of how many people do get severe acne, the only info on the internet is really bad.
So, not willing to take the risk I’m happy to wean myself off, took half a pill yesterday and another today. The bad ingredient in my pill is cyproterone acetate, info on this drug alone warns not to stop it abruptly (it is used to treat sex change patients and enlarged prostates!), it blocks testosterone. Weaning makes so much sense. It is obviously working for you, do you know of any other success stories?
Thanks so much for your help, Sophie xx
Hi Rebecca,
So you must be nearly 4 months now, how is it going? I have been on dianette for 6 years and have become depressed do am coming off. However I’m doing the weaning method like Christelle, just started half a pill a day and will do down to quarter in a couple of months. Any advice would be so much appreciated. So the naturapath said your testosterone was high, presumably higher than when you were on the pill and is a result of coming off? Have you had many break outs or greasy hair etc? Would be great to hear how you are doing. I would go cold turkey but am terrified of the outcome.
Thank you, Sophie x
Hi Sophie,
I understand your fears. I used to be on Dianette (on it for 5 years), and when I came off it I experienced very bad symptoms (depression – I wouldn’t have qualified it as that at the time, but in retrospect, definitely, acne, exhaustion, dandruff, amenorrhea for 6 months… it was a nightmare). The symptoms started after having been off for about 3 months. This time round, I was on Jasminelle – also an androgen-suppressant, but not as strong as Diane I think.
If I understand rightly, you just had a two-week break from the pill, and now you’re back on 1/2 the dose. You need to determine how long you think you’re going to need to wean off Dianette completely. I started weaning with 3/4 of the dose for 2 consecutive months, just so I wouldn’t shock my body (I didn’t want to get withdrawal symptoms, or experience hair-loss, which can happen after a couple of months if your body experiences a sudden fluctuation in hormone levels…), but if you feel that starting weaning at 1/2 the dose is what you’re comfortable with, definitely stick with it.
Also, don’t forget, acne and lifestyle are closely linked, and when I came off Dianette cold turkey, my eating habits were not that great. You need to be aware that the consumption of sugary foods will make your testosterone levels rise – leading to all those terrible symptoms. If I had known this when I first came off the pill, I would have reduced my sugar intake.
There’s a girl on this thread called Rebecca who quit Dianette cold turkey recently, and she gave her body a helping hand by improving her overall diet and lifestyle, and it sounds like she’s doing pretty well. You could always ask her about her experience too…
It’s so sad that doctors just put us on this junk without explaining anything to us. I completely agree with you. I’m angry too. I knew the pill wasn’t flash when I first went on, but I had no idea just how dangerous it was. Today I am SO determined to stick this out and never go back on hormones ever again!
I’m sending you lots of positive vibes and strength for your big adventure! Let us know how it goes 🙂
Hi Christelle,
Sorry for the late reply, and thanks again for your advice.
Yes, I came off for 2 weeks but in that time read so many horror stories that I have decided to wean off. I am only taking half a pill but potentially should be taking 3/4, I’ll stick will half and see how that goes. Hopefully the 2 weeks I was off won’t have messed things up.
I did just have 1 question, you mentioned tbhat the first time you came off dianette your symptoms lasted about 6 months, does that mean that you saw it through and after 6 months they got better? Did you go on jasminelle because of acne? I can’t seem to find much on women who don’t end up going back on the pill when they get these symptoms, I know that you mentioned your friend who was better after about a year? I’ve also read (only a couple) of blogs from women who got no bad symptoms, and I’m wondering if only women who have a nightmare post stuff on the internet and a good percentage don’t because they are not having a nightmare? Hard to say I know, I’m sure there are no official statistics. I have an appointment to see a doctor tomorrow as I want some answers on the effects of coming off dianette and also advice on weaning. I’m not massively hopeful as I think doctors don’t know enough or don’t want to admit the problems. Be interesting to see what she says on weaning, even if she’s against it I’ll stick with it I think, I’ll let you know what she says.
About diet, I too have a very healthy diet with very little processed food and sugar, lots of water etc, so I think I am doing everything I can there. Just looking forward to the day when I am taking no more pills!
Thanks again x
Hi Sophie,
To answer your question, I came off Dianette cold turkey about 8 years ago. I had been on it for 3 years, and since I had just broken it off with my then boyfriend, I figured I could do with a break from the artificial hormones (my doctor initially prescribed Dianette in particular because I had very mild very sporadic acne, and because I was a premadonna and I was making a fuss).
The first couple of months off the pill were fine, except for the fact that I wasn’t getting my period. Then around month 3, the acne started, and by month 5 it was uncontrollable. I couldn’t recognize myself. I was depressed (I’m usually a very happy person), I had dry scalp, candida, acne all over my forehead and chin, and I felt exhausted… oh, and still no period. At that point I was probably very high in testosterone, but nobody explained anything to me at the time, and I didn’t think to Google search my symptoms (I remember speaking to my gyn on the phone, I was almost in tears, and she seemed surprised: “oh, you have acne and no period… hmm, strange”). So when my period finally arrived, six months after having come off, I just went right back on Dianette, and within 4 months the acne disappeared altogether.
I wound up on Jasmine because my gyn said it was a new funky pill (and she probably wanted to try it out on someone naive), and the following year she put me on the lighter version, Jasminelle. So all in all, by the time I started weaning last year, I was already on a mini pill, which probably helped.
As for the stats, if I were you I’d forget about trying to find out, because frankly I’m not sure the doctors have a clue what happens when you quit birth control. I met somebody who’s in med school recently, and he told me he had no idea how hormones worked. He said they vaguely learn hormones in the first year, and then they go on to specialize in whatever interests them. Only endocrinologists specialize in hormonal activity, the other doctors don’t have a clue.
There are some nightmare stories out there (before I started weaning off birth control, I read a heap of horror stories about the post-pill breakout and totally freaked myself out). Try not to dwell on those stories too much, Sophie. The key to weaning off hormones successfully is learning to understand how your body works. Read up on the female reproductive system, which hormones are needed for what, and which herbs can help balance out your hormones, support your liver while it’s eliminating the excess hormones, etc, etc. Most of the horror stories on the internet were written by people who don’t know how their body even works, and who don’t care to find out (I’m 29 and I only really discovered how my body works this year by doing my homework). I’m sure you’ll be fine coming off the pill this way. Your diet & lifestyle sound great. And you know, even if you did have the stats, it wouldn’t help you to know how you’d react personally to being off birth control.
Good luck with it all! Let us know how it goes! 🙂 xxx
Hi Christelle! Did you experience any breakouts when you switched from Dianette to Jasmine?
I’m thinking of doing so, to extend my weaning period so to speak – (Jasmine is less dangerous right?)
Thanks hun!
Hi there,
I just wanted to do a very brief update. Last month I starting taking a 3/4 of my Dianette pill. I had a couple of spots but nothing too bad and completely managable.
Last time I stopped taking Dianette cold turkey, the symptons (acne, greasy hair, excess hair growth, etc) starting after about 3 months and gradually got worse and worse, so I am really apprensive about rushing the process, but equally I want to be off it as soon as possible!
I am planning to take 3/4 for another month, much like Christelle, and see how it goes.
I’ll aim to do an update each month with progress.
Thanks and good luck to all!
Caroline
Good luck, Caroline! Thanks for your feedback! 😉
Hello friends,
Here’s the quick update..I am done with the weaning process and I have not started the new pack this month, I was weaning from last 6 months and that should be enough! 7th day of periods and still bleeding… I am also getting little headaches from last three days! I think they will go away when bleeding is going to stop! But I am little nervous and at the same time very excited! Finally I am off the pill completely. Also, no hairfall and acne! Skin is still very clear! Hopefully it is going to stay this way! I will keep updating.
Christelle – Did u get your periods?? I am not planning to take any vitamin this month.. I will wait for my next cycle and then decide.
Hi Gausha,
Glad to hear all is going well on the acne front! I wouldn’t worry too much about your period. Your body is probably just adjusting.
Yeah, I got mine. Last month, I got it on day 21. It started out really light for a few days, and then it was really heavy. It actually lasted almost 10 days! The good news is I had no pms, and no pain.
This month, I thought I wasn’t going to get it at all when I saw day 28 come and go and no period in sight (I even got a pregnancy test… you never know!). And then on Sunday I got it (on day 35). So far it’s really light and not at all painful (and no pms – my man is loving it!)… but that’s how it started out last month, so will have to wait and see.
Just fyi, before I started birth control, 10 years ago, I never once had my period two months running. I always seemed to skip a month or two. So this is a big first. I’m sure the vitex and healthy lifestyle are helping! 🙂
Yay to you for sticking it out and finally managing to come off! I’m sending you loads of happy vibes for the rest of your adventure! Keep updating, it’s really encouraging!
xxx
Hi Christelle,
Just one more question, thanks for being so helpful already.
When you were weaning did you have the regular 7 day breaks when your period was supposed to be or did you just keep taking the cut up pills right though? I’m not sure what to do, thanks x
x
PS, how is it going by the way?
No pb, Sophie. Yep, I always left 7 days in between packs.
So far so good. I got my period this month on day 35. It lasted much longer than when I was taking the pill (it started last Sunday, and I still have it in fact), and it appears that when you’re not on the pill your period is heavier – at least that’s what it’s like for me. But I feel great 🙂 No pms, no headaches, and one modest pimple on my chin the day before I started. Honestly, I’m still not going to cry out for victory, but I’m definitely very confident that this method is the way to go for women who want to come off birth control.
What about you? How are you doing?
Hi all, thought i would give you an update on how i am doing as i approach week 24 after my last pill.
I am really pleased! My skin is great will just the odd pimple still around that time of the month. Im feeling so much better for not having that poison pill anymore. My diet isn’t great but is isn’t bad either…i eat what i want and have wine at the weekend. I have since stopped taking Vitex and dong Quai and just taking skin, hair and nails capsules once a day now and have been doing for a month. The reason i stopped was the possible side effects and i didnt want my body to become reliant on them for too long. I did experience some minor hair loss which settled and hair dresser assured me it was very minimal (vitex can cause hair loss).
Skin is still a little oily, more so at certain times of the month and hair gets greasy still but i wash it every day anyway as my hair is fine and blonde.
So as i approach the 6 month mark i feel happy that this is working. I also suffered with Canidia (thrush) quite a bit and since quitting not had it once. I think the pill is responsible for alot of things looking back…i even got melasma on holiday on my forehead which is caused by the pill and hormones, thankfully it faded away.
So keep at it girls 🙂 and good luck x
I’m so happy for all of you who have managed to successfully wean on off the pill – that’s so awesome that it’s worked so well! And don’t forget, Christelle, Kyra, if either of you would like to do a guest post about your experiences with this process, I think it would be really helpful!
Hi Tracey, did anyone end up writing a guest article about their experiences weaning off the pill? I’ve had a look around your site but haven’t found anything.
Thanks 🙂
Danielle
whoops Tracy, not Tracey, sorry!
Not yet! Christelle (or anyone else here), if you read this, I would LOVE a guest post from someone about this topic! 🙂
Kyra, yeaaaah! Good for you! 🙂
Tracy, I would definitely love to write an article about my experience weaning off the pill. I’ve been off for almost 3 months now, and so far so good. I have no guarantee my skin will always be this good, which is why I still haven’t plucked up the courage to write you a guest post about it (it’s silly, but I don’t want to be like hey, this method really works, and then wind up with acne one week later! he he). But on all levels (I have had a period every month so far, no pms symptoms, no candida… no depression, no acne, no dandruff, no oily skin…), this method has definitely been a million times more effective than coming off the bcp cold turkey, and for that alone I’d write you an article any day!
I have to say a big thank you to you, Tracy :-), because if I hadn’t come across this website in January last year I would probably never have had the guts to quit birth control, and it’s the best new year’s resolution I’ve ever made (and the only one I’ve ever kept!)!
Hey Christelle! I just saw your message asking about my post pill experience but strangely enough I could see it in my inbox but not here :/ Anyway I didn’t write for a while cause I STILL didn’t get the courage to stop the pill 🙁 The thing is that the last 2 months have been hectic for me, I have moved to the States, started a new school, new place, new food, well basically everything is new! lol so I wanted to settle down a bit before weaning off. But i am thinking in a month or two I will start…but I’m so scared!!!!! 🙁 All kinds of questions are coming through my mind you know, like what if this method doesn’t work for me, or what if I fall pregnant, etc.
Anyhow I’m so happy that it has worked out well for you and Kyra (cause I am still following your stories :)), if I hadn’t heard your accounts, the idea of really stopping wouldn’t even have crossed my mind. Pls keep updating cause I really do follow your stories and well of course when I’ll stop, I will write too.
Prends soin de toi Christelle et j’aurais surement des questions a te poser une fois que je commencerais a arreter, j’espere que ca ne te derangerait pas 🙂 Bisou!
Hey Mona! Good for you! I wish you lots of happy things in your new American life! Yep, you definitely want to be in a stable situation when you start weaning, as it is a big decision.
Bien sûr que ça ne m’embête pas de répondre aux questions! Au contraire, j’adore! 😉 Avant, j’étais sûre que je ne pourrais jamais arrêter la pilule, et je suis toujours aussi surprise de voir à quel point cette méthode fonctionne. Bon, je n’ai pas envie de crier victoire et de finir couverte de boutons (hehehe), mais voilà quoi, pour l’instant ça va plutôt bien… en tout cas je te souhaite tout plein de courage et de bonheur et de succès dans tes études! Bisous ma belle 🙂
Hey, girls. Thank you so much for updating this. After a stressful couple of months, I’ve decided to start weaning off. My emotions have become much more uncontrollable and I question my sanity on a daily basis. I’m convinced this has something to do with taking Yaz for 8 years since I don’t recall feeling discontent before.
I started a new pack two days ago and chickened out on only taking 3/4 of the pill. So now it’s two days into my new pack and I cut the third pill into 3/4. Do you guys think that taking the first two pills whole and then the third cut into 3/4 will be problematic? Also, how precise do I have to be when cutting the pills? Unfortunately I used a knife since a razor blade wasn’t available.
Thank you for your consistent feedback.
Sorry, forgot to ask another question. Since Yaz has a diuretic, will this weaning off method aid in adjusting to that? I’m really worried about gaining weight and would like to know if weaning off would prevent water retention, cravings and hormonal weight gain?
Thank you again.
Hi Diana,
Yeaahhh! Good for you! Yaz is said to cause a plethora of terrible side effects, and the emotional roller coaster is one of them.
I wouldn’t worry about the two “whole” pills you took. I think starting the weaning process on 3/4 of the dose sounds fine (that’s what I did too). Now you need to sit down and determine how long you want to spend weaning, and how exactly you plan to go about it (I knew I didn’t want to wean for more than 6 months, so I did 2 months on 3/4, 2 months on 1/2, and 2 months on 1/4 of the dose, but I know Kyra did things differently – it took her longer to wean, and she stayed on 1/2 the dose for a long time, and that method worked for her too).
I was on Jasminelle (which is the same composition as Yaz, but just slightly weaker). I don’t know anything about it being a diuretic, but I honestly wouldn’t worry too much about weight gain or cravings. If anything, you probably crave more sugar and junk when you’re on the pill because the pill stops your body from absorbing many vitamins & trace minerals, and so you find yourself craving energy. I myself haven’t experienced any weight gain or loss (this is my 3rd month off the pill). I’m not particularly toned or anything, but I’d say I have a less cellulite now than when I was on the pill. My friend who quit Diane 35 said she noticed the same thing.
One thing you do need to know about Yaz is that it is an androgen suppresser, which means that while you are on it your body isn’t producing testosterone. As excess testosterone is responsible for acne, your skin is often acne-free when you take Yaz, but when your body starts producing testosterone again, after you come off the pill, you want to make extra sure your body is not producing too much so as not to suffer from a bad outbreak. Sugar and carbs influence testosterone production (a high carb diet can provoke excess testosterone production and that can trigger acne), so you might want to consider going low carb while you are weaning and for a little bit once you’re off altogether, just while your hormones are sorting themselves out… that’s just a suggestion though.
Good luck to you! I’m very confident it will work and you will feel much more emotionally balanced 🙂
Let us know how it goes!
Hey Diana,
I agree completely with Christelle. I decided to go straight to having half a pill, to see how i got on from there and stayed on half for ten months simply because i had been on Dianette for most of my adult life i wantd to wean longer with it being a strong pill. I then spent two months on 1/3 and then quit. I was concerned about my cycle lowering the dose much more as it was hard to cut the pills up much less. However im 24 weeks and touch wood seem ok…yes my skin is alittle oiler and i get a few spots but nothing to lose sleep over…overall i am happy…no mood swings the days running upto my period (my hubby has noticed this lol) no thrush since quitting and now you have mentioned celulite i have to say mine doesn’t seem to be as bad on backs of my thighs either after just looking..no coincidence i am sure. I too dont want to get too excited as i am around the 6 month mark i too am scared to jump for joy and than have a major breakout.
Thanks for this site Tracy it has been a life saver for me and i will write a post for you for sure when i feel i have gone ‘long enough’.
Take care girls xx
Hi Kyra, I was on dianette for 5 years so am really interested in your story. I am 2 months into half a pill now (went straight to half), plan on doing another 2 months then down to a quarter for 4-6 months. You mention that you have a few spots here and there now, I wonder, did they start whilst you were still weaning or just after you quit altogether, if after, how long after? Only reason I ask is because I’m wondering if a quarter of a pill is enough to keep them at bay, last question (promise), did you have bad spots before going on dianette and that’s the reason you went on? Thanks for your help.
Thank you Kyra and Christelle!
Christelle, would you say that since I’m on Yaz I’m more prone to experiencing acne while weaning off as opposed to the rest of the girls on here? Is there some sort of supplement I can take to maintain my levels of testosterone? A cream perhaps? I’ve decided to wean off at 3/4 for two months, 1/2 for two months and 1/4 for another 2-3 months. I’m really nervous about it because I’ve read that stopping birth control dramatically changes the appearance of one’s body structure, and considering that I already suffer from crippling self-confidence issues, I don’t want my body to become masculine or something of the sort.
Hi Diana, I don’t think you being on Yaz makes you more susceptible to getting an acne breakout than someone coming off another type of pill. The question of testosterone production is just something to keep in the corner of your mind while you’re weaning off (it helps me stay focussed when I feel like pigging out on chocolate, hehe).
Please don’t worry about your body changing dramatically or anything like that. Your body won’t become masculine, I can assure you! 🙂 For centuries and centuries women have looked like women, and their bodies have functioned perfectly without the use of artificial hormones. I know how daunting it can be, especially as you’ve relied the pill for years (I was on it for 10 years!). I used to think I would be on it forever. But I’m learning to love and trust my body and my womanhood, and it’s something I could never do fully while I was on the pill because I never knew if my body could “work” without the magic stuff I was pumping into it. Does that make any sense to you? Perhaps it’s just me, but I really really am convinced that your self-confidence will improve when you accept and love your body as it was designed to work, i.e. without the hormones. And don’t forget that Yaz creates emotional disruptions and you will probably find that once you’re off the pill you automatically feel better about life in general, and therefore about yourself. Anyway, we’re all here with you on this, and if you have any kind of question or you’re beginning to doubt, just fire away. This website has helped me so much to overcome my fears, and just seeing that I wasn’t alone was a real blessing.
Chin up lovely! Good luck with everything! 🙂
Hi Ladies!! I’ve just come across this site!! I’m 26 and have been on dianette on and off for 10 years! Never been strong enough to put up with the horrendous outbreaks and misery of having to wash my hair twice a day after coming off so always ended up going back on!! I’m going to speak to my doctor about weaning off and will hopefully give it a go!! I just want to be off the pill and never have to touch it again!! Hope all is still going well for you all x
That’s great, Laura! 🙂
Just to let you all know I spoke to my doctor who said she’s never heard of it before but that it would make sense so that it’s not such a shock to your body. She also said it doesn’t pose any risk or danger either so I’m going to give it a go. I’m being a bridesmaid for my best friend in a few weeks so will wait till next month before I give it a go x
I’m glad to hear doctors aren’t rejecting this idea 🙂
Hi Coco i would defo try and stick it out alittle longer. Have you thought about trying a topical solution like differin to control the acne while your body/hormones settles. I hear Differin is great for reducing acne.
I still seem ok. Still get a few spots mostly on the lower half of my face and had a couple of tiny ones on my forehead but nothing major. No cysts like before just pimples really and a few tiny closed comdones. I am around the 6 month mark so i am kind of nervous that i will have a major breakout any time soon and not wanting to get my hopes up but this is the longest i have ever been clear of the pill.
Good luck Laura and Coco xx
I have been weaning off yasmin after being on it for around 10 years,I came off the pill cold turkey in the past and my skin was horrendous!! I had spots everywhere and they wouldn’t budge so I went back to the dreaded pill as I gave up. Saw this post and thought I’d give it a go!! I started with 3/4 of pill for a month, 1/3 for a month, 2/3, 3/4 then stopped!! I had a period and now I am into my 2nd week pill free and spot free!! I don’t want to get over excited but this is working!! 🙂
Hi Sophie,
When i was on Dianette i would get the occasional spot anyway so knew after stopping i would get a few. I just get a few more now mainly at that one time of the month. When i was weaning i remember at about 6 months on half i got a few on my forehead and then they cleared up so i am assuming it is my body adjusting to the hormone levels and like Christelle says about her friend after 12 months or so things should start to get back to normal and how our bodies should naturally be.
I originally went on the pill for teenage spots..looking back they probably were not too bad but still got me down and i got them on my back, shoulders and chest too. It seemed to work a treat and i was happy…until trying to come off i didn’t realise the horror of it.
My skin is alittle oiley but not too bad i can leave my hair every other day before i have to wash it. With my past record of trying to quit i am sure i would have had a major breakout by now so that is hopeful. Can i add aswell that approx two weeks of the month i am spot free so as long as it stays like this i am happy.
I realise i have done the weaning alittle different as i only spent two months on 1/3 after going straight to 1/2 for 10 months..i just thought i would take the plunge and getting the doses much lower could be tricky and affect my cycle too much. My periods are normal now every 28 days. They are not heavy and i don’t get bad cramps like i did as a teenager before starting the pill (which i thought would happen again).
I was just thinking the other day since May 2011 i have only put 6 whole packs of Dianette into my body which is reassuring itself 🙂
I am sure this will work. Good luck Sophie xx
p.s sounds like you are doing well Laura..Good luck too xx
Hi Kyra, thanks so much for your reply and sorry for taking so long to reply to you. I’m the same, have always had the odd spot on dianette which obviously is fine so I happy with that. I am just over 2 months now and have to say one thing I noticed very quickly was that my boobs became alot less sore (they were very bad on dianette, not just before period but most of the time), but they have shrunk too (oh well!) This is all a sign that the hormones are coming out of my system so all good. Please keep us posted on your progress, your story gives me a lot of hope. One thing I will say is that there must be some women who come off dianette problem free, I can’t believe that all women get horrible acne that take this and other pills, surely it would be known about? but I wonder why some women and not others?! Thanks Again, Sophie xx
Hi everyone! I was wondering if any of you developed yeast vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis on the pill? Cause I’ve been having them now for the third time and am scared its becoming chronic. And so I started wondering if maybe it could be linked to the pill somehow. I asked the doctor but she kinda said no, that it could be happening to any number of reasons :/ the thing is that I was planning on weaning off from my BC pill next week when I start my new patch but now that I am on tons of medication to get rid of these infections I don’t wanna do it anymore. I think it would be too much for my body. So I really wanna get rid of these before weaning. But if somehow the pill is actually the cause then I think it would be a good idea to wean off my pill as soon as possible. Hum, does anyone have any idea? Thanks!
Hey Mona, did you get that other comment I wrote you in French? If not just let me know and I’ll write you another one in English. Have you managed to get the vaginitis under control?
Bisous, je t’envoie plein de positive vibes 😉
hey Christelle! yep i got your message and I’ve answered to it. If you look up, it’s there (i think lol) 🙂 Thanks for the advice once again. I’ve finished my treatment and will see my doctor next week, so I will know for sure if my vaginitis is gone. Bisou bisou
Hi ladies,
I have been on the pill since I was 18 (I am now 25) and came off Microgynon about 3 years ago only to experience terrible acne. I had never had acne or spots as a child but – being a teacher- was far too insecure and anxious to stick it out and let it clear up. The Dr recommended Dianette to clear up my acne and I have now been taking Dianette for 3 years. I feel like I have been put on a much stronger pill to clear up something only caused by birth control in the first place, very frustrating. I have never been a spotty person but am terrified that if I come off cold turkey from Dianette, the acne results will be even worse than previously.
Your success stories about weaning off Dianette have really given me confidence where so many other websites basically made me feel like I might as well stay on it just to avoid problems.
I am hoping to go down to 3/4 of a pill for 2 months, as Christelle did, as it seems to have been successful for her. Just want these chemicals out of my body so I can start to feel like me again 🙁
Good luck to you ladies. Hope it’s still going well!
Hey girls,
I’m about two weeks into my pack and have been cutting down the dosage to 3/4 of a pill. I am now bleeding every day. Will this keep going until the weaning process is done? Maybe I need to give up.
Hi Diana,
What you’re experiencing is spotting. It happens when the dosage of a pill is too weak. Gynecologists often put women on stronger pills for a few months when this starts to happen (often after several years on the same pill, their bodies get used to the dosage, and they start to bleed between periods) and put them back on their regular pills once the spotting episodes are over.
It happened to me a whole lot when I was weaning. It wasn’t severe bleeding, just spotting. I didn’t get checked out while I was actually weaning, but I do remember this happening a few times when I was on Yaz, and after check-ups my gyno said it was nothing to worry about.
The thing is Diana, this might well happen throughout the weaning process. I was prepared luckily, and I didn’t pay much attention to it when it happened to me because I was so desperate to come off the pill that I just figured this was my “cross to bear” until I finally stopped putting the hormones in my system. Thankfully, since I’ve been off the pill altogether (since July) I have had 4 pretty regular periods (in August it came early, after 2-3 weeks I think, then in September a little late, but hey, and in October I got it on day 30 which is pretty damn great considering I was irregular before I went on the pill), and no spotting since I’ve been off.
If the spotting issue worries you, definitely go and see a doctor. I’m almost certain there’s nothing to worry about, but if you need reassurance, do get some medical advice.
If the spotting hinders your sex-life, or is just too difficult to handle, then maybe this weaning this isn’t for you? If that’s the case, you need to figure out what you plan to do… stay on birth control, or quit cold turkey. Some girls have had no problems with acne coming off cold turkey, so don’t automatically believe you will suffer a breakout of you just up and quit.
The fact is, unfortunately, the medical field doesn’t have much to say about weaning off birth control, which leaves all us ladies with our common sense and intuition to try to find what works best for each of us. What worked for me might not work for you, but I can’t tell you to give up, that has to be your decision. In all cases, if you decide to keep going (the spotting may subside by the way, it won’t necessarily continue, but I can’t say for sure) I will always answer your questions and give you maximum support, and I’m sure Tracy and Kyra and the others will too. The pill is harmful for us women, and it makes me so angry at the medical field to see how uninformed we are as to what we’re putting into our bodies. I am persuaded that this method of coming off is efficient in reducing post-pill acne breakouts, and heck Diana, you deserve to be happy and free from the emotional roller coaster Yaz is for so many women.
That said, I wish you luck with all the thinking through things, and don’t hesitate to ask if you have more questions!
Big hug lovely! 🙂
Hi Sophie
You are welcome. Thats great and i agree my boobs were sore too quite alot and now it is just a week prior to my period. Getting the hormone out is most definitley for the best! It just takes time for our bodies to adjust but everyone is different and there must be people who have just come off fine, but they will not have discussed it on here as you only ever go on the internet when you have a problem and thats why it is nearly always bad news when you do. This site is great and for me has been a life saver. Im still ok as i approach week 27 of being pill free 🙂
I would say if i can get to Christmas without a major breakout i am going to be ok. Its just scary to think i could just break out.
Good luck Sophie and i will update again xx
Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to say you girls are AMAZING… you all have changed my life in so many ways, if I could fly out and hug each and every one of you I would. All I have ever wanted to do was have children but I was so scared to take the next step… stopping my pill – Yasmin.
Thank you for taking the time to keep filling us in on your progress. I wish you all knew how much this meant to me.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! XXXX
Oh BTW this might sound silly… and maybe already addressed, but how did you actually cut your pill? I’m afraid if I do it with a knife it might not be so accurate?
Hey Frida! Glad to hear our updates have been helpful! 🙂
This website is amazing. I remember stumbling across this particular article in January if this year, in the middle of the night, in a moment of despair. I was desperately trying to find some hope online for quitting birth control without suffering from a bad breakout, and wherever I looked there were comments and blog-posts by women who had quit birth control cold turkey and were devastated at the sight of their own skin. This article by Tracy was the only thing I read that gave me hope, and now into my 4th month off the pill after having weaned off I am so happy to observe that I have no acne whatsoever, and so far my periods are pretty regular.
As I’ve said countless times on here, and I’ve read Kyra’s comments and I think she feels the same, we’re so surprised at how effective this method has proven that we’re afraid to jinx it by saying “wouhou, this works!”. But Kyra has been off for 6 months, and so far so good, and I’m into my 4th month, and so far so good…
I think the idea of reducing the amount of artificial hormones you put in your system gradually is logical. Meanwhile, as you’re actually weaning off you can focus on other areas of your life you want to “clean up” in order to help your skin while you’re transitioning off the hormones (eating habits, supplements, exercise, inner peace, etc…).
I bought a paper cutter back in February when I first started weaning, and I just chopped my pill into pieces on a wooden chopping board. Sometimes it was a bit of a hit and miss operation I must admit (and a miracle I didn’t chop off a finger!). I’d just take the little pieces that were broken until I ended up with the dosage I wanted.
Some people have asked about whether it bothered me that the pill was coated, and to be honest, I’d have to say no. I so badly wanted to come off that I just figured it couldn’t be worse than taking the whole pill anyway… I hope that helps…
I did the same as you. I was on Diane (for 5 years with a 6 month break acne catastrophe), then Yaz (3 years), then the lighter version… Yasmine maybe? In France it’s called Jasminelle (for 2 years). Anyway, quitting the pill is the best thing I’ve done in 2012.
This is none of my business, Frida, but if you want kids (I do too, which is one of the reasons I wanted to come off the bcp), you might want to wait a little before stopping contraception altogether, just so that you can replenish your gut flora. The pill kind of kills off the good bacteria, and if you get pregnant immediately after coming off the pill you can end up passing on your gut flora imbalances to your child. The GAPS diet website is pretty informative on that subject. Anyway, lots of positive vibes to you! Good luck 😉 xxx
Ive just been using a knife, pretty sure Im not accurate with my cutting but attempting to cut 3/4 so far! Cutting in half n then 1 in half again x Good luck
Thanks Rose. Please keep us updated. I was on Diane too then switched to yasmin to lessen the amount of hormones for when I stopped. The switch was ok tiny bit of break out but felt better. Only bad thing was the hair loss. Not sure if it was because I stopped Diane or started Yasmin. Im interested to see how you do!! All the best!! X
How long did the hair loss last and how drastic was it? So far I am taking Zinc for hair and skin and Multi-vitamins every day to try and prevent this happening so fingers crossed it’s not too bad. I am only a week and a bit into it and I have already start spotting a bit. However, this was always an issue so I’m hoping it would have happened if I was still on full pill anyway.
Thanks for the luck giving, really feel I need it :s xxx Thanks for everything
Christelle,
Thank you! I had no idea, yes well truth is I think my BF is going to propose! HAHAHA hopeful thinking but he’s been dropping hints. I just turned 29, and I think Im ready to have kids straight away if he does. But your advice is awesome I will hold off a little.
Rose – I stopped taking Diane in 2010 in August and by January (5 months) I started to break out and hairloss started. I couldn’t handle it so I got tested and stuff and nothing helped so I decided to try something not as strong… Yasmin. which as a result lessen the hairloss but I think I am still losing hair on Yamin noticeably more than I did on Diane. Diane made my hair gorgeous!
I am going to try Nioxin shampoos I heard it helps so we’ll see. When I do wean off… (When I do get that ring) I will be so prepared! Better than before. Vitamins and supplements to help balance myself quicker. I am sick to my stomach about it… but I’m going to do it!
Good Luck Rose… You girls are my heroes!
Lets hope my BF asks soon.
Yay! 🙂 That’s awesome news Frida (and I love your feminine intuition, hehehe, men are hopeless at hiding things!).
I am SO confident this method will work for you. If you want to replenish your gut flora, definitely try milk kefir (it’s got so many beneficial bacteria in it, I highly doubt it will break you out at all), and sauerkraut if you can handle the taste. Otherwise a good probiotic should do the trick! That and fermented cod liver oil and turmeric for their anti-inflammatory properties. I’m positive you’ll be fine.
Recently, over the past couple of weeks, I got sluggish with my diet (sugar, gluten, dairy, birthdays, eating out with friends etc.), and I kind of expected to break out, but my skin is surprisingly blemish free (actually, I don’t want to brag but it’s looking really good at the moment), so I’m just saying, don’t worry too much about breaking out. If you lower the dosage gradually I’m sure you’ll be fine. Also, for hair-loss, B-vitamins and magnesium are said to work wonders.
Good luck lady! 😉
Fingers crossed for you sweetheart x
Hi ladies, Its been a few months since I wrote. I quit Dianne cold turkey at the end of May as I was over the horrible side effects I was experiencing. And like most of you I went on the pill when I got an unexpected outbreak of acne at the age of 20 which was the reason I started BCP. When I tried to quit about 2 years ago the acne came back which is when I went back on Dianne. So anyway 5 months post BCP (no weining) I feel tons better mentally and physically but the acne is back : ( It’s not major its mainly just on my chin area but it’s there and I think when you experience acne it does some horrible things to your self esteem. I feel as though I am doing everything to avoid this – I see a naturopath once a month we are working on hormone rebalancing, I take a ton of vitamins, I haven’t touched sugar in 5 months my diet is clean! I have been getting lactic peels once a fortnight, I exercise. Like I said it is not major but it is consistent. Any suggestions on anything I can do to avoid this or at least manage it better. How long do you think I will have to ride this out? I don’t want to go back on the pill! But summer is coming up and I am stressing as I tend to be a bit of a recluse when my skin breaks out!
Hi Rebecca, I was just wondering what your naturopath thought about all of this coming off the pill? I have found the doctors to be useless to be honest (total denial about ladies breaking out) so would be interested to know an alternative opinion. I am on month 3 of weaning of dianette (half pill for 3 months) and so far okay. I was also curious as to how the pill had made you feel, ie why you are coming off. Personally I have no sex drive and feel moody and flat alot with low energy, this happened so gradually I hadn’t put it down to anything like the pill! Be interested to hear how you felt, thank you xx
Hey Rebecca,
Sorry to hear you acne has come back. It is awful and i too remember the feeling of hiding away feeling so self concious. It sounds like it isnt too bad which is good and your diet and lifestyle is fantastic and i do believe this does help to a certain degree. I would suggest a topical solution like Differin Cream/Gel and a mild benzol peroxide cream like Oxy to start with. Again it depends on the type of ance you are gettting…is it cysts, small closed comedones or whiteheads? If it’s comedones then Differin will work well. If its cysts maybe antibiotics to clear the infected pores.
You have done the right things coming off the pill as dianette is the strong one aswell…i am so glad im off it…it might have cleared the spots but the other side effects it brought were not pleasant either…i got melasma too. Since quitting even my ezcema has cleared up…the melasma faded away, i dont suffer with thrush like i did and i feel so much healthier for having the pill out of my system.
I’m still ok and hoping the minor spots i get will clear after 12 months from stopping like Christelle’s friends did as i am sure yours will too. The only thing i noticed the other day was a few spots on my lower back. Im expecting there to be some i suppose while my body regulates and im on my period at the moment..i always get a few just before i start.
I didnt’t expect to get to the end of October and be feeling this confident though…i thought i would have had a major breakout and gone back on it just to make my life easier.
Hope you get sorted Rebebcca and stay positive 🙂
Ps Frida i used to cut mine in half with a knife and it was approx. I dont think you can get it dead on, just as long as it is as near as you can get it.
Good luck girls xx
Hi Ladies,
Thanks for your advice….
Sophie to answer your question – My naturopath never objected to weining I just could no longer bare to ingest it into my body I think this was just the Dianne as I have been on several different pills and never had side effects this bad.
The side effects I started to experience 8 months in on Dianne was – anxiety, depression, no sex drive, sluggish, weight gain, bloating, thrush (candida), hair falling out (last straw).
So I decided to quit, made sure my diet was perfect, I see my naturopath every month (expensive but worth it). Again we are working on naturally getting my hormones to work I know I am high in testosterone as the saliva test stated, we are trying to raise the progesterone to lower the testosterone.
I think weining is a terrific idea, I just couldn’t cope with the side effects anymore. Anyway 5 months on and I feel great, no more depression, sex drive is back, physically feel so much more energetic. Just so many things in my life are better. I am still working at the candida but have again come along way with that. It is just the bloody acne but I do believe my body is just adjusting and I think stress (and I am a massive overstresser) plays a big part in it to which is something I need to work on.
So I think diet, stress and getting your body’s organs working again – liver, kidney is vital in coming off with success. but it is a slow process and no “magic pill” is going to fix it.
Again also trying to alkalize your body, lots of green drinks and the right vitamins. Naturopaths are very expensive but they know what they are doing.
Kyra – Did you quit cold turkey or wein? Sounds like you had a rough ride as well
Anyway I guess I just need to relax a little and let it take it’s course!
It’s nice to feel like you have support : )
Thanks for the advice!
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for the quick reply. Thise side effects sound just like mine,except no candida, at least I don’t think so. I’ve always had the odd spot even on dianette but nothing much, anyway recently I did a 6 week full on detox, by metagenics, taking lots of herbs and strong probiotics (it’s pricey but really really good, and you basically just eat pure foods but plenty so no hunger), maybe ask your Naturopath about it. Since then my skin has never been so good, I’m convinced it was the big detox clean, it concentrates on ridding the gut of bad bacteria and replacing with good bacteria. That said, I am still weaning just incase. I do feel more uplifted on just half a pill but not enough, very much looking forward to being free, and no S/D yet, how long did it take for yours to come back?
Last question, I’m intrigued by the saliva hormone test, I think you can buy them on line. Have you found that your testosterone has crept up after quitting, as dianette is a surpressor? Thanks a million x
Hey Sophie!
Yep I have gone through all the detoxing and cleansing. I have even had a couple of Colonics done. So gut health has definetley improved. Alot has improved with my lifestyle change and since quiting BCP and cleaning up my diet. I think I just need to fix the last parts, stick it out a bit longer.
The break outs started maybe a month after stopping, like I said I have never had BAD acne and it hasn’t been bad. But every couple of days to a week I will get a spot, and around my period I will have a break out. And it’s mainly just the chin that gets affected and sometimes around the mouth. Occasionaly I do break out on the chest also but that is always easy and quick to clear up.
With the horomone test I wouldn’t get it done until about 3 months after you stop taking the pill. That way you know what your hormone levels are because they may change once you stop. And I would get it done by a naturopath as they will be able to look at your results and if you need to make any adjustments they will be able to tell you what you need to do.
And metagenics are great I use the same products supplied by my naturopath. : )
Sorry and yes testosterone was the part that was very high. Which is why we are working on rising the progesterone which will decrease the testosterone!
Hi Rebecca,
Sorry to hear you’ve been battling with a breakout. Compared to what I had when I quit Dianette 8 years ago you do seem to have things under control though. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before your hormones balance out.
Just out of interest (I haven’t had my hormone levels checked yet – this is my 4th month off the pill), what are you doing to help raise your progesterone levels? Are you following particular dietary routine?
Sending you lots of happy vibes 🙂
Hi Rebecca,
I am definitely going to get the saliva hormone test done, I would like to do it now and then later just to monitor the changes. I’m not sure I can afford to see a naturopath on a regular basis, I did see the saliva tests online for NZ$150 (I live in New Zealand). I’ll contact a local naturapath and see how much it all costs. One thing I have noticed after 3 months of weaning is a significant reduction in hair fall. I’ve got quite thick hair but the last few months or so before I started weaning noticed alot of hair coming out in the shower and when brushing etc, the last few weeks there is barely any, this is such a good sign. So like you I started losing hair before stopping dianette, so it was causing it. I also had incredibly sore boobs, like really painful but that has totally gone now. I am feeling so much better even on just half a pill.
I wanted to ask you, how is your hair loss going now? Also, I was wondering about going to my doctor for a full hormone blood test, visiting the doctors here is on $50 and I don’t think they charge for blood tests (will check though). Did your naturopath ever suggest this or is saliva really the only way to go?
Thanks a million x
Hey Christelle, My naturopath prescribed me with something called Progestralift – it has certain ingerdients in it that help support your body to produce your own progesterone. Which is really the goal in all of this to get our bodys to produce our own hormones. I also take something called estrofactors which helps produce good estrogens. If you feel like you need a test I would recomend doing it as it’s good to know what is exactly out of balance.
Hi Sophie, Sorry didn’t see the last part of your message.
With the hair situation it is completley back to normal now which is such a relif as I was freaking out when it was happening, and every GP I went about the hair said it couldn’t be the Dianne as they use it for women who suffer from hair loss? Which I find very strange! When it started happening I was 9 months on the pill and all of a sudden had this hair fall come from nowhere, I beleieve to my immune system was very low I was sick a lot and not very healthy at the time. Again like you it was in the shower and during washing and brushing. That’s why I just stopped taking the pill, it was a very stressful time as I was scared what was going to happen if I stopped. But about 6-8 weeks after stopping the pill the hair loss stopped and symptoms started to clear.
Now it’s just the whole skin thing, and it’s not to bad! It has never been bad but I mean dealing everyday with a pimple on my face is not something I want to have to do for the rest of my life. Using vitamin A cream at the moment and going to start Salycilic peels as recommended by my beautician. As long as I can maintain my skin over the next 6 months I will be happy. As I believe it will take me around a year to steady my hormones again or get them back to some kind of normal. Again diet and lifestyle are the main tools I am using to battle this.
Hi Rebecca,
How strange that we have both had hair loss whilst taking dianette, I definitely have way less loss even on half a pill, it’s like just by halfing the dose of hormones my body is way better off, and I think emotionally too. I just can’t wait see how I feel after I am off it completely.
Glad to hear your skin isn’t too bad, from what I’ve read you will definitely be okay after a year. By the way, has your naturapath suggested saw palmetto, I think it’s a natural testosterone supressor, presumably way weaker than dianette or yasmin.
Sophie x
Hi all,
After a month of taking 3/4s of the Dianette pill, I went to the doctor for a repeat prescription and have been switched rather forcefully back to Microgynon. It’s so much lower in hormone than Dianette that he told me to take double the pill for the first week to get used to it. I still want to come off the pill permanently but am now at a total loss at what to do.
Do I continue with weaning off but now with Microgynon or should I stay on this pill for a while until my body gets used to it?
I’ve been on Microgynon before but really need to get these hormones out of my system once and for all.
Sorry for the rant ladies.
Rose
Hi Rose, I just saw your comment. That’s insane! Firstly, what’s all this about taking a double dose? It sounds kind of risky to me (I don’t know what you ladies think, but it’s shocking to me). Secondly, why has your doctor suddenly decided to switch your pill? Have you spoken to him/her about weaning off?
I understand your frustration. I think it’s up to you – you can either do a few months on Microgynon so as not to disrupt your hormones too much, and then start weaning off that, or you could always go to see a different doctor to get a new prescription for Dianette…
In all cases, don’t let it get to you. You are the one who decides what you want in your body or not 🙂
All the best
Hi Rose,
If you want my opinion, like Christelle, this taking double dose sounds weird. Not only have I never heard of it but if u were on dianette and trying to wean off i think it’s best if you stick with the same pill. Cause now if you change to another pill, your whole body has to adjust again to not only new levels of hormones, but actually different type of hormones. I mean i do not know what Microgynon contains exactly but I highly doubt it is exactly the same as Dianette. Well in any case that’s my opinion, hope it helps 🙂
Good luck!
Hi Rose,
I agree that taking two a day sounds wrong! If anything he should have dropped you onto yasmin as i hear that is much safer than Dianette. Maybe speak to them about weaning off Dianette?
I’m still ok as i approach week 30 being pill free. Still get the odd spot but they have not got worse as time has gone on. I did get some acne on my lower back about 2 weeks ago but they seem to be clearing. I find that strange as dont ever remember getting acne there in the past it was more at the top and on my shoulders…strange?
I’m hoping after hitting the one year mark they will clear altogether. will keep you posted x
Hi Christelle, Mona and Kyra,
Thank you for your messages, when I went to the pharmacy to pick it up I asked them about it and they said to perhaps double up for the first dose as it will be like I’ve missed a pill but not for a whole week. Don’t know what my doctor was thinking!
Think I’ll take your advice and take Microgynon for a while and then start weaning off that. Have had some serious mood swings as part of this hormone mess up, not to mention stupidly bad period pain. However, so far, no spots and hair is ok (fingers crossed so far)!
Glad things are still going well for you all and seriously thanks for the help. Will keep you posted. Good luck with the rest of the journey. We can do it. xxx
Hi Tracy
This post was a revelation! Thank you so much.
I had an awful cystic acne breakout in my early 20s when I was on Microgynon BCP, I tried everything including zinc, selenium, vit C, Iron supplements, antibiotics, steroid cream. I eventually was put on Dianette BCP. This thankfully cleared up my awful, painful acne. I also went to a specialist (with photos of my skin at it’s worst stage for proof!) who recommended I try Roaccutane- I read up on the drug and decided it all sounded a bit too scary, so stuck on my Dianette and had beautiful clear skin. However… I heard that you shouldn’t stay on this pill for more than 2 years, so decided as my skin had been so well behaved I would try to get off it, when much to my dismay I broke out in horrible cystic acne, even worse than before.
Its so depressing and knocks your confidence and I was so upset that I went back to Dianette BCP for another 3 years
I was petrified of this happening again so stayed on it as long as I could, until my new doctor refused to prescribe it any longer (I had a crying tantrum like a child in the doctor surgery! I was 29!!) she put me on Cilest BCP (after apologising profusely to me and explaining it was for my health) I also switched my make up to a mineral makeup (lily lolo/bare minerals).
I was lucky and continued to have lovely skin for a further couple of years. Which brings me to present day…
After wanting to get off bcp and being a bit scared of another nasty breakout- I researched and saw your post about ‘weaning off BCP’ to prevent hormonal craziness! So I braved it and took 2 months to slowly reduce my pill size.
I’m 5 months down the line now and have the occasional spot, but absolutely nothing like cystic. I have also been taking 2 x Evening Primrose Oil 1300g capsules at night when I go to bed, with topical application of the same oil if I do get a tingle of a potential angry- which fingers crossed, has so far reduced or prevented them from popping up!!
I also never use any cleansers on my face, except for water in the shower every morning.
… I am so pleased!! Your blog is brilliant! I wish I had found it 10 years ago!!
I hope this may be of help to anyone who is thinking of trying this method? I feel liberated by not being a slave to BCP’s and am not a lot healthier by instead being a slave to Evening Primrose supplements- which can’t be a bad thing!?
Again, thank you Tracy and for everyones comments and stories. What a great help. N x
Hi Natalie – that’s awesome this method is working for you too! I’m so glad that I decided to post this video! It seems like it’s helped a lot of ladies out there 😀
I’ll say! This post has changed my life! Period day 1 today, and no acne, and no pms, after 4 months with no bcp in my system at all. Happy is understating. 🙂 A million thank yous, Tracy!
Hi Natalie,
So have you been completely off dianette for 5 months? And you weaned for just 2 months? That gives me real hope. I’m just over 3 months on half a pill and really not sure how long to wean for, I suppose I should go down to a quarter soon. What size did you cut your pills to please?
Thanks
Hi Sophie
Another few weeks down the line and Still no horrible cystic spots. (yay! Fingers crossed!!) I still get little ones and a few small blackheads but they barely bother me.
In reply to your question…
I was quite rubbish with my pill ‘cutting’ I started biting (!) them in half and if I felt the cystic chin tingle- I caved and took a whole one now and again, but generally, I was taking half a pill a day for a month going down to rough 1/3 of a pill and for the last week or so going to quarters.
At the end of the 2 months, I started forgetting my tiddly bits of pill and realised I’d stopped taking them altogether. I planned on weaning off for 4-6 months it just naturally happened to be earlier.
I definitely think the evening Primrose capsules help. Orally and topically.
I wear mineral makeup- it’s amazing!
Use oil of olay moisturiser (for normal-oily skin) in the morning after a shower.
Hope this helps?!
Good luck
N x
Ok, little update here. The good news is, no acne in sight! My skin has never been this good ever ever. The worrying news is, my period barely even showed up this month. I’m on day 4 and I’m hardly even spotting. This is strange, because usually my period is much heavier. Not that I feel particularly pregnant or anything, but I’m still going to get a test this afternoon because I’ve just done lots of reading up on the internet (not always a wise thing to do when feeling anxious!), and it appears spotting is common during the early stages of pregnancy… not quite sure how I feel about all this… oddly relaxed, but I need to find out what’s going on. Wish me luck (either way!). 🙂
Ah, yes, initially this post was just a reminder to all y’all weaning off to find other forms of contraception for during the weaning process and for after too. My boyfriend & I use condoms, but I’m not sure they’re totally reliable… I’ll let you know once I get the result!
Hi everyone!
I am going to start weaning off today! :/ I feel totally stressed out about it, I do not know if it’s going to go as smooth as all of you who have weaned off. I just wanted to ask some advice on what to take during the weaning process, any suggestions on what you took and think helped with the hormonal imbalance?
Oh and following Christelle’s last post, (which by the way good luck Christelle!), do you guys think that I should use another method of contraception when i’m on 3/4 of my pill? Cause mine is quite a strong one, i dunno, maybe along the same lines as dianette I would say. So I was thinking that on 3/4 i would still remain protected, dunno….
Anyway thanks everyone and wish me luck!
Hey Mona! SO happy to hear you’re going to take the plunge! I am pretty certain this is the right way to stop birth control, and judging from everyone’s comments so far I’d say there’s a fair chance you won’t suffer from acne. As regards my earlier post, it turns out I’m not preggers, hehe (phew, not quite ready!). But yes, I definitely recommend using contraception while you’re weaning, you never know!
Good luck giiiiirl! You’ll be fine! 🙂
Hey christelle and Mona,
That’s great news on weaning Mona and Christelle brilliant on no acne!! My period is much lighter than I remember from being a teen… My periods were irregular and heavy. Now they are very light only 5 days at most! I assumed it was my age. But I’m not having any more children and my husband has had a vascectomy so birth control isn’t an issue for me. Defo use something even when weaning as it will almost certainly increase your chances of getting pregnant a but like when you on antibiotics they tell you to use other methods whilst on the pill.
I’m on week 30 being pill free! Today I have one spot so I’m not complaining lol. As I mentioned I had a few spots on my back which have improved alittle but decided to go the doctors today. She thinks its folliculitis…so prescribed me a week of antibiotics to clear it but only mild she said… Plus I’d never had acne there before so thought it odd.
Will keep you updated ….. X
Thank you girls for your support! But I was also wondering whether you took anything during your weaning process that you guys think helped you…like vitamins, herbs, teas, anything? Or maybe did u start taking something once you had completely weaned off?
Thanks again! x
Coucou Mona!
When I first started weaning, I remember I was really strict about having no sugar, and I cut out soy, dairy and gluten, and went low carb, and started upping my intake of green stuff (smoothies etc). Looking back, I think my diet was probably a little restrictive!
Today, I’ve integrated organic sources of gluten, I eat a fair amount of organic dairy (mainly yoghurt), and it’s been a while since I had a green smoothie (although I would maintain that soy is a no go for women trying to balance hormones, as it’s very estrogenic). If I sense that I’m starting to break out a little, or my feet get itchy (I can get eczema sometimes), I stop eating cheese and sugary foods, and usually within a week or so the outbreak dies down. That’s what works for me, but perhaps you are sensitive to other things.
One thing you can do that can only be beneficial to your body is helping your liver to process the unwanted hormones. After reading that article Tracy wrote about liver flushing, I wouldn’t recommend going down that path, but maybe drinking tea with burdock root in it (en français je crois que ça s’appelle “bardane” – en tout cas c’est ce que je prends en tisane tous les matins). Turmeric is also great for detox, and green juice – wheatgrass – is also said to be soothing for the liver. Otherwise, to help your hormones (namely to avoid excess androgen production), spearmint tea is said to be great. I used to drink it. It’s yummy!
And then once I stopped the pill altogether, I started taking vitex, which I am certain is very efficient for balancing hormones.
Oh, I forgot, yes, if there’s one supplement I really recommend, it’s fermented cod liver oil by Green Pastures. It costs an arm and a leg (un true genre 50 euros la petite bouteille), but it’s awesome stuff. Some women swear it has helped them rid themselves of acne for good…
Mais franchement, ne te prends pas trop la tête avec ça! Avant, j’essayais de vivre parfaitement (pas un gramme de sucre, pas au lit après 11h le soir, etc.), mais petit à petit je me suis rendue compte que le mieux c’était de faire de mon mieux, et de ne pas trop me rendre malade avec tout ça. Et en ce qui concerne les compléments alimentaires, d’y aller molo. Ce qui compte c’est de réduire la dose de pilule petit à petit. Voiliou ma belle! Yay, trop contente que tu aies commencé l’aventure! 🙂
Hey Mona,
Ijust drank the peppermint tea after weaning. Also took the dong quai and vitex afterwards for a few months. Not taking anything now just multivitamins.
Good luck x
Just to add it was a spearmint 40% and peppermint 60% tea x
Thank you Kyra and Christelle!
I will definately buy that spearmint and peppermint tea! i think i cannot be as strict as you christelle 🙂 i dont drink milk except for teas and i love yoghurt in the mornings so i think i cant stop that hehe Like you said ill try to take it easy and not get obsessed with my food. But for sure i will stay away from processed sugar as much as i can!
I will keep updating for sure like u guys did 🙂 take care and thank u for your support! X
Hello (:
My name is Michelle and I have been on diane 35 off and on since I was 15 I am now 25 :S I tried to come off at 17 but was but on alesee and broke out again ( not near as bad as before ) but consistant. so I went back on the diane after otc creams did not help. This past year has been very bad for me, have been in hospital twice ): I tried to come off the diane again cold turkey In january but my adrenals were in very bad stages of exhaustion mode. I go to a naturopath. So I went back on. I am also trying to wean off valium. ( it’s a long story but I am so mad dr’s did not tell me about these HARMFUL TOXIC DRUGS ) I am not sure what to do as my adrenals are still in exhaustion mode, just not as bad. I have a question for those who are weaning off. How do you measure how you cut the pill for 3/4 or 1/2? And they are coated, what do you use to cut them? I really want to ease off this as am going through horrendous withdrawal trying to get off the valium as is and really can’t afford to shock my body any more but this pill has caused me a b12 deficiency and gut problems and I know I need to get off as well :S
ANY advice on how you measured/what you used to cut the pill/for how long you weaned would be GREATLY APPRECIATED SO MUCH!
Hey Michelle,
Good to hear you want to come off the medication. I understand your anger. I feel the same. It’s so unfair to have to go through withdrawal without having any prior knowledge of what those harsh treatments actually do to your body. Anyway, I’m sure you’ll manage to recover. Your body just needs time and TLC.
I cut my pill very approximatively with a paper cutter on a wooden board. It was a miracle I didn’t cut off a finger (you wanna be careful! 🙂 )! But yeah, it wasn’t very precise. Usually I chopped the pill in half and ended up with 2 uneven halves. I swallowed one half, and then chopped the other half in two and swallowed what appeared to me to be a quarter (that was when I started weaning – I took 3/4 of the pill), and threw the rest away.
If you need other info, fire away! 🙂
Good luck!
Hi Ladies, Glad to hear your all doing so well with the weining. Unfortunately I am not to happy with my results I quit dianne 5 months ago (no weining cold turkey) and have been breaking out. It’s not massive acne I have never had that but it still makes me super self concious to the point where I won’t leave the house if I have a couple of pimples call me over obsessive YES! But I want this thing to be over – It’s been a 4 year on and off battle with acne! Anyways I have a question or need some advice. I believe my acne is hormonal but I think it may be estrogen dominance related my naturopath put me on I3C which I believe is pretty much the same as DIM. I have also been reading about Saw Palmetto. Any suggestions on which of these I should take to help balance my hormones. I need to see some results with all I have been doing over the last 6 months in terms of diet and lifestyle change I want to be seeing some relief on my skin. Any suggestions would help. Thanks : )
Hi Rebecca,
I understand. Apparently, coming off Diane cold turkey always gives you a breakout… it’s just part of the withdrawal effects of that particular pill. I have a feeling that it’s because it causes your body to suddenly produce excess testosterone. In fact, I’m fairly sure that what you’re dealing with is excess androgen production, I’m not a specialist or anything, but judging from the symptoms you describe, it could well be the case. Maybe talk to your naturopath about it.
I’ve read that Saw Palmetto is good for balancing hormones too, just like Maca, and Dong Quai, and Vitex. Right now, I’m taking 400mg of Vitex per day, and I think it’s helped my cycle stay on track.
I can’t lie, I’ve also read some horror stories with Maca and Saw Palmetto, which was why I didn’t want to risk trying them. I think they either work really well, or have the opposite effect. As for Vitex, there might be some horror stories, but as far as I know it’s pretty safe insofar as it helps your body balance its own hormones, and – and this might be of interest for you if you’re suffering from either estrogen dominance or excess testosterone – it encourages your body to produce progesterone, which in turn helps balance out the excess estrogen and testosterone.
One thing you can do, is give your liver as much support as you possibly can, because it’s processing all those toxins and leftover hormones from the years you spent on the pill.
My friend went through the exact same thing a cople of years ago, and it did last for a little while (the breakout started 6 months after she stopped taking Diane, and lasted for 6 months – so all in all 1 year with acne… fun!), but today her skin is great! She said she really almost went back on the Diane out of frustration, but stuck it out a tiny bit more, and then the spots started to fade away.
I’m sure you will see the results of your effort in due time. It’s already brilliant that you’ve managed to come so far!
🙂
Hi Michelle!
I have just started weaning off a few days ago and I just cut my pill with a really sharp knife. Mine is not coated (or I think lol) so I dont know how you do it if it is.
Hope this helps and good luck with everything! 🙂
Oh sorry and you were asking how you measure the 3/4 exactly? Well I just do it by eye. It’s not very precise I know but I think there is no other way.
Hi Ladies, well I have been following this post for some time whilst making plans to wean off Diane 35 in the new year.
However I recently had a bit of a health scare and decided to start immediately. I thought I would keep a record of my weaning process here to help anyone else following this post!
So I started on the pill when I was 16, I have just turned 27. I’ve tried to stop several times but my skin broke out and became terribly oily with lots of blackheads. I also experienced mood swings and depression, so unlike me!
So about 2 months ago I was in bed and became numb on one side of my face, then I went blind for about a minute in one of my eyes. It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me, and I had a bit of a panic attack. I went to the doctor and they couldn’t tell me what it was, however from my research into the pill it fits pretty well with some of the symptoms it can cause -basically a mini-stroke or TI. I have an appointment with a neurologist in December so will be able to find out more then.
This experience made me decide to start weaning immediately so I got all my pill packets and spent 30 minutes cutting all my pills (with a steak knife! – I was on a mission!) I have decided to start at 3/4, do that for a month, then do 1/2 for 2 months then 1/4 for a month. I have one more repeat prescription which I may decide to fill, I’m not sure yet.
I also had a blood test and am deficient in B12 and Vit D so I’m taking those vitamins, and will also be adding the Green Pastures fermented cod liver oil and a good probiotic. I take magnesium as well for foot cramping. I’m really picky about the brands of vitamins I take and have done a lot of research into this.
I eat a pretty good diet, I’m about 70% paleo (veggies, meat, nuts, seeds and good oils is my main diet) although I still eat too much sugar and have to eat the pasta my boyfriends mum cooks! I also eat dairy, no milk but good quality organic yoghurt and butter and some non-organic cheese.
I honestly don’t clean my face much because on the pill I haven’t had to, I will often just clean with water. After reading Tracy’s adventures in leaving her face alone, I think this will probably stick to this routine. I’m too lazy anyway!
I only wear mineral foundation and Ere Perez mascara and a little eyeliner.
So far it’s only been a few weeks, so I don’t expect there to be any differences so far.
I also just wanted to thank all the regular contributers to this post, it has been so valuable to read all your experiences and get all your advice!
sorry for the long post!
Emily, this sounds a lot like multiple sclerosis. Please request an MRI.
No, from what I’ve learned I had a bad b12 deficiency. B12 is an often overlooked issue, and can mirror lots of other issues. I did consider ms, but since taking b12 a lot of my symptoms have lifted. If you’re interested look up Chris Kressler, he has a great article about b12 on his website
Hi emily!
Yay welcome to the club! Great to hear that you have started weaning off like me 🙂 Good luck with everything, i’ll update too on my weaning process! x
Hey Emily,
What a story, best of luck to you, looks like you started at the right time before it got any worse. I think I started to see my skin flare up and mood swings off the chart about 4 months after stopping cold turkey. I can’t believe how moody I was back then.
ANYWAYS… All the best, please keep us updated. Especially me who seems to keep moving my start date because I am a chicken!
Go on Frida!
It’ll be the best thing you’ll do- I’m so proud of myself!!
N x
Hey Christelle,
How are you? I wanted to know how you were doing. Is everything still ok?
Mood swings, skin, weight and hair?
I just found out from the doctors (annual blood test) I have an active thyroid. BLAH! I think that might be the cause of my hairloss. My mum had the same thing too so I doubt it had anything to do with the pill.
Just bad luck, I am going to find a naturopath and sort this out naturally if I can.
Hey Frida,
I’m sorry to hear about your thyroid issue. That’s not fun. But I’ve heard you can reverse this type of condition with diet and lifestyle. I wish you all the best of luck! 🙂
On my end, skin-wise, things couldn’t be better. My skincare routine motto is “do nothing”. I’ve decided to just let my skin live is own life, and it seems to be happy that way. If need be, I rub a little jojoba oil on my face before going to bed or in the morning, because it’s getting cold here in France, and I don’t want to have dry skin this winter. People say I have a healthy glow, and I am still surprised that I haven’t broken out at all since I stopped the pill in July.
Cycle-wise, my periods are fairly regular (give or take 30-35 day cycles), but completely different from when I was on the pill. Basically, I start out with 4-5days of really light bleeding at the beginning, and then from days 7-10 or 11 (yes, I know, my period can last thaaat long) I bleed like hell (last week, I thought I was going to bleed to death, hehehe). But suddenly, almost overnight, the bleeding stops, and I’m set to go for a new cycle. I need to go for a check up, but after speaking to my mother & grandmother, both reassured me saying that they had exactly the same types of cycle, and that it appears to run in the family.
It’s kind of fun getting back in touch with yourself. I feel very happy being able to listen to my body, and see how it works. It’s an adventure, almost. And the best part of it is that I feel good when I have my period, despite the heavy bleeding and the length. I don’t suffer from anxiety or moodiness like I used to on the pill. I get breast tenderness, and a little cramping, but nothing impossible to deal with.
My hair needs washing slightly more often, for some reason. But it’s not falling out, and I’m letting it grow out at the moment, so I accept that it’s not at its best in terms of style. But it’s shiny, and healthy.
As for weight, perhaps I’m a bad example, because I’m really skinny (not anorexic skinny, but I’m definitely what people would consider thin or slim). Any weight I may have put on since I came off the pill is due to force-feeding myself in order to fatten up! 🙂
I’d say, in all honesty, that I have much less water retention and edema now that I’m not on contraception. It wasn’t obvious, looking at me, that I used to get water retention, but I do remember my ankles looking a little swollen back when I was on the pill, especially in summer. Today I don’t get that.
For your hairloss, I think B-vits, magnesium and potassium are important… but also, we do tend to lose hair more in winter anyway. So maybe it’s just seasonal 🙂
xxx
Hey Christelle,
How is ur cycle??? I have not got my periods yet it’s been 6 weeks I guess??? MY last cycle was week late too… but had very heavy bleeding that lasted almost 10 days, it started with light for few days and then got very heavy! This time I really see no sign of coming…. little scared!!!This will be my second periods after I have stopped taking the pill(quarter Pill)
Hey Gausha,
Yeah, it sounds like your body is adapting too. For me it’s been 5 months-ish (since July), and my periods have been fairly regular, but not absolutely precise. Usually, I get my period on the 30th day of my cycle (but I’ve gone up to 35 days before). I seem to have the same problem as you: I get light bleeding for 4-5 days at the beginning of my period (usually, I think “cool, this is a really light and manageable period!”), and then it gets really heavy really suddenly, and I bleed for another week.
My periods usually last from 10-13 days. I know, it sounds absolutely unbearable, but strangely it’s not. Yes, when I do start bleeding, it is very heavy bleeding, and it’s not fun. But so far I have not experienced much cramping (barely at all), no premenstrual tension, no acne, no mood swings, no headaches… and I don’t know how to explain it, but since I’ve been off the pill, I really feel like my period is a time during which my body is cleaning itself out. When I was on the pill, I had 6-day periods that were relatively light, and I got heavy legs and headaches from time to time. I also felt very stressed and sad on the days leading up to my period. That is a thing of the past. So, for me, I wouldn’t trade a 13 day period for a fake ‘pill period’, even if these transition cycles aren’t fun.
I must admit, this month, my period didn’t come on the 30th day (it came a few days later), and I started to freak out. I actually took a couple of pregnancy tests to make sure 🙂 If yours doesn’t turn up right away, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. If you do suspect a pregnancy, you might want to take a test just in case…
Just one question… are you actually off birth control altogether or are you still taking 1/4 dose?
Good luck, Gausha. Let me know if you need any extra info xxx
I am completely off the pill since last 2 1/2 months, and last night I started bleeding…. so tension relieved!! It’s like I am rediscovering my body! But I completely agree with u that it is so much better than being on a pill… and weaning is the best method to go! I am so thankful that I found this site and I do have friends like u to guide me… believe me 8 months ago.. I was in big trouble! I didn’t know what to do? Mood swings, day and night crying for no reason, hair shedding, swelling of toes, discomfort in my breasts and then my BP went high! It was horrible! I am so glad that I am on the right track now. AND no side effects at all! Thank u so much….
🙂 Phew! You must be so relieved! I’m sure your cycle will star to become regular little by little. You can also take vitex agnus castus to give your body a helping hand (I’m sure it’s helped me over the past few months).
I’m so glad to have found this website too! It’s great to know there are other women just like me who have had it up to their eyeballs with birth control, and so good to see how well this method is working!
Good luck girl, you’re doing great! xxx
Hi Christelle!
I wanted to ask you, are you still taking vitex? It’s now been 1 year I am off the pill, and although my acne has improved, it is still not 100%. I’m really considering vitex now. I’d love to hear your thoughts on that.
Thanks!
XO Coco
Hi Coco,
Good to hear your acne has improved, even if you’re not 100% satisfied, it’s still great news!
As for vitex, I swear by it. I rarely boast the merits of a product, because I’m more of an all round ‘eat healthy, sleep well, feel good’ type of person, but I am sure vitex has helped me tremendously. Right now I’m just beginning my period, and this months I started on day 28, which is the most on-time I’ve ever been in my life. Before I went on birth control at all (when I was 18) I was really irregular – I could go for 2-3 months without getting a period, and since I’ve been off the pill, I’ve had my period every month, give or take around day 30-35. This month it came on day 28, and believe me, I was very surprised! I am certain vitex really helps to regulate women’s cycles. It’s said to enact with your own hormone production, so it’s very safe because it doesn’t actually contain hormones (unlike soy, etc.). It just helps to balance out your hormones, and thus help you in your fight against acne. But, I’ve read that it doesn’t have an immediate effect. You have to take it for several months before you begin to notice the changes. I get mine from iherb.com. A bottle of 90 capsules costs me roughly 6$, so… you know… it’s pretty good value. The capsules I take contain 400mg of pure vitex. I think that’s the recommended amount per day. I don’t take it during my period.
So far, I’m into my 5th month off the pill, and I’m on my period, and I have no acne… I’m sure that vitex is partly if not greatly to thank for that! 🙂
Good luck, Coco!
Thanks Christelle! You’re really awesome 🙂
I bought a bottle of Nature’s way, is that the brand you are using?
Also, you only take 1 capsule/day ? (i.e. 400mg) and at what time do you take it?
Is there a reason why you stop taking it during your periods?
Finally, did you experience and unpleasant side effects (initial breakout? drowsiness? feeling bloated?).
And do you plan on taking this long-term?
I know, a lot of questions but it will really help me.
I’ve heard horror stories of vitex causing massive breakouts in people, but I figured if girls who were on the same pill as me (i.e. either Diane or Yaz) got positive results when using it, then it might be positive for me. I am willing to take the chance. It’s all about trial and error anyway.
I’ve decided to start taking it after the holidays. I don’t want to mess things up in case it does cause a massive breakout and other side effects.
Hi Coco,
Yay, join the vitex club! I take Nature’s Way capsules too! Yes, I read all about vitex causing breakouts for some women, but I really doubt that it will cause you to break out. Perhaps the women who broke out took vitex while they were still taking the pill, or other hormones, and their bodies just got confused or something…
I was on Diane too when I first took the pill, then Yaz, and so far, I’m really convinced that vitex has had a positive influence on my cycle and skin.
I heard that it was best to take it from the end of your period up until the first day of your next period, to give your body a breather in between. I don’t know why that is, and to be totally honest, the first months I took it, I just took it every day, even when I had my period… so… I don’t really know if it makes a difference. In all cases, I never experienced any side effects whatsoever from having taken it, apart from the positive effect on my cycle.
I don’t know if I want to take vitex forever, but I think I will take it for another 6 months/1 year. Once my cycle is 100% regular, I might stop and see how it goes, but from what I’ve read it seems to be very safe.
All the best!!! 🙂
Hi Gausha!
How are you going so far, I noticed you wrote that you were dealing with hair shedding. Has that changed much while weaning off the pill. That was one of my major concerns.
Really appreciate your feedback.
Hi Frida,
My hair is in very good condition! No major shedding, I did not notice any change in my hair… and I am getting lot of compliments on my skin and hair these days… My major concern was hair fall because of switching of all those pills they were in very bad condition… But this process has been very easy on hair and skin! I am very happy!! My cycle is little bit off these days I got my period after 6 weeks this time…but no heavy bleeding! So far things are looking pretty good!
After the doctor switched me to Microgynon I now have greasy hair n a couple of spots, small but still I had none before and I’m STILL on a pill all the time. They really are just the worst thing. I’m going to start weaning off of this new pill after Christmas as I had started to do with Dianette. I feel so let down by the healthcare system. It’s like they play guinea pig with their patients sometimes.
Fingers crossed for weaning soon anyway. Can’t wait. It’s like my christmas gift to myself!
Well done the rest of you xox
I weened of BC!!! When I was about 17 I got on the pill because I got with my first bf and and because I had acne.. It seemed to help it along… Flash forward 5 years later, we break up and I got off the pill.. 2 months later, I got CRaZY acne… And not even like before…. WORSE! I’m talking about cysts on my face, I didn’t even have to touch them and they’d pop on their own!!, terrible things all over my chin and starting next to my eyes even! They were truly infected mountains of puss on my face.. I knew it was because i got off the pill so I waited 6months hoping my body would regulate itself and still nothing had changed.. So I went back on it.. Sure enough, 2 months after that my skin was perfectly clear again. I was so frustrated.. I didn’t want to rely on these pills anymore… a few years later, I decided to get off it again… But this time I took up to 7 months to ween off of it (based on that video) it made a lot of sense to me… For the first month or 2 id cut a tiny corner off the pill.. By month 3/4 I was taking half, and by month 6/7 I was taking tiny pieces.. Month 8 I took it really slow and took a teeeeny tiny piece ever 2/3 days…. It was a bit annoying having to cut a piece off every time I had to take the pill but you can either carry around a knife or razor blade, or just pre-cut them… 2months after the weening had been complete, my face was lookin good, and it’s been a few months now and I do get a few little pimples here and there but it’s deff. Something I can live with.. I feel more normal and natural…Iv learned that skin problems stem from toxicity in the liver, so you can take tinctures for liver cleansing, and I’d say a 10 day master cleans detox might do the trick too at the end of the weening 😉 I hope this helps someone because it worked for me and I’m so glad I don’t rely on those pills anymore…even if condoms suck.. Lol
Ps… While weening off I DID notice my mood changing… I’d cry about little things that didn’t even really bother me that much.. I was also pretty snappy at loved knes Lol other than that everything was fine
Thank you Nathalie for sharing your story! It really gives me hope as I have started weaning off three weeks ago. I know it’s only the beginning and I am on 3/4 of a pill but things are okay for now so i still have my fingers crossed 🙂
Hey ladies!
Mini update here: I’m into month 5, and I got my period on day 28 (first time it’s been this accurate since I stopped the pill in July, so little victory!). I’m still bleeding, and this is day 7, but so far every month it has been like this, and apparently my grandmother, mother, and aunts have all had cycles like tho, and they are all healthy and have never had trouble conceiving.
On the acne front, there’s nothing to report. My skin is glowing. I didn’t even have any pms redness or oiliness this month at all.
I’m feeling very confident about this weaning thing, girls!
Just wanted to encourage all those who are going through the process at the moment! 🙂
Hugs to all xxxxx
Hi everyone!
I’ve started my second month on 3/4 two days ago and I think the first month went okay. I’m trying not to freak out at every instant and trying to look for weird stuff that may happen to my body lol The thing is that even on the pill I had a few pimples here and there so unless the spots get worse, there is no way for me to really say that the pill is making my skin worse. For now it has been the usual, sometimes I break out, sometimes I have nothing.
But I have noticed one “significant” difference and that is that my periods came 1 day earlier than usual. Before weaning, my periods used to come on thursdays and now this time it came on wednesday. But I’m not really worried about that because I guess it is to be expected. Before the pill, my periods used to last a week. And on top of that, those of you who have stopped and weaned off all seem to have had the same effect as me.
Anyway, just wanted to give an update for those who are interested. Oh and yesterday my bf said smth mean to me as a joke and I took it really badly and cried, without being able to stop. It kinda triggered this sadness in me and I felt quite depressed. I hope this has nothing to do with the weaning :/ I dunno, I dont wanna read too much into it, cause it may be completely unrelated.
Okay thanks everyone and good luck for the rest who are weaning off too! xxx
p.s: Great news Christelle! I’m so happy for you that everything is going well 🙂
Hi Ladies,
I just wanted to ask about the spotting. How bad is it? Obviously having a partner I wanted to take this into consideration.
Im actually considering Accutane. I know your suppose to go on the pill while your on it… but I was thinking a low dose one wouldn’t be so bad. Or even not taking the pill at all and maybe the IUD or something…
I don’t get why I am so scared… I guess Im so scared this isn’t going to work. Even though you girls have proved it does. I can’t get over this fear. 🙁
HELP? lol
Hi Frida,
To answer you question regarding spotting, I’d say it probably depends on the person, but in my case I didn’t really supper from “spotting” while I was weaning, but my period tended to show up a week or so early, and last a little longer than when I was on the pill.
