lindsayb1, did you tell your dermatologist first that you were gonna wean off of the bcp?? did your dr say weaning off would be helpful? cause i might tell my dermatologist that i wanna try weaning off the bcp eventually
hello,
no, i did not tell my dermatologist i weaned off it. i just figured that rather than going cold turkey which would put my body at a shock without all those hormones from the pill, i would gradually allow my body to adjust to the lowered dosage.
Honestly- so far, with the help of the supplements i am taking, it has been a godsend. Yes, i get 1 or 2 pimples occassionally but never any full blown cysts as I had before when I was off the pill cold turkey 4 years ago.
you have to be patient when weaning off as that was what i did for at least 6 months, so my body did not depend on the bcp any more.
good luck!
I am planning to go off of bcp's after being on them for 11 years. I am 25 and still have moderately bad acne even though I am on the pill. I am going to try weaning myself off, this seems to be a logical answer to this issue.
Can someone else post if they have recently begun the weaning process and what has occurred? Also, how have sex drives and weight been affected? I am stopping bcp's mainly because tehy are doing no real good for my skin and my sex drive is super low. I am terrified to return to the acne I had before though, it is still bad--but manageable..
Linsayb1: Did you take those supplements during the bcp weaning process??? Did you notice spotting or other issues when weaning?
thanks
jdt
I've been trying to read about weaning off the pill and I read somewhere that it might be dangerous to cut the pills because they are coated, and when you cut them, you are exposing your body to the pill uncoated. Has anyone heard anything from their doctor about cutting the pills?
I've been trying to read about weaning off the pill and I read somewhere that it might be dangerous to cut the pills because they are coated, and when you cut them, you are exposing your body to the pill uncoated. Has anyone heard anything from their doctor about cutting the pills?
hmmm.... my bcp were not coated so i had no issues.
today is week 17 that i am off the pills and so far, i got 1 small pimple on my eyebrow area..but it beats having cysts!
i didn't get my period yet... i'm about 2 weeks late so we'll see...
hmmm.... my bcp were not coated so i had no issues.
today is week 17 that i am off the pills and so far, i got 1 small pimple on my eyebrow area..but it beats having cysts!
i didn't get my period yet... i'm about 2 weeks late so we'll see...
Congratulations on your success! I'll take late periods and small breakouts to being on this stupid pill. I'm almost done my current pack of Yaz and then the next pack, I'm going to start cutting them up. I still don't have resolution on the issue of the pill being coated and any dangers, but...I'm really anxious to start the weaning process.
Oh lindsayb1, just to clarify, you didn't start your supplement regiment until after you had completely weaned yourself off and were not taking any pills any more, correct?
You're exactly right! I started taking the herbal supplements AFTER i quit BCP. But at that point, i was weaning off the pill for a good 6 months so my dosage was less than a quarter from the original amount. Tomorrow is week 18 that i am off the pill and so far, i am amazed that i had no major cysts YET.
but no period yet.. still.. so now i know my period skipped this month. Hopefully i will get it soon.Good luck!
Hi lindsay,
Regarding your last post, I'm curious why you started the supplements if you had no major breakouts during the weaning process? I am currently weaning off diane 35 and still deciding whether I should commit to the supplement routine or not. I'm a few months in and down to half a pill. 
)
Well, I talked to my GP about weaning off the pill - she said there was no reason why she thought it would work in terms of keeping acne at bay, but she said it wouldn't harm me either. So come Tuesday, I will start taking only 3/4 of a pill. Hopefully I won't have too many issues cutting them up.
@brenmc, how is your weaning going?
lindsay, what brand of vitex do you take? what dosage? l'eremita, it's going ok, I have a bit of redness today but no cysts. I'm down to half a pill after 3 months.
Oh wow!!! At least no cysts!! Perhaps weaning off does help! As for me, i get occasional breakouts too but NOTHING compared to the first time I got off the pill.
This month, i completely skipped my period which sucks but I'm thinking its because the hormones are trying to get balanced.
I take Nature's Source Vitex ... you should buy it from Lucky Vitamin online.. it's like 30% cheaper.
Please remember to wean off slowly.. it took me a good 6 months too! And hopefully, if you have had success this route, you can help the other girls who are trying to get off the pill to try it this way.
Good luck!
Hi lindsay,
Regarding your last post, I'm curious why you started the supplements if you had no major breakouts during the weaning process? I am currently weaning off diane 35 and still deciding whether I should commit to the supplement routine or not. I'm a few months in and down to half a pill.
