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Stopping The Birth Control Pill Log

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 08/14/2013 2:23 am

I've decided to stop taking my birth control. I've been on and off it for four years in an attempt to control my mild/moderate acne. I've been on Yasmin, Estelle-35 (generic type of Diane, I think) and Yaz twice, which I'm also taking now.
This is a big deal for me, as my skin is finally calming down and I'm starting to get my confidence back. I go into a bit of a panic when I think about it because I know in the past when I've stopped taking it my skin goes crazy, which has a massive effect on my confidence and self-esteem, and has led to pretty severe anxiety.
I want to heal my body from the inside out. I'm tired of harming my body with synthetic hormones which are just a 'patch treatment' for my acne anyway. I'll be going the natural route, no chemicals, antibiotics etc.
So, I'm starting (well, stopping I guess!) on Saturday following a trip to the naturopath, and I'll be going cold turkey. I'm pretty determined to get off them, and stay off them this time. I want to be healthy and happy and confident.
current routine:
morning & night;
botani purify facial cleanser
thursday plantation tea tree medicated gel
botani rescue acne cream
naturopath herbal face cream (vitamin e, calendula, zinc, chamomile, liquorice).
botani boost balancing moisturiser
per day;
2000mg spirulina
1000iu vitamin d
20mg zinc (gluten and lactose free)
5ml high strength omega 3 liquid
1 tablet b complex
6.5g MagOpti (magnesium) powder
naturopath herbal liquid (valerian, passionflower, skullcap, clivers) (too expensive - $50 for 2 weeks eek!)
1tsp coconut oil (taken internally)
diet;
no sugars or processed foods (maybe a treat once per week, usually when I'm with my boyfriend tongue.png)
no dairy
no foods with high gi
2-3 litres of water per day
2-3 pieces of fruit per day
5-7 portions of veg
exercise 3-4 times per week
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(@elliew8)

Posted : 08/14/2013 6:26 am

hey, good luck with this...there have been a lot of horror stories about the side effects of coming off the pill so hats off! I panic every time i think about it :( hope you avoid these though, let us know what products you are using :)

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 08/17/2013 3:56 am

 

Day #1
I stopped taking Yaz today. I'm nervous, but I know doing this is for the best. I've been reading stories about side effects of taking it, including blood clots which can travel to your heart and cause heart attacks, or even to your eyes which can cause blindness. This stuff is scary, sometimes I wish I was better informed at 17.
I also visited a naturopath who has given me some herbal supplements/vitamins for my fatigue/anxiety/skin and a cream for my skin. She wants to wait until my body is rid of the pill and my hormones are getting back to normal before she starts addressing my hormones, which is fair enough. She said my diet was pretty clean, but I need to eat more protein. I'm also eliminating sugar, and carrying on with my low dairy and no processed foods diet.
I've put my updated routine in my first post.

 

 

Four active spots, the rest is PIH and redness. I have blackheads on my nose, but they're always been there, and to be honest, are the least of my worries at the moment.
Current: 60.5kg
side effects while taking Yaz:
- larger, angrier spots that would remain under the surface of my skin for a long time, and even come to the surface multiple times after the whitehead had been reabsorbed (?) into my skin. I also scar way more easily and my skin takes longer to heal in general.
- hair seems to fall out more (but I have a lot of hair so it doesn't really make much difference).
- bad leg pains (especially when lying in bed), to the extent where I would tense my legs to try and increase my circulation. That sounds awful. This side effect in particular makes me think I'm a complete idiot for not stopping it sooner.
- weight loss (around 8kg since the start of the year, though I have cleaned up my diet a lot)
- fatigue/muscle soreness
I'll be interested to see if any of this changes.

hey, good luck with this...there have been a lot of horror stories about the side effects of coming off the pill so hats off! I panic every time i think about it sad.png hope you avoid these though, let us know what products you are using smile.png

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 08/23/2013 11:31 pm

Day #7
One week off the pill! I have to say I'm feeling happier and more excited about life than I have for a long time. This is also probably to do with the fact that my skin has been pretty clear this week which I'm shocked but pleased about. Apart from the breakout I had at the start of the week (which I've put down to eating nachos, hot chocolate and then cold rock ice cream in one day - I really do think there is a connection between my diet and my acne now), I've had two spots this week, and neither have turned into a whitehead yet. It's crazy really, compared to the way my skin usually is (5-6+ active whiteheads at a time).
I'm hoping this isn't just the calm before the storm, but I'm definitely feeling more positive this week.
I have had a few side effects this week which I guess are a combination of coming off the pill and cleaning my diet up:
- more emotional/crying more easily (Disney songs made me cry the other day LOL)
- headache at night
- feeling angry at the beginning of the week
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(@sorbet)