I have a partner too, and I discussed all these issues with him before I started weaning, and we agreed that never mind the inconveniences. There have been too many deaths and strokes due to 3rd generation oral contraceptive pills such as Yaz for my partner and I to worry about a little spotting over the course of a few months. Accutane is also a very strong drug, and it is responsible for a number of deaths too. I am not well-placed to say what you should or shouldn’t do, Frida, but I would definitely recommend reading up extensively on Accutane before accepting to take the treatment, because once you do start the dangerous side-effects (depression, suicidal behavior and thoughts, paranoia) are irreversible.
The question you really need to ask yourself concerning this weaning thing is: how badly do I want to come off birth control? I wanted to be off it so badly that I didn’t give myself the choice; it HAD to work.
Voilà, good luck with it all! All the best
xxx
Hey Frida,
I haven’t had issues with spotting but understand your concerns… I would try and give your body more time to adjust with the hormones as I’m sure things will settle down. I had a fair bit if hair loss issues but in last two months its stopped and I have lots of new regrowth comi g through which proves my hormones are getting be be more regular 🙂 I do get mini breakouts just before my period still but I can handle that as got a few spots whilst on dianette.
I would avoid accutane is possible as I hear side effects are nasty and reason you have to be on pill is you cannot become pregnant whilst on it as causes major harm to unborn children if you became pregnant.
How about trying differin gel or antibiotics just to control it whilst your hormones settle? Keep strong I’m on week 35 off the pill and its going good! Skin gets a bit oily especially certain time of the month but hair not as greasy so I’m confident it’s going in the right directon…. Good luck xx
Hi Girls,
Been a while since I’ve been on, I just wanted to report my progress. I started weaning mid August (straight to a half) and did 3 cycles on a half, then went to a quarter, I am on the second cycle of a quarter now and have noticed a few things, firstly my periods seem to have stopped now, I was regular on a half, the same timing as being on the pill properly, but a quarter I guess is not enough for my body, spots are few and far between, about the same as on dianette so that’s fine so far. I had a blood test for all the hormones recently, a week after my last period, progesterone I can’t remember but testosterone was 1.9, within normal range but on the high side, my estrogen was very low so much so that the doctor was concerned enough to ask me to have another test later in my cycle (just before my period so when it should be high), anyway second test showed it was on the low end of normal range so concern over for now. I wondered if anyone else had had hormone tests and what they came back with (Rebecca, I think you did?). I have started taking vitex even though I’m still on a quarter, I read that it can take months to work and should help balance the hormones so I wanted to get moving on it. Last thing is, my sex drive still hasn’t returned, that was one of the big reasons for coming off the pill, has anyone else had experience with this? Kyra, how are you doing these days, you will have been completely off for a long time now.
Thanks Ladies xx
Hey Christelle,
Glad to hear you are going well too…. Never did I imagine I would still be pill free after 35 weeks 🙂 x
I’m SO glad to hear that, Kyra! 🙂 Such good news! xxx
Hi girls,
I just wanted to give you a quick update on my progress. I started weaning off Dianette in August, taking 3/4 pill for 2 months, then 2/3 for one month, followed by 2 months at 1/2. I’m nearly at the end of month 5 of weaning. All has been fine – a few small spots and periods fine. However, this week my skin has been a little worse with the spots. I am starting to get very nervous about my acne returning (it was really, really bad when I came off cold turkey a few years ago, so much so that I went on Roaccutane – it was a major decision but for me, it was a god send). Anyway, I am going to keep on reducing the dose and hope for the best. I might order some Vitex as that seems to have worked well for Christelle. I’m also trying not to squeeze the spots or over analyse my skin by looking at it all the time as I don’t think that helps.
I just wanted to say good luck to everyone. Keep going! Thanks for the regular contributors who really give us all strength. It’s really appreciated. I’ll update again in due course.
Caroline x
Hey Caroline,
Well done for having come this far! It sounds like you’ve made a wise decision to wean off Dianette. Don’t forget, Dianette is a strong pill, and it’s common for lots of women who come off it to break out quite badly. I know that when I was on Diane and I tried to come off cold turkey I suffered from the worst breakout in my life. This time you’re weaning, so I’m sure the effects won’t be as harsh, even if you do get a few spots here and there. Kyra weaned off Dianette, and she seems to be doing really well, so don’t jump to conclusion because you get a spot or two. I’m sure you’re on the right tracks!
I think there are many factors to take into consideration that might contribute to acne. Are you sleeping enough at the moment? Are you eating healthily and drinking lots of water? Are you stressed? etc. etc. Your liver is your best friend when it comes to healing your acne, and especially after having been on birth control because it’s having to deal with all the artificial Dianette hormones. If you can, maybe invest in some burdock root capsules or herbal tea, and sprinkle turmeric on your food. Those are excellent liver tonics.
Good luck, Caroline! And I know it’s not easy, but try not to attach too much importance to a few spots. Let us know how it’s coming along! 🙂
Hey ladies… Merry Christmas to you all! I have a question if anyone can help? I came off Dianne 7 months ago now (cold turkey) and I have been doing all the natural stuff eating healthy, vitamins, herbs, exercise and I think it has minimised the impact coming off the pill has had on my skin although I am hanging in there cause I am still having break outs regularly. Mostly before my period is when it gets the worst. I stated taking DIM about 5 weeks ago as I belived this was something that could help about 3 weeks of taking DIM i started spotting 2 weeks after my period which didn’t bother me it cleared in a couple of days although that’s something I never get normally. And I am now having trouble getting my period as it’s day 36 since my last full one… I am having all the PMS symptoms I normally get it’s just it is so frustrating the week before my period as it feels such a relief to finally have it and I am worried the DIM could be having a negative effect on me although it may be to soon to tell. I am just dying to get my period as all the premenstrual symptoms are awful! Any suggestions?
Hi Rebecca – personally I found that when I started Estroblock, for the first couple/three months, I wasn’t really sure it was working as I was having the same PMS symptoms (including acne at at that time)… one month my period was a week late for no reason… overall I was like “uhhh is this working?”… but it seems to have evened out, and my skin looks so rad (which I feel i can mostly contribute to that)… hope this helped!
Hi Tracey, thanks it does! I was just worried it was making my hormonal issues worse! Like I said it’s been 5 weeks so to soon to tell, but i hope I get my period soon as it’s super frustrating having pms with no period. Will keep you posted on how the next 4 weeks go. Thanks : )
Hi anyone give me some advice on weaning of my pill..My doctor put me on it a year ago.I was mildly depressed and didnt want to take anti-depressants.I cant beleive ive gone along with it.I am suffering hair loss,and generally I just dont like the idea of taking this pill at all.Can I wean down 3/4 for 2 months 1/2 for 2 months 1/4 for 2 months.I am scared that I will get acne.I am taking good B vitamins and a multivit,is there anything else I can do.I am so stressed about this.
Hi Gena, The pill caused me to start shedding my hair too. It was a very scary time, I went to the doctors and told them I thought it was the pill causing the hair loss and they all assured me it wasn’t. I stopped the pill cold turkey and 6 weeks later the hairloss stopped! I have now been off the pill 7 months! I have been dealing with break outs which aren’t as bad as last time I stopped taking the pill. But I have been doing alot my diet is super strict I eat lots of Veg and NO sugar! I have been seeing my naturopath for 7 months and we have done all kinds of things. So I would suggest the weaning but I would also look at your lifestyle and make sure you are getting lots of vitamins, exercise, healthy eating this will all help tremendously! But Start the weaning if you are to scared to quit a lot of girls have had great success with this!
Hey Girls Happy New Year!!! May 2013 be a pill free year for us all!!
Caroline, I wanted to see how you were going? Did your break outs continue?
Hi Tracey,
I have been on the birth control pill for almost ten years now and it has managed to pretty much prevent any acne breakouts (my skin was quite bad as a teen). I’m quite nervous about coming off the pill now for fear that I will go back to having horrible skin and that my hormones will be all inblanced (but I want to get pregnant so what choice do I have (-: What do you recommend for helping to balance hormones after coming off the pill?
P.S I plan to try out the weaning method and would be more than happy to share my experience. I hope to begin in a week or so.
Hi Nicole,
My boyfriend & I have been considering having a baby too, and I must admit this weaning thing has been great. I started weaning in February 2012, and I gradually reduced the dose over a period of 6 months, and in July I came off the hormones altogether. Since then I’ve been taking vitex agnus castus. It’s a plant that helps your body find its own balance. My periods have been pretty regular since July, and I have had no acne whatsoever (I was also on the pill for 10 years).
To answer your questions (I know it was destined for Tracy, but I thought perhaps I could help since we’re in similar situations), I would recommend eating lots of fruit & veg, and good quality food + exercising/drinking lots of water/getting good sleep etc. while you’re weaning, and then once you come off the pill altogether, I suggest taking 400mg vitex/day. You’ll need to take it for a number of months for otto work, but I’m sure it’s helped me stay on track (I was VERY irregular before I used bc).
The pill also depletes your system of B-group vitamins, and can cause candida. I would suggest taking a B-vit supplement too while you’re weaning, and to avoid refined sugar.
Just make sure you’re using contraception while you’re weaning. You don’t want to risk starting a pregnancy while there’s still some artificial hormones in your body.
Good luck! 🙂
Recently,
There is no way of weaning the nuva ring is there? 🙁 Soooo not looking foward to the breakouts when I don’t put it back in…
Hmm that’s a good question.. never thought about that. I guess you could have it in for 3/4 day… then move to 1/2 the day… then 1/4 of the day… or something. I don’t know if that would work, maybe someone else here has some insight on it.
Hi! In Dec. I weaned my self off of nuva ring by leaving it in 3/4 of a day (18 hrs) for the 1st week and then 1/2 of a day (12hrs) for the 2nd week and then 1/4 (6hrs) for the 3rd week. I had headaches the first week and my period came for a day at the end of the 2nd week with spotting durring the 3rd and then only spotting for my period. This week I am nuva ring free! I’ll keep you posted….
Hi Ladies. I thought I would start posting my experiences here on weaning off of the pill. For the last week I have reduced my pill by 1/8th using a pill cutter.
I have been on Trivora for the last seven years. My reason for quitting birth control are many, and I have decided to wean instead of stop cold turkey because I would REALLY like to avoid having sudden severe acne. I had very bad skin as a teen, and the last few months I have actually been dealing with some breakouts on my cheeks – typically my t-zone is the problem area. My chiro thinks this is because I have made so many healthy lifestyle changes in the last year that my body might be “detoxing” the extra hormones out. Who knows? 🙂
This post and the resulting comments helped me make the decision, and I would like to post here at least every month to share my experience. I find other people’s stories to be very helpful, and hopefully my comments will help someone else out!
The last week I have experienced some bloating – my pants are somewhat snugger. I suspect cutting back on the pill might be the cause, but I am going to get in a good week of clean eating, lots of water and sweaty exercise in first and see if it all doesn’t help 🙂
Happy New Year!
Hi there!
Happy new year to you all! Just a quick update for you.
All is still super… still getting odd few spots and hair in good condition. It’s been 9 months now I have been completely off the Dianette and feel so much better for it.
Hope it’s going we’ll with you all too and keep at it 🙂 xx
Hi Girls,
Been a while since I’ve been on, I just wanted to report my progress. I started weaning mid August (straight to a half) and did 3 cycles on a half, then went to a quarter, I am on the second cycle of a quarter now and have noticed a few things, firstly my periods seem to have stopped now, I was regular on a half, the same timing as being on the pill properly, but a quarter I guess is not enough for my body, spots are few and far between, about the same as on dianette so that’s fine so far. I had a blood test for all the hormones recently, a week after my last period, progesterone I can’t remember but testosterone was 1.9, within normal range but on the high side, my estrogen was very low so much so that the doctor was concerned enough to ask me to have another test later in my cycle (just before my period so when it should be high), anyway second test showed it was on the low end of normal range so concern over for now. I wondered if anyone else had had hormone tests and what they came back with (Rebecca, I think you did?). I have started taking vitex even though I’m still on a quarter, I read that it can take months to work and should help balance the hormones so I wanted to get moving on it. Last thing is, my sex drive still hasn’t returned, that was one of the big reasons for coming off the pill, has anyone else had experience with this? Kyra, how are you doing these days, you will have been completely off for a long time now.
Thanks Ladies xx
Hey fellow weaners! Just wanted to add to the discussion!
I have been on various versions of Apri (Desogen, currently Desolett) for about ten years now. I started when I was 19-after stopping Depo which I had been on for 4 years.
I briefly stopped due to not wanting hormones in my body-actually it may have been for a year and a half total about 4 years ago and it was awful. Initially I suffered significant hair loss, which I attributed to not eating enough fat while marathon training. Then, about 6 months after stopping, I started gaining weight and getting zits on my chin, upper lip, and jawline,often one or two on the cheekbone and forehead. Probably relatively not that bad compared to some people, but having always had flawless skin I was really upset. I didn’t 100% attribute it to bc, because I also happened to be living in a new country with very different (humid!) weather and some other foreign friends were also having skin problems. I still hope this may be the case as I am now back in the US. Anyway, after about a year of this I decided to go back on-also because I was in a new relationship and didn’t want to use condoms anymore. My skin instantly improved and it’s been great since.
Anyway, 4 years later and I’m suffering from the sex drive issue, as well as really not wanting hormones(besides my own!) in my body. I have done all the research I can and will be switching to the copper iud as soon as possible, but plan to wean off concurrently. I am following Christelle’s plan, with 2 months each of 3/4, 1/2, and 1/4. I am currently halfway through my second month of 3/4 and really enjoying the process. Silly right? By the way, Christelle, I am ready for another update-you are my inspiration!
I did talk to my gyno about it and she was actually incredibly bitchy, and made me feel stupid. She told me that there was no way that I could have lost hair and gained weight after getting off bc last time, because the pill I am on doesn’t do that, so it must have been unrelated. She was like, “the pill makes you gain weight, not lose it”. This just seemed so ignorant as many people I know have had similar issues, and she was also quite young(younger than me I think!) so I’m surprised she didn’t consider that different people react differently to different things. She also told me that weaning was impossible because it only comes in one dose-I didn’t tell her about cutting but that seems like the obvious answer-when you cut you are giving yourself a smaller dose, right?
Anyway, I’m in and will check back monthly as well. Planning on trying vitex when I’m off and in the meantime experimenting with fun things like yogurt honey tumeric masks! Thanks to all who have shared, and good luck! It’s exciting to be in this together!
Sara, I just read your comment, and… your gyno sounds like an asshole! Of course you can lose weight when you change pills! Four years ago, after taking Yaz for a few years, my gyno decided to switch me to a 3-hormone pill (I forget the name, something like Tri-Ortho something, anyway), and one morning I woke up and left for work, and on my way out I started to feel really strange, dizzy… and I ended up having to sit down on some random steps and asking a friend to pick me up and take me home. The doctor brushed it off as me being tired, and I took that pill for another month, but I lost 15 pounds over the following 3 months, and that only stopped when I went back on Yaz. No doctor ever said the Tri-ortho pill was the cause, but I can’t see what else could have made me lose all that weight. So yeah, everyone reacts differently to artificial hormones.
Anyway, as regards your weaning, go for it, sweetheart! In 6 months’ time you can be completely off the pill, and I’m positive your skin will be fine. A good friend of mine got a copper IUD put in after she had her baby, and she seems to say it’s a great alternative to oral contraception.
Let us know how it goes!
On my end, things are looking good! I have no acne, and my periods are give or take a few days pretty regular (I won’t lie, the bleeding is much heavier, but goodbye pms), and I feel so much more in touch with my body. I am sure your sex-drive issue will disappear too once you retrieve your own natural cycles.
Good luck! 🙂
Hi Kyra, good to hear that things are going well your end, I’m on a quarter now and have just got my period 2 weeks late. I was wondering how your periods were whilst weaning? I’ve nearly done 2 months on a quarter now so should think about stopping soon. Spots are few and far between but a few more whiteheads on the chin than normal.
Sara, glad to hear you are weaning too, I noticed a change as soon as I started (went down to a half at first).
Rebecca, how are you getting on? Are you still having hormone tests? I had some recently which showed very low estrogen. The second test came up better but the progesterone was very very low. I guess with all this weaning my body won’t know what the hell to produce!
Have to say, this website has been a lifesaver too, I will never go back on birth control knowing what I know now. Thanks Ladies xx
Hi Sophie,
My periods have been pretty regular give or take a few days. They are lightish and last about 5 days or so. I was about 6-7 weeks having my first period after weaning. I think when you get to a qtr pill your body may confuse itself cos the dose is low so think that’s why they may take time to become regular and why some are having the spotting problem.
Glad you are doing well… Don’t worry about the odd spot you may get them and your face/hair may be more oily after first few weeks of stopping as well , I didn’t expect to be spot free just not have lots of them severely which I haven’t and for that I am very pleased 🙂
How are you doing Christelle? X
Heyyyy Kyra!
SO strange, for some reason I am no longer receiving notifications for this thread, which probably explains why I didn’t see your last comment there.
Thanks for asking! I’m doing well, at least on the acne front! Not a spot in sight 🙂 I’m just a little worried though, because I’ve been expecting my period since Monday and it hasn’t turned up… but you know, trying to stay calm about it.
Did you know France has just banned Dianette? Apparently, it was responsible for a huge number of deaths that were silenced so as to keep it on the market. Doesn’t that just make you so happy you came off it! 🙂
What about you, chic? How are things coming along?
Sorry again about the belated reply (stupid internet!).
xxxx
Little update – My period turned up on day 32! Yay! 🙂
Hey Christelle
Funny as I too have stopped getting notifications…. Just have to keep checking now and then… Thought it was just me lol.
Yey that’s great news Hun 🙂 oh my goodness how frightening to hear!! I’m so glad I’m off it now…. I too am fine… Better than ever.
Spots are few and far between with no cysts and my hair has so much new regrowth and it thickening up. Looking back at old photos I noticed in my younger years pre pill my hair was so thick compared to when I was on it … I think it made it much thinner and also it seems to be growing faster now I’m not on it!! My eczema is so much better too. I think that nasty pill has a lot to answer for!
Keep in touch
Hi Kyra,
That’s great news about the spots and the hair, I noticed way less hair falling out just a month into weaning. I’m on month 3 of a quarter now and skin is okay, i’ve had a few mini outbreaks recently but nothing to get stressed about, plus I got a topical antibiotic from the docs which seem to work wonders.
I’ve been following your story in particular as you were on diannette the same as me (I was 6 years). One thing I haven’t noticed hugely is a return of my sex drive as this was completely diminished on the pill over the last couple of years, it’s better but not great. Did you have any issues with this?
Thank you x
Hi Sophie sorry for delay … I’m not getting notifications via email now o just seen this.
My sex drive seems to be normal and prob better than when I was on the pill.
Hope it’s still going well it you
X
Hey Kyra,
Yep, for hair loss and eczema that would make sense as the pill tends to kill gut flora, which in turn hinders the absorption of nutrients such as B-vitamins – which just so happen to be “hair & skin” vitamins! So glad to hear you’re doing well!
🙂
Hi ladies! Today I took the last active pill for this cycle. After my period I will go from cutting 1/8th of the pill to cutting 1/4th off. There was a somewhat concerning episode a few days ago where a deep, painful blemish formed right in the middle of my back, and a single blemish formed on my chest. With some tea tree oil they have both gone down, though.
My period typically starts two or three days after the last active pill is taken, but today I noticed the bleeding has started early. I woke up this morning feeling EXHAUSTED, and if memory serves correctly I used to have episodes like this before I got on the pill. It remains to be seen if the gnarly cramps come back…
Onward to Month 2!
Hi Rachel,
Glad to hear you’ve decided to join the weaning club! My period was chaotic at first when I was going through the weaning motions. And I won’t lie, it’s not as light as it was when I was on the pill, BUT the cramps are more manageable for some reason (probably because nature is always the best way) and I don’t get pms anymore… just to encourage you on that front.
All the best!
🙂
Hey Tracy! So I asked my doctor if there was a way to wean off the nuva ring and she said theres no way too:( What supplements do you think I could take to mellow out my hormones. I Know in one of your bast posts you had mentioned Estro-block. Do you think that is a good for this situation? And I was thinking about primrose oil?
Hi Ashley,
Estroblock and Vitex are probably the two I would recommend the most for post-birth control balancing! You can take them at the same time
Oh and how long does it take for your body to get back to normal after your stop birth control? Since the nuva ring is the lowest dose of hormones of birth control do you think it will be quicker?Sorry for all the questions!:/ Just worried about the after effects!
Ah that all depends on lots of things. A lot of times people don’t even get symptoms until 5 or 6 months later and they can last for a year or two. But that’s if you don’t do anything to help (not everyone gets symptoms)… just eat healthy, exercise, keep stress low etc… don’t go into it fearing and expecting the worst. These supplements should help, and hopefully you will avoid getting post-BC symptoms at all!
Hi girls!
I thought I would join in on these posts as I have recently started to wean off bc. I decided to do it in 4 months decreasing the pill by 1/4 each month. I’ve almost completed 1 month of taking only 3/4. So far I haven’t noticed anything different with my body. I imagine I’ll see a change in my cicle once I go down to 1/2, but we’ll see.
I notice some of you are on Vitex. I’d love to try this and see if it works for me. Does anyone know if there’s any risks to buying it and taking the recommended dosage? I’m always nervous about taking anything without first consulting a professional, however, I’ve read only possitive things and really want to purchase it in the next week or so. Also if you’ve used it or are using it and can share your experiences that would be so helpful.
Also a HUGE thanks to all the wonderful people who have shared their experiences with weaning. You all gave me the courage to come off the pill when for years I’ve been terrified to, so thanks 🙂
Hi Nicole,
Yay! So happy to hear you’ve started weaning!
I’m currently taking vitex, although this month I’ve been lazy. I’ve been taking it since I stopped bc altogether last July. I’d say from my experience that it has been really efficient in helping to regulate my cycles. This month, I kept forgetting to take it, and now my period is late. I can’t help thinking that it might be due to me not having taken the vitex capsules regularly…
Anyway, the recommended dosage is 400mg/day, I think, at least that’s what I take. You can get it on iherb.com for something like 6$ a jar of 90 capsules… if I’m not mistaken.
Good luck with everything, and keep us posted!
🙂
Hi girls! Happy belated New Year! Sorry I didn’t write earlier but I just stopped receiving any notifications like Christelle. I decided to update on my weaning process and was surprised to see so many new messages lol
Anyway I have just finished my third month on 3/4 and have started my periods today. Next week I’m gonna start on 1/2 a pill – kinda apprehending it :/ So far I can say I am doing okay I guess. My periods are fine, they come on time. I’ve had more pimples at one point, but I was traveling for the vacations, so I do not know if it is due to that. I am really trying to control my diet and eat healthy, but I must admit some days I just cannot control myself. And sadly I’ve noticed that practically immediately when I eat sugary stuff, I get a pimple the next morning 🙁 oh well! Other than that I’ve noticed a little bit more hair growth on my body, like last time I’ve stopped. It’s kinda pissing me off and I’m wondering how it’s going to be once I completely wean off. Anyone had the same problem as me?
But anyway, overall I must say that I am doing okay and I am really happy that I am getting rid of these hormones once and for all! Without this site I don’t know what I would do, I would never have been able to stop. You guys really gave me tremendous courage and motivation 🙂
Okay will update again when I’m half a pill! Take care everyone, good luck on your weaning and BE STRONG! xxx
Coucou Mona!
Happy New Year, ma cocotte! I remember being SO stressed when transitioning from 3/4 to 1/2 a pill. Chill sister, it’s actually not that big a deal. It might affect your cycle a little, but you’re not really cutting down much in terms of the dose.
And if it makes you feel any better, my diet this month has not been flash at all (Christmas, birthdays, one desert leads to another, and before you know it you’ve downed half a box of choccies). Just be caring with yourself, and try to improve your diet little by little. At least you know the breakouts are probably diet-related.
All the best, Mona! Des bises 🙂
Ooh merci Christelle! You’re so sweet! Yes I went back home to Switzerland during Christmas and New Year, and I ate a lot of cakes and desserts lol Et puis tu sais cmt c’est, les patisseries et surtout les croissants au chocolats ne se trouvent pas aux Etats-Unis comme en Suisse ou en France, alrs j’en ai juste trop mangés :/ Anyway so happy that you are doing fine and your skin is completely clear! This gives me so much hope really 🙂 Thank you for all your support once again! Je t’embrasse ma belle! xxx
Héhé, vive les gourmandises de Noël lol! 🙂 Moi c’est pareil. Je commence tout juste à me calmer un peu sur les chocos!
Des bises ma belle! Et à bientôt! Plein de courage pour tout ça tout ça! 🙂
Hi Ladies –
Since last Wednesday (CST) I have been cutting off 1/4 off my pills. When I told my chiro about what I was doing, she was very surprised and questioned whaat sort of payoff I would get from weaning as opposed to stopping the pill cold turkey. I explained my fear of severe acne, and she said that I should weigh having a period possibly last for an entire month against having “a few pimples”. From what I understand, the general experience for those going off the pill is a HELL OF A LOT more than just a few pimples!
She almost convinced me that I should just stop completely in order to give my cycle a chance to recover (assumming it would even need one), and take herbs to deal with whatever kin trouble I do get. But then I thought back to this thread, and so many discussions that are taking place on Acne.org regarding post-BCP acne, and I decided to stick to the weaning. Admittedly I am thinking I may change the weaning “schedule”, and reducing the pills by 1/4th from here on out instead of 1/8th. It is damn hard to consistently cut pills that small and not have the pieces fall apart! So maybe next month I will keep cutting off 1/4th, then the month after go to a half. I am still giving the approach some thought.
Have any of you ladies any other changes down there while weaning (dryness, itchiness etc)? After this last cycle I have been dealing with this occassional feeling of irritation, and I am treating it with the assumption that it is related to a flora change down there.
p.s. Following Tracy’s lead and have a large pot of bone broth simmering on the stove – in a couple of hours I can nourish my gut AND my skin!
Later, ladies!
Hey Rachel,
It’s funny that the medical profession knows so little about hormones and how they can affect us. All I know is that when I came off the pill cold turkey 8 years ago, I suffered from the worst acne breakout in my whole life. It started after having been off the pill for 3 months. It lasted for 3 months. All in all I spent 6 months off the pill, during which I didn’t get my period at all. This time round, I weaned off. It took me 6 months, during which I did not suffer from acne at all. I got my period every month, and I’ve now been off for 6 months, and I’ve had a regular period and no acne since. My gyno also told me to come off the pill cold turkey, but after what I went through last time, there’s not a chance in hell I’ll put medical advice over my own logic (after all it’s my body!).
🙂
Just took my first 3/4 of a pill today. Going to do it over 4 months – 3/4 for one month, 1/2 for two months, then 1/4 for one month. Just wondering if any of you take/took Vitex while going through the weaning process, or just after you were completely done with BCP? I’ve been on it for about 12 years now and I’m so excited to get off!
Hi everyone! Firstly just wanted to thank the OP and all the commenting women who have given so many useful tips for weaning off BCP. I felt inspired and encouraged to write on here because I am in a position like so many of you.
I’ve been on Dianette/Diane 35 since 2009 – coming up to 5 years (I’m now 28 years old). I was put on it for suspected PCOS – I had moderate acne and hair problems. Luckily I haven’t had too many side effects from taking it and for a long time it was my saviour!
But I started to notice the last year or so a few niggling things about being on it that started to worry me. Constant headaches, always being tired, really low mood, and so on.
In Jan 2012 I decided to stop taking Dianette, and I went cold turkey as I didn’t realise there was a different way to do it! Around three months after stopping I started getting terribly oily skin and hair and my skin also began to get really spotty again. It was so depressing! I also think possibly I went through hair shedding as my hair got extremely thin when before it was really thick and nice.
I very quickly caved and went back on the pill (around May 2012) and I’m still on it to this day.
Once again, I now have clear skin, and I do love not having to feel self conscious about the way I look all the time.
However I am sure the pill is contributing to my emotional issues and I am still really low/ possibly with mild depression all the time. I get constant headaches still and I’m tired all the time too. I’m fed up with it and I want to get off it so I’m going to try weaning!
Going to start at 3/4 of a pill for a couple of months and see how that goes. Then if the acne/hair symptoms don’t come back with a vengeance I will go down to half, then quarter, like so many of you have. I don’t mind a few spots but I’ll be panicking if it goes back to the way it was before.
I was just wondering, is there anyone on here who went on the pill (most likely dianette/diane 35 or Yas) for PCOS and have successfully weaned themselves off?
The weird thing for me was I was told I have PCOS in 2009. Then when I stopped cold turkey in 2012 and started getting the acne symptoms again I went and had a blood test (probably about three months after stopping dianette/diane-35) and they actually said my hormone levels were in the normal range (particularly testosterone). So I’m wondering, were my acne symptoms just a product of my body trying to self-regulate itself, or were they the symptoms of PCOS?!
All of this is so confusing but I’m so glad to find other people in similar positions to me who are successfully getting themselves off the pill without all the horrible cold turkey side effects!
I wish everyone still weaning the best of luck! 🙂
Hi Laura,
How are you? I was in the same boat as you wondering if I had it or not, actually my doctor suspected it because everytime I tried to stop the pill Id get freaky facial hair and acne… (Duh, we all know its from the stopping the pill, but I didnt do research back then, and the doctor thought it was strange). Anyways, i had to stop taking the pill for 6 weeks, to get tested, I was on Diane like you and stopped. I didnt have PCOS.
At that time I reasearched and found out how bad Diane was! So after 6 weeks, not even bothered to wait for a natural period I went back on the pill. But this time I changed to Yasmin. Luckily I didnt breakout much from the switch, and I felt better, lost weight and was in a better mood. (Not straight away though, at first hairloss, heart pulpitations and moody as hell, after 2 months they all subsided).
My point isnt to say that you should stay on the pill, its more that you should get it checked out to see if you have PCOS. From there you can make a well educated decision on the choices you have.
On a side note, Ive been seeing a Naturopath who thinks weaning is an amazing idea. Shes so happy that Im doing it this way. But as the girls have mentioned about my gut flora is sooooo bad from the pill so we are working in that too.
Anyways hope something I said helps. No pill is good for you, but anything is better than the devil called Diane 35.
Hi Frida,
Sorry for not replying sooner. Thanks for replying and for your advice. It’s comforting to know someone else has had the same issues!
I’m in such a state at the minute with the pills. Last time I went to the doctor’s they said they might not renew my dianette prescription, which freaked me out! I really need them to renew my prescription so I can continue weaning
However, I might also do a little research on Yasmin and see if that’s an option for me! I really do want to get off Diane-35 but it’s just so scary!
Hi Laura! So happy that you also decided to try the weaning method. Concerning the PCOS I kinda had the same thing as Frida. When I first stopped the pill after drinking it for only 6 months, I had more hair growth on my body and acne, and so the doctors thought I had PCOS. They tested me and the results were kind of inconclusive :/ So the doctor wanted to put me on Diane 35 and I refused bc I knew that it was a really strong pill and so got another one that was less strong, but which worked well on acne too (which is the one I am stopping now). So I guess what I am trying to say is that doctors are not necessarily right nor knowledgable about everything when it comes to BCPs. If you start having symptoms of PCOS, it does not mean that you have it. But yeah maybe when you stop you should get tested again by more than one doctor to be absolutely sure whether or not you have PCOS. Hope that helps! 🙂
Sorry in my last message I wanted to say that if you start having symptoms of PCOS, it does not NECESSARILY mean that you have it cause it might be bc you have just stopped the pill and your body needs time to refind its balance. And most often it seems that doctors don’t know about this and look at you as if you’re stupid when you try to make the connection between BCPs and all your symptoms (that was the case for me anyway) Hope it’s clearer now what I meant before ^^
Hi Mona,
Yeah I totally understand what you’re saying 😀
Thanks for your reply. 🙂 I find my PCOS thing quite confusing as in 2009 I had blood tests and my testosterone was high, and also I had an ultrasound which they said showed small cysts consistent with PCOS, but then three years later the blood tests came back normal. I was under the impression that it didn’t just disappear… So confusing!
I’m in the process of weaning off now, but I’m so busy at the moment sometimes I forget to cut the pills, or even forget to take it completely! D’oh! Need to get more strict with myself as I do want to stop relying on this little pill!
Hi Ladies just wanted to give you an update and hopefully seek some handy advice. I have been post pill (cold turkey) 9 months now. I have been seeing a naturopath and chinese doctor and following a strict diet except the last week as I was on holiday and decided to enjoy bread, cheese etc and eating that food didn’t really make my skin any worse like I had feared(first I had strayed from the diet in 9 months). I started taking DIM 3 months ago now and hoped it was going to help straighten out my hormones and help the acne as NOTHING has even made a difference in the last 9 months I have even had chemical peels and microdermabrasions! I started taking some vitex with the DIM and I had a really bad break out1 I have had no relief and I am soooo over it1 I wonder if the pill is the only thing that will help my skin. I feel 100% better off the pill except for the break outs which I have feel I have struggled on and off with for almost 5 years! It has ruined my self confidence and makes my life so much harder then it has to be. Somebody help I feel I am at a loss!
Hey Rebecca,
How are you? I think you are very brave to not jump back on the pill. I tried CT too and failed I went back on in a matter of months. For you to last 9 months is amazing. Stick it out… you’re almost there!
Now, I was thinking about your situation and thought to ask if you had any tests done? Other than hormones… because things like a vitamin D deficiency or having the Celiac gene can actually cause acne even a shitty liver does it too… Acne is just a way of letting us know that something is wrong with our bodies (but don’t worry most of these issues are reversible) So my suggestion is to get test for everything… a thorough blood test. I do one once a year.
Anyways if you find anything you can treat it as it might help.
My second thought was to ask if you are using any special face washes or topical creams? I know that most of the girls here didn’t need any but that’s because they weaned, rather than stop TC like you. So maybe going to the doctors and asking for cream might help. I know ideally we want to do this in the most natural way, but you may require a little more help temporarily.
I suggest something like Duac or Epiduo which has benzoyl peroxide and a retinoid. Or something natural which I use now is tea tree oil gel. It works just as well as BP but doesn’t have the nasty side effects like dry or red skin. (Don’t use the first two if your preggers).
Your fighting the problem from the inside which is great. But maybe your skin needs a hand from the outside too.
All the best Bec! Remember no matter what our skin looks like we are all beautiful! And think of the bigger picture… Our bodies will love us for it!
BTW are your periods regular yet?
Sorry Bec,
Still thinking about your situation… you know I think Christelle mentioned something about candida overgrowth… that too can cause acne. Do you feel bloated much and just yucky in your stomach?
A good probiotic will help. Talk to your Naturopath about it. I did and now I am taking stuff to fix it… I knew I had it because I was constantly getting thrush. Sorry if that was too much info. 🙂
Hi Friday thanks for the response. Well I thought I had it pinned fown yo hormonal as when I was on the Diane 35 my skin was perfect maybe a very few odd spots. I have been seeing my naturopath for 8 months and was going regularly but it just got to expensive and I wasn’t happy with the results of my skin. We worked on different parts of my body stomach, liver, kidneys etc and I have seen improvement in all areas except my skin. Candida (thrush) has been an issue for me over the past 2 years I haven’t been able to get rid of the thrush which has been consistent every day for 2 years and my diet has been very strict at times although now I eat fruit etc I haven’t touched sugar in 9 months. As for topical I was getting microdermabrasion and chemical peels once a month and I use retinol A and special face washes which cost me about $50 a bottle. I was see a chinese dermatologist and take herbs for my skin. my cycles are getting better once stopping bcp i was getting my period every 33 -36 days but horrible pms the week before. last period i got it on the 30th day with no pms which was good but still had a bad break put even worse then The Previous months. i thought mu acne was cycle related but i feel like i get zits all month long with a weeks break a month. I am in month 10 post bcp as of next month and maybe I will give it 12 months to see if gets better I am just scared it won’t and then I don’t know what to do.
Hey Rebecca! I know you are feeling really down because of your acne but pls my advice for you is to be more patient. I know you have already waited 9 months but just so you know, last time when I stopped my pill and had terrible acne on my chest and back, it took me more than one year to see even the slightest improvement. Now that i think back, i feel stupid for retaking the pill when it was just starting to show some recovery, but I was SICK of it and had lost all my confidence. On top of that I had started a new relationship so I wanted to protect myself, didn’t wanna fall pregnant. I know 9 months is a long time but maybe you will see some results if u wait a few more months. It seems that you are much stronger now psychologically than I was back then so maybe you can stick it out longer than 1 year and your acne will start clearly out very gradually. Everyone is different and I believe for some it takes more time for their body to heal. Hope this helps 🙂 Good luck and stay strong!
Thanks for the advice ladies. I am trying to be strong and wait it out. It just feels like it has gotten worse in the last month. And it’s frustrating when u feel like you have tried everything to avoid it happening! And another thing is I started breaking out before I went on the pill when I was about 20. So I’m scared its never going to stop. I am now 25 and just over it!!!!
Hey ladies,
I just wanted to update – all done my pack of 3/4 pills. I have noticed my skin a bit more oily but I think that might have more to do with work stress than BCP changes. I’ll be starting my pack of half-pills next Sunday. Funny thing, this is the first month in almost a year that my “period” has come on time. I was on Alesse (before that Yazmin until I read about all the terrible potential issues) and my period has been so wonky. I am really excited to be off of this pill (and to start planning to have a baby – my initial reason for wanting to go off and researching a weaning method).
One thing I want to say is that all of us gals who have realised how this pill can affect our bodies owe it to the younger women who are looking at Birth Control methods to talk about our experiences. I never even considered any other method when I started taking BCP and I really wish that someone would have informed me of them. I’m talking to my younger sisters about this and want them to know how it can totally alter their bodies.
Also, Frida – I am not a product promoter, but if you are looking for something topical, have you tried Proactiv? It is what I have used and it is the ONLY thing that worked for me (I still suffered from (some pretty bad) breakouts while on the pill and using proactiv kept them pretty tame.
Love and light to you all!
Ooops – I meant Rebecca
Thanks for your feedback Claire.
Ok girls… I got a ring from the BF (It’s so pretty, he picked well) So I said when that happens I’d wean.
AHHH! Here goes nothing. I will update here as often as I can and be completely honest. I am currently on the sugar pills and have a period when I start the new pack I will do 3/4 for 2 months and 1/2 for 2 months and then finish up with 1/4 for the last two. Which means I will be off the pill in 6 months.
BACKGROUND: Been on Diane 35 (Dianette) for about 5 years on and off and switched to Yasmin in the last two years in preparation to get off it because I knew Yasmin was SLIGHTLY better.
Every time I tried to get off the pill I would feel amazing in the first few months then my back and chest would break out, I would lose hair and then my face would explode. 3 months later I would always get back on have a whole 3 months of initial breakout again and be all moody and fat and all the other nasty side effects but have gorgeous skin.
While being on the pill I have been using a topical called Epiduo which is benzyl peroxide 2.5% and a retinoid. I have stopped using that and switched over to an over the counter 2.5% BP only as you can’t use retinoids when your preggers. Not that I am trying or anything but might as well find something now. I guess eventually I could wean of the BP too but that’s another story. I think I will keep it as my safety net for now. I am treating my acne internally too but baby steps for me. So with the BP 2.5% I use it morning and night. On acne.org it suggests you use copious amounts however I have been fine with a pea size amount at night only. But because I am weaning I will put it on in the morning too.
(I know it kinda defeats the purpose… I am still using something to control my Acne. But I just want to give another perspective for girls out there who are so scared to wean, who have the lowest self esteem out there… ME. I wish with all my heart I didn’t care what other people though but I do. So I’m adding a back up plan in this weaning, I’m so sorry I don’t have the guts to go all natural.)
I’ve seen a naturopath in prep for this and I have been given vitamins D, Evening Primrose Oil, Iron and a Probiotic for my gut flora. She thinks weaning is a great idea, and wants to help me all the way. Ive been drinking lots of water min 2L a day and trying to cut sugar out. I say trying because I kind of stick to nothing over 9 grams of sugar in every 100 grams. Try to avoid artificial sugar too. (ITS SO HARD) and 100% no dairy. I know for a fact I break out from dairy.
At the moment my face is not nice… because recently I tried a generic brand of my pill and i broke out heaps. But it’s settling down and I think it’s coming to the end of it. I haven’t had any new pimples for about 2 weeks now. Only whiteheads that I have popped myself because I was silly and impatient and even though I have popped them that’s about it. I don’t have anything new.
I thought that maybe I should wait to wean because my body seems like its only getting use to Yasmin again from the generic. BUT THAT’S JUST ANOTHER EXCUSE. No more I say!
I will watch my face carefully and give you all a details. Wish me luck.
Thank you all for your stories and giving me the strength to do this. God bless you all.
BTW If it makes any difference I live in Australia and it’s still Summer so its still very hot. This is kind of an experiment so I am writing all the outside variables. Oh and I am a little stressed with work on a scale of 1-10 I’d say 4.5.
(Sorry for the essay)
BTW Tracy,
I’ve read through all the other pages on this site. I love your site and intend to get your book too.
Might just wait for next pay as I recently went wild and bought a new pair for shoes. hehe… 🙂
Lol. You don’t have to buy it, but if you want to, I sincerely appreciate it 😀 Good luck with the weaning process, friend. *Hugs*
Hey ladies,
Just wanted to wish you all good luck with the weaning! I just completed 7 months off the pill (after weaning for 6 months), and I’m happy to say I’m still 100 acne free. Just wanted to encourage you all.
For those who came off cold turkey and are weighing up the pros & cons of going back on, I also want to encourage you to stick it out a bit longer. My friend who came off Dianette a few years aago suffered from a very bad post-pill breakout after having been off for 6 months, and it lasted at least 6 months, so even when she’d been off the pill for over a year, she was still getting severe acne. Luckily for her, she was brave and stuck it out a little more, and sure enough, the acne disappeared altogether. Your body is purging, and your hormones will eventually settle. The best thing to do is to support your liver with supplements such as burdock root, turmeric, and take vitex to help raise your progesterone levels naturally.
Thinking of you all!
xxxxx
Hello ladies,
Just wanted to let everyone know that I am off the pill for 6 months now and doing perfectly fine! No signs of acne! I had little bit of hair issues… little more than usual when I use to take shower for last 1 and half month, but now it seems to be better… nothing alarming…
Question for Christelle – I have gained weight around 6 pounds! Does anyone else experience weight gain after weaning off? Just wanted to check..
Good luck with the weaning everyone!
Sorry I missed this comment, Gausha!
Ugh, you’re lucky! I am desperately trying to put on weight, but unfortunately being off the pill hasn’t helped. I’m the exact same weight I was last year when I was on it.
Perhaps it’s your body’s normal weight, and you’re just absorbing nutrients better now that you’re not on birth control?
🙂
Hey Gausha,
Are you still taking the 50mg of spironolactone?
yes I am still taking 50mg Spironolactone! I am kind of scared of getting off, plus I’ve done research on it, 50mg is a very small amount. I might try to wean but I want to wait good 6 months so that I am sure that the weaning of bcp was successful. I don’t have any side effects from it, infact my hair use to shed a lot before spiro and my face was full of acne, it was terrible no antibiotic or bcp had worked, Spiro is the only medicine that had worked without giving me any side effects.
Hi everyone! I have completed the first month on half a pill and I really need your advice. I am supposed to get my periods this week and we are thursday afternoon but there is still no sign of any periods. Did this ever happen to anyone while they were weaning off? I don’t think I am pregnant (I will check just to be sure) but if I don’t get my periods by Sunday, should I restart taking half a pill on Monday or should I wait until I get my periods and then take the pill? I am so confused with what to do. Pls if you could give me your opinions, I would be most grateful! Thanks!
Hey Mona,
Don’t worry my lovely. The weaning process does tend to send your periods on a roller coaster. I remember I kept getting mine every 2 weeks, it was kind of annoying (being in a relationship & all that). If I were you, I’d just totally ignore whatever’s going on on that front. I know it’s a pain in the you know what, but it just means your body is dealing with things in its own way. Perhaps you won’t get a period at all this month, but don’t give it too much thought, next month might be altogether different. It is a nuisance, but think how great you’ll feel once you’re free of the pill. I’m so happy now. I don’t get my periods every 28 days, but they do turn up eventually, and I’ve chosen to stop worrying about it. 🙂
Having said that, only you know exactly how you feel, and I can’t tell you what to do. I wish you the BEST of luck with everything. Bises ma cocotte, et courage 😉
Coucou Christelle! Yes you are right, I should stop worrying so much about my periods but you know how it gets, you get freaked out over the littlest of things 🙂 I am so happy things are going well for you! Did you stop taking Vitex or are you still on it? Bisou ma belle! x
Hey Mona,
I knoooow! I got mine on day 32 of my cycle this month, and I was so sure I was preggers, hehehe!
Yep, I’m still taking Vitex. Just not as regularly as before. If I forget it one day, it doesn’t matter. I was in Martinique early Fabruary, and I forgot my capsules, so I didn’t take it at all for almost 2 weeks… basically, I try to be as regular as possible, but I don’t beat myself up over it if I forget.
Bisous, ma belle! Bonne chance! 🙂
Hey Ladies,
Gausha – I am glad it’s going well for you. I was considering that too but I want to try for a baby next year so I want to do this as natural as possible.
Mona! I have been following your posts religiously because I feel that we are very similar. We pretty much had the same symptoms when we both stopped and we both took awhile to actually start. (Though you are more brave than me for starting much earlier) I enjoy reading about your experiences, thank you for taking the time to fill us in!
Christelle, Kyra, Rebecca Natalie… (Sorry if I left our anyone else) The girls who are pioneers and jumped in first, thank you for your regular updates. I’m very grateful!
Thanks to all the girls here who have commented and helped me actually start! And of course to TRACY! LOVE THIS SITE!
Hey Frida,
Yes isn’t this site awesome? Like you I don’t know when I would have found the courage to stop my pill. I am happy that I could help you too; I didn’t know you had nearly the same symptoms as me, then I will also follow closely your account of the weaning process 🙂 I am really happy that you have finally made the step towards stopping the pill, good luck girl and keep us updated!
Hi
(acne background/story)
Ive always had very mild acne throughout middle school AND high school.. it wasn’t until September of 2011 (18yrs.old) i started getting cystic acne. It wasn’t an extremely bad case but for me it was BAD. they hurt and were very red! And mostly only on my cheeks.
i noticed around November of 2012 i started getting acne on my forehead and chin.. where i really never get anything on those places! the pimples are small on my forehead and some small on my chin but i do kinda get hurting ones more near the jawline.(on both places they were stubborn and wouldn’t go away)
Ive been on birth control for almost a year (i think since MAYBE april of 2012). Ive taken two kinds.
The first BC worked for a couple months but then kinda stopped. i started taking a different kind because they didn’t have anymore of the one i was first given. and i think it has been working okay? but i still get big red hurting ones now and then.
Ive been weaning off for 3 months now.. so i’m taking half the pill atm. And then i will be taking half the pill again after this pack is finished.. and so on and so fourth.
For me i haven’t really gotten any side effects from weaning off. At least i dont think i have?
my face regimen Ive been using is a 100% all natural face kit(GoodForYouGirls). and i really love it! it doesn’t make my face red and burn like.. with other 3 kit products i have used in the past. i have very sensitive skin. and i also you a neutrogena face scrub which was suggested by my derm.
i went to the derm in early Feb. this year and she prescribed me epiduo and its been working pretty good! cleared up my forehead.. my chin is okay. its getting there i guess (still some small ones and 2 hurting ones along the jaw).
my cheeks are pretty clear looking. i mostly get acne on the left side of my face (a few small ones in the middle atm).
thought id share because i dont know anyone else like me who has been weaning off BC after only being on it for almost a year.
also i’m planning on taking Vitex once i’m off BC completely. sorry this was so scrambled around!! just wanted to share 🙂
Thanks Jem,
That’s another success story so far!
I’ve been wondering for all the girls who have weaned off completely, did your periods come back to how they were before BC?
Before I started mine were every 28 days, I could even guess the time I was going to get them. Very clock work… I’m just a little nervous the weaning might screw them up a little. Every time I stopped BC I pretty much got my period right away (within 4 – 6 weeks)
WOW! This thread has been an eye-opener, for sure. I am 21 and have been taking birth control since I turned 18. I started taking birth control for one reason: my skin. I had always had really good skin – clear, hardly any break outs – until my sophomore year in high school. During the summer I had way too many activities and my skin started to deteriorate. I was so unhappy that I tried pro active for, I don’t even know, like less than two weeks? That two weeks (I believe) left me with so much acne, way worse than before. I was so devastated and my self-confidence plummeted. My doctor had been bugging me to go on bc since way before Pro Active so, at 18, I finally did (I still had really bad acne all over my cheeks mostly but I learned to live with it for the two years since my first major break out at 16).
I went on Yaz first for a little while, then Ocella. And I have been on Ocella since I turned 18. I have always hated being on bc. I gained weight (which, at first was daunting because of the cravings but now I am glad I did), I became emotionally unstable (I like to think I have learned to control my emotions but some days I’m not so sure, haha) BUT my skin improved MAJORLY. I was so happy.
I tried to go off of Ocella a year ago but within a week or two I instantly got more pimples. I was so scared that I went back on them. I actually have come across this thread a few times and read it back when it didn’t have so many comments. At that time I found it inspiring but having experienced the cold turkey effect, I dismissed it and kept taking my pills. Anyway, to make a long story short, I think I may be ready to commit to weaning off and would very much like to keep the acne under control. I want to follow Christelle’s plan but I have one more week of yellow pills and the one week of the placebo pills (for my period).
If you are reading this, Christelle, do you just throw away the pieces you cut off and keep getting new packs for the 6 months while weaning? And did you take the placebo pills? This may sound stupid but coming from someone that has literally been scared for 4 years of missing one day of pills (even the placebo) to avoid any problems, I just wanted to do it right and ask before I start. Anyway, I am planning to start the process on the 17th of March with 3/4 of the pill. Then the 12th of May marks 1/2 of the pill until the 7th of July which begins 1/4 of the pill. And finally, I am considering trying 1/8 of the pill beginning on September 1st. I really hope it works out this way….. crossing my fingers.
I am so happy for your success and the success of others here on this forum. Many thanks for keeping the conversation going and helping those in need of guidance through this frustrating process.
Hope to hear from you,
Ela
Hey Ela,
Yep, I did. I bought new packs for each new cycle. I was on Jasminelle, and if I remember rightly they came in packs of 3 for 3 cycles. I threw away the remaining pieces once I had cut the pill down to the dose I needed.
You might have trouble cutting the pill into a 1/8th sized-piece. Good luck if you do manage. It was too much hassle for me. I stopped at 1/4 and had no problems.
I am POSITIVE that it will work out for you! THe key to it is reducing the dosage gradually so that your body doesn’t go into shock and compensate releasing tons of hormones and messing your system up (and your skin).
Good luck! And don’t hesitate to ask questions 🙂
ELA!
That’s awesome I can have a weaning buddy. I am on day 5 of weaning. Not much to report. I feel so happy each time I chuck out the 1/4.
I’ve just been chucking the 1/4 of the pill and I never use to take the placebo anyways they were just sugar pills. So when I get to that part of the pack I will just not take anything until I start the active ones again.
I think they are there so you don’t lose track of days. But my DR said I didn’t have to take them so long as I remembered when to start up again.
Although I think if you read up (correct me if i’m wrong Christelle), but once she got to 1/4 on the second month she felt like her body was just not needing it anymore and so there was no point of even continuing. So not sure how 1/8 would go
Dont forget to try to be as healthy as possible.
Good Luck!
Hey Frida,
Yep, that’s right. I did 2 months on 3/4 of the original dose, 2 months on 1/2, 2 months on 1/4, and then I stopped. Initially I wanted to do an extra month on 1/8th of the dose, but I had trouble cutting it, and then my period turned up out of the blue, and I thought what the hell, I’ve done 6 months weaning, may as well just come off it altogether. 🙂
I think in another post above, you asked about whether or not the ladies who weaned off birth control retrieved their period… In my case, yes. In fact, it’s MUCH more regular now than it ever was before I took the pill. I haven’t skipped a month since I stopped weaning, and the length of my cycle ranges from 28-32 days. All PMS and cramping have disappeared (my tolerance to pain is high, and by no cramping I mean nothing that requires taking medication to reduce the pain – basically, I know I have my period, but I don’t suffer).
If you don’t retrieve your period right away, I recommend Vitex Agnus Castus (400mg/day).
Good luck!
Frida,
YAY! I am so glad we’re doing it at close to the same times. I cannot wait until these two weeks are over.
Ok, perfect, less pills to take. And yes, I think I won’t do the 1/8 either as it would be a pain to try and cut the pieces that small!
Good luck to you as well, keep me updated!
Ela
Thank you, thank you, thank you Tracy and Christelle for the huge amount of time you have put into this blog and your responses.
Tracy, I’ve been a long-time reader of your blog and have finally gotten around to commenting. I cannot begin to tell you how amazingly helpful I have found your blog. Your beautiful light (inside and out) really shines through.
Christelle, thank you for the consistency in your updates! As someone who is also weaning off BCP, it is so helpful to know I’m not alone, and I know it’s been helpful to many more of us. I too have scoured the Internet looking for info on this topic, and your updates are very comforting!
Overall, it’s just so heartening to find a community of people committed to supporting each other in caring for our bodies and ourselves, especially in the face of societal pressures to just ‘take a pill.’
Blessings.
Yay! Thanks for being a Love Vitamin fan and taking charge of your own health! 😀
Quick update…
I’m getting the symptoms I got when I first started. 12 days in… Very moody, irritable, sad and a little trouble breathing. I guess its because the dose is lower.
Do I care? Hell to the no! I’ll stick it out for sure. Just giving people a quick update.
No ACNE even though I had pizza and cake on the weekend. (I know… 🙁 but it was a birthday party)
Hey Frida,
Yes, don’t underestimate the addictive nature of the pill. When I was taking Dianette, 10 years ago, I would get very stressed out and almost hyperactive during the 7 day breaks between packs. It felt like withdrawal symptoms.
You’re right to stick it out, because in time those symptoms will completely disappear, but in the meantime I suppose you just need to be extra kind to yourself.
Just for the update: this is my 8th month off birth control, and I’m happy to say I’m still doing great skin-wise, and my periods are regular. I’m still taking Vitex, although not every day (every few days, pretty much). I’m no longer obliging myself to follow strict eating guidelines. I eat healthy organic food for the most part, and if I feel like a dessert or whatever, I go for it, I’ve noticed it doesn’t break me out. I’m fairly skinny, and I know that if I’m too strict with my diet, I can lose weight quickly, so I’ve just decided to go with the flow, hehe. Now, I think I need to work on not stressing out too much about life in general. I think that’s what might be causing my periods to last a long time (12 days sometimes! I know, yikes!). I’m sure that’s improvable, somehow, maybe by doing yoga or pilates… will let you all know how that works out! 🙂
Hugs all round, and positive vibes to all you ladies!
Yay Christelle! So happy for you :))))))))
Hey Frida!
Don’t worry, I had similar symptoms during the first weeks when I started weaning. I felt really moody and kind of depressed. It’ll pass, rest assured 🙂 Just try to keep a positive mind and do things that make you happy or put you in a good mood. Good luck girl!
Hello Everyone! In particular Nicole and Claire
Im kind of at a stage where I want to be off the pill NOW. I was thinking about doing what you both are which is 3/4 for a month 1/2 for two months and then 1/4 for a month. Total of 4 months
I know you both are doing this, how is it going? Im feeling depressed and I hate it. I’m such a happy person. And for some reason my fiance is annoying the crap out of me, and that’s not fair because he is amazing. So its just me.
The quicker I do this the better, but I don’t want to risk it if it means I’ll break out. I just don’t think I can keep hating the world for 6 months. Its really playing with my emotions I started crying because my sister beat me in a running race!!!! OMG yes… its that bad. 🙁
Hi guys, Well I last commented in November about starting the weaning process so I’ll update a little now.
I weaned 3/4 pill for just one month and then 1/2 pill for another 2 months (due to other reasons I decided to do a quick version and deal with the fact I’d break out, I was hoping just not as much compared to cold turkey).
For the whole of January I was getting daily headaches, I went to the doctor but everything checked out fine and so I just dealt with it. I went on holiday in Feb for a few weeks and stupidly forgot my pills, so I decided to quit cold turkey after just over 3 months of weaning. So now it’s been about 6 weeks since stopping. My cycle started back straight away (this is normal for me, I’ve always had super regular periods when coming off the pill).
A few things – I have broken out, but just the tiniest bit (I currently have 1 under skin pimple, and had 3 over my period, also have had a couple of whiteheads).
Last time I went off the pill I broke out straight away, and really bad so I think even the small weaning I’ve done has made a difference. Also my skin isn’t too oily, more than when on the pill but not as bad when I went cold turkey.
The only thing, (and I’ve tried looking this up on the love vitamin Tracy!) But I have gotten lots of new blackheads. I’ve always been blackhead prone, but I have definitely gotten plenty of new ones. It’s not a huge worry for me right now, as they can be covered by makeup but I really have no idea what to do about them or how to get rid of them! Does anyone have any experience with this? I’ve looked into the oil cleansing method, thought I might give that a go.
Also the headaches I had have all gone away, has anyone had this while they’ve been weaning?
Finally, to my boyfriends relief, I have gotten back a little of my sex drive back. I’m hoping this improves as the months go on.
Mood wise I’ve been up and down, it’s been a pretty stressful few months so that hasn’t helped. There’s been a few times where I’ve felt down for no reason and realised it’s probably the weaning/being off the pill. Certainly nothing as bad as last time I went cold turkey and would literally cry for no reason. It’s just been something to be aware of.
Also, I have had the most terrible diet the last few months, I’ve been on holiday and had to move twice so my diet has certainly not helped. This will be an area I concentrate on in the next few months. Particularly sugar and processed foods. I will also be going to see a chinese medicine doctor and also get my hormone levels checked and will be back to update at some point!
Great work on keeping this thread going ladies, it has been invaluable. I totally agree with a few of the pp’s about telling your friends/sisters and anyone really about this info. It’s really disgusting how little is known about the pill and it’s effects. It feels like you just can’t trust mainstream medicine for anything aside form an emergency these days. It’s sad, as not everyone has the energy, insight or knowledge to go it alone.
Hey Emily! For the moods swings I totally have that too! I think it’s nothing to worry about as our body is still adjusting to the change in hormones. My libido increased so that’s a yay! 🙂 But I was wondering how the chinese medicine worked. Have you tried it yet? I’ve heard some good stories about it and was also wondering whether I should try it out. Thank you for the update, really helps to know how everyone is doing with this weaning method. Good luck for the rest of your weaning process xxx
Hi folks!
Finished one month of 3/4 and started month two with 1/2 planning to do this for two months.
Im an emotional wreck, skin has broken out a little but Im 100% sure its from other factors other than the pill. I used to still break out little on Yasmin anyways. So no big shock.
Sex drive is creeping back, weight is coming off too. Hair is not bad bit more hair fall than usual but season changing so i dunno.
Anywho I guess overall – so far so good.
Hi everyone,
Thanks to all the people still updating! It’s encouraging to know people are having success with this method!
I was just reading through the comments and I noticed that some people have experienced hair loss or hair shedding either after coming off cold turkey or whilst weaning.
As this is something I have also gone through I thought I’d post a couple of things that seem to have helped. I used to have really thick hair, but after stopping Dianette for a few months it started falling out. I think this happened due to a combination of crazy haywire hormones, and stress. My hair’s probably about 50% of what it was right now, but since going back on dianette it’s slowly getting better. (One reason why I’m finding it hard to bite the bullet and start weaning off!)
Two things that have seemed to help me which I wanted to pass on. I started using a natural, SLS free shampoo for thinning hair. It contains caffeine which is thought to stimulate the hair follicle. While I can’t say my hair has got thicker from using it, I can definitely say it has reduced the amount of hair falling out when I’m showering. I know this cause I went through a paranoid state of counting the strands of hair that fell out during washing, when my hair was at its worst!
The other thing I think will help, but I’m only just starting to do is a massage/oil treatment for the hair so can’t say for definite, is something I found on a the web. A hairdresser with a website called Noelle Speaks has done a post on treating hair with a combination of white vinegar, rosemary oil (stimulate hair follicles), and coconut oil (penetrates hair follicles). She’s also put up a before and after photo of one of the people she used this treatment, and the results look awesome! You can easily do it at home, it’s literally just oil massage!
I’ve only done this treatment twice, but I really think that it will have a positive effect on my hair. Or I hope so anyway!
Anyway, I hope that maybe this info will help other people who are experiencing hair thinning or shedding while weaning off BCP!
I’m still trying to will myself into coming off Dianette at the moment. Still being a bit of a coward and worrying about side effects! Argh!
Thanks Laura,
Now that I am down to half I have noticed a little more hair loss than usual. But it’s not as bad as when I stopped CT. I will give your suggestions a try.
Laura… If you read above you will see that I had been posting in early 2012 and was too scared to wean until Feb 2013! One day you’ll feel ready and when you are… you will have all of us to support you and all this information!
Good luck!
Hi Frida,
Thanks so much for replying! Sounds like things are going okay on the weaning front then? I am so scared of my hair starting to fall out, as it’s already on the thin side. It’s reassuring to hear you’re getting a smaller amount of shedding. Fingers crossed things happen that way for me too.
I am actually off to the doctors today to try and get a new 6 month prescription – I think my doctor/s is getting a little uncomfortable with dishing them out to me cause I’ve been on Dianette for so long. Hopefully this 6 month prescription will be my last one! I am going to try and force myself to start weaning as of next month. Eek!
Please keep updating on your progress! It’s giving me the confidence I need to start my own BCP weaning adventure! 🙂
Hey Laura,
You know… I think I have noticed a pattern with my hair.
When I stopped CT on Diane my hair fell out like no tomorrow. It freaked me out! I switched over to Yasmin and it subsided. When I switched to a generic again hair was falling out.
While I have been weaning each time a lower my dose I do notice a little more hair loss but nothing alarming and it pretty much only lasts 2 weeks max.
I think the best thing is weaning… especially for hairloss. I noticed I kept losing more hair everytime I changed something with my pills. My hair is thin too from stopping Diane twice and Yasmin once. But I have noticed regrowth and if it gets bad I think i’ll try your suggestions. But having said that I don’t think the hairloss is so bad. I hate being so vain… but I am and believe me if i did lose alot of hair I would 100% notice and worry about it.
I understand where your coming from though… Diane made my hair awesome. I honestly think its the same thing as when women who have babies and then have temporary hair loss. Its all about the hormones. So stopping CT will 100% result in hairloss (for you and me) but weaning so far… has been great!
I’ll be done weaning in 10 days so i’ll let you know how I go.
GOOD LUCK! XX
Christelle,
My darling! Can I ask… Im on 1/2 a pill at the moment and I got my period a week early. I’m not sure if I should still follow my pill scheduled or simply stop taking them to allow for a period and wait 7 days to start again.
I’m thinking in my head to keep going and follow the pills to a T. I haven’t had any spotting, but this period is early and more painful… like pre pill painful… sore chest, lower back and feel like throwing up.
Is this ok? I’m just a bit worried at what to do.
I am doing a quicker version of your method. I have been recently told by my doctor to get off the pill He said Yasmin is BAD ( 5 years too late mate)… so weaning will only be 3 months for me. 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4. In case anyone is interested in the quicker version…
NO ACNE to report. I was breaking out a little but that was from existing blocked pores from switching to a generic 4 months ago – (Yasmin to Isabelle then back to Yasmin). My blocked pores are clear only like 5 left and skin is back to being nice. But as I mentioned I was never 100% clear on Yasmin. I would still randomly break out when I ate bad. just an FYI.
Frida!
Hey, my lovely! I’m glad to hear you finally started the weaning process, and I agree wholeheartedly with your doctor as regards Yasmin. It’s a terrible pill, one of the worst, and the sooner you’re off it the better you’ll feel!
I think your express-weaning system sounds great! If I had known it was that efficient, I wouldn’t have wasted 6 months weaning off last year when I could have done the same thing in just 3-4 months! Anyway, the “period” symptoms you’re describing seem to be normal. The whole time I was weaning I experienced the same thing. Each month, I got my period one week early, and it was always a bit heavier than how it was when I was on a full dose of bcp. If I remember rightly, I got a little nausea here and there around the time of my period too, which was a pain (there’s no worse feeling in the world, I think, than feeling sick). Perhaps your symptoms are exacerbated by the fact that your weaning off more quickly, and your body’s having to make adjustments… kinda like you would be if you were weaning off drugs, I guess, with withdrawal. Oh, and as for breast tenderness, I got that all the time when I was weaning, so much so that I don’t think I even mentioned it much on this thread, it just felt second nature to have sore breasts for 6 months. Now though, that’s totally gone. I only get that around ovulation and at the beginning of my periods.
I think what you could do to feel better is try to include any anti-inflammatory foods into your diet, such as turmeric, and leafy greens, or fermented cod liver oil. I notice now that when I eat lots of spinach in the days running up to my period, I get less psm. Crazy huh! Your body is probably just detoxing, which might explain the soreness and feeling sick. You could also take burdock root supplements or tea to give your body a helping hand, and maybe drink spearmint tea to help with the nausea.
I would just follow through your pack, and stop for your monthly 7-day “break” as usual, even if your period turns up early. That’s what I did. It was a bit random and awkward, especially being in a relationship, and having random unplanned periods turn up out of the blue, but oh well, I just figured it wouldn’t last forever (it settled down once I stopped weaning altogether). Honestly, from this end, it sounds like you’re doing really well! And so great to hear that you’re pretty much clear on the acne front!
Wishing you good luck with everything! 🙂
xxxxx
Christelle,
So, if you got your period a week earlier than normal, did you stop taking the pills for that week, then finish that same pack and then start a new one without the week break that usually comes when you’re supposed to have your period? Or did you continue your pack throughout your period and just stop at the end of the pack, like usual? (reading back, it seems like you did the second one). I just finished month 1 of weaning and feel extremely giddy about it! 5 more months!
I’ve had two pimples since starting but they’re just about gone now. Last time I tried to quit cold turkey, it was way worse! I had nausea the first few days of the first week which was really bad but thankfully it has subsided. It’s such a nerve wracking process, especially for those of us who have tried quitting before and experienced a bad reaction.
Hi Ela,
Good question. I did tend to get my period one week early (and sometimes it kind of lasted over the 10 day mark, but hey). When that happened, I always followed through with my pill, as usual, stopping only at the end of the pack despite my early period.
Good luck lovely! 🙂 xxx
Hey Frida,
I am so happy things are going well for you! I just wanted to let you know that I also had my periods a week earlier when I switched to half a pill so don’t worry about it 🙂 I just followed my schedule through as planned. Keep up with the good spirit! x
Hi People,
Ive read some amazing reviews. Just abit abot me, I’ve developed bad acne at the age of 18 and am now 33.
I have been off/off Dianette now for 15 year. Once I started taking the pill my acne cleared uop within a couple of months and was crystal clear. I have tried to come off Dianette (cold turkey) 3 times and each time my face has exploded after approximately 4-6 week. The first time I went off it, it took 6 months for my period to return, my face was awful and went straight back on the pill. The second time I went off Dianette cold turkey I started taking Agus Castus, it took 3 months for my normal period to return so I guess that the herbal medication helped somewhat with my cycle but in relation to my acne my face was still covered. Again, I couldnt bare my acne which was on my face, chest and back and went stright back on Dianette again.
Since reading all your reviews and sucsess stories I am going to give it another go.
I have started my first month of weaning, I am currently taking 3/4 of the pill, I am into my tenth day and have to say I have started seeing my skin deteriorate slighly on my ckeeks and forhead and have found my skin had been very itching on the cheeks. (not sure if I reacted to the Clinique 3 step range I used for 2 days and then discontinued it. Not sure if my breakout is due to stress.
I have today been for a facial and Blue/Red LED theraphy so I will keep you updated on that, I will be having the LED theraphy done evry week.
Oh, also have started 1200 mg of evening primrose oil and Fish oil, im taking them both once a day.
Sorry for the long email but I really want to be off this pill for good and hope not to cave. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Jazz.
sorry, i meant i have been on/off dianette for 15 years.
Hey Jazz,
Your story sounds very similar to mine. When I came off Dianette cold turkey (some years ago now), I didn’t recover my period for 6 months either, and let’s not even begin to describe how my face looked!
Kyra weaned off Dianette, and she seems to have seen great results.
Good luck weaning. And, yep, evening primrose oil is great (especially taken during the first half of your cycle). As for the fish oil, just make sure it’s not that “keep on your shelf” stuff, because fish oil needs to be fresh otherwise it goes rancid fairly quickly.
Sending you lots of happy vibes! xxx
Thanks for your kind words. Just a quick update, I am on day 16 of weaning and I have a few red sore spots on my face and one on my chin along with some small pimples under my skin on my forehead, cheeks and a few under my chin. They are not that noticable as can put make up on them and they dont look that bad, i’m paranoid as I had perfect skin when on Dianette fully.
Also, I am now trying Dermalogica ultra calming skincare range as my skin seems to be quite sensitive and red.
Also am drinking raw veg smoothies everyday, so will keep you all updated.
I’ve come so far, my skin isn’t perfect at the minute and I still do think to cave and stop weaning but I will see it through hopefully. xxx
Hi Jazz,
I’m starting my weaning before the end of the month. Been on dianette for nearly 5 years, and I’ve decided to wean myself off too, starting at the end of this month.
Just wanted to say, good luck! I hope it all goes well for you this time, I know what a nightmare coming off dianette cold turkey is!
Keep us updated with your progress!
Lots of well wishes to you x
Hi Laura,
Goodluck with weaning. I am nearly at the end of my first month and my skin has deteriated abit, it was 100% clear whilst taking Dianette fully over all thoses years 🙁
I hopefully won’t cave in, I have changed my skincare routine and drinking raw veg smoothies, I’ve heard this really clears up the skin. I will keep you updated.
Goodluck xx
Hey Jazz, I’ve just read all your accounts of the weaning process and I just want to give one advice if I may. I see that you have changed your skin regimen quite a lot (Clinique, LED therapy, facial, Dermalogica) so I was thinking that it would be maybe be better if you stuck with one regimen for a while. I was also thinking that there is a high chance that you are breaking out from that and not the weaning. I don’t know what you mean by cave it in but I really hope that you will not abandon. If need be, why don’t you wean slowly like me for 9 months? I am not in a rush and certainly do not want to have a baby right now so especially if you are weaning off from a strong pill like yours, why not make things easier for your body and give it time to adjust? Well I hope this helps and good luck girl! We are all in the same boat and with you 🙂 xxx
Your right Mona, I have panicked and tried all sorts to clear my skin up. I took your advice and decided to let my skin breath.
My forehead was very itchy and looks like I possibly had a reaction from all those products, this was sorted with a steriod cream the doctor gave me. I must say that a couple of weeks on my forehead has cleared up well althou not 100% but I am happy.
I am still getting the odd pimple here and there but nothing to worry about.
When I say ‘Cave@ yes I do mean going back on Dianette fully. I did actually do this for the last 5 days of my circle 🙁
I am starting my second pack now and have decided that I am still going to wean, hopefully now Im not messing about with my skin I wont break out like I did in the first month.
I have since the last 2 weeks gone back to my normal cleanser and just using aqueous cream and thats it. I have also stopped the veggie smoothes.
I really want to be off this pill and will see how my skin is at the end of May and then decided how long I want to wean for as like you I am in no rush.
Thanks for your advice xx
Hi Jazz,
Really sorry to hear you’re getting some spots during weaning! I’d say hang in there! 🙂
Just read Mona’s comments and would totally agree. Maybe your skin deterioration has something to do with the changes in your skincare regime? I know particularly when I have a facial, I sometimes breakout a little. And changing face wash, and your diet can sometimes do the same thing I’ve heard. Perhaps the vegetable smoothies are flushing out toxins?
Maybe use a very simple and gentle cleansing facial wash for a while to see if your skin calms down?
Please do keep me update, and really really hope your skin starts getting better soon.
Best of luck! 🙂 xx
Thanks Laura,
I have stopped messing about with my skin and letting it breath as you can see from my previous comments.
Hope your weaning is going well xxx
Hey Girls! I haven’t updated for a while, so I thought it is about time 🙂
I am currently on month 3 on half a pill (I did also 3 months on 3/4 of a pill before that) and next month I am moving on to 1/4 of a pill. I know I am weaning off much longer than you guys (9 months in total) because I am a chicken and secondly, I have time and don’t want to rush my body into it. Up until now I can say that things have been so far so good.
Acne wise, I have had few pimples here and there but nothing dramatic that I couldn’t handle. Actually it has stayed the same as when I was on the pill, as my skin was never 100% clear even when I was on the damn thing. Actually, I was quite surprised because during spring break, I ate so many sweet stuff, like literally I ate everyday ice cream, cakes, chocolate etc. and I was sure I was going to break out like hell but to my surprise I didn’t really. So I am happy about that lol
Mood wise it has been okay too I guess. But I must say I have had more mood swings as of lately. Sometimes I would be really down for no reason and then the next day I would be seeing butterflies, rainbows and pink everywhere haha
Hair wise, I think it has stabilized, or I hope so. In the beginning I had the impression I had more hair growth but now I am not really sure. Anyway I am not complaining.
The one really good side of this stopping process is that my sex drive has really improved. I am so happy and my bf too hehe 🙂 But my periods have come one week early last month, meaning my periods lasted for a whole 2 weeks, and they have been more heavy and painful :/ I can’t wait to get my normal periods of 1 week back!
Anyway I think I have covered everything. Diet wise I am trying to eat healthy but honestly at least once to twice a week I do treat myself (except during that break when I ate like a pig lol). Once again thank you for those who have finished weaning off and shared your experiences, and good luck to those who are weaning off like me. Keep updating, it really helps! xxx
Oh and sorry I forgot t o add something else, I go to spinning/TRX classes religiously once a week. I have the impression it really helps mood wise; I feel so much better after I go to the gym 🙂
Hi Mona,
Thanks so much for updating. I’m going through all the posts here, trying to work out the best way of starting weaning! Getting updates is so helpful and encouraging!
Really glad to hear everything is going well! 🙂 Have you been supplementing your diet with any like vitamins, herbal rememdies, hormone balancing things, while you have been weaning? I’m trying to make a list of all the things I need to take while weaning to try and have the most success possible.
Thanks again! 🙂
Hey Laura!
I haven’t really supplementsed with anything special up until now. I sometimes drink peppermint tea as some girls suggested that to me. Other than that I don’t take any vitamis because every morning I eat a bowl of muesli which I used to do even before weaning and I believe it contains every vitamins that I would need, as I did a blood test in August that showed that I wasn’t deficient in anything. FYI I put greek/probiotic/organic yogurt mixed with whatever fruit u want to put (depending on what I have, I put either apple, banana, strawberries or blueberries), plus walnuts, almonds, goji berries, dried cranberries and raisins.