Hi,
I started taking supplements because the first time i got off the pill, i had MAJOR MAJOR breakouts on my face, back, everywhere! It were all cysts and till this day, i have pockmarks from it.
I've done research and while my weaning of my pill, they said the vitex and dong quai would help my hormones regulate. (i always had a hard time with my period) WHen I was weaning off, I noticed my periods wern't coming and only lasting one day... the supplements helped me keep regular for 2 months..although now i've skipped it.but good luck and right now, i think i'm on week 17 or week 18... and no cysts yet!!!
I'd recommend some of you check this blog out and read the entry about people getting acne AFTER coming off Birth Control.
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/660/should-y...h-control-pill/
Hi Lindsay,
Did you have any breakthrough bleeding or weird cycles while you went through this process? I am in a similar situation to you, been on birth control for over ten years, dying to go off, but I've finally gotten my acne under control and I'm worried about breaking out after going off of birth control. I'd like to try weaning, but I know that if I've ever missed a few pills I've ended up having really weird bleeding - breakthrough bleeding during my cycle or a very long period. I'm afraid that if I tried to wean the same thing would happen!
Did you experience this??
Hi lindsay,
Regarding your last post, I'm curious why you started the supplements if you had no major breakouts during the weaning process? I am currently weaning off diane 35 and still deciding whether I should commit to the supplement routine or not. I'm a few months in and down to half a pill.
actually, i didn't have major breakouts during the weaning process because i probably had the bcp hormones in me. I do remember when i got off the pill the FIRST time, for the first month, i was CLEAR. then after a month, i had MAJOR cysts. that's why i got on the supplements. to make sure i was properly getting my body on track. one thing that sucks is that i haven't had my period in 4 months though!
Hi Lindsay,
Did you have any breakthrough bleeding or weird cycles while you went through this process? I am in a similar situation to you, been on birth control for over ten years, dying to go off, but I've finally gotten my acne under control and I'm worried about breaking out after going off of birth control. I'd like to try weaning, but I know that if I've ever missed a few pills I've ended up having really weird bleeding - breakthrough bleeding during my cycle or a very long period. I'm afraid that if I tried to wean the same thing would happen!
Did you experience this??
Hi, actually, my periods have stopped 
But i've always had this problem and I think i might have PCOS. The only time i remember getting break through bleeding was when i STARTED the pills more than 10 years ago... never since.
Good luck with your weaning process!
lindsayb1, thank you so much for posting about this - it made me feel the slightest glimmer of hope that I too can get off bc pills! I've been on them for 11 years, am 29 now and still get acne! I don't know why I'm taking it if it's not even keeping me clear, and the side effects that come along with it are horrible. Please keep us updated with your progress!
Hi! I‚´m new here, I actually created an account just so I could give my possible explanation to your problem. I‚´ve read so much about acne and all of its possible causes and one of them is a candida overgrowth, which is majorly triggered by the use of bc. So I don‚´t know, maybe you should do some research about it and see if it might be your case and try weaning off bc. Hope I was helpful...good luck! 
I've been on the pill pretty regularly for the last 7 years or so. I was first on Ortho Cyclen for about 4 years, stopped for about a year with no major side effects. Went on Yaz for 2 years, stopped back in November (7 months ago). Horrible, HORRIBLE side effects. Gained about 20 pounds and developed all kinds of acne. Chest, neck, back. Cysts on jawline. Pimples on cheeks. Whiteheads on forehead. I actually had to cut my bangs to hide my forehead, and began going crazy with working out, eating healthy, drinking water, and nothing seemed to work!
I finally went back on the pill 4 months ago, and am on Avienne. Since my skin or body did not improve, I at least know that this pill is a low dose of hormone, and if someday I stop using it, it won't be as catastrophic. I went on spironolactone a month ago and am seeing some improvement.
Hey just joined today,
I know this topic is old, but I want to help other people with this issue as well 
I think the more info on this topic the better.
Ive been on the pill for 13 years and want off, with no side effects, as my friends have had and millions others of getting off the pill.
I found this topic talked to my doctor and started to cut my pills.
my doctor said she didnt see why it couldnt help.
so Ill update on how it goes....
(my bio>>> started with alesse, went to orthotrycyclen lo, went to orthotrycyclen, went to avri (huge mistake worst acne ever!) been on yaz now since august 2011, before started pill at age 14 had a few zits here n there never had full out acne besides when on avri pill, get the occasionall cyst pimple, rarely break out.)
currently on 1st of 6 packs started cutting 1/4s off so far so good... will keep updating.
this forum and topic may save my skin from disaster
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has tried this method to transition themselves ONTO bcp's.