Posted : 08/30/2013 8:42 pm

Day #14
My skin has been pretty similar to last week. I had a breakout (only three spots though!) early in the week, but I know this is probably due to the chocolate mousse, cheesecake, wine and liqueur I ate/drank two days before haha - it was a special occasion (meeting my boyfriend's family), so I'm letting myself off. I'm starting to think that sugar may play a big part in my acne, as I haven't had any new spots since.
I also went to uni and to dinner with friends without makeup on this week, which is kind of a big deal for me. I think the pill definitely contributed to my anxiety, I feel a lot calmer being off it, and I think I've got to the point with my skin where I don't really give a shit.
Also - no acne on my chest or back yet, another definite plus so far! I'm terrified that it's going to come back on my back as I used to have moderate acne there when I was younger. I hated it so much, and now being able to wear dresses with low cut backs and swimwear without having to worry about it is amazing! I'd hate to go back to how it was before, so fingers crossed!
My weight is still the same, and I haven't had any leg pains since stopping the pill - yay!

 

 

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(@wishclean)

Posted : 09/03/2013 8:02 pm

Hey! I came off birth control more than 5 years ago and I feel much better overall. I had some weird side effects too, and my doctors kept switching my bcp from one brand to the other until I got fed up and visited a naturopath instead. The first few months off birth control my skin was the clearest it had ever been, but then my hormones went out of whack again because my body was used to relying on synthetic hormones for too long. At one point, every woman has to go off birth control so it's good that you are doing it sooner rather than later (especially considering the side effects). You are only 2 weeks into it, so there shouldn't be any dramatic changes yet. If you can afford it, try to monitor your hormones every 3-6 months to see if there are any fluctuations. Good luck!

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 09/04/2013 8:19 pm

Hey! I came off birth control more than 5 years ago and I feel much better overall. I had some weird side effects too, and my doctors kept switching my bcp from one brand to the other until I got fed up and visited a naturopath instead. The first few months off birth control my skin was the clearest it had ever been, but then my hormones went out of whack again because my body was used to relying on synthetic hormones for too long. At one point, every woman has to go off birth control so it's good that you are doing it sooner rather than later (especially considering the side effects). You are only 2 weeks into it, so there shouldn't be any dramatic changes yet. If you can afford it, try to monitor your hormones every 3-6 months to see if there are any fluctuations. Good luck!

Hey WishClean! Thanks for your post. It's good to hear experiences from others who've done the same thing. How long were you on the pill for, if you don't mind me asking?

I had really bad breakouts while on Yaz from the fourth to ninth month (which is when I stopped taking them), so if I do break out, hopefully they won't get any worse than that. I did come off Yaz a few years ago and from what I can remember my acne only got a little bit worse, and that was back when I just washed my face and ate whatever I wanted. And I was on Yaz for pretty much the same amount of time as before, so hopefully now I'm doing everything I can, my skin might not go completely crazy (fingers crossed!) - though I'm definitely expecting break outs of some kind.
I'm considering getting my hormone levels checked, and I think my naturopath is interested in seeing the results as well. Thanks for the suggestion!
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(@wishclean)

Posted : 09/05/2013 10:09 pm

I responded to your message, it ended up being longer than I wanted it to be lol.

It seems like you are taking all the right precautions. You can definitely regulate your hormones through diet, supplements, and low stress levels especially since it doesn't seem like you have major skin issues at the moment. Naturopaths sometimes prescribe too many things, so it's good to have the hormonal testing done to make sure they are recommending the basics and not just a bunch of extra herbs that you don't necessarily need (and are expensive!)

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 09/08/2013 2:34 am

Day #22
I'd say my skin has been slightly worse than last week, although I have been majorly stressed and have eaten a few things I shouldn't have. One small red spot came up on my back too (argh!) but it pretty much disappeared overnight and it's just a tiny red dot now. And I have a single spot on my chest - no biggie though.
One bad thing that started late last week was this incredible dizziness I've been getting. I have a medical condition that makes me faint anyway, but this dizziness feels different, and I'm wondering whether it has to do with the pill/my diet. It's gotten so bad that I've nearly fainted three times this week (and once I was sitting down!) I've had to stop work for a while too because it's not possible for me to stand for long periods of time without getting dizzy. Hopefully this is only temporary and is just a side effect of stopping the pill!
I saw a doctor this week too, and she asked why I'd stopped the pill. I told her the side effects I'd experienced, and that I was worried about the long-term side effects, and she pretty much scoffed at what I said and proceeded to tell me that 'the pill had no long-term side effects', which I find very hard to believe. Surely putting a synthetic hormone into your body has got to have some effect?