I may start taking supplements once Ive completely weaned off, depending on how I feel and how it goes. Im thinking of taking vitex if I start breaking out majorly, but we ll see. Ill keep updating in any case 🙂 hope this helps and good luck with your weaning! So happy you are doing it too! Xxx
Monaaaa!
Sounds like you’re doing good, girl!
I am totally on board with the whole treating yourself thing. I was strict with my diet and all that while I was weaning, and to be honest I think it was a little silly at times. Now, I definitely allow for more leeway – you know, going out for meals with friends and the BF, having dessert, enjoying life! I eat very well anyway, so as long as I’m getting my nutrients first I figure I can have fun too! I’m sure that you’ll be fine while you’re weaning.
9 months sounds good to me. I know some of the ladies on here are doing express versions of the weaning process, and I hope it works for them, but I can’t help thinking that the whole point of weaning off is to gradually reduce the dosage so that your endocrine system doesn’t go into shock and cause you to break out etc., but then I could be wrong. In all cases, I’m frankly positive that you won’t get acne after having weaned off over 9 months.
Good luck cocotte! 😉 xxx
Christelle! Merci ma belle! Yes up until now I must say I am quite happy with how this weaning process is going, but like you I do not want to jinks it you know lol so just in case I am still on alert and try not get my hopes up too much. I am happy you are enjoying life, I think you deserve it after all these months of being on a strict diet. 🙂 Me lately I haven’t been eating very well like I used too, so I need to get back on track! Since the spring break I haven’t been able to control my sugar intake as I have definitely been eating more than twice a week sugary stuff :/
Anyway thank you very much for still staying, commenting and advising. It’s really such a relief that your skin is 100% clear after what like one year? I think it is safe to say that it will stay like this from now on hehe 🙂 Je t’embrasse fort, merci pour ton soutien! xxx
Coucou ma belle! T’en fais pas pour les excès. Le tout c’est de profiter de la vie, et de te recarder quand tu sens que tu dépasses un peu les bornes! Moi, j’ai pig-out cette semaine car j’ai eu une copine à la maison pendant quelques jours. Je me dis que bon, la semaine prochaine je serai plus sérieuse! Et puis si j’ai un bouton, au moins je saurai pourquoi! 😉
Bonne chance avec tout ça, ma cocotte! Ça va marcher!
La grosse bisette à toi, et à très vite pour une update! xxx
Hi Mona,
Thanks for letting me know what you’re taking. I think I may get some herbal teas, peppermint, dandelion, burdock root and so on to really try and cleanse my system. I’ve also got to start being a little stricter with my diet I think.
At the moment while I’m on dianette I still get a few small spots, but nothing major, and I think that it is down to my diet. I eat so much sugar and dairy, both of which have been linked to acne. I now drink almond milk but I find it very hard to stay away from cheese… I LOVE IT! 🙂
I definitely need to get more fruit and nuts into my diet too. I’m actually a vegetarian, so you’d think this wouldn’t be so hard!!
Please do keep updating with your progress!
I have got 4 pills left in my current pack, then I’ve got my 7 day break and then I start on the weaning on the 26th. Very exciting!
Now I’ve just got to find an easy way to break the pills into 3/4!! 🙂
Lots of well wishes and good luck to you as well! xxx
Haha yes Laura I totally understand you about the cheese and sugar but I did cut them dramatically. Before I used to eat sugary and sweet stuff everyday and now (or at least before the Spring break lol) I let myself enjoy one sugary thing per week. If its 2 little sweets then twice a week. And for cheese, I come from Switzerland so you can image how I love and used to eat cheese lol but now I only eat goat cheese from time to time as I have read that goat cheese makes you break out less than cheese made of cow’s milk. You can find good ones at Whole foods. For the fruits I find is essential to help me not eat sugary stuff. The moment I get a craving, I just stuff myself with fruits and then it goes away 🙂 So you can imagine how much fruits I eat in general haha I do not know if you eat vegetables but I also eat quite a lot of them and I try to vary them. All in all, I just think it is important to have a healthy and balanced diet. C’mon girl, I know you can do it! We just need some self discipline for the sake of our own happiness and also if you think about it health. Cause through this whole process of changing out diet, we are doing a hell of a lot of good for our body and health in general. Good luck with your weaning and think that you are not alone 🙂 x
Ahhhh thanks for the wise and kind words Mona.
I am going to take some steps to make sure I cut out the sugar and dairy foods. First thing to do is stop looking in the biscuit and chocolate cupboard! Also I am going to stock up on lots of fruits so I can stuff them when I’ve got a craving.
Also great tip about the goat’s cheese. I love that stuff! I’m going to try that for sure 🙂
I’m a vegetarian so I eat a whole lot of vegetables already, but I seem to eat something very healthy (like homemade soup) and then finish it off with chips and a chocolate bar, hahahaha. I will have to start thinking about it more seriously when I start weaning at the end of the month! 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement! I am definitely going to start on my next cycle! Wooooo! x
Hi everyone!
I have decided to start the weaning process at the end of my next pack of Diane 35. So in about 5 days!!! Excited at the thought of getting off this drug, but also ridiculously scared at how my body’s going to react!
I have a quick question about supplements to take while weaning and then after weaning. Do people have any definite recommendations? Totally understand people will have different reactions to different things, but any info on possible supplements/vitamins/herbal remedies that people have found helped them would be really appreciated.
I’m interested in the supplements that are supposed to balance hormones as well, think they’re vitex and dong quai?
Has anyone who’s been taking them got any advice on when to start? Would you start taking them after you come off the pill or during the weaning process? Also, while I would definitely like to take anything that will help the process – these two pills seem to be quite pricey and I wouldn’t want to be taking them forever? Has anyone used them to balance hormones and then stopped taking them and had any problems?
I’d be so grateful for any help/advice! 😀
Good luck and well wishes to everyone!
Hey Laura,
Yessss! Join the club (soon)!
So, I weaned off the pill from February 2012-July 2012, and I’ve been totally bcp-free for 9 months almost. I didn’t take any hormone-regulating supplements while I was weaning, so I really can’t say whether or not they’re useful during the process. What I did focus on during those months was detox, and I took stuff to help my body process all those chemical hormones, mainly liver-friendly supplements like turmeric, burdock root, herbal teas, etc.
Then, once I was done weaning, I started taking vitex (agnus castus). Honestly, I can’t put it down to JUST that – I mean, perhaps my age – I’m 30 – has played a role in regulating my cycles too – but quite frankly I’m convinced the vitex has helped my cycle stay on track since I’ve been off the pill. Last month I didn’t take vitex at all, and I got my period on day 29. Pretty sweet huh!
I get my vitex on iherb.com. From what I recall it’s definitely cheap (5$-ish for 90 capsules), and I live in France, so I order 2 bottles to optimize shipping, etc. I only used one pot from July-January. I didn’t take one capsule a day, mainly because I forgot most times, but I must have taken 2-3/week. In all cases, no irregular cycles to report, and no acne – still, after 9 months! 🙂
Good luck chuck! You’ll be just fiiiine! xxx
Hi Christelle!
Thanks so much for that advice. It’s great to hear that you haven’t had to take vitex everyday since you came off the pill and you’re still having regular cycles. Gives me hope! 🙂
When I tried to go cold turkey off dianette early last year I tried using vitex, but unfortunately I think my hormones were so off whack that the supplement didn’t have much chance of working anyway! I think I’ll try the weaning vitex-free and then move onto it once I’m off dianette. But depending on how my skin reacts maybe I’ll try starting to incorporate vitex while weaning… It’s hard to know what to do until it happens I suppose!
Thanks also for the info on where you buy the vitex from. I’ll have a look at that link. Last time I bought a bottle of vitex I got it off amazon, but it was about $10 for 90 capsules so I was worried it would be an expensive habit to keep up long term, especially as I want to take other supplements at the same time (evening primrose, fish oil, tumeric, etc).
I think one thing I definitely need to address while I’m weaning is my diet! I find it really hard to eat healthily cause I live with people who buy very unhealthy foods (cakes, crisps, biscuits etc). I need some serious willpower!!
Thanks again for your advice, really helpful!
Lots of well wishes to you! 🙂 xx
Hi Girls,
Thank you all so much for your feed back… So far so good. 🙂
Christelle, your advice has been priceless! Merci ma amie merveilleux! (Ahh sorry if thats wrong it’s been a long time since i’ve used my French) You too Mona, everything you are going through has been the same as me… except I guess I am doing it a lot faster. Now that I am on my 7 day break, I am trying to decide whether or not to go straight to 1/4 or do another month of 1/2. I’ll let you know what I decide.
Laura! Ohhh I’m so glad your doing it! If you get scared remember you can do what Mona is doing and do 9 months instead of 6. 🙂
Hi Ela! My weaning buddy! Hope all is going well for you.
Hey Frida! I am happy things are going well for you! But how long have you been weaning already? Tell us in detail how things are going 🙂
Héhé, si si c’est bien! 🙂
Hi Frida!
It’s going well! I am starting month two (of 6) for weaning! I can tell that I have some mood changes because of it but it’s not that bad! Also, on the skin front, it’s going way better than I thought it ever would! Last time I quit cold turkey, my acne came back with a fury after only a month. So, each day I’m feeling a little happier that I’m not breaking out so much.
How’s the express route going???
Hi Girls,
I was the same Ela… I was so moody it was bad. But the girls are right it doesnt last too long so not to worry. And be prepared for early periods too once you hit 1/2 a pill. As Christelle and Mona suggested just continue with the packs schedule. Thats what I am doing… not sure if that means I’ll have a super duper long period or not. 😐
Mona – I am going on to my 3rd pack this week. And I have decided to do 1/4. So in total three months. I decided to this because recently my doctor asked me to stop Yasmin as my liver needs a break. blood pressure isn’t good too. So express version it is.
Mind you, it looks like I am going through all the symptoms everyone else is but just quicker. My skin is fine. I do have a few clogged pores but like a crazy woman I only counted 5. And 3 of them had been there before I started weaning. I feel happier and my sex drive has come back. OMG I forgot how wonderful that is. I have even lost weight.
Hairloss is my only issue. But I feel that might be a case by case issue as the same thing happened to me when I quit cold turkey. I know its temporary and need to not stress out about it.
I have read about other people who have wean I even read about one girl doing it in one month. 3/4 1 week then 1/2 the next and the 3rd week was 1/4 and she was fine too.
I know there is a higher chance I will break out. But I guess thats a risk I have to take now that I have been told I have to stop. Besides I am reaching the end of my 20s and God willing, I want to have children.
One day we all have to do this. Might as well be today.
Hi all,
I wondered if any of you stopped menstruating altogether after weaning, and if so, what you did to get your period back. I weaned off Yasmin over three months starting in June 2012, and haven’t had a period since August 2012–more than 8 months. I’ve had my hormones tested and everything’s just pretty low–though not completely off the charts. I’ve just started taking rhodiola and am considering vitex or don quai, but am worried about breakouts. Thanks for any thoughts!
I just finished weening, and my periods are still going strong. I took 6 months to wean though, and I just completely stopped 3 weeks ago, so who knows?
Perhaps you should tested for PCOS? There is a blood test I believe. If you do have this hormonal condition, there are dietary changes you will need to make that may help. Also some supplements that are helpful. Seems like you might be aware of this though.
Hi Emily,
Hmm, you must be worried. I think the pill can do that to women’s cycles though. Sometimes it takes longer than usual to recover your period after having taken oral contraception.
I was worried about having amenorrhea after weaning too, as the first time I came off Dianette cold turkey, I didn’t retrieve my cycle for 6 months.
There are several factors to consider, namely, your weight, your overall health, the fact that you weaned off the pill quickly, and possibly other medical complications such as PCOS. If you are underweight, you are more likely to suffer from amenorrhea. The same applies if you’re overweight, in which case you could have PCOS. I would suggest, before taking any supplements or whatever, getting a thorough gynecological examination, just to make sure you’re not omitting a factor in your equation. If everything turns out ok, you might want to consider something like a full-body detox. I’ve never tried to do one myself, but I know websites like Dherbs, and natural-fertility-info.com do them. I can’t advise you, as I really don’t know your situation enough, but I think it’s safe to say that you’re definitely suffering from some form of amenorrhea. Lots of women go through this at some point or other. You just need to find out what’s causing it in your case.
Good luck, Emily.
I just finished weening off birth control using the advice in the video. Took 6 months. My OBGYN told me it would be safe to “ween.” I’m so glad I did.
The “good”:
-Worked really well. I stopped cold turkey years ago and had a hell of a time adjusting (severe acne that lasted years). This way was so gentle and mild!
-Only mild breakouts (so far).
-My periods are back to normal length (see “about me”)
-I feel way more hormonally balanced now.
The “bad”:
-Heavy periods, PMS, and cramps returned around 1/2 pill dose (this is “normal” for me when off pill)
-Broke out a little each time I went for lower dose. Mild acne that cleared quickly.
-Major mood swings when dropping down to lower doses. These went away and I don’t get them any more. They were much worse when stopping cold turkey.
-Took a long time.
-Pain to cut pill (get a pill cutter).
-My periods got out-of-sync with my pills for awhile. I just kept taking the pills as normal, which meant I was taking placebo pills after my period. Eventually everything synced again.
Total time to “ween” of pill: 6 months (2 months on 3/4 pill, 2 months on 1/2 pill, and 2 months on 1/4 pill). Stopped all together about 3 weeks ago. Had considered doing a third month on 1/4 pill, but decided not to.
About me: I’m 33 and was on orthotricyclen lo for about 5 years prior. I had really bad hormonal adult acne that was successfully treated with the pill. Wanted to get off the pill because I want to get pregnant, but also because my periods were starting to get shorter and shorter recently. I didn’t like this change as it seemed unnatural.
Other things I did that helped: I started using tea tree oil and carrot oil diluted in almond oil as moisturizer. This helps prevent breakouts. (will stop carrot oil when pregnant). Started washing face with hemp oil. Also switched to mineral makeup and removed all chemicals from beauty routine. Reduced sugar intake.
I notice that I start to break out when I don’t use my tea tree oil. Perhaps this is the secret? Not sure, just know that weening went really well.
As others have reported, the hardest part was when I was switching and taking 1/2 pill.
I experienced an early period around 1/2 pill like others report.
Worst breakout occurred around 1/2 pill too.
Major mood swings around 1/2 pill (I thought about going back on pill they got so bad).
All these symptoms resolved themselves around 1/4 pill. Still minor breakouts though.
I started using tea tree oil prior to weaning off the pill. I still had minor break outs even on the pill.
Hey Casey!
Thank you for your awesome update and story. Seems like the weaning process has worked out well for you. I am going to finish my weaning in 2 months and I am already dreading it :/ please let us know how it goes now that you have completely stopped, it would be much appreciated! Many thanks!
5
Good news: I haven’t had major acne issues! The first couple of months I had minor breakouts. Now, I’m pretty clear. Mood swings have resolved themselves too.
Best news: my periods have worked like clockwork. When I cold-turkey quit birth control before, my periods got way out of whack. Now, they are an even 28 days apart.
UPDATE (5 MONTHS OFF BIRTH CONTROL):
Good news: I haven’t had major acne issues! The first couple of months I had minor breakouts. Now, I’m pretty clear. Mood swings have resolved themselves too.
Best news: my periods have worked like clockwork. When I cold-turkey quit birth control before, my periods got way out of whack. Now, they are an even 28 days apart. This is due to weening off. Awesome!
The bad news: I have gained some weight. Not sure if it is related, but it sucks. I gained weight when I started ortho tricyclin lo. And now I’ve gained weight getting off. Also, PMS has returned.
Sigh…
p.s. sorry for the duplicate posts. The computer prematurely submitted my post before I was done.
Hi Casey,
I think your timeline sounds about right for me too. But I didn’t really note my break outs because they are so tiny. I had to look really close into the mirror to notice them.
I have 1 week left of taking 1/4, however my moodiness was horrible when I first started weaning 3/4. I guess its safe to say everyone who weans will experience some sort of moodiness.
I don’t regret doing the express version one bit. Mind you I might be singing a different song in 4 months time hehe
I noticed Tracy has Candida Cleanse coming up which works perfectly with my stopping the pill. I will be doing it. 🙂
Cant wait to get rid of these pesky pills!
Hi everyone! It took me about 2 hours to read through each and every post last night. It seems like a lot of lives have been ruined by Diane 35, huh? I went on Diane 35 because I was an idiot and didn’t do any research :(. I was getting married, and my little sister was using it to treat acne, and even though I did not have an acne problem, I decided because our ‘body chemistry’ was similar, that would be a good pill for me. Well, I didn’t marry the guy, and for the last 4 years I have been stuck on this death pill. I tried to go off it once or twice, the first time I got acne within 2 months, and the worst thing about it was from neck to chin on the right side of my face grew these long, fine, wierd hairs. I just freaked out. I’m Australian but I’ve been traveling the world for the last 5 years, and my diet has never been amazing, and up until 6 months ago, I was a smoker. The second time was earlier this year, my husband (different guy – took me a while to find the right one!) and I moved to Vietnam, and I ran out of Diane. Well, I got acne, and it was right before my wedding and I just freaked out. I discovered that Diane 35 was the go-to non-prescription pill of Vietnam and off I went on it again. My skin cleared up beautifully, but I did manage to pile on a good 10 pounds! Long story short, we are moving to Berlin in 3 months, I’m turning 31 this year, and we want a child. I can’t seem to lose weight and I feel like a water balloon at all times. I read this article with great interest last week but decided that because the Diane here looks and seems a bit different from back home, I’ll just go off cold turkey. I bought multivitamins, dong quai, and evening primrose oil capsules to see me through these first few months. Are they any good? That’s about all that’s available to me at the pharmacy here (I live in a tiny seaside town, full of tourists, called Hoi An). It is really great to have a support network of women going through the same thing! Thank you all for your time and commitment to helping other women, like myself, and guiding us toward a natural life and body. 🙂 Much love
Not sure if you have started to ween yet, but I also agree that weening is the best possible option for you.
When I got off of birth control years ago using the “cold turkey” method, my period got way out of sinc and completely unpredictable. Not having a steady period with make it difficult to get pregnant. Much better to gradually ween so your period will stay regular and you’ll be able to time ovulation.
Hope it works out well!
Hi E,
Ugh, poor you. You have my total sympathy. Your story with Diane 35 sounds very similar to mine. I went on it naively too.
If I may, I would strongly suggest weaning off rather than quitting cold turkey. Cyproterone, which is one of the components of Diane 35, is a highly addictive androgen suppressor. The body becomes very reliant on this substance, and suddenly reducing its intake almost always causes a surge in testosterone production, which in turn causes the dreadful post-diane breakout. Other withdrawal symptoms associated with this component include drastic hair-loss, facial hair-growth, amenorrhea, and depression. It’s actually very strange that doctors don’t suggest weaning off Diane 35 due to these known side-effects. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that it’s very highly likely that you quitting Diane cold turkey will cause you to break out massively.
You say you think the version you’re taking might not be the same as the one back in Australia. The best way to find out is to check the ingredients and the dosage. Normally, it should read: Cyproterone acetate 2mg/ethinyloestradiol 0.035mg. If this dosage is correct, it means you’re taking the same Diane 35 as everywhere else in the world (also known as Dianette).
I know it’s frustrating to have to keep taking the very pill you want out of your system for a few extra months while you wean, but it might well be your only option if you want to avoid the nasty side effects. In the long run, this might also be the best way to avoid the vicious cycle of then having to go back on the pill to control your acne. I would highly recommend elaborating a plan for the next x-number of months, and cutting your pills little by little. Check out Kyra’s story. She managed to wean off Dianette with little to no side effects. Kyra, if you’re reading, what do you think?
As for the supplements you mention, they seem fine. It’s always good to take multivitamins, especially B-vitamins, because the pill tends to prevent their absorption. Evening primrose oil is great, especially during the first part of your cycle. As for Dong Quai, I have no idea. I think it stimulates blood circulation. Personally, I would suggest vitex, for once you come off the pill altogether (it regulates your cycle), and a good probiotic, because Diane 35 depletes your gut flora.
Good luck! Let us know what you choose to do!
🙂
Hi Christelle!
I’ve been on dianette for 2 years now, do you think I should switch to a lower dose pill and then wean off?
India
Hi Christelle,
I was hoping you’d write back – you write so vividly that I had a picture of you in mind the whole time – slim, French, popping veggies in a blender while looking out the window onto cobblestone boulevards – probably a little incorrect, but I do so love France! I think you are right. 🙂 There is a guarenteed breakout coming my way and although patience is not my strong suit, I should just wean off. I wonder if I can do an express wean-off 3 months with Diane 35? I looked on the package (it’s Chinese!) and I did see the Cypoterone acetate and Ethiny-whatever is exactly the same doses as you said. Moving to ultra-hip Berlin in 3 months time and looking for work in the professional realm again is NOT the place I want to be sporting a big, red acne breakout. 🙂 I DID want to lose all this water weight though, but I shall have to be patient. Thank you so much for your response, and I will be posting my progress and any lessons I’ve learned from now on. Take care all! 😉
Hey mysterious E!
Haha, I love your image of France! Very accurate!
Personally, I would suggest taking your time coming off Dianette because (perhaps, if you have time, you could read the comment I left India, at the end of this thread – regarding cyproterone) Dianette in particular contains a substance called cyproterone, which is very addictive. When stropped brutally, people who were on this drug often suffer from a testosterone peak, and in women that often means acne times ten!
If you can switch to another pill for a few months before weaning off rapidly, I think it would be a good idea, because most pills contain other progestins that aren’t quite as addictive as cyproterone. If you can’t, don’t worry, but perhaps you would gain being extra patient, and just reducing the dosage as gradually as possible. It’s a pain, but ultimately it will probably save you a lot of skin hassle in the long-run.
Good luck lovely lady! Let us know what you decide! 😉
Hi everyone,
Just a little update, I’ve started weaning finally!
I’m going to do six months (if I can make it!). Two months of 3/4, two on 1/2, and 2 on 1/4.
I cut a month of pills all in one go to try and stop myself from giving up too easily 🙂
Cutting the pills into 3/4 was quite hard so I think some of the doses will be a bit uneven, but I’m not sure it matters.
I’m five days into weaning so far and nothing to report. It’s probably too early!
I’m trying to eat healthily (cutting back on sugar and dairy in particular). Drinking peppermint tea as suggested on here, and also taking a probiotic everyday, plus multivitamins.
I’ll try and report back monthly to let others know how it’s going, and hopefully it will all be positive news!
Good luck to everyone else still weaning!
x
LAURA!!!!!
I’m so proud of you! OMG… you won’t regret it you’ll feel super happy. Although you might feel alittle moddy at first. I’m so excited for you.
Worse comes to worse (as in you’re too scared) you can do what Mona did and extend it a little longer if your in no rush I think she is doing 9 months in total rather than 6.
I think the easy step is 3/4 but once you hit 1/2 you do get a little worried but it was ok for me just periods were out of wack. But I’m on 1/4 and doing great.
I’m so happy for you Laura!
Thanks so much Frida! 😀
I’m only on the 9th day but things are going pretty good so far.
On the downside, I have developed three new spots on my face. But they’re not painful or cystic so I’m not too worried. Yep, I’m counting! hahaha
One’s big but the other two are small so I should be able to get rid of them with my huge box of spot treatments!
I’m thinking they may be my body adapting to the slight reduction in hormones. Or they could be something to do with the night oil balm I’m using on my face, or because I sleep on that side of my face during the night! Who knows! 🙂
I’m a little worried about the change from 3/4 to 1/2, that’s going to be the big one I know! I’m thinking I may stay on the 1/2 dose for an extra month to let my body adjust.
I’m feeling positive about the whole thing at the moment. I’m so ready to be off Dianette!
Hooray for weaning!
OMG laura, I am so happy you are finally weaning! good luck girl I am sure thing will be fine!!! 🙂
I know how it is counting your pimples, obsessing over them in front of the mirror, and just plainly noticing them more because you know you are weaning and you might get them haha Honestly I really try not to over think too much and not look into the mirror too closely or else you will start seeing your pimples even more and see them much bigger than what they really are.
I think you will be fine transitioning to 1/2 a pill. Me too I was so scared, but if you read my comment down, weirdly enough I have more symptoms on 1/4 of a pill then on 1/2. Anyway keep updating and hope everything goes well! Sending you lots of good vibes 🙂
Hey India + Mysterious E (hehe)
Hows it going? You could try three months like I did… But to be safe I would defs recommend longer. If I had a choice I would do the 6 months thing too but my doctor won’t give me a new script and I only had enough for three months. And I was over it… I hate pills back then it was the only thing that worked.
(((( SKIP IF YOU WANT – Side Story – VITEX – My sister is younger than me and has the same acne as I did when i was younger I told her not to take the pill and take Vitex 3 months later she doesn’t break out anymore… AHHHH if only I had known about the stuff back then!)))
I was on Diane (Brenda 35 a generic) for ages then switched to Yasmin for 2 reasons… 1. Because I knew I was going to wean and cutting Diane would be harder than cutting up Yasmin. 2. Yasmin was the lesser of 2 evils and lower my does a little before weaning I thought was a smart idea. I was on Yasmin for nearly 2 years before weaning. Between you and me I promised myself no more than 1 year back then! 😐
Like Christelle (who I adore to no end!) mentioned Kyra weaned of but if you read back she did it over more than 6 months. I don’t think she was in a rush either.
The choice is yours in the end… But you are right Diane is a horrible little thing and stronger than Yasmin.
Oh and about Vitex it is recommended not to take it with BC. It’ll mess your hormones more I think.
I look forward to what Christelle says too… OMG CHRISTELLE you should get into natural therapies! It might be your calling in life!
XX
Hey Frida, thanks for the reply!
Do you think I should switch to yasmin before I wean as well? Seems smart – did you break out at all during the transition between the two pills?
India
Hey India,
With every change of pill you are bound to get side effect. It really was a risk that I took changing. I guess the reason I stayed on it longer than expected was because I was so surprised at how I felt on it. I was million times happier on it, lost weight and Just felt overall better.
I did my research before switching and the drop in ingredients was a small % between Yamsin and Diane. But a lot bigger from Diane to Yaz. My doctor tried to convince me to try Yaz rather than Yasmin but I stuck to my guns.
Diane – (cyproterone 2mg – ethinyl estradiol 0.035mg)
Yasmin (drospirenone 3mg/ethinyl estradiol 0.030mg)
Yaz – drospirenone 3mg /ethinyl estradiol 0.02mg)
cyproterone and drospirenone are both synthetic hormones and very similar. My doctor said the 1mg shouldn’t make a different in fact work on our favor for acne. Not sure if I believe her…
But anyways…that was me personally. I did break out a little in the transition for the first 2 months (I kept a diary and only had entries about acne in September and October). And when I say little it was hardly noticeable small in size and most on my forehead and jawline. And because I was happier and in a better mood it didn’t seem to bother me as much. I guess too because I knew I was switching to something better I was OK to persevere.
I think India, maybe you should google more about the differences and see how you feel about it. Alternatively, you can wean of Diane for a little longer than 6 months.
Let me know what you decide. XX
Frida! Haha, thanks, pumpkin! I would freakin LOVE to get into natural therapies! Sadly, I’m a free-lance English teacher as is stands. I say sadly… I actually love it too. But yes, natural therapies definitely would be a potential calling!
Defo keep updating! And good luck! Thinking of you! 🙂
Hi Christelle and Frida and everyone else,
Ok, so I took Christelle’s advice and have been weaning off Diane35 for the past 5 days instead of cold-turkey. The 3/4 pill is fine, I’ve had a maybe two tiny pimples that went away after 12 hours but thats about it!
I am seriously thinking about switching to Yasmin though. I live in Vietnam where everything and I mean everything is prescription free, and I know Yasmin is one of the staple BC here…my question is – will i still have to take 3/4 of the pill with Yasmine, or a whole pill because it is a slightly lower dosage?
I’m glad for all of your advice – I was off DIane35 cold turkey for two whole days, and immediately I had two rocksolid forehead pimples – I mean, what the?!? Diane is a cold, hard meanie – haha 🙂
Lots of love from Mysterious E 🙂
Holy mohawk (nothing to do with the pill or weaning), I am HOOKED on your website! It’s SO inspiring! You lived in Vientiane? Someone I’m working with at the moment also lived there a few years back. He – and a friend, I think- created a street-art magazine, which was interrupted for a while, but seems to be back on track now, anyway, rambling, probably not the right place to do so, but yup, love the website, and the way you do words. It could almost make me want to leave France… almost 😉
And, to get back to the pill, I certainly wouldn’t suggest transitioning off Dianette and cutting up Yasmin pills at the same time. The reason I say this is because it contains a different progestin component from Dianette, dropspirenone. If you do want to transition onto Yasmin, I wouldn’t do it because it’s a “lower dose” pill, because in fact the dosage of ethinestradiol is still very high (0.030mg – Dianette contains 0.035mg; not much more). I would do it only to transition off cyproterone, which is the nasty nasty stuff in Dianette, the stuff that provokes testosterone surges. But, drospirenone is very dangerous. It can provoke strokes and other cardio-vascular problems, and these tend to occur in the first months after starting it. Maybe the best thing for you to do would just be to plan out how you’re going to wean off Dianette – how many months you want to spend weaning, how your partner feels about it, how you plan to avoid getting pregnant, how you’re going to get hold of Dianette in Germany (I don’t know if it’s legal or not there – in France it’s been banned for health reasons), etc. Perhaps you could just get a whole bunch of packs in Vietnam, and then take them along when you move… I don’t know, Bayer is the laboratory which produces Dianette, so maybe it is legal there… anyway, I suggest thinking all this stuff through, and just being extra patient. But it will work out! I can’t believe it’s been almost one year since I stopped taking the pill, and I feel so much better. But I know the transitional months were necessary.
Good luck sugar plum! Keep me posted! xxxxxxx
Thanks Christelle! I guess I am not so “mysterious” anymore? Haha 🙂 Just saw your comment about my wedding article, and replied too. Yes I did live in Vientiane like your friend – maybe we even know each other – crazy! Thanks for helping me so much with this transition. I will stay on Diane and just wean off – so far, so good. I’ll just stock up on the nasty poison and bring it with me to Germany – but will probably only do 6 months. Hope you are enjoying the warmer weather in France! xx
Hehe, I saw! Yay, we’re mutual followers now hihi – although you’re a way more proliferous blogger than me 🙂
I think 6 months is fine, just make sure you reduce gradually. Can’t wait to hear how you get on! Good luck, and good luck with your moving preparations!
Indeed, this year spring is playing hard to get in Europe, but I don’t want to shun it away with my complaining, so let’s say it’s all good!
xxx
Hey Laura!
That’s wicked news! 🙂
Good luck!
xxx
Hi Laura! Are you weaning off dianette? X
Hi India! 🙂
Yeah I’m weaning off dianette, finally after five years of being on it. I’ve posted my story in the comments section a little further up.
Short story is: Tried to give up Dianette cold turkey last year and had a nightmare. Skin broke out badly and hair began to fall out (not really badly, but probably lost about 50% of my hair… I had a lot of hair!) So now trying weaning.
Only in my 2nd week of 3/4 but have had a little bit of a breakout on one side of my face. But when I say breakout, I mean one big red spot and two little ones… It is either down to my body reacting to the lower dosage, or it could be something completely different. Too early to tell but I haven’t had a spot this big and red for a long time though… But I’m going to keep going! 🙂
I’ve cut out most sugar and dairy from my diet, am taking a probiotic everyday, and I’m also drinking peppermint tea. I’m also going to get some dandelion tea as suggested by Christelle.
I’ll be trying to post on here at least every month to keep people updated! 🙂
Definitely worth giving weaning a try if you’re feeling ready! Keep us updated!
xx
Hi there! (Just been reading ALL the comments, and right now I’m thrilled to know there’s a way out of the pill)
I’ve been on dianette for 2 years now, was on Microgynon fo 2 years before but was switched to Dianette because my periods were still heavy – WHY COULD THEY NOT HAVE WARNED ME?!
*exhales* Anyway…
I’ve been on an anti-candida diet for a year and a half now, and would like to start this out! Christelle – do you think I should take longer to wean off since Dianette is a stronger pill?
Also, would it be harmful/helpful to take vitex during the weaning period?
Thanks for everyone’s help on this thread, you guys may have just been my hormone-savers haha 🙂
Oh, and what supplements do you recommend taking and when?
Hey India,
I think Frida’s comment is very thorough. I would tend to agree with her, as both pills contain anti-androgenic synthetic progestins – drospirenone for Yaz/Yasmin, and cyproterone for Dianette. Yaz and Yasmin are in fact pretty much one and the same thing. The only difference being the dosage of ethin-estradiol, which is slightly lower in Yaz, although really not much lower.
The big difference is that not much is known about drospirenone because it’s very new on the market (only a few years). What we do know is that people on drospirenone have a 600% higher chance of suffering from a stroke or another cardio-vascular accident than people who don’t take this drug.
Dianette is dangerous too. Cyproterone doesn’t have much incidence on cardio-vascular health alone, but mixed with ethin-estradiol, it’s a killer. In France, Diane 35/Dianette has been banned altogether and is now regarded as a health hazard.
If you go to Wikipedia or Google, and type in “cyproterone”, you will see that it’s the drug that is used to treat prostate cancer in men, hirsutism in women, and fun fact, it’s also the drug they get serial rapists to take, as it literally chemically “castrates” them. In short, it’s a very strong anti-androgen. In the cases of cancer and other serious diseases, cyproterone is dished out to patients in high doses. According to the laboratory that produces the drug, this substance is very addictive, and they never just tell patients taking it to simply “come off it”. It’s always reduced gradually. The reason being, if the body suddenly stops absorbing it, it can cause a whole bunch of weird symptoms such as massive surges of testosterone, acne, etc. and even cancer in males. Now, doctors know this is the case for people taking strong doses of cyproterone, but Dianette is considered to contain a weak dose of the drug, and so doctors just tell their patients to come off it cold turkey. Clearly, the 2mgs of cyproterone contained in Dianette DO make a difference, contrary to what Frida’s doctor seems to believe (and I must say, good on you Frida for not believing her!), because otherwise women would just be able to stop Dianette without any problem. This, as we well know, is not the case.
Basically, what I’m saying is, if you do want to wean off Dianette, it will be fine. You just need to take your time.
As regards drospirenone, so far we don’t know if it creates dependency like cyproterone, but I would suggest that even if you do switch to Yasmin/yaz, you wean off too to avoid unnecessary hormone imbalances.
I really hope that helps. If you need any extra info, just go ahead!
Good luck chuck! 🙂
Also, India, just saw your question concerning supplements – I think anything (food or supplement) that promotes liver health will help. Turmeric (you can sprinkle it on your food, or take it in capsule form), burdock root, citrus fruits, artichoke, beets, dandelion leaf extract or tea… lots of water, and exercise helps too. 🙂
Okay great! My liver is pretty awful I know for sure – do you think I should liver cleanse before to avoid issues?
Also I’m thinking of getting a copper iud put in during the transition – my boyfriend (and I for that matter) can’t stand condoms! Do you think this is suitable during the weaning period?
Luckily he’s very supportive of what I’m doing. The infertility horror stories we’ve been reading up about are terrifying, and we both want kids in the future! Only 19, but I guess the sooner I get off this nightmare medication the better, and I can’t wait to feel like a woman again.
Hmm, I don’t know about liver cleansing. Have you read Tracy’s experience? It’s very rock n’roll! No, seriously, I’ve read some hardcore stuff about liver cleansing. I think just being extra kind with your liver should be sufficient. Maybe avoid alcohol for a while, drink lots of water, and stock up on liver-friendly foods. The best foods for your liver are green leafies, garlic, avocados, apples, grapefruit, green tea, and turmeric.
As regards your copper IUD situation, I really would advise you to get professional advice, as I have no knowledge in terms of IUDs. I have a friend who had one put in pretty much right after she gave birth, and she seems to be very happy with it… but I can’t really advise you personally.
My boyfriend and I use condoms. We hated it at first, because, they’re just so… ughffff, but after a while we got used to it, and now I’m learning to figure out the whole family planning method so we can also drop the condoms from time to time, and in the long run I’ll probably invest in a lady-comp, because I’ve heard they are incredible and very intuitive!
Anyhow, good luck with it all! Thinking of you my lovely! 😀
Hey India,
I just wanted to let you know that I’ve heard some infertility stories with copper IUDs so that’s the reason I am not going to be using it too. Like you I thought about, thinking about what I should do once I stop the pill, but now that I am weaning, my hubby just comes out haha! sorry if it’s too much detail. At first we were going to use the condom, but he and I hate it so that’s what we do. I know it’s not 100% safe but we’ve already talked about it and if I have a kid then so be it. I mean we just got married and I am only 23 so I totally do not feel ready to have a baby yet, but i dont know, like you I am scared of becoming infertile. Good luck on your weaning, so happy that you have joined the club! 🙂
Hi Girls,
I totally agree… Dont switch pills if it’s just to wean. I switched to Yasmin stayed on it for 2 years then weaned. This allowed my body to get use to the changes from switching first… then wean off. Though as I mentioned I was only meant to stay on for a year.
There are a few girls here who have weaned off Diane but they did take a little longer. Either way it might work out the same (time wise).
OH GOSH I only have 6 days left of taking the pill. Might as well update:
**UPDATE** I only have one active pimple on my face. Size wise? It’s small.
I have really sore breasts and my stomach hurts so I guess my period is coming. I have my bottle of Vitex ready and have been taking a good probiotic.
I keep suffering from thrush though 🙁 it’s horrible and this time around its worse than usual. I must have flora issues big time. I’ll try this candida diet.
ANYWAYS that’s it. I wish I had more to say but since dropping down to 1/2 then 3/4 not much has changed. Most of the changes I felt was on 3/4 and for me that was the worst of it. It just got better from there. I’m generally a lot happier too. I feel like myself more and more everyday.
Im really scared to finish up to be honest. Ive been taking these little things for so long, relying on them to keep my skin at bay.
Oh well… Last time i quit CT the bad skin started to come back slowly from the first natural period. So we’ll see I guess…
XX
Fridaaaa! That’s SUCH good news! It’s so funny because last night, as I was going to bed, and running through my checklist of things to do before going to sleep (I was very tired, bear in mind), I had a split second reflex “did you take your pill”, and then, “oh, of course not, you don’t take that anymore”. It’s been almost a year since I popped one, and yet the habit hasn’t totally stopped haunting me hehehe!
Concerning thrush, yes, it’s a real pain. When I transitioned from Diane 35 to Jasmin (years ago, in 2006), I suffered from thrush and urinary tract infections almost every month. At one point it peaked and I was suffering from both at the same time. I thought I would have to go through that forever. I later learned that thrush is developed when women take high estrogen BC pills (but in sensitive women any BC pill can cause it), because the high levels of estrogen mess with your gut flora and stop B-vitamins from getting into your blood flow. There’s something about that and blood-sugar, and the fact that your vaginal and gut flora is so depleted that causes candida/thrush to multiply, and before you know it you’re suffering. Probiotics/kefir can save your life, and then maybe a good B-vitamin supplement or a multi-vitamin might help get you back on track. Anti-candida diets are good too, I’m sure, at least to kick-start the healing process. Coconut oil is anti-fungal too, so maybe throw some in your morning smoothies.
Good luck chuck! You’re almost there! 🙂
xxxxx
Hey Christelle!
I am curious about this relationship between gut flora, vitamin-B deficiency and sugar. Can you elaborate more on it? Are you saying that for people who have stopped taking the pill, sugar intake will increase the chances of getting candida/thrush? Cause remember I was telling you guys about the disbalance in vaginal flora I had that caused me to have yeast and bacterial infection. Well the thing is that it still hasn’t gone away completely and sometimes it goes away but then it comes back. I think this thing is really starting to become chronic and I don’t know what to do. This was one of the major reasons why I also decided to stop the pill cause I felt that it was causing it. But now that I am weaning and taking lower doses, I would have thought things would be ok 🙁 Anyway, your thoughts would be much appreciated! BTW trop contente que tout se passe bien de ton coté, pas d’acne etc 🙂 bisou ma belle!
Hi ladies,
I’ve been returning to this page over and over for the past few months. I can’t begin to tell you what an amazing help all of your comments have been for me! I don’t know that I would have been brave enough to do this without knowing there are other women in the same boat.
I wanted to mention some of the things I’ve been doing and get your feedback as well. I’m not sure if Tracy has posted on the importance of iodine, but I’ve been doing alot of research on hypothyroidism & iodine. Most people are severely deficient in iodine. Since I’ve begun taking it (go slowly, as it can cause initial breakouts from detoxing you) my body temperature has started to regulate. I always had cold hands and feet before this. Also, as I’ve been going off the pill I was noticing symptoms of hypothyroidism (hair loss, exhaustion, anxiety, depression). The iodine will also support my thyroid in beginning production of the hormones I haven’t needed to produce in years due to the birth control pill. Please check out this site for further info: http://www.theiodineproject.webs.com/
So, I’ve been weaning off ortho-tricyclen since about last September. I cut down to 3/4, now I’m at 1/2, and I will be starting 1/4 pill in a few days. I’ve finally taken the plunge to cut out gluten and dairy and really am getting my diet together. I’ve noticed more breakouts (not by much though, my skin still looks pretty good to my high standards). However, one thing I’m worried about is hair loss. My hairline has started to recede and I’ve been losing a lot of hair. I know this is a side effect of estrogen dominance (while my body is not getting the mega-high doses of estrogen it was, it’s still dominant in comparison to the amount of progesterone in my body, which is basically zilch right now). I know someone else in this thread mentioned hair loss, but I wanted to know how long it took to balance out the hair loss before it started to regrow. It’s just hard not to freak out.
The other few things I wanted to mention was Dr. Lee’s info on hormone therapy. This is a quiz to help you determine where your imbalances lie: http://www.johnleemd.com/store/resource_hormonetest.html
Because of that, I just purchased some bioidentical progesterone cream to help jumpstart my progesterone production.
Lastly, I don’t know if anyone has mentioned DIM or maca on this thread but I’ve read how those can be helpful for hormone balance.
Anyway, do your research. I’ve found the most helpful thing for me is to read amazon.com reviews of products I think might be helpful and go from there.
I hope I was able to give a little bit back from all the wisdom I’ve gleaned from this site!
Hey Kelly!
Good for you for doing all that wonderful research, and for starting the whole weaning process.
As regards Dr. Lee’s website, I know I went back to it several times last year as I found it immensely helpful. I bought myself some progesterone cream too, and used it one day (I can’t remember exactly when this was, in September of last year perhaps), an maybe I should have mentioned it here, but my period then didn’t turn up for 7 days, and I got bad bloating/PMS symptoms, and I just couldn’t be bothered with that stuff anymore. I also realized that just like other pro-some-supplement websites, the whole Dr Lee says you’re all progesterone deficient thing was pretty much a scam. So, although I do think that most women who have taken birth control for a while are probably progesterone deficient, the best way to solve the problem would probably be to take vitex, which helps the body regulate its hormone production (both estrogen and progesterone, but especially progesterone), and maybe yes, take DIM, as this can be great for dealing with excess estrogen. Progesterone cream has also been scientifically proven as cancer-inducing, so I’ve decided to stay as natural as possible and avoid the Dr Lee hype. Otherwise, I’ve read some horror acne concerning Maca, but some women swear by it… the best way would be to try it and see. And yep, totally on board with the iodine issue thing. We definitely don’t get enough every day – at least that’s how I feel.
Good luck with all those new dietary implementations! Wishing you well, and let us know how it works out for you! 🙂
Wow, Christelle, you’re on it!
Thanks for your response. That’s good to know about Dr. Lee. I’ll definitely look into it further. There’s so much conflicting information that I feel like all this research is my other job! Do you think it’s okay to start using Vitex if I’m still on a low dose of the pill?
Hehe Kelly, I don’t know. I just think it’s weird that suddenly we’re all progesterone deficient, and we all need miracle cure progesterone cream. I suspect there is an element of truth to the matter of progesterone deficiency, especially with the use of BC pills, and with the problem of excess estrogen in the environment, but it seems odd that one so called miracle product should be the cure to all those imbalances…
I don’t know if vitex and the pill are incompatible. I don’t see why not, although I myself didn’t want to risk it while I was weaning. But you could always try and see what happens! 🙂
Good luck!
Hi ladies!
I wanted to update you on my progress. So after this week I will be officially starting 1/2 the pill next Sunday! I am excited but nervous at the same time because of hearing that this is when you really start to feel the withdrawal symptoms.
I wanted to ask you guys if, throughout this process or just the process of being on bc, you have experienced a change in gut or digestion issues (specifically chronic pain, gas, bloating, constipation, etc). I have noticed this and have also researched it so many times. I have had Celiac for 5 years so I am very aware of what I put in my mouth but lately it seems as if I cannot eat anything without experiencing this. I came across the possibility of Candida and how it can be caused or worsened by birth control. In my case, I feel this to be true and I was wondering on your opinions on this. I know there has been mention of this on this thread so sorry if this is a repetitive subject.
This is really bugging me and I am wondering if you guys have any natural solutions. I hardly ever eat junk/sweets but I do eat starch carbs like yams or limited fruit like apples or blueberries. I hesitate to go to the doctor because, after experiencing constant disappointment through my Celiac struggle and doctors flat out not knowing what to do/prescribing different pills, I have lost faith in them! Anyway, maybe this is a side effect of lower dosage of hormones and I wonder if my gut flora will even out in due time?
Anyway, still very thankful I am doing this as I have continually been pleasantly surprised that I have not broken out by now! Like many of you, I have had a few pimples here and there but nothing horrible.
Good luck to everyone on their journey!
Ela
Hey Ela,
I’ve heard GAPS can help heal celiac. Have you ever tried that?
The 3/4-1/2 transition is the most stressful! But I’m confident you’ll be ok skin-wise!
Good luck!!!
Heya Ela,
I have been having thrush issues for ages… EVERYWHERE. Now I take a good probiotic (it’s expensive and kept locked up in the chemist so Im guessing its good) and down to my last days on 1/4. Only now do I feel ok. It’s taken ages. My stomach isn’t so bloated anymore other than from taking the probiotic (that can happen in the first few weeks) which I take at night.
Funny, we started off as weaning buddies and I kinda changed it up. 3 months EXPRESS! I was just sick of it all. I want to have kids and I’m creeping on to 30 soon and I was watching that dumb episode of the Kardashians where the DR was saying once you hit 30 your chances decrease.
That kinda scared the shit out of me!
might as well UPDATE: At the moment I do have 1 small pimple and that’s on my jawline so you can’t really see it. Through this weaning process its pretty much been my chin and jawline of break outs and they were only small and easy to cover. I treated them with Benzyl Peroxide and they usually go in 3-4 days.
I’m a little moody, breasts hurt, I feel nauseated too right now but I am approaching my sugar pills so that might be it.
Good luck!
Wow….I am so inspired by everyone’s stories…Thankyou Christelle for being a rock to everyone throughout this somewhat scary time of weaning!
My story, I’m 35, I have been on Dianne 35 (and generic brand brenda) for 14 years. So enough is enough! I originally went on for my skin, moderate acne, came off CT many years ago and broke out TERRIBLY, so went back on after 8 weeks. I will be weaning off over 9 months from July, including supplements etc.
Now my issue is, I used to have THICK hair, really thick, and ever since I have been in Dianne I have lost more than half a head. It happened slowly over many years. I find this strange as most women on Dianne grow thick, beautiful hair and here I am with lifeless whispy thin hair. I am so scared about losing what I have left!!!
Any thoughts on why I would have had this reaction? I have done so much research but can’t come up with any information on it! I wonder if When I finish weaning if I will go back to having thick hair, or if it’s started some terrible baldness gene in me forever!!
Thanks again to everyone and all the best xxxx
Hey ladies!
Just a little update! This month I didn’t take vitex at all. So far, since I stopped weaning last July, I have taken vitex (400mg every few days), and this month I thought I’d skip it, to see how my body manages on its own.
Well, my period came on day 31. Up until now, the whole time I was taking vitex, my period would take ages to actually get started, and then it would last for up to 13 days. Basically, to give you the crunchy details, I would get spotting for the first week, and then serious bleeding from days 7-12/13. This month, without vitex, my period just started up properly straight away. I’m on day 6, and it’s slowing down now. I did get some cramping and breast tenderness on day 4, but I decided to stay away from medication just to see how painful it could be naturally, and it turned out fine. The pain subsided quickly, and I think my cycle is still on track despite not having taken any vitex.
I’ve just started taking a prenatal multivitamin (my BF and I are still in the process of discussing the whole baby predicament, but we thought the prenatal couldn’t hurt), so I’ll let you know how that pans out. Also, my skin is still 100% clear! Yay!
Thinking of you all! Good luck! xxxxxxx
Thanks for your update Christelle! Please see my above comment and let me know your thoughts if possible!
Thanks
Bel x
I just did in the section below… 🙂
Opps, sorry, just realised how impatient & pushy I looked, my responses weren’t showing up on the site so I wasnt sure if they were going through. Thanks again for your helpful response! All the best. Bel x
Christelle?!
Hey Bel,
God to hear you’ve joined the weaning club! 😉
Ok, concerning your hair-loss question, I’m not sure. There are many reasons why women can experience hair thinning issues. The question is, is your hair falling out/breaking or do you just get the impression you have less of it? Thyroid issues can cause hair-loss, as can the lack of certain minerals like magnesium combined with vitamin B6. Autoimmune diseases cause hair-loss too, allergies, etc. And then there’s the way you style it and the treatment you use on it. What type of hair do you have? Do you wash your hair regularly? Do you use non-aggressive shampoos? Do you eat plenty of protein? Do you leave your hair down a lot? – Leaving you hair down looks pretty, but it can cause breakage as you’re allowing it to rub against collars/coats/the back of chairs/scarves, etc, and this can damage your hair. Personally, this whole weaning process has given me a burst of energy to embark on more health journeys, and right now I’m letting my heat and colour-damaged very curly hair grow out. I’ve pretty much decided to just leave it alone, stop using aggressive substances on it, stop heat styling it, and just put it in protective up-dos for a while, until I’m ready for the big trim.
Maybe you could get some bloodwork done if you’re concerned. That would give you closure on possible thyroid imbalances, and I know it’s expensive, but the best way to check for mineral deficiency is to do a hair mineral analysis. It’s supposed to be very accurate…
Let me know what you decide to do…
Good luck! 🙂
You are just a wealth of information Christelle! I honestly think this is your calling!!!
Thank you so much again for your help. I actually just assumed it was hormone related because it was a slow decrease since I started the pill, now I will consider the other things you mentioned.
My hair is normally up (because its so thin) and is very “flyaway” and whispy. Yuk, its completely changed the texture all together.
Thanks again and all the best xxxx
Wow there are sooo many comments! I haven’t been really checking my mail these days and it took me a while to read everyone’s story! I’m so happy there are so many of us weaning off now or have weaned off in general. I remember when I first started searching about accounts of anyone having weaned off, and I couldn’t find ANYONE! lol Anyway for those who are reading, good luck to you all and although I am not as knowledgable about these stuff as Christelle (hehe), I hope that my story and experience of weaning will be of help. BTW, Christelle how the hell do you know so much stuff?! lol Honestly you are like a dictionary and every time there’s a question, you have a long reply 🙂 Like the others have said, I think this is your true calling haha!
Now that I am here let me give a quick update! I’m currently on 1/4 of a pill and it has been 2 weeks. So far weirdly enough, I feel more of a difference now than when I was on 1/2 of a pill :/ Honestly, I have been much more moody, tired in general, and getting more pimples. But mind you, I am going through my finals and I have been quite stressed lately. So I am also thinking that the stress and fatigue had a lot to do with the symptoms. I know for a fact that even when I was on the pill, during finals I would always break out. In any case, I went to the gym just before and I feel a little bit better so thats good 🙂 Anyway I hope these symptoms are temporary and will go away and stabilize. I still have at least 2 full months to go on 1/4 of a pill (I am doing 9 months in total). Oh and I noticed something today, I was bleeding a bit down there, so maybe I am going to get my periods! Hope not cause then that would mean my periods would be coming in advance again and that maybe the dose is too low. I don’t know I will just have to see how it goes. It is true that when I went on 1/2 a pill, the first month my periods came earlier and then the next 2 months it stabilized and came on time, so maybe my body is doing the same here. I will let you guys know.
Thanks for the amazing updates everyone! I’ll talk to you soon! xxx
Hi everyone,
Its really nice to find this site and to see so many ppl going tru the same.
I have been weaning the pill off since Feb, so this is my 4th montn. I took 3/4 for the first month then 1/2 for 2months and now Im taking 1/4 of the pill. So far so good, my skin is perfect but i have been bleeding a little bit, the same thing happened the 1st month i took 1/2 of the pill. So Im hoping next month I will be able to go throught the whole month without bleeding, even thouh i must say its very litte, just spots basically. I also have to say that ive noticed ive been a bit more moody. I have been taking primrose oil capsule (1 per day)
Ive been taking dianette for about 10 years, i tried to stop once (about 6 years ago) cold turkey and it took about 3 months to get my period bk, by then I had acne in the T zone and very oily skin. So I decided to go back on the pill. I want to quit the pill now because Im really tired of it, besides I have gastritis which is btw getting much better with every lower dosis of the pill, also Im planing on getting pregnant next year so want to start cleaning my body. Good luck to all of you who are weaning off BCP!!
Hi Everyone,
Sorry I’m being an update hog. But I want to be as detailed as possible so I can help others and maybe look back on this as a diary.
So last month when I was on 1/2 a pill and I got my period early. So my body wasn’t following the pill schedule anymore. 4 days earlier to be exact. But it still felt like a normal pill period. except I had a few more cramps than usual.
This month I was taking 1/4 pill. Again it came early. In fact is came exactly 28 days from my last period. Boy oh boy it felt like a real period. I forgot what it was like! I had the sore breasts the week before and the back pain and sorry if this is TMI but the amount and colour was exactly back to my old natural period. Which leads me to believe that maybe a 1/4 might not have been enough hormones in my body to actually stop ovulation. I guess we’ll see next month.
On the skin front my skin is great. I’m super happy. I’ve lost weight and find that I’m not craving bad food anymore. I was moody but only before my period 2 days before. I only had 1 active pill left to take but i got my period so i decided not to. I threw it out. It felt amazing! 🙂
Hopefully 3 months was enough to help my skin. I’ll be starting Vitex as soon as my period finishes and I have been taking prenatal too just in case. If it happens it happens but ideally i’d like to wait 3 months to get a regular period and just get my eggs healthy!
All the best girls. I guess my next update will be if something changes or 28 days from now. I broke out horribly during my first and second natural periods when I stopped CT. 🙂
Hi Girls,
Just a quick update, I am on month 2 of weaning off Dianette and currently taking 3/4 of the pill. I have decided to wean off for a total of 9 months.
I have currently 7 days left off my second pack of weaning.
I am still taking evening Primrose and Starflower Oil, 1000mg and Omega 3 fish oil 1200 mg. I am currently taking 1 caosules of each once a day.
I am also drinking 3 mint tea(spearmint/peppermint and fieldmint.
Skinwise, I have some pimples on both sides of my cheeks which seem to have appeared in the last few days, this has got me down abit as my cheeks were clear. I also have a few on my forehead.I am also using tea tree oil on my spots.
I have for the past 2 weeks let my healthy diet slip as have 2 weddings where I have ate and drank lots of alcohol, not sure if the spots have anything to do with this?
I dont know if any of you girls that have weaned off dianette have had a similar experience in the early stages of weaning.
I hate looking in the mirror at the mo as hate seeing my outbreak of spots of my cheeks 🙁
Is there are sort of diet that you girls can recommend? Or do u think I can increase my dose of EPO or fish oil?
Any advise would be much appreciated. I really hope I dont give up and go back fully on Dianette.
Thanks Girls xx
Hi Jazz,
I’m weaning off Dianette as well, but only just finishing my first month.
Sorry to hear you’re having a bad time 🙁
I’ve also seen an increase in the amount of spots although not to an unhappy level. I seem to be getting a new spot every night but they are going down really quickly as well. It’s quite weird!
I’ve never had much success with tea tree oil – I’m not sure why. Might be because I’ve had every chemical under the sun on my skin over the past 10 years and tea tree is just not up to it anymore!
As such, I can’t give much advice on natural remedies. I’m having to use BHA and AHA exfoliating liquids to keep my skin under control (but I was doing that on Dianette as well – just not at the same level).
Do you take zinc tablets? I’ve heard zinc is supposed to help with spots?
One thing I’ve also done is tried to reduce the amount of sugar and dairy I’m eating. Particularly dairy. Both of these have been linked to acne I think.
Sure some of the other girls can give more advice, but just wanted to say, stay strong and try and keep going! We’re all in the same boat!
xx
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your advice. I am not taking zinc tablets but if I dont clear soon I will look into that.
I have only had the spots appear over the last couple of days, I deffo think it has something to do with my alcohol intake in the last 2 weeks. My cheeks just feel itchy, although my spots are not big and red they are small and under the skin. I will access it again in the next few days.
Good luck with your weaning and keep us updated. Also what products are you using on your face? I have been using freedom cleaner for about years, although I think its more for teenage skin I have never had any problems with it. xx
It could be to do with your diet as you say. If it starts clearing up and calming down over the next week or so then it could be the alcohol.
Another thing that I forgot to mention, a lot of the ladies on here have mentioned candida as a possible cause of acne. BCPs can cause an imbalance in the stomach which can contribute to candida overgrowth. So maybe look into that.
I use so many products on my face it’s crazy! I alternate what I use everyday after many years of trying something, finding it works, and then my skin gets used to it and it stops working. So some days I use the Oil Cleansing Method (mix of castor oil and safflower oil) other days I use my Philosophy cleanser, then other days I’ll use a (sadly quite harsh on the skin) Neutrogena face wash. Then I’ll use either more oil to moisture (if my skin’s dry) or if it’s oily or has some active spots I’ll either use my AHA exfoliant (Paula’s choice) or my BHA garner spot stick. I’ve also got retinol cream and serum. It’s like a beauty shop in my bathroom!
I also use freederm gel sometimes, but I haven’t tried the cleanser so I’ll look into that, thanks! 🙂
Hi Jazz,
I just read your last comment. I do agree with Laura about the relationship between alcohol intake-acne. I wouldn’t stress about a few pimples… you want to watch out for regularity… are they coming back a lot, are they getting more painful, more numerous etc.
As regards facial cleaners, perhaps you could try the whole less is more approach. I know that when I was weaning, it really helped me to just stop washing my face altogether. I just splashed some cold water on it every morning, and rubbed a bit of jojoba oil on it, and I noticed that my skin regulated itself. Jojoba oil is the closest oil to the skin’s natural oil production, and apparently, when you use it, your receptors can actually get tricked into believing that your skin is producing enough sebum. This is said to help immensely with excess oil, and acne… but of course, I’m just suggesting… perhaps this is not relevant to you…
Good luck in all cases 🙂
Thanks Laura, I will try and reduce both my diary and sugar intake, I was on quite a good diet up until 3 weeks ago but have had a lot of weddings to attend and everything seems to have just gone out the window.
I have taken your advice and now taking zinc tablets, 15MG.
Keep us updated with the weaning process, I would like to know how you get on considering we are on the same pill 🙂 x
Yeah, Alcohol will do it to you. Especially during weaning.
No sugar, dairy or drinking, some say gluten but I didn’t cut it out just didn’t over indulge. I know it sucks but that’s life. I had a huge piece of cake the other day. I am paying for it with 3 new pimples.
DRINK HEAPS OF WATER. 8 glasses.
I was the same I had a whole drug store in my bathroom. I only wash my face with Cetaphil now and use a spot treatment.
Diane is a bitch. Good luck.
Thanks Frida, Im so glad that I found this website or I wouldn’t have known what to do. Im off the alcohol now and think I will stay off it (hopefully) during the weaning process.
I have this week changed my diet and will try to eat better.
xx
Hey Girls,
So last week on thursday I was telling u guys how I thought I was going to have my periods, well it has come unfortunately and a lot. I am still taking 1/4 of a pill everyday but it seems that the dose is just too low. Or maybe this is just my body trying to adjust to the lower level of hormones and next month it will go back to normal like it did when I was on 1/2 a pill. But still, the fact that my periods came after taking the pills for 11 days only worries me a bit. If next month I get my periods early then I think it will be my last month and in total I would have weaned off in 8 months instead of 9. It’s crazy how time flies, I cannot believe that I am already so close to the end. I guess weaning off in 8 months is more than enough so I am not that disappointed.
What I am more disappointed about are the symptoms that I am having this month. I have a few pimples that have come up on my chin, my skin has become more oilier in general, and I am shedding more hair. I really hope that this is just this month due to also the stress and exams, and that my body will readjust next month. My diet has not really changed. I eat normally as usual except I am trying to cut off the sugary stuff more this month and I am not taking any special supplements. I am really hesitating about whether or not I should take Vitex when I stop weaning, but I do not want to become a slave to another thing you know…If anyone has some advice, it would be much appreciated.
Anyway, I just wanted to give you a heads up. It’s weird how I am having the effects now while most of you had the symptoms in the beginning of your weaning process. In any case, wish me luck and of course good luck to the rest of you! XXX
Hey Monaaaa (oh my God I’m so 80’s! Somebody stop me!)!
Yes, that’s exactly what happened to me when I went into weaning off on 1/8th dose. I was too scared to just stop, so I decided to take a tiny dose (that was after having weaned for 6 months), but I ended up getting a really heavy period only 15 days (give or take) after my last one… so yeah… that sucked.
It probably means that your body is producing its own hormones. I mean, there are two options: either your body is starting to get back on track and what you’re experiencing is a real natural period, OR you’re just experiencing spotting, which happens when the level of hormones on the pill is too low to maintain a full cycle. I would tend to think though that you’re just getting your proper period back. This would probably explain the symptoms – pimples etc.
This month, for some reason (probably because I’ve been invited out a zillion times, late nights, not much water, pizza, work-related stress, etc.), I got a couple of small spots along my hairline during my period. They were red and bumpy and a little painful. I got 2 on my back too. I decided not to even look at them, and now they’ve all disappeared. I’m not putting it on account of anything… sometimes you just get a random pimple, and you just have to hope and trust that it’s a one-off event. In my case, I’m sure more sleep and more water is the cure. In your case, I’m sure that once you finish your exams you’ll see an improvement (good luck btw!).
Concerning vitex, I took it for almost a year, and I am sure it really helped me retrieve my cycle and stabilize my hormones. I’m off it now, but I think I will use it from time to time for maintenance. Don’t worry about getting hooked on it; it cannot make you dependent. One reason why you should take it is that it only really starts working after a few months, so it might be an idea to give it a shot for a while and see how it works for you. Another reason you might want to consider it is because vitex helps your body produce its own progesterone supply, and that’s something women who have taken the pill for years have trouble producing when they stop birth control. That’s why I took it; to avoid the whole estrogen dominance thing. But really, you should do what YOU think is best for your body. It might not be efficient for everybody, so you know, trust your gut instinct.
As for all the info I now know, I think there are several possible explanations. Firstly, my mother is a health freak, and she’s always lectured me on why this or that vegetable/fruit/supplement is good for you, etc. And then I just do a bunch of reading online and in books. I enjoy it. I have a pretty deep hatred of the mainstream health system (my dad died brutally of heart failure at 40 after a faulty diagnosis by a mainstream UK doctor when I was 12 – I have a few issues to deal with regarding this event, but it’s definitely provoked disgust on my part as to the competence, ethics, and global vision of the medical/pharmaceutical world). Plus, I’m just so pissed off that I actually took the pill for so many years without feeling as though I had an option. I just want to sock it to the industry by helping as many women as I can get off their artificial junk and retrieve their beautiful natural cycle, mental wellbeing, fertility, and save a few bucks along the way (I realized that altogether, over 10 years, the pill must have cost me about 1000$… I know! WTF! I could have traveled with that money, or rescued more cats, or got a piano… think of the possibilities)!
Anyway, let me know how things come along for you, and if the symptoms subside after your period ends…
Bon courage ma belle! Des bises 😉
Coucou poulette! Thanks so much for your advice 🙂 But I have a few questions. When you were on 1/4 of a pill, did your periods come as early as me or did u experience it only when u were trying to do 1/8? Cause now I dont know what to do. I think you are right, I think I did ovulate this month but I am perplexed about what to do now. I am still taking 1/4 even though I have my periods and my normal schedule to stop it will be this coming sunday. So should I stop taking the pill all together after this Sunday because it will be bad for me to continue taking the pill when my body is trying to find its normal cycle or do you think its okay for me to continue next month with 1/4? Arf, this is quite confusing!
Also about the Vitex, I understand what you mean. I think if I start really breaking out and having symptoms then I will take it but if I don’t then I think I would prefer not to take anything. But my question about this was whether it actually has negative effects on some people? Have you read any controversial issues with Vitex? You are so knowledgable about these things, you must know haha Cause the thing is that if for some people the symptoms become worse on Vitex, I do not want to risk taking it you know…
Anyway, it’s awesome that you are still doing great! 🙂 Thanks again so much! Je t’envoie pleins de bisouxxxx
Oh and you know about the reasons why you know so much, I totally agree with the not having confidence on doctors. Actually you know, right about the first time I stopped my pill and had the symptoms for the first time, I was studying medicine to become a doctor and my disgust towards their untrustworthiness was one of the reasons why I changed my major. I was so disgusted by doctors in general at that time regarding my issues and how unknowledgable they were. It was crazy. Anyway I think we girls have all unfortunately learned the lesson the hard though our own flesh. Bleh! And also like you said, I can’t believe we already spent that much money on these stupid toxic pills. Anyway it’s awesome that you are using your knowledge to help girls out! You’re just awesome Christelle! haha 🙂
Wow! Mona… congratulations on sticking it out. 8 months huh? MY GOSH I feel like I was reading about you wanting to start weaning only yesterday!
You know my last period felt very REAL too I had a sore back stomach pains and heavy flow (sorry if that’s TMI) But it came exactly 28 days from the last one I had. I wasn’t even on the sugar pills yet. Same as you way too early (by the pills schedule but just right on body schedule).
I think it’s a sign our bodies are slowly ovulating on their own. I think ¼ isn’t enough for our bodies to think we are still on the pill. I too noticed a little break out but I have been eating bad and had a period. So I am putting it on that. Hair issues too. But I found a shampoo on iherb for thicken and it works pretty well. If you want to buy let me know I have a code that gives you 10% off. Also been taking hair skin and nails supplements… and I have stopped straightening my hair as much. Blah I feel like the hair thing is a sign that we are unbalanced.
I use to break out when I had a period before the whole pill thing, So I’m not surprised if I go back to that.
About Vitex… I don’t think you would be “stuck” using it forever Mona… Many people start and stop it all the time and are ok. As I have mentioned before my sister started taking it and is over the moon. She was getting her period every 2 weeks and breaking out each time before she got them. Now, she takes 800mg a day and her period is like clockwork… and…. Best part… she doesn’t break out any more. Now to me, taking something natural is better for her than taking the pill (which is what the doctors time and time again prescribed her).
I too am unsure of whether I will take Vitex I heard that if you are regular it might screw things over. But stopping the pill would mean we are unbalanced right? Maybe instead of taking the RRD of 800-100mg I might just take 500-600mg and see how I go first. I agree with you though that I don’t want to be stuffing around too much with my body. But I think Vitex is a good idea. I know Christelle took it for a while and it did help her, though I recently read its not helping her anymore. So maybe she is super regular now and doesn’t need to take it? Not sure… CHRISTELLE… we’d love your opinion on Vitex.
Anyways all the best Mona… XX
Fridaaaa!
Hey my dear. Regarding vitex, I just replied directly on Mona’s last update… so check it out, and if you need more vitex info fire away!
Also, wonderful news! I just read this whole thing about magnesium oil being an efficient stimulant for hair growth… and when I say magnesium oil, I mean body-lotion oil, not pills or internal supplements. I read that when rubbed on the body, or used as a foot soak, it’s great for achy joints/muscles, it relieves morning sickness, and it can help with hair growth… so you could look into that for your hair-growth issue…
I agree with the fact that your body is probably ovulating on its own by now. I really started to tell the difference between pill-induced periods and real periods by the heaviness of the flow, the fact that I no longer had PMS, and (and sorry, TMI, but hey, c’est la nature!) by the odor. The blood had the smell of “real” blood. Now I know that sounds graphic, but it’s a significant detail. It meant that whatever artificial cycle I was getting on the pill probably wasn’t “cleaning me out” properly, at least that’s how I interpreted it.
Personally, vitex helped me get my cycle back, but I’m not 28-clockwork. I revolve around 31-32 days. But considering I could go 3-4 months without a period before going on the pill, I do believe vitex has played an important part in helping my cycles stay on track.
I hope this helped… let me know if you need anything else! And good luck!!! 🙂
Hey Frida!
Oh you’re so sweet thank you! I will wait for the shampoo, I just wanna see if my hair can become back to normal on its own (I know I’m weird like that! lol)
I think you are right about me ovulating last week. But now I am worried. I asked the same question above to Christelle, but do you think I should continue taking 1/4 next month or should I just stop the pill when this month is over because I am actually harming my body that is trying to find its normal cycle? Your advice would be much appreciated 🙂 BTW i was so happy to read that your 3 months weaning has worked out well for you, except the hair shedding. But honestly, its true that time just passes soooo quickly and you’re like the time has finally come to never ever take the pill again!
Anyway thanks for your support again! Hope all is well on your side! XXX
Mona Sweetheart!
Honestly, I think you can continue taking for one more month so long as you know that your period will come without following the schedule. To it definitely seems like your body is getting back to normal.
Do I think you’re ready to stop? I think so, many people here only did 2 months and are ok. Heck I did one and so far so good. But if you’re nervous about it then I think one more month won’t hurt. But you may spot and might get your period randomly. Once that does happen I would suggest stopping.
It’s been a 10 days since I stopped taking the pill. My hair loss is not too bad but its actually less than when I stopped CT but more than usual.
I decided to take vitex. I’ll take it for 3 months and decide if I will continue or not. My acne before I started the pill was hormonal which means I had an imbalance somewhere, so I think vitex would work in my situation.
I’m so proud of you Mona, I know how hard this was for you. I think you have persevered long enough I am sure you will be fine. 9 months is a long time. Your body will love you for it.
Let me know what you decide and what happens.
I do have 1 pimple at the moment, but its not a concern for me. I’ll take 1, 2 or 5 any day over a million I had when I stopped CT I guess the scary part is wondering when a new one does pop out whether or not I will get more but I guess time will tell, at least I did my best.
Good luck my darling!
Hi Ladies
Thank you for this blog because it really has been an inspiration. And to all the stories, i dont know what I would have done…
I have been on Diane for more than 10 years (I am now 29).scary!!! I had mild acne, and irregular periods as a teen, and didnt think twice about alternative options. 4 years ago I stopped cold turkey and broke out with cystic acne. Before it was too late, I went back on the pill and had a dose of roccatuane.
Thanks to this website and I have started the weaning process. I did 3 months 3/4, and now on my 2nd month at 1/2. The first month I experienced the worst headache of my life, but now to be honest I am feeling so much better and less headaches and less PMS. my periods are coming a week early, but i think that is the normal case.
My Skin.
On the pill, my skin was perfect. On the weaning process my skin is breaking out and it is more oily. But I am sticking it out.
My Question.
I have more pimples (little ones, but almost rash like, but it does clear up just before my period comes. But my only concern is that I am getting more pimples on my chest and back? Has anyone else had this experience? its tiny little ones sitting under the skin. Like a rash? This month its on my cheeks too. I am hoping that it will clear, and with all the water I am drinking, it is slightly.
Please ladies, let me know if anyone is experiencing this? Any advice on what supplements I should be taking. I am sure my liver and gut flora is destroyed, so what should i be taking?
Thanks ladies,
xxx
Nics
Hi Nics,
Hows your diet? For me I know that sugar and dairy will make me break out and even sweating after a working out and not having a shower ASAP.
Weaning is a tough process on our bodies. I feel that diet is very important. Lets go through all the possibilities.
1. Diet – so if it is bad start cutting things out slowly, caffeine, diary, sugar and try to have a low carb/gluten diet which leads to…
2. Candida – Go buy yourself a good probiotic, when it comes to vitamins usually the more $$$ the better it is. This will help with the gut stuff.
3. WASH – because your skin is a lot oily now it does mean that pimple can form easily which means you might need to shower ASAP after sweating and also changing pillow cases every day. I use a towel and change it every 2 nights.
I also suggest taking zinc that stuff is great for skin. Also as Christelle has mentioned Cod liver oil vitamin D and A are amazing too.
If you are concerned about acne on your back and chest you can always use a benzyl peroxide wash i think around 2.5 – 5% will be good. this helped me in the past. Actually a good face wash will help too, you might want to review what you are using. Don’t worry Nics we’ll get to the bottom of it.
Did you have breaks in between “sugar pills” or did you skip periods? I think maybe you might to wean a little longer (if the above doesn’t apply to you) maybe your body needs a bit more time to adjust to the hormone change/shift. Which is totally ok. Everyone’s body is different.
Do a search on Kyra in this blog, she was like you but she weaned for a lot longer.
Good luck Nics, acne totally sucks…
Hi peeps!
Just an updated I think the vitex has caused me to having spotting mid cycle. Im a super regular cycle gal. Even while weaning i mention I got my period exactly 28 days later. Ive decided to stop taking it after 5 days. Im on day 12 of my cycle and I just have a feeling its not for me.
I thought id be great to avoid acne but since starting Ive broken out. Ill post again soon.
You are right mona to wait and see… I should have given my body time to see if it could fix itself up before taking vitex. Duh! Oh well.
Hi Girls,
Just to update you I have completed month 2 of weaning on 3/4 of the pill.
So far I have broken out with a few pimples here and there but I have been applying tea tree oil, they have gone down in a few days but the last couple of days I have had one big itching spot on the side of my temple. Not sure if this is due to the time of the month or my bad eating/alcohol habits over the last 3 weeks.
Currently I have a about 3 pimples on my forehead which are quite small and 1 on the right side of my cheek and one on my temple. I suppose I cant really complain but now Im back on rack with eating I will monitor how I get on.
I have now for the past week started taking zinc 15mg (not sure if this is why I have broke out slightly). I am taking this once a day but might increase it in the nest week or so. Also I’m still taking EPO and Fish Oil.
Is there anything else I can take? Or shall I just keep to this regime for now?
I haven’t noticed my skin being oily, YET but we shall see how this month goes.
Any advice would be great. xx
Hi Ladies,
You know I am so angry and frustrated that I have been living in a delusion with the pill, and how a small pimples cause so much anxiety! I just mean that I am so used to perfect skin on the pill, and now coming off it, i think I am so aware of it. I look around at people and everyone has a spot or 2, which is completely normal, but the pill really changed my perspective!! (sorry for the vent)
Anyway, thanks for the advice Frida. My diet is ok, I mean i have cut back on sugar and diary. Also trying to eat more vegatables, but it has been a tough. I will follow the advice on the supplements for sure.
Since I have been weaning, my periods have been very regular, so I am sure it could be related to diet. My skin is already clearing, so it must be my cycle. It seems that in the first and second week after my period, my skin breaks outs slightly, but then starts clearing. A week before and during my period, my skin is clear, except for one ‘big-ish’ pimple so it must just be my body and the cycle.
