Today we’re going to be diving into a topic we get many questions about: transitioning off hormonal contraceptives.
Some people decide to discontinue birth control in hopes to start a family, while others transition off their hormonal pill, IUD, rod, or ring due to undesired side effects or are looking to uncover the root cause of their hormonal imbalance symptoms.
Whatever your reason may be, Pollie advisor Dr. Pooja Mahanti has compiled some tips if you are looking to transition off hormonal birth control.
- Take a multivitamin to help replenish your body’s key nutrients
Did you know that hormonal contraceptives can deplete your body of key nutrients including B12, B2, B6, selenium, magnesium, zinc, and more?
These nutrients play an important role in driving our biochemical pathways and support several additional processes within our body. Taking a quality multivitamin during and after birth control usage can help you restore these nutrients, especially if your diet does not provide you with all the necessary nutrients.
2.Expect changes to your mood, libido, anxiety, and acne
If you have had regular menstrual cycles before starting birth control, your period should return in about three months after discontinuing the medication. Since the pill and other forms of hormonal contraception use synthetic hormones to mimic your body’s natural hormone production, your body will need some time to restore the communication between the brain and ovaries.
During this time, changes in mood and libido, anxiety, or acne may occur as you wean off the synthetic hormones, but this typically does not last longer than three months.
3. Be prepared for you body to return to your “pre-birth control” state
If you initially started birth control for specific symptoms such as acne, painful or irregular periods, heavy flows, severe cramping, or PMS, these symptoms will very likely return, and in some cases, in even greater severity than before starting your contraceptive method.
The reason for this is because birth control simply suppresses these symptoms and does not actually address the underlying root cause of your symptoms. If you are experiencing a resurgence in your symptoms after discontinuing birth control, our care team is here to help!
But what if I don’t get my period back after three months discontinuing the pill?
If you do not get your period back within six months, Dr. Mahanti recommends consulting with your OBGYN to uncover the underlying causes of why that may be happening. It may also be beneficial to work with a functional medicine practitioner who can support you holistically and further evaluate the root cause of your symptoms from a whole body perspective.
Want more tips on transitioning off birth control?