I responded to your message, it ended up being longer than I wanted it to be lol.

It seems like you are taking all the right precautions. You can definitely regulate your hormones through diet, supplements, and low stress levels especially since it doesn't seem like you have major skin issues at the moment. Naturopaths sometimes prescribe too many things, so it's good to have the hormonal testing done to make sure they are recommending the basics and not just a bunch of extra herbs that you don't necessarily need (and are expensive!)

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(@magicandlights)

Posted : 09/08/2013 3:54 pm

Hey your situation seems similar to mine. My skin got better the first month after coming off of the pill but then I guess my hormones went out of whack again and I seem to be breaking out again. Mostly they seem to be alot of whiteheads around my mouth and chin area, but they are all scarring even when I leave them alone :/ I'm pretty sure it has to be hormones, and I'm thinking that it may be somthing to do with too much male hormone because I'm getting the break outs mostly between ovulation and my period. I've been doing some research and I've ordered saw palmetto to see if that helps any. I will let you know how I get on :)

It's so hard to pinpoint what works, I wish you well, keep us updated :)

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 09/09/2013 7:09 pm

Hey your situation seems similar to mine. My skin got better the first month after coming off of the pill but then I guess my hormones went out of whack again and I seem to be breaking out again. Mostly they seem to be alot of whiteheads around my mouth and chin area, but they are all scarring even when I leave them alone :/ I'm pretty sure it has to be hormones, and I'm thinking that it may be somthing to do with too much male hormone because I'm getting the break outs mostly between ovulation and my period. I've been doing some research and I've ordered saw palmetto to see if that helps any. I will let you know how I get on smile.png

It's so hard to pinpoint what works, I wish you well, keep us updated smile.png

Hey, thanks for your comment! I think it's a pretty common thing with women coming off the pill! My skin hasn't really been any better, pretty much just the same as it was when I was on the pill, though I've noticed a difference since I cleaned up my diet and stopped picking!

Which pill were you taking and how long were you on it for?

Mine scar even when I leave them alone too! It's so annoying, especially when you're trying your best not to scar yourself and spread the infection, and you still scar anyway! Definitely let me know how you do on saw palmetto, I've heard good things about it!

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(@wishclean)

Posted : 09/09/2013 10:05 pm

Hey! The dizziness is concerning...are you still getting dizzy spells? I think if that continues you should go to a different doctor. Do you have problems with blood pressure or blood sugar? If your blood pressure or blood sugar drops suddenly, then that causes dizziness. Some birth control pills can impact those areas, and there are specific diets you can follow to stabilize your blood pressure/sugar. I hope it's a short-term side effect.

Doctors who only studied the limited "western" options for controlling acne will of course defend their methods because they don't like patients who contradict them or who have their own opinion. My doctor (who is trained in both western and alternative medicine) told me that the numbness I am experiencing in my hands and feet could be a long-term side effect of birth control (which can cause thrombosis/blood clots, it's included in the bcp warning doctors never bother explaining to us) even if I stopped bcp years ago!

So if the dizziness continues, go see another specialist because it could be serious - hopefully not, but since you already have a medical condition that causes fainting, it doesn't hurt to get checked up.

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(@magicandlights)

Posted : 09/10/2013 8:11 am

Hey your situation seems similar to mine. My skin got better the first month after coming off of the pill but then I guess my hormones went out of whack again and I seem to be breaking out again. Mostly they seem to be alot of whiteheads around my mouth and chin area, but they are all scarring even when I leave them alone :/ I'm pretty sure it has to be hormones, and I'm thinking that it may be somthing to do with too much male hormone because I'm getting the break outs mostly between ovulation and my period. I've been doing some research and I've ordered saw palmetto to see if that helps any. I will let you know how I get on smile.png

It's so hard to pinpoint what works, I wish you well, keep us updated smile.png

Hey, thanks for your comment! I think it's a pretty common thing with women coming off the pill! My skin hasn't really been any better, pretty much just the same as it was when I was on the pill, though I've noticed a difference since I cleaned up my diet and stopped picking!

Which pill were you taking and how long were you on it for?