And when I say break out, its small breakout, which is completely manageable. Its defn not cystic and it does clear.
I am sure with a better diet, it will improve.everyone is different, and I guess its time to start listening to that!
will keep updating, and thanks again!!
Hi everyone,
I’m on day 28 of my first month of weaning at 3/4. So far things have been pretty good. I’ve definitely seen an increase in spots both at the start of the cycle and the end during my period. But this is actually quite normal for me, I always get a spot or two when I get my period, except now I’m weaning it does seem to have got a little worse.
I’ve had three major spots during this first month and a few little ones here and there. All have been easy to treat and none have been cystic – which I fear the most. I’ve not seen a dramatic increase in oilyness, in fact weirdly some of my skin is quite dry. But that could be the products I’m using. I did an oil cleansing massage yesterday and that seemed to help. I’m going to try and leave my skin alone as much as possible now.
I’ve just got a new high powered blender (Blendtec) so the last week or so I’ve been upping my intake of fruit and vegetables big time. I’ve also been taking all my vitamins plus probiotic and drinking peppermint tea. Loads of water too. I’ve eaten hardly any dairy, but I do find cutting back on sugar hard, especially during the last week! Last weekend was a naughty one when I ate everything I shouldn’t of.
Ooh and I’ve also made a decision, I am going to go down to half a pill this month I think, and possibly for the next three. The reason why is because everyone has been saying that 1/2 a pill is the worst of all, so I’m thinking the sooner I get there the better. Whatever happens will happen.
I may do it so I start the 2nd month on 3/4 then halfway through go down to half, haven’t quite decided yet. Probably cause I’m scared of how bad it’s going to get!
Overall though I’m happy to continue and see if I can get off this blasted pill for good.
Fingers crossed for next month!
Hope everyone who’s weaning is doing well xx
Hey Laura,
Good for you! It sounds like you have great will-power, and you seem to have started out fine. Don’t worry about the dietary issues. Your skin will likely clear up as soon as you get your diet sorted, I wouldn’t worry at all about that (I think stress often causes acne).
As for wanting to drop down to 1/2 a dose next month, why not, but here I’d be a little wary, after all, the whole aim of weaning as opposed to quitting cold turkey is to reduce the hormonal dosage gradually so as not to shock your body… having been on 3/4 of the normal dose for only one month, it might be a little early to start dropping all the way down to 1/2. But that’s your choice, and perhaps it will work out for you.
Good luck, in all cases! 🙂
xxxxx
Hi Christelle,
I totally see what you mean about going down to half a pill after only one month on 3/4. 🙂
What I’ve done is kind of a bit of a mish mash of sizes! Because I’m so bad at cutting the pills!
Some of the them are closer to 3/4 and others are closer to a half, so I’m basically starting off with the larger pills and then over the course of the 21 days I’ll take the smaller ones. Sort of like doing a mini-wean in the middle of a massive one! LOL!
So far things are going well. No cystic problems or anything, a few spots but many to worry about.
Unfortunately I stupidly decided to give myself a facial with an exfoliating scrub and I’ve irritated my skin. It’s gone a little blotchy but I’m pretty sure this is to do with the actual facial/scrub rather the weaning of the pill as they don’t look like spots (not raised or anything) they’re just red marks where I’ve been too harsh on my skin I think.
I’m going to be kinder to my skin starting now! 😀
xxxxx
Hi Laura,
I did what you are thinking about doing. I only did 3/4 one month and planned to do 1/2 for 2-3 months. Things happened with me that made me rush weaning into 3 months rather than 5-6.
I think sticking to 1/2 for a couple of months is ok. I noticed the most change in 1/2 rather than 3/4. If you were fine on 3/4 I say cut down. In reality 3/4 is hardly anything. If you were like me your probably cutting it in different sizes everyday which equalled to 3/4 more or less.
To be safe for the first month take the bigger half that you cut. There always is a bigger half! LOL
Good luck!
Thanks Frida 🙂
You’re so right, there’s always a bigger half! Especially with my cutting!! hahaha 😀
Seriously sometimes I manage to break one pill into four pieces I don’t know how!
I’m doing a bit of a mish mash this month, some of the pills are closer to 3/4 and others are close to a 1/2 so I’ll just start off big and finish small ready for the next month.
Fingers crossed things keep going okay!
Hello Ladies. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences on here – it’s very inspiring!
I’ve been on Microgynon 30 for 16 years without any breaks. Unfortunately recently my blood pressure has been borderline high so my doc wants me to switch to the implant or POP. However, I’d much rather just stop messing with my hormones altogether, so I’ve decided to wean.
I hadn’t realised how much change the pill was putting my body through, until two weeks ago I started my seven day break 3 days earlier than usual, as I’d left my pills in an overnight bag and forgot to take them. Well, I’ve never had a withdrawal week like that one! My energy was so low, sometimes even turning my head was an effort! I was teary for no reason, paranoid, and a bit snappy. I had PMS symptoms for the first time in an age and my period was much heavier than normal. I can hardly believe withdrawing only 3 days early would cause these symptoms!
Anyway, after a week of worrying about what to do, I decided to start weaning, taking ¾ of a pill from 7 days after the day I accidentally stopped. I’ve only been doing this for four days but already I feel so much better – probably because I’ve stopped worrying and made a decision. AND I’ve had two compliments on my hair, which was nice as losing hair is my biggest worry!
I don’t expect this to be plain sailing, BUT reading about everyone’s symptoms when coming off, I realised I had most of them when ON the pill. Greasy hair, oily skin, thinning hair, occasional mood swings and feeling really down now and then. So I’m hoping I can’t make things that much worse by coming off! I’m lucky to have a very understanding partner, who’s happy to use alternative methods of contraception, and we have talked about the spotting issue too. I figure it’s a small price to pay for getting off these hormones once and for all!
Good luck to everybody x
Totally with you, Sinderin!
Good luck, and let us know how it goes for you!
B vitamins and magnesium are good for hair loss… just in case… the pill tends to deplete your system of B vits, and it causes gut-flora imbalances too, so a good probiotic can’t hurt while you’re weaning, just to help your body absorb more nutrients.
Microgynon contains levonorgestrel, which is the ingredient they put in morning after pills. I’m not surprised you feel better now that you’ve reduced the dosage!
Good luck! 🙂
Hi Sinderin,
I felt the same too. once I decided that I was going to wean, life got a whole lot better. I was scared but totally excited!
Good luck with it sinderin. Remember you know your body better than anyone, so if you need to change or adapt weaning to your own body do so!
XX
I have been on birth control with no break for about 16 years. I am in my 30’s.
I was on Ortho – cyclen in the USA and attempted Depo Provera for two months but went mentally crazy AND I AM NOT CRAZY. I went back on the Ortho and everything was roses again.
When I moved to Australia it took about 6 months to find the correct pill without side effects for me and that ended up being NOrimin. I have been on that one for 7 years.
Norethisterone 1mg
Ethynloestradiol 35 mcg
I have really changed my eating habits and exercise habits for the better the past 5 years. Now I realise that I really should get off of these drugs if I am attempting healthier living and ever want to have a baby.
I have read every post here and I am still quite nervous about what will happen if I stop taking something my body has had for so long.
I am glad I found this post though, you are all inspirations.
Thank you
Hi Chris,
SO glad to hear you want to wean off too!
Ok, so the pill you’re on right now is very high in ethinestradiol, which is a synthetic imitator of the natural hormone estrogen. Excess estrogen (or ethinestradiol) can cause gut flora imbalances, so you might want to start by getting a good probiotic, or by increasing your intake of milk kefir/kombucha/sauerkraut/yoghurt… this will help your gut flora produce the right quantities of bacteria you need to help absorb nutrients, AND this will help you avoid yeast infection.
As for norethisterone… it’s a synthetic form of progesterone. It’s often included in drugs that help treat menopause symptoms. Apparently, a prolonged use of this hormone can stop your body from absorbing magnum, folate, and vitamins B6 & B12. You definitely want to look into getting a good multivitamin to make sure you start making up for those losses. Apparently, it’s also not good to combine norethisterone and caffeine… not sure why (according to the online drug bank).
I promise you will be FINE if you wean off gradually. You’ve been on this pill for a long time, and the ethinestradiol dosage is high, so it might mean you will have to wean off for longer than the others here, but I am sure you will be ok!
Good luck! Keep us posted!
xxxxx
*”magnum” is actually magnesium, hehe, thank you auto spellcheck!
Wow!! Christelle, Really interesting about the caffeine. As soon as I started this pill I could not have coffee anymore. I used to drink heaps of coffee to get through uni and nothing happened…I just figured I grew an intolerance to it.
I get red in the face and feel quite dizzy so I cannot have coffee anymore. I wonder if it is this pill. I can drink tea though ALOT of green tea, sometimes a black tea now and again
I was taking probiotics a long while ago. I found when I took these the opposite would happen and I would get a yeast infection so I stopped taking them and I dont get yeast infections anymore…for many many years, but the stomach is not always right.
I just started taking Centrum for women.
Should I supplement with anything else?
I am in the animal health industry and I always wean patients very slowly off of hormones and steroids etc.
It is so strange how human doctors do not think logically about the risks of quitting medication your body has been dependent on for so long cold turkey.
Question, for the past 8 years I have been functioning quite well on this pill. Libido sky high, not tired at all and had energy to burn, never depressed.
My life has the least amount of stress it has ever had, dont get me wrong, my job is always stressful but it is a stress I can handle. Nothing has changed but all of a sudden, depressed , tired with no energy most of the time, no libido anymore….I wonder if this stuff builds up in your system and I have reached some type of threshold.
Has anyone else been cruising along on their pill and all of a sudden everything feels different even though nothing has changed…if not it has gotten better but you dont feel like it? Maybe it is something else.
Hey Chris,
Sorry to hear probiotics didn’t do it for you. And yes, it’s surprising (and even outrageous!) that we’re not more informed as to the effects of what we put in our bodies.
It could be that, as you say, your body has been drained of essential nutrients after years of continuous use of oral contraceptives. If you are concerned that the toxins have built up in your system, the best thing to do would be to help your liver out by juicing (the liver loves greens – these help flush out the toxins and excess hormones), introducing smoothies into your diet, topping up on fruit & veg, and maybe receding your sugar, gluten and dairy intake (I wouldn’t be obsessive about it, but you could opt for fruit instead of ice-cream when you snack, you know, that kind of thing). Burdock root and turmeric are awesome for boosting the liver. I drink burdock root tea every now and again, and I sprinkle ground turmeric on everything. It’s incredibly antioxidant.
Also, I was thinking about what you wrote about green tea. Green tea is amazing, especially Matcha green tea powder, but as it still contains theine, you want to watch out that you’re not drinking too much, as theine (and caffeine) can inhibit the absorption of vitamin C. It could be that you’re just exhausted because you’re lacking in vitamin C. You might want to look into that, because vitamin C is what helps you absorb iron, which in turn can lead to anemia and fatigue, and you see how the links in the chain can get cut just by something as innocent as drinking too much tea… even if the health benefits of green tea are high.
Good luck with it all, and let me know how things come on!
xxxxx
Hi Everyone,
It so nice to read about everyone experiences. The more the merrier I say!
So far I am going well other than getting a period unexpectedly. Funny thing is the same thing happened to my sister who quit CT. We were on the same pill too, and she is back to normal now.
Skin wise, havent notices much, only small pimples before a period but they are tiny and go away pretty quick.
I do still need to wear a little make-up but thats ok.
I have anxiety issues. LOL I got nervous as I approached a red light and realized I had to overtake a car. LOL and libido is still non-existant.. POO! I wish I was a guy!
Anyways I will keep updating. I’m not taking any supps anymore. only EPO… 🙂
Hey Frida,
The more the merrier! Yay!
Sorry to hear you wound up with an early period. Nature does as nature will, it seems. And the libido thing sucks too. I’ve been feeling sexually numb these past 2 days too, for some reason. I’ve never felt like this ever, so I’m a little worried. Plus, I have an ugly red pimple on my chin, sore breasts, headaches (something I never get, ever, ever) and I’m experiencing cramping. My period isn’t due until after next Friday, so ugh. This is my send month off vitex, and I do believe that vitex has really helped my hormones balance out over this past year. I’m definitely going to consider taking it again next month, even if it caused my period to be longer and heavier. Unless I’m pregnant… :-O hehe.
About the anxiety, you could try fish oils and magnesium. And sniffing lavender essential oils/orange flower blossom is said to calm people’s nerves.
Personally, I started therapy (psychoanalysis – you know, the whole Freud, dream analyzing, and all that good stuff) last october. I never really mentioned it here, but the whole ‘coming off the pill’, and growing out my natural hair has led me to want to confront my fears and lead a freer life. It’s tough work, but I think it’s helped me to have less anxiety… but that’s a much more personal issue to talk about on here, and I really wouldn’t want to influence you in any way, as it may just be hormonal. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your weaning journey!
Keep me posted, chuck! xxxxxx
Oh wow! Imagine if you were pregnant!! AHHH how exciting. Have you been using protection? Ahhh Christelle keep us updated!
Sometimes its nice to get issues and problems off your chest. To tell you the truth I have no reason to feel down about life.
Ive got a great man, great job, friends are awesome too. But I feel I dunno… strange. Can’t pinpoint it. I’ll wait to see if its stopping the pills or not. Otherwise therapy seems logical.
Thanks Christelle. Everyone here allows me to be myself without judgment, its so lovely!
Hi Ladies!
Just a quick update.
I have been taking a better vitamin, A&D&zinc, Cod Liver Oil and Evening Primrose oil. So far, I have seen a big improvement on skin within the week, and it is clearing 🙂 I have had a few bad days with sugar, so i have noticed it more on my chest, than on my face? its not so bad, rather annoying. it is calming down though.
I think I will probably do one more month at 1/2 then move to 1/4. That would make it a total of 7-8 months weaning.
Is there anyone who has done weaning without vitex? i am also a bit hesitant, but if anyone has done it without, please let me know.
xxx
Nics
Great news Nic!
Glad you found something that works. On the vitex front that’ll be me. So by the time you stop the pill I would have already been off for a few months without vitex so I can tell you how I go. I only took it for 5 days… I’ll wait for a natural period to come before deciding to try it again. If its on time well then I don’t think I need it. If it ends up being out of whack then vitex might be the go.
Good luck Nic!
A question for everyone. When you started the weaning process, what part of your cycle did you start? Did you lower the dose at the end of your sugar pills? makes me worried that a period has the potential to last forever if you are having yours at the same time. Did you start lowering in the middle of your active pills, thus leading to you starting your period earlier?
What time in your cycle did you start to lower your dose?
Hey again Chris, just to answer your question. I don’t know about the other girls on here, but I started weaning from the beginning of my cycle, right after my period, with the first pill of a new pack. I never had the sugar pills – I had a 7 day break during which I didn’t take anything – I usually started weaning after that, and each time I reduced the dosage it was after a period. Voilà! Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi Chris,
I did exactly the same as Christelle, started with a new pack exactly 7 days after finishing my last pack. I think that’s the easiest and most convenient way to do it! I don’t have sugar pills to take with my version of the pill so that wasn’t a problem.
Good luck if you start weaning and keep us updated on your progress! 😀
Another question for everyone, or a second opinion. I plan on doing 5 weeks of traveling in 4 months. Should I start the weaning process now or wait till after the trip because of the potential for side effects or am I being too paranoid? Thank you for all the help so far 🙂
It has been invaluable
Hey Chris,
Hey Chris,
I am an avid traveler, and I really wouldn’t recommend weaning until after you are back. I know it can seem like you just want to get these bad chemicals out of you body asap, but it is not worth ruining a vacation over. It’s only 5 weeks, and anything can happen while you travel – you can lose your pills, forget to take them, or have a reaction to anything (new food, environment etc) that doesn’t need the stress of a body readjusting on top of everything! But if you feel you’re up for it, go for it! 🙂 The first month of my weaning, I was very moody, weird appetite, a change in self-esteem, random pains and aches….but everyone is different. Enjoy your travels whatever you decide!
Thank you for the tip. I think I wont start the weaning process until I get back. Too risky and could spoil a vacation.
Hey Frida,
Yeah, it could really just be the hormonal shifts messing with your moods. Some women are more affected than others by this type of thing. Sunshine works wonders for a lot of people, so you could always try sunbathing (in Europe at the moment this option is not possible!). I also read up on sunlight & gut-flora, and apparently exposing your belly to the sun can help kill off candida… thanks to vitamin D. Crazy huh!
Here, I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve started spotting. It’s day 25. This is rather bizarre… hmm. I’ll keep you posted! 🙂
PS – Yes, my partner & I used protection all the time… so maybe this is just an early period. We’ll have to see! 🙂
Hi Ladies,
I updated a few days ago at the end of month 2 of weaning off Dianette. I am now on day 2 of my third month of weaning. I have noticed since the last couple of days that my chin area has come up with a lot of spots, they are rash like but under the skin. Today I have noticed them on both my cheeks and slightly on my forehead, also my face is very itchy.
I am still using the same products and nothing has really changed.
I feel quite down when I look in the mirror and see all these under the skin rash type clogged pores. I am thinking of visiting my GP to see why I have got these clogged pores and see if he can help me in anyway.
I feel like I cant even wear make up at the minute as it will irritate will skin.
Do you have any advice you can give me ladies, im at my wits end and feel very down 🙁
Im taking EPO, Fish Oils and Zinc at the mo.
Jazz.
Hi Ladies,
I updated a few days ago at the end of month 2 of weaning off Dianette. I am now on day 2 of my third month of weaning. I have noticed since the last couple of days that my chin area has come up with a lot of spots, they are rash like but under the skin. Today I have noticed them on both my cheeks and slightly on my forehead, also my face is very itchy.
I am still using the same products and nothing has really changed.
I feel quite down when I look in the mirror and see all these under the skin rash type clogged pores. I am thinking of visiting my GP to see why I have got these clogged pores and see if he can help me in anyway.
I feel like I cant even wear make up at the minute as it will irritate will skin.
Do you have any advice you can give me ladies, im at my wits end and feel very down 🙁
Im taking EPO, Fish Oils and Zinc at the mo.
Jazz. xx
Hi Jazz,
Had to reply because weirdly I am having a similar sort of thing happening to me!
I am on dianette too, second month of weaning, and a couple of days ago my face also came up in red, blotchy, under the skin marks.
I am pretty sure mine is some sort of skin irritation, caused by over-exfoliation (I went a bit crazy with a face scrub I had). I’ve never had spots that looked or felt like this so I think they’re not related… Or I hope so anyway!
Do your red marks seem to flare up after you wash your face? Or if you put something on your face? If so this sounds more like a reaction to something, especially if they are itchy.
The red blotches on my face have been coming and going. When I wake up in the morning, some have gone, others have appeared, and others look redder!
I wish I could give some really good advice to you but I’m struggling with it too. Really the best thing is to try and use as little on your face as possible (easier said than done I know!) Make sure you’re drinking lots of water as well.
Try not to get too upset or stressed about it, because as Christelle wisely said to me before, this can make things worse.
Also, are you using mineral makeup? I’ve found this is about the only thing that doesn’t cause my skin any problems when I’m going out and have to wear a bit of foundation!
Sending you lots of well wishes!!
Xxx
Hi Laura,
Thanks for replying. To be honest I haven’t really checked my face after washing as I just cool it down with some ice to close my pores. I will monitor it and let you know.
I looked in the mirror today and its quite hard to tell if my rash/pimples have done down, some of them are like whiteheads so don’t know id Dianette is taking its toll.
I have been drinking quite abit of water and also seem to be on the loo, lol.
My make up hasn’t changed, I use MAC Studio Tech make up, to be honest im off work at the minute and I don’t wear my foundation unless im going out =, if im local and need to go shopping etc I don’t wear it so I cant even say that what has appeared on my face is due to my make up.
I really do hope it goes down and they don’t turn into big red spots. Im taking piriton allergy tablets so If it is a rash Im hoping it will calm down.
Best of luck with your weaning too, It really didn’t know until recently that Dianette is such a strong pill. Goodluck with weaning aswel, keep me updated with your progess as you are not far behind me on the weaning process. I have decided to do 4 months on 3/4, 4 months on half and then take it from there. That’s if I can survive it until then. Goodluck xxxx
I didn’t want to say this at first, but since you mention zinc, Jazz, I will say it. When I was 18, the first time I had an acne breakout, I saw a homeopath who gave me zinc tablets to take along with some homeopathic treatment. I took the zinc, but decided not to take the other pills. And my acne got worse, to the point where my whole forehead was covered in spots. I took the zinc for a month, expecting to see results after a few weeks, but nothing, if anything it had worsened (I ended up taking antibiotics, which cleared the acne up, but depleted my gut flora).
Until recently, I thought, because of that bad experience, that zinc had a negative effect on acne. It turns out I was wrong; zinc is great for healing acne, BUT, zinc and copper are finely balanced in the body, and if your levels of both of these minerals are out of whack, that’s what causes the acne. So, perhaps it might be an idea to take a multi-vitamin & mineral supplement instead of taking zinc alone… having said that, your flare-ups could be due to something totally different.
Flare-ups = inflammation, so the best thing would be to go on an anti-inflammatory diet including lots of dark green leafy veg, lots of coloured fruit and veg, and sprinkle turmeric on all your meals (it’s highly anti-inflammatory). Personally, what I find with my skin, and what I found while I was weaning, was that my skin could get oily, then dry, then flaky. I never got acne, but I did sense that my skin was adapting to the reduced hormone levels. I decided to stop washing it altogether (just a splash of cold water in the morning, and that’s it), and for me just leaving it alone worked wonders. I added a little jojoba oil when I felt it was getting dry, and I noticed that my skin seemed to like it. I never used foundation, because that seemed to clog my pores, but I continued to wear eye make-up and lipstick. For me, that’s what worked while my skin was transitioning. Maybe you could try not touching your skin at all for a couple of weeks, and see how that works?
Good luck! 🙂 xxxxx
Also, and this goes for Laura too, Manuka honey is great as a skin mask. You need to make sure the UMF factor (I think it’s UMF, but I can’t remember if those initials are correct) is high. It’s pretty darn expensive, but personally, honey is the only cleanser I think we should be allowed to put on our skin.
Hi Christelle,
Thank you for replying and the good advice. Currently I’m taking 15MG of zinc but last night I took 30MG in hope that my flare up might clear. Do you know how much Copper I should be taking with zinc?
Also any recommendations on a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement?
I normally go to my local health store, Holland and Barratt.
My diet has been quite good recently but I think I will have to be more strict, I do tend to eat a lot of greens but will try sprinkling turmeric on them. Do you know how much I Need to sprinkle? Is one teaspoon enough? I am Indian and my family cook a lot of curries which has a lot of herbs/spices in them, one of them being turmeric, will this have the same effect?
I haven’t been wearing a lot of makeup on my skin recently, although I do wear concealer when I go out and about but have to wear foundation at work as feel so bare and need to cover my blemishes. I’m at home for the next couple of weeks so will take your advise on the make up front, thank you.
I really need to get off birth control and will try to be strong, If I don’t do it now I never will. Thank you for all your help, I will keep you updated.
Big Hugz, Jazz xx
Hi christelle! I am on dianette as well and was wondering if you had any reactions from switching between Diane and Jasmine, and if you think I should do the same before I wean off?
Hello!
I am also here to share my experience/compare with others, and open to any advice.
A little over 2 months ago, I went off of Diane 35..anticipating this disastrous breakout I keep hearing about, I did everything I could to find vitex while pack packing in Central America. So when I finally found it, without second thoughts I immediately started taking 1000 mg a day, hoping it would help as a preventative. However, a couple days later my skin started to breakout out in little bumps all over. I figured my hormones just needed some adjusting and chose to stick it out. It’s been almost 2 months and I’m still taking the vitex (my breakouts are much better but still existent). Recently I’ve also added milk thistle and burdock which seemed to help calm my skin.
I keep reading that you need to give vitex time. But I don’t want to be on it if its actually causing the breakouts!
Anyone else with a similar experience?
At this point, I’m thinking to stop vitex, I’m just hoping I’m not ruining a cycle that could potentially be on the right path.
I should also add:
I’m waiting on estroblock in the mail, which I’m very excited to try. So I’m wondering if estroblock alone will be the best choice.
Hey Vanessa,
I really doubt that vitex is actually causing your acne. Obviously, I could be wrong, but from the info in your comment, I think your breakout is a withdrawal symptom from having stopped Diane 35, and unfortunately vitex isn’t strong enough to prevent it… or it just hasn’t been working in your system long enough to be able to affect your natural hormones.
I suggest doing a Google search for drospirenone, which is the highly addictive stuff in Diane 35 (it’s the synthetic progestin). Drospirenone is what is given to men who have prostrate cancer to kill their testosterone production, it’s what’s given to serial rapists as a “chemical castrator”. It’s a very strong drug, and all the laboratories know that you can’t just “come off” it. The dosage in Diane 35 compared to prostrate cancer treatment is very low, which is why the medical world doesn’t deem it necessary to wean women off it when they stop birth control.
Basically, the post-Diane breakout is pretty much inevitable if you don’t wean. The only thing you can do now (unless you wish to go back on until your skin clears up, and then wean off gradually) is to boost your liver 200%. Your liver is dealing with a lot of toxins at the moment, and your androgen production is probably surging to make up for having been suppressed the whole time you were on Diane.
Peppermint tea is great for regulating testosterone, and burdock root is great for helping liver function, so I would suggest continuing with that, and if milk thistle is helping, that’s brilliant.
Estroblock will help to keep the bad estrogens down, so that can only help. But the post-Diane breakout is often more related to excess testosterone than excess estrogen. I do think vitex will help, but that you haven’t taken it for long enough. Vitex regulates progesterone, which in turn can help regulate testosterone…
Good luck with everything, and let me know how it works out with the vitex! 🙂
HI Jazz and Laura
Well I am on my 5th months of weaning off diane. I did 3 months at 3/4 and 2 months at 1/2 so far.
The reason i stayed an extra month on 3/4,is because of this rash like bumps that appeared on my skin. So its very similar to what you girls are experiencing. I found that it is very cyclical, so it does clear up just before your period. but i also was tempted to go back to the full dose too, but i just stuck it out.
Thanks to the advice, i started taking cod liver oil, primrose and a&D.
I did have a real reaction with the multi vitamin. I added it to my diet a few days after the other tablets, I could see that it was a clear inflamation on my chest, because it was red. I am black, so it was easy to spot! hahaha!
I have stopped that multi vitamin, and i have seen improvements again. I suspect that it is linked to the zinc…. maybe 2 years ago i started taking tablets for nails, hair and skin (while i was on the pill) but i also had a bad reaction like rash. i stopped of course, but it could be related.
So i think if you watch your sugar, and diet. drink water, and peppermint tea, it does help. but i am also sure it will clear.Check when it does appear during your cycle.
good luck!
Hi Nics,
So weird how we’ve all had a very similar reaction. I am about 11 days in to my second weaning cycle. The redness and bumps have definitely subsided in the last couple of days so maybe I am experiencing a similar thing to you. I wonder if it is actually a reaction to the drop in hormones…
The last couple of days I’ve stopped taking all my supplements apart from calcium and vit d (I am a vegetarian restricting dairy so I need this to take this one) and a probiotic.
But before I stopped all other supplements I was taking a multivitamin, zinc and vit C, iron and l-lysine (again cause I’m veggie and I had iron deficiency a few months back), iodine, and chromium. The iron and lysine tablets I only started taking again a few days ago and now I’ve stopped the redness on my skin has calmed down but I’m not sure if it’s connected.
I’m going to slowly reintroduce vitamins and supplements one by one, that way I can try and see if they have any kind of reaction on my skin. I’ll start with a good multivitamin and take it from there.
I’m so glad my skin’s getting better again though! I was really worried for a few days! Hopefully I can stick it out like you 🙂
Hey Nics,
Thanks for the info, I will stick it out. My rash like symptoms have gone down but my forehead is still slightly inflamed. I did notice that I got this rash whilst on my period and when I finished and started taking the pill after the 7 day break it slowly started to go down. Not sure if this is because I started taking the pill, drinking more water etc. I will keep an eye on it. One thing though my face is quite itchy, I have not worn make up for a few days so hope this is helping.
Nics, keep us updated with your progress xx
Hey Jazz,
Yes, turmeric is what makes curry powder orange! I sprinkle curry spice on everything (I find the taste better than plain turmeric). I use about a 1/2 teaspoon per serving if it’s plain turmeric, and a little more of it’s mixed curry powder, but that’s just according to my personal taste, so I can’t really advise you as to recommended quantities, etc. Eating curry is great for acne as long as you’re not frying your veg/meat in unstable vegetable oils like olive oil or sunflower oil (coconut oil is anti-inflammatory, and it can sustain high temperatures, this is what I would recommend anyway).
Also, you can buy fresh turmeric from some places. I think you can grate it and put it in your curry, and it’s even more potent for healing inflammation.
As for the zinc-copper ratio, from what I’ve read it should be somewhere between 14:1 to 7:1, but I don’t feel confident enough about my knowledge on trace minerals to say for sure (someone correct me if that’s wrong, please). I wouldn’t mess around with individual mineral supplements unless your bloodwork shows a specific imbalance. I usually shop for my supplements on iherb.com. I read the ratings and consumer comments, and pick according to what other users have said about the product. Off the top of my head, Solgar is a good brand, Rainbow Light is said to be good too, and Nature’s Way is also popular…
In all cases, I’m POSITIVE you can come off the pill without having to go through a big breakout. Your skin might need to do a little adapting to your natural hormones, but I am certain you won’t have to deal with acne once you’re off. Just make sure you wean gradually, give your liver a helping hand, stay focussed and positive! Sending you lots of happy vibes!
xxx 🙂
Hi Christelle,
Thanks again for your advice, you are so full of knowledge. I really do hope it’s my hormones adapting and not me coming out with major acne.
I have decided to do 4 months on quarter of the pill and about 6 on half, I will see how my skin adapts to a lower dose. I just hope I don’t have more problems going onto just half the pill.
My skins feels really itchy at the moment, the rash has gone down slightly and am also avoiding make up and diet is good so we shall see.
Fingers crossed xxx
Hey India,
I can’t remember having a big reaction when I switched from Diane to Jasmine (but that was a loooong time ago). I don’t know if it’s that important for you to switch from one pill to another. Both pills are dangerous. If you do switch and then plan to wean shortly after that, I’d be worried that your body would be totally confused. The best thing would probably be to just wean off whatever it is you’re taking now. I know it’s a bummer coming off drospirenone (the artificial progestin in Diane) because that’s the highly addictive stuff that makes people break out when they come off it cold turkey, but reducing the dosage gradually you should be good. Kyra did it (have a look through some of the early comments on this threat for her input) over about 10 months and and no problems once she was done weaning.
Good luck with it, and let us know! xxx 🙂
Just a correction – Cyproterone acetate is the progestin in Diane, not drosperinone (which is found in Yaz). 🙂
Hey Nics,
I just read through all your comments. I totally feel for you because I was on the pill for 10 years too (5 on Diane, and then 5 on Yaz & Yasmin). It IS a delusion, I completely agree.
I’m the same, I had irregular periods as a teenager, and mild acne, and ten years ago the pill was the apparent “miracle cure” for any girl who wanted to get on with her life and stop worrying bout her skin. Don’t worry though, it’s better to come off late than never!
I was thinking about your “rash” thing after taking that multi-vitamin. Maybe you’re just detoxing. If that’s the case, it could end up disappearing after a while.
It could also be that your gut flora is so depleted from a prolonged use of Diane that you just can’t absorb the vitamins, and your body’s considering these ingredients as toxins… taking a probiotic will really help if this is the case. In fact, a probiotic (I get Pearls Probiotics, and keep them in the fridge so the bacteria stay alive) will help with pretty much everything; candida, digestion, absorption, etc. In fact, if the rash occurred just before your period, it could well be candida-related.
Diane depletes the body of B-vitamins (the skin/hair/nail vits – low B-vits means a high candida risk), so you definitely want to make sure you’re taking a supplement containing these…
Good luck hun, let me know how things work out! 🙂
Christelle, thank you so much for the response. I actually saw a naturopath this past week who recommended I stay on vitex as well. Since I’ve gotten so far, I agee that I may as well stick it out some more. Also, she suggested I load up on some active green tea extract for the time being too (apparently it inhibits testosterone).
I will also pick up some mint tea!
Thanks again, and I will definitely keep you posted 🙂
Vanessa
Brilliant! 🙂 Green tea is highly antioxidant.
Also, I’m sorry, I just re-read my response to your comment further up, and I told you that the ingredient used in Diane 35 that causes acne after brutal withdrawal was drospirenone… in fact it’s cyproterone. I tend to confuse the two. Drospirenone is in Yaz. Anyway, just wanted to clear that up.
Spearmint and peppermint also inhibit testosterone. Sugar tends to trigger its production (it triggers insulin, which in turn triggers a bunch of hormones, and they trigger more testosterone), so if you can keep away from sugar, or even go on an anti-candida diet, that would probably help you a lot. And then it’s just all about being patient.
One of my good friends stopped Diane 35 cold turkey a few years ago. She didn’t know you could wean, and of course 6 months after stopping (thank goodness, she always got her period, unlike me when I stopped Diane), she suffered from a terrible breakout. She stuck it out, and after about 7 months (so that’s just over a year having stopped the pill) the acne gradually subsided, and now her skin is beautiful. AND, she says she wasn’t eating very well at the time, so she probably wasn’t helping her body along the way…
Do let me know how things work out! Good luck!
xxxxx
Hi Ladies,
An udpate: so i have included the Probiotic. Its only day 2, but I will see how it goes this week. Thanks Christelle for the advice. I think you are right about my gut flora. Also i noticed that I am picking up allergies very often. I mean my skin often itches if i eat something, and I am constant pollen allergies. I read that it could also be related to my gut flora and not being able to absorb vitamins….anyway I will see how it goes.
Also my skin is so clear again, which is great but i just want it to stay that way!
On a downside, i am suppose to be having my period now, but it is more like spotting. It was strange too because I had headache, bloating and all the rest, but it just didnt appear properly. Even on the pill i tended to have heavy month, followed by a really light month, so hopefully it is happening again?
I think i will do another 1/2 this month. I really want to get off it, but I think considering how long I have been on the pill,I should take my time coming off it.
Will keep you guys all updated.
xxx
Hi!
I have had severe acne (mostly around my jawline and mouth) since the age of 13. It has been on and off, but because of the death of my grandpa and breaking up with my boyfriend earlier this year, my skin has gone nuts (after being clear for months because of vitamin B5). I’m moving to India (yaaay) next year for 6 months to study, and I need my skin to clear up by then because I can not wear makeup in India because of the very hot weather. With the help of your website (thank you!), I’ve decided to start going on these supplements; zinc, evening primrose oil, dong quai and cod liver oil (does this sound okay to you? – I live in Norway, so getting certain supplements shipped to me is not always possible, these are the ones avaliable to me). But because I only have 6 months to get clear, I’m tempted to go on Diane to clear my skin up faster (feel like it will take a while more on the supplements), and then go off Diane and on the supplements as I return home. What do you think? Will my skin be somewhat controlled within six months if I go on the supplements?
Hi Anne Jenny,
I understand your concern. It’s SO tempting to go on Diane because the results are really promising. It’s especially tempting when you have a punctual problem you need sorting out, in your case an impending trip.
Obviously, you are free to choose to put whatever you want in your body, and what I’m going to say is just what I would say to a friend in your situation. Having taken Diane myself for 5 years, perhaps my input might help you get a better perspective.
Personally, I took Diane because I needed a quick fix too. I had just met a boy, and I had suffered from a bad case of teenage acne that year, and the whole prospect of flaring up again while I was with him was too much to bear. Basically, I needed perfect skin NOW, and my doctor said Diane was the anti-acne pill, and without further ado I took it. And yes, my skin on Diane was perfect. But when I did actually need to come off it, I suffered the WORST breakout of my life.
That’s because of the cyproterone. Do a wiki search for cypro. You’ll see; it’s the drug they use on men to treat prostate cancer, and serial rapists. It’s highly addictive, and you can’t just come off it “like that”. You need to wean off gradually, and, ask the girls weaning off Diane on this threat; it’s no piece of cake. I think many women on Diane regret having taken it in the first place.
Also, and again, I know I’m doing some bubble bursting here, but it’s worth the mention. Diane 35 is a killer pill. It’s responsible for a huge number of deaths every year around the world, as it can provoke blood clots. These incidents often occur during the first months of treatment, and I don’t want to freak you out, but traveling long distance can also be a cause of blood clots, so the two together just sounds like a fatal cocktail to me… in fact, I live in France, and recently this year, there was a massive Diane 35 scandal. A whole bunch of women came forward after having suffered from strokes and all kind of terrible vascular accidents, and in the end the government decided to ban Diane altogether. I wouldn’t be surprised if other countries follow soon, as people are starting to reveal the extent of the damage caused by this drug.
To sum up what I’m saying here, I guess I just think that a 6 month trip isn’t a good enough reason to put your health (and your liver – especially since you suspect sluggish liver function) at risk. True, you might need to stick it out longer on supplements (although this is not necessarily true – it could be you’re suffering from a food allergy, or that you need a better probiotic, or that you have candida, or that your acne is stress-induced… I mean there are many factors that can come into play when dealing with acne). But 6 months is a SHORT period in the space of a lifetime. Think about what will happen AFTER your trip…
More often than not, we go on the pill to solve a punctual problem, and we end up with a long lasting problem… Obviously, you’re free to discard any or all of this advice, but I think it’s always best to know your options before taking such strong treatment.
I agree with this completely: “That’s because of the cyproterone. Do a wiki search for cypro. You’ll see; it’s the drug they use on men to treat prostate cancer, and serial rapists. It’s highly addictive, and you can’t just come off it “like that”. You need to wean off gradually, and, ask the girls weaning off Diane on this thread; it’s no piece of cake. I think many women on Diane regret having taken it in the first place.”
Yes, it’s definitely not the type of pill to be taken lightly. It works…very well! However, most women find when they go off of it things get worse. Cypro also has a very long half-life and takes a long time to leave the body. In the case of long term use, it can takes years to completely leave your system as it dumbs down the receptor sites to various hormones (luteinizing hormone and androgen receptors in women)…this can lead to long-term hormonal disfunction and infertility in some cases.
However, in terms of the deaths and whatnot, I think a lot of it has been overblown. Yes, 10 women in France have died from it. That IS tragic and awful. However, that also happened over a several year period. All medications have risks , even the birth control pill, which is not as benign as most doctors and Big Pharma lead us to believe. Diane has higher blood clotting risks than many of the other pills but not substantially higher. So take at your own risk as far as that goes.
As for me, I took it for 12 years. Killed the libido a bit but for me, this was a small price to pay as it was the only thing (and I do mean ONLY) that eliminated by chronic, cystic acne (well, while I took it anyway). However, 2 years later, my hormones are STILL messed up and I directly blame the Diane.
So anyway, as someone who took it, would I recommend it? Maybe, depends. But not for the sake of a 6 month trip, nope.
hello ladies,
i am SO thankful for this thread and those who have posted updates –super helpful!! i just want to contribute my weaning off story & will try to continue updating. every case is different, but the more people update, the more helpful it is to get a clear picture of what’s going on with our bodies and potential solutions. birth control has been one of the most confusing & frustrating things to happen to my health and i totally feel all of you when i read your posts.
i only took beyaz for 4 months on full dosage before i started weaning in march (but apparently, this doesn’t make the withdrawal any easier). i took it for a bad case of hormonal acne that came out of nowhere when i was 24 (now 25). beyaz has been a GODSEND for my skin, but i always felt kinda uncomfortable putting unnatural medications in my body. once i read the horror stories about the post-pill breakout, i wanted OFF this pill. thanks to finding this site, i started weaning in march with 3/4 pill for 1 month, and 1/2 pill for 2 months. just started 1/4 pill, which i will take for 2 more months. i should be BCP-FREE by august! i wrote it in my planner with exclamation marks and everything haha.
my skin is STILL crystal clear, and actually better than ever. there were a few random occasions where i saw little red bumps trying to surface, but then they never did! also, i don’t have any problems with spotting (EXCEPT for last month’s cycle where i started spotting mid-cycle and then didn’t get anything at all during placebo days –i’ll see how it goes this cycle). so, i guess those are the only 2 positives so far.
…coming off beyaz (eth. estradiol/drosperinone/folate) actually SUCKS. here are my other symptoms as i wean off: puffiness, bloating, and weight gain despite healthy eating & exercising (abt 10 lbs past my normal/ideal weight –i never had weight problems in my life), extreme mood swings (exploding at family members, tearing up/crying through entire films), random bouts of extreme fatigue & feeling tired and low in general. this is just not ME.
onto my plan of attack (thanks to previous posts/love vitamin!):
* liver detox herbal tea: i thought it would be okay to start liver detoxing (i couldn’t wait), so i bought some “get clean” tea by republic of teas at whole foods. it contains burdock, dandelion, and all that good stuff.
*evening primrose oil: i started taking this 2 weeks ago, and i noticed that it makes my skin super smooth and glowy. AND i haven’t had any inflammation or little red bumps that try to surface like i did before. i haven’t noticed any other effects of the EPO so far.
*B-complex supplement: last week, i felt SOOO fatigued and drained so i bought B-complex + zinc + vitamin C supplements (they all come together in 1 tablet). after a few days of that i started to feel a litttttle better, but it’s obviously not a cure-all.
*probiotics: i try to eat greek yogurt everyday, but i’m not sure abt serving sizes. i don’t think this is the best way to get enough good bacteria.
* i’m waiting to get completely free from the pill before i start Vitex (i guess i will need to stop the EPO?), maybe some peppermint tea or active green tea extract (supposed to control testosterone, which i know i had in excess before i started the pill), and more probiotics and liver detoxing. and of course continue the healthy lifestyle.
i will miss the crystal clear skin (and less hairy legs!) but i can’t wait to get this completely out of my system and get my natural body back!
oh, by the way, i use a pill cutter that i bought from CVS to cut the pills! it’s sorta like a mini guillotine for the pill haha. helps with accuracy and so easy to use!
i will try to keep updating… posting this is very therapeutic itself 😉 and i hope the updates can be useful to someone. good luck everybody!
Hey Tina,
You can take EPO and vitex together, no problem!
Good luck with everything! 🙂
hi christelle, that’s good to know because i would like to keep taking the EPO. i THINK it is keeping my skin from breaking out or at least helping. thank you!
Hey Tina!
What primrose oil are you taking and where did you buy it? I want to start taking it too, as I am having more pimples than usual on 1/4 of a pill, and it seems to work well on you. Your advice is much appreciated 🙂 thanks!
hi mona,
i am using Nature’s Bounty EPO 1000 mg. i’m taking it 1x day after breakfast, although the bottle says 3x a day. make sure you also increase your intake of omega 3’s (fish oil supplements or fish/walnuts, etc.). the omega 3’s help the EPO turn into “good” anti-inflammatory prostaglandins (they could turn into “bad” inflammatory ones if you don’t have enough omega 3 in your diet).
i also started taking 1/4 pill and my skin is still clear today. i had a tiny breakout on my chin (meaning 1 zit that was hardly visible) but it went away the next day. i’m not 100% sure if i can attribute my clear skin to the EPO + omega 3’s or something else in my routine, but i hope this helps you!
wow, that was super long! sorry! i’m just wondering if anyone else is experiencing weight gain after weaning/stopping the pill?
Tina, have your been tested for/diagnosed with PCOS? If not, you may want to consider that. The acne, extra hair on your legs, weight gain despite maintaining the same diet…fairly typical symptoms.
yes, i’ve considered i might have PCOS but due to financial constraints i’m not going back to get checked up for it. i’m going to take my symptoms as they are and treat them through the power of google and love vitamin haha. thanks for your suggestion!
Hi everyone!
Okay so I’m about half way into my second month of weaning (I started the month off on 3/4 of a pill and now I’ve gone down to half) and I’m going to do another update but I’m going to give a little more detail on my personal experience so far.
So basically here’s what you need to know:
1. I only did one and a half months on 3/4 of a pill. I’m now on half a pill.
2. I’m not using completely natural skincare on my skin because to be honest, I’m scared to stop using products that seem to help!
3. I’m now taking a multivitamin, vitamin D and calcium (they come together), evening primrose oil, and a probiotic
4. I’m not eating a perfect diet. I still sometimes consume dairy and sugar, I am finding it very hard to cut them out completely, but I’ve definitely reduced these. I don’t think dairy overly contributes to my personal acne but I do think sugar does because…
5. In 2009 doctors told me I could (“could” being the important word) have PCOS.
Okay so now that’s out of the way, I’ll move onto how my skin is right now… And bear in mind all the above.
To be very honest, it’s taken a turn for the worse sadly.
While I’ve never had severe acne (the worst it’s ever been is probably moderate) I’ve had persistent acne. To put it in perspective, my doctor has never sent me to a dermatologist, and they wouldn’t ever allow me to have accutane (or roaccutane or whatever it is!).
But anyway, right now I have probably two active spots, one just under the skin and the other infected and very red. Then I have a few red marks where my skin is still healing from the previous weeks’ spots. But the really bad news is I have ALOT of whiteheads that are threatening to come up, and many more blackheads. My skin is oilier during the day but then is dry in the morning, but this is probably because of the products I’m using.
Honestly, I do know in myself that I shouldn’t be using harsh products on my skin, but the problem is I know they help clear the spots that are currently there and I’m sure that if I stop using them the spots will come up all at once and I’ll have to deal with all that! I have low self-esteem, and my appearance has always been a part of that. So when acne comes up and makes a mess of my face, it makes me feel really low. So I use harsh products that give a temporary solution! Argh! How do you stop yourself?! It’s so hard!
Apart from acne, my hair is shedding a little more than usual at the moment and is definitely a little greaser, but this is not worrying me at the moment.
On the plus side I haven’t gained any weight (I don’t think, I don’t weigh myself!) and actually my mood feels a little better at the moment, I don’t feel quite so tired, or quite as emotional.
I really want to get off this pill, but it’s really testing me right now! I’m going to stay on half a pill for at the very least, two months, probably three, and see if my skin evens out.
If anyone has any ideas on naturally getting rid of whiteheads and blackheads please tell me! I’m going to try looking through lovevitamin blog posts for ideas too.
The main thing I need to do is KEEP POSITIVE! So I’m going to put on a happy face and not get too stressed over this. I may have to stop looking in the mirror though! 😀
Thanks everyone and stay strong!
xxx
Hi Laura,
Sorry to hear you are having trouble with your skin. How’s your rash? Has it done down?
Maybe you could have tried staying on 3/4 of the pill alittle longer to let your body adjust. I know how you feel though when you just want to get off it totally.
I know your on the same pill as me, I’m currently on my third month of weaning (halfway through now) I like you have a couple of active spots on my cheeks but I still have a rash type thing going on my chin, slight on my cheeks and forehead. You can only notice these in good lighting but my face is still very itchy, I have gone without makeup aswel but still no difference. Not sure if this is maybe the decrease in hormones…….hmmmmm.
The only new thing I’ve added to my diet is pure virgin coconut oil and burdock root.
I just hope this rash type/pimples/clogged pores will go down soon or I am thinking off getting a microdermabrasion done.
My skin is also quite dry but gets oily aswel, really confused as to what’s going on there. I am still using my freedom gel or sometimes just washing with plain water as advised on here.
NOt sure if I should do another month of weaning on 3/4 or go straight to half a pill? Also not sure how long to stick it out on half a pill. Any advice would be appreciated. I should slowly wean as have been on Dianette for 15 years.
I am really scared thought to go dow to half a pill and don’t want my skin to go crazy.
Regarding your comment on Roaccutane my doctor has never referred me to a derm either, I think back in the day my acne was moderate? Was such a long time ago but because Dianette cleared my skin up it was never discussed again and I was to naive to know about all the side effects.
Hang in there Laura, you have come so far, keep us updated with how you are getting on. Dianette is a nightmare xx
Hi Jazz,
Thanks so much for replying and being so encouraging. So glad I know others who are going through a similar thing!
My rash has definitely gone down since before I still keep getting random red marks that come up and disappear but definitely not as much so that’s good.
I was reading up on it though recently, and I noticed that according to some, I think Tracey @ love vitamin. This rash like thing could be something to do with candida? Are you taking a probiotic? I think it must be something to do with the decrease in hormones too.
Also as a bit of an update the spots, whiteheads etc are calming down a bit now. Which is good. Over the last couple of days my forehead was going crazy! Lots of tiny little whiteheads all in the middle of my forehead. Never had that before! But they’re getting better.
The whole dry/oily thing is happening to me too. I think my skin is really confused. I’m going to stay on half a pill for three months I think, I’m hoping that will give my body some time to adjust. I probably should of stayed on 3/4 for two months instead of one. But after lots of people said the transition to half a pill was the worst, I thought I’d just get it over with! 😀
I think because I’ve had clear skin for so long, it’s really depressing when you suddenly start getting a few spots etc. But I’ve got to remember that will get better! Plus I’m getting healthier at the same time too!
Keep going Jazz, we can do this!!!! 😀
xxx
Hi Laura,
I know what you mean by being depressed when you have had lovely flawless skin and then it turn’s all bad 🙁
My rash like pimples are still on my cheeks and chin, my face feels sooooo hot, prickly and burns. It’s also abit patchy, I really don’t know what to do and I have gone without any make up on my face for ages and no difference. I’m not taking a probiotic at the moment as have just introduced Burdock Root into my regime.
What shall I do ladies???? I am at the end of my tether. Any recommendations?
I was thinking today I’ll see how I get on with half a pill after my seven day break and see how it goes from there. This has really knocked my confidence and the doctor’s are no help either.
Nic’s how to getting on?
Laura has everything calmed down for you yet? You are braver than me I tell you. I’m staying strong though.
Any advice would be helpful as I cant even wear the slightest of make up as my skin feels like it’s burning from the inside.
Hey Girls,
I am sorry to hear about you skin condition. My advice would be to try to wean longer. Maybe your skin is reacting because you have weaned off so quickly? Laura, you stayed on 3/4 of a pill only one month I believe? And Jazz, how long have you weaned up till now? If i remember correctly, you wanted to wean longer. I think that is the best thing to do. I am taking my time and weaning off in 9 months total.
Other than that, have you tried some natural oils on your skin? I dont know much about them, but I remember my sister had a horrible rash/eczema and nothing worked until she used either tree trea oil or jojoba, i dont remember which one it was. Ill ask her tomorrow and let you guys know. I remember at that time she told me how amazed she was, as it cleared instantaneously—literally getting already better over night! Im practically sure it was tea tree oil. So maybe it will work for your skin rashes? Try it out, i dont think it will hurt at this point. Ill let you guys know once i talk to my sister. Hope this helps!
Hi Mona,
Thanks for the advice. I am currently on my third month of weaning on 3/4 of the pill. Not sure if I should do another month on it though. What do you think?
My first month of weaning I had abit of a break out and cheated on my last 7 days of it and started taking the full dose as was really scared how my face was reacting. I stuck it out though as on the second month I did 3/4 all the way through up until now.
I have purchased some jojoba oil about 2 weeks ago but I haven’t used it until tonight so I’ll see how I get on with it. I really hope it works. Does anyone know the amount of oil I should be using on my face?
Anyways, once I started 1/2 a pill I think I will stay on it for at least 5 months as have been on Dianette for 15 years!!!!
xxx
Hey Jazz,
If your skin is already reacting then yes maybe you should stay on 3/4 of a pill one more month, its up to you. It’s true that you stayed very long on your pill, no wonders your skin is reacting. Compared to you I was on the pill 3 years when I decided to wean off, I am now nearly reaching my 3 and a half year including the weaning process. So yes, I think the longer one has stayed, the slower one should take weaning. However it depends from person to person. The first time i took the BCP, i took it for only six months and when i stopped cold turkey I already had terrible secondary effects. I guess some ppl are more sensitive 🙁
I still didn’t get a chance to talk to my sister, but don’t worry I still havent forgotten about the oil she used. BTW how is jojoba oil working for you? I’ve been thinking of using it too these days and I am really not sure. Some say it makes skin worse so dunno :/
Hi Mona,
You’re right, I did only do one month on 3/4. Definitely agree, this has made my body go crazy! I only did one month on 3/4 cause I kept hearing that 1/2 was the worst, so I decided just to go for it and get down to 1/2! I’m a little bit impatient! lol 😀
I am going to stay on half for maybe three or four months so I can see if my skin will stabilise and get used to the reduction in hormones. I have been on Dianette for five years so should probably go slow. Now I’ve got a pill cutter it should make things easier too!
I’m using jojoba oil and lavender oil at the moment and like the way it makes my skin feel and look so will definitely continue with that. Thanks for your help Mona! 🙂 x
Hey Laura,
What jojoba oil are u using and how do you apply it? I want to try it out but im scared its gonna make my face worse. I read few stuff on the internet and apparently the type and brand makes a radical difference! Thanks!
Hiya Mona,
I have heard pros and cons of using jojoba oil too. I’ve not heard the brand can make a difference though!
I’m using Tisserand’s Organic Jojoba oil. Not sure what country you’re in but I bought it off amazon (UK). The Tisserand version is organic and cold pressed. There is another version I’m interested in (for next time I buy) called Jojoba Golden Oil by Naissance, but the Tisserand one is working well at the moment.
I would say though I’ve only been using it for about a week! I’ve been mixing it with lavender oil because this is supposed to be good for acne-prone skin. I’ve never had much luck with tea tree but it’s been scientifically proven to work on acne-prone skin so it is definitely an oil to try out!
If you’re happy with your current skincare regime, maybe introduce oils slowly. Only using it maybe once or twice a week? Don’t want to shock your skin into anything! What are you using on your skin at the moment?
I’ve noticed from researching on internet that if you type any oil into google (and add the words “cleared acne” or “breakout”) you will get some people saying it was a miracle cure and some people say it ruined their skin! The only real way to test is to try it on your skin.
I was using castor oil mixed with safflower/grapeseed for a while, but I stopped using the castor oil because it seemed to clog up my pores. But then some people say it does the exact opposite!
I’ll post if the jojoba oil starts having any adverse effects! 🙂 x
Hiya Jazz,
You are just as brave as me, if not more!
Rash has pretty much gone, I do seem to be still be getting random red marks coming up. Plus I’ve had a few itchy spots (not red or inflamed, kind of like whiteheads almost) which have been a bit weird. I think my body just doesn’t know what’s happening at the moment! It’s gone crazy! 😀
I really think your face rash sounds like an allergic reaction to something… It can’t just be the hormones, can it!? Are you sure you haven’t introduced anything, skincare wise maybe, that could have caused your skin to flare up? Or introduced any new foods? Keep positive Jazz, it will get better soon I’m sure of it!
I don’t think you should reduce the amount of pill you are taking until your skin has stabilised though. Going down to half could just cause even more problems!
Have you been keeping a diary by the way? I’ve been writing down what’s been going on every few days since I started weaning. I’m hoping this way I might be able to see patterns at the start and end of my cycle. At the moment it’s obvious that the breakouts start just after I start taking my next month of pills, then calm down when I have my period. Exact opposite of what usually happens!
Currently I’ve got a lot of blocked pores on my forehead, but they are finally going away using a mixture of jojoba and lavender oil, as well as some *ahem* less natural products! I’m slowly transitioning to all natural products, but while my hormones are out of whack (because of the reduction in pills) I think my skin needs the less natural products or I might not be able to go outside. This is a slow process!
Stay strong Jazz, we can do it! xxx
I have been reading everyone’s comments on a few different sites for hours now and I have found some really helpful information. I am 28 and just finally in the past few years my acne has gone away. I have been taking the pill on and off since I was 15. My husband and I don’t want kids – not yet anyway- and we travel a lot so I would like to go ahead and try the non-hormonal IUD. I am certain that my skin is going to go bonkers. Does anyone know where to find some information about weaning off the BC pill while using a copper IUD? Any opinions on that?
There’s nothing to prevent you from using a copper IUD while weaning of the pill as the copper IUD doesn’t have any hormones. You should know that the copper IUD has a lower effectiveness rate in women who have never had children (doesn’t fit as well in the uterus if you’ve never given birth).
Hi Christelle,
I hope you are well. I was just looking on iherb.com for a good probiotic as you recommended this site. There are about 7 different varieties . Which one do you recommend please?
Jazz xx
Hey Jazz,
Sorry to hear your skin is going through a bad time. The good news is, probiotics can be introduced into your diet any time. You don’t need to worry about compatibility with other supplements.
I usually get Pearls probiotics (there are several kinds – intensive care/immune system, among others – I’ve tried all of them, and I don’t think there’s a big difference). The first few days/weeks, they might give you a little bloating, but I found that when I continued them, the whole digestion thing got much better.
If your rash is due to an allergy, you could always look into getting digestive enzymes too. These will help break down the particles when you eat, and they help reduce the risk of an immune reaction to some foods you might be having trouble digesting.
The other option could be to remove some foods from your diet for a while and see if this has any incidence on your rash – gluten, for example, or dairy. I tend to get eczema on my feet when I eat cheese for more than 4 days running. Don’t know why. But as soon as I quit the cheese, the eczema subsides. I realized that last year after a short stay in the Alps. I pigged out on cheese the whole time and came home with a bunch of eczema that lasted a while (until I had finished all the alpine cheese I brought home). When I stopped eating the “trigger food”, the inflammation healed in about a week.
I’ll write an update of what’s been going on this end cycle-wise, etc some time in the next few days. Thinking of you, my lovely! Sending you lots of positive vibes! 😉
Hi Christelle,
Thank you, I will pick a probiotic and start taking them asap.
I’ve cut down of diary a lot since weaning, I just have a drop of milk in my tea in the mornings and then no cheese or milk/diary. I will monitor everything else though.
Please give us an update re your skin once you are ready, I look forward to hearing from you.
Big Hugs
xxx
Hey Everyone!
Here is my update on my weaning process: I am currently on month 2 on 1/4 of a pill. The first month on 1/4 was personally very difficult for me. It was exactly in the middle of my exam periods, so the stress and lack of sleep linked with the symptoms I was experiencing (more pimples, oilier skin, oilier hair, more hair shedding etc.) made it a hellish month. But I’ve survived it and thank god it is better this second month 🙂 So like I explained in my last update, I had my periods way too early last month, leading me to have my periods for 3 and a half weeks in total with like 5 days of no periods in between! :/ I know it was so weird! It was just terrible cause i felt so moody, tired and on top of that, one day i thought i was going to die from the cramps I was having (I think i was ovulating that day). I thought that my periods were never going to end but then it was the start of the second month and I took the 1/4 of a pill and my periods stopped. I was very relieved to say the least. I guess even 1/4 a pill still has effect on my body.
So this month i didnt have my periods as early as last month (thank god!) although i still have one week left on the pill. We’ll see how my body has adjusted and hopefully I wont have my periods too early. In general, this month i feel much better in all terms, mood, skin, and hair wise. The first month I had much more pimples than usual, but now it has subsided a bit. But i’m still getting a few spots here and there so I’m thinking of adding evening primrose oil in my regime. Anyone has advice on where to buy good ones? Another reason why I want to take EPO is because this month again I had terrible cramps one day. I think I am ovulating. But the weird thing is that when I was younger I never had cramps like this. Did anyone experience the same thing as me?
Even though I feel like 1/4 is too low and feel tempted to stop now, I do not want to rush it and really want to stick the weaning process to 9 months cause I know that in the end it will lead to less shock to my body. Hope this will help to anyone else weaning off and experiencing the same thing as me.
Thanks for everyone and stay strong! xxx
Hi Mona,
That’s great news I think I was going through similar things too… But because I weaned faster I felt most of it during 1/2 a pill.
the beginning of 1/2 was where I noticed more negative symptoms. Hang in there I think you’re doing well. Im excited to see the results. We are so similar. You know, When I quit CT years ago the first thing I noticed was hairloss and also acne on my back and chest first before my face, so I think I will wait for those symptoms first.
Hi Ladies
Here is my update:
so last week my period barely came, just spotting. I then didnt start taking pill immediately, i waited a few extra days thinking that it would come. but it did not. I was also really worried about my skin of course, and nothing happened. no acne yet.
I then decided to start on 1/4 pill. I know i should wean longer but I am really tired of it. That and i only have one more box left. I have done 3 months at 3/4 and 2 months at 1/2. so even though my skin was breaking out before, it has subsided and currently clear.
So i have been taking the probiotic for a little over a week now. I have also increased all my supplements (on all of them it says take 2 daily and before I was just taking one). And what a difference!!! Still no acne. i had one pimple under my skin a few days ago but i ate badly the night before. it has disappeared. no rash either!!
My diet is still pretty healthy, although i do eat pizza and gelato once a week (i live in italy, some things i cant stay away from). also i have lost wieght too ( i think a lot was water retention). i have never been overweight, always normal size.
so skin wise, its still ok. i have noticed it is more oily but it seems to change weekly.
i will keep you all updated. stick it out everybody. i know its hard!!
xxxx
Hey nics! thanks for the update. It’s encouraging to know that your symptoms are subsiding over time! now that i think of it, it was also the case for me. At the start of each change in pill i would have the most effects but over the 3 months it would subside. Hope it will also be the case once we completely stop taking the hormones 🙂
I might as well update.
As some of you may know I weaned over 3 months – the express version. After stopping the pill 2 weeks later I got another weird light bleed that lasted 5 days. I’ve been counting and in 6 days I should be due for a period assuming that weird bleed was a period. I have all the symptoms sore breasts and back, so if anyone was worried about getting a regular cycle after weaning… dont be. I know my body and I know I will be getting my period soon.
Skin wise I have no acne not one pimple on my face. I have been eating sugar lately and carbs so if i do break out I won’t be upset. I guess I am craving that stuff getting a natural period.
Labido is on and off so too is mood. Sometimes I am happy and other times I want to punch everyone in the face. LOL
Hairloss – This one is interesting I can now say it has stopped. It was concerning when I hit 1/2 – 1/4 of the pill but now it has got back to normal. My hair loss is normal again. I havent done much other than take a cheap supplement for hair nails and skin. I just bought a new house so I am broke as! LOL
It feels amazing to not take a pill… I am much happier these days. I would like to start planning on having kids soon. I think early next year and now I can because of this site and all you wonderful girls. I know its a little too early to tell but last time I quit I had acne within 4 weeks. I have been off the pill now 5 weeks so far so good.
Frida! Thats such good news! I wish my weaning process would have gone so well lol thanks for the update, really happy that things are going well 🙂 xxx
Hi! Thought I’d share my progress since I read so many of these comments when I stopped Diane 35.
+ Was put on the pill 9 years ago due to a few mild breakouts (thanks doc)
+ Weaned for 8 months, did not notice any side effects (I only cut them in half – the pills crumbled into dust when I tried to cut them smaller)
+ Began eating very clean, exercising every day, sleeping regularly, and doing yoga when I stopped completely (all things that I’d been wanting to do anyway)
+ Diet consists mainly of eggs, fish, fruit, and vegetables (I don’t drink alcohol, and I stopped drinking coffee); lots of water; supplement with Omega-3, borage oil, and centrum
+ For about three weeks after stopping, I experienced frequent headaches and felt very bloated… after that I felt incredible, physically and mentally
+ Weight didn’t change, but I started developing a 6-pack!
+ First period after 76 days pill-free, second period after 119 days pill-free
+ Today is my 130th day pill-free
+ I have not broken out since stopping the pill – my skin is oilier, sure, but nothing unmanageable
+ It’s too soon to say I’m out of the woods, but hopefully some of you will find this progress encouraging
thanks so much for the encouraging post! 🙂 its great that things are going well for you, pls keep updating! x
Hi Ladies
Laura, I am glad the rash is going down. I also had at one stage lots of clogged pores on my forehead, but that too started to disappear. (and then i wasnt even using anything special). But i think it does take a while for the body to get used to the drop. I was on 3/4 for 3 months. But maybe I also just got used to the rash too! I really dont know. THe worst period was the 2nd month for me.
Jazz I hope you hang in there too. I also think once you start the probiotic you should see a change. Don’t give up!
I am still on a 1/4 now, and i had a whitehead on my nose today. There is a big change in the season too, so I think all of these things add up? I feel a bit crazy because every morning i look in the mirror trying to see any difference. My skin is oily more this time. hoping that the clogged pores on the forehead don’t return.
I am trying to understand the hormonal cycle, and if i am correct the worst time should be between week 2-4. I am heading towards week 2, so i will see if there is a major change.
Stay strong everyone.
xxx
I think keeping a diary is a great idea :)I should have done it too!
I don’t want to be a kill joy but just FYI. For the majority of women who stop Diane-35, symptoms return/worsen around the 6-9 month mark after stopping it. So if you’ve only been off of it for a couple months or so, you may need to up to a year almost before you know whether or not you’re in the clear. It took my acne 9 months to return full-force (actually worse than before starting it). So keep up the supplements and clean eating for a while yet! sounds like ya’ll are doing well.
Hi Shannon!
How are you doing now? Did you figure out a way to control your acne without taking the pill?
And yes, I totally agree, you only know if you’re in the clear after 6 months…
Okay girls, very quick update!
So in the end I had my periods yesterday. Compared to last month, it came much later but it is still earlier than my usual cycle when I was on the pill, but that was to be expected. Which means that I will be having my periods for arnd a week and half. I think its not too bad! hopefully next month (my third month and last month, aaaaah!) my periods will be even more on time. Thats the thing that ive noticed, usually at the start of each new change in cut, my systems goes out of wack and then regulated itself. I guess it makes sense, as that is why we are weaning off in the first place lol
I’ve been thinking over the last few days of using jojoba oil or tea tree oil for my skin. But im really hesitant. Anyone know which one is best and what brands? the reviews are quite controversial. Christelle, you might know about this. Your help and advice on this would be appreciated (merci! ^^)
Oh and Christelle also, how are you doing so far without vitex? Shannon’s new comment is a bit worrying? How long have you been without pills now?
xxx
Good work Mona!
I heard good things about both, I personally use tea-tree oil for spots. Though I haven’t had any in while 🙂 🙂 🙂 When I was on the pill I used tea-tree oil and it dried out acne fast. Along with Epiduo on occasions.
But I do think it dries the skin out a lot so I suggest it as a spot treatment only.
Hi Shannon
I am also getting worried but did you wean off the pill and then it came back after 9 months? Is that what happened?
I remember if i didnt take my pill for a week, I would start breaking out, and for other girls its 3-6 months? Is that what you were talking about?
Let us know exactly what you are talking about
Thanks
Nics
Hi All…
Um… I just wanted comment about the acne thing coming back. I feel that you can’t put a blanket statement saying acne comes back 6-9 months after you stop. EVERYONE is different the first time i stopped it came back within 1-2 months. The second time I broke out crazy just as I got my first period.
Everyone is different… But i still think weaning is the best method. I am about to have my period (tomorrow) and usually by now my face would have exploded or at the very least show signs of acne ie – oily skin and blocked pores.
So far so good. But having said that I am not jumping for joy yet.
Hey babes,
First of all, I was away this weekend so I didn’t see my news-feed, but just reading through all the comments, I can’t believe how great all of you seem to be doing! And it makes me SO happy! I’ve now been pill-free for exactly 11 months, and I am 100% acne-free still. I just wanted to encourage you all. I never believed this would be the case after 1 year. I tried keeping my diet in check, and then I experimented adding in dairy, gluten, sugar, and nothing happened, my skin is still 100% clear. In fact, it seems to have regulated itself out now, so I’m no longer suffering from oily days or dry days. I just use jojoba oil (1-2 drops) in the morning, as a moisturizer, and then I use it as an eye make-up remover in the evening. I don’t wash my face at all. When I’m in the shower, I just wash the rest of my body, and I leave my face alone. Of course, my face gets wet, but I don’t scrub or use any product on it. If I feel the need to cleanse, I do a honey mask (2 teaspoons of honey – leave it on your face for 30 mins, and then rinse off with water). Our skin isn’t meant to be assailed. I’ve come to trust my body to do what it will, and to assist it as best I can, but not to interfere with it (a few years ago, I wouldn’t have recognized myself had I read this comment – I was addicted to harsh skin treatment, a slave to birth control, on and off candida diets, and in a state of constant fear and superstition that acne would pop up out of nowhere).
This brings me to Shannons comment about Diane 35 and acne returning for most girls after having been off for 3-6 months or more. And, having been in that very place (I took Diane 35 for 3 years, then quit cold turkey, and broke out after having been off for 3-4 months), I can’t contradict what you’re saying Shannon. But I have documented myself extensively on the subject since, and whereas before it would have freaked me out to read long-winded threads on blogs about women breaking out massively after abrupt discontinuation of Diane 35, I now know exactly WHY this happens:
Diane 35 contains cyproterone, which is a potent anti-androgen. A simple Google search for this drug will tell you that this is the ingredient used in anti-protrate cancer treatment in men, in chemical castration treatment for serial rapists, in anti-hirsutism drugs such as Androcur or Spiro, and in Diane 35 (or Dianette). It CANNOT be discontinued abruptly. Otherwise said, you MUST wean off Diane 35, or else you WILL experience a surge in testosterone levels as soon as your body starts trying to palliate the imbalance. This MIGHT result in acne, or unwanted facial hair, or inexistent periods (it usually does, but as Frida quite rightly put it, every woman reacts differently). Of course, often the imbalance gets worse before it gets better, and this explains why many women coming off Diane 35 suffer from severe acne lasting from 6 months-1 year after having come off the pill. And yes, sometimes this breakout can occur after having been off the pill for 6-7 months (one of my good friends came off it cold turkey a few years ago, and only started breaking out 6 months after having stopped – that breakout lasted about 6 months, and of course, today, her skin is crystal clear – she was brave and stuck it out until her natural hormones balanced themselves out). Diane 35 is very different from other pills in this respect. Cyproterone is highly addictive, and the post-Diane breakout is just one of the withdrawal symptoms women experience when they discontinue it cold turkey. Diane also seems to have a negative impact on the liver (how surprising! The dosage of synthetic estrogen is so high!), and this also contributes to the post-Diane breakout.
But here I have to nuance what you’re saying, Shannon. While I agree that coming off Diane cold turkey can, and usually does, cause a bad breakout (sometimes months after having been off it, yes), weaning seems to have proven effective against this breakout. Because when you wean, you give your body the chance to balance its own hormones out gradually. You’re not shocking your system into mass-producing testosterone, as it would if you came off cold turkey. Your body is able to regulate its production of testosterone, and if you read Kyra’s comments further up, you will see that even after having been off the Dianette for months (a year, I think), she didn’t experience the breakout she experienced in the past when she tried to quit cold turkey. And to me it seems SO logical, and SO unfair and disgraceful that the doctor’s shouldn’t mention this to women taking this particular pill.
I guess what I’m trying to say here is that, yes, you can read up on blogs all about how some women have a terrible time with acne coming off birth control (I’ve been there, I’ve had the acne, I’ve read the blogs, I’ve scared myself senseless), and you can scare the shit out of yourselves by anticipating a breakout months after you’ve come off the pill. But know that NOTHING HAPPENS FOR NO REASON. Women who get the post-pill breakout after coming off their pills cold turkey get it for several reasons: 1) hormonal shock – you depend on a cocktail of synthetic hormones, suddenly you quit, what does your body do? – It freaks out, and compensates by provoking hormonal surges. 2) Sluggish liver function and poor digestion – the pill congests your liver, and depletes your gut flora. Invest in a good probiotic while coming off, and help your liver out by avoiding caffeine, toxins in processed food, sugar, drinking tons of water, and maybe taking turmeric and burdock root to help it detox.
But please stop freaking yourselves out. I know people can say, yes, Christelle, you were lucky because you never had the breakout coming off, but trust me, when I came off the Diane cold turkey 9 years ago, my face looked like a calculating machine. I was depressed, COVERED in acne, and I went right back on that devil pill. I KNOW how scared the prospect of acne can make you. That’s why I opted never to come off it. Until I had had enough last year, and I weaned off. And maybe I was one of the lucky ones, but I seriously believe that you don’t have to have acne coming off the pill. You just need to do your research and find out why things happen. Read up on natural hormones? Find out about your cycle. This whole system wants you to be ignorant and scared and sick. Personally, I choose to stick it up the system’s ass, to KNOW how my body works, to KNOW my body, to TRUST my body, and to be healthy and acne-free. Simple as that.
I’m not angry here. But I am SO tired of seeing women scared of acne, so scared that they are slaves to the pill. You CAN come off this junk and not suffer from a breakout. Your skin might regulate, and you might get a few pimples, but if you don’t shock your body, if you reduce the dosage gradually, your body WILL regulate itself. Meanwhile, stay off processed foods, love yourselves, love your bodies, and you WILL be ok.
Thank you Christelle!
As always I feel so inspired after you email. Thank you!!!
Thanks from me as well Christelle! I feel motivated to keep doing this. I am currently on my 7 day pill break at the moment and apart from a few pains on the first day of my period, I actually feel pretty awesome!
My mood is definitely improving through this process, probably partly because of the reduced synthetic hormones, but also because this experience and the comments on here (and the blog itself!) are really making me take a long hard look at my diet. I’m eating sooooo much better now, exercising more, taking supplements, and weaning myself off the harsher skincare products, and because of all this I’m feeling way better too! YAY! 😀
Oh and P.S I just yesterday watched an excellent documentary on Netflix called “Food Matters”. It focuses on nutritional therapy and the drugs industry and is VERY informative. I’d recommend everyone watch it! 😀
Hi Ladies
An update: so as I have been doing more research on the menstrual cycle and hormones etc, (finally..lol) it seems that right on cue I am breaking out a little. I think i have am estrogen dominance and a natural progesterone cream would be good? Christelle did you use it? How did you find it?
I have had really clear skin up to this point this cycle, and i think as I am ovulating, i am starting to break out again. Not hugely, I have 3 pimples on my cheek and one giant one on my chest. ok not giant, but noticeable. considering that this should be the peak of the estrogen levels and i am breaking out, i think it could be the case?
Does this sound right to anyone? Also the fact of my rashes before. It was never just before my period but midway in my cycle….and it cleared when I got my period?
Is it possible to find these creams at a pharmacy? Ok I hope I am right about this.
Let me know what you girls think???
oh and i literally notices these pimples today, so i am being sneaky and having 1/2 tablet.
i will still do 1/4 for 2 months but lets see how it goes!
Hey Nics,
I’m happy to hear your rash cleared up when you got your period… hmm, although I wonder what could have caused it… maybe a food sensitivity…
My skin gets a little capricious around ovulation time too. I think it’s pretty normal. Just make sure you’re using natural spot treatment and not touching your skin too much (my new motto is: “if you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your face”). It’s funny, you say you have a pimple on your chest, I tend to get small red spots along my hairline during ovulation. You can’t actually see them or anything, but I can sometimes feel a tiny painful “bump” under my skin around that time of the month. If I leave them alone they usually disappear after a day or two.