I've tried numerous times and with many types of pills to go onto birth control pills, but I always end up quitting them within the first 3-4 months because I just can't handle the break-outs and other side effects.
I am wondering if I could try the next time by slowly adjusting my body to them...starting off by taking a quarter of a pill daily for a month or 2, then half a pill for 2 months, then 3/4s, and then finally the whole thing. Something along those lines.
I understand it would take months before I were on the full dose, but I'd much prefer that than having to deal with sudden assault of hormones and the acne that comes with them. I'd of course have to use a secondary method of birth control, and realize that spotting is likely.
Please share your thoughts and/or experiences on trying this.
Thanks,
Julia
hello!
lindsayb: you probably don't even check this anymore (& i'm hoping it's because you are still pimple-free, out & about w/ perfect skin!) but i'm wondering about the condition of your skin now and if you're still BCP-free. i'm 24 and my skin exploded w/ hormonal acne so i started taking beyaz (never took BCP in my life)... 4 months in and i want out because it's making me bloat/gain weight and i'm not comfortable with that. my skin became PERFECT almost immediately after i started taking beyaz but the weight gain is not worth it :/ i can never win when it comes to acne!! i'm doing 3/4 pill for 1 month, then 1/2 pill the 2nd month, 1/4 pill the 3rd month, and then back to nothing. hoping to god my skin won't explode again and my weight will stabilize during the process... i haven't had a pimple in 4 months but i'm already getting a little zit on my right cheek and i'm only on my 3rd day of weaning.
I had terrible acne as a teenager and started taking birth control to treat it. It is now 11 years later.
I've tried to get off of birth control a few times and each time it would end up in the same result super oily skin and an acne breakout 1-2 months after stopping the pill.
This time I tried weaning off the pill as some online threads are describing. It took me 6 months to wean off the pill and taking smaller cut doses each month. My last month on the pill was January and my skin was doing quite well until this month (April).
My face is breaking out into small pimples, which I am hoping to control with the tretinion gel I asked from my doctor. However, my chest and back are starting to break out too. I've been watching my diet, exercising, taking a showers immediately after my workouts, using Neutrogena grapefruit body wash and drinking water like a fish. I've even decreased by caffeine intake to 2-3 times a week.
Oh and the last time I got my period was in Feb. I read that it was normal to go months without getting your period after getting off the pill.. so I'm not worried and I know I'm not pregnant. However, what I do worry about is.. what on earth is going to happen to my skin when I finally do get regular periods again if I'm already starting to break out!?
I just want to live a normal acne free life.
Hi guys, I know that this topic is quite old and not many people have updated their progress on this, but I registered an account JUST to comment on this. I had severe hormonal acne for the past 10+ years (i'm 24 now) and have been taking Diane 35 for 1.5 years. Now my skin is pretty clear and I really want off because I'm worried it'll affect my reproductive ability later on (i do want babies some day!). I'm going to start weaning off starting today, taking 1/4 of the pill off.
I'll update frequently.
These posts really gave me hope!
Hi everyone,
I too have been following these threads and although I realise some are quite old I thought I'd add my story here as I've just started the 'weaning process' and want to keep a log of how I'm getting on.
I've had hormonal acne since a teenager and first went on dianette aged about 19. My doctor recommended I switch to yasmin a few yrs later and I've been on that ever since. I'm now 30 and would like to try for a baby soon, but I know from past experience when I've tried to come off yasmin before that my skin has been awful.
So I'm preparing for coming off more carefully this time.
About a month ago I started cutting bits off my pill to lower my dose ( now taking abt 1/2 tablet). So far so good. I've also been eating healthily, taking a good multivitamin, fish oils, evening primrose oil, B6, maca root, starflower oil and milk thistle. Phew!
Also cut down on caffeine & trying to drink more water..I have angus castus ready to start when I come off yasmin entirely & I have been stocking up on specialist skincare products too. At the moment my skin is 100% clear as it's always been while taking the pill. My periods are a little confused with the lower dose but skin seems happy so far!!
I will keep posting updates & hope I am as successful as some of the others on here have been! A x
HI I know this post was posted a few years ago. I just wanted to ask if you are still acne free? Also, you had mentioned that while you were weaving off the pill, your breakouts weren't "TOO BAD" can you please define that? does that mean a couple pimples here and there? And also did you start the vitamins as soon as you started reducing the strength of your birthcontrol or after you were completely off of it! and THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS POST!