As for progesterone cream, I think you can purchase it online. Lots of women rave about it. Unfortunately, my experience with it wasn’t so good. I bought some after reading up on it, and I used it for 2 days running. I don’t know whether it’s because I used it “wrong”, or at the wrong time of the month, or that I sued too much of it, but anyway, it made me feel sluggish, it delayed my period for a week, and I got pms symptoms (irritability, cramping, headaches). I just figured it might not be for me, so I left it at that. That’s when I read up on vitex, and decided it seemed more natural. Vitex doesn’t actually “contain” progesterone, but it tends to help your body to produce its own hormones in the right quantities. So far, I’ve definitely felt much better taking vitex than progesterone cream (also, because I read that the whole John Lee progesterone craze is a bit overrated, and that in some cases the use of progesterone has been a cause of breast cancer, so I figured I’d leave it alone). Obviously, though, this is just MY experience, and maybe this is the right supplement for you, so if it helps you, don’t stop just because I didn’t have a good time on it! 🙂
I’ve heard Estroblock is an amazing acne-clearing supplement. I think I’m going to try it. I don’t have acne or anything, but I like the idea of blocking all those xeno estrogens found in the environment… It can be taken alongside vitex too, so that’s cool!
Good luck lovely! Let me know how things work out for you!
Quick question. As you know I am on Norimin. I was wondering if it would be better to go on a less stronger pill before starting the weaning process??
I talked to my husband about it and he says to stop cold turkey. When I did it 10 years ago I would have had huge amounts of hormones anyway and at this age 33 I should not have them as bad. It was his suggestion to switch to a lower dose then quit???
I am still thinking of weaning though. Anyone else know anyone who quit cold turkey and had no side effects? Sometimes I wonder if we only read about the negative stuff because people without side effects maybe are not posting???
Anyone get pregnant during the weaning process on accident?
Hey Chris,
I don’t know about switching from Norimin to another pill… I mean why not, if you think it can help you. You’re right, it is highly dosed in synthetic estrogen, but not more than Dianette. At the end of the day, the weaning process will be the same. You’ll be reducing your hormone intake gradually, and thus gently allowing your body to stop depending on artificial hormones.
A piece of advice: don’t EVER listen to men concerning the pill. Men don’t know jack about women’s bodies unless they’re qualified doctors (and even then…). I mean, I love my fiancé more than anything in the world, but there’s not a chance in hell I’m allowing him to influence me concerning my hormones. He wanted me to come off cold turkey too, but today I’m very happy I didn’t take his advice (and so is he!) 😉
Good luck with the big decision! 🙂
Oh and PS – yeah, you need backup contraception, hihi! You never know!
Hi Chris…
Thats exactly what I did, I switched I switched from Diane to Yasmin. Slightly better.
I guess… if you’re in no rush you could do this… but be prepared that changing your pill could result in temporary break out. Heck I broke out from switch to a generic brand! I took the risk because Diane is such a horrible pill. I was lucky… broke out a tiny bit from the switch. Not to a point where it bothered me.
I stayed on Yasmin for longer than planned > 2 years. Because I felt so great on it. Then came the decision to start thinking about kids. So I weaned.
Now my period is back to clock work. Exactly 28 days and NO ACNE thus far. Looking back it was a big risk… If you are ok on your pill now… I would slowly wean off of it now. But slower than the usual 3-6 months. Maybe extend it to 9 months like Mona? I remember it taking my body about 4-5 months to reap the benefits of yasmin. Before that I had symptoms such as very mild acne, moody as hell, heat palpitations and anxiety. I stuck it out because I thought that they were temporary. Which they were…. And I knew I wasn’t ready to wean just yet so I had the time.
Changing pills and wean off pills are all risky (in regards to acne) but you know your body best and what it can take.
Hi everyone!
Just wanted to do a quick update cause things have taken a turn to the positive. 🙂
Starting my second month of 1/2 pill tomorrow and my skins looking pretty great! Actually almost as good as it was before I started weaning. So massive thumbs up for that! 😀
Couple of things I’ve changed in the last week or so are that I’ve upped my dose of EPO so now it’s a pretty high dosage. Did a bit of research and realised that it seems to be very helpful for hormonal acne. So going to keep it this up.
I’ve also stopped using acne products every night and morning. I’m finally starting to understand it’s just messing with my skin’s normal balance. It’s hard to change something that you’ve been doing for so many years though!
In the morning I just wash my face with water and that’s it (unless it’s a bit dry and then I’ll add some jojoba). Also still cleaning my face every evening with jojoba and lavender.
And that’s it I think! Good luck to everyone else and fingers crossed that my skin stays this clear! xxx
Hey Laura,
That’s awesome! Your skin routine sounds great! SO glad the weaning seems to be working out for you!
🙂
YAYYYAAA Laura! So happy for you!
Hi Ladies.
I’m going to update you all as to what’s been happening with my skin.
I started using Jojoba Oil on the 11th June, I was using a couple of drops and by 17th June I had ALOT of clogged pores on my forehead, slightly on bore sides of my temples and the sides of my chin area.
I was washing my face with water, allowing it to dry and then applying alittle oil. Sometimes I would just wash with the oil and dry my face.
I went for a 10K run on the 16th and was wearing jojoba oil and then my foundation ontop of that so I don’t know if the two didn’t work well together and plus all that sweat wasn’t good either. I know I shouldn’t have worn foundation and run but I was doing the Race for Life and didn’t want to go bare 🙁
Anyways, I thought it might be the ‘purging period’ using Jojoba oil so I thought i’d stick it out and see what happens.
The itching on my face stopped since using the oil but want these pores/rash to go away.
Well, I’ve left my skin alone for some time now and washing only with water and when my skin feel really greasy I’m washing it with Organic tea tree oil face wash.
Laura, I know you said that you are using Jojoba Oil and Lavender Oil, can I ask how you are using the two please?
Are you applying these oils after washing your face? If so, how much are you applying?
Or are you washing with both oils mixed and then just drying your face? How many times are you applying it?
I have purchased some Organic Lavender Oil the other day and wanted to use that with the Jojoba oil.
Oh and I’m so pleased that your skin routine is working for you.
I just really want to be clear again, I haven’t got any spots as such but a lot of very tiny clogged pores all over my face!!!
I can’t even look in the mirror as they depress me 🙁
Nics, I’m glad your regime is going well for you too and all the other ladies weaning, you are all doing great.
Christelle, thanks for the info about Probiotics, I have ordered mine from I Herb.com and hopefully they should arrive next week so hope this helps me.
Also I have increased my intake of EPO, currently was taking 1 a day but now I am taking 2. 1000MG each.
The same with Fish Oils but I have since the last couple of days gone back to taking 1 capsules as don’t want to overdo it although it says to take it 3 times a day.
I’ve also got a doctor’s appointment next week to see if can explain whats going on with these tiny clogged pores everywhere on my face. (I Doubt it) i’m so desperate at the moment I’m even thinking about doing to a Derm privately and see what they have to offer me, desperate measures I know.
Oh, also my last pill day was on the 16th so not sure I got these clogged pores due to being my 7 day pill free days? I’m now on my period so will monitor how my skin reacts.
Oh and Laura thanks, I’m not keeping a diary of what I eat and skin wise, lets see hey.
Any information or advice would be great.
Jazz xx
Hi Jazz,
Sorry to hear you’re still having skin problems 🙁 It sounds like the jojoba is helping a little to stop your face itching so that’s good. But the clogged pores are really frustrating, I know! Generally they are caused by a build up of dead skin cells and sebum I think and exfoliating can be a good way of getting rid of them. So maybe look into ways of naturally exfoliating the skin? I’ve heard things like baking soda can possibly help, or a very gently sugar/salt scrub perhaps? Bet there’s loads more ideas on this blog!
Okay so with jojoba and lavender what I am doing is this…
In the evening I will put about 5 drops of jojoba oil in my (nice and clean!) hand and then add a couple of drops of lavender oil. I then massage the oil into my face, taking quite a lot of time to make sure I’ve massaged it everywhere and focusing on any problem areas. Once that’s done I fill up my skin with very warm water and soak a (very clean!) flannel/cloth in the water. Then I use the flannel to wipe the oil off my face. I make sure I’ve removed all of the excess oil from my face before splashing it with a bit of cold water and letting it dry.
That’s it! Hope that helps a little. I would say though… The worst of my clogged pores were pretty much gone before I started using just jojoba and lavender on my face. I have to admit before that I was using quite harsh BHA exfoliates because I was so desperate to get rid of all the clogged pores on my forehead! So I really know how you feel.
Keep us updated and let me know how the doc appointment goes! Wishing you all the very very best!! 🙂 xx
hello everyone–
1st month on 1/4 pill complete! will try cutting pills into 1/8’s starting tonight (can’t hurt to be extra careful with the weaning)… 1 more month & i’m BCP free!
* skin still clear & glowy. i attribute this mainly to drinking plenty of water, cleaning up my diet (in all honesty, i still cheat a few times a week and i can’t afford all organic foods), EPO + fish oil, B-complex + vit C + zinc, warm lemon water before breakfast (1x or 2x a week), and “get clean” tea by republic of teas every night –i HIGHLY recommend this rooibos-based tea! it not only tastes great but also contains burdock root, dandelion leaf, and milk thistle, all of which cleanse the blood & stimulate the liver. it’s also a natural source of many nutrients that are beneficial for your health and skin. i feel really great these days thanks to a combination of the above.
* period is missing… i was spotting week of may 6 and that was the last time i saw any signs of having a uterus lol.
* mood stabilized, fatigue is GONE, energy is up, & stubborn weight gain is going away!!! 😀 over the past 2 weeks, i lost 2.5 lbs of the 8 lbs i need to lose. which is weird bc i loosened up my diet a little bit the past 2 weeks.
* i still use unnatural face products to wash my face (dermalogica). i think in the long-term it would be best to switch to natural stuff like manuka honey and jojoba oil but my skin is doing so well right now that i’m afraid to switch up on it.
* debating whether i should start vitex now while i take 1/8 pills during my last weaning month or after the weaning is completely finished. i heard it takes some time for the vitex to work and i’m eager to try it.
BCP is super evil but it actually is a blessing in disguise. it caused me to freak out, do research, and live an even healthier lifestyle than i did before BCP. and i feel awesome! i’m hoping i can maintain the clear skin that BCP gave me by sticking to this healthier regimen i have now.
Hi Tina
Did you get your period yet? Or did you just start a new cycle on 1/4?
This was my first month at 1/4 and also a missing period. The month before I was on 1/2 and i had spotting (the 2 periods before were normal)
Update me on how things are going 🙂
hi nics,
i got my period after a week of taking 1/8’s. i should mention that my period came after drinking spearmint tea just twice. it supposedly inhibits androgen activity, and christelle theorized that missing periods may be due to a relative excess of testosterone. however, i can’t really say that the tea, androgen levels, and the arrival of my period are really connected and i don’t have any other signs of more testosterone creeping up on me.
i’m not overly concerned about the regularity of my periods at this point since our hormones are constantly going through adjustment during the weaning process. i would worry about that if you are still irregular many months after your last pill (i think i heard it may take 3 months or more to get regular). so hang in there, because it may sneak up on you mid-cycle one day –i carried around fem products all the time just in case 🙂
Hi Tina
Thanks for replying. Actually I think it could be right. Since its been getting rather warm, I havent been drinking any tea at all. So maybe I have stopped drinking tea for about 2 months! and thats 2 cycles without a real period.
I will drink some tea and hopefully that will correct the situation!
Thanks Tina and Christelle!! This blog is really a life saver!!
Hi Everyone,
Well, here’s an update on my progress:
The Good:
I’m halfway through the wean (already!) and can report that so far, not a single pimple or black head. I don’t eat especially healthy, but I can say that all the food I eat is organic and free-range, as I live in rural Vietnam, and the farmers are too poor to utilize chemicals and pesticides, and their chickens are always running around the streets! however, I’m relocating to Berlin in a couple of weeks, so Im sure it’s going to be a different story. That being said, I realize that dairy is a huge acne-factor, and I consume precious little. Have also seen a huge reduction of bloating and water weight, which is lovely.
the Bad: does anyone else experience the most BRUTAL migranes as a result of this wean? I have just re-emrged from 48 hours of lying in bed, in the pitch black. 48 hours! For the past few months, I get a horrible migrane about once a week, so bad I have to be bedridden. The strange thing is, during the last 48 hours, my husband brought me the 1/2 pill I am on, and as soon as I took it,the migrane disappeared completely (but came back with a force about 5 hours later). I am also behaving very strangely, like bursting in tears in restuarants (WTF) and crying when I heard a song with backing vocals by Michael Jackson (“I can’t believe he diiiiiieeed!” I wailed, with tears streaming down my cheeks. I mean WTF. I am a fan, but not that big a fan). My mood changes so swiftly, perhaps every 20 minutes or so and I cant stand it.
Verdict: At this stage, I’d rather have the acne than the migranes and the mood swings. Anyone else experience the same thing? Thanks all!
(Hi to Christelle!) xx
hi E–
OMG, i experienced those crazy mood swings too! it is sort of comical when i look back at how crazy i acted over nothing. loved and related to your michael jackson story! are you on 1/2 a pill? that was the stage when i started to get SUPER sensitive to anything anybody said, murderous rages, and non-stop tear fests at all times of the day. i threw a temper tantrum at the mall over some purses and which cafe to go to and i’m 25 and don’t even care about purses. i cried literally non-stop through “the impossible” from the very beginning (when nothing bad was even happening) to the ending credits. that was new for me. that was one particularly bad week and from there things slowly started to even out. i didn’t experience any migraines and i’m sorry to hear it, but i hope those too will even out as your body goes through the weaning process.
Hey E,
OMG, I can totally relate (and hey giiiirl, btw!) to the whole mood swings and migraines thing. I quite Dianette cold turkey about 9 years ago (bad bad experience!) and the mood swings and headaches were a nightmare. You’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms. These will subside, but in the meantime it’s pretty rough. You’re probably detoxing too.
Maybe you could reduce your dosage more gradually? I don’t know if that’s possible at all? How far along are you with the weaning?
Sending you a million positive vibes! Keep in touch 🙂
Hi E,
Yep – I know exactly what you mean about the mood swings! I’m only down to 3/4 of a pill and am much worse than normal, particularly during the withdrawal week and the one after that. I had a near-breakdown at work when I couldn’t find a parking space, then ran through a red light because I was crying and couldn’t see, then nearly ran a man over! Bad news.
Sorry to hear about the migraines – I’m lucky enough not to be experiencing those, but I have had a few headaches and am noticing a ridiculous intolerance to alcohol too! Three pints of beer on Friday night and I was sick twice in the morning, what a lightweight! Ha ha.
As you were, girls! Keep at it! 🙂
Hey there,
I went to a GP who has years of family planning experience and sad to say she has never heard of weaning off the birth control pill. She did not seem against it but she was not in favour of it either. She gave me two prescriptions without a physical exam , blood pressure or anything.
Represcribed Norimin and also had a lengthy discussion about the “mini Pill” Noriday. She said that the best thing to do would be to take Noriday and then just stop when I want to have kids.
Now I have more research to do. Has anyone heard of or taken the mini pill??
Wow so nobody has taken the mini pill??
Hey Chris,
Sorry to bust your bubble, but sadly there is no such thing as the “mini pill”. It’s an expression used to make the pill sound nice and sweet and harmless. What doctors refer to as the “mini pill” is the very same birth control pill we have all come to know and depend on, except the dosage in hormones is slightly reduced (hence “mini” pill).
I’ve taken the “mini pill” – Jasminelle is considered a mini pill, but Yaz is the “real full blown version”. The only difference is the dosage in ethinestradiol. Yaz contains 30 µg ethinestradiol, and Jasminelle contains 20 µg. That’s it. And because the dosage is slightly reduced (in ethinestradiol only – they both contain the same quantity of drospirenone, the synthetic progestin) they call Jasminelle a “mini pill”.
Frankly, it’s all jargon. And you definitely shouldn’t expect doctors to know about how to “wean off” the pill. My doctor didn’t know that Yaz was harmful at all, and I still ended up in hospital in 2006 after some kind of blood clot problem…
Of course, it’s up to you to do as you wish regarding Noriday. You are the master of you, and nobody can decide in your place, but I’ve come to trust that I am the master of my health, and that sadly, although western medicine is constantly making progress to improve our health, it also works hand in hand with pharmaceutical giants who want us to pay for their drugs, even at the expense of our wellbeing.
Good luck in all cases. 🙂
Found this information. It is used for women who are breastfeeding or want to get back to their closest to natural cycle.
NORIDAY is a birth control pill
commonly known as a
“progestogen-only” pill or “mini
pill”. NORIDAY is usually given to
women who are unable to take other
types of birth control pills (oral
contraceptives) or use intrauterine
devices (IUDs).
NORIDAY causes changes to the
mucus of the cervix and the lining of
the womb and affects the hormonal control system of the body, which
may all contribute to the birth control
(contraceptive) action.
The effectiveness of the
“progestogen-only” pill is lower than
that of other birth control pills.
hmmmmmmmm very interesting!
Each white tablet contains
* norethisterone 350 micrograms
(mcg).
* magnesium stearate
* povidone
* maize starch
* lactose.
NORIDAY does not contain sucrose,
gluten or tartrazine.
Wow, yes, that is interesting! In France, what we call “pilule mini-dosée” (mini dose pill) is what I was referring to in my above comment as “mini pill”, and “pilule uni-dosée” is what you were apparently referring to as “mini pill” (uni-dose pill, or “progesterone only pill”). Ahhh, so yes, that makes much more sense! My bad for the misunderstanding (apparently each country has its abbreviations).
As regards the “progesterone only” pill you refer to, I’m afraid I don’t know anything about it (maybe some other women on here do though…). I have a friend who is on it, and the only thing I do know is that if she skips a pill she winds up with a nonstop period for a month.
I think the progesterone only pill carries a lesser-risk for blood clots, so it is probably a safer alternative to the regular pill. However, I would be wary of the name: it says its “progesterone only”, but only the human body is capable of producing real progesterone – what they mean is “synthetic progestin” only. It’s probably safer than the regular pill in terms of thrombosis-risks (because it doesn’t contain that deadly combination of synthetic estrogen and synthetic progestin, and I suppose if it doesn’t contain estradiol, you’re probably less likely to get yeast infections while taking it), but it’s still as artificial as artificial gets, and it has yet to be proven that it’s not cancer-inducing too. And even when you come off it, your body will still have to retrieve its natural cycle (I mean that it remains no less a birth control pill, and that while you’re on it your body is not producing its own hormones). One thing you could check is what effect this “mini pill” has on hair growth… I’m guessing that if it contains no estrogen at all, it might cause hair loss or thinning… but then I could be altogether wrong. It might not hurt to do a little before taking it, to be on the safe side…
In all cases, thanks for the info, and good luck with whatever you choose. 🙂
Hey Chris!
Sorry for the late reply but i just only saw your message. My first pill that i took when i was 16 was a mini pill. That i know for sure, it was called Ologyn and sold to me in Switzerland. But just so you know, after taking it for only 6 months and stopping it cold turkey, I had terrible secondary effects. It was my first experience with symptoms after stopping BCP. If you read my previous accounts, I had horrible acne on my back and chest, increased hair growth all over my body and deep depression. I don’t know if the effects are linked with the fact that it was mini pill or just a pill but I just thought u should know — i don’t think that you’ll necessarily have less effects just because it is a lowly dosed pill. Hope that helps! x
Hi Ladies
I just wanted to give you an update.
Skin: So at the end of my 1/4 pill, and i had a little breakout, with a few pimples on my chest. I took 1/2 a pill just once, but then for the rest of the cycle I continued on 1/4.
So my skin is super soft, and i think its from teh evening primrose. i still am breaking out slightly. I have unfortunately noticed that I am getting big pimples on my back. Well, its one big pimple per month it seems – those hideous ones, and then a few ones between my shoudlers. Its nto a huge problem, but my back is not so pretty 🙁 i know that it will fade, but its mangeable at this point.
My chest has also calmed down, i had one big pimple and a few whiteheads. I had a week where i wasnt comfortable to wear an open top, which is not cool. But now its back to normal it seems.
Period: I am waiting for my period now. I have had all the signs, so i am sure I will get it tomorrow or monday. My feeling is its going to be heavy, since last month I had just spotting….
Moods: When I was on the pill I had severe mood swings. I fought like clockwork with my husband on the pill, whereas now on my weaning its a little more subdued, which is better. I am feeling more sad, but I also had a lot of personal trauma, so I cant link it to the pill only.
Diet: My diet is not been THAT great this month, maybe too much diary and sugar. But my personal feeling is that I am allergic to something…I just cant afford an allergy test/doctor bill right now. During the week my diet is generally better too, its just the weekends that are a bit crazy.
Anyway so I will probably do another 1 or 2 more months on 1/4. I feel better than when I was on 1/4, skin wise too…
Then maybe vitex….if i can find it in my country when I go home! lol
So, Jazz, I am sorry its not been a good month. I hope the probiotics will help. Also i have not changed my skin routine, and I keep on using makeup. During the week anyway, and I think its been ok.
Everybody stay strong 🙂
Hey everyone,
Okay, halfway through my third month and I’m on half a pill. Really interestingly on the first day of taking my pill, my skin was looking lovely and clear, almost to the point of when I was on the full dosage of the pill three months ago.
Yet, as the days on the 1/2 pill progressed, my skin began to deteriorate. Not terribly, but just bit by bit. Until day 10 when I came up with the cursed rash again! I went to bed with just a few small red spots, and woke up with the crazy red marks everywhere. Forehead, cheeks, chin, nose, everywhere. Not bumps, just red marks.
It was sooooooooo weird! I totally freaked out and starting applying the old chemicals. (I REALLY need to get rid of them!) Anyway now on day 12 and the rash has calmed down again. But have got a few more spots to contend with.
Then I looked in my diary and realised the rash came up almost exactly the same time as last month. I wonder what my body’s doing! Reading my diary and finding out this seems to be cyclical was actually really reassuring. Now I know it’s going to go away, eventually.
Also the red rash/breakout is not as bad as last month, so WOOOHOOOO!! PROGRESS!!!! 😀 😀
Other things I’ve noticed are my skin and hair is noticeable oilier. I was washing my hair about every three/four days before, now it barely last two days! Luckily, so far, there’s not been a noticeable amount of hair shedding. I’m very happy about that.
Oh and I had some very weird spotting at the start of the month but that seems to have disappeared now.
Everyone who’s weaning, stay positive and KEEP GOING. We can do it!! 😀
xxx
Oh and also, I just bought some manuka honey to cleanse my skin with. Really excited about trying it out! Hopefully, I won’t just eat it! Nom nom nom
Hey Laura
That sounds like great news, that the weaning is getting better. Yes my rash is also cyclical and also around day 10, and ovulation. But I agree that it does get better. At 1/4 now the rash part it only affecting my chest and back. Not really my face.
Anyway glad its going well.
I am still missing my period…..getting a little worried because my chest seems to be flaring a little as I wait for my period 🙁
anyway keep strong all 🙂
Hi Nics, thanks for replying. Your rash starts up around day ten too? Crazy! There must be something going on there. I wish I knew what it was! Unless it’s just that by day ten, our bodies realise they’re not getting enough synthetic hormones and decide to take revenge! hahaha
It’s good to know that yours is getting better as you go along. Haven’t had it affect my chest or back yet, but I’ll be keeping an eye on it!
Just out of interest, are you taking Evening Primrose Oil? I was reading up on taking it at high doses, and some people say it helps with their hormones/monthly cycle. Seems to be okay to take while weaning too. Just something to look up as it may help! 🙂
Keep going! 😀
Hey Laura,
Sorry I haven’t updated in a while I have been really busy. Thanks for the info about the jojoba and lavender oil tips. I since have been using this method maybe once a week. Also I have been exfoliating with sugar, manuka honey, a few drops of lavender oil, jojoba oil and a few drops of lemon juice. I exfoliate for about 3 mins and then wash off. I have been doing this about once or twice a week. I tell you, after using the natural sugar scrub my face feels so soft, really good tip, thanks hun.
I see you have just got your manuka honey, good luck with that, you will see the difference in your skin.
Nics, thanks for your kind words also, my probiotics finally arrived the other day so now I am on day three of taking them.
Update on skin:
So, I am on my 4th month of weaning on 3/4 of the pill. Im nearly halfway through my fourth packet now and thinking of cutting the pill in half for the last 10 days or so. What do you think girls? Should I just stay on 3/4 for this month aswel or do you think it’s ok to cut the dosage in half halfway through my packet?
The rash/tiny pimples did calm down on my skin about about 10 days or so after they appeared. Some of them are still there but way better than before. The rash/pimples disappeared from my chin and mostly my forehead but small pimples remained on my temples.
Last night I noticed that I had a one spot on both sides of my cheeks and two small ones on my forehead. I’ve been applying lavender oil so hopefully they will go away soon but it’s nothing to stress over really.
I’m just so scared i’m going to have an breakout when I decrease the pill to half.
I have not seen a massive change in my hair shredding so that’s a good sign. Also I’m still washing my hair after 5 or so days and by then it’s not even that greasy but all may change when I start taking half the pill.
Diet: hmmmmm, well what can I say, I have been eating quite well, brown bread for my breakfast with coconut oil, mostly berries etc in the afternoon and a healthy evening meals most days. I am a sucker for chocolate though which is my biggest downfall. I am trying though and I haven’t had any alcohol for 2 months or so, so that’s really good for me.
Overall, so far so good, skin is not 100% but I’m still positive that I will see light at the end of the tunnel.
Also my skin is so soft if nothing else, I swear by jojoba oil, when I was using my freederm face wash it was so dry and irritating and now i’ve switched to dr. organic tea tree face wash and using the oils as a moisturiser its amazing. So thanks Christelle for the advice on Jojoba oil, I would have been none the wiser.
We can conquer this evil pill girls.
Laura, well done for getting this far on the pill and all your wonderful tips. You will get through it, so far so good hey 🙂
Nics, good luck to, I hope I will to be like you when I’m at the stage your at 🙂
Big Hugs
Jazz xxxx
Hey Jazz!
So did u cut down on the pill in the end? I would advise you so as you’ve already been 4 months on 3/4 of a pill and your skin seems to be doing well. Let me know how everything is going! x
Hi Ladies
Ok, I have gone back and looked for anyone with a similar experience, but I cant seem to find anything similar.
So basically last month I was on 1/2 and barely had a period. Just some spotting. I even gave myself a few extra days before I started taking 1/4 pill. Now I finished this month on 1/4 and still no period.
I mean technically i still have tomorrow. but I just dont know what is going on? I have had all the symptons. The moodiness, cramps, bloating. but so far nothing.
So my plan is to carry on with a new month of 1/4.
Any advice? or explanations?
I was always irregular as a teen. so is that what I am going to look forward to again??? Help!!!
Skinwise i am flaring up…not hugely but somewhat. Normally with my period my skin gets better but waiting for it, its getting worse….
some advice ladies 🙂
Hey Nics,
Ahhh YES! I do believe your body will go back to pre-pill = Irregular.
My sister was put on the pill to regulate her period, so when she was on it, it was regular due to the pills. But after she stopped it was back to being irregular. The only thing that worked was taking VITEX.
My suggestion to you is to continue weaning and forget about periods. Even if you are regular, during weaning all bets are off.
Wean and as soon as you finish start taking vitex. It’ll help regulate you.
Even someone like me who has their period like clock work had a irregular pattern during weaning. Even when I finished I got another period 2 weeks later. They have been regular since then.
Im not a doctor and I only have experience based on myself, Google and my sisters but you seem very similar to her.
Wow – I am so happy I found this page. I’ve been on Diane 35 for about 15 months now and I recently started thinking about getting off it. Of course, then I found the million or so horror stories online… and just about passed out.
I was on Marvelon on and off for a few years and then switched to Diane 35 because I had mild-moderate cystic acne that was starting to scar a bit… so, I was desperate. My skin has improved since being on it but not 100%. Now that I know more about this drug, I just want to be off it and I’m really glad there might be a way to do so without suffering serious breakouts.
I have a week left in my current pack, so I’m going to start taking 3/4 next month. I haven’t decided how long for but probably two (maybe three) months before going to 1/2. I can keep updating if anyone is interested in how well this strategy works for someone who hasn’t been on the pill for too long.
Jill
Hi Jill!
Yes! Do let us know how things come along! Good luck with the weaning! Join the club 🙂
Hey ladies!
Quick update here. I’m sorry to hear some of you have been getting rashes and not getting your period. I hope things fall into place for you. I wish I could help with that, but sadly I really don’t know what could be causing it… perhaps – for the absent period – it could be due to excess testosterone? (but really, that’s a wild guess based on the fact I know excess testosterone can cause amenorrhea… it could be something else though…).
On my end, I wanted to update briefly, because it’s July, which means it’s officially been 1 year since I stopped weaning off Jasminelle! Yay!
The good news is, I have had my period pretty regularly every month since I stopped weaning. I have not suffered from acne (apart from the odd spot here and there), and I LOVE being pill-free! My circulation has improved, I don’t get pms anymore, and yay yay, I’m so happy!
The good news also, for those considering taking vitex, is that I found it helped immensely. I got a regular cycle (give or take a few days) almost immediately after I stopped weaning, and for someone who was terribly irregular before going on the pill, I was overjoyed to finally be able to plan my cycles! I took vitex for 9-10 months.
The “un huh, hmpff” news is that my periods off the pill turned out to be much longer than I had expected and much heavier. I did not get any cramping while on vitex, but my period sometimes lasts up to 13 days (I KNOW!). I haven’t taken vitex for the past 2 months, and I did find that my period arrived slightly earlier without the vitex (on day 25). Also, last month, I got one severe cramp which just struck me out of nowhere when my BF and I were watching a show on TV, and he even had to bring me paracetamol because I was huddling in a fetal position, I could barely move. I must say that since I’ve been off the pill, I haven’t once had to take medication for cramping, so last month came as a big surprise. But I’ve heard black molasses helps with cramping… anyway, I don’t know whether the cramp I got can be attributed to not having taken vitex, or to having been sloppy with my diet, but anyway, it wasn’t fun.
I think diet and stress influence acne much more than we think. Last month I went to a bunch of parties and pigged out quite a lot on sugar, and also, I had a lot of professional stress to deal with, and I ended up breaking out a little on my forehead… so, yeah, I think stress is not good for acne. The spots cleared up after 1-2 days, but still, I think sugar & stress combined is a fatal cocktail for acne (at least for me!).
All the best to you, girls!
Good luck to those who are still weaning!
You can do it!
😀
hi christelle–
you know what, your excess testosterone theory is interesting because i finally got my period immediately after i started drinking spearmint tea, which inhibits androgen activity. however, i’m a little skeptical that spearmint tea would be so effective and in so few days of drinking it. i don’t have any other signs of excess testosterone though (no sign of acne or excess hair returning… i wish i knew it would stay that way!)
i’m glad you are doing well over all –happy 1-year! lol. i wonder if the longer periods are typical after getting off BCP, since we have lighter periods on the pill and… there’s stuff that collected? and oh boyyy cramps are such a foreign thing to me right now… takes me back to my middle school days… your story makes me wonder if vitex needs to be weaned off of too lol. are you considering taking vitex again?
i also have a question for you or anyone else who might have input… my last day of weaning is approaching soon. considering that my skin is actually doing great, would you recommend that i still take vitex after i’m done weaning in order to “maintain” it (since there is still a chance of getting a breakout months later)? since i haven’t had a single breakout during the weaning process, i’m starting to think i already fixed my acne problems through diet changes, EPO, etc. and i’m a little worried that vitex might actually do more harm than good by throwing things off balance yet again. i also don’t want to take it unnecessarily. i had hormonal imbalances (i think it was excess androgens) before i took BCP that disappeared like magic on BCP… so would vitex be a good choice for “maintenance” of anti-androgenic effects (no acne, less hair) after the BCP is gone? or should i just stick to things like spearmint tea to keep the androgens at bay? thanks in advance!!
Hi Tina,
I always felt that VITEX was more for irregular periods. If you are going well thus far I believe you don’t need to take it.
However if you stop and find your period hasn’t come then by all means take Vitex as it can help.
I was regular and skin was fine and didn’t take vitex. I am still find now 3 months on…
hi frida,
thanks for your reply –i’m just wondering, were you irregular and/or did you have acne problems before you started taking the pill? if so, what have you been doing to maintain the regular periods and clear skin? the pill fixed these problems for me but i’m hoping to maintain these results after i’m completely off of the pill.
Hey Tina,
Like Frida, I believe vitex is known for helping women retrieve a regular cycle. I know that I was definitely not regular before taking BC (I was 18 though), and since I’ve been off the pill I’ve had a period every month (I can get it any time between day 25 – day 32, but it’s not always on day 28). I have actually gone back on vitex this month – last month’s cramping episode left me wondering whether is wasn’t due to having stopped vitex… so I’m taking it again and we’ll see what happens this time round.
And yes, I also think a few days of drinking spearmint tea probably isn’t enough to lower testosterone levels. One thing that might be interesting for women with proven excess testosterone would be to check out the PCOS diet. It mainly consists in reducing sugar and carbohydrate levels as sugar in the blood tends to cause testosterone levels to soar…
http://www.natural-hormone-health.com/the-natural-PCOS-diet.html?hop=halfpricee
Check out the above link. Now, obviously, I don’t recommend going haywire and buying all kinds of ebooks online or paying to subscribe to this kind of blog, BUT do read the info section about PCOS. It’s probably highly likely you don’t suffer from PCOS, but sometimes it can be useful to follow the holistic dietary steps anyway if you suspect you suffer from slight excess testosterone – the results will probably be immediate in your following cycles… (but I insist, don’t PAY to find out all that info, just read up online about holistic treatments for excess testosterone, and you’ll probably come across some pretty solid info for free). Anti-PCOS diets mainly consist in reducing sugar levels in the blood and increasing protein and fibrous vegetable intake…
Good luck!
christelle,
your reply and info is really appreciated! i will definitely look into PCOS-type diets as well as other foods for keeping androgen levels lower.
i started 1/8 pill and my chin is starting to get tiny bumps… it looks like how it did before i got a major breakout. i’m really hoping they just go away rather than come to a head.
YES I had horrible horrible skin before going on the pill. But a VERY regular period. That was the main reason I started. Looking back now I wish I had kept trying to find a holistic method. But my doctor pushed Diane 35 on me! Oh well…
To tell you the truth I just take a few vitamins. I decided to wait out 2 cycles. Last time I stopped I got my period after 6 weeks and then it was regular from there.( with major breakout on the first period) And this time is came early 2 weeks but then clock work after that. With NO ACNE I was going to wait two cycle and if they were irregular I was going to start Vitex. But I didn’t need to.
I still stuck to no dairy, no sugar and no nuts. I slowly introduced each one back to see what would cause acne. For me its A LOT of sugar and/or peanuts. So I have started eating dairy again… only a little and I am fine.
The vitamins I take is an expensive multivitamin and also a zinc supplement. Drinking green tea once a day too.
While I was weaning, with each drop in dose (of the pill) my skin got a little irritated, a few tiny breakouts but they went away within 2 weeks. I still used a Benzyl Peroxide face wash and on the spot treatment. But I don’t use the treatment much anymore but still use the face wash.
I don’t wear make up anymore unless I am going out. I still have a few acne scars but they aren’t very noticeable.
Hi Christelle!
I am the same as you… so far so good. But I have 4 new pimples and I can attribute them to the sweets I had the night before. I love gummie lollies.
But before that my skin was doing very well. I’m very happy with the weaning process, thus far and I took the express route.
Hey Frida! SO happy your express-route has been efficient thus far! That’s such good news for girls who want to stop the pill but don’t have time to wean for months on end! 😀
Hey Christelle,
I am curious to hear how your period is after taking vitex, I was thinking… Not to scare you or anything but I had a friend who had normal periods every month but then one month was just super heavy and crampy. She went to the doctors and she said that my friend likely had a VERY early miscarry.
Are you still trying to have a baby?
Hey Frida,
Thanks for inquiring, and hmm, interesting! In fact, my fiancé and I haven’t started trying to conceive yet. We’re kind of caught up in job dilemmas at the moment, so we thought we’d wait a while before trying for a baby. But what you say makes a lot of sense. For lack of a better form of contraception we use condoms, but I know they’re not always 100% effective… so perhaps my cramping was actually a miscarriage, although I guess we’ll never know for sure. 🙁
This month, interestingly, I went back on the vitex, just to see. And I got my period on day 28 instead of day 25 (as had been the case for the previous 2 months without vitex). I’m on my period now actually, and so far no cramping, no problems at all, so I do think vitex does help with regularity and pms. Also, and I don’t know how this might have affected my cycle, but, I ate a bunch of soy yoghurts this month, and usually I never eat soy products… so who knows…
As regards vitex though, apparently it’s fine to take it in the early stages of pregnancy as it prevents miscarriage… according to the label on my bottle anyway.
How are you doing, my lovely?
Hi Ladies,
Right, I’m on my pill free week this week. I have now finished four months weaning of 3/4 of the pill.
Skin wise, I’ve had a flare up, AGAIN, I still have clogged pores on my temples, chin area, they are not so bad on my cheeks and the last few days I have had some small pimples re-appear on my forehead.
I went to the doctors last week and he prescribed me a gel called DUAC which you apply every night. You are suppose to apply it before moisturiser but I have applied it first then wait and then apply a small amount of Duac.
Day 4 of applying Duac and my skin to me looks red and its Burning, its a horrible feeling. I’m going to lay off it for a few days until I get rid of this burning feeling.
Duac does have some strong ingredients in it, 5% of Benzoyl peroxide and an antibiotic. I want to stop using this but I will see, really want my face to clear up 🙁
My doctor said that if this doesn’t work he will refer me to a derm and mentioned that horrible drug ROACCUTANE.
I’m still using my normal skin care routine, washing with tea tree gel, moisturising with jojoba oil and lavender oil. I really wish my skin clears up.
This is going to be my biggest test on half a pill next week. I will keep you updated…………
Hope all going good with the rest of you girls.
Jazz xx
hi jazz,
have you considered making diet/lifestyle changes as opposed to resorting to prescriptions? i scrolled up and saw that you were trying veg smoothies and supplements like EPO and omega-3’s… and let me tell you, you are on the RIGHT track with those! speaking from personal experience, those things, plus some other changes to your diet will give you clear skin. i know everyone’s body reacts differently to different regimens, but what is clear to me is that prescription medications only mask the problem or have other side effects, so i would stay away from those. the most effective way to tackle acne FOREVER is from the inside out. that’s what i firmly believe now after my negative and unsuccessful experiences with doctors and prescriptions, so i just wanted to share this with you.
as i’m sure everyone here knows, acne is a sign that there is something amiss internally and what you put in your body is a direct or indirect influence on that. it may take a while to figure out exactly what your body needs or should avoid, BUT there are some general and pretty easy tips to follow in order to get clear skin and maintain it (and it helps you feel great too). i had devastating acne before i started the pill. with the help of google, lovevitamin, etc., i sort of experimented with my diet & supplements over the past 6 months or so (while weaning –today marks my LAST pill ever!) and with surprisingly great success… my skin has never looked better. no breakouts so far and i am beginning to feel optimistic that my diet/supplements will keep it that way. and you don’t even need to be a control freak about it… i indulge in foods i shouldn’t indulge in once in a while and all is good.
i’d like to share these 2 articles with you & anyone else here about the relationship between diet, supplements, hormones, and acne (similar to tips you will find on this site, but all on 1 nice page):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/do-milk-and-sugar-cause-
a_b_822163.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/how-to-get-rid-of-acne-pi_b_225057.html
i just discovered the site today and this doctor’s anti-acne diet tips CLOSELY mirror the
little diet rules i made through my own research and experimentation. he targets milk and sugar as the 2 main culprits, but read on for other diet and supplementation tips that
really prevent acne from the source. during my acne days, i was drinking milky, sugary lattes almost 3 or 4 days out of the week and didn’t pay much attention to omega-3’s and healthy fats vs. processed fats, etc. i’ve had great results after some diet alterations and finding other pages like this just confirm that i’m on the right acne-fighting track. if you are already making major diet changes, keep going at it! i hope you will start to see some improvement in your skin soon (:
Hey Tina,
Thanks for replying. Yes I’m still on Omega 3’s, EPO, Burdock Root and a Probiotic. I have been taking EPO and Fish Oil for 4 months now and Burdock Root and a Probiotic for a good few weeks.
Diet Wise it could be better but also in the same breath it’s to too bad either. I eat a healthy breakfast which consists of berries and porridge or toast. Lunch is quite good aswel and dinner will be rice/fish/curry etc. I do indulge in chocolate though, I have a very sweet tooth and give in, probably everyday if im honest. I will try my best to resist as really want these spots/inflammation to go away.
Funny saying that I as don’t have spots as such but my skin just seems to be slightly bumpy and inflamed on my forehead and cheeks. It’s really gross.
I know what your saying about prescription medication, I really didn’t want to use it as I know that like you say it will only mask the problem and the disadvantage like when you stop taking a drug your spots just come back with a vengeance.
I will check the links out that you posted.
I also did start juicing a few months back stopped as thought I was introducing things to quickly in my diet.
I need to get myself another juicer now and attempt it again and see if I see any results. Probably wont use DUAC again and will see how I get on at half a pill for a month or so.
Sorry I haven’t checked your posts prior to this one, were you on dianette and how long did you wean for? Well done with the weaning, I wish I had the willpower and determination like you to eat a healthy diet and get through this. Well done. xxxx
“Yes I’m still on Omega 3′s, EPO, Burdock Root and a Probiotic” <— sounds great! i found that zinc works well too. chocolate was one of my weaknesses as well (i find that i stop craving stuff like chocolate altogether after i haven't had it in a while. i wouldn't recommend NEVER having chocolate again, b/c that can lead to binging later. the rare times i felt like eating chocolate, i allowed myself to have a piece or two with no negative effects on my skin). if anything, i hope you like dark chocolate because i heard it's okay for your skin –i'm assuming b/c of the lower sugar content & antioxidants.
the only BC pill i took was beyaz and it was for only 4 months before i realized i didn't want to be on it anymore. i know it's a small amount of time compared to many women who were on the pill for years. but it cleared me up completely, which means i am still at the same risk as anyone else of getting a crazy post-bill breakout b/c my skin was pretty bad before. i weaned for 5 months just to be safe and letting a clean diet take care of the rest, hopefully for the rest of my life. i'm a big believer in the diet/supplement route, so as long as you do your research and stay motivated, you'll get through this! best of luck!
Hey Jazz!
I really don’t know why you skin is flaring up and what you can use to make it better, but I just wanted to show you my support and I am sure that over time your skin will get better. I was wondering whether you have been using tree trea oil and jojoba oil for a long time, cuz if not maybe that’s causing you to flare up? I’ve read that the oils don’t necessarily work on everyone. Anyway good luck girl and keep us updated! xxx
Hi Jazz!
The acne we have after stopping the pill is due to androgen sensitivity, which means, our bodies are not necessarily producing more androgens, but they are just A LOT more sensitive to them, hence the acne, oily skin, hair loss, or facial hair growth, etc…
This also makes the skins very very sensitive and prone to blemishes.
A piece of advice, after the worse breakout of my life: less is more.
Please, I urge you not to use those strong chemicals on your skin, you will just make it a lot more sensitive and it might even break you out more.
In addition, no one can tell if you will break out from those oils you are applying. EX: I tried the oil cleansing method about over a year ago, and did it with Olive oil. It ended up is a horrendous breakout that wouldn’t go away MONTHS later.
If I had to do it again, i would simply use a very gentle face wash no more than once a day, or even just use water and just let my face be.
If you don’t need to wear makeup, don’t! I’m now in a vicious cycle where I need to wear makeup to leave the house, but the makeup – i’m sure – is actually aggravating the situation.
Finally, I’m also considering accutane. If you do decide to go on it, how about a really low dose? I have a friend who took 10mg for a longer period, and she had zero side effects and great results. If I do decide to go on it, I will only accept to take a low dose. Not that it’s garanteed to be safe or anything, but at least it’s better than the horrible high doses.
Hugs,
Coco xoxox
Long time no comment! I have officially been off for two months now (did 6 months of weaning a la christelle method!) and I JUST got my period! This is big because last time it took 10 months (with no weaning) so I’m happy! Skin has not been perfect, but not terrible either. It’s insanely hot and humid where I am, so I think that plays a role. I’ve had like 2/3 small spots at a time, but sometimes none, and mostly going away easily. I’m laying off makeup, and I decided not to take vitex or anything else. I have not had the hair loss or mustache problem which started long before my period and acne arrived last time, which is again, great! I know that acne can come later, as it did for me last time, but so did my period, so I am hopeful that I’m in the clear! If a few spots here and there is my skin’s natural state, so be it. There are far bigger health problems in the world! Thanks again for everyone’s insight. This post has helped me feel so empowered and I think we can do a lot by spreading the word, especially to our doctors, if they’re willing to listen!
Hi Ladies
So I thought I would share an update.
Pill: So after the scare of no period, i decided to increase my pill dosage slightly. i was taken 1/4 but this month i am taking about a 1/3. I thought that i would try this again, and see if i get a period. I dont know whether this is the right choice, but next month i will do 1/4 again. period or no period.
Also this month I have started taking some milk thistle along with all Vitamin B, Primrose oil and budrock.
I have also decided to do vitex seeing as I am irregular and i am sure that will help.
Diet: My diet is still pretty good.
Exercise: I have been so lazy but i started cycling again (and from tomorrow i start cycling to work). And what a huge difference it makes. really. my skin was glowing this morning. so it makes a big difference!
Skin: My face is actually pretty clear at the moment with no rashes. But i still have stubborn chest pimples. i tried tea tree oil, but not huge difference. I am now tring a pharmacy brand. and its clearing slowly.
Mood. So the only real problem is my emotions. i have been so so tired and depressed. and i think it comes with the lower dosage. Thats waht my husband said, and i almost bit his head for saying it….lol…but i think its true.
But i am sure that the vitex will help, and the exercise too…
Ok so hang in there. everyone is different, but i will be off this pill soon!!!
Hi Everyone!
Sorry I haven’t updated in a long while, but I was really busy lately. I think a good update is long overdue! I have finally finished weaning, just finished my 3rd month on 1/3 of a pill last Sunday. Here is what happened during my whole 3 months on 1/3 of a pill:
Supplements&nutrition: Okay so in the beginning of my weaning process I was eating quite healthy but over the last three months (when I was on 1/4 of a pill) I haven’t been eating that well. I am really trying to eat healthy, but I have been eating one-twice a week sweet stuff :/ I am managing to stay away from dairy products, so that’s good. In addition, last month I started taking EPO and fish oil. I don’t really know if it has helped me in any way. Skin wise I don’t really think so but mood wise I think it has improved.
Skin: overtime, my skin has deteriorated a little bit. Lately, I have been having slightly more pimples than before and I have had more clogged pores in general. But you must also know that while I have been weaning off the pill, I have also been weaning off benzoyl peroxide that i have been using for many years now. So maybe both withdrawals have had influence on my skin. So i guess considering everything, my skin is not doing too bad.
Mood: In general during my whole weaning process, I have had some mood swings from time to time. And on 1/4 of a pill, it has subsided dramatically. But I must say the first month on 1/4 a pill was very difficult cuz I was in the middle of my finals and had a lot of personal stress at home. Other than that, gradually I have been feeling more happy and at peace. I think the EPO has helped with that last month by stabilizing my hormones.
Hair: I started shedding when I was on 1/2 a pill but since then I have started using a special shampoo, and I don’t know if it is due to that or just my hormones have stabilized, but thankfully, I am not loosing so much hair anymore. And also, my hair is not so oily anymore.
Other symptoms: So in general I have noticed that I’ve been having much more headaches than usual. From what I’ve read, I think it’s a normal symptom of withdrawal. Another thing I noticed since I’ve been on 1/4 of a pill is that each month I now have one day where I get suddenly the most excruciating tummy ache ever! It usually happens in the middle of my cycle so I am assuming that that’s when I ovulate. But it’s okay, I guess I can deal with it. I now cary pain killers everywhere with me just in case cuz it always happens in the most inopportune moments. A third thing that happened to me that really sucked was mouth sores. It was really unexpected but at one point in the middle of my second month on 1/4 of a pill, I started getting many mouth/canker sores. I was reaaallly freaked out and the doctor said that drastic hormonal changes can do that to some people. The doctor has given me medication to apply on the sores, and I am using a special toothpaste and I also took supplements/vitamins for a month in case my body was missing any important vitamins (as that can also cause canker sores). Since then they have gone and I really hope they will not come back.
Periods: I think from what I’ve read, you guys have mostly the problem of having no periods. Well weirdly enough, it’s the contrary for me — I have a tendency to have more periods than not. My first month on 1/4 of a pill, my periods came very irregularly and much earlier than normal and I ended up having periods for over 2 weeks (horrible!). But as the months have passed, my period has stabilized and this month came right on time. I guess my body needed time to adjust to the change in dosage.
So in overall, I would say things have been going quite well, compared to last time when I stopped cold turkey. Now that I have finished my 9th month, I am really scared of what’s gonna happen now. I am hesitating to do another month on 1/4 of a pill, especially because I am getting married in 3 weeks and I don’t want my skin to suddenly flare up full of pimples or smth. The thing is that I just don’t know how my body will react and I don’t want to look covered in pimples during my wedding. What do you guys think? I am thinking one more month in 1/4 will not hurt. Any suggestions would be good. Thanks guys and hope everyone is doing well! Take care xxx
P.S: sorry, in my first paragraph I meant 1/4 of a pill not 1/3 of a pill.
OMG Mona!! I didnt want to mention the whole wedding thing too, but I am getting married too!!! On the 10th August!!!! Well in all fairness, I am already married (we got married in court) and now we are doing the official wedding in 3 weeks time!!!white dress and all. Thats why i am so conscience of these chest pimples!!! and why i am so super healthy and exercising…lol…i still have to fit into my dress. 🙂 and look great for my photos. I thought i was the only crazy one weaning and planning to get married….lol
LOL! So thats also why i think i want to stay on 1/3 for a little bit, just to ensure my skin stays clear! The minute the wedding is over I will drop to 1/4 again. no questions….
LOL….its just a few weeks away!!! Try not to let the stress get to you. And drink tons and tons of water 🙂
xxx
OMG Nics thats so funny! I’m getting married on the 9th of August! And I’m officially married too, got married in court few months ago lol We’r so similar haha Anyway congratulations!
I totally understand you for the pimples and all. Me too I am so scared I’m gonna flare up right at the time of my wedding day :/ It’s so stressful!!! So yesterday I decided to one more month on 1/4 of a pill after my wedding i’m done for sure! But we can do it girl, I remain positive and I am also trying to exercise and eat healthy. This week I am going to do a cabbage soup and juice diet, hopefully it will help. Let me know how your preparations are going. I feel so nervous getting into the white dress and all in front if everyone! :/
Don’t worry about your chest pimples, try to exfoliate (I do that and it helps) and u can also dab alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on the pimples so that they dry up and heal faster.
Good Luck!!! xxxx
Ah Mona, Congratulations too!! We really have soo much in common 🙂 So I think your doing the right thing. These 3 weeks will go so quickly, so its ok to do one more month of weaning. I am also so nervous but excited too. Let me know how the diet goes. I tried on my dress and it was SNUG!!! horror! But i just need to be more strict these 2.4 weeks
I am trying not too stress about my skin, the dress and the wedding. For the wedding we are going to my home country, so I am also going to have a change of seasons (from lovely summer to winter). So i hope my skin will be ok. But i am positive and I will be thinking of you on your day!!!
All the best!
xxx
Hey Mona,
My period was like that during weaning as well. It was only after I finished weaning that the long wait began! But anyway, this time it was short, and I only weaned 6 months, rather than 9, so you shouldn’t have that problem!
Hey Sara! thanks for the reply! I have decided to do one more month on 1/4 of a pill and hopefully my periods will be normal once I stop. How long did it take for you to get your periods once u stopped? X
Oh actually forget my question. I just saw above that you said you finally got your periods after 2 months. Im happy for you, seems like you are doing well, on the skin front too, yay! 🙂
Hi everyone, thought I’d post a quick update. Today is my 174th day off the pill, and my skin is clear. Stay strong, and take care of your bodies as best you can.
== Posted on 06-12-13 ========================
Hi! Thought I’d share my progress since I read so many of these comments when I stopped Diane 35.
+ Was put on the pill 9 years ago due to a few mild breakouts (thanks doc)
+ Weaned for 8 months, did not notice any side effects (I only cut them in half – the pills crumbled into dust when I tried to cut them smaller)
+ Began eating very clean, exercising every day, sleeping regularly, and doing yoga when I stopped completely (all things that I’d been wanting to do anyway)
+ Diet consists mainly of eggs, fish, fruit, and vegetables (I don’t drink alcohol, and I stopped drinking coffee); lots of water; supplement with Omega-3, borage oil, and centrum
+ For about three weeks after stopping, I experienced frequent headaches and felt very bloated… after that I felt incredible, physically and mentally
+ Weight didn’t change, but I started developing a 6-pack!
+ First period after 76 days pill-free, second period after 119 days pill-free
+ Today is my 130th day pill-free
+ I have not broken out since stopping the pill – my skin is oilier, sure, but nothing unmanageable
+ It’s too soon to say I’m out of the woods, but hopefully some of you will find this progress encouraging
Hi grn
Can you provide more details please:
1. did you ever try stopping diane 35 before and broke out?
2. If so how many times did you try?
3. How long were you off the pill if you try to stop before?
4. Are you on any other meds (spiro?) or did you take accutane before?
Please let us know how it’s going.
Thanks
Coco
Hi Coco,
1. Nope, never tried before
4. I am not taking any other medications (topical or oral), and I’ve never taken accutane
Best of luck!
Hi everybody! Been reading through all of this thread and am so pleased there’s a way out of this. I’ve been on dianette for 3 years now, didn’t even have acne to start with buy god knows why my GP put me on it. Anyway, after reading through the comments, it seems like the best results have been from people weaning off Yasmin. Do you think this is because the chemical in dianette is more addictive? So Friday for example took Yasmin while her body was getting rid of the dianette and it was therefore easier for her to wean?
Just a thought, because I am leaving to go travelling soon with my boyfriend for a long time (starting off working on an organic farm in Portugal, can’t wait!) and I know the side effects from weaning can be tough to deal with and the change of environment etc. might make it worse…
Wondering if I should start weaning off dianette or switch to Yasmin for a while and see how that goes. I’m 19, so there isn’t so much of a rush to stop, although I’d like to stop pumping chemicals into my body as soon as possible!
Sorry, Frida, not Friday! Damn autocorrect haha 🙂
Hi everyone! It’s been a while but I’ve finally sat down to do an update.
Things are going very well! I am now on month 4 of weaning off Dianette/Diane-35. I have nearly finished my third month on 1/2 a pill and it seems as though it’s working!
The last two cycles I’ve been having flare ups and rash like breakouts around days 8-13. This month I had a very mild flare up with a few spots, but it was WAY better. Just a couple of small spots and a few clogged pores. It’s actually awesome! Skin is pretty much back to full pill state which I’m VERY happy about.
My diet is generally now pretty good. Green smoothie nearly every morning. Salads for lunch. Veggies for dinner. I do still eat the bad stuff (I had chocolate cheesecake today, oops!), but it’s not nearly as much as before!
For the last two months I’ve also been exercising for an hour a day, 6 days a week. It has made a big difference to my mood and energy levels, and may have helped my skin too Sweating out all the toxins! 🙂
My skincare routine has completely changed over the last couple of months too. Before I was reacting to every single spot by putting loads of strong spot creams on it, usually twice a day. Plus using a face wash morning and night. I finally came to the realization that actually, I may be partly causing my own acne by over-using harsh products! This was quite a revelation for me!
Now I splash my face with water in the morning. And in the evening I clean my face with a combo of Manuka honey, jojoba oil, and lavender and thyme essential oils. And I love it! The manuka honey and thyme seem to have really made a difference to my skin. Less clogged pores, more even tone, and no dry areas at all. I’m thinking the acids I was using on a daily basis (glycolic, salicyclic) were actually over-irritating and stimulating my skin.
I am still taking high dose Evening Primrose Oil supplements. And the only other things I take is a multivitamin and probiotics (which have definitely help me in many ways).
The only things I’ve had issues with over the last 2 cycles are: a slight increase in oilyness of skin and hair, a possible increase in hair shedding (could be down to heat, and washing it more though) and finally, some spotting at the beginning of each new cycle.
But I’m having a bit of a worry now because really I need to go down to 1/4 of a pill and I’m scared I’m going to have more issues. I mainly don’t want to go down to 1/4 of a pill because I’m going travelling for three weeks at the end of August (to Peru) and I don’t want to be having skin issues and also menstrual issues (I remember people saying that on a 1/4 of a pill they were having like two week periods!) while I’m slumming it in South America (I’m a bit of a backpacker).
Should I stick with 1/2 a pill for a couple more months? Or bite the bullet and go for a 1/4 and see what happens? Any advice would be much appreciated! 😀
Hope everyone else is doing well! xxx
Hi Laura,
Thank you for posting an update! Please come back and let us know how it’s going. I hope and pray for you that it will work beautifully!
Coco xoxox
Hi everyone,
wanted to post an update. For those who stopped cold turkey and are “waiting” for things to stabilize, I have quit cold turkey december of 2011, and to this day things have not gone back to normal. I STILL break out every day.
Before ever taking Diane 35, I never broke out on my face (maybe 1 pimple every 1 or 2 months).
I don’t know if I just need to wait some more, or if this is how it’s gonna be forever. I’d say my face now is full of scars… if I had to do it again, I don’t know if I would wait this long :S
Right now my options are: taking the pill again (I think I would go for Yaz) and then wean off OR accutane.
I have weak knees and joints so accutane really scares me, but I don’t have enough evidence this weaning off would work for me.
If anyone has had to make the same choice as me and has successfully weaned off, please share your story, it will really help us!
Cheers
Coco
Gosh, coco thats sux! What are you going to do…
I’ll be honest… if it was me, I would go back on the pill. Its the scars that concern me. I would always get them bad when I stopped the pill. I would go on Yasmin or Yaz and for 6 – 9 months then wean.
I’m no doctor and I have no basis on giving advice but its just what I would do personally. Accutane is another option I have friends who have taken it and are fine. No side effects but chapped lips. However the doctor will make sure you are taking the pill when you are on it… so it kind of defeats the purpose you know?
Might as well take the pill on its own.
BTW I think your evidence is here in this blog… From the top there are so many girls who take the pill and break out.
The difference is they didn’t wait as long as you did. They jumped back on quicker…. then weaned.
What happened to you happened to me… I stopped Diane and broke out… But I decided after 4 months I wasn’t going to live like this… However instead of going on Diane I switched to Yasmin. For me it was the right decision.
About a year later I weaned. I’s say a high percentage of ppl break out when they stop the pill. I think your giving your body a better chance at fixing its self when you wean off.
ANYWAYS let us know what you decide. XX
Hi Frida!
Thanks for your advice.
I also have friends who took accutane and loved it, but no matter what I just cannot get myself to swallow this drug!!!
Can i ask how long you’ve been off the pill since you stopped weaning?
Also did you have acne before ever taking diane?
For me, right now im in a catch 22, i have a lot of red marks and some actives, so I have to wear full foyndation everyday.
I know in general my skin is very sensitive to makeup, so its probably making the situation a lot worse, yet theres no way i will leave the house without it.
Im just so afraid that if i go back on the pill and stop again it will get even worse. To be honest, this is the 3rd time i have stopped and every single time it got progressively worse, as if my body got more and more sensitive to androgens. What if i just end up making it worse? Already i cant forgive myself for the mess i have created… Ahhh what a nightmare. 🙁
Xxx coco
Hi Coco,
Yes I had acne before starting the pill. But it was minor but I did pick Diane because of it, thought ‘2 birds one stone’.
I have stopped number of times in the past. I was even in a habit of staying on for 12 months getting off for 6 months… I did that from about 2000 – 2005 after that I stuck on it properly.
I just thought I would have to be on the pill forever. It depressed me so much. Not to mention everytime I stopped I had A LOT of hairloss.
Anyways this time I weaned, and because my doctor said he wouldnt fill my script anymore I had no choice but to do it in 3 months rather than 6.
Even though I did wean for 3 I still recommend the full 6 – 9 to get your body use to it. With each dose decrease I had a few tiny breakouts but nothing that worried me.
now its been almost 5 months pill free. Geez it went fast! As I have mentioned I am not 100% natural like the other girls. I was too scared so I still use a spot treatment when I think i am getting a pimple. Though I haven’t had to use it for awhile. And still use a clean and clear face wash.
I so eat healthy and notice when I eat crap my face is crap. It’s all relative.
I don’t think you will make it worse. The pill has always worked for me. I usually get on it and then work on the scars with Vitamin E oil that gets rid or marks fast. Then when all is well I stopped and go through the process all over again. LOL
You could always just wait it out… but I was getting deep scars and the older you get the longer it takes to heal.
I would cry all the time not knowing how to get myself out of this horrible situation.
5 months on now… and I am so glad I found this site. I feel liberated and my skin is great.
Coco did you ever get around to trying Vitex?
Hi Frida!!
Thanks for your replies!!!
Yes I did try Vitex and it broke me out even worse.
My cycles are very regular, so perhaps vitex is good for women who have irregular cycles? But anyway, for me it was just another failed attempt.
Reading your messages really give me hope that perhaps if I get back on the pill and then wean off, I might have an out of this nightmare, however, when I think about it logically, it just doesn’t make any sense to me.
What could possible happen if I take the pill again and then wean off that I would stop breaking out? I have been off the pill and completely natural for 20 months now, so I feel like my body is really back to it’s natural self.
If I start the pill again, and then wean off, why would my body then adjust itself? Logically or even scientifically it makes absolutely no sense.
If anyone has a theory for why this works I’d love to hear it.
I honestly think that if I attempt this, after I would be done weaning, my body would have just undergone even more “hormone-shock” and it would get back to this point or potentially even worse, and then I’ll be placed in this very same situation, having to deal with this all over again!!! I don’t think I can handle it. Plus at that point, I will want to start trying for kids, so accutane won’t even be an option and I will be stuck with this horror acne (which I never had before ever starting the pill) for the rest of my life.
Please let me know what you think.
Sincerely,
Coco xoxoxo
When I went off birth control cold turkey years ago, I developed horrible acne and unpredictable periods. And it lasted for years. Seriously, YEARS! I never got clearer skin until I went back on birth control (ortho tricyclen). I still have some of the scars…
I finished weening about 5 months ago. A couple of tiny breakouts here and there, but now pretty darn clear skin.
Don’t do accutane. It is temporary at best and wrecks havoc on your body (decimates your intestinal bacteria balance). It can also cause even worse acne later on.
Get back on the bc and then, after 6 or 12 months back on, ween off over 6 months. That is my advice.
Hi Arta,
Yup thats exactly what I did. I was in the same position as you. At that time I knew I wanted to stop but wasn’t exactly sure when.
See there is a risk when swapping. You might break out from it. I did but it was only a little and I felt so amazing from the changes (less moody lost weight) that I thought I don’t care about a few pimples here and there.
To tell you the truth Diane made me crazy. My acne was bad but being on that pill probably made the situation worse.
Anyways If you do break out on Yasmin it only lasts about 4 months max anyways… its just your bodies way of transitioning. Otherwise I think Diane users may need to wean a little longer than Yasmin users.
I’ve been pill free for awhile now. No acne skin is great. But unlike others I still use acne face washes from the chemist / drug store. So not 100% natural but definitely nothing that’ll kill me.
Hi Frida! That’s great to know. Well I think I’m gonna switch to Yasmin first and see how I feel, believe me losing weight is not the issue cause I’m very skinny as it is even on dianette, but I have been noticing that I’ve been getting frequent headaches recently that might be linked to diannette anyway. I’ll keep everyone updated on how the transition is and when I start to decrease my dose of Yasmin (I’ll probably wait at least half a year to a year before I do to let my body adjust).
Just want to say thank you to all the girls on here giving their advice! It is very much appreciated 🙂
Mona and Nics…
Good luck with both your weddings! I recently had mine. 🙂 Had it just after I stopped weaning. Skin was great!! Photos looked awesome. Hehe
Baby making is on my list.
Hi Ladies,
Firstly, congratulations Mona and Nics on your weddings and you aswel Frida 🙂
Its been a while since I updated……. I am currently finishing my last 3 days of weaning off 1/2 pill. So, I did 4 months on 3/4 and plan to do about 4 months on 1/2 depending on how my skin reacts.
So just before the start of half a pill I know I had some clogged pores on my forehead area but not so much on the cheeks and none on my chin area. I suppose that’s a good thing as before the clogged pores were everywhere. As I started on 1/2 a pill, ALL my clogged pores cleared up, I had really nice skin which I was so shocked about. I also went on a binge drinking session and when I woke up the next day my face was so itchy and slightly blotchy but not spotty. This cleared up in a few days.
Since the last few days I have noticed that the clogged pores are back but not like before they have reduced somewhat. I only have 2 very small red spots, one near my cheek and the other on my forehead but this is nothing really.
Well, I don’t think the clogged pores are that bad (yet) but we shall see what happens on my pill free week and looking back in my diary I normally get them a week or 2 before my period.
Just before starting on 1/2 a pill my eating habits have been quite bad, well they start off good up until the evening where after dinner I will eat crap like chocolate and crisps and binge. I have been doing this up until now as I am writing this.
Its so hard to resist all this food but starting from tomorrow I will try and cut the crap as I start off so well and its ruined by the eve 🙁
I have since the last 2/3 weeks been drinking veggie smoothies everyday and I just love all the greens, they taste great.
I am thinking about cutting out wheat for a little while and see how I get on.
Hair wise, Im not sure if it has gotten oily as I am washing it every other day due to going swimming.
Skin wise, I haven’t seen much difference, after washing my face it feels quite dry until I put on my jojoba oil and lavender oil and then seems to normalise itself.
Overall I think my skin is doing quite well but I have to eat better and hopefully my skin will clear up and be like it has for the last three weeks.
Laura I’m glad its going all good for you, your skin seems like its getting better each month.
Congrats to you too Christelle for managing 1 year pill free.
Coco hang in there, I was thinking about Roaccutane a little while back but I will reassess the situation, I’m going to try and cut all the crap out and give it at least 4 months or so before I go back to the docs for my skin. Hang in there and if anything like the other girls have suggested, go back on the pill and wean. You have all our support.
Oh n another thing, I have been having really bad headaches which I never had before, my head had been feeling quite fuzzy/dazed. i’m sure this is a lower decrease in the pill. Also I have been having a lot of lower ab pain in my pelvic area on and off for about a month now. Although I have no infec I still get this pain, Im confused not sure if this is pill related.
Big Hugs,
Jazz.
Hey Jazz,
I’ve been irregular commenting this thread. Sorry about that. In fact, I only just saw this comment. I hope since you wrote this that you have seen an amelioration in your skin…
the fuzziness in the head you describe and the lower ab pain sounds to me much like candida symptoms. This would be hardly surprising as the pill does tend to cause candida, and candida in turn causes acne. This could explain why you still have skin problems even though you weaned off birth control. You probably had the candida before weaning, but the high dosage of birth control kept your acne in check (in a sense, it covered up the problem). Have you considered a candida diet/cleanse? If candida is what’s causing your acne, you might see dramatic results very quickly once you implement an anti-fungal diet…
Hugs, and let me know 🙂
Hi Coco,
I know it sounds all weird right? From what I remember….
Hormone based acne is caused from an imbalance usually having more of the male hormone – Androgen.
When you take the pill you aren’t really balanced you actually get more of the female hormone estrogen (a synthetic version); because of this imbalance your body hair decreases and so too does the acne. Also because your body has more than enough estrogen, your body stops producing it naturally on its own.
I have a theory that maybe when you wean your body starts to notice the drop in estrogen and gears itself up to make estrogen itself. During the weaning process it might already be producing estrogen in small amounts. I remember towards the end of weaning my periods felt much more natural… i was getting the pains that I totally forgot about and they were heavy! I freaked out and asked a friend how heavy periods were suppose to be because I had literally FORGOT!
That’s why some girls do break out from weaning but not so much, for a week or two till their body is use to the new level.
This makes sense to me… however what doesn’t make sense is why your body hasn’t kicked in making its own estrogen.
Ive even read here a few people in the past would wait ages for the period to come when they stopped the pill CT but as soon as they weaned it took their bodies a lot quick to retrieve a natural period. I wish I knew why this works.
Have you been to a dermatologist? for a topical or something?
I know that your body will get back to normal, so long as there is no underlining issue like PCOS, When, I don’t know… Honestly I’d give it another 4 months make it an even 2 years.
Is your skin getting better? maybe you can’t tell from the scaring?
Sorry I wish I was more help.
For everyone wanting to get pregnant: ween off the pill as descibed in the video! When I went cold-turkey years ago, my periods became horrifically unpredictable (which is NOT good for getting pregnant and timing ovulation). Recently, I weened over 6 months and my periods have remained very regular (been off almost 5 months now). And I’ve not had major acne issues. Awesome!
Why don’t doctors know about this method? This should be the doctor recommended way to get off birth control.
Hi Casey,
I agree with you 100%… My sister weaned for only 3 months like I did… and now is 5 weeks pregnant. Only had one natural period before getting pregnant.
Good luck to everyone!
hey ladies,
it’s been 1 month since i completely weaned off BCP!
* period: came TODAY. exactly 1 month after i got off the BCP. i’m not experiencing any cramps (i used to get terrible ones) or debilitating symptoms that normally accompany a period, but it’s only day 1.
* skin: no longer flawless like when i was on BCP 🙁 but still much better than before i started BCP. as the month progressed, i started to get more tiny blemishes here and there but they aren’t even noticeable and disappear within a day. i have been noticing that some blemishes that appear are ever so slowly increasing in size, and i got my first semi-inflamed “pimple” on my chin a few days before my period came. haven’t had one of those in a long time but was mentally prepared for it. and again, nothing like the disaster i had on my face before. i’m HOPING my skin doesn’t get progressively worse the longer i’m off the pill though. as long as i maintain a good diet i think i’ll be okay.
* supplements: still taking EPO, B-complex + zinc + vit C tablet, omega-3, liver detox tea on most evenings, lemon water 2 or 3 times a week in the morning before breakfast. i did these things while weaning as well and experienced no breakouts. i think my blemishes would be a lot more inflamed if i didn’t take these. decided i don’t need the vitex.
* diet: still trying my best to eat a clean diet with as many fresh, natural foods as possible. lots of fruits and vegetables. LOTS of water. i limit my alcohol, caffeine, dairy, carb, sugar, and salt intake, and i believe this is what is keeping my skin manageable. i don’t hate my tastebuds so i don’t cut these things out completely –i do incorporate small amounts of these things into my diet so my body doesn’t freak out when i do decide to enjoy a cocktail or bowl full of ice cream or something. another thing i’m doing differently from my acne days is NO MORE binging. i used to binge every weekend and i think that made my hormones and my skin go crazyyy.
i will update again if things take a turn for the worse –otherwise, assume everything is fine and whoever thought of weaning off BCP is a genius!! 🙂
I have stopped taking the birth control pill as of about 2 months ago, and I could not be happier with my decision ! I had been on the pill for atleast 5 years, and I want a healthier overall lifestyle for me which includes making better food choices and what goes in my body, how I treat my body and what goes on my body 🙂 th control method, and so far I really like it. I now use the lady comp device for a more natural birYour articles are so helpful TRACY, thanks so much for all your hard work and dedication to this website, I just love it. I have been following your blog for a while now, and I always check to see if you have new youtube vids on a healthy lifestyle. COULD you do a healthy recipe video at some point? 🙂 I know in one video you mentioned you dont like to make recipe vids to much lol, but I just love them. P.s I would love to try the caveman regimen, but I gotta clear up my skin first, It’s horrible 🙁 …
Lots of Love from Ontario !
haha I’ll see what I can do! Did you see my last recipe article: https://thelovevitamin.com/10416/salads-lunch-dilemma/ ?
Good luck on the journey to a healthier you! Xoxo
Hello ladies! I am wanting to start weaning off my birth control (Tri Cyclen 21) soon. What supplements do you feel are a MUST to take while weaning off it? I am already (have been for 4 months now) gluten, dairy and soy free and very low sugar. Before going on birth control, I did not have horrible skin but had a pimple here or there. However, one week before my period I would get 2 or so large cysts. They hurt and took 2-3 weeks to go away. Usually on my chin area. I am sooooo scared to get those again. They were embarrassing. 🙁 My periods were every 28 days on the dot before starting birth control 3 years ago. Also very heavy the first 2 days. Currently, I take magnesium, green zone, a chinese digestive enzyme and an adrenal support supplement. These are all things my body needs via energy reflex testing. What are your thoughts on Estroblock? If anyone has been in my same situation with the same type of background, I would appreciate advice. Thanks so much ladies!!!
Oh I am also taking a b complex liquid already too.
Hi Sunshine,
It sounds like you’re already taking a lot of supplements. I would have suggested a good probiotic, some B-vits, and maybe fermented cod liver oil, but you’re already taking a B complex and things to help your digestion, so…
I’ve heard Estroblock/Estrosense is excellent against hormonal acne (it inhibits the “bad” estrogens). I think I’m going to give it a shot, actually. But I would suggest waiting until you are pill-free before taking that… I don’t know why, but I would be worried it would mess with the pill dosage (as the pill contains estrogen).
Vitex, once you’re done with the pill, is an excellent supplement to take long-term. Some when love it, others not so much, but I found that it helped me retrieve my cycles and was effective against PMS.
Good luck! 😀
Hi Christelle – just to jump in on the Estroblock thing. I found out that they actually highly recommend taking it while on birth control, and specifically state it doesn’t interfere with effectiveness. Also as far as taking it while to get pregnant, people take DIM all the time to boost their fertility. It should only help in this matter!
Hey Tracy! Yay! That’s such good news! I actually have a jar of DIM in my cupboard, but I’ve been holding back on taking it because I wasn’t sure of the incidence on fertility. Thanks! And I had no idea you could take it while on BC, but it makes sense actually. Thanks! 😀
Oh, and btw, do you think it’s worth me writing you an article about how I weaned off the pill? I’d have no trouble doing it, of course, but this thread seems immensely popular as it is… what do you think?
Hugs all round xxx
Hi Christelle,
Yes I think it would be great to get a guest post if you want to do it! Not everyone sees these old posts, and it might be really helpful for you to share your experience + sum up your general sort of suggestions how how to wean and what sort of supplements and protocol you’d suggest to support your body during and after the weaning! You’re very knowledgeable 🙂
Ok, hey ladies! I just thought I’d update 🙂
It’s been 1 year and 1 month since I’ve been pill free.
When I found this website in January 2012, I was SO happy to hear ONE positive story. I knew I had to try this method. And it worked like a charm for me.
For those who’ve read my comments in the past, you know I tool vitex for a year, and I’m very happy I did. I also went back and forth between that and a bunch of other supplements. Today, I’m only taking a prenatal (because my fiancé & I are plucking up the courage to consider trying for a baby), some spirulina from time to time, and vitex every few days. I want to try Estroblock, as I’ve heard it’s awesome… BUT… and here’s where I need your expertise, folks… I don’t know whether or not this is a supplement you can take when you want to get pregnant? What do you think?
Oh, and also, I want to re-order fermented cod liver oil (because it’s just awesome), but I’m also worried that will interfere with the vitamin A in my prenatal (too much vitamin A is bad for the development of the baby). So, a bit confused here as to what to do…
Sending you all big hugs and lots of happy vibes (and a big “up-yours” to Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals!) 😀
Hey! I’m so happy to have found this blog… I have been taking the pill (microgynon) for 19 years now, yikes! I haven’t had any issues with it. But I’m approaching 40 now and I know I need to stop. I will start weaning after this pack. Considering I’ve been taking it for so long, does anyone know how long should I should wean for? I’m assuming 5-6 months?
Hi Rachael, sounds like you’ve made a good decision! I can only comment on my own experience of course… I am on my first month of half a pill after spending three months on three quarters of a pill. I’d been on Microgynon for 16 years.
I would recommend to wean for three months on each separate dose. This is because when I started, I had a great month where I thought nothing seemed different… Then I had a bad month when I really wanted to go back on the whole pill… Then the third month was great with no problems! I think it’s good to give your body this amount of time to adjust, AND it helped me realise the negativity around that second month was only temporary, giving me confidence to move down to half a pill! Hope this makes sense.
I have to say I’m not regretting weaning at the moment – although I had that bad month emotionally (LOTS of mood swings and paranoia), I haven’t experienced much hair loss and no spottiness! Yay! Good luck!! 🙂
Thank you Sinderin!
Yes that does make sense. Part of me just wants to get it over with but I know after taking it for so long I’ll have to be patient! Reducing the dose in blocks of three months sounds safer than two. I have just over a week left to finish a normal pack, and then I’ll start reducing the dose. I feel quite nervous about doing this considering all the side effects but it’s great to have the support here! I’ll update progress 🙂
My biggest worry is the mood swings when reducing the dose. Has anyone tried St. John’s Wort or any other herbal product for this? I’ve never taken St. John’s Wort as it’s supposed to interfere with the pill, I wander if it’s ok to take it when you’re reducing the dose?
Just to reply to your other two questions… I found evening primrose oil helped me with the mood swings I had during the bad month, IF I made sure to take it every day.
As for cutting pills, I looked around for something small enough to cut teeny tiny Microgynon but found nothing! I use a very sharp knife on a ceramic plate and just hold the pill between my fingers. No accidents yet! (touch wood)
It needs a fair amount of pressure and it takes a bit of practice, but the first time I just went for it and put all the halves I managed to create in one wee box, and the quarters and three quarters in another box. If you get good at halving them, you’ll be able to get a more accurate three quarters, but I just guessed! Seemed to work ok 🙂
Thanks Sinderin! I will definitely stock up on evening primrose oil. I just have a week left of full pills to go.
I practiced cutting some spare pills the other day and they were flying around all over the place! I’m going to buy a pill cutter and customise it to hold small ones and then I can do a load in one go 🙂
And there’s so much good advice here I feel more comfortable about starting this long process!
Can anyone recommend a pill cutter that can hold and split birth control pills? There’s loads out there but they are designed for holding larger pills…
Thanks Christelle! I appreciate your ideas and thoughts. 🙂 Would love to hear from others as well! What are your thoughts on Evening Primrose Oil for balancing hormones ladies?
Hi Everyone,
I am currently on Yasmin and have clear skin, been on dianette previously and attempts to come off ended in breaking out again!
I would like to come off yasmin due to side effects such as extreme fatigue and mood swings but am terrified of the acne.
Tracey do you know where I can get Estroblock in the Uk?
Also for those weaning off BC how do you cut it my pills are teeny tiny!
xx
Hey Vicky! I was experimenting with this the other day as I’m going to start cutting up my pills in just over a week. I’m using Microgynon 30, but I’m sure Yasmin is packaged the same. I found that if I used a scalpel with a new blade (I have one left over from when I was at art college!) and you turn the packet over with the blisters facing upwards you can just cut through the plastic bubble in the packaging and cut the pill easily in half. The pill stays in place, no mess. It’s also possible to cut quarters this way. And then you pop the pieces out as you would a normal pill. I also bought a pill cutter before I discovered this! So I’d suggest buying a decent scalpel to do it as the handle is strong and it’s safe to use and cutting it in the packet means the blade is nowhere near your fingers. Hope this is useful! Can you tell me about Estroblock? What does this do?
Hi Rachael,
you can find few articles about estroblock on Tracy’s blog:
https://thelovevitamin.com/6855/treat-female-hormonal-acne/
https://thelovevitamin.com/11423/estroblock-acne-q-and-a/
https://thelovevitamin.com/11514/how-avoid-acne-causing-estrogens/
Hi Rachael,
Thanks for the advice regarding cutting them, I am not planning on starting this weaning straight away as I am about to start a new job which will be quite stressful and want to start when things are more settled as not to add more stress to my skin.
Would love to know how you go with the process, its been so helpful reading everyones journey and Christelles input has been amazing.
V x
Hi Vicky,
I‘m not Tracy, but she is without internet access this week and asked me to reply to the comments on her blog in the meantime. Unfortunately, estroblock doesn‘t seem to be available anywhere except the States, which sucks…
Hey Svea,
Thanks for the info on Estroblock 🙂
I don’t know if it’s exactly the same thing but I saw they were selling a supplement called Estrosense on iherb.com (I know iherb ships pretty much everywhere – I live in Europe and I get all my supplements from this site).
http://www.iherb.com/Natural-Factors-WomenSense-EstroSense-Hormone-Balance-120-Veggie-Caps/16257
What do you guys think?
Hi Christelle,
please be careful with estrosense, since it contains a high amount of Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) and only a low amount of DIM:
http://www.dimfaq.com/site/I3C-safety.htm
And that’s what Tracy wrote about I3C and estroblock (which should be safe to take):
“Okay, I called them and I had a really long and awesome conversation with Nick Delgado himself. Although I don’t remember all the exact wording because it was a long conversation and he’s a science guy and I could only absorb so much, he basically said that he was also very concerned about the safety at first when he was formulating it but from all his research and literature he’s read, it appears as though the safety concerns only come at around 400 mg of I3C, and his contain only 50 mg each. Really nice guy, I felt like he really knew what he was talking about and seemed trustworthy. He also said they are working on this new thing called “Estroblock Cell Stabilizer” which will have an even greater positive effect when taken with Estroblock. .. they’re gonna send me a bottle.”
Ahhhh, thank you, Svea! I know very little about DIM-containing supplements and the benefits of DIM, and for some reason I bypassed that part of the Estroblock article. In which case, the search for Estroblock-shipping sites is on! 🙂
There is also this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Natures-Way-DIM-plus-Oestrogen-Metabolism/dp/B00014IGXS
This is shipped from the US but there are other sellers here supplying from the UK.
Should this kind of supplement be taken during the weaning process or after? I’m going to have 9 months of weaning so I’m interested to know if there’s anything I can take to help!
Probably it doesn’t have enough DIM in it to work that well…
It says: BioResponse DIM Complex (patented, enhanced bioavailability complex containing 25% diindolylmethane) 100 mg / serving size = 2 capsules
This means: 25 mg only…
Ok, thanks for letting me know. I feel like I am drowning in information here…
As I only have a week or so to go, could you help me compile a list of supplements I’ll need to take during the weaning process? This would be so helpful! They need to be things I can buy in the UK.
So far I have: Vitamin B complex, Evening primrose oil and some kind of probiotic (do you know which kind?). Do you think I should add or take anything off this list? Any advice would be great! 🙂
Hi Rachael,
I‘m not sure if you really need any synthetic vitamins or other supplements. I think that a very balanced and healthy whole foods diet already can do a lot. In addition, you should support your liver and digestion as much as you can: try to treat yourself to a life without sugar, refined grains, add fresh ginger and tumeric, antioxidant rich fruits and veggies, leafy greens (especially bitter greens), cruciferous veggies and/or onions and garlic to your diet. All and all: lots of fiber (fresh veggies, fruits and whole grains) and vitamins. Probiotics can be helpful too. My body cannot tolerate any probiotic supplements at all (and it‘s easy to mess up the whole system without knowing which bacteria strains are actually lacking), so I‘m regularly eating probiotic foods like yoghurt made from a clean milk source, self-made sauerkraut etc… And don‘t forget to exercise, as it will help you to get rid of excess hormones as well. Fermented cod liver oil might be the only “supplement“ I‘d like to suggest you. It‘s actually a food, no supplement and you can buy it from funkyraw.com (UK based). It‘s pretty expensive and tastes like hell (in my opinion even the cinnamon flavored stuff…), but it can improve your immune system and heath a lot, which means helping your body to get rid of excess hormones and toxins. It‘s great for your brain too. Here‘s an article about it:
https://thelovevitamin.com/3452/fermented-cod-liver-oil/
That’s excellent, thank you. I eat very well anyway so a good diet won’t be hard to follow. I generally don’t take supplements – some high potency vitamins in the past have made me feel sick, and cheap cod liver oil brought me out in spots! So I was never keen on buying these things. I will try the fermented oil as you say, although I eat oily fish around 4-5 days a week anyway so maybe I don’t need it. I would much prefer to supplement what I need through diet than become a slave to buying more pills! I’ll definitely take your list into account. Fresh lemon and ginger tea I think will be a must. I have only two bc pills left in a regular packet to take and that’s it. Thank you (and every one) so much for your advice it has really helped! I will check in from time to time with progress.
Somehow I feel like there should be a meetup(.com) group for this! Where all of us struggling post-bcp casualties can support and cheer each other up over (a) a piece of cake or (b) a salad depending on the stress levels. 🙂
Hi Rachael,
Have you started weaning yet?
I too am swimming in information overload when it comes to DIM!!
You say that 25MG isn’t enough. How much would you recommend? I found this supplement on Amazon that has 125MG per capsule – https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Strength-DIM-250mg-Supplement/dp/B01FEAQBBW/
Is this enough or is there something else you recommend?
Hi Svea,
That does suck although you can get it shipped from the estroblock site but it costs more than the actual product!!!
Hmmm not sure if its worth it!
V xxx
Hi Vicky,
I’m sorry, I didn’t see your comment earlier…
I haven’t tried estroblock either. Sometimes I’m tempted, but the shipping costs held me back as well 🙁 … Anyway, my skin looks really good right now 😉 . Different kinds of lifestyle changes in the past years helped me: exercise, enough sleep, a balanced whole foods diet, a simple skincare regimen with only a few drops of my favorite oil mix… You see, there are no special beauty secrets. It only takes time and a lot of patience…
By the way, I quit hormonal birth control cold turkey 3 years ago, and my skin was a whole mess back then. I soon discovered that supplements didn‘t help me at all. I tried dong quai, vitex, msm and acerola powder, zinc piccolinate, starflower oil,… In the end, I just had the feeling to waste my money. The only thing that really seems to help me a lot is fermented cod liver oil – plus eating lots of leafy greens.
Hi Tracy,
Thanks for all the great info and support in this blog, I would like to know abit more about bad and good oestrogen in relation to acne. My acne has always been completely controlled by either dianette or yasmin which i know are the anti androgen pills. I assumed this meant I had too much testosterone in relation to oestrogen. I do not eat any dairy and substitute with soya milk which I again assumed would be good as I was testosterone heavy and any oestrogen would be good.
However now I am confused as to how this may be bad for my hormonal balance, I am planning on weaning soon, can you advise on estroblock in relation to androgens and testosterone?
thanks again
vicky
Hey Vicki, see my reply on the other article: https://thelovevitamin.com/6855/treat-female-hormonal-acne/#comment-104677
Hi all!
Today is my first day completely free of BCPs! For that, I am super excited.
However, there’s been some terrible downsides to it all.
1. My face, so clear for the past 6 months of weaning, is now a war zone of acne I’ve never experienced (as those that know my story know that I was never a major acne suffered prior to going on Diane 35). There are huge cyst things under my eyebrows, a cluster of about 15 hard, dry spots in and around my nose, eyebrow area and chin. This began about 3 or 4 days ago – coincidence? Possibly – but I would like to know why this is happening as I was still taking my 1/4 pill at the time.
2. Mood swings – hopefully they will calm down, as I am tired of having the rage of an ax-murdered and crying at laundry detergent commercials.
3. There’s been no weight loss/decrease in bloating, and no increase in energy for me.
4. Periods – a month of constant and strange spotting so far.
5. Sex drive – far greater, I was an asexual zombie for a long time due to the pill, and my husband is very happy about this development.
I will never go back on BCPs after knowing all the damage it has done! Here in Berlin, I often walk past the Bayer offices who produce Diane 35 and its all I can do not to throw a rock through their windows! Its too early to tell yet, and even though I’ve not had amazing results right now, i am still hopeful and glad to have made a decision to benefit my longterm health.
Good luck to all the other ladies!
Hey E!
How I share your disgust for Bayer healthcare (“healthcare”, really, what a joke!)!
Lately I’ve done a bunch of reading up online as to how to get rid of (or at least tone down) that post-Diane breakout, and several things seem to be recurrent:
– Liver-friendly supplements (burdock root, turmeric, artichoke, black radish, wild pansy, beetroot, etc.) to help flush out the excess synthetic hormones and toxins accumulated in the body.
– Probiotics, to counteract candida (often present if you’ve been on the BCP for a while) and help digestion.
– A sugar-free diet, because the post-Diane breakout is linked to a surge in testosterone, and sugar causes the body to produce more testosterone, so basically the least sugar you consume, the better. Plus, sugar fuels candida, so if you do have a latent yeast infection, you’re killing 2 birds with 1 stone. Also, mint/Spearmint (in capsule form/herbal tea) helps reduce testosterone…
Good luck chuck!
Hey everyone!
I am so sorry that I haven’t updated for a while! It has just been hectic for me these last 2 months!
I just wanted to let you know that I am pill free for over a month now 🙂 I officially stopped my last 1/4 of a pill on the 11th of august and the good news is that my first period pill free came on time and lasted exactly 7 days. I would say that things in general have been going well for me. I have been getting a few pimples, but thankfully nothing too dramatic that cannot be covered with foundation. But I also stopped at the same time one of my topical products that I have been using for over 10 years so I believe my pimples are more due to that than the stopping of the pill. Honestly, few pimples don’t bother me so much, I am just so happy and relieved to be pill free and topical treatment free. I feel like my natural self again, like a real woman you know! Another good thing is that my libido has increased since I stopped so it feels great not to be a vegetable anymore lol In case you’re wondering whether I’m taking supplements or not, the answer is no. At one point I tried taking EPO and fish oil and they seemed to help my skin, but then I noticed that I felt much heavier and couldn’t seem to lose any weight. It was weird for me because I am quite skinny and usually I have no problem loosing weight if I put my mind to it. Then I realized that it was because of the oils that I was taking. Indeed, I stopped taking them one week before my wedding and in one week I immediately lost 4.5 pounds! After that I decided the heck with supplements and everything, I’m just gonna eat healthy and exercise and I will be fine. I don’t wanna be dependent on anything anymore after my whole experience with the pill!
Voila, for those of you who are weaning, I promise you this is the best thing you have ever done for yourselfs. Stay strong and even if you get moments of doubt or discouragement, think about how you will feel once you are free of the fake hormones 🙂
Mona
Hi Ladies…
I think if someone doesn’t check in regularly anymore its because they are doing well. I.E – ME
It’s been 6 months since coming off the pill (3 months of weaning) and I am going well. I get a few pimples here and there but usually near my hairline or on my chin and hardly noticeable and only usually when I forget to wash my face at night or eat exceptionally bad.
I still use an Acne face wash… not sure if I am strong enough to stop yet. I might start weaning off that LOL.
Im glad to see girls are still opting to wean off and see the negatives of the pill. Wish we could start a worldwide trend letting girls know how bad the pill can be.
I feel great, I wish with all my heart I had done this sooner. I don’t regret the express version or weaning in general. Its been the best decision I ever made.
Oh and my hair is great! That was a problem every time i stopped the pill. It did shed a little but it fixed itself up after a 2-3 months.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
i just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone on this thread. I’ve ben struggling with deciding whether to come off Yaz the past few months, and have been reading everything available on the internet and all the side effects and horror stories made me feel that staying on Yaz would far outweigh the benefits of getting off it. I have been on Yaz since I was 21 (I am turning 28 this weekend!), I tried to stop it a year ago because I was getting bad migranes everyday, my head was pounding I had to take painkillers daily. Once I stopped it, I was fine for 3-4 months before I got cystic acne on my back. My skin was perfect on Yaz so I caved and went back on the pill.
This time I am determined to stop because I have been getting weird body aches and tingling all over the past couple of months, and even if it is not related to the pill, I know the pill is bad for me.
This website has given me so much HOPE reading all your experiences, and it has given me the courage to get rid of the monster medication once and for all. I am going to start weaning once I complete this cycle, and I can’t wait to be free of Yaz!
Thank you all again. You have no idea how much this means!
Hello ladies!
Huge thank you to you pioneers who have been paving the way for the rest of us to try out the weaning process. Ive been following this blog for several months now to track how its been working for everyone before i try it myself. I’ve been on BCP for several years, tried once to get off, lasted about 6 months before I had enough of the acne and got back on again.
Planning to start weaning next week off of Orsythia BCP and wanted to contribute to this pool of knowledge and experience to help others as well.
To those of you who have been struggling with acne post-pill, have you tried brewers yeast? I encourage your to research it. Sounds like effective stuff, and natural, too.. I’m all about evidence-based medicine, and it seems like the evidence is there:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2530145
I’m buying myself some brewers yeast today to prep for any undesirable changes in my skin after I start weaning. I’m interested to see if it is helpful to any of you as well.
Will post updates as I go!
Best,
Holly
Hey Holly,
Yay! A new ex-pill junkie joining the weaning club! 😀 Joke aside, I’m really happy every time I read a new comment on this thread, hehe.
Just something I think might be worth mentioning. You say you want to look into brewer’s yeast, and I don’t want to burst your bubble or anything, but if you do end up taking yeast you need to be 100% sure you don’t have candida or depleted gut flora. The thing is, the BCP tends to deplete your gut flora, and yeasts such as candida albicans love that because it means they can go on a rampage without being countered by gut flora. Candida – the pathological form, anyway – can really mess your system up and cause a plethora of imbalances and issues such as allergies, acne, eczema, chronic inflammation, etc., and the thing is, candida feeds on sugar and yeast, and, well, brewers yeast is a potentially great source of “food” for candida. So you just need to be sure that you don’t suffer from any type of yeast infection before you start taking yeast supplements. Otherwise, I agree, yeast is full of B-vits and it’s awesome for hair and nail growth… but I know I can’t take it personally, even after having been off the BCP for over a year, I know the pill wreaked havoc on my gut flora, and sugar and yeast products can still affect my digestion. Basically, I’m still paying for having taken the pill for so many years. 🙁 It’s just something you have to be aware of if you’ve been on oral contraception for a while…
Good luck weaning!
Hi Holly,
I had a look at the publication you referenced and it’s not Brewer’s Yeast that they’re talking about, it’s a probiotic called Perenterol (well that’s the brand name)! It is a yeast, isolated from mangosteen and lychee apparently! But it is classified as a probiotic. The name I found it under on Amazon was Saccharomyces boulardii 🙂
I’ve actually bought some to take as my probiotic everyday! It’s only been a week and a bit so I can’t comment on it’s effectiveness, but just in case you want to get some I thought I’d let you know 🙂
x
Hi Laura,
That’s great that you bought some Perenterol! It’s actually synonymous with brewer’s yeast:
http://www.healthline.com/natstandardcontent/saccharomyces-boulardii
I have been taking 2 tablespoons per day in powder form mixed with 1/4 cup of orange juice (it tastes terrible with water!) for a couple weeks now, and I must say, I am very very impressed with it! Actually, the placebo week on my last pack of pills, I got a very random gigantic cyst on my forehead, which is unusual, but I mean, it was GIGANTIC. One of those really thick ones that are hard and several millimeters big and deep, the type that can take weeks to go away. I started taking brewers yeast a couple days later, and the cyst started shrinking away, and was gone within a few days. I’ve also noticed that my cravings for sweets have decreased immensely. I didn’t read anything about that being an effect in any of the literature, but I usually have a mad sweet tooth, and it’s definitely a significant change I’ve noticed.
Christelle, no negative side effects noted, re: candida. 🙂
Im in my 2nd week of 3/4 pill. Smooth sailing..My skin has been quite clear so far. 🙂
I’m glad we both bought the right stuff! 😀
I was reading up about it and apparently it’s actually very good for yeast infections so hopefully it’s helping even if we have got any candida going on!
I wish it would help with my sweet tooth though! I’m still struggling to stop eating sweets – ahhhh! hahaha
Really good to hear your weaning is going well. I’m on the last few months of weaning at a 1/4 pill (I’m doing it over a long period of time – it’s been 7 months so far!). This month has been tough. But I’m staying strong!
I hope it’s all smooth sailing for you from here! 🙂
Hi Christelle,
Thanks for the info! That’s definitely a good point and something to look out for. Do you know if there’s a way to tell if I do have candida overgrowth? I generally have an iron stomach and can eat anything.
It seems like there’s some debate about whether brewers yeast truly encourages candida growth.
http://www.lifesource4life.com/conditions/c-candidiasis.htm
http://www.flannerys.com.au/ask-a-naturopath/question/105
These resources seem to be of the position that yeast of the Sacchromyces fam don’t actually feed candida overgrowth.
Maybe I’ll start slow with the dosage?
Thanks for the input!
Hi Ladies.
Hope everyone is doing well. I haven’t updated in about two months.
I have currently finished month 3 of weaning off half a pill (Dianette).
I have noticed in the past week my skin has flared up AGAIN. I have small clogged pores on my forehead, chin area and cheeks and slightly on my temples on both sides.I am feeling quite down about all this and cant even look in the mirror, its awful.
Also I have noticed that my hair is shredding like crazy, I don’t know what to do! I have been putting oil on my hair for a few hours before washing it the past couple of weeks.
I am thinking about continuing half a pill up until xmas.
I stopped drinking my green smoothies because I got lazy and have now started them up again.
Looking back, I think my skin has flared up when I first started to reduce the amount at 3/4.
I’m still taking high dosage EPO, fish oils, a probiotic, vitamin C with zinc and have started to take hair tablets. How many more pills can I take? lol.
I know Christelle, you said about going on a anti fungal diet, I did try that for a couple of days and stopped, it was so hard to do. I might have to try that again. If I do this, how long do you think I should do this for?
Also thinking about going back to the doctor’s but they are useless. Have also thought about Roaccutane but I know my doctor would never refer me to a derm and I don’t want to take that awful pill but I really am stuck and just want to have normal skin 🙁
Anyone with any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks, Jazz xx
Hi Jazz,
Really glad you came back and did an update. Also happy you are still weaning. Hang in there.
Really wish I had some advice for you, but I just don’t know enough to help. All I’d suggest is just to keep going with the 1/2 and hopefully things will start evening out. It’s horrible I know, but there’s a reason why we’re doing this. We have to keep trying!
I’m with you with the hair shedding. Mine’s started again in the last month. I find it really scary. So far the only thing I’ve done is to start putting rosemary oil on my hair after washing it (supposed to stimulate the follicules). So much hair comes out when I brush it, it’s freaky! I therefore try to brush it as little as possible! Luckily I don’t think the hair thinning is showing. Someone actually commented the other day that my hair looked really thick. I was VERY suprised!
I’m going to give an update below in a minute. Just wanted to say, KEEP GOING! We’re going to be off this thing soon!
Laura x
Hi Jazz,
Sorry to hear you’re going through a rough patch 🙁
Acne and hair-loss are very common after having taken Dianette for a long time. You have been weaning, and I’m sure that’s already helped a great deal, but it sounds like your body is working over-time to eliminate the toxins left in your system. Plus, the symptoms you describe really sound like they are being caused by excess testosterone (a typical reaction that often occurs after cyproterone – the synthetic progestin used in Dianette – is discontinued). Sugar does tend to increase testosterone in the body, so perhaps an anti-fungal diet (i.e sugar-free diet) would benefit you on more than one level as it would help you combat candida (if you do have latent candida, which is often the case for women who have been on BCPs for a long time) AND it wouldn’t aggravate your testosterone production, which in turn would help with your hair-loss and acne situation…
It’s interesting that you say you found it difficult to sustain more than a 2-day anti-fungal diet. Did you know that the first days/weeks on a candida diet are always the worst because your body experiences both withdrawal and die-off symptoms at the same time. Candida dumps a bunch of toxins into the bloodstream when it dies, which is why you often spend the first days/weeks of a candida cleanse feeling like crap. If you manage to pull through that initial phase, however, you get a HUGE energy boost. I once went on a 3 month candida cleanse, and the first weeks were terrible. I came home from work shattered, I didn’t know how to replace the sugary foods in my diet, so basically I was constantly hungry, and the die off left my head drained, but after about 10 days I started to feel incredible. Of course, candida might not be an issue for you, but it might be worth envisaging going sugar-free for a few months, if not for anything else just to help lower your testosterone.
I think you’re right to prolong your weaning a little. If your body is having trouble giving up cyproterone, there’s a fair chance you might have to feed it the drug a little longer so as not to “shock” your system 🙁
Just one question – what’s in your “hair tablets”? If there’s yeast, it might be feeding the candida and therefore causing your breakout?
I know it’s a toughie to go through post-Dianette withdrawal symptoms, but if you can, please try to avoid Roaccutane. The side-effects are really too disastrous.
Sending you lots of happy vibes and wishing you the best of luck 🙂
Hey Jazz!
So sorry to hear that you are having problems on the acne front. I don’t know much what else you could do but have you heard about raw vegan diet? I’ve read accounts of people saying that it really helps with acne. It’s a tough diet but I saw a video of a girl whose pimples already cleared away after a week on the diet. Hope this helps if you wanna try it out. Good luck girl and don’t be discouraged! If need be, you can wean for a longer period of time, like you suggested yourself. Also for the hair, I don’t know how much you are shedding but when I was shedding at one point during my weaning process, I used Kerastase’s shampoo for thinning and shedding hair, and it really helped me! Although it’s expensive, it was totally worth it for me. Let us know how things go!
Mona x
Hey Jazz,
ME TOO! Same thing happened to me… but… don’t worry it dies down. It was almost like each time I weaning to a new dose my hair went crazy… but it didn’t last too long.
I don’t notice it much now that I am totally off. I do still shed a lot but not often.
Good luck!
Hi everyone,
I haven’t been back for a while so I thought I’d do an update.
Weaning off Dianette. Am now on my seventh month and have only just started on 1/4 of a pill.
September was a bad month for me, I was on holiday for three weeks, and I completely messed up my cycle by forgetting to take some pills. I had a period for over two weeks! Yuck. My body is a bit confused now unfortunately, constant spotting etc.
Skin wise though things are currently pretty okay. Despite my diet being rather poor. I have clogged pores, but not too many. And it’s manageable. At the start of my sixth cycle I had two rather bad spots (inflamed/infected). They weren’t cystic, but they weren’t very nice. Thankfully I managed to get them to go away rather quickly. And they are really the worst spots I’ve had throughout this whole process. So things could be A LOT worse!
Overall, I’m really happy with how my skin has been so far. Yes, I still get spots. Yes I still have oily skin. But actually I’ve become a lot more confident and I don’t worry about having imperfect skin as much as I did before. I’ve come to accept that skin sometimes has blemishes. I don’t even cover them up most of the time. I used to go out with a full face of makeup most days (even when my skin was perfectly clear!). Now I wear face makeup about once a week maybe, or if I’m going out on special occasion. I still love my mascara and blush though 🙂
I’ve also kept to a routine of just washing my face once a day in the evening (with jojoba oil mixed with lavender and thyme, and manuka honey). It seems to help my skin be more balanced I think. I definitely wouldn’t go back to harsh cleansers. The only thing I use now is Freederm on inflamed spots (which contains nicotinamide or Vit B3 which is proven to reduce skin inflammation) to help keep things calm. It doesn’t irritate my skin at all and I think it helps so I’m keeping it for now.
Supplements are just high dose EPO, a probiotic, and a multi-vitamin.
Think that’s it. All in all I’d recommend this way of getting off BCP to anyone and everyone. Hopefully in a few months time I’ll be completely free of it!
Good luck everyone 🙂 x
Hey babes!
It’s been a while since I updated here. To be perfectly honest, the reason being that I had a little candida-relapse after being free for 8 years (at least that’s what I figured at first, but now I’m pretty sure it’s been a latent problem ever since I started the pill in 2001).
Last month, my period turned up (on day 25), and I kept feeling the urge to go pee. I initially thought I might have a UTI, but the need to pee subsided and left me with that typical itchy candida sensation, plus bloating. Alongside this, I thought my skin wasn’t looking as nice as usual – kind of blotchy. I wasn’t staying at my place at the time, so controlling my diet was tricky, and I was kind of obliged to eat candida-fueling foods for a few days so as not to offend my hostess.
Anyway, once back home I tried no sugar for a few days, and it was SO difficult to sustain (kind of like what Jazz described above!). I figured that perhaps over time I had grown confident. I know that I’m acne free off the pill, and I’ve managed to identify the allergens that provoke my rare eczema breakouts, so even if my diet is pretty darn correct, I do like to go out for meals, and have some funky desserts, and I have included a lot of sweet foods into my diet. Basically, I’ve become lazy, and over the past month this has started to show up on my skin.
I am honestly not stressed when it comes to acne. I don’t suffer from it anymore, and so I know that the inflammation on my chin and forehead this past month was diet-induced and not stress-induced. In fact, for the whole of last month, instead of really addressing the problem, I just thought “to hell with it, I’m going to eat whatever I want, and screw the breakout”. The thing is, I think I should start to address the whole candida thing, as I still feel a little bloated and itchy, and I have seen the odd pimple, which I’m not too chuffed about.
I’m going to start with a gentle anti-candida diet, and we’ll see what happens 🙂
I’ll let you know!
Hi there,
just wondering if it is safe to cut film coated pills? I am on Yasmin, and I read somewhere that they shouldn’t be cut. Is this true?
Thanks for your help!
Hi pinkconverse,
Perhaps it’s true, perhaps Yasmin shouldn’t be ingested if the coating has been cut, but my big question is: should it be ingested at all? See what I mean? 🙂
I imagine they say you shouldn’t cut them as it could effect their reliability, which doesn’t really matter considering once you’re taking less than the needed dose they are ineffective as birth control anyway. I’ve just done my first month of cutting up Microgynon which is also coated. Not many problems to report. I cut 21 days worth of pills in one go and it was fine. Cutting them all in one go was good as some quarters and halves were bigger than others this way I could balance the sizes out to keep the daily dose as even as possible…
Hi pinkconverse,
I’ve been wondering about the coating too. From a little research it seems there are a few reasons why pills have a coating and it could be any of the following:
1. Ease of swallowing. A coating is used to allow the tablet to slip down the throat with a minimum of obstruction. These still rapidly dissolve in the stomach. An Example of this would be Tylenol Caplets.
2. Masking of taste. A coating is used to prevent the medication from touching the tongue. It does not dissolve til reaching the stomach.
3. Enteric Coating. This type of coating resists stomach acid to delay the medicine release until being mixed with bases in the duodenum (first part of the small intestine). An example of this is Dulcolax tablets. They are meant to irritate the small and large intestine. If they dissolve in the stomach, you get stomach cramps and nausea instead of a bowel movement. There are not many drugs that we have to use thus type of coating for.
I’ve been cutting Dianette pills for seven months and haven’t noticed either a horrible taste or any problems with stomach cramps from it so my best guess would be it’s coated to help it go down easier. But if you’re worried you should maybe try checking with a doctor you trust! 🙂
hello,
thought i’d contribute to this since i weaned off beyaz (successfully), which i believe has very similar ingredients to yasmin.
i was concerned abt the effects of cutting the pills as well but i remember researching it and coming to the conclusion that it was okay. i wish i could show you the links of the info i came across. i believe i started weaning in march of this year, finished weaning in august, and have been BCP-free for 3 months now. no digestive problems or any ill effects from the whole process.
the only precaution i made was not to cut all of the pills at once, in advance (i think some people have done this). the coating is meant to protect the ingredients inside, and even though we no longer want these ingredients to be potent and active in our bodies (hence the weaning), we are still ingesting them so we don’t want them to degrade or be exposed to the environment, which can alter the chemicals and possibly affect our health in some unintended way.
for example, when i was on half a pill, i cut 1 pill, took one half the first night, and saved the other half for the next night by putting it back into the little slot and then storing the whole thing in a ziploc. then i cut the next pill only when i needed to. i think keeping the pills whole or nicely stored until they must be cut is important.
hope this helps!
Ok add one more to the diane-35 weaning band wagon!
Going to finish this pack and then let the fun begin…
I’m pre-diabetic (insulin sensitive), have been on and off BCP for years (most recently, the infamous diane-35) and am “borderline” PCOS. I was misdiagnosed by 3 doctors claiming I had the illness meanwhile, no cysts! Just a good-ol-fashioned hormone imbalance. No hair issues, no facial hair, just acne and awesome mood swings. I struggled with cystic acne from the ages of 25-28 after starting and stopping BCPs trying to find the right fit. ive tried lots of supplements! Estrosense, estrosmart, vitex…nothing worked except Diane-35. Ive spent the last few months working out and losing weight to correct the pre-diabetes (i weight 130 and am 5’8”, not need to lose weight IMHO) so now, i’m ready.
Just thought i would add my story in case someone can relate or has a question, ill be your guinea pig!
Hoping for: Some weight loss (ive got 32G cup size and wouldnt mind losing some hormonal weight). NO ACNE! increased sex drive (poor ol boyfriend has been so patient)
wish me luck! keep you posted x
Hi Ladies
Just thought I would share my update.
So its been 2 months since I have weaned off Diane and BCP FREE!!!!
Period:
still waiting. no signs of it showing up. I had the same problem when i was down to 1/3 and its still a problem. I am taking Vitex and have been taking it since I stopped, but still nothing…..HELP!!!
Skin:
My face is ok. No cysctic acne just mild little bumps on my forehead. totally mangeable – i mean no one is staring at me…..
Chest and Back ….Nightmare! (ok not that bad either, but not clear. I get random pimples on my arms too!!!! hideous!!!
I am 100% sure that if I had a regular cycle I would be fine. But I dont, so my skin is flaring up. for sure. Its hormonal.
Vitamins:
I am taking vitex, EPO, Cod liver oil and A&D and multi viatmin. I also take milk thistle for the liver now and again.
so my question to you all is: HOW DO I GET MY PERIOD BACK??
lol
really. I know this weaning method has helped, because my skin is ok. Not at all as bad as it was a few years ago when i quit cold turkey.
Now its to come back to the reason i went on to the pill, so many years ago….irregular cycles.
Any advice welcome
Thanks Ladies!!!
Hi Nics,
Just thinking, have you ever linked your irregular cycles to blood sugar issues? I’ve heard that women who suffer from irregular periods do great on low-glycemic, high protein diets (basically, the anti-PCOS diet).
Good luck! 🙂
Hey Tracy!!
I have been reading your blogs for about the past year now and have just realised that I’ve never actually commented!! So here it goes!
I think everything on your website is amazing and great to see so many natural alternatives to all that rubbish the doctors try and feed you!
Basically I have been on the pill since I was 17 and I never had bad skin before. I tried a few different pills out and in the process got spots and then went on dianette which sorted them out a treat. Then I decided to go off the pill all together when I was 21 and after about 6 months I got spots all over my face and all over my back!! I’d never had bacne before! Then I went back on cilest cos I couldn’t handle it. I am now 24 and came off cilest 5 months ago and low and behold the cystic painful spots have appeared on my back- they hurt so much!!! Face only has a few spots at the moment. I went to see a acne specialist who’s amazing about my face acne (this is before the spots on my back had appeared) and she got me to do a hair mineral analysis test which showed that my magnesium is low and my copper is high so at the moment I’m taking magnesium and zinc citrate- which helped get rid of all the whiteheads on my face but now I have the occasional cystic spot on my jawline and spots all over my back!! I don’t know what to do!! Get a cream from the doctor ad stick it out till hormones balance or perhaps try estroblock? I did take vitex for the first 3 months of coming off the pill but when I started taking the zinc and magnesium I stopped vitex cos I just felt like I was taking too many pills!! Haha. I eat a very healthy diet- exercise and sleep well and drinks lots of water!! (From a glass bottle of course!) any advice very much appreciated 🙂
Thank!!
J x x
Hey Jess, sorry to hear your skin is on the post-BC rollercoaster! 🙁 Scroll up the comments here, the ladies in this thread have excellent advice. There was a comment a few up by Christelle where she lays out a great plan for post Diane breakout recovery.
Has anyone had any experience trying to get pregnant after weaning off the birth control pill? I am currently on Yasmin, and the last time I went off birth control, I experienced horrible cystic acne, just as many of you have mentioned. This time, I’ve decided to wean myself off. However, I told my doctor about this and they told me that it may be harder to tell when I’m ovulating if I do this, since it can cause spotting. I appreciate any advice!
Hi Jackie,
My sister wean specifically to get pregnant. She got pregnant the month after she stopped weaning.
I think she only had one natural period which came slightly early, but then found out she was pregnant. She is now I think 7 months along and she and the baby are doing well. Other than her gaining weight like no tomorrow.
Nevertheless, weaning has made me super regular and I am using ovulation kits to see when I ovulate for when I try next year. They are spot on now.
Good luck!
Hi Ladies,
Thanks so much for the advice. Since my last update I have reduced the amount of sugar in my diet quite a lot. I have since been having green veg juice every morning, a healthy lunch and healthy ish dinner. I actually am not craving chocolate like I use to which is weird.
I ditched one of my hair tablets as I read the ingredients after your advice Christelle and yes they had brewers yeast in them so I stopped taking them immediately.
Thanks Mona, I went out and purchased some hair loss shampoo so fingers crossed.
Also thanks for your advice too Laura. I am trying my best to stick it out.
After tweaking my diet and drinking veg juices and after my monthly cycle was done some of the clogged pores disappeared.
I had a mini microdermabrasion done a few days ago to try and get rid of some of the clogged pores. I still have a red blotchy area on my forehead, not massively and some blotchy skin on my cheeks on both sides. I don’t think these are clogged pores on my cheeks just blotchy. I will see how I get on in the next two weeks and give another update.
Hair still shredding like crazy, hopefully its will calm down soon.
Best of luck ladies. xx
Jazz
Hey ladies,
Little sad update here 🙁
My last cycle was a little longer than usual, and around mid-cycle I saw a few underlying spots around my jawline. I suspected candida, but I had a lot of trouble cutting down on my sweet food intake (I always opt for honey over refined sugar, but still, I figured I was eating too much of it). Then, on day 28 (I usually get a period on day 25) my period barely turned up. It lasted about 15 days where I was just mildly spotting. And over the course of those 15 days my skin started to look fabulous. The spots cleared up, and my skin became baby soft. I started turning my nose up at all sweet foods and craving whole brown rice in the night.
I took a pregnancy test, and it showed up positive. I was shocked! We weren’t even trying! I took a couple more, and same deal, two lines: pregnant! My fiancé & I were surprised, but overjoyed! I booked an ultrasound for next week and calculated that I must be 4-5 weeks in.
Then, today, I woke up craving the sweets again, and lo and behold, I started miscarrying.
I don’t know to what extent my pill history has anything to do with this, or if it’s a one-off event. I’m crushed and bed-ridden. I have a high tolerance to period pain, so I just figured the cramps were due to implantation or something. Anyway, I do believe that having been on birth control and being 30 might have had something to do with this. 🙁
On the positive front, apparently there’s nothing like pregnancy to clear your skin! 🙂
Hi Christelle
I am so sorry for your loss 🙁
There is nothing more to say. Stay strong 🙂
Hugs xxxx
Really sorry to hear that Christelle 🙁 Hope you feel better soon and don’t give up trying! x
Hey Christelle! So sorry for your loss, how are you doing so far? I really hope you are feeling better and managing to cope. I don’t know how it feels to have a miscarriage but just wanted to let you know that we are here in thoughts with you. Courage ma belle! Je t’embrasse! x
Hi Christelle,
I am so sorry for your loss, like the girls have said, don’t give up, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Stay positive. Take care xx
Jazz
Hey girls!
Thanks all for your kind words.
Time really does heal all wounds 🙂
I’m feeling much better now. It has been a rough month – the miscarriage, and then a huge upheaval in my relationship with my boyfriend (partially caused by the unplanned pregnancy). Ugh. But, I have come to terms with all those things, and I am feeling more grounded and optimistic.
Two positive things came out of this experience, health wise. The first was my liver health. It turns out my liver is doing much better now than it was a few years ago. I’m sure this is due to having stopped the pill.
When I was miscarrying, my gyno told me it could take up to a month for my body to eliminate the pregnancy hormones. A friend of mine bought me a bunch of milk thistle tea, and I knew it had detox/liver-boosting properties, so I just drank 2-4 cups/day nonstop the whole time I was bleeding, and for a week or so after, then I had more bloodwork done, and within 1 week my body had rid itself of HCG (which in turn helped me feel much better, much less emotional).
The second positive thing is that I’ve started focussing on fertility. I think I’m not quite ready to have a baby just yet, but I’ve started to think about it, and to plan ahead. I’m going to start taking maca, and just eating more fertility foods, aaaand, I’m finally addressing my stress. I’m an action-person (I don’t like complaining and moping around), but sometimes I think I overdo it, so I’ve decided to be more organized and plan more chill-out time. 🙂
Good luck to all you weaning mamas! Sending you lots of happy thoughts!
Hi Christelle,
I hardly come here anymore because well things aren’t too bad. I have a few spots but nothing to cry over.
However something made me want to look. I’m glad I did I am sorry for your loss.
But truth is MCs like that happen to everyone regardless of the pill history or age. The rate for early MC is so high especially with the first. I mentioned before that my sister is pregnant after weaning and was on the pill for many many years and is 28 years old. She was so paranoid each time she went for an US she was always expecting no hearbeat. Even now… she hasn’t bought anything yet because she can’t believe that is happened so quickly.
It hurts and sux I wish you weren’t going through it. But you’d be surprised as to how common this is. Even for young non pill taking women. Please rest up lean on your Fiancé and I wish you all the best.
At least you know you can get pregnant and God willing next time you want to it’ll be a successful term.
Wow, I am so happy I found this site. I’ve read all your stories about weaning off (it took me hours to read all this, but I’m so glad I did).
I have been on some form of hormonal birth control (pills or Nuvaring) for about a third of my life (I’m 31), which is pretty scary. I can’t believe I’ve actually been on it for so long, because when I think about it I can only come up with two positive things and a long list of negative ones.
The two good things are the fact that I haven’t gotten pregnant (duh… which is why I started taking the pill in the first place), and flawless skin. I always had pretty good skin even before the pill, so if I had known better I would have never ever gone on the pill at all.
About 18 months ago, having been on the Nuvaring for several years I got so sick of the vaginal dryness it was causing that I quit (cold turkey, of course). I was off of it for about 6 months, during which my skin got really really oily, I had a lot of blackheads and red pumps on my face, chest and back. I wouldn’t call it bad acne, but it wasn’t pretty and because I was so used to always having perfect skin it was a nightmare for me. I also lost almost half of my hair (I have very fine hair naturally, so this made it even worse and was the thing I was most stressed about). I couldn’t take it and wanted to go back on the pill. My gynecologist suggested Zoely, because it’s supposed to be “more natural than other pills” (yeah right). I was on it for 6 months and yes, my skin improved a lot, it was still oilier than I was used to, but it was okay, and the pimples disappeared. The thing that drove me crazy was the dryness again, and in a few months it got so bad I would wake up in the middle of the night because I felt so itchy and uncomfortable. Needless to say, the sex life of me and the BF was pretty much non-existent because I was so itchy and even sore down there all the time. I then decided I wanted to try something else, so I switched to Yasmin which was the first pill I was ever on and I remembered it making my skin perfect. I have now been on it for 7 months, and I am so done with this crap. My skin is flawless, yes, but that’s the only positive thing I can think of. The dryness and discomft are there and I’ve had constant yeast infections for months, and the recent urinary tract infection was the last straw. I usually never have those, and I am convinced it’s because my immune defense down there is weakened by all these years of being on BCP. This is not the life I want to live. It also makes me angry that these things are not talked about, or taken seriously by doctors.
I absolutely do not want to put these artificial hormones that are destroying my health in my body anymore. But I also don’t want to experience what I didn’t with the Nuvaring, so it occured to me that there might be a way to wean off, and like I said, I was so happy to find this site!
I am about to start my 7-day break tomorrow, and I have six packs of pills left, so I am going to do what Christelle did and wean off in 6 months (2 months 3/4, 2 months 1/2, and 2 months 1/3). I think it makes sense and gives the body a little time to adjust, even if I’d very much like to stop putting this poison in my body altogether right now. I will be keeping a diary on my experience and reporting here as I hope it might be useful for someone else in a similar situation.
A HUGE thank you to all of you girls for sharing your inspirational stories and all the great advice on what supplements to take while weaning off etc. I feel so hopeful and excited! 🙂
Good luck! Keep updating 🙂
Good Luck Anna!
You’ll do well.
Hi everyone, thought I’d post a quick update. Today is my 273rd day off the pill (~9.1 months pill-free), and my skin is still clear. Note that I’ve never tried stopping Diane before, I’ve never taken any oral medications for acne, and I’m not using any topical creams.
== Posted on 06-12-13 ========================
Hi! Thought I’d share my progress since I read so many of these comments when I stopped Diane 35.
+ Was put on the pill 9 years ago due to a few mild breakouts (thanks doc)
+ Weaned for 8 months, did not notice any side effects (I only cut them in half – the pills crumbled into dust when I tried to cut them smaller)
+ Began eating very clean, exercising every day, sleeping regularly, and doing yoga when I stopped completely (all things that I’d been wanting to do anyway)
+ Diet consists mainly of eggs, fish, fruit, and vegetables (I don’t drink alcohol, and I stopped drinking coffee); lots of water; supplement with Omega-3, borage oil, and centrum
+ For about three weeks after stopping, I experienced frequent headaches and felt very bloated… after that I felt incredible, physically and mentally
+ Weight didn’t change, but I started developing a 6-pack!
+ First period after 76 days pill-free, second period after 119 days pill-free
+ Today is my 130th day pill-free
+ I have not broken out since stopping the pill – my skin is oilier, sure, but nothing unmanageable
+ It’s too soon to say I’m out of the woods, but hopefully some of you will find this progress encouraging
That’s great news! Thanks for letting us know!
Hi Ladies
Quick update:
So face is clear, back is clear. My chest is still breaking out a little, but not too badly. I am sure with time it will get better
Still waiting for my period and its 67 days. I had the tiniest spotting about a week ago, and I thought it was coming, but still nothing.
grn – i see your first period came 76 days after? So that makes me a little relaxed and just hope it comes soon
Good Luck Ladies
Hello everyone,
Wanted to do another update. Now on 8th cycle of weaning and second month of 1/4 pill.
First month of 1/4 pill went pretty much the same as every other month I have changed the dosage of my pill. My skin broke out more than usually, things got a bit bumpy and red, and clogged pores, oh and oilier skin. Also my hair started shedding quite a bit more. But the shampoo I’m using (for thinning hair) seems to be helping it look pretty normal. It’s so much thinner than when I was on the pill and had big, bouncy hair 🙁 But oh well!
Also, I had TWO periods during that 28 day cycle, which was a bit annoying! I had my first period (and it was a proper period, not spotting) on day 11 of the cycle (stopped on Day 18) and then another period on day 23 of cycle (12 days after the last one). I have no idea if that’s a good or bad thing really? Could be my real period kicking in maybe????
I’m on Day 11 of my eight cycle now, so I’m going to see if it happens again this month. Nothing so far…! Eek!
Skin right now is okay, still got clogged pores. So I’ve decided to start exfoliating every other days using just rolled oats. Apparently they’re really good for your skin, and very very gentle. I just seem to need something to get rid of excess sebum, because clogged pores are definitely an issue for me.
Oh finally, I exercise 6 times a week at the moment, and am still taking high does EPO plus a multivitamin, probiotic, and now Omega 3,6,9 oils (in the form of a combo pill which contains flaxseed) as my supplements. Also my eating is probably about 70% clean, but still need to reduce sugar in my diet.
A couple more months on 1/4 pill and then I’ll be off it for good I hope! YAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!! It will have taken me about 10 months.
Good luck and well wishes to everyone! 😀 x
Had to laugh, a few hours after writing this post… Whatdya know, I got my period! Day 11 just like last month. Anyone have any ideas? Could this be my real period? I really don’t like having two weeks a month of period!!
Hi All
I have just read through all these posts, it was quite emotional and pretty amazing to see so many people going through this together and I felt quite inspired to add a comment.
Like I am sure many of you have experienced, I had very little support and advice from medics. For years before I was diagnosed with PCOS I was persistently telling my GP at the age of 19 it was not normal to have facial hair! After 3 years they finally gave me a scan and sure it was PCOS.
I had been put onto Dianette at the age of 15 to treat acne also, after 2 sessions of Roaccutane (great success but terrible side effects and some studies speculate a reason behind the development of PCOS).
After 12 years I have tried taking myself off Dianette a few times because of all the scare stories and an my instinct just telling me that it was doing more harm than good. Not once has a GP suggested coming off it.
I had success on it, my spots were non-existent using it but it never stopped the hirsutism, so I thought really it can’t be a hormonal imbalance causing it (all hormone tests have come back normal on and off the pill which I find odd!). A bit older I’m a bit more mature to manage acne in a different way (I highly recommend Jan Marini bio glycolic wash and lotion, I have tried and tested probably a good 50/60 products and I could not now live without this stuff).
After going cold turkey a few times and having instant side-effects I also ended up trying new pills, which just threw my body out of sync even more. It was probably quite careless but over the last couple of year’s I got so sloppy taking the pill, with sometimes a couple of months as a break, sometimes a couple of weeks, sometimes just a couple of days and today I thought it’s almost like I’ve weaned myself off, but without intention. So I wondered whether there were people out there doing this and their success and found this page!
It’s still early days, only 3 months but my skin is fine and nothing like any of the break periods before, the odd spot here and there. But I continue to battle with facial hair and weight gain (the pill kept me slim). I am lucky that my periods are really manageable, and are completely regular, but any advice with these two issues in general and any success/improvements over time after cutting dianette out? I’m a bit worried I’m going to grow into a plump hairball.
I’m so pleased to see so many success stories as I felt very let down by medical care. Has anyone sent this blog to a medic or specialist? It would make for an interesting study!
Best wishes
Helen x
Hi Helen!
I don’t know much about PCOS but I remember once reading on it and I distinctly remember that good/healthy diet and physical activity helps a lot with PCOS symptoms such as hirsutism. Have you looked into that?
Mona
Update:
On week 1 of month 2 of weaning (3/4 pill). Skin is clear. Everything is good…..EXCEPT, I have been getting really bad migraines 🙁
It’s been a big deal because they’re very debilitating. Every little movement causes massive head pain. Makes me just want to lie in bed in the dark. The migraines started during late week 2. One migraine lasted 5 days straight. They went away during week 3, then they came back for a few days during my period week. 🙁 Every day, I fear that I will get one and be out of commission that day. Tylenol doesn’t help. I got an Rx for Imitrex from my doctor, which I took once–it works amazingly; I felt euphoric after, but I don’t want to take meds so frequently.
Has anyone else had a problem with this? I want to keep weaning, but I don’t know where to go from here. I’m already on a very low-dose pill and wonder if the cut dosage is too low and just messing me up. Wondering if I should just stop the pill altogether. =\
Hi Holly,
I am exactly at the same stage as you, on week 1 of month 2 of weaning (3/4 pill. I’m on Yasminelle. I found on my first two weeks of weaning I got a couple of bad migraines but have had none since. I think it’s just your body reacting to the reduced pill. I’ve also had a couple of small pimples on my chin but I think they are stress related and I’ve been quite weepy and emotional too. Didn’t get my period either on my first break although my body felt like it was going though the motions of a typical period.
Also can I ask what everyone else is doing contraception wise?
Hi pinkconverse,
Glad to know I’m not alone, and maybe my body is just adjusting. I haven’t had any migraines the past couple days, so I’m hoping it was just the first month.
For girls struggling with small superficial pimples, I wanted to recommend an inexpensive clay mask called Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. I have been using this for years now, and it is amazing at keeping the pores clear and getting rid of superficial pimples fast. It makes your skin SO smooth and soft and is very natural. Read the reviews online and give it a try! This along with the brewers yeast is keeping my skin quite clear. I haven’t even been wearing any makeup at all the past few weeks!
On 3/4 pill, my husband and I are not using any other form of contraception. I know it’s still possible for us to get pregnant, but it’s unlikely enough that we’re ok doing that for now. When I go down to half a pill, we might use condoms once in a while… Or maybe we’ll just take our chances. =O. Haha. We’re probably going to pull the guard completely later next year anyway, and I’m getting comfortable with the idea of getting pregnant.
So here’s an update. I’m starting the third month 3/4 a pill now (I’m doing this over 9 months). Generally it’s gone pretty well. The first month was the hardest. I had a migraine which was probably worst thing, but I only felt genuinely terrible for about 4 days. Besides that a bit more emotional and strange cravings for cake! (I never want to eat sweet things!) I knew something was up when I found myself in a cafe one afternoon eating cake and custard. Cycle and skin are fine.
For me I think cutting down a quarter at a time is too great a change. As I’m on the last month of 3/4, I’ve cut that quarter down and I may do it further as I go into 1/2, maybe with just a tiny sliver. That should make the transition easier without such a shock to the system.
My hair is getting greasier though. It always fell out loads anyway so I’ve no idea if its changed. Can anyone recommend a good bodybuilding grease busting natural shampoo? (Available in the UK?) That would be great! 🙂
Hi Rachael,
Well done for getting so far. Re: a hair loss shampoo, I have for the past month been using NATUR VITAL hair loss shampoo for women. You can pick it up in boots for about £10/11. This has worked quite well for me as my hair was shredding loads and I was getting worried. Since using it I still have hair loss but not as bad as before. You might need to get the conditioner with it too as it can be quite drying.
Hope this helps.
Jazz x
That’s great, thank you! I will definitely try it. Keep up the good work it sounds like you’re doing really well. Very inspiring!
Hi Ladies,
I hope everyone is doing well. My last update was about 3 weeks ago.
I am now on month 5 of half a pill (Dianette).
I have noticed that a week before my period I get a lot of clogged pores on my forehead, this time round I had the same again. I have just finished my cycle about 4 days ago, the week leading up to it my forehead was plagued with these ugly clogged pores again. After my cycle finished they are now subsiding again.
My hair is much oiler than usual and needs washing every 3 days or so and also 3 weeks ago my hair was shredding like crazy, I went out and purchased some hair loss shampoo which has made a slight difference so I cant complain.
Diet wise, I have been really good. Hardly no sugar, lots of greens, chicken, eggs, fruit etc. Even I’m shocked that I’ve been eating this well. Also I am in the gym about 5 times a week, sleeping well and hardly no alcohol (so far)I think this has helped with everything that is going on.
Pill wise, I’m still taking my usual supplements.
I try not to get to down about my skin, its not to bad and I’m going to carry on for at least another 2 months on half and see how my skin is before going down to 1/4.
Thank you all for your support.
Jazz xx
Hello All,
I just wanted to post a wee update about my positive experience of weaning (this far, anyway!). I was on Microgynon continuously from age 17 to 33 before deciding to wean due to fear of what would happen if I went cold turkey.
I have done three months of three-quarters of a pill, three months of half a pill, and am currently nearly finished my first month of somewhere between a quarter and a third – it’s really hard to measure once you start cutting that small!! Here’s what I’ve found:
Mood: I found the first few weeks of weaning pretty hard and my mood was really low and I felt really exhausted. However things picked up during the third month and since then, my general mood is much better than when I was on the full pill. I used to have really low days a couple of times a month, but things are not bothering me as much as they used to which is great. I still have road rage, but I think that’s just part of me, haha.
Skin: Before I went on the pill, I had pretty bad acne on my back. The pill made that go away, and I only got a couple of spots in my pill-free weeks. Since weaning, I’ve had one or two but nothing serious at all and they go away in a day or two usually. My skin is probably a wee bit oilier than it was but it was always really oily anyway!
Hair: I’ve not been shedding nearly as much as I thought I would. In the pill-free weeks there’s a bit more shedding but nothing shocking. My hair has always been very greasy and I wash it every day, so nothing has really changed there.
Periods: I haven’t bled for about three months apart from one day of spotting a few weeks ago! Not sure if this is something to worry about or not, but I try to be prepared in case it all comes at once!!
Headaches: I noticed some other girls are experiencing bad migraines – sorry to hear this! I have had a couple of stinking headaches recently actually – I used to get them at school a lot before starting on the pill so this is probably related to weaning.
I’ve not been making any attempt to be healthy, in fact I’ve been pretty bad at getting any exercise and my diet is quite high in sugar and fat. However I’m a veggie so am getting plenty of fruit and veg. At one point I was taking evening primrose oil daily but don’t really feel I need it at the moment.
Anyway, I just hope this will inspire people’s confidence to start weaning. I’m really pleased with how it’s going but realise I’m not out of the woods yet! Good luck to you all x
I want to share my *negative* review of weaning.
Frankly, weaning is an experiment, and it works for some people and for others, namely me, it does not.
I did everything by the book for six months of weaning and all the awful side affects that went with it – 48 hour migranes, frightening mood swings, depression, anxiety, weight fluctuation, non existent sex drive. I took vitamins, ate right, everything that is recommended on this site.
However, day one and I mean day one of being free from the pill once and for all, the acne came back with a vengence. Two and a half months later, it remains, fully fledged.
Ive gone off Diane 35 before without weaning and had such bad acne I went straight back on it, like many women on this site. The acne I had then is equivalent to what it is now, after 6 months of weaning.
I wish I could turn back time and do what I originally wanted, which was to go off the pill cold-turkey. I could have saved myself six months of this mess and the annoying pill cutting and all the awful side effects, and who knows? Maybe I would have been over the bad acne stage now.
I think that anyone reading this and considering weaning should know that it is not fool proof, and it is not guarenteed that it will make you acne-free. I’m super happy for those that it has worked for, but believe that everyone should know that there is a downside.
Best of luck to all the ladies out there!
Hi E,
Sorry to hear the weaning process didn’t work for you. You’re definitely right about it being an experiment, and as with all experiments, for some people it just doesn’t work.
You might want to get tested for possible food allergies (even “healthy” foods can cause allergies), and/or sluggish liver function/thyroid function. Your acne could be purely hormonal (in which case you just need to wait it out), or it could be due to a greater underlying imbalance, which could explain why weaning didn’t work for you in particular. Good luck in all cases 🙂
Bonjour Christelle,
Auriez -vous la gentillesse de me contacter ? Ce serait parfait, merci d’avance !
Hi there!
I want to start weaning off my BCP in the next 2-3 months. I am scared of the post breakout phase. My plan of attack is to take Estroblock or Vitex and Liv-Tox. I already take megnesium and probiotics which I will continue taking. I cut out all gluten/dairy and most sugar about 6 months ago already. Does this sound like a good plan of attack? Also, when would I start taking the Estroblock or Vitex and Liv-Tox?? BEFORE I start weaning off the pill I would imagine? How soon before? And which is best? Estroblock or Vitex? Any other help is much appreciated. I am terrified. 🙁 Oh and is it 3/4 pill for 2 months, 1/2 pill for 2 months and 1/4 pill for 2 months and then nothing?
Hi Summer,
The thing is, this is an experiment – some women on this thread have weaned off quickly (2-3 months), others have opted for more progressive weaning (6-9 months). There really isn’t a special weaning plan that works for everyone. For many (most) of us, this method has been ultra efficient, for others (it’s rare, and I suspect underlying liver issues to be the inhibiting factor) it hasn’t proven as efficient as they would have hoped. You need to figure out what YOU think will work for you, and establish your own action-plan! 🙂 Personally, it took me 6 months to wean off, and that was perfect for me. If you are very worried, may I suggest opting for a longer time-span… maybe 8 months or something… so your body can get used to the reduced hormone levels.
Vitex works really well for a lot of women. It helps regulate your cycles and balance out your hormones. Estroblock counteracts the negative effects of “bad” estrogen. You can take both supplements together, as vitex doesn’t actually contain any hormones itself – it works by stimulating your pituitary gland to produce the correct quantities of hormones.
I’ve never heard of Liv-Tox, but it sounds like it contains a blend of liver-boosting herbs. I’m all for giving the liver a helping hand, especially while it’s processing all those synthetic hormones…
Good luck! 🙂
Hi girls,
I’m now almost done with my first month of weaning, so I thought I’d post a quick update.
I haven’t really noticed any changes yet (I wasn’t really expecting to at this point either), except hair-wise, in the last two weeks there’s definitely been a little more shedding. Nothing too bad, though (and it could also be due to other things like the winter coming, or just natural shedding that happens every once in a while, I really don’t know). My skin is fine, no changes there. The dryness is still just as bad, and honestly I don’t think it’s going to get much better until I’m completely free of the pill. I’ve also been experiencing some UTI-like symptoms – I need to drink LOTS of water, otherwise I’ll get this really uncomfortable feeling in my bladder, and I just generally feel dehydrated really easily. I’ve also been drinking cranberry juice and taking cranberry capsules to keep the UTI away.
Because of these symptoms I’m considering going right down to half a pill next month. I’m really not looking forward to the hair loss that will probably get worse if I do that, but I just want the pill out of my system asap so my body can start to heal itself. My diet is already pretty good (very little to no refined carbs, lots of vegetables and berries, quality fats such as butter, extra virgin olive and coconut oil, eggs, meat, some natural yogurt… and some cheese because I just can’t be without it). I’ve also been taking some supplements for quite some time already (vitamin D, B-complex, probiotics, omega-3 and zinc), and I recently started taking evening primrose oil and burdock root (plus some herbal teas to help my liver).
So I’m doing everything I can, and I thought I’d see how things go on 1/2 pill. If it all goes downhill I could go back to 3/4 for a little bit longer, or if it seems to be okay I could go right down to 1/4 after that. I really don’t know yet, but so far so good! 🙂
(For some reason I’m also really enjoying cutting the pills – I bought a pill cutter and organizer and am cutting them one week at a time, and finding it kind of fun, haha!)
Hi everyone,
I’m so glad to have found this page as I have been so desperate to come off Dianette for a very long time.
I have been on Dianette for an incredible 24 years!!!
I came off in my 20’s to have my Son and have only tried once again in all that time and the experience freaked me out.
I very quickly developed dreadful acne, greasy hair, greasy skin, facial hair and even things like the hairs on my arms and legs became darker and courser….I was mortified and didn’t want to leave the house so I went back on it and of course everything went back to normal!
But now at 44 I just want to come off it but am really scared of what will happen again especially as the age insecurities are creeping in and I still try to look my best.
I am determined to start weaning after reading all your fantastic posts, you have encouraged me to give it a go. I only discovered this site when I decided to search the effects of weaning, not realising that so many of you are doing it!!
I have over the last few months started noticing changes in my skin and hair anyway and began to wonder if I may be approaching menopause as all the ladies in my family hit it in their mid 40’s so decided I finally had to start dealing with coming off Dianette.
So am going to start next week when i’m due to start my next pack. I don’t ever start bleeding until 2 days before I start a new pack and bleed so slightly I think I may not like the changes in that department!!
I’ve been on Dianette so long I don’t know what’s normal for my body anymore. I have lost 37lbs in the last 10 months and am at a good weight and eating well so think i’m in good shape to give it a go!!
Wish me luck and i’ll keep you updated.
Jo xx
Hi everyone!
Just coming to end of second cycle on 1/4 pill. All together I have been weaning for eight months now! Can’t believe it. Finally coming into my ninth month.
Skin at this moment is looking great. Just using manuka honey, jojoba oil, and oats to clean my skin (oats as an exfoliator)
Supplements still EPO, multi-vit, and probiotic, but I’ve now also added an omega 3,6,9 complex and also I’m currently taking iron tablets, because I realised, as the last two months I’ve been having a period for two weeks out of every four, I’m probably a bit low on iron!
Which leads me on to my main side effect right now. Hair shedding. Urgh! My hair’s been shedding at a rather alarming rate. Luckily it’s not to the point where it is noticeably thinning. But I’ve probably lost about a 1/3 of the volume of my hair. I’ve had bouts of shedding alot over the past year or so, so I’m hoping it’s going to calm down. At the moment I am using Nioxin, but I’ve only been using it a month, and so far it doesn’t seem to have stopped the shedding, but it could be helping new hair growth maybe.
Now I’ve got to decide when to go down to 1/4. I think maybe one more cycle on 1/4. This will mean that I will be starting the new year pill free! 😀 Which sounds really good to me!
The only thing I’m worried about though is that my hair start shedding even more when I’m off the pill completely, in which case I may have to let my hair calm down a bit before getting off the pill. I’ll just have to see how it goes!
Please everyone keep updating, as I love hearing how people are getting on!
Good luck!
Hi Everyone!
I’m new to this thread – have been reading all of your comments and posts for the past two days. They are so inspiring and encouraging, and motivate me to take the jump to wean off of my birth control. It helps so much just to know other women are trying to ease their transition this way.
The thought of going off of birth control gives me so much anxiety – in fact, i have been thinking about it nonstop for the past month. I dont know why all of a sudden I have started worrying about it so much – I originally went on it (ortho tri cyclen lo) to control my acne, and it definitely has succeeded in doing that. Now that I want to quit (because i just don’t like injecting hormones into my body and because I know i’ll have to go off of it eventually) I have been terrified after reading all of the horror stories of acne coming back worse than ever – because my acne was so bad before I went on birth control.
Anyways, I’m 20 years old and have been on ortho tri cyclen lo for 2.5 years. But just thinking about going off it seriously depresses me and the anxiety just washes over me – I just want to get it over with. Any general tips on how to get my lifestyle in order before I try this out? I’m at junior at college and don’t know if i should try this during the school year or maybe in another 2 years, after I have graduated and am working full-time. The acne seriously affects my life so much, and I want to have a comprehensive plan before I start weaning.
Last thing! I’m also afraid of weaning because my pill is triphasic – it has varying levels of progesterone every 7 days. Is it still okay to cut down to 3/4, 1/2, and then 1/4, as it is for a monophasic pill?
SORRY this is so long!! I would seriously appreciate any help at all, going through this alone feels so much worse than knowing there are other women out there doing the same. Thank you so much in advance!
Hey everyone!
I have now finished my second month of weaning. I lowered the dosage to 1/2 pill after just one month on 3/4, and things have been pretty good.
At the end of my first month of weaning, though, I had something that I believe was a panic attack (never had one before so I’m not really sure)… I was going to sleep and had palpitations that kept me awake. I’ve had some a couple of times before during the past year or so, but I never really thought much of them as they were so mild. This time, however, was worse. My heart was beating really fast and hard, like it was coming out of my chest. It got to the point where I couldn’t keep still anymore. I had to sit up, I felt kind of helpless somehow and wondered if I was just imagining the whole thing. Finally I just burst into tears without really knowing why. This lasted for about 10-15 minutes. I have never experienced anything like that in my life, so I was baffled and pretty scared. (I think I scared my bf, too. And I still don’t know if it really was a panic attack). I can’t think of any reason for this other than my hormones being out of whack.
The shedding has definitely taken a turn for worse, but it’s still nowhere near as bad as it was when I quit cold turkey. Skin is a little bit oilier and I feel like it’s not as even as before, but it’s still very good I really don’t think anyone else can tell the difference so I’m pretty happy with that. The bladder problems have slightly improved, I think, which I’m pretty happy about as well.
I’m now going to go down to 1/4 pill for one month, and I’m hoping that I’ll be done with the weaning after that (and that I’ll still have some hair left, I’m a bit worried that the shedding will go on for months after I’ve stopped)… :/
Hi all,
Updates:
One month ago, after 2 months on 3/4 pill, I decided to stop weaning and discontinue the pill altogether due to frequent, painful migraines and vascular changes that to be honest, were quite scary at times.
Anna, I read your post about the attack you had w/ heart palpitations and changes in heart beat, and I too had some frightening side effects from weaning.
I was on Orsythia (a very low dose monophasic pill). After weaning for one week, I started experiencing terrible migraines and changes in my heart beat. I had pulsating pain in the back of my head that would often last for days to weeks. Even when I didn’t have a full-blown migraine, everyday, I feared an incipient one. I could feel vascular changes occurring, and often felt like the blood flow to my head was being affected in dangerous ways. Painkillers didn’t help, and I even went to the doctor to request an Rx for imitrex.
After 2 months on 3/4 pill, I decided that this couldn’t be healthy for me, so I discontinued the pill altogether. I’ve been off the pill for one month, and my symptoms immediately stopped. I had gotten so used to having headaches everyday, that it felt euphoric to be free of them.
My skin is still very clear. I’m taking Vitex & brewer’s yeast twice a day.
I’m glad many of you have had success weaning, but I agree with the previous post by “E”, that weaning is an experiment, and there are definitely negative side effects and I’ll venture to say even possibly dangerous side effects involved. I felt much, much better taking the full dose of birth control than weaning, and even better taking none at all.
Hi guys I was just wondering if anyone has weaned off Lessina 28 it’s and ultra low dose birthcontrol please let me know how it went if anyone has experience with it! I would I appreciate it so much !
Hey ladies! My weaning process is going pretty well these days (month 3)! 1m at 3/4 2m at 1/2 pill.
My acne flared up (although not painful) when I went to a 1/2 pill but now in my second month on 1/2 I’m doing great. Hair tends to be more oily but no shedding or any other negative effects. Oh, bonus.. I don’t get crazy late night cravings!
No period last month but, I’ll just view that one as another bonus!
My pills (dianne-35) doesn’t cut well but I have the best success w a razor blade, resting one corner of the blade on the counter and then rocking it through the pill rather than even pressure slicing. So yes, my dosage isn’t perfect but it’s close enough.
Happy weaning!
Hey everyone,
I posted on here about 6 months ago saying I was going to start weaning off of Diane 35. Well, turns out I was all talk. I chickened out and decided I was too stressed (grad school) and I wanted to be in the most healthy condition I could be in during and after weaning.
So I’m getting close to being done grad school now and I am still stressed but I want to get going on this weaning process…. I’m wondering whether that’s a bad idea? Would it be ok to be stressed and not have an impeccable diet for the early stages of weaning? Or should I just wait and start it in 3 months? Since I’m on the evilest of evil pills, I’m planning to take at least 8 or 9 months in total. It seems like such a long time which is why I want to get started, but if it’ll compromise my chances of it being successful, jumping the gun just isn’t worth it. Any thoughts?
Hello everyone,
Last updated in November. Thought I’d do a quick update!
The last time I wrote I said I was hoping to be off the pill completely in the new year… Unfortunately I haven’t stuck to that!
I am still on a 1/4 dose of the pill and I am now in my 10th month of weaning I think! It’s been a looooong ride.
I did an experiment in cycle 9. Because for the 2 months I was having two periods that lasted altogether 14 out of 28 days (one period would always start around the 7th of the month and then the next one would begin around the 2nd one would be at the end of the cycle when I stopped taking the pill for 7 days).
So I decided to try and sync my cycle. As I vaguely remember having my period around the start of the month before I went on the pill. I decided to try and get it so my 7 day break would start around the 5th of the month, in time for my period starting on the 7th.
Unfortunately it didn’t really work! But it was worth a try! Hence the reason that I am still on 1/4 pill. I’m giving my body some time to adgust.
Anyway, the main news is, my skin is still looking pretty good and I haven’t had any cystic or big infected acne since November (and even then the spot was one that I caused myself by picking). So all in all very good.
Hair shedding has also decreased quite a lot. Thank goodness! I’m not sure exactly what has stopped it. But I am still using Nioxin, taking iron supplements, and am now trying to make sure I get enough protein into my diet (as I am vegetarian and exercise 5/6 days a week).
Hope that maybe helps some people.
I’ll be back on to update when I’ve finally stopped taking the pill completely!
Good luck everyone! 🙂
Hey everyone,
I am happy to say that I took my last dose of the pill last week and I swear I’m NEVER going to touch any synthetic hormones ever again.
I weaned for three months and have only been pill-free for less than a week, and I realize it’s still early days, but so far I’m really happy about the experience. There haven’t been any significant changes in my skin, it’s only slightly more oily now but that’s it. No pimples or anything. The hair loss has – to my surprise – slowed down a little the past few weeks and I no longer want to cry when I wash my hair. I’m keeping my fingers crossed it will stay that way. I also haven’t had any palpitations or other symptoms like that anymore. I did get my period a week early the 3rd month, but I guess that’s “normal” (I remember reading that some girls experienced the same thing while weaning).
In addition to the evening primrose oil and burdock root (and all the other supplements I listed in an earlier message… those I have taken for several years already anyway) I also started taking saw palmetto and a multi-vitamin for hair (I don’t really believe that multi-vits are necessarily the best choice, but we’ll see if it does anything for my hair and nails). I don’t know how much the supplements have actually helped, but I feel really good now and will keep taking them as long as I feel I need to.
I also wanted to say to Jill, I don’t think it’s necessary to have an impeccable diet (I didn’t) and be completely stress-free during weaning. It probably does help, but I think the sooner you get the pill out of your system the better it will be for your body. Do your best diet-wise but don’t be too hard on yourself. Personally I couldn’t be happier that I decided to wean for only three months instead of the six I originally planned for. I feel so free now.
Anyway, I wish you all good luck, and I’ll be back again to let you know how things go from here. 🙂
Hi everyone
I am completely addicted to this thread and thought it was time I joined in. I’ve had a similar story to others on here. I’ve been on Dianne for about 10 -12 years. I’ve tried to go off 3 times and each time after about 3 months I just broke out, cystic pimples all over my chin, oily skin and hair etc. it’s so devastating and I don’t think anyone really understands the effect on your self esteem unless they’ve been through it themselves, hence frustrating experiences with doctors who just tell you to get back on the pill. My goal for years has been to get off the pill completely but I was too scared, until I found this thread.
I’m taking a slightly different path so wanted to share. I changed from Dianne to loette (lower dose and still meant to be good for skin) in about August on the advice of my GP when I told her I wanted to quit. After 4 cycles on loette I found that my skin was a bit more oily but not too bad, and I was getting the odd little pimple but no big deal. So then it was time to start weaning.ive just finished 2 cycles on 3/4 and have just started taking 1/2. I’m intending to do 2 months on half then 2 months on 1/4. I haven’t had a period for a couple of months but I’m not going to worry about that until I finish this. I’m also taking 3 fish oil and a zinc tablet each day and have been since I started weaning. So far so good, still just occasional small pimples. I’m very nervous about how the next few months will go but will keep updating. 🙂
Thanks, Ellen x
Thanks Anna. I’d been planning to start weaning yesterday when I started a new pack. Unfortunately, about two weeks ago, I got my first cyst (well, nodule I think) since being on Diane 35 for the past two years. Since then, I’ve had two more emerge. I’m pretty upset by this and I’m not really sure why it’s happening. It’s either a complete coincidence timing-wise and Diane 35 is starting to become less effective for me, or me obsessing about my skin has somehow caused this to happen. The weird thing is I’ve been eating a lot healthier this past month, too. I decided to take a full pill yesterday because if I’m already getting cysts, I don’t think weaning will go well. Not sure what to do 🙁
Hi everyone!
I’m currently on yasmin and have been for almost two years, and after reading about the horrible sideeffects of that pill, I wanted to go off it. However, I also read about the horrible side effects of coming off the pill, which made me feel like I was trapped in a lose-lose situation. This place has really given me hope!
I haven’t had any horrible side effects while on the pill and I’ve never tried going off it, either. But I’m really scared.
I want to start weaning in the next 1-2 months, I think. I was wondering if you guys think it would be better if I changed to a BCP with a lower hormone dose than the one I have now, or if it’s just better that I do a slower weaning over six months or so?
As for supplements. I’m currently taking zinc and magnesium. Is there anything else you would recommend me as well?
I can’t say I have the best diet in the world. I’m trying to stop eating candy, etc. but it doesn’t work all that well. Is there someone who’s had a success with weaning despite not having a super great/strict died? I’m trying to cut down on sugar, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to quit completely.
I really feel like I need some encouragement, because I’m super worried about this.
Take care everyone, and it’s really great to see so many being successful with this!
/Em
Hi everyone! I’m not sure if the comments on this post have been malfunctioning lately, because I remember seeing a comment that has now disappeared.
Anyway, I’ve now completed my first week of weaning and my diet has been horrible (birthday parties and exams = lots of candy) and I have about three pimples on my face at the moment.
I’m planning on doing a candida cleanse this month (maybe at the end if it), and I hope that’ll help with clearing up my skin. I’m also looking into buying green pastures fermented cod liver oil, since I’ve found a retailer in my country. For the candida cleanse, I have to invest in a good probiotic and a few other supplements, so I’m looking forward to this a great deal!
As of now, I’m mostly worried about getting my back acne back once I’m done weaning, and it’s discouraging me a bit. I’ve had a few while on Yasmin, so I’m worried that my back will become 1000 times worse when I’m off them. That my “real” situation is so bad that Yasmin isn’t able to prevent all pimples from appearing. Though, I have no idea if this is a legitimate worry, or not. I’m hoping the candida cleanse will be able to help me with this.
How is everything going for the rest of you?
Take care and stay strong!
Hi everyone!
Just wanted to give an update on my journey.
I stopped taking the pill (dianette) completely on Feb 11th 2014. I started weaning in May 2013 and have only finally got the courage to stop completely.
It has been 47 days since I started my last period – for some reason I didn’t start counting from when I stopped my last period. Not very helpful I know.
So far, things haven’t been too bad, considering I am in theory rather late. My skin is looking relatively good. A few spots and clogged pores here and there but nothing that I can’t cope with.
Hair shedding is staying pretty balanced, no massive losses – but my hair is probably about 50 percent thinner than it was on Dianette. Maybe that’s just what my hair thickness is like now, I don’t know.
Supplements I’m taking: EPO, Flaxseed (omega complex), multivitamin, Iron, and probiotics.
Exercise about four days a week, for an hour a day. This suits me pretty well.
I am a little bit underweight I think, which could be contributing to my lack of periods maybe, I don’t know.
Going to give it another month, and hopefully I’ll start my period soon. Seriously, I have NEVER wanted to be on my period as much as I do now. I really don’t want to have to go to the doctors again, they’ll just try and make me go back on the pill.
Anyway, hope everyone else who is weaning is doing well! xx
Hi Laura
I am also in the process of weaning off Diane/Dianette. I started taking 3/4 for 3 months and am now on my 2nd month of 1/2. Next I will do 1/4 for 2 months and then hopefully be done! I can’t wait until I’m completely off. I would recommend taking Vitex to balance your hormones and bring on your period. It can take a few months to start working and works differently for everyone but I’ve read really good things and it has done wonders for me (including keeping my skin clear).
Best of luck!
Hi Bree, thanks very much! I’m considering Vitex for sure, but I’ve decided to wait it out and see what happens for a couple of months.
If I haven’t had any sort of period by day 60 I’m going to go to the doctor and ask for a blood test. This should hopefully tell me what’s out of balance hormone wise, and hopefully I can then treat the issue naturally with vitex or estrogen blockers.
As I live in the UK, I can get blood tests done for free, so that’s handy!
Good luck to you too!
Hi Ladies
So a long over due update.
a quick recap: I weaned off Diane over 7 months. My last 1/4 pill and period was in August. I was irregular before i started the pill (more than 10 years ago).
Period now: 200 Days without a period!! I didnt want to go to the doctor for them to induce my period. I waited it out. 200 days!!! and finally it arrived. I couldnt even remember what my periods used to be like, and then all of a sudden i did. cramps like no other, and heavy heavy periods. I am on day 10, but I think its coming to an end. your body will adjust, some quicker than others.
Skin: Positive points: no cystic acne on my face! thats what happened the last time i tried to stop cold turkey. Now i have mild acne…its nothing crazy, just not perfect. also now that i have my period back, i think it will start getting better and better. i am positive about it. the only problems i have are my back, which broke out a bit, but again its reduced a lot, and my chest, which has also calming down.
Diet: I have cut out a lot of diary and wheat! and i see a difference. So i am trying to eat healthy, and it helps
Excercise: I think this really brought on my period. I started yoga again, and after 2 weeks i had my period.
So overall I think weaning reduced my acne. I still have problems, but it is not that bad. And I know it will start to improve!
I am still taking vitex and a good multi vitamin. I need to continue with a probiotic (when I have money again…now I will just eat healthy)
so good luck girls. dont give up.
Laura, you are still waiting, but dont give up. It will come!!
Oh and one more positve note: I am skinny! i mean I was always a good weight, but now that I am finally off the bcp and i have my own natural period, my weight dropped. I think a lot is water retention, but i have different body shape. I looked at pictures and I was always so round in my face! but it was the pill all this time!! another big plus of being synthetic hormone free!! never again will I do that to myself!!!!
Good Luck
Hi Nics,
Woohoo! Congratulations and massive respect for waiting it out for 200 days. That’s amazing!
I finally got mine after 58 days. 😀
It was so exciting! And now I feel so liberated not being stuck on that horrible pill. I was on it for 9 years almost. Can’t believe it!
I reckon things are just going to get better and better from here 🙂
Good luck with everything 🙂
Had to update again to let everyone know, I finally got my period after weaning off Dianette. Took me 58 days after finishing weaning, so not too bad! I was so happy I did a little dance in the bathroom at work! hahaha Literally never been so happy to have a period before in my life 🙂
When I went cold turkey in 2012 I didn’t have a period for about three months so I think the weaning definitely helped for me. Also I haven’t had bad acne problems. Certainly a few spots here and there and clogged pores yes.
I’ve decided that these things definitely helped me during weaning. For reference for anyone who is thinking about doing it:
*Eating as healthily as possible
*Limiting dairy (not necessarily for everyone but for me I think it helped)
*Drinking as much water as possible!
* Exercising regularly
* Taking probiotics, a good multivitamin, an omega 3,6,9 complex and iron tablets (hair shedding issues for me)
* Taking high dosage Evening Primrose Oil – 3g a day (still do it!)
* Stopping all usage of harsh skincare products (I now use jojoba oil to clean my skin, honey, oats and sometimes a Lush exfoliator, and shea butter to mositurise) I used to use salicyclic acid, glycolic acid, retinol etc etc every single day. BAD idea!
Now of course this is just my advice and what worked for me. Will surely not work for everyone.
But I am super happy that I’m finally having a real period! After being on Dianette since 2005. Omg – 9 years!
My hope is that periods will be relatively regular after this. Fingers crossed.
Thanks everyone for all the advice on here, and good luck for those still on the weaning journey.
Wow, this is so great to hear! Congratulations on a successful weaning! 🙂 And thank you so much for the list of things that might make the weaning easier. Take care, and thanks for sharing your advice 🙂
Here’s my experience so far. I’ve not completed weaning yet but am over half the way through.
I’d been on Yasmeen for three months when i had one elongated 3 week bleed, followed by the periods stopping completely. About the same time my hair changed texture and became extremely dry. I used an intensive moisturiser for my hair and stuck my head in the sand.
It wasn’t until I reached 10 months on Yasmeen that I realised just how bad things were. I was losing about 150 hairs in the shower plus more during the day. It was so upsetting and I felt quite low. My hair was noticeably thinning. At the same time I kept kicking myself and felt I had no right to be so crushed about my hair when close relatives were fighting serious illnesses.
I worked out a course of action. Firstly the GP tested my thyroid issues and ferritin levels. She gave me ferrous sulphate to up my low levels which were low despite a good diet. I took them religiously initially with vitamin c while avoiding cereal, caffeine in foods/drinks etc. Secondly I started using regaine, then quickly gave up as I just couldn’t spare the time. Thirdly I started to wean off the pill Yasmeen. When I asked my Gp about the link between Yasmeen and hair loss, she was confident there wasn’t one. However I thought otherwise.
I was very worried about having a huge breakout so weaning seemed ideal. Over the years I have really struggled with serious acne particularly post birth when hormones change. I started weaning in August and planned a year long wean inspired by this site and lots of inspiring posts
August 5/6 of a pill
September october 2/3 of s pill
November December January 1/2 a pill
February march 1/3 of a pill
Now I plan to wean lower very very slowly. I hope to finish weaning in August and so it will have taken a whole year.
In the new year I noticed I was losing a lot less hair. Only about 60 in the shower compared with 150 in the shower previously. Now in march I’m losing about 15 in the shower (normal for me) and I also have lots and lots new regrowth. My hair doesn’t feel quite as dry as it was either and I’ve had the first haircut in a long time.
Touch wood, I’ve only had the odd spot here and there so far. I’m nervous still and trading carefully. My periods have returned slowly and this month have been heaviest to date, which actually isn’t that heavy though. I am waiting with baited breath to see if I break out when I finally hit normal cycles/periods. If I do my acne out breaks usually last one year.
I really regret ever using Yasmeen now. I stupidly took it when my skin was almost settled as I was frustrated with the odd whitehead/spot.
Also wanted to add that I’m sure the weaning stopped my hair loss, the iron tablets may have helped a little but then I have had low iron without hair loss in the past
I want to get off of Nuva Ring, but I really can’t think of any way of weaning off of it… I wonder if there is a way to do this?
Hi again. Sorry more thoughts …
I reassessed my hair over the weekend and I recon even on 1/3 dose of Yasmeen, my hair/skin is being effected. Skin is still very clear (touch wood) but I’m not getting as much regrowth as I did post birth hair loss. I lost much much less hair after having my babies (didn’t had very wide hair parting) and still had extremely heavy regrowth post birth which was generally at the same level. Looked very odd). I’ve decided to go down to 1/4 of a dose of Yasmeen early to encourage regrowth. I’m also going to try the Regaine ladies lotion again (in a more committed fashion) to encourage things along. Last time I gave up the Regaine too quickly as it seemed so faffy. Hair feels presently semi dry (with a slightly greasy roots around the time of my period – which was a first) and I think my hair loss is a lot, lot, lot better but not totally normal yet.
Emotionally I feel calm about my hair as I feel things will be OK in the end. I do feel I’m going to be hitting a crucial possible breakout point with my skin soon. I am having light bleeds during periods but I can see I will get a proper period at some point. Post babies, my periods started very very heavily (along with serious acne) and then normalised/got a bit lighter.. I’m hoping weaning will help me reach full periods in a more gentle and gradual way.
So it’s now possibly (making it is as I type) …
1/4 this month
1/5 next month
1/6 following month
1/7
1/8
I may even do 1/9, followed by 1/10. I know it seems very faffy and elongated but I really need to avoid the acne if I can as it can be very very awful, taking a year to stop naturally.
I’m so pleased to be a good chuck through this whole process already. I’ve not talked to anyone about what I’m doing though as I know they wouldn’t understand. It’s been very good for me to read the posts here.
Hi, I’ve read through almost all the comments on this post. I am grateful for all those who share their experience especially long-term.
I’ve also been on the pill (Ginette 35) since I was a teen for acne treatment. I am 32 years old now. I’ve tried to come off it several times but end up back on it because I break out about 3 months after stopping. My mood and energy levels are definitely better when I’m off the pill, but the acne just counters the positive effects. On the 29th April 2014, I started with my experiment to ‘wean off’ the pill. I’m taking 3/4s of a daily dose this month. My GP doesn’t see the harm in taking a smaller dose except for periods being irregular.
A friend has recommended this product which has worked very well for her to clear up her acne. I’m yet to try it but will let you know how well it works. http://www.completeorganics.co.za/2
I’ve also contacted a homeopath, and will see if she can help.
Regards
Sheriss
Hi ladies,
a little update: it’s now been 10 weeks since I stopped weaning. I haven’t had a period yet, which I’m not very happy about because I’ve always been quite regular (even after I quit NuvaRing). A couple of times during this 10 weeks I’ve had abdominal cramps for a few days, and both times I was sure I was getting a period, but there was never a drop of blood. Nothing at all (and I’m not pregnant). So I’m kind of annoyed, I really want to get back to normal again. I’m thinking of buying Vitex, maybe it could help?
My skin is quite oily which is pretty annoying as well. It still looks fine, even though I definitely have some clogged pores (especially on my cheeks), but nothing bad at all. I’ve been trying the oil cleansing method for almost a week now and I think my skin looks and feels a bit smoother so I’ll definitely continue it, hoping it would help unclog those pores and keep new ones from appearing. I’ve used grapeseed oil because I already had it and I read that it’s good for oily skin.
Oh, and my hair loss it pretty much back to normal now, I think! I’m so glad (even though my hair is quite thin now, I’m not sure if anyone else can tell, though).
I think I’ll wait for another couple of weeks and if there’s still no period in sight I’ll try Vitex.
Hello Ladies….
Its been nearly a year now since Ive weaned off yasmin. I did the express version so it was only over three months. Happy to report no acne. I cant believe how much time I use to spend stressing about my skin and hair and thinking there was no hope. But alas my friends I dont think about my skin at all.
Also wanted to add I weaned off coz I wanted to try for a baby this year. After 2 months of trying Im pregnant.
I do break out now again again but its my own fault from the crappy food I eat. As soon as I eat junk food I know ill be breaking out. So its a choice I make.
If anyone here is reading and procrastinating about doing it. JUST DO IT. I was reading this site for a year before getting the courage to do it. My only regret is waiting so long to start.
GOOD LUCK GIRLS!!!
Hi all,
I’ve been following these posts for a while and thought I’d add my story.
I like some others on here decided to do an express wean, as I just couldn’t wait to be off yasmin. I’d been on it for around 10 years but in the past few years have really suffered from feeling like a muted version of myself- moody, bit depressed, just not good!
I came off cold turkey a few yrs ago and experienced horrid acne about 6 months after stopping, which was getting worse by the day, so I gave in and went back on the yasmin. Now I’m at the stage (and age!) where I just have to be off it. I started prepping for this mentally & physically at the end of 2013, by cutting down on caffeine, alcohol, eating better & taking a range of supplements. I only started weaning in January, but am now completely off..14 days with no side effects and also no period. I would say my skin is a little oiler, but honestly looks great. I can’t really say anything yet though as it took months for acne to creep in the last time. But so far the feeling of being off yasmin outweighs anything. Fingers crossed I stay acne free like some of the lucky others on here.
Congrats to Frida by the way- what a perfect end result to yr experience!
Wishing lots of luck to all others in the weaning process!
x
Hi everyone!
I’m so happy to hear all your success stories! An extra big congratulations to Frida, of course. 🙂
I’m currently 6 weeks into my weaning, and I’m planning on doing this for 6 months. So far, things have been okay. Not too much hair loss (a lot due to this great shampoo that I got, called: Hair Support, it really stopped almost all my shedding), not too bad skin (I get the odd pimple every now and then). My anxiety is really difficult right now, however. I’ve been to a therapist and pretty much been diagnosed with something called Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I think this is a lot because of Yasmin, to be honest. Anyway, I’m getting help with that now, and I’m also getting educated in some mindfullness next week, to be better equipped to deal with the anxiety when it comes.
I’m also planning on doing a candida cleanse within a month, or so. I think it would be good for me. As of now, I’m taking zink, magnesium and evening primrose oil as supplements. I will probably buy fermented cod liver oil as well, because it seems wonderful. It’s difficult to get a hold of where I live (scandinavia), but I’ve managed to find one company. 🙂
Thanks for sharing, everyone! It’s really nice reading all your comments and success stories!
Hello Ladies,
I started reading this thread last September and wanted to wean off Yaz I have been on for 8 years.
I have tried three times to get off this pill with no success, by the second month I had horrible breakouts on my back and my jaw line, the last time I stopped taking it my chest broke out…
So I set out to combat this once and for all, I started taking 3/4 of a pill for a half a year then down to 1/2 for a year, finally down to 1/4 fro three months. I stopped my last pill in November and have only had a few pimples since but very managable, I noticed I only had a break out around the time after I ovulated, it brings on a higher level of progesterone, during the follicular phase which is higher in estrogen and before ovulation my skin was clear.. So I started my own remedy and this is what has worked for me now going on 5 months acne free for the first time.
I started drinking a cup of peppermint tea before bed every night during the time I was taking 1/4 of a pill and still drink only one cup. I also take a zinc suppliment 35 mg daily and omega 3 fish oil every day.. I also use to help combat the skin problem a 2% zinc bar I bought on ebay I wash on my back, chest and face every night.
Then I use which I believe has been the most beneifical is a himalayan salt bar I wash on my skin and let set for one minute every day in the shower, however I do not put it on my whole face, I bought this at a heath food store Atkins, I noticed I seem to have a problem with pityrosporum folliculites which is a yeast overgrowth on the skin which look like pimple but are not, also it caused an overgrowth of bacteria which made it worse, it seemed when the oil glands in my skin started to work again it caused the yeast to grow like crazy, the himalayan salt helps to kill off the yeast and bacteria. I havent had a problem since using this product… I also use just Purpose facial cleanser to wash my face which is mild and not greasey or drying.
So maybe this may help or maybe It wont, every one is different in the way your body reacts, and if you have severe acne before you went on the pill it may not work, I only had mild and this treatment has been the only thin that helped.
Good luck ladies, and hang in there!
Hi Tracy !
Thank you for this article ! I’ve already heard of weaning off the pill and I’m thinking of doing it.
I’ve some questions :
I’ve taken YAZ birth control pill for 6 years and never stopped it. I didn’t have acne before taking it, and not during many years of taking it. But a year and a half ago, I started getting more and more pimples (red and infected, more than blackheads or microkysts), on my chin and around my mouth and now I’ve constant acne ONLY on this area and it’s not improving (I tried many supplements, diet changes…). I’ve been under a lot of stress at this time, but now this is not the case anymore (I’m just stressed by having acne! ^^)
So I’m wondering if YAZ isn’t the cause of my acne ? (my body is intoxicated or can’t bear chimical hormones anymore?). Each time I tried some “cleanse” (reflexology, herbs for the liver) I experienced major breakouts.
Do you think it would be better to wean off the pill for a few months or stop completely and take a supplement as Vitex instead ? As I’ve acne WITH Yaz (which is supposed to help with acne)…
Thank you for your answer, I’m so sick of taking the pill but I’m afraid it could be worse when I’ll stop … !!
Hey ladies,
It’s been a while. I just wanted to say, it’s been nearly 2 years since I weaned off the bcp thanks to this site, and it was one of the BEST decisions I ever made in my life! 🙂
My periods come every month, and although they’re not always *exactly* on time, I get them. I don’t have as much cellulite now, and I don’t suffer from water retention anymore. I never get headaches, and all in all I’m so happy to be embracing what nature gave me!
On the acne front, I must say I’m very happy too. I can get a flare up if I’m stressed, but even then it’s 1-2 teeny tiny spots than disappear very quickly.
It’s been an imperfect journey, and I’m not completely sure my hormones are balanced out perfectly, but I would definitely recommend this method to anyone out there who has had enough of being a slave to artificial birth control!
Thank you so much, Tracy, for all your hard work and for this awesome website. I recommend it all the time! And good luck to the ladies out there who want to try weaning, go for it!
xoxo
Congratulations, Christelle! Are you still taking supplements? What is your current skincare regimen? I have just started weaning off of my bc as well and am hoping that it goes well. 🙂
Hi Tammy,
Thanks! To be honest, I go through various phases with supplements where I’ll take some for a while then stop/forget them. Right now, I’m not really taking anything. Last month I took a B-50 vitamin complex which made my skin very very smooth and clear and lengthened my luteal phase, but I felt as though it was giving me candida symptoms, so I ended up discontinuing. I also have a bottle of cod liver oil in the fridge, and I’ll take a teaspoon of that every now and again when I remember to do so…
I took vitex for 1 year after coming off the pill, and I think it helped to regulate my cycles, but I had the impression it also made them slightly shorted. I read that you should up the dose to lengthen the luteal phase, but when I upped it my boobs hurt like hell, so I just ditched that altogether.
What I’ve really come to believe is that if you eat a balanced and all-round healthy diet, and have a pig-out from time to time because you feel like it, you’re pretty much good to go.
Skin-care regimen wise I feel as though I go through phases too. For a long time I used jojoba oil, which I think worked wonders. Then I ran out, so I started using an organic shea-butter body cream that I had in my bathroom as a face cream, and I’m happy with that so far. I’ve tried argan oil (my mother loooves using it on her face) but it seems to break me out, so I won’t do that again. I guess it’s all a matter of trial and error! 🙂 Honestly, my best advice (it sounds corny, I know, and I apologize) is just to listen to your body and listen to yourself. You’ll find what resonates well with you.
Good luck!!!
Woohoo!! Awesome stuff Christelle! 🙂 I had no idea how much this simple video would help people when I made it way back when. So cool. And don’t forget, you’re always welcome to share your success in a guest post 😉 People would love to hear about how successful this method is from someone who’s been there, done that!
Haha, yes, I’d LOVE to share my experience in a guest-post! 🙂 I wanted to wait it out before giving it the thumbs-up, but now I’m pretty sure weaning a very efficient way to control acne/major hormonal disruptions while coming off birth control (especially for women who have been on it for so long that their bodies have grown dependent on it).
I feel as though I’ve come so far since that desperate night 2 years ago when I woke-up feeling really trapped. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t found this website… perhaps I’d still be on the pill, or maybe I’d still be dealing with the aftermath of cold-turkey withdrawal… in all cases I can’t thank you enough for what you do, Tracy! 🙂
Yay! Okay I’ll be sitting here eagerly awaiting it 🙂 Very excited!
I think I might try taking vitex whilst I’m still on dianette. Then wean off gradually – Surely that will help speed up ovulation happening? They say the only reason they don’t recommend it with BCP’s is because it reduces their effectiveness -something we want to happen anyway.
Hi Arta
I’d also be interested to hear what people say about this. I’m currently weaning off Diane (same as Dianette) very very slowly – I’m down to 1/4 now. I’ve been taking Vitex for approx. 9 months now which is around the same time I started weaning. I absolutely love Vitex – I feel like it really balanced my hormones and cleared my skin (I still had acne even while on Diane and Vitex cleared my face right up). I’ve always wondered if it’s safe to take both at the same time – Although I’m almost finished the BCP now. Good luck to you 🙂
Hi Bree!
That’s fantastic to know that someone has already tried it and had success. It does make sense to me that it would only benefit the process and I think I shall definitely try this method of weaning.
Good luck to you too and glad to know you’re doing so well!
Hi! I currently have the nexplanon birth control implant (don’t think this has changed my hormonal acne for better or worse since I had so much before) and I am going to start the Estroblock, what facial cleansing routine do you suggest? Right now I just use Cetaphil, but should I switch to something with sacyclic acid or benzoyl?
Hi Everyone,
It’s been a while since I updated, life has been very busy. So I’m now off Dianette completely.
In total I weaned for 13 months, 6 months on half a pill, four months on 3/4 and three months on 1/4.
It’s been a long journey, the last few months on 1/4 of a pill was great, my skin was pretty much clear than it was on half a pill and my hair stopped shredding aswel.
I even went on holiday to India and was abit worried due to it being very hot but my skin stayed ok and that’s were I finished up on 1/4 of a pill. I had two weeks out there pill free and upon my return back to the UK I started to take Agnus Castus.
Oh just to add that when I started on 1/4 of the pill my period was normal, it came on my pill free week. The second month it came a week early, so after two n abit weeks and the third month it came on day 20. so roughly about 4/5 days early.
So, now I’m completely pill free my skin was still clear and my normal period came 21 days later, I had actually forgotten how awful my period cramps use to be, my lower back/stomach hurt for a few days and had a couple of spots near my chin but nothing drastic. fast forward three and a half weeks later, I started my period, again I experienced awful craps in my stomach and back and also my boobs really hurt.
Its only in the last couple of weeks I have noticed my skin has started to deteriorate, my face has been like an oil slick before midday and I have started to getting spotty on the lower half of my face especially my top lip area. I have over the last couple of days started to get clogged pores on my forehead again, a problem I have not experienced for quite a few months. I hate looking in the mirror, its really getting me down.
Also I have got spots on my chest which are quite red, I hope my skin doesn’t get any worse as I really don’t think I could handle it. I’ve been to the doctor’s today and she has given me some gel – I think its the gel version of roaccutane? Im not sure? I have asked her to refer me to a Derm but she said come back in a few weeks so lets see what happens before she makes a referral.
For the past few months I have been using jan marini facial cleanser, its got glycolic acid in there but I think it has helped me quite abit and am using that every evening.
My hair for the past month or so has been shredding like crazy, not sure if this is because the pill is leaving my body?
Im still taking EPO, fish oil, a probiotic, zinc and agnus castus everyday.
Oh I’ve also decided to see medial herbalist/naturopath, she is quite expensive for a consultation so I’m still deciding? Any comments on this would be appreciated as I don’t want to be wasting my money.
I will assess how I get on within the next month or so, hopefully I think im regulating quite normally? I always use to be irregular from what I can remember so maybe its the agus castus.
Any suggestions would be great.
Take care ladies and hope all is still going well for you.
I’ve been off Yasmin for just over 3 months (before that I weaned for about 3 months) and feel my hormones still have some time to go before they are settled down completely. I’ve only had one period as yet and am waiting on my second..I felt ovulation pain last week (JOY when you haven’t in over 10 yrs), so hopefully i shouldn’t be long. My skin was clear until I got my first period- since then I’ve constantly had at least one spot on my chin, which probably will get worse, but I feel amazing being off this drug and unlike a few years ago I think I can cope better with a few spots and put it in perspective compared to improved health. I hope others take a moment to consider this. We are all ladies who should be celebrating coming off birth control and not getting too hung up on our skin, no matter how bad it gets (and I know how bad it can be). I’ve cleaned my diet right up and am pretty sure it’s doing some good. Hopefully the acne will not come back. Another thing I cannot recommend highly enough is Vitex or agnus castus-as soon as you stop the pills get on this for help regulating your hormones.
Good luck everyone,
Ali
Hello everyone
Has anybody tried acnease (herbal supplement) and is it working?
I also got off pill (Dianette) cold turkey skin got really really bad, like never before only six month after getting off pill. I couldn’t handle it and went back on the pill…now three month later skin is getting better, but I’m left with quite a few scars. Next time i must try to ween off but its a scary thought 🙁
cheers and good luck!!
Hello all, I plan to wean off Diane 35 pill and I would like to take vitex in order to help my body to adapt to hormonal changes. Some people advise to take vitex after the weaning but some of you take it during the weaning. So, what is the most appropriate?
Hope everyone is getting on ok with their weaning. I did the 3 mth express wean, stopped yasmin entirely at the end of March and fell pregnant in June, after just one normal cycle. At 10 wks pg my skin has broke out with the hormones & increased oil. My forehead especially and that’s somewhere I never would have got acne before!! I still think weaning off the pill helped me and agnus castus was a life saver. Now I’ll have to just wait out the pregnancy acne until I come out the other side.
Funny how things go, good luck all 🙂
Hi everyone,
Thought I’d come back and update, and perhaps ask for some advice.
Quick recap. Start weaning May 2013 came off pill February 2013
I got my first real period after coming off pill after 58 days, then got second period came in April, third period start of June… Then… Nothing.
I haven’t had a period since then 🙁
I don’t know what’s happened! Perhaps my diet hasn’t been as great. I haven’t been drinking enough water I know that for sure. Also I haven’t been exercising quite as much. But not sure why this would stop me getting my period.
So ]I’ve missed two periods, and I’m thinking about going back to the doctor. My skin has had its ups and downs but hasn’t completely gone back to how it was. I have a lot of clogged pores but no cystic stuff. In fact to be fair my skin was looking great about two weeks ago, then it got worse. I feel like the longer I’m without my period the worse my skin will get. That’s what happened when I came off Dianette cold turkey. Three months without a period and my face was a mess 🙁
I keep thinking I’m going to get my period, PMS type symptoms, but it never comes.
Is Vitex worth a try? Or should I go to doctor’s and get a blood test done. I’m sure I remember reading somewhere that what supplements you take depending on what hormones are out of whack. Anyone know?
So a quick update! I wrote on this blog just over a year ago. I’d been taking the pill for nearly 20 years and decided to come off it purely because I felt I’d been taking it for too long, and as I’m approaching 40 it’s a good time to do it. I hadn’t had skin problems in the past but I found the blog really supportive in wanting to take this step.
As I’d been taking it for so long I decided to wean over 9 months. I cut up a month’s supply of pills in one go and kept them in a pill box, so the daily routine was exactly the same. This made it very easy to manage. I intended to do three months of 3/4, 3 months of a half and then three months of a quarter to adjust. But it didn’t work out like that in the end, it was much more gradual. The first month, cutting down a quarter was terrible. I felt awful for a week (nausea and migraines) and pretty weird for that month. For me cutting down a quarter at a time was too much. So each month I chipped away a smaller amount and by the 8th month I was probably taking a 12th of a pill. This gradual cutdown worked perfectly and I hardly noticed it, I felt pretty much fine. Once I finally stopped I felt well, a lot of palpitations though which I hear is quite common with hormone fluctuations. My hair is definitely shedding less, my skin is fine. I’ve noticed I’m definitely more emotional, less tolerant, happier/angrier, prone to mood swings and have cravings for sugar and carbs which I didn’t used to have. I knew something was up when I was mid-wean and I found myself in a cafe eating cake and custard at lunchtime! (Unheard of…) I didn’t change anything with my diet or exercise routine. Menstrual cycle was sporadic and almost reduced to nothing throughout, but now it’s evened out and is perfectly well behaved. I’m amazed it returned to normal immediately. I was nervous about the whole process, but actually it was fine. The key was having the pills readily cut and available. I thought my libido would improve, but who was I kidding? Don’t blame the pills blame the boyfriend! It can’t be pure coincidence that on the week I finished the pill completely I finished the relationship too. I think the pill had been dulling my senses! So now I’m feeling really happy with the outcome and I don’t regret a thing. It’s good to have those processed hormones out of my system. I feel more like me 🙂
Good luck! 🙂
Hello everyone that still reads this post!!
As many other people have said already, thank you to every person that has commented on this thread and shared their journey of weaning off the pill. Each comment has really helped and inspired me to make this change for the better.
I too have a similar story, started Yasmin at 16, switched to Dianette at 19 (for acne reasons), stayed on this pill for 2 years, then at 22 I decided I wanted my body to be “free” from all the synthetic hormones. 6 months later, I had the worst acne I have ever had in my life (way worse than before starting the pill) it was all over my cheeks, neck, arms & back. I was so upset (and now I have horrible pigmentation on my cheeks as a constant reminder).
However aside from the acne, I actually felt better in myself (i also lost a few pounds being pill free) but the acne was so debilitating I would just stay in my house and cry, I cancelled on my friends and could barely muster up the energy to go to work. So after 12 pill free months, I went back on Dianette. I have now been back on this pill since March 2013 and I have had enough. I want to be free of this for good.
Like many others, I found this site and I have read all of the messages which has inspired me to also start the weaning process.
I am in my first week of weaning (3/4 for 3 months, 1/2 for 3 and 1/4 for 3) and honestly right now, I am terrified I’m going to experience the same problem as a couple of years ago but after the positive reviews, this is definitely worth trying and I hope to have the same success story.
I am a fairly healthy person, I’m of slim build and I eat fairly well (lots of organic fruits, veggies pasta, rice & potatoes) I do not drink alcohol, smoke, eat meat or daily.
I will post during this process to share my story with others too.
Good luck to all those looking to get off birth control!! x
Hi Lovely Ladies
I thought i would give you all an update, as its a year since i am off the pill completely. And married and still no baby….
so Quick background – 10years + on Diane,
– irregular periods before and now after
– acne
– thinning hair
So after waiting 200 odd days for my period to return, which it finally did, it has been all over the place. Very light one month, and then extremely heavy and long. So i made an appointment at the gynae – no doctors (its no longer a skin issue when periods are irregular) – and did an exam. Ladies I have PCOS! (polycycstic ovaries) hence the acne, the irregular periods etc etc.
So my advice to everyone is, PLEASE GO FOR A CHECK-UP. For me its the root of the acne – and its been undiagnosed all this time (10years). The weaning helped, and is necessary so dont give up!
I agree that the pill takes a while to get out of your body and adjust, but please if you are still having issues (forgot the skin, look deeper) go to the gynae!
I am also waiting for blood test results – testing thyroid etc – so I will have a better understanding of what is happening.
My skin is actually ok. Not as great as on the pill, but not bad either. Unfortunately my back is a mess – but I am going to deal with that, after I deal with my ovaries!!!! My hair is also good – i didnt even realise how thin it was getting, but now back to normal, and my sex drive is great!
Now that I know the real problem I will do a diet cleanup- no sugar, no dairy, no carbs. Then hopefully things will improve 🙂
Will keep you all updated!!!
xxx
Nics
oh and PS. I read a study that says you are attracted to different men on the pill and off the pill…so if things get a bit bumpy with your partner, you know why…..lol…
Hi Nics, funny you say that… I studied this blog and weaned off the pill over 9 months after taking it non stop for nearly 20 years. In the first month of being totally pill free it can’t be a coincidence that I got rid of the boyfriend! I’ve been happy ever since! 🙂
Nics, your story is so similar to mine…hows the weight? Did you feel bloated those 200 days you didn’t get your period? Then what happened?! Please anything from you would help!! I’m terrified to gain weight!
I’ve been on Diane 35 for 10 years I’m now 29 and have weaned since last October. I’ve been on 1/3 pill since July and had odd periods since and within the last month no period at all! Also feeling bloated and read one girl gained weight after weaning…how many have gained/lost weight after weaning? I’m so nervous I’m going to continue to gain…however I gained a lot initially 10 years ago when I went on Diane, and then lost the weight while being on the pill…I’m hoping this bloated feeling is just because I haven’t got a period yet…
Hi T5
My story is almost identical to yours although I turned 30 last week 🙂
I have been weaning for approx the same amount of time (maybe a little longer) and have just finished up this week. I have been taking vitex the whole time that I’ve been weaning and I feel this is a big contributor to my clear skin. I’ve also been taking B vitamins, EPO, fish oil, multi vitamin and probiotics. My skin is completely clear and I hope it stays that way. I tried quitting cold turkey approx 3 years ago and broke out in the most horrendous acne across my face and back. Weaning has worked and I’m so happy! I lost weight during the wean (in last 6 months) as I always felt quite bloated on the pill as my body retained water. As soon as I was down to a low dose the bloating went away and I feel so much lighter (as well as so much better in general). Best of luck with everything!
What about your periods? Did you get it back? Also were you bloated or holding water during the absence of your periods?
Hi ladies,
it’s been 9 months since I stopped weaning! A lot has happened since my last update here… I broke up with my bf of 10 years, and am in a new relationship now and couldn’t be happier. Not sure if quitting the pill has anything to do with all this, but I definitely feel like a whole new person.
My skin has been pretty clear this whole time. It’s a bit oily (T-zone especially) and I do get the odd spot every now and then, but they’re always very small and heal quickly, so I’m really happy about that. My hair’s been good too, no shedding!
I haven’t been exactly regular lately, Not sure what’s up with that… but like I said, my life has changed quite a lot during the last few months so maybe that explains it. I’ve ordered Vitex and will start taking it as soon as it arrives so we’ll see if it helps.
Weird. Last time I got off the pill, I broke up with a relationship of 8 years and got a new boyfriend as well… I think messing up with our natural hormones by adding synthetic one have a overall impact. Thanks for sharing it is encouraging.
I deciced to get some support here as it seems that lot of women went through getting of pill.
Here’s the deal… I’m on Diane 35 since ten years an tried to to getting off the pill 2 times, each time I did breakout, but last time I started to have very big and deep cystic acne for which my dermatologist prescrib me Accutane. I never want to take this drug again and I am really scared to come off the pill. Therefore, I would like to know more about your journey to weaning off the pill…. Especially if you have been on Diane 35.
My bf and I want to try for a baby in next february, so 4 months from now. I have an appointment with my naturopath next monday to make a healthy natural plan. I started to take the Newroots – Liver supplement (milk thistle, and other great supplement) to help the function of my liver. I am leaving in Canada/Ontario and would like to know more about Vitex, is it available at any natural store?
Thanks a lot
And big thanks to Tracy, I am following since almost the beginning and wish I took bigger step early to this journey the natural way. I have concentrate more on my diete, water and exercise.
Have a great one.
Thanks so much Bree!
I have severe OCD and anxiety since I was 8 and the thought of weight gain freaks me out more than the skin. I gained so much weight when I went on Diane when I was 16 and now being close to 30 I’m back down to my normal weight of 114 (I’m very short 5’2) so I’ve always felt good at this weight but I workout a lot and am a good healthy eater. I haven’t been taking anything other than a multi-vitamin by megafoods, which is amazing by the way and drinking aloe. I have noticed that even though I’m down to 1/3 and going to be switching to 1/4 next week that I’m only lightly spotting and literally having no period at all now. I have noticed that the bloating is bad right now and has been for about a month or so. My weight has only gone up a pound but I feel the water and bloating. I’ve heard of some girls weaning and when they get off their weight grows about 2 pounds a month and I’m freaking out and am even having anxiety attacks about this…any words of encouragement would help in so many ways. I’m terrified the weight will keep going up…I read one girl gained going on the pill AND gained again weaning off so I’m nervous to say the very least. Please help…anyone have this happen? Thanks for everyone being so kind!
Hi there,
I am soon to be try weaning off the pill. I am on Diane 35 since 17 and I am 28. I have try to come off before but always end up with acne acne and acne….to answer to one of your question, each time I came off the pill, I have lost weight anywhere between 10 to 20 pounds. So I guess it depends on each person. I’ll keep you posted of this when I’ll started to wean, as I never try before. I always quit totally at the end of a pack. Good luck 🙂
Thanks so much!! Any other weight experiences people that have weaned off can share?? I do FEEL bloated so I’m hoping that is all it is (this recent gain has just been when I stopped having my period) and the gain is only about 1-2 pounds)
I thought I’d just share my experience weaning off the pill here because before I did it, I wanted to read as many experiences as possible.
I had been on diane 35ed since I was about 16. I went on it for mild-moderate acne, which it definitely helped! I decided that I wanted to go off it when I was 21. I went cold turkey but don’t remember how long it was (maybe a month or 2) before I ended up with acne worse than I had ever had before going on the pill (similar to Tracy’s before picture). Additionally, it was on my chest and back, which I hadn’t experienced before. I tried the GAPS diet with no effect other than vomiting for a few days before giving up. Within 6 months, I gave up and went back on the pill. All my acne went away within the next 6 months of being on the pill. Fast forward to this year. I’m 24 and ended up with incredibly high blood pressure from the pill so was instructed to go off it 6 months before my wedding- imagine my terror!!! :O
So, I saw all this “weaning off the pill” stuff on The Love Vitamin and decided to give it a shot. I actually mentioned it to my doctor who wouldn’t listen to why I was doing it and thought I was crazy but was happy for me to do it as long as I monitored my blood pressure and had it start going down fast enough. I also read the article written by the guy from Acne Einstein that Tracy posted and was inspired by that. I started taking Zinc Picolinate, DIM (not Estroblock brand- I don’t see why this particular brand would be better), Silymarin, and selenium daily (or in reality every second day because I often forget) and NAC and Allicin (garlic extract) once weekly. Sometimes when I have a very carb-heavy meal, I also take a few berberine tablets. I started cleansing only with Devita Acne Solution Pads when I don’t wear makeup or hemp oil when I do wear makeup (I use it as if I am doing the oil cleansing method). I use a clay mask (yellow australian clay with a capsule of activated charcoal mixed in) when I feel like I need to clear any pores out. Lastly, I use a vitamin B3 serum (I ask for it fragrance free) from a seller on Etsy called Yoshimomo daily/twice-daily. I am using no other products on my face.
I started taking only 3/4 of the pill for 1 month, then half for 2 months, then a quarter for 2 months. My acne did increase slightly during this time but not significantly. I won’t say that the weaning off was easy. I had my period almost constantly and my libido dropped to zero.
After being completely off the pill for about 2 months, I got my first period. As soon as this came, the tiny amount of lingering acne from the “weaning off” time disappeared and my acne is at about the same level as when I was completely on the pill (maybe one tiny pimple at any time- at the most). I am now 9 days post my first period off the pill and my skin is still as good as it was when I was on the pill.
I know that I am doing a lot of things and really I don’t know which ones are having an effect but it seems like something is working and I’m not keen to rock the boat to find out what. Also, I follow a primal-ish diet (paleo plus white rice, white potatoes and dairy- though not straight milk).
I’m crossing my fingers that it keeps going well!
I want to add that I have actually had some scalp acne since weaning off the pill so I think the topical treatments must be working (otherwise I’m sure the acne would be on my face too!)
Follow up comment from my story above: I am now up to my second period since weaning off the pill and in the window before my period my facial skin stayed relatively clear (a few pimples but nothing more than what I would’ve occasionally had while on the pill and I’m totally fine with it) HOWEVER my chest and the top of my back have broken out quite a lot, which is really unusual for me but this happened last time I went off the pill (cold turkey back then). I haven’t been applying any of my topicals to my chest and back which might be why so I’m going to start doing this to see if it hopefully fixes the problem for next month!!
Any insight on weight…bloating…missing periods?? Any info would be re-assuring!
Thanks!
I am thinking about weaning off the pill. Will weaning off the pill help to prevent or lessen weight gain, bloating, and hair loss when stopping the pill? I am afraid of weight gain and hair loss as all of my friends had these when they stopped the pill cold turkey. Will weaning off the pill help with this?
I’m now using Diane 35 for 10 years, my doctor gave it to me for acne, I’m now 26. I want to go off it, because I have Aura Migraine, and I have a fibroadenoma in my left breast. I started weaning 5 days ago, I’m taking 3/4 of the pill. But today I notice that my breasts feel weird, and my nipples are very itchy and tender. Is this a normal symptom of weaning?? Please help! Thanks.
Amyone have any insight on the weight gain issue?? I’mon 1/4 pill now and no period since august and since the start of sept (also when my period stopped) I gained about 3 pounds and am still waiting for my period….weaning off diane 35…anyone have anything to say, please help!
Hi ladies,
A quick update on my weaning journey so far:
5 months in and I am on the 2nd month of 1/2 a pill (doing 3 months 3/4, 3 months 1/2, 3 months 1/4) skin goes through phases of being okay then suddenly I will come out in a mass of spots (mainly on my forehead) perhaps it has to do with the time of the month on the pill as I do notice it’s roughly 1 week into taking the pill again after my period. It’s manageable right now though, i’m hoping it continues this way (fingers crossed!)
A new development though, I have just started spotting in the middle of my pill packet. I still have 11 pills left to take of 1/2 this month before my period – is this normal? I have read on this forum that some girls experience spotting in between periods due to the low dosage of the pill. Just looking for someone to hopefully put my mind at rest that this is a normal expected side affect!
Thanks and good luck to all those weaning!! xx
Hi Emma,
When weaning off the BCP are you continuing to take the placebo/sugar pills or do you skip them entirely?
Thanks!
Hello Samara,
As I am taking Diane35, I do not have sugar pills to take. I simply take 1 pill each day for 21 days, then have 7 pill free days.
I am just about to finish month 6 of weaning and it has been a bit up and down to be honest. I never expected this process to be a simple one but nevertheless when the spots come on, it doesn’t get any easier!
So far, I have some spots but they are manageable, I was supposed to wean down to 1/4 of a pill on my next pill packet but I don’t feel like my body is quite ready for that yet so I am going to do another month on 1/2 and see how I am after that.
We have to just keep remembering that the pill only masks the issues and doesn’t cure them, combine that with the awful side effects we are definitely making the right decision coming off them!
Good luck Samara, it will be worth it in the long run. If you do have any other questions, feel free to ask I’m happy to help 🙂 xxxx
After reading all of the positive effects of weaning off the BCP I am going to give it a go. I tried going cold turkey a few years ago and that was a nightmare so I started taking it again to cure the acne breakout! However after being on it for roughly 7 years I want to start the process of balancing out my hormones in preparation for a baby 🙂
My question is.. While weaning off the BCP should you continue to take the placebo/sugar pills or skip them entirely to avoid the decrease in active hormones?
Any advice would be appreciated
Thanks 🙂
Hi girls,
Okay so quick weaning update here.
The last couple of weeks have been the worst I’ve experienced since starting the weaning journey (still taking 1/2 pill) It seems to be at a certain time of the month of taking the pill my skin gets covered in a red bumpy rash/spots on my forehead. Reading the thread, I can see this has happened to other girls and it seems to be cyclical. Doesn’t make it any less depressing mind. Not only this I actually developed a couple of cystic spots around my jawline which have still not fully gone now. I actually got so down about it, I took 4 full pills of this new packet as I actually considered going back up to full dose BUT then I woke up and realized that I am doing this for my health and I need to always remember that.
On another note, my boyfriend is soon going to be proposing to me (he is the worst secret keeper ever) and the last thing I wanted was to be dealing with awful acne during what is supposed to be the happiest time of our lives but, we figured that the first priority is my health and if we need to wait a little longer to get married (once my hormones have calmed down) then sobeit. Perhaps it just means a baby first 😀
I am back to taking 1/2 a pill and will probably do 1/2 for this packet and one more (maybe) then cut down to a 1/4 for 3 months. Should be off by July, which will have meant 11 months weaning.
I just really hope after taking almost 1 year to get off Dianette that it will be worth it. I can handle a few spots, I just can’t handle cystic acne again.
Good luck girls, this process certainly makes sense so fingers crossed it works for me as it has for others! xx
Thanks so much Tracey!
I am so glad I stumbled upon this site!
Thank you, thank you so much to everyone here!
I am planning on going off pill (have done the cold turkey once many years ago, and like most of you, it was HELL!) and I’m glad to know the weaning off method is helpful.
My period is ending tomorrow and will start on the new pack on Friday. Planning to try this method for 6 months with starting off 3/4 for a month.
I am currently taking EPO, Milk Thistle, multi-vit and Probiotic.
Looking into Vitex, but I would like to know how much dosage do I need per day?
And, do you think I should start the Vitex first before getting into the weaning process? Any advice would be appreciate =)
Excited to get started, though I do fear and dread all the side effects.
Can’t wait till the day I am completely off pill and be healthy again!
(Gosh, i hope this thread is still alive!)
Hi BB,
I am still reading this thread, so it’s definitely still alive! (hopefully more people are too)
Can I ask which pill you are currently taking?
Re the dosage of Vitex, I am not currently taking it (although I have bought it just in case) but I believe the dosage is 400mg a day from what I remember reading on the previous threads on here.
A few ladies took Vitex whilst weaning off the pill, however I do believe it advises against taking it whilst still on it and to only start after you stop. This is probably will I will do.
I have been weaning for 7 months so far and I have only just cut down to 1/4. I wanted to take it slow. It has not been easy, my skin goes through phases of really breaking out however I’m keeping my fingers crossed it’s just adjusting to the lower dose and once I’m off it won’t be such a shock to my body! Our bodies are amazing things, but this is not an easy thing for it to go through. Keep strong and think of the end goal that we will be pill free and healthier.
Good luck xox
Hello Emma,
Thank you for your reply!
I know that most people take Diane or Yasmin. But I am taking Mercilon, which was recommended by the doctor when I first started it.
Thanks for the advice. I think I will start on Vitex after i’m completely off pill. Meanwhile, I’ll concentrate on doing the cleansing and weaning.
I’ve been reading yours and everyone’s progress here. It really gives me a lot of courage and motivation. So thank you for sharing your experiences.
Good luck to you, too. You’re almost there! <3
I’m off the pill ladies!
I had enough in the end – I was supposed to continue weaning for 1 more month but I just wanted the thing completely out of my system and stopped for good on 17th April.
So far it’s not going too bad skin wise.
I have been under a huge amount of anxiety/stress these last couple of weeks and my skin has held up okay – perhaps because I haven’t had time to stress over my skin because I’ve been stressed about too many other things!
I weaned for almost 10 months altogether, during this time I also turned vegan and I have lost about 10 pounds combining the two things (I was already pretty thin) I’m now weighing in around 52kg. I need to work on getting my weight up a little now. Aside from that, my skin has fluctuated through good and bad times – to be expected I guess. The last time I came off Dianette, my skin didn’t start breaking out until I had been off it for about 4 or 5 months so I’m just keeping my fingers crossed I won’t experience that this time round. Vitamin wise, I’m taking B12 (need this as I don’t eat animal products) B6 and Evening Primrose Oil. I don’t really want to take any other vitamins and overload my body but I do have Burdock Root and Vitmix at home just in case I need them.
I hope everyone else’s weaning journey is going well <3
Hi ladies,
I thought I should share my post-pill experience with you. Unlike most of you I did not wean off the pill but instead stopped taking it 2 and a half years ago. It was the worst experience I ever had!
After a few months I had terrible cystic acne all over my cheeks, jawline, skull and back. I also had some on my chest. I wrote a couple of times on this website to seek advice because I was completely desperate. I also had all sorts of other difficult symptoms: hair loss, mood swings, night sweats, etc.
Luckily my skin is a lot a better! What helped me a lot was to drink yarrow tea. Now I take yarrow tincture which is easier and more efficient, along with vitex. I still breakout from time to time, usually when I have my period.
I truly believe that my life would have been a lot easier if I had not stopped the pill cold turkey because my body reacted pretty badly to this hormonal shock. However, I do not regret I stopped the pill.
The only thing that did not get any better though is my hair. In fact, I lost so much hair that I had to cut it short. I used to have long beautiful curly hair but now it is just brittle, dry and really thin. You can even see through my hair. I have no idea whether it will stop falling out someday but for now it is very frustrating and again, I think that things would be probably different if I had wean off the pill. In fact, weaning off is the probably the most gentle way to get rid of these horrible synthetic hormones.
So girls, I really recommend you to give it a try. I wish you all the best!
Hi everyone,
so happy I found this site and post about weaning off birth control.
About my story:
I started taking birth control when I was 18. At that age, I didn’t have any acne, maybe a pimple here and there but by then puberty was already over. I wish I had never taken birth control but back then, I was young and stupid and seeing your female friends taking them and all rave about perfect skin and hair, I just wanted to take them too. Doctors just hand them out like sweets and never warn you about side effects.
Over the years, I went on different birth controls because I always had side effects with different pills. I ended up taking microgynon for a while without any side effects. In November 2012, after 5-6 years on it, I stopped taking BCP because I was abroad and couldn’t be bothered getting a prescription for BCPs.
And boy was I not prepared for what happened next. At first, nothing much happened. I didn’t get my period for four months. My skin gradually got worse and worse. When I finally did get my period, I had full blown cystic acne, especially on my forehead and jawline. My mood was great, I gained weight (which I like because I’m naturally skinny) and felt healthy. I couldn’t enjoy the benefits of being off BCP though because my skin was so bad.
I went to different naturopaths, dermatologists etc. and they all prescribed me topicals etc, which did not help at all and told me that it would get better after one year off birth control. However, it really didn’t. It just got worse. Last year, after a few stressful and not so healthy months, it got so bad that the acne was really painful and the acne was leaving scars on my jawline. Mind you, I didn’t expect this acne break-out at all because no one in my family has acne (even my teenage siblings are pimple-free) and I didn’t go on BCP because I had bad skin. Dermatologists are the worst because they all tell you “it’s genetic” but how can it be genetic when no one in your family has it (and you also didn’t have skin issues because BCP).
In the end, I couldn’t take it anymore and went back on BCP last year (July 2014). It took a while for my skin to calm down but it has been ok since December last year.
However, I really want to get off birth control. I’m very moody since I’m back on BCP and I get migraines frequently (especially during the pill free days), which I didn’t have when I was off BCP last year.
I’ve been eating very healthy the last few weeks (fruit and vegetable juicing, cutting out dairy and gluten) because I read several articles about the link between the gut and skin. The gut-skin link makes sense to me since I mostly get pimples on my forehead (gut-related according to the Chinese face map) and I always have problems with constipation and had gastritis a few weeks back…so there is definitely something wrong with my digestion. My skin has gotten clearer and less oily and my hair shinier (yay).
I started weaning off Qlaira a week back (cutting pill to 3/4) and I’m determined to go off BCP in the next 6 months. My mood was awful the first two days. I constantly felt like crying and I was just a complete pain for my boyfriend. My skin is ok so far. I got two pimples on my forehead (which I do get occasionally) but they do not seem majorly inflamed and disappear more quickly (probably because of the supplements and change in diet). On my pill-free days, I got two pimples on my jawline, which are now starting to fade. The hormonal pimples on my jawline are the ones that I am most afraid off because they leave scars.
I take the following supplements: astaxanthin (anti-oxidant for inflammation), omega and a multivitamin. I ordered DIM and milk thistle online and will start taking it soon. I changed my cleansing routine a few weeks back, which has helped: I wash my face with Shea African Black Soap once a day (also helps my boyfriend with the small white heads on his cheeks) and moisturise with a green tea anti-oxidant serum. In the morning, I just wash my face with water. I try not to use foundation make-up.
Does anyone wean off Qlaira or a two-phase pill (a few pills in my BCP pack only have oestrogens..I think it’s supposed to mimic the female cycle)?? If so, please share your experience!
I have been totally off Dianette now for almost 16 weeks (on Friday) and I feel so much healthier being so in touch with my body. Every month I can tell when I’m ovulating which feels amazing, I never thought I would look forward to my period!
Skin wise, I have flare ups during ovulation which lasts pretty much until my period ends, so 2 weeks I have manageable skin the other 2 weeks I break out pretty bad, they tend to be small whiteheads all over my face which makes it feel like sandpaper, I also get some cysts on my jawline which I know is hormonal.
I’m not going to relax that this is how it will be now until I’ve been off the pill for 6 months as that’s when I broke out really bad a few years ago when I went off cold turkey however I did start weaning a year ago so fingers crossed. My skin on my back and chest is pretty bad though which is frustrating, I find myself wearning long tops a lot which is tough living in Dubai!
All in all, I feel really happy knowing that my body is hormone free and I can concentrate on healing.
I suffered an ectopic pregnancy 8 weeks ago (I was 5 weeks pregnant) so we got pregnant 2-3 weeks after stopping the pill! Sadly this baby was stuck in my tube which ruptured and I had to have it removed. I’m trying to stay positive that we will have a healthy baby next time.
I can’t help but think sometimes about my being on the pill for 10 years having something to do with this pregnancy, having all these hormones inside you for so long is not good.
I’m back to normal now, my body feels so much happier off the pill. I should say as well, I’m taking Evening Primrose Oil as a supplement (1000mg in the am and 1000mg in the pm as advised by my naturopath) folic acid (advised by my gyny) b6 (50mg a day) b12 (1000mg a day + I have monthly b12 shots at the docs as i’m vegan and my levels are pretty low) and zinc once a day. I should say as well that I am now vegan and I was not the last time I came off birth control. Meat and dairy has a huge amount of hormones in it that does humans no good.
Good luck everyone with this process, it’s not easy but it will be worth it in the end x
Still keeping an eye on this board even if no-one else is!
18 weeks pill free tomorrow! so 4 1/2 months hormone free, woohoo!
My skin on my neck, chest, back and top of my arms are covered in acne again (just like they were when I came off Dianette a few years ago cold turkey) it’s not pleasant wherever you touch on your body you feel acne but I have to keep focused on the bigger picture of wanting children and being free of synthetics.
My skin is also breaking out on my face right now, I’m not sure where I am in my cycle right now since having surgery for the pregnancy my cycles are off. I could be breaking out right now due to ovulation I have no idea.
Found out from my naturopath on the weekend that my Progesterone is extremely low – only 1.89! I am worried that I won’t be able to maintain a pregnancy with levels that low but the doctors don’t seem to be too concerned at the moment as I am only 10 weeks post surgery.
She has told me to take Magnesium & Vit D, so I will be taking Evening Primrose, folic acid, magnesium, vitD, zinc, b6 and monthly b12 shots. Seems like too much to me :-/
Anyway, bottom line is, unfortunately I have acne again but I’m learning to accept it as a temporary problem for long term health and well being. I will update again past 6 months pill free and let anyone know who’s reading how I’m getting on. Fingers crossed this is as bad as it will get!
I really appreciate that you are still updating Emma! I was wondering if you have had any changes to your hair at all during this process? Thank you 🙂
Hi AB!
It’s like therapy posting on here, lets me vent my feelings to all of you 🙂
Yes, my hair has been shredding more than it used to whilst I was on Dianette but nothing too extreme. I wash my hair every other day and occasionally use Coconut oil as a mask to help with the dry skin and dandruff I get.
It is a little oilier than it used to be too but prices I’m happy to pay to have a healthy body 🙂 plus I know it’s not going to be this way forever, will just take a little time for my hormones to balance out.
Good luck on your journey! Let me know if you have any other questions! x
Thank you so much Emma for responding! I will definitely be back to ask you more questions as I work on weaning as well 🙂 It is so comforting to know other people’s experiences!
I am slowly weening myself of the pill i missed it 4 times last month, and i came on my period a week early and i have been on my period now for 9 days, which I’m usually on for only 5 days max, so i don’t know weather to not retake the pill on tuesday or to carry on weening myself of the pill, i just don’t want to have any breakouts what should i do? Thank you
I am slowly weening myself of the pill i missed it 4 times last month, and i came on my period a week early and i have been on my period now for 9 days, which I’m usually on for only 5 days max, so i don’t know weather to not retake the pill on tuesday or to carry on weening myself of the pill, i just don’t want to have any breakouts what should i do? Thank you
Hi Nessa,
What do you mean you missed it 4 times last month? Are you cutting down your dosage of pill each day like we did? If you are skipping pills, I don’t have any advice unfortunately as I didn’t do it that way.
I cut down my pill dosage, 3 months taking 3/4, 3 months 1/2 and 2 month 1/4. I have been off Dianette now for just over 5 1/2 months. Not feeling totally confident that my acne is the worst it will get until I’ve been off it for 6 months, but I’m almost there.
As annoying as this sounds, going on this journey, you realize how bad synthetic hormones are for your body and you really understand why you are doing what you are doing. Yes, I do have acne again, but I will never go back on the pill ever. Acne is horrible and I am struggling daily with my confidence, but I know it’s a short term problem for long term health.
My cycles are still irregular now, hoping another few months and my hormones may have balanced again.
Good luck on your journey!
Hello everyone,
I also wanted to update on my weaning process. I’m almost done with my third month weaning. During this time, I also 95% cut out gluten and diary and I think that has made the weaning a lot easier acne-wise.
So far, it is going ok. I had a small outbreak on my jawline when I went down to 3/4 pills at the beginning and around 3 pimples on my jawline when I had my period last month. It’s the second month on half a pill (I went down to 1/2 after the first month because it was going so good…skin actually got better during this month than on the full pill because I ate healthily). My forehead is quite clogged at the moment but it was like this even when I took the full pill and I know it comes from my digestive issues.
I’m taking quite a bit of supplements: started DIM Plus two weeks ago (since then no hormonal acne on my jawline even during my period that I had just a few days back), probiotics, astaxanthin (an antioxidant), milk thistle, folic acid and b vitamins (I don’t really want to take vitex as I did not get my period at all for 4 months while I was on it and off BCP in 2013).
Only problem in the past three months was that it’s the second month I got my period after I was about halfway through the pill pack. It was a lot more painful and lasted longer but I guess I can live with that.
I noticed that I lost a bit more hair than usual but as I have curly and thick hair, I’m not too concerned about it and my hair was ok when I went off BCP the first time.
Overall, it is going pretty well so I will cut my pill dosage down to 1/4 pill in 1.5 weeks and see from there.
I can also advise you girls to get off the pill. I started taking BCP again last year July after being covered in acne (went off cold turkey the first time at the end of 2012) and have had one yeast infection after the other since then (very annoying). I also have to have a laser conisation due to cell changes on my cervix on Friday. I blame the pill for the latter as well as I read several scholarly articles about how estrogen dominance increases your risk of cervix dysplasia and a lot of women on the pill are estrogen dominant (another reason why I started DIM as it supposedly helps with that too).
I will keep updating and let you know how everything looks like once I’m off BCP completely.
Very happy to have found this site!
Hey Anna, are you still weaning, how is everything going?
Let me also add my thoughts on the boyfriend theory. It is very strange but last time I went off birth control, I broke up with the boyfriend I had back then a few months later (might have done it before but was also stressed with school at the time). Now I’m almost done with my third month weaning and also feel a bit less for my current boyfriend, am more ready to enforce my boundaries and less accepting of what has annoyed me in the relationship. It is very strange but it’s as if going off the pill gives me a confidence boost and I’m less ready to “settle” for the guy I’m with.
Very strange! Is this normal?
Hello!
I recently have started to wean myself off birth control – HOWEVER, it has only been the 4th day of starting my 3/4 of the pill and I suddenly got a VERY heavy period, two weeks before when I normally have my period, which is always right on the date. I’m not really sure why this happened, or what I should do from here. It seems that my body is VERY sensitive to the level of hormones and eve by just taking a tiny little piece of off my pill my body suddenly went into period mode which would make more sense if I had just completely stopped. What is everyone’s advice that I should do now? Should I keep going with the weaning, or should I just completely stop the birth control now, since it seems like my body thinks I have completely stopped. I have a feeling if I keep going with the weaning now, things will just get more mixed up.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!
I’m currently doing the weaning as well! Did the you start the weaning mid-pack or was it in the beginning?
Hi Girls,
Here is my story of weaning off diane 35. It was prescribed to me by my OB doctor because of PCOS. I used it for 6 consecutive months, stop for a week go back again for another 3 months until i realized i want to get off that pill because i can feel its side effects and as a nurse i knew that there was a lot of negative effects in your health in the long run, i can feel my body has became addicted/dependent on the pill so i started searching a lot and see if someone else has a story like mine, until i found this site and as a nurse who’s somehow in medical field i bet this weaning off thing is a good idea. fastforward, it was a success! i actually didnt cut the pills like what most did. what i did is skipping the pills. Month 1-First 2 weeks 1-pill,3rd week-every other day, 4th week every 3 days) Month 2 ( every four days) and month 3 (every 5 days) then stopped. My skin didnt had any problem, i may have occasional zits but mostly small and and very few (1 or 2), it went well until i had a bf and became sexually active, i worry that i might got pregnant because we are not really protected, we used withdrawal and calendar method only. So i started taking diane 35 again and it lasted for 4 months, i have to stopped taking the pills again because my OB dr found a lump on my left lower breast after 2 weeks of stopping cold turkey, my skin started to break out and large acnes popping out one by one everyday, it was very depressing, i also had really significant change of mood and what really scares me is that im starteng to get depressed even my bf notice the change of behavior i have been and starting to worry a lot, so without my OB dr’s knowledge i came back to diane35 again, i did because i need to,and i should have not stop it cold turkey, i came back and wean off the pills again, i really regret going back again after i already escape this hell of a nightmare. 🙁 and now im on my first 2 weeks of taking the pills just to clear off my face again and planning to skip a day on my 3rd week, im kinda scare because what happened to me is quite an unusual situation, does anyone here had the same experience as mine? does anyone here is so stubborn to get back again after successfully weaning off that pill? i hope you share your thoughts, 🙁 thanks!
Hi all,
I commented on this thread a few years ago but only recently started weaning off Diane 35 after being on it for about 4 years.
I am just about done my second month at 3/4 pill. I will be doing another month at 3/4, then three months at 1/2 and three months at 1/4.
I was on Diane 35 for mild-moderate cystic acne. No noticeable changes in my skin yet. Actually, there had been no changes in anything until today when I got my period 5-6 days earlier than usual.
Will continue to update!
Hi again,
I just finished 2 months at 3/4 pill (Diane 35) and things have been pretty good but I did have my period start early, as I stated above, and it also lasted about 9 days (lightly) instead of the usual 4-5.
Also, yesterday, I had some pretty severe light headedness and dizziness – I thought I might fall over, actually. I have never had that feeling in my life. Anyone have anything like this??
Jill
Hi everyone,
Here’s my BCP weaning off story….
I’ve been on one Pill or another for most of my adult life in order to control my acne, which started with the onset of puberty at age 14. At the age of 29 I decided I wanted to come off it and read an article on weaning off the pill – it made sense to me so that’s what I did. I was on Gedarel 30/150 and had 3/4 of the pill for two months, followed by 1/2 the pill for two months and finished with 1/4 of the pill for the final two months.
As soon as I’d finished taking the Pill completely after six months of changing the dose by cutting up the pill, my acne came back with a vengeance all over my face, back and chest. Two years on and very little has improved despite following the type of healthy, supplement-filled diet that websites like this one recommend. I still have awful cystic acne on my lower face and my chest and none of the natural treatments I’ve tried have made a scrap of difference and I’m now considering going back on the Pill.
What was interesting about the pill-cutting experiment was that during those six months, my skin was the clearest it has ever been, clearer even than when I was on Dianette, a BCP specifically designed for acne. This has got me thinking that a dosage similar to half of the dosage of Gedarel might be my saving grace and I see that Millinette is 20/75, close enough to what I would have been taking when cutting up the pill though it’s a different form of progesterone used. I’m going to speak to my GP to see whether my logic is on the right track though not before I attempt one last natural treatment to clear my skin – herbs. I’ve found a herbalist and will give it six months before I give in to the one thing that has ever made a positive difference to my skin.
Wish me luck!
Hello Holly,
I just wrote my story and then saw yours… it reminds me of mine because we are the same age and began the pill at about the same age too…. AND… the weaning off didn’t work for me either…
Like you, I think i’m gonna go back to a pill, not jasmine but “belara” (it supposed to be better than the other one….)
What did your GP say? Have you tried something new?
I don’t believe in miracle and I think I know the answer, but I’m curious to know!
anyway, at least you tried! 🙂
I just started reading this thread. I have been on my birth control for about 4 years, but my face started breaking out like crazy about 2 years ago. I am not sure if my body changed and it has to do with the birth control, or if it is possibly my eating habits which have gotten a little worse since then. I have tried so many different things, and finally just changed my diet. It has been a few weeks and I am still having breakouts. I am still going to give the healthy eating a little longer, but my next resort is going to be stopping my birth control. And I think I will try this weaning method! I didn’t used to have breakouts before birth control, so I am not sure how my skin will react to stopping now that I’ve starting having breakout DURING my birth control use. Also I had two friends tell me they completely cleared their cystic acne after a couple months of just taking vitamin D (5-10 thousand IU per day) because it helps to balance your hormone levels. So this may be helpful while trying to come off of BC ! It also helps with oily skin and hair. I’ve been taking it for about a month now and its definitely helped with the oil !
Hey everyone
Just wanted to give you an assessment about my story with acne and the weaning off the pill.
Like most of you, i had acne since I’m 15 (I’m 29 now…). I used a lot of bad things to clear my acne (thanks dermatologists…) like antibiotics, things with zinc, roaccutane and the pills (diane 35 and then “jasmine”) which I took for almost 15 years…
I tried roaccutane when I was around 25 and it worked well, I had less acne… BUT… after that I had a few health problems (I had tendinitis – like 5 in my body!-, candida, very dry eyes (I woke up 5 times at night because there were soo dry) etc etc
To heal, I began to eat healthier, to stop dairy that was giving me a lot of trouble in my stomach, along with gaz (yummy…)… and then a couple more years later, I became vegan so I eat whole, non processed foods, green juices, no sugar (except the ones that are in the champagne as I’m from this region hihi)… I do a lot of sport, I try to sleep enough, I use healthy products to my skin…. I think honestly that I’m doing it perfectly….
As I had very few pimples, I was thinking that my way of life was great… And maybe I didn’t had acne anymore because of it and because I was getting old…
So I wanted to stop the pill as it is very artificial and non suitable with my new “healthy life” (queen of the green)
I read a lot of comments on this page and I finally find the courage to do it on january 2016
9 months: 3 months with 3/4 of the pill, 3 months with half the pill and 3 months with 1/4… nothing to really notice, (a very few pimples like one at a time) except that my skin began being more oily. After that, I took vitex and every morning some green grass (it has a lot of vitamins ;))
BUT…. eventually…. in september, i began noticing some pretty hot flush, I was always hot, my libido was back (good point though), my skin was more and more oily, my hair too and… some pimples appeared (” ‘been missing me?”)…
more and more until I knew that my acne was back… needless to say that it came back not only on my face, but on my back, on my throat, on my cleavage…
very disappointing… all the efforts I made, all the sacrifices I did for what… nothing… the scars are back and it’s “pimples after pimples” which means a lot of foundation but it’s ugly with the acne behind.
I was going to be back to a pill called “belara” (it seems to be better that diane 35 and jasmine, check it out) but I wanted to try some other stuffs before giving up
I bought Tracy’s book, I had an hormonal test which apparently showed that my hormones are unbalanced (no surprises) and low (don’t remember which ones). I had some deficiencies (vit D, A, B12, zinc) so I’m taking some supplements.
I saw a naturopath and I have been taking a thing called berberine from supersmart (it’s like a natural antibiotic and supposed to reduce acne in one month… it’s good against the candida though), vitex and some other stuffs to balance my hormones and detoxify the bad ones… In nearly two months, my skin is less oily, it’s better, but I still have some big pimples… like cysts
I’m going to see my naturopath on saturday…I think I will tell her that, even though the pill increases cancer and all, I will take back the pill. I think I tried everything, but it didn’t work for me… I’m postponing my problem but I just want to feel confident when I’m still young… acne literally destroys my life… I couldn’t sleep at my friends’ house when I was young, I couldn’t go to vacation with friends, neither in the sea, I hate when you know that people notice that, when you have to wake up before your boyfriend so he can not see you, the real you, the monster with red pimples lol… I’m pretty fed up with all that
I would not say that you mustn’t try and wean off the pill as I think everyone is different… But I wouldn’t do it if I knew how bad my acne would come back… I had so much hope… can’t say I haven’t try…
If you have some questions, you can ask me… I knew I had a lot when I was gonna try!
Hi everyone. I’m in the midst of the weaning process and have noticed a slight increase in breakouts, particularly around my period. I want to introduce a liver detox supplement and possibly DIM to help my system as I’m weaning off. Is this a good idea? Is mixing liver detox and DIM with half a birth control pill likely to create problems?
Also, has anyone tried weaning in combination with light therapy (e.g. using a blue light)?
I think you can take them yes!
Hello everyone!
I’m not sure if this question has been asked, but can you wean off of a combination pill? Ive been on ortho tricyclen lo for 25 years:( it’s the pill that is a different dose of hormones weekly. Would I just wean the same with these?
Thanks!!
Hi,
I have been on ortho-tri-cyclen low for about 8 years (for acne). The last time I went cold turkey off of my OTC lol I had terrible breaouts. I just finished month two of cutting off 1/4 of my pill with no breakouts. My next pack I will be cutting down to 1/2 and I do not anticipate any problems. good luck !
Update: have finished a month on less then half and face has remained relatively the same!
It’s really good to know thank you for sharing you’re experience about weaning off the pill.
Also, I wanted to tell everyone about Lorna Vanderhaeghe. She’s a naturopathic doctor in Canada, her supplements are amazing. She recommends taking her product estrosmart, 4-6 pills daily when getting off the pill to reduce symptoms.
http://healthyimmunity.com/products/Estrosmart.asp
Check out the rest of her site as well, it’s amazing!
Hi, I wanted to give you all an update, I had been weaning off the pill and had gotten down to a quarter of the pill with no problems or acne and then… I found out I am pregnant! Make sure you use protection while weaning! My husband and I are thrilled with this accident, but it was still an accident! 🙂
Hi everyone,
After reading through ALL of these comments earlier this year, I finally had the confidence to wean off the pill myself. I wanted to share my story in case it helps anyone else out there who’s considering going off the pill but may be scared because of the acne horror stories!
First here’s a little of my history: I have been on the pill (Yaz, Yasmin, and generic forms of them like Zarah) since I was 19 (I just turned 33). I went on it mainly because I started seriously dating someone at the time and didn’t want to get pregnant, but I was also always irregular with my periods and had acne. so the pill seemed like the perfect thing to treat all of those things! My skin did improve (although I still had acne occasionally), but the best part was regular (and shorter!) periods! Flash forward to age 26 when I was getting the occasional migraine and read in the fine print of my birth control insert that if you suffer from migraines with aura you should NOT take the pill. I freaked out and stopped cold turkey immediately! Well two months after stopping I had STILL not gotten my period and my skin went crazy!!! Acne all over my forehead, cheeks, back, and chest. I was devastated and hated having to go to work, where I felt that everyone was just staring at my acne all the time!! I would cry before having to go anywhere in public. so I went to my gyno, and got my blood tested. She said that my testosterone levels were slightly high, and that that was probably the cause of my acne. But she had NO solutions other than to go back on the pill. I waited one more month with NO improvement and still NO period, and finally caved and went back on the pill. (she assured me that I could still be on it even though I was occasionally getting migraines). In about a month my skin was calming down and my acne was going away. I was finally feeling confident again!
Ok, now go forward to last year. I was still wanting to go off the pill, this time because I started developing something called Melasma. This is often referred to as the mask of pregnancy because pregnant women sometimes develop it. I noticed a small slightly darker area of skin on my forehead one day last summer, and found out from a dermatologist that it can be caused from being on the pill!!! sure enough it’s a warning on the label!!! my doctor had NEVER gone over the warnings and potential side effects of the pill, and I had been naive enough not to even ask. UGH!!! so apparently its SUPER hard to treat, and the only real way to get rid of it is to go off the pill (or if you’re pregnant, have the baby). It really is so faint and barely noticeable, but of course I notice it. SO, anyway there was yet another reason to get off the pill. But i was SO scared to go off of it because of the horror story that I went through the last time I tried to go off. That’s when I found this site and this thread of comments!! I was so inspired by the success stories (but also nervous about the girls who it didn’t work for). But I was ready to just give it a go! I also was very confident after downloading Nicole Jardim’s Fix your Period program. I was convinced that If I could just get my hormones in check, that the acne would not come back, or at least be better. Here’s exactly what I did:
May and June: For the first two months I cut my pills to 3/4 of a pill. I bought a cheap pill cutter at Walgreens and cut them in half, then cut one half into 1/4s. My periods were normal on this and I didn’t feel any different. At this time I also started drinking Spearmint tea. One cup a day in the morning with breakfast. I learned from some research that spearmint tea naturally lowers testosterone levels!! I figured since my testosterone was a bit high the last time I went off (and could have been causing some of my acne) that maybe that would help. Plus it’s delicious!
July/August: For the third and fourth months I cut my pill into 1/2s. My periods were a little lighter on this, but still fairly normal, and came at the normal time. I noticed a few very tiny pimples on my cheeks during this, but they seriously went away overnight.
September/October: For the fifth and sixth months I cut my pills into 1/4s. My period in September came a little early. I think I started spotting like three days early but it was very light and more brownish than red. My period in October was barely there, like only lasted a day. No acne during this time. During the last month I did start taking some supplements every day. I take a women’s multi vitamin (Centrum for women) and fish oil (Nordic Naturals fish oil) . I also started upping my spearmint tea intake to two cups a day. One in the morning and one before bed every day.
My first official day off the pill completely was October 13th. I continued taking the multi vitamin and fish oil and spearmint tea everyday. I did not change my eating habits, although switched to making all my food instead of eating out as much. But I still ate gluten, and some sugar, and dairy. I also start taking a probiotic about a week ago. 39 days later and I got my first natural period off the pill!!!! I have had NO acne on my face, back, or chest!!!!! I am so so happy!! My period was not horrible either. Lasted about 4 days and was not too heavy, and no cramps.
So I know that was a lot, so here’s a quick recap:
Before: Went off the pill cold turkey. no period after three months. Acne after two months. No supplements or tea.
Now: Weaned off the pill over 6 months. NO acne. Period after 39 days. Multi vitamin daily, fish oil daily, spearmint tea twice daily, started a probiotic. I also LOST 10 pounds since August!! I think that was mostly due to not eating out as much, but I know some people are scared to go off the pill because some gain weight doing so.
I am still apprehensive, as I know acne could come back any time. But I’m so much more confident now that I know my body can do what it was designed to do! Also, in case anyone was wondering about my skin care/exercise routine: I use clean and clear continuous control acne cleanser in the morning and evening, and wear Aveeno daily mosturizer with spf 30 in the morning, and Aveeno clear complexion moisturizer at night. I also walk or jog a few times a week.
Well, I hope this success story can help someone out there with their weaning journey! For me it really worked!!
Hi Colleen!! Congrats on getting off the pill – thanks for coming back and sharing, it’s great to hear success stories with this!! 🙂 Very encouraging!
Hi Colleen!
Your message, which is pretty recent, motivated me to take the decision of starting my weaning journey. I haven’t started it yet because I want to get ready for it, but I will very soon.
I’m 26 years old and I’ve been on the pill for 5 years. I’ve never made any stop. It all started because I had acne. I started to take the pill in 2012 and after 3 months I started doing the isotreitine treatment for 6 months combined with the pill. After I finished the isotreitine treatment, my dermatologist told me I could continue the pill to make sure my acne wouldn’t reappear until today.
I’m sick of taking the pill. I don’t want to keep doing this to my body. But I’m terrified of my acne coming back strongly. However, I want to give it a go.
Just wanted to thank you for sharing your journey and I would really appreciate it if you could answer me back telling me how continues your skin.
Lau 🙂
Hi, I am 42 years old and been on Mirena IUD for 12 years for contraception. I never had a period while on the IUD or any other issues. I had acne occasionally and had to go on antibiotics every once in a while to clear the stubborn cystic acne. Long story short, decided to free my body off the synthetic hormones so got my IUD removed end of July . I eat very healthy, no alcohol, no dairy and low gluten diet and exercise daily. My periods came right away but my acne has been out of control. Tried bunch of antibiotics but they gave me severe headaches and blurred vision. I have been seeing an esthetician for 3 months but it hasn’t been much of help. I don’t go out anymore, call sick a lot when the acne is very severe and am getting depressed. No matter what I do or use, nothing is helping. I take zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, DIM and milk thistle supplements. Any advice will be appreciated!
Hi guys!
I don’t know if anyone reads these comments anymore, but I’ll post this anyway. 😀
I’m a 24-year-old gal from Finland. I’ve been eating Yazz for 7 years now for birth control. I just got a blood clot in my leg and finally decided to cut out these devil pills that are risking my health.
I had hormonal acne on my chin before I started BC and I’m very afraid that it will come back as even worse. Thus, I am SO HAPPY I somehow ended up on this website (as no one in Finland seems to know about this weaning thing). Your stories give me hope and I have decided to wean off the pill in next 6 months.
I have a question about DIM. Did any of you find that supplement helpful?
Should I start taking it while I’m weaning? I read that it can increase hair loss, if you’re not suffering from estrogen dominance (as you end up having too little estrogen in your body). But isn’t it more likely that I have too much estrogen in my system after eating the pill (and thus DIM would be helpful)?
Other supplements that I’m going to take:
evening primrose oil
omega 3
multivitamin
zinc
probiotic
B complex
peppermint and spearmint tea
Biotin
Does this sound ok to you or should I add or cut out something?
I’ve heard something about the importance of copper and zinc balance. So, does anyone know if I should also take some copper supplement with the zink?
Thank you all for sharing your weaning off journeys!
BR,
Anna
Hey Anna
I think that’s great that you stop the pill!
But if I may, you must be prepared to have crazy acne for some months
I prefer to warn you because even if i did the protocol (weaning) very seriously for 9 or 10 months, i stopped officially the pill in january (must have ben 2016), i took vitex for some months, my period came back only in september and then… drama! Must have been in November or october, my skin began having some majoy cystic acne like i never have (although i thought at first it would be perfect thanks to the weaning process)… I had major pimples like 1 cm! i was so bad, in my cheeks and my back and my inter chest. One month (in january 2017) i couldn’t go to work because i was so ashamed!
BUT!…. It did decrease after a few month (i could say 6 months) and maybe because I bought DIM out of despair (triple strength which i still take today!)
So i don’t want to scare you because everbody is just different, i just want to warn you. You have to see a naturopath who could help you support the liver, the stomach as the liver have to detoxify from all the false oestrogens and you could had trouble digest some of the foods which can cause acne, sibo, candida .
I think you have to take omega 3, DIM (as soon as possible, i would say), zinc, vitamin C, Vit D3 at least
I still have some pimples but nothing compare to what i had at this time!
Also, i totally changed my daily skin routine. I take natural oil (when my skin was so disgusting with the after pill breakout, I canged everything because it was already awful!) and natural spray
good luck and don’t worry, after the storm is the sun lol
Hey Everyone,
I am going to be getting off the pill in the next couple months and like everyone i’m pretty darn nervous.
I don’t think i will wean as long as everyone else but i think I am going to start at my next pack which starts April 8th, I’m going to do one month increments.
April 8th-May 1st will be 3/4 pill
May 6th-May 29th will be 1/2 pill
June 3rd-June 26th will be 1/4 pill
Then I will be Done.
I am terrified of the acne, but I also want to start a fam with the hubby..
Wish me luck! I will update back how it goes.
Any advise or knowledge you ladies have is more then welcomed!
Thank you for sharing! Please update us on your weaning process and if you experience any side effects. I want to wean off before summer to get rid of my upper lip melasma, a result of birth control and hormones 🙁 I also want to be more in tune with my body. I switched to a low hormone dosage birth control and have not had a period in over a year. Although it is convenient (no cramps, etc), I don’t feel feminine. I also read we are attracted to the wrong partners while on BC.
Hi ladies, not sure if anyone reads this anymore but I want to post as it has been a huge help to me reading all of your experiences with weaning!
Same story to all of you, bad teenage acne, went on Dianette, tried to go off it when I was 24, had the WORST breakout EVER, all over my face and back and neck and cystic as well which I never had as a teenager! So went back on. Now I am 28 and so ready to give it up. I lead a much healthier lifestyle now than I did then so am hoping that will help too… Hardly drink any alcohol, don’t drink coffee, have 1 cup of tea with a dash of milk a day and maybe some cheese on pasta but no more than that.. And hardly any sugar! So here’s hoping. I am also taking multivitamins every day and a zinc/B6 supplement.
I decided to go straight to 1/2 pills as I was being sloppy taking it with forgetting many days in between.. now I am cutting them. I am on my first period now since starting last month, it is lighter than usual. I also got 1 big spot on my back last week, was so terrified it was the start of the flareups!! But it has calmed down and so far skin is looking ok… hoping I don’t jinx it by saying that and knocking on wood as I type this 😉
Will keep you all updated as this page has felt like a lifesaver, finally a community that understands how horrible this is!!! If I am successful I will never go on hormonal birth control again!!
Hey Ella!
Glad to see someone else is still active with this thread, I just posted before you.. I am just about to start the weaning process.
I am 27 and ready to be off the pill as well.
Keep me updated! i will post my experiences as well!
Hi Jill!! How motivating to be going through this at the same time as someone else. I will definitely keep you posted!! Currently about halfway through month 2 on 1/2 pill, no real side effects to report yet despite a slightly naughty week with little sleep and more alcohol than usual. It’s probably still too early to notice any real change though. Back to my normal routine now! Let me know how you’re finding it!
So far so good! I have about 9 days left of 3/4 of a pill and so far nothing out of the ordinary. My past week as well was little sleep, more alcohol and eating things like dairy that break me out (thank you vacation) lol.
I’m excited to get down to half a pill and see how that goes! I think I will be ordering ovulation test strips though as the hubby and I want to wait till end of summer to start trying and I’m not so sure the birth control will work so well anymore for actual birth control qualities!
Now that vacay is over I will be giving up all dairy as i know it breaks me out, I am already vegetarian and have been wanting to go to a mostly plant based diet.
Such a good idea on the test strips, I might have to follow suit, so far we have just been winging it haha.
Hope it’s going well, I find it soooo hard to cut out ALL dairy!
It is extremely hard to cut out dairy… I have been trying for years. I’ve significantly cut down but i still have yet to be successful in dairy free. ahah.
Tonight will be my second half pill… should be my third night but i missed Sunday so I’m just skipping that day…
Ive noticed my forehead break out a little however its that time in between packs where we all get out periods so I’m going to blame that as the reason for now. other then the forehead, skin is so far so good!
I will update back in a couple weeks!
Hi Ladies! It has taken me weeks to read through all of these comments. I find I get quite obsessive, and then I need to stop and try to step back for a hot second.
I have just started the weaning process. I have been on the birth control pill for 20 years! 20 YEARS! I even did Accutane when I was in highschool, with a lot of success. But I honestly don’t know what my skin was like without birth control because I went on it when I was 13 years old.
Anyway, I was on Seasonique/Seasonale for years and years. It is the 3 month pill, where you continuously take the active pill for 3 months and then only have 4 periods a year. This was great, until it wasn’t. And I was still getting a lot of cystic acne on my chin all the time. I started doing some research last year, and saw that this is one of the worst pills you can be on for acne. That in women in their 30’s it can actually CAUSE cyctic acne. WTF?!
So I switched to Orthocylen, which is what I am on right now. It is a monophasic pill, so things stay pretty much the same hormone wise through out the month.
This has been really great, but I still do get cysts on my chin/jaw line. So I started doing some research, came across this blog, came across Sarah’s Day Youtube, started listening to Balanced Bites podcast, and read Period Repair Manual. All of this info has made me really excited to get off the pill once and for all.
I am, as all of us are, TERRIFIED of the reaction my body will take after the 6-12 months of being totally pill free. I have decided to take the weaning process super slow. I read Kara’s story on here religiously since it was similar to mine. But I haven’t seen an update from her, so I’m wondering how she is doing.
I am going to do 3/4 of the pill for 3-4 months, 1/2 of the pill for 3-4 months, and 1/4 for 4 months or so. I have been on the pill so long, I just want to take my time getting off. I am also on Sprionilactone for acne right now, so I think I will just continue to take that and start weaning off that when I’m actually off the pill. Don’t want too many different reactions going on.
Supplements I take:
-Vitamin D3
-Zinc
-Probiotic
-Burdock Root
-Vitamin B12 Complex
-Magnesium (I drink the CALM drink, and use Magnesium oil spray)
-hemp seeds
-chia seeds
Diet:
I eat primarily Paleo, but avoid nuts as they seem to make my skin worse. I eat mostly veggies, fruits, grass-fed organic meats, etc. I eat lots of fats, avocado, coconut oil, etc etc. No Dairy. No coffee (this has made a big difference). There is such a plethora of things to choose from now, like coconut wraps or breads that are paleo/egg free. So i don’t feel super deprived. I do eat some more complex carbs like plantains and sweet potatoes, as one of the thing that my hormones have done is made it really really hard to gain weight. And low body fat is said to be a factor in hormone imbalances and acne.
I drink 1-2 cups of organic green tea a day, and 1-2 cups of peppermint tea. (I will start doing the Spearmint soon). I drink 1 gallon of water every day.
I am going to start seeing a Naturalpath, who is not cheap, but I think is worth it. Who I hope can help guide me, and also offer some Chinese herbs/medicine.
I haven’t really revamped my skin care routine quite yet because I find I need to focus on one thing at a time. But I use pretty basic stuff anyway. Dove soap, Cetaphil lotion etc. I have a retinol cream I use, and a Sulfer spot treatment. I find that sulfer is the ingredient that works best on my skin for acne. Eventually I’ll hope to use nothing or honey or something.
I am documenting this process on my Instagram, and in a journal. And I am thinking of starting a blog or posting videos through out this journey. This blog and thread have helped me immensely. Thank you for all of your brave stories, and good luck to everyone who is wanting to live a more organic healthy lifestyle!
Hi Katie!
I wish you all the best on this process 🙂 I still haven’t start it, but I’m willing to soon. I need to take the step and start getting ready.
Katie, could you please share your Instagram username so we can follow you on this process? I would love to!
Lau 🙂
Hi Katie, seconding Lau’s request for your Instagram username, it is so motivating to be weaning at the same time as other people (Jill is weaning atm as well!) xx
Hi Gals! It just Kate, but so glad to get some replies! I am at katebgehling on Instagram. What about you ladies? Love all the support everyone gives each other here.
I have just finished the first week of 3/4 pill, and I have to say I feel really exhausted. It could be totally unrelated, but I just noticed it a lot more. My hair is falling out like crazy, but it was before as well. So hopefully that doesn’t get too bad.
Mostly I just feel so empowered and happy to have a goal! It’s like I’ve been searching for a solution to so many of my health issues (digestion issues, headaches, insomnia, acne, night sweats, depression, anxiety, etc etc) and to think that they could be caused or exacerbated by the pill is CRAZY to me. Especially since I’ve been so lost for so long at what is going on with my body!
I just wanted to give an update and talk about my current situation. I started by getting on birth control at 18 due to cysts on my ovaries. I started taking Yasmin. I never ever had any acne as teen or anything. But I stayed on the pill till I was about 28 years old. When I was about 27 I started eating healthy and not taking any medication unless I absolutely had too. So I wanted to get off of birth control. I discussed it with my gynecologist she said just stop taking it at the end of the pack. About 6 months later I started getting a few pimples on my face. Few weeks later I had a whole bunch all over my cheeks, it was full blown cystic acne. I went to my dermatologist she said it was from stopping the pill and the only way to totally clear it up was to get back on the pill. I refused. I tried Accutane, along with every other topical face cream you can think of. I changed my face wash and lotion a million times. I tried vegan diet and vegetarian diet. After months of dealing with it I gave in and got back on the pill. Oddly enough the doctor said it had to be Yasmin no other pill would clear it up. It’s been about a year since I got back on the pill. I been fighting hyperpigmentation, its awful I hate it! long story short its been 1 month since I started the weaning process. I been taking half of the pill. I have no breakouts (at the moment) I am using just a clean and clear face wash and jojoba oil for moisturizer. I been using the msm powder mixed with aloe to put on my face at night. I found the recipe on here. Along with the brands to use. So far so good. Diet wise I just eat a pretty clean diet. I do eat chicken and fish. I’m no longer vegetarian anymore. I take a probiotic daily along with a multivitamin and drink lots of water. I tired taking the vitamin b complex and I didn’t like the way it made me feel. I had anxiety when I took it, it made me feel too “speedy” so I thought maybe my vitamin b is not low. I have not seen naturopathic doctor I sort of want that to be my last resort. I have mixed feelings about them.. I want to just get back to my normal self and not take anything at all. Like I said I tried to explain to several doctors I never had acne so I’m figuring maybe this is just the birth control purging out of my body. If anyone wants to reach out and talk to me on social media and send me a direct message I do have Instagram. Organickiwi_9887 if not continue commenting on this thread.
Hi ladies, just finished my second month on 1/2 a pill so thought I would update. After month 1 on half a pill, my period was very light and took ages to arrive. This month, it is back to normal, came within 2 days of taking the last pill and similar to last time. Nothing very eventful happened this month but I did wake up today with 2 spots on my neck close to my jawline. I’m choosing not to freak out yet as I did just get my period, and I didn’t have any skin problems all month, but I don’t normally get spots around this time of the month when I take the full dianette pill… Maybe this is my body normalising? Anyway, I will still be taking 1/2 dose for the next 2 cycles to see what happens before I go to a lower dose. Will update at the end of each cycle to let you know how it goes!
Thank you for sharing your experience! I look forward to reading your updates so I can prepare for similar side effects on my end. I just got the OK from my OB/GYN to start the weaning off process and am excited! I’m on Lo Loestrin Fe, apparently the lowest hormone dosage BC so I’m going wean off a little quicker and do 1/2 pill for the month then 1/4 the following month. Additionally, I am taking these supplements:
https://usa.daysy.me/blog/birth-control-detox-5-supplements-for-going-off-th/
1. Vitex – a powerful herb that can be used post-pill to help your body make hormones again, bring back your period, and regulate your cycle. It’s best to see if your cycle returns of its own accord before employing this supplement, however. If you decide to use Vitex, limit the time you take this herb to three to six months maximum, and then see how your hormones do without it.
2. Probiotics – the affect of the birth control pill on the microbiome, or your gut, can create an imbalance of bad to good bacteria. More and more research is showing that gut health is linked to many systems – like strength of immunity and mental health. As you may know, the birth control pill has been linked to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, and the development of food sensitivities and allergies. You can take a probiotic supplement or eat a supplementary dose of kimchi or sauerkraut everyday.
3. Magnesium – most women are magnesium-deficient, it’s a mineral that is easily depleted by common lifestyle choices like drinking coffee, and taking the pill can exacerbate this problem. Magnesium is an essential building block for making hormones, but it’s not easy to supplement – try a good quality magnesium oil, epsom salts, or a drinking powder, rather than a regular supplement pill and see what dosage suits you.
4. DIM – many women going off the pill find themselves with estrogen overload or estrogen dominance, wherein they are deficient in progesterone and their estrogen levels are much higher, causing symptoms from weight gain to irregular cycles. DIM (diindolylmethane) is a nutrient found in leafy greens from kale to chard, but in supplement form it is more potent. It helps to eliminate and eradicate excess estrogen that comes from our external environment (endocrine disruptors in plastics, pesticides, shampoos) and from internal imbalance issues. DIM is especially helpful for avoiding post-pill acne.
5. B Complex – B vitamins are some of the most aggressively depleted by the birth control pill.This is one of the root causes behind the depression and anxiety some women can experience while using these medications. This is why some pharamaceutical companies have experimented with adding B vitamins and folic acid to oral contraceptives (despite the fact that as absorption channels are compromized by the pill, this would not make a significant difference). Supplementing with a good quality B complex, plus additional B6 and B12, will support your body during the transition off the pill.
Hi Vera!! Thanks for the great link! I’ve spent the past hour reading it and clicking through to links to other articles.. and then other articles.. this stuff is so interesting I could read about it all day 😉
I’m not taking DIM because I think my acne is from testosterone dominance, but I am with you on the B vitamins and magnesium. I also take zinc and will be doing a week-long strong dose of probiotics to sort out my gut, though I think my low sugar/dairy/caffeine/alcohol diet is working wonders on that front.
What symptoms are you most worried about? I’ve been reading all the comments on this website and it seems lots of girls struggled with hairloss and irregular periods, thankfully that has never been an issue for me so I am hoping that will continue even as I wean! Just that damn acne!
Please keep us updated on how your express-wean goes 🙂
Hey there!
I’m back with an update, I have 6 days of half a pill left, then a 4 day break to bring on my period and then I’m onto 1/4 of a pill..
Well what I can say is I am definitely seeing acne starting. very small red bumps right now but they are there and my skin is definitely not as clear as it was a month ago.
I do want to say, my diet has been utter shit.. lots of processed/packaged foods and.. dairy.. my worst enemy when it comes to acne.
packaged spicy ramen is my obsession right now, i have been eating it every day for a couple weeks so it might be screwing with me as well.
I am going to clean up the diet big time… except spicy ramen, i need to let that obsession run its course.. lol.
but so far… not too bad. but i foresee a not so good skin future..
Hey Jill, I so feel you on the dairy, also have been eating so many cookies!
Don’t get too alarmed on the acne yet, it might just be temporary, my skin worsened the first couple of months in the week before my period and that then subsided. This month (month 3) I didn’t have that issue.
Good luck on your last weaning month!!
My update is I’m on my 3rd month of cutting Yasmin in half. My last period was an actual period compared to when I was on the pill it was barely anything at all. I have noticed I’m pretty bloated for some odd reason? I didn’t change anything with my diet so its not that. I’m blaming the pill. Does anyone else have this issue? My plan is to eventually take half a pill every other day then few months later take it every two days. I have no acne still at the moment thank god. I think the MSM powder mixed with aloe is really helping!
That’s awesome news Kara! Same here on the acne front, I daren’t get my hopes up yet but to be honest this is better than I had expected.. I don’t have the bloating issue but I am sure that is just temporary!! Good luck for month 4 🙂 Are you still doing 1/2 doses or are you reducing down?
Yeah I’m just going to stick with half the pill for a while probably like 6 months. It’s so weird my gynecologist said it would make no difference to wean off, till i told her my periods are actually real periods now because before it was so light it was practically nothing. She was stunned when i told her that. I just had to laugh.
Update after month 3 on 1/2 a pill!
Frankly, it is going better than I had dared to hope. So far, my skin is still clear, and my periods have still come on time. I think all my supplements have definitely played a part but I was travelling for work for the last 2 weeks and didn’t have them with me, and had lots of alcohol and unhealthy food including lots of COOKIES! And I’m still ok.. I wonder if it’s because I am on Diane and it is just such a strong pill that even 1/2 dosages are still similar to a whole dose of other, less strong pills. I don’t know if I am tempting fate, but I have decided that rather than do 1 more month on 1/2 a pill, I am going down to 1/3 of a pill this month. It is hard to cut it up that way so I am doing (roughly) 1/2 a pill on day 1, then 1/4 of a pill on day 2, then 1/4 of a pill on day 3, then repeat that cycle 7 more times until I get to the pill free week. So basically I now have 1 pill every 3 days rather than every 2 days like in previous months, but the dosages might not be equal across all 3 days because I am just not able to cut them that precisely!
Hey ladies! I love getting all the updates because I’m weaning too, so thought I’d give my update too.
I just started my 3rd month on 3/4 of the pill, I’m on OrthoCyclen.
The first 6 weeks were amazing! My skin looked SO good, I was on cloud 9. So many people complimented me, and my husband was like wow!
Half way through my second month at 3/4 of the pill, (so two weeks before my “pill period bleed”) I got probably the biggest nodule/cyst EVER on my chin. This has brought my positivity and hope for this process down so much! It is finally going away now, but it was very large. The thing is with me, I only usually get one nodule/cyst type acne at time. Always on the chin. I don’t have acne anywhere else on my face, or on my body. Which I know is a blessing.
But the self confidence and positivity went out the window there for two weeks. I was feeling REALLY low. My diet is always on point. I even started drinking collagen and bone broth everyday. I take a whole butt load of supplements, which I’m trying to really figure out if they are needed etc. I did add back in Vitamin C because I used to take it and for some reason stopped. So my diet is Paleo, but no eggs and no nuts. I do a lot of healthy fats, and have been trying my best to add some healthy carbs and gain body fat. (When I’m stressed I tend to not eat, and lost weight very quickly)
Supplements:
-Vit B Complex
-Vit C
-Vit D3
-Zinc
-Magnesium/Calcium powder
-Turmeric capsule (I also have been trying to sprinkle turmeric on everything)
I did start using Vanity Planet’s face brush, the silicone head brush is so gentle and makes my skin feel amazing! It helps me not touch my face too. I have switched most of my products (with the exception of my blush, and eyebrow pencil) to non-toxic healthier brands. I use mostly Beauty Counter and am loving that so far.
I also started taking off my make up with Jojoba Oil, and surprisingly really like this. I’m going to start going back for once a month Microdermabrasions, and we’ll see what that does.
But since my diet has been so on point, and the products are all nontoxic now, and I still got one of the biggest cysts ever I got pretty down. I will try to see what this month brings two weeks before my period. I definitely have been sleeping not great, but not terrible either. I think i just need to carve out a little more stress relieving time for myself regularly.
I do tend to break out two weeks before my period, so mid way through my cycle. I’m also on Sprionalactone 50mg 1x a day that I tried doing every other day and so I’m thinking that was what caused my breakout as well. I need to just focus on weaning the birth control first, and then start with the Sprio.
It makes me so so fearful of after I get off the pill completely. When I really sit and think about it, my breakouts could be so much worse. I know that. I do get really big cysts, but one at a time. I’m just so worried after I get off the pill that I will have these ALL over my face!
Going to get back on the positivity train though. Again if you guys want to follow my blog or instagram, I talk about this a lot and am documenting things along the journey!
instagram: katebgehling
blog: http://www.kisforcoconut.com
Kate, keep the faith!! It might just be a temporary break out, and totally agree with your theory that weaning off the pill + spiro all in one go might be a lot! Do it one at a time 🙂 I got a couple of small spots here and there too and they do go away! Keep us updated and good luck for this third month on 3/4!
Thank you so much Ella for your kind words and support! Yesterday I had such a bad white head on my chin, and all day at work I wanted to touch it. But I didn’t, ALL DAY LONG!
Haha, it was a big self control victory for me. So glad I didn’t touch my face and cause even more inflammation.
I have to say, I’ve been using the Vanity Planet Ultimate Skin Spa silicone brush to wash my face, and it has been heavenly. I feel like my skin is so smooth and wonderful after I wash it. I also think this break out that I’m having is from all the little bumps kind of coming out since using the brush. I get a lot of hard, white, bumps that I can see and feel for like MONTHS but they don’t come to the surface. And then one day, they come out in the biggest cyst or nodule.
So this brush is seemingly helping them all flatten out, and/or not come out as bad! I’m liking it so much so far!
Also Beauty Counter’s charcoal mask for spot treatment over night has been awesome!
Hi everyone,
I also just wanted to come back and share that I successfully came off the pill and much easier with weaning off the pill compared to the first time I tried going off cold turkey (major cystic acne). The second time I wasn’t pimple free but much better than the first time. Haven’t been on birth control for 2.5 years now. I had a baby a year ago and since then haven’t had any skin issues whatsoever (fingers crossed).
One other thing I found worked amazing for me: just washing my face with a gentle cleanser and pure aloe Vera for moisture. Sometimes I get rash like pimples on my forehead and use nizarol shampoo (an anti fungal) when it happens and it immediately disappears.
Anyways, so happy I found this site in 2015 and tried weaning slowly.
Hi Anna! Thanks so much for coming back and sharing your experience on this and offering hope 🙂 Seriously appreciated! And so happy for you!
Hi Anna, OMG I have so many questions! Can you give us a bit more detail about how your skin was after the weaning process, did your acne worsen at all or no change? Also, did you take DIM or Vitex? I am considering DIM even though I never thought I had estrogen dominance, but was reading about it more and can see how it makes sense because our bodies are full of synthetic estrogen after taking the pill for so long!
Thanks for checking back in with us! 🙂
Hi Ella,
Sorry to jump in here, but I personally take DIM and have found it to be great. It detoxes the body of xenoestrogens which is what the pill contains and basically gives your body an easier time of getting rid of them! I didn’t take vitex (if my skin breaks out, I would consider it) because my periods returned straight away but from what I’ve read, this seems to work best if your cycles are irregular!
Hi Charlotte! Really appreciate your views! I think you are right and I will probably go buy some later today hehe. I have a question, did you start taking DIM while you were weaning, or only when you finished weaning? I only have 2 months left so feel like it might be a good thing for me to start doing now?
I’ve always been quite regular including during weaning so vitex probably isn’t for me either, though if I break out when I am fully off then I will probably give it a go!
I took it whilst I was still weaning, my logic was that it would help my body start to get rid of the excess xenoestrogens and I don’t think I read anywhere that it was unsafe to use in conjunction with birth control. When I was researching though, several places said to start taking vitamins before you come off to replenish your body and not shock it so I think as much as you can do before, do it! Hope it works for you!
Wow, this was such a good read! Is this comment thread still active?
I’m writing this in June 2018, and I just started weaning off the pill a few days ago.
My pill history (this is Norway):
5 years on Diane (Cyproterone acetate 2 mg, ethinyloestradiol 0,035mg)
4 years on Yasmin (Drospirenone 3 mg, ethinyloestradiol 0,03 mg)
2 years on Yasminelle (Drospirenone 3 mg, ethinyloestradiol 0,02 mg)
I’ve been on the pill continuously for 11 years, I started at age 19 because of acne. At 30, I finally have the courage to come off it.
Thanks to everyone who’s been writing here over the years, I’m excited to get off the pill with your help 🙂
Yes it’s still active, lots of people commenting recently. Good luck Gro, you can do it! 🙂
Seeing this thread is still going, I just had to leave a comment. First of all, what a relief to find people in the same boat as me, I wish I saw this when I had weaned and I have read every single comment (took a long time!!). I decided to come off the pill after 5 years on Yasmin because I am a massive natural living advocate and yet I was still putting artificial hormones in my body. I started to get severe eczema on my face, thrush for the first time in my life and decided enough was enough. I actually still had cystic acne on the pill (in fact, for the first 3 years, it seemed to get a lot worse) then I cleaned up my diet, and my skin became fairly clear but like many, I was so terrified of the post pill breakout that I stayed on it. To me, weaning seemed logical but I couldn’t find much information about those who did it so I trusted my gut and did what I thought. I weaned for 3 months, and I have now been completely off the pill for 3 and a half months. My periods returned straight away and have been regular every month and so far *fingers crossed* I haven’t had any extra spots, just a few here and there. Also, my eczema is barely there too! However, I did a lot of prep with my diet and supplements when I started weaning. I’m veggie anyway and I don’t drink cows milk, and I really cut down on refined sugar, dairy and processed foods, I focus on plants for about 80% of my diet and I exercise regularly. The supplements I take are as follows: b-complex, epo, DIM, maca, zinc, magnesium, a probiotic and vitamin e. I also drink dandelion tea every morning to support my liver, alongside peppermint tea and eat gut friendly foods as much as possible. I try to add healthy fats in my diet too because these are great for allowing your body to balance its hormones. I am hoping I remain clear, especially as I seemed to have weaned a lot quicker then most people on this forum, and it’s lovely to have other people going through the same thing. All I can say is, my body is so much happier and healthier since coming off it!
Hi Charlotte, thank you so much for telling us about your experience. I am so impressed that you were brave enough to give it a go before coming across this page, I don’t think I could have done it without all the positive affirmation from the pioneers who went before me haha! It makes so much sense intuitively and even if it doesn’t end up working and I end up breaking out I will still be glad I did it this way and that I’ve been putting far less hormones in my body for the last 4 months. Please keep us updated as you go through the crucial first 6 months fully off the pill 🙂
To be honest, I was just sick of the chemicals so anything I could try was a bonus but it’s definitely a relief finding this! Absolutely, I feel so much happier being off it, it’s like a cloud has lifted. Of course I will update, currently sat typing this with a spot brewing on my cheek, first big-ish one I’ve had in months but putting it down to stress and the one too many proseccos I drank on the weekend! Hope everyone elses journeys are going smoothly so far.
I am in the pill-free week of month 4 of weaning now so here is my update.
To recap, this is what I am doing:
March-May: 1/2 pill
June: 1/3 pill
July & August: 1/4 pill.
So far, still so clear.. Period has arrived on time again this month despite lowering my dosage to 1/3, which I am happy about. This means I will now drop to 1/4 from next week. I am nervous!
Here is a recap of how I have been doing with my dietary/supplement goals:
Sugar: Limited intake, I have the occasional biscuit at work but not more than 1-2 a week. Feeling pretty good about this one
Refined foods: Unless you count said biscuit or the bread/pasta I have 1x per week (weekends are for living, also I can’t give up pasta!!) then no refined foods whatsoever. Again, feeling good about this
Alcohol: None except for on work trips which is 1x every 2-3 months
Caffeine: Limited intake, 1/2 cup of tea a day on average
Dairy: My biggest downfall… I’ve realised I just cannot cut this out of my life completely.. I need that small dash of milk in my tea and oat milk just isn’t the same haha. And I need the beautiful parmesan on the one portion of pasta I allow myself once a week. And if every once in a while that pasta dish happens to be creamy truffle pasta made by my boyfriend, well I’m not going to be mad about it. I think I’ve reduced my dairy intake significantly over the last couple of years, but I just will never be completely dairy free, and I am okay with that.
Exercise: little to none.. must do better!!
Supplements: Zinc, Vit C, B6 complex, magnesium, and drink lots of peppermint tea every day. I’m quite happy with this. I am considering DIM in anticipation of coming off the pill but I have read some negative reviews online that are making me reconsider to be honest. It’s a little bit scary.
All in all, as far as a scorecard, I guess I’d give myself a 7.5. I’m doing quite well on eating healthy except for dairy (!), happy with my supplements and happy with how my skin is reacting so far.. Need to up my exercise again and then I think I will really feel happy with where I am. I feel like going down to 1/4 will be the real test though.
Hope it’s all going well for you guys.
Oh and forgot to add. I used to get eczema on my feet and sometimes my hands too. That has completely disappeared now!! Don’t know if it’s the reduced sugar, caffeine, alcohol or what but I am thrilled with this side effect as I think it is a sign of reduced inflammation in my body! Hopefully that bodes well for acne for when I come off the pill completely!
Hey Ladies! ……. July 11th/2018 (just in case anyone is wondering!)
I was originally only going to wean for 3 months as i had said up higher in the thread.
1st month 3/4 pill
2nd month 1/2 pill
3rd month 1/4 pill
I finished my 3rd month and decided I would do one more month of 1/4 pill.
I’d like to be off the pill as soon as possible but I was getting a few spots that were scaring me (they did however go away pretty quickly but still!) was enough to scare me into one more month.
I have 2 more weeks left in my final month of taking Birth control and I will definitely be updating as time goes on how my skin is doing.
In all honesty, I haven’t been taking vitamins, I don’t eat meat and minimize dairy as much as possible, I eat as clean as I can most of the time, but I am only human I like junk food too, and my weekend beverages.
Will check back in a few weeks!
I’m back already –> July 18th/18
I decided i wanted to lower the dosage even more.
This past Friday I still took 1/4 pill, and Saturday I started taking 1/8 of a pill.
I have been spotting since Sunday which I kind of expected. My body just doesn’t know what to do. Anyways! my last day is the 24th taking birth control! Kind of excited kind of scared!
Face update, super small spots here and there.. Nothing major that is concerning me. If I can leave this experience with only tiny pimples. I will be a happy lady, I can’t ask for more than that considering how my face was four years ago when I stopped cold turkey. -_-
So I guess by now you’ve been off for a week!! Thanks for the update and keep letting us know how it goes, my last day is in 3 weeks.
Hi everyone!
Just a reminder of where I am: weaned for 3 months and I am currently just over 4 months pill free.
So my skin has gone a little downhill since my last update! This could well be due to stress and being a bit lapse with my diet as of late but I have broken out (not massively, a few smallish ones here and there) and my eczema has flared up too. I think the breakout might be down to my period being late this month. Usually I am like clockwork but this month it was 3 days late. I drank a lot of parsley tea to get it to come and did lots of yoga which did the trick! But now I have the leftover spots to contend with. Bit frustrated but I’m trying not to beat myself up about it. Last month was super stressful and I slept very poorly and my eating habits, although pretty free from dairy and sugar, weren’t the best. So im hoping its down to this rather than approaching the dreaded 6 months post pill! Will keep you all updated on how my skin does. Hope everyone else is getting on well!
Hope your skin has calmed down since!
how has your skin been since?!
Into my last weaning month now.
Wow last month has been a rollercoaster. It started when in the second week I got two big spots on my neck. No bueno. Thankfully they calmed down. Then, my period didn’t show up!!! It ended up arriving a week late and was suuuper heavy, but I was just thankful it did because I really thought I might be pregnant there. Then, I got a breakout on my back. Oh and my eczema is flaring up too on my hands. I don’t know what is going on but the smooth sailing that happened up to this moment has been interrupted by some choppy waters!! Let’s see what happens this month, I am going to be stricter again with my sugar intake as I had been eating lots of oreos which might have been a factor (hehe).
I’m not going to do 1/4 this month like I planned but rather am reducing still further and doing a mini-wean within the wean, so 1/6 this week, 1/7 next week, and 1/8 the last week, for a total of 3 pills over 21 days. Bit convoluted and probably imprecise and hard to cut that small but I feel like it makes the wean even more gradual. Let’s see. Having weaned from 21 pills over 21 days at full dose to 3 pills over 21 days this coming month, I’m pretty happy with how few hormones I have been consuming relative to if I’d been at full dose.
Good luck ladies
Hi guys! I wanted to update as well. I am in my 5th month over all, and my 2nd month at 1/2 of the pill.
My skin is actually the best it has been in so long. I’ve heard of women who have had amazing skin while weaning, and still experiencing terrible after. So I’m trying not to get ahead of myself.
I feel pretty good. My sleep is on and off. But my supplements are the same, food is the same, acupuncture and exercise the same. So that is good!
Still working on documenting my journey on my blog and instagram! (kisforcoconut)
Did anyone else have awesome skin while weaning, and still had issues after completely stopping?
Hi Tracy,
First I want to say a big thank you for your website! I’ve been looking everywhere to find information on how to stop massive acne breakpost pcp but haven’t really had much success!
I would really like to try this weaning process, though I’m kind of terrified! I stopped cold turkey few years ago and ended up with horrendous acne so had to go back on it. I still have nightmares about it, it was so bad I had to take time off work since I just didn’t want to show my face anymore!
Anyway, I still want to get off bc eventually and I think I want to give this weaning process a try.
However, I want to be as prepared as possible, and below is what I have read online on how I can prepare. I just have some questions, and wanted to see if you or anyone can assist? Mostly, it’s about when I should do what.
– It’s mentioned that I should take supplements to help with acne, though I’ve never taken any supplements before. I’ve decided to give zinc, B6 vitamin, and magnesium a try. Do you think these 3 are the most useful one? Should I start on them now or when I start the weaning process? I’m not planning to start my weaning process until 3 months later since I have a big trip coming up…
– it’s also mentioned that probitics is good for the gut and also acne, should i also start that now, or only after I start the weaning off process or when the process itself is done?
– i’ve also heard that DIM is great for re-balancing hormones when you come off the pill. Have you tried it? Should I also try taking this while I’m on the weaning off process or when I’m completely done?
– A lot of people mention vitex in the comment. However, I’m confused as I thought this should only be taken when you are not on any form of bc… have people started taking this at the same time as the weaning process?
Sorry! Mostly, there seem to be a lot of other vitamins/medications that’s good and I’m not sure how to start on them!
I’m planning to do the weaning off process in 6 months (i.e. 3/4 for two months, 1/2 for two months, then 1/4 over two months). Hopefully that’s long enough for my body to adapt!
Thank you!
Hi Lisa,
Welcome! I think it’s a fab idea to come off the pill, this comment thread is such a useful source of information, you’ll find all the support you need.
The three vitamins you mentioned are probably the three essentials that I would recommend and you should start taking them as soon as you like. The place depletes these vitamins in your body so it always helps to take them. This is the same with p robiotics. I would also introduce gut friendly food in to your diet too like sauerkraut and kombucha.
I personally recommend dim as it detoxes the xeneostogens that the pill puts in to your body. You can take this while weaning. I haven’t taken vitex, works for some, not for others, and I would wait three months after you have weaned before you consider taking this. Your body might just do fine on it’s own.
And 6 months weaning seems to be the sweet spot! The only thing you’ve missed is the importance of diet and lifestyle. Give your body a helping hand by supporting the liver with lots of water and dandelion tea. Help it minimise toxins and stop insulin spikes by keeping sugar and refined carbs to an absolute minimum and load up on leafy greens to nourish it. I’d also avoid dairy as much as possible too.
Good luck and keep us updated!!
I wanted to give a update. I have been taking half a pill since March. Everything has been the same. I get my period a week before the pack ends, which isn’t that big of a deal. As far as the acne i get a few pimples here and there but theyre always in the same spots? which i thought was weird. I normally only get them on the right side of my face below my cheek bone. Diet wise I have been trying to pretty much stay on a keto diet. I am hypoglycemic and that diet seems to work best for me. I think I’m going to stay at taking the half a pill for a while I’m a little scared to rock the boat if I do any less. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask me!
Hi Ladies!!
I use to post on this website YEARS AGO I think I weaned off Yasmin back in 2012/13. Much like everyone here I was on the pill for years Diane to Yasmin on and off for 10 years… each time I stopped face went to hell along with my hair so I’d get back on. Anyways if your considering weaning… you won’t regret it. It’s been 5 years for me and my skin is still great. Hair is good and I have 2 babies 🙂
I thought I’d come back and let you guys know. Good luck. I’m never touching the stuff again.
Oh sometimes I do break out a bit but that’s purely because of sugar. When I eat too much sugar I break out. Learn what triggers your breakouts. Xx
Frida thank you SO much for giving us an update! I am in the process of weaning now, and am always so desperate for long term updates on people who have gone through it.
I was wondering about a girl on here, I think her name was Kara, that was on the pill for a long time and weaning off for a really long time time.
Anyway, so glad it has been such a positive experiences, and that it worked for you! You give me hope for sure! I’m on my 5th month total, and my 2nd month of 1/2 the pill. How long did you wean for?
Thanks so much Frida!! I read all your posts from back in the day and it’s great to hear that your skin is still great and have had 2 children 🙂 if I end up with the same I’ll be very happy!
Hi everyone,
Just posting as today (17/8/2018) is my last day on the pill (hopefully) ever! It feels like a big moment but thanks to the weaning it’s a much smaller step than it would have been to go from full daily pill to none!! It has been so nice to read all your posts as you are weaning alongside me, it has made me a lot more confident to persevere, so thank you!!
Got my period a week early this month but reading through previous posts this happened to other girls who did this low a dose (around 1/8 per day), so I am not worried.
After last month’s weirdo experience my skin on my back cleared up, my eczema calmed down and no other side effects to report on really, unless I am being finicky and comment on 1 spot on my chin, which I can totally live with. I definitely haven’t been great with diet these past few weeks either, but a little better, perhaps on the sugar front.
We can do this girls x
Replying on my own comment rather than start a new one as this website does not seem to allow me to post… My comments just don’t show up.. anyway, posting a bit early (3/9/2018) as my period arrived today. This is early, only 2.5 weeks after my last day on the pill and 3ish weeks after I last got my period. I am hoping it is better to have my period early than not at all and that it will regulate from here. My skin has become more oily as of late so I have noticed a slight deterioration, however it is manageable. Hopefully as my cycle is normalising my hormones will too.
Another update from me. I have been weaning taking 1/2 of a pill (Yasmin) since end of March. Nothing too crazy has been happening with my skin. Just a few pimples here and there its nothing compared to back when I totally stopped and broke out in cystic acne. I am still using aloe mixed with msm powder and I really think its doing a lot of clearing up blemishes. I wish some others would try it and see if it helps them out any. I have noticed I get my period about a 2 weeks early, then this month I got another period while on the blank pills. 2 periods in one month was odd for me. I’m not really complaining because when I was on the pill I wasn’t really getting my period at all. Im still unsure of what my next step is I might just do 1/2 pill every other day like how you would wean off any other pill, or do 1/2 of a 1/2? anybody have any suggestions?
Hey Kara, I just cut it into smaller pieces. I went from 1/2 to 1/3 by cutting the pill roughly into 3, then to 1/4 by cutting it to 1/2 of 1/2. Hope that helps 🙂
Hey everyone! 1 month off B/C update!
8/20/18
I have been off the pill for one month and I just got my period yesterday! ( i was not expecting that at all considering last time i went off the pill it was 4 or 5 months before i got my period back!)
Skin – I have quite a few tiny bumps on my forehead but nothing that actually makes me care too much about it and a couple spots around my chin area but again, small spots.. it could be worse. so far I’m actually pretty happy with how my skin is looking compared to when i stopped taking b/c cold turkey.
Hormones – Again i got my period so i think I am on the right track! Some supplements I have started taking to promote balanced hormones and healthy skin are:
Maca
Canprev Healthy hormones
zinc
biotin
hmf forte probiotic
Well that is really all I have to update for now.. so far so good. I really don’t have anything to complain about.. yet lol.
I will try to update monthly!
Hi guys,
An earlier update than expected as I got my period today.. only 3 weeks after I got my period last and 2.5 weeks after the last day I took 1/8 of the pill. It’s a bit early but I think that’s better than no period at all as my cycle adjusts.. right?
It might be too soon to report any real change but I am noticing small changes in my skin, it feels a bit oilier and I have gotten a couple of clogged pores on my cheeks. However, it is still very manageable, and I am hoping that the arrival of my period means my hormones are normalising now and that it will get better from here.
Hey everyone!
9/5/18
its been about two weeks since my last post.
I am definitely breaking out. its not cystic… so i guess I can be thankful for that.
its all around my chin and my forehead.
the forehead i could care less about. its the chin that bothers me.
Anyways my next step is going to be cutting out added sugars in my diet (for the most part){there are only a few weekends of the summer left to go camping and who doesn’t love a beer around the fire?}
Like Ella, I have found my skin to be getting a lot more oily – I am used to having dry skin!
one more thing I have ordered is the aztec secret healing clay mask – has anyone used this? the reviews seem promising… so I am gonna give it a go.
I have been taking pictures of my face over the last few weeks – wondering if i should start an insta following my progression – which im sure will be worse before it gets better.
Anyways that is all for now. If I end up making an insta i Will let you ladies know.
Hi Jill,
Sorry to hear you are breaking out, I am too and it can be so frustrating.
It’s funny you mention the mask because for me, the one thing that is making the breakouts bearable is indian aztec healing clay. I’ve used it for years, it heals spots so much quicker, draws them out and just basically clears my skin. I’ve also recently started adding charcoal too which is upped it to super levels because charcoal is like a magnet to bad toxins. Two tips when using it; make sure you mix it with apple cider vinegar, I find using water makes it more irritating and secondly, don’t allow it to dry and crack. When clay dries fully, it starts to suck moisture out of your skin, leaving it dry and irritated. I leave for 10/15 minutes depending on how thick you’ve applied it then while off while it’s still damp. It even seems to be okay with my eczema too!
I am normally that person that will leave a mask on for… an hour or more.. I will be sure to set a timer for 10 mins!
And I have apple cider vinegar at home as well!
Thanks for the tips and I’m glad this mask gives you some sense of relief. I am hoping it does the same for me as well.
Hey Jill, I bought some clean & clear oil blotting sheets, I use them to absorb the excess oil off my skin every evening before bed and I think it is helping at least mitigate break outs without stripping my skin of its natural oils either like a harsh soap or chemical would do. Maybe worth a try? Thanks for the update, we can do this!
Hey ladies! I just wanted to update: (it’s Sept 2018)
So I am just finishing my 6th month on weaning off birth control, and it’s the 3rd month on 1/2 the pill.
Just a quick recap:
Took Seasonique (the 3month at a time bcp, where you only get a “period” 4x a year) for the last 10 years. Before that I was on various pills, but cannot remember for the life of me what they are.
Last year, I switched to Orthocyclen because I was still having really bad cystic acne on bcp. I started reading that Seasonique can actually CAUSE cystic acne in women in their 30’s. So geez!
Then started reading about birth control, side effects, and found this site. Decided I wanted to get off bcp all together, and started the weaning process. So I was only on Orthocyclen for about 6 months before I began my wean. Didn’t really think about this as playing into it at all actually, not sure if it has or not.
I have been so exhausted lately. Like energy zapped, and feeling so lethargic. That has been my major gripe with the process. But I’ve always had really low energy, and terrible sleep. At least now my sleep is improving, and I’m getting 7-8 hours a night. But still feeling so so drained and unmotivated. A little moody as well.
First three months I had terrible headaches but that has subsided. Now on half the pill, I have started spotting the week before my period. My periods have always been extremely light. I can wear a panty liner all day and be fine.
My skin has broken out during the weaning process. I’m not going to lie. But it’s not cystic acne like it was when I was on the pill interestingly enough. I would say I consistently break out in small red bumps, and white heads just on my chin. They don’t last very long, and are small. Big enough to see, and the redness stays there after they’re gone. I scar very easily.
So honestly even though I do break out, it’s so much better than the cystic acne that I could barely cover and was so so painful before. So I’m happy with the process.
I have switched to non-toxic products as much as possible. Eat out of glass and not plastic anymore. Drink out of metal straws and not plastic. And am making my environment as hormone friendly as possible. (same with stress etc)
My gastro intestinal stuff is still pretty bad. And I’m going to the doctor soon. I’m thinking that I might have something going on with my thyroid. My vision has gotten so much worse, and my eye water constantly.
Other than that, there’s no doubt in my mind that the weaning has been the right decision. I am going to stay on 1/2 for a couple more months. I am weaning much much longer than most because i think I’ve been on the pill longer than most (20 years) and no breaks.
I’m still not sure about vitex or estroblock after I get off the pill. Should I just wait to see what my period does? Or is it better to take something proactively? Anybody have any suggestion on which one I should take, or both? Experiences on them?
I’ve always assumed I’ve had high testosterone because of my body type, acne, and oily skin.
Right now I’m taking zinc, mag powder (sometimes), turmeric, bcomplex, probiotic, and vitamin d3 for supplements.
Would love some feedback! And thanks so much for everyone who is sharing their stories!
Hey everyone! I am back for an update!
Sept 20/18
I am slowly starting my second “natural” period since coming off the pill today.
I have been off the pill since July 21st – had withdrawel spotting a few days later (but not much because i was on such a low dosage {1/8 of a pill}.
My first natural period started on August 19th and lasted 5 days.
My second natural period is starting basically now – sorry for TMI! lol.
my cycle was 33 days, so it took longer than expected but at least its here! which means my hormones are’nt as screwed getting back on track as 4 years ago when i quit BC cold turkey (i didnt get one single period for months and months that time!)
My forehead still has tiny little spots (which i truly do not care about)
and i do have hormonal acne around my chin which could be worse so I’m not exactly upset about that either. between the supplements I have been taking and keeping away from dairy and using my clay mask I so far have been keeping everything under pretty good control.
Thats all for now!
Hi everyone!
Well it looks like my cycle is back on track. I got my period today (4th October 2018), 31 days after the last one, which is in line with what my cycle was like before I went on birth control (always around 30-31 days).
I have nothing but good news to report..
Firstly, my mood and energy off the pill are AWESOME. I didn’t really think the pill affected me that much but now I am wondering whether it did result in me being more emotional. I am feeling so much more calm, and confident, and happy. I just feel like myself again, turbocharged.
Secondly, on the skin front. Last month, I told you guys my face was getting oilier, and that I had broken out on my back. Well, I think I have got my ovulation back because the spots on my back are much reduced. I did get new spots on one shoulder around a week after my last period, and in fact it was so bad/ugly that my bf said ‘maybe you should go back on the pill’. But then it just got better, and now it is almost gone, with no new spots or break outs to report! I wonder whether my body just needed that ovulation to produce progesterone, and that has really been doing the trick. I have nothing to report on my face so far and that oiliness I talked about last month is gone.
Hair: Hair is fine, though I do notice I need to wash it more often now. On the pill I could get away without washing it for 4 days, but now I really do need to wash it every other day or it is noticeably greasy. I can live with that.
Here’s hoping I’ve been through the worst. I just can’t believe I saw an IMPROVEMENT as more time passes off the pill, rather than it worsening. I’ve now been fully off for a month and a half and I am feeling such relief that it hasn’t worsened, but rather improved, from where it was at last month.
I will say, I think the 50mg of zinc I am taking every day is helping a lot, and I will keep taking it for the next couple of months or so while I am in the ‘danger zone’, before maybe reducing to 25mg.
I’m glad I found this thread… I tried coming off the pill 18 months ago only to be met with the most horrific acne including painful cystic acne on my scalp and my hair was constantly greasy… I was so depressed by the repercussions that I jumped back onto the pill… now I find myself wanting to do it again for good this time…
My question is: If I wean myself off pills, e.g., cutting them in half for the first month, into quarters the next month, etc, does this affect the cycle and does it affect when you normally ovulate? will it affect periods?
Your not technically ovulating on the pill..however you are cutting the pill down so if your not looking to get pregnant, you may want to take precautions just as a back up.. as for periods, I didn’t find weaning affected when I got mine until i cut down to 1/8th of a pill which made me spot a little ( i did half a month 1/4 pill and the other half 1/8th which is likely why i started spotting)
Hope that helps!
10/26/18
Hello! I am new to this thread & interested in weaning off of the BCP.
Can anyone comment on their experiences in the months after fully completing the weaning process?
I have heard some women are successful DURING the actual weaning, but the same symptoms of quitting pill begin months after completing the weaning process. Please let me know what you have experienced!
I’m really interested in this as well! I’m weaning currently, and on my 7th month . Going to wean for an entire year because I was on the pill for 20!
I see a lot of women who talk about their experiences during the weaning process. But I’m most scared of what happens 6-9 months AFTER the weaning process is completely done and you are off the pill for good. Since that’s when the ‘post birth control break outs’ seem to start.
I am on my 3rd cycle after weaning, I have had 2 natural periods (very very light ones, but they came right on time, strangely enough). So far I have gotten oilier hair and skin, and tiny pimples in the t-zone. And my hair is thinning a bit. But no hormonal acne.
Will update after 6 months and 9 months!
I so wanted to return to this page with good news but my body has gone in to shut down mode! I weaned for 3 months, and have been fully off the pill for 7 months. For the first few months, everything was great, my skin was clear, my periods came like clockwork and I felt great. Then I had a lot of stress and I went away from home so my diet wasn’t great and as a result my body started to decline probably 4/5 months off the pill. I suspected PCOS but my LH hormones are low, which suggests otherwise. I’m getting further tests done but my iron levels are at a 6 (when they are supposed to be 15) so that may be having an impact too. My skin has broken out badly, some really big cysts but it’s starting to calm down a bit now. My hair is also falling out in clumps in the shower and my periods are very irregular, I’m still waiting for this cycle to show up. I’ve gone back to the no/low sugar, wholefoods vegan, no diet but my main focus is on self care; lots of meditation, walks, sleep and just generally not being so hard on myself. I’m going to start taking ashwagandha and I’m also looking in to seed and moon cycling and continuing to take iron, zinc and magnesium. Although it isn’t the positive story I’m sure many of you hope to read, I hope it is a reminder to be gentle with your body. The pill is so destructive in many ways so don’t be disheartened if your body doesn’t bounce back as quickly as you hoped. I am still fully behind weaning and going hormonal contraceptive free, despite everything and fully encourage others to get off it so please don’t be discouraged if you’re reading this. Will keep you all updated!
10/31/18
Hey everyone! Back for another update but this ones gonna be a little different i guess?
Been off the pill since July 21st (1/8th of a pill at that time) and had two natural periods.
My skin is doing pretty darn good at this very moment. i had a couple breakouts a few weeks ago. However, I wont be able to give any more updates how my skin is doing off the pill as my hormones are gonna be going a little wild until mid summer 2019! I am 5 weeks 5 days pregnant! I know pregnancy can come with its own skin trials so I guess that will be the next part of my journey!
I guess that is basically all for now! Good luck everyone!
Hi Girls!
In the last few months I’ve read almost the whole thread, i have to thank you all for putting the effort to tell your stories and also for helping each other out. Im 27 now, been on BC for almost 10 years and was already planning to quit in the last 1-2 years but after hearing many horror stories i was too afraid to do that. 4 months ago i accidentally found this forum (thank God) and decided to start the ‘weaning-off’ process. I planned to wean for 5 months (so until 2019 i will be done with this whole mess hopefully), now I’m in the middle of month 4. I was really scared about hairloss and acne but so far everything is good (i get very few pimples here and there but i guess thats normal).
My diet is pretty strict (no sugar -only from fruits and honey stimes-, no dairy, no gluten, very minimal processed food, almost 0 animal products, lot of veggies and healthy fats like avocado and coconut/olive oil). I also take multivitamins, zinc, extra biotin/b12/vitD, sea kelp for iodine, probiotics, sometimes milk thistle oil and just started drinking liquid chlorophyl.( very very stimes i also take spirulina/chlorella/aswhwaganda – i tried maca also but even on a very small dosage i got crazy ‘side effects’)
The only problem i got is that i did get my period twice in the 2nd month and in the 3rd month nothing so i also started using natural progesterone cream (wild yam) and thankfully in the 4th month i got it again one week earlier than usual. I already bought vitex aswell (just in case) but i guess i will start to take it only after I’m finished totally with the pill. As I’m still concerned a bit about acne and hair loss after BCP I’m still searching for infos about that. Ive read that many of u had been taking cod liver oil. Can someone please recommend me a brand that i can get in europe also? And which is better: cod liver oil or evening primrose? besides the healthy diet and vitex i would like to have some natural supplements for this acne issue also (just to feel safe that I’m prepared and totally safe – less stress, also smaller chance to get acne:D) I’m going next week to a hormonal test to see after 27 years how my hormones are, i guess it will depend on the results if i will take other supplements or not (like estroblock/dim).
Thanks in advance girls and hope u are all feeling good even if u r still weaning or already done with it:) xx
Hey Greta! Will you please keep updating? I promise people are reading and appreciating!
Hi Vicky!
Sooo I’m done with the whole weaning process. I was planning to do it for 5 months but the very last pills of the 4th month gave me crazy nausea (i also threw up one time that never happened before my whole life from the pill) so i threw all the remaining pills in the garbage, i felt that my body just couldn’t take them anymore. A few days after i went to check my hormones (i knew it was too early but still i was too curious), both my estrogen and progesterone was too low, my testosterone was fine. After the test i started using vitex besides the progesterone cream. I didn’t get my period for almost 3 months now that is pretty annoying, but i hope for the best. My skin was also flawless until 1 and a half week ago when i purchased some flaxseed oil and it broke me out CRAZY after 4 days. I never had skin issues in my life and this oil gave me terrible acne on my whole face so i stopped it immediately, now waiting for my skin to clear up. So besides the missing period and some unusual fatigue everything is fine. Do u girls have maybe any tips how to get the period back earlier? so I’m taking all the vitamins and minerals, vitex, pregesterone cream, l-thyrosine, i took cod liver oil for a few weeks also, sometimes ashwaganda aswell. Is there any miracle supplement besides these that could help? thanks:)
hello girls!
could someone please recommend me a good brand of fermented cod liver oil that is also available in europe? (and doesn’t contain milk – i searched for the one a few of you mentioned but unfortunately it had milk in the ingredients. i dont understand why but as i dont consume dairy at all it doesn’t really matter:)) thank you!!
Hi!
I was wondering if anybody is still active on this web site,
i would like to wean off the pill and i would love to connect with some of you!
xxx
Solène
Hi!
I was wondering if ppl were still active on this web site. I am thinking about weaning off the pill and i would love to connect with you 🙂
Solène
Hello! I am new to the thread as well, I left a comment recently asking about long term success for anyone who has weaned. I will be checking back regularly and updating once I begin.
Alyssa
Ho Solène, did you started the whole process of weaning off the pill or not? Please let me know, I’m thinking about it now and it would be great if I could go through this experience with someone else.
Ivana
Just wanted to do a quick update!
I am starting my 8th month of weaning. I am weaning for an entire year because I was on the pill non-stop for 20 years! (Yikes)
I did 4 months at 3/4 the pill. I’ll do 6 months on 1/2 the pill., and then 2-4 months on 1/4 of the pill. So I might wean a little longer than a year.
To be honest, this process has been ROUGH. To me, my skin has been bad. But I know it could be WAY worse. I haven’t gotten any cysts during my wean, which is awesome. But I have had so many clogged pores, closed comedones, and the texture of my skin is terrible. But only on my chin. My skin on my cheeks, forehead and body are completely clear. But they always are.
It’s just been hard to see my chin get more PIE marks, and clogged pores. I’m still terrified of what my skin will look like 6-9 months off the pill. But I have hope.
I do have to note, I am on Spironolactone for acne as well. My goal is to get off birth control, and then wean Sprio. Sprio is an anti-androgen pill that helps women with acne. And to be quite honest, the emotional toll acne takes on me is so so overwhelming, I might just stay on Spiro. I want to get off birth control because of the vast amount of side effects, and because I’ve come this far!
Overall I think weaning has been really helping me. I have friends that came off cold turkey and their skin is much worse than mine.
All in all, this has been a good move for me. Really emotionally and mentally taxing. But I am sticking with it!
Hi ladies
Sorry for the long time without an update. Effectively I had a pregnancy scare which made me realise I really really don’t want children yet – I think it will be at least another 2 years before I will feel ready!! As such I just don’t think now is the right time to really go off the pill yet. I am currently almost done with month 4 off the pill with no side effects or returning acne except for mild back spottage (that is manageable), so to be honest I am very happy with this result after my 5 months of weaning.
I have decided with a heavy heart to go back on the pill. However, rather than go back on Diane 35, I will go on Loette, an ultra low dose pill. Less of the nasties in me please, and it still has the anti-acne benefits 🙂 I also feel that this will help me in 2 years’ time when I am ready to have children, as weaning off *much* less hormones will undoubtedly be an easier ride than weaning off the high dose Diane again!!
To compare here are the dosages!!
Diane 35 vs Loette
Ethilyne Estradiol: 0.035 mg / 0.02 mg
Cyproterone Acetate 3 mg / 0.1 mg Levonorgestrel (yes really!!)
So not only will I no longer be ingesting the nastiest progestin on the market, but it will also be 1/30th of the dosage!!! With (supposedly) the same acne benefits! And almost half the estrogen.
Good luck with the weaning ladies and I’m sure I will be back on here telling you my experience weaning off Loette in a couple of years. Thanks for being such a supportive space x
I just started the weaning off Birth Control process a couple weeks ago. I have been on BC for 10 years! I’m very scared to get acne after coming off the pill because it. Is. HORRIBLE! I have had horrible acne even while taking BC. It was due to leaky gut after a vacation to Greece, I fixed that eventualy and the acne went away! BC didn’t prevent that acne at all.
Anyway, haha! I wanted to share that I am spotting already! Or possibly having another period just two weeks in weaning off the pill. Cramps and all! Just lovely….
I’m on Tri cyclen lo and cut 1/4 of the pill. So far no acne or hair loss issues. I really hope this double period/spotting stops!
I’m currently taking B complex, probiotic, milk thistle, zinc, and magnesium supplements.
Anyone else have spotting issues so soon?
Hello ladies, am on 5th month to wean yasminelle, was hard and good time, skin not perfect but not bad, just plan for one more month and completely stop, my period after 3th mont stop for to months and no come back and still last for 10 days, and also really want to gett pregnant, thanku u girls for your experience and please updatexxx
I just finished weaning off tri cyclen lo. I did the weaning off process for 4 months. I had spotting the first month of weaning but didnt have any issues the rest of the time. My period came on time during the weaning process every month which really suprised me. So far, no acne and skin looks alright. I have been taking DIM supplement and Vitex and will continue for about three months. I am also taking folic acid as I would like to start trying to get pregnant in 4 months. Hopefully my period keeps coming as usual like it is now. I think this next month will be the tell of that! Side note, my cramps are soooo bad just like when i was a teen. I forgot how bad it was. Ive been on BC for about 7 years now.
Hi! Not sure if anyone still reads this or posts here, but I wanted to add my piece in case others come across it too!
I am 23 and have been weaning off Yasmin since February 2018, after a DVT scare which luckily was negative. I have been taking the pill since July 2016, for my skin and PMDD, but mainly my skin. I initially started on Yaz and then tried Yasmin after about 3-4 months, but went back to Yaz. Somehow I ended up back on Yasmin midway through 2017. I took the pills continuously (no withdrawal bleeds) since early 2017.
I gained 10kg and noticed my anxiety getting MUCH more severe, as well as constant migraines and tension headaches and dizziness after about a year on the pill, but I didn’t care because my skin was clear and it had ruled my life since I was 14. I also knew it was a bandaid effect and I constantly expressed my desire to get off it but I was terrified at breaking out badly again (still am). My mum suggested weaning, so I looked into it and actually found this blog post back in early 2017, but I wasn’t ready to come off yet, living out of home 12 hours away from my family and friends for uni, life was too stressful.
I weaned to 3/4 pill from Feb-May 2018, then to 1/2 pill from May-Jul 2018, then to 1/4 from Jul-August 2018. My skin started breaking out and I was picking and a whole heap of other traumas occurred so I went back up to 1/2 pill to at least stabilise my skin. I stayed on 1/2 pill for 12 months. I had a “period” where I had brown mucous (TMI lol) for about 2 weeks. This happened each time I dropped the dose. I also have had some skin flare ups with each drop but thankfully not many cystic breakouts. I seem to always have at least 1-2 breakouts at all times now, which I can live with.
Fast forward to September 2019, I finally dropped from 1/2 pill to 1/3 for about a month, and then to 1/4 since October 2019. My plan is to go to 1/8 by Christmas and then hopefully be off altogether by February 2020, marking 2 years of weaning. I was only on full dose for 18 months, and it’s going to take me almost 2 years to wean off.
Yasmin caused venous insufficiency. I have refluxing varicose and spider veins which I am now getting treated. Yasmin worsened my migraines intensity and frequency and vertigo. Yasmin has caused the most catastrophic worsening of previously diagnosed mental illnesses which has made me lose my job. Yasmin made me gain 10kg. Yasmin caused half my hair to fall out. Yasmin has made my skin thin and translucent. Yasmin is suspected in worsening a heart condition I had which I had surgery for in April 2018 (AVNRT). ALL my health problems (bar mental illnesses diagnosed as a child but never as severe as now), line up with when I started taking Yasmin 3.5 years ago. I can’t wait to be off this shitty drug forever, I wish I’d never taken it.
Yasmin did clear my skin 100% at times, but it has ruined my health and I don’t even recognise myself anymore. I am praying that I can come off altogether and not have a backlash. I CAN deal with a few breakouts here and there. Will update as I continue to come off!!!
Hi Naomi, how is your current situation with weaning off? Any updates? I would love to know more about your progress.
Ivana
Hello Naomi? How are things going with your skin and overall health after ending the process?
I was wondering if anyone tried to take alani nu balance supplement. I was reading on their website reviews about people stopping birth control and taking the supplement without any hormonal acne breakouts. Also there were people who did stop taking bcp and ended up with hormonal acne. Then they decide to take balance and their skin cleared up within weeks. I just want to know if anybody tried the supplements
Hi there 🙂 I found this thread while ago and I’m not sure if anyone is still active. I’m thinking about weaning off the pill and I would love to start the process together with someone.
I am 29 years old and I have been taking Yasmin (in my country is pill called Yadine) since I was 15 years old. I once had a short 3 month break in taking it, but nothing worth mentioning about it. I’ve thought about going off the pill sooo many times, but I’ve always been so scared of all side effects, skin problems the most. But when I discovered the weaning off method, I knew it would be the best way off going off the pill.
Please let me know if any of you are still active in this thread. I am also interested in your stories about the results of the weaning off method even after years.
Thanks
Hello!!!
I weaned off back in 2012…. and my skin is still the same mostly clear except during my period. I have never regretted doing it. I remember being so scared to start it but I’m so glad I did. I was single back then now I’m married with 2 kids and haven’t considered ever going on the pill again. I feel amazing and it was because of this blog years and years ago…. good luck to everyone who is starting their journey or thinking about it! Don’t hesitate to finally have control of your own body!
Hi Ivana, my name is Ashley. I just came across this thread and have been contemplating going off the pill for awhile now due to all of the health issues it has caused for me. I as well am terrified as to what will happen to my skin if I go off of it. Have you started the weening process yet? I would also love a partner to experience this with!
Hello ladies! I found out about this blog post some years ago when I was desperately trying to find a way to stop bc pills without having the horrific acne burst we all know, and I decided this will be the way to go for stoping them. So i started weaning of bc pill since december 2019 ( 9 months if things go as i planned). I started taking diane 35 when i was 17, i switched to belara and now i am taking a lower dose bc pill called desorelle. I am turning 28 this year so i have more than 10 years on bc pills. May is my final month being on half of pill. Untill this moment, things have been ok, altough this month I had 3-4 cystic acne on my jawline, but nothing i cannot handle with a good skincare routine.I also watch out my diet meaning i m not eating dairy, sugar of any kind or other aliments with high glycemic index. I take supplements of zinc and cod liver oil (that have vitamins A and D3). If you are interested in any updates for my final 3 months and after ending the process, please let me know!
Ps. Sorry for any errors in my writting. English is not my mother language.
Hi, Diana!
I’m considering doing this an am super curious as to how it went for you! Also, did you talk to your doctor at all about it?
Hello Naomi? How are things going with your skin and overall health after ending the process?
Hi everyone,
I am so happy I’ve found this!
After reading everyone’s stories im starting from today to ween off the pill I’m on microgynon which is not a strong pill like diane or yaz but it’s still a pill I don’t wanna take anymore.
Abit of a background story, I’m 24 and I started the pill when I was 17 and was on it till 21 when I decided I wanted to stop it altogether just like everyone else on here my skin was sooo good for 6/7 months and then boom out of no where I had a spread of red bumps all on my cheeks! Scared the life out of me and so I went back on it 2 months later and ive Been back on it ever since 3 years later… my skin is a little different to people’s on here as the second time I went back on the pill my skin has never cleared up since. As I’ve read a lot of people on here went back on the pill and their acne cleared. I always have oily skin and have these red bumps that actually go down very quickly in a matter of hours to just nothing a tiny fluid dot which I find strange!? I get these almost every day and I’ve just learnt to deal with it but I do find when I am on my 7 day break my skin gets way less oily and no spots!? It’s so bizarre, this has made me think that maybe the pill is not actually doing anything for my skin? And that coming off won’t really change much? ( I hope! ) OR the pill is actually helping somewhat to what could be really bad acne off the pill?
My skins never been back to how it was on the first time I was on the pill, I think a shift in hormones happened when I stopped and when I went back on it just never did anything? I really don’t wanan deal with these little red bumps anymore! I still get the what I would Call it “ proper spot, whitehead spot” that leave a dark mark behind type.. every month maybe but the rest of it are just small but still noticeable and bothersome!
Looking for a little bit of advice if anyone has dealt with these red bumps that go down in a matter of a hour or so and then have no inflammation what so ever? They appeared when I stopped the pill the first time and never gone away!
Anyway… I’m thinking to do 3/4 for two months and then 1/2 for two or three months and then 1/4 for one month or two depending how my skin is… if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it!
xxxx
Hey everyone. I am currently 35 and have been on Diane since I was 17…many years. I tried to go off it cold turkey twice in my 20s. Once in my early 20s and once at 25. Both times I started to break out within 2 months and had cystic acne with scarring. I had also been on spironolactone on and off for about 5 years in my 20s. I was also on Accutane for about 2 months when I resumed my birth control the second time. Once my hormones were regulated with the pill again I stopped Accutane and have never needed it again. For the last decade, my skin has been near perfect, which is why I have always struggled with deciding when to come off the pill again.
We want to start a family soon and thus I have been trying to come off Diane 35.
I haven’t been consistently taking the pills for the last 4 months. In Jan and Feb I would miss a few pills a month, so I was probably missing 5 pills in the cycle. During this, I was having spotting. For April I was consistently cutting my pill and only taking 3/4 of it. I also had spotting during this time but no other side effects. For May and June I have been taking 1/2 of my pill. Last month, I had a tiny bit of spotting but no real period and no other side effects. This month I have some soreness to my breasts but no spotting. Throughout the last 4 months, there have been no changes to my skin and it remains clear.
I have not changed my diet at all, although I do plan to limit sugar and dairy once I am off the pill. I work out several times a week, which is not new for me and I am not taking any additional supplements.
During the rest of this month, I will take 1/2 a pill and then my plan is to cut down to 1/4 pill for 2 more months.
I will keep everyone posted on my journey!
Hey all,
I have been on birth control for around 20 years. I tried to go off twice in my 20s but ended up breaking out really bad within 2 months. Had to go on Accutane and spironolactone (short term) to get it under control again until my birth control started to work. I have been weaning off Daine 35. For the first month, I took off 1/4 pill. The next two months I did a half pills and the last month a 1/4 dose. I did have some spotting on and off but nothing major. No other side effects, yet. A few small pimples but nothing too worrisome. It has now been about a week now on nothing.
Hey Jenessa, how has your skin been now that I assume you’ve been off the pill for some time? Did you stay clear this time?
Hey all!
I wanted to drop by on this thread 8 years after weaning off Jasminelle to say hello, and give you an update. I’m one of the early commentators. At the time, I was 29, living in France – my home country – working in corporate coaching, and living with a guy who just felt blah about everything… including our relationship.
Weaning off the birth control pill completely changed the trajectory of my life. I had been on the pill (Dianette, Jasmine, Jasminelle) for 10+ years, and prior to that I had had very irregular cycles. As it turns out, from the moment I ended the weaning process, I’ve had textbook 28-day cycles with confirmed ovulation. I delved deep into nutrition and cleaned up my diet and lifestyle (balancing blood sugar was key for me). My then boyfriend dumped me a short while later, which was heartbreaking in the moment, but turned out to be the biggest stroke of luck. I ended up reconnecting with an American friend who had recently separated from his girlfriend, and went to visit him in California. It was the beginning of an amazing love story… 6 months later I moved across the world to be with him… 3 months later, we got married, and we’re now 6 years in and happier than ever! 🙂 Learning to track my cycles and adjust my diet was the catalyst for a career change in functional nutritional therapy, which I now practice here in California.
I wanted to say thanks to you, Tracy, for sharing this info. I found your article after days searching for positive post-pill stories, and it was the ray of light I needed to start the journey.
<3
Hi ladies,
I started the weaning process with half a pill of Diane 35 two weeks ago ish. I was taking it for severe acne and I went off it cold turkey before in the past but broke out and immediately went back on it. My health has been going downhill ever since I had covid.
If anyone wants to give an update or “revive” this comment thread by telling their story I’d love and appreciate it.
I had terrible severe acne due to lithium for bipolar disorder. I tried treating it with accutane (two courses) and after that failed I tried three courses of antibiotics, which also failed. Hence why I started Diane 35.
I want to heal my post covid symptoms which is mainly why I’m wanting to quit Diane for good now.
So far, I have had minor breakouts already and a large dime sized cyst on my neck. But I can handle it so far.
I’m taking zinc, magnesium, d3, and salmon oil. Also I’m trying to follow an anti inflammatory diet by eating less junk food and carbohydrates and sweets. But sometimes I slip lol.
I’ve been wearing a pad constantly because I feel like I might get spotting or something at any time. I also have already felt tender breast/pain and bloating and abdominal pain. But it’s not too bad. I hope I can stick with this and be pill free someday. I don’t really have a plan for how long to take the half pill.
I think I was on Diane for about four or five years (not continuously since I did try stopping before).
I couldn’t really find many other online resources about this topic so thank you Tracy for making this space for us.