Mine scar even when I leave them alone too! It's so annoying, especially when you're trying your best not to scar yourself and spread the infection, and you still scar anyway! Definitely let me know how you do on saw palmetto, I've heard good things about it!

my skin was never great but nothing like it is now. I was originally on the pill microgynon (combined pill) for about 5 years I would say not for skin issues, then randomly came off it and was fine for about a year, then I got acne (ages 26) so I went back on the pill Ovranette (which is supposed to be exactly the same as microgynon) it made no difference so I asked to be put on microgynon just to try as my skin was great those past 5 years. Made no difference so then I went back and she gave me Cerelle which is a progestogen only pill. I read the reviews that almost all people said it was the worse pill for acne so I didn't dare use it. I then decided to take a three month break which is where I am now getting these little whiteheads around the mouth and chin. The only thing I can think of is that one of my hormones is unbalanced but it's just trial and error.

Have you been on any other pill other than Yaz?

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 09/11/2013 8:14 pm

Hey! The dizziness is concerning...are you still getting dizzy spells? I think if that continues you should go to a different doctor. Do you have problems with blood pressure or blood sugar? If your blood pressure or blood sugar drops suddenly, then that causes dizziness. Some birth control pills can impact those areas, and there are specific diets you can follow to stabilize your blood pressure/sugar. I hope it's a short-term side effect.

Doctors who only studied the limited "western" options for controlling acne will of course defend their methods because they don't like patients who contradict them or who have their own opinion. My doctor (who is trained in both western and alternative medicine) told me that the numbness I am experiencing in my hands and feet could be a long-term side effect of birth control (which can cause thrombosis/blood clots, it's included in the bcp warning doctors never bother explaining to us) even if I stopped bcp years ago!

So if the dizziness continues, go see another specialist because it could be serious - hopefully not, but since you already have a medical condition that causes fainting, it doesn't hurt to get checked up.

Yeah, I recently had a faint/seizure so I've had lots of different tests in the past couple of weeks. I actually just got my diagnosis yesterday, no epilepsy (thank goodness) but I do have moderate neurocardiogenic syncope, which is apparently where the dizziness is coming from, but the neurologist said that the withdrawal from the pill probably isn't helping matters either. So the dizziness is to do with a drop in blood pressure, but I was only just told yesterday it could be low blood sugars too... I'll look into the diet for stabilising my blood sugars, thank you!

I've found that I get dizzy after a meal (which makes eating out a pain!), after working out or standing up for a long time.

my skin was never great but nothing like it is now. I was originally on the pill microgynon (combined pill) for about 5 years I would say not for skin issues, then randomly came off it and was fine for about a year, then I got acne (ages 26) so I went back on the pill Ovranette (which is supposed to be exactly the same as microgynon) it made no difference so I asked to be put on microgynon just to try as my skin was great those past 5 years. Made no difference so then I went back and she gave me Cerelle which is a progestogen only pill. I read the reviews that almost all people said it was the worse pill for acne so I didn't dare use it. I then decided to take a three month break which is where I am now getting these little whiteheads around the mouth and chin. The only thing I can think of is that one of my hormones is unbalanced but it's just trial and error.

Have you been on any other pill other than Yaz?

I was on Yasmin when I was 17 which made my skin clear, but it made my depression/anxiety too difficult to deal with, so I switched to Yaz, which made my skin really clear too. I think I stopped Yaz a few months after my 18th birthday. I still had mild acne when I came off but nothing too bad. I went on Estelle-35 around May 2012, when I was 20, and got the worst acne of my life - on my cheeks for the first time ever, really bad all over my chin and some on my forehead. My skin slowly improved but was still bad. I switched back to Yaz January of this year and my skin was clear for fourth months, and then broke out for five months.

The only thing is, my acne was only ever very mild before the pill. I'm cursing my 17 year old self for ever going on them!!

It'll probably take a while for us to get back to 'normal' in regards to our hormones, but I know I'd definitely never go back on them. Would you say your acne is mild/moderate/severe at the moment?

Fingers crossed for both of us!

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(@magicandlights)

Posted : 09/12/2013 8:05 am

Ah so you have been on a few pills like me. It's weird isn't it what they can do. I think it's so hard to work out what hormone is not balanced. I don't even know if they test hormones over here in the UK. When I ask the doctor she said there was no such test but I've read there is from people online.

I totally agree with you about it taking a while for it to return back to normal.

I'm almost certain now that my breakouts are too much male hormone as the little whiteheads I had all over are clearing up now I'm due on any day and that is when the male hormone plummets so I've read so it makes sense.

I got my saw palmetto tablets through but I didn't do much research before I ordered and I seem to have ordered 500mg tablets and from what I can see people start on much lower dosage so I think I may lay off until next month and see if the whiteheads come back and get a smaller dosage to start then.

My skin is so annoying because it's dry as well so I bet the skin is getting stuck in my pores and it's sensitive so I have to watch what I use. Ugh!

My acne is mild I would say, but every now and then moderate. How about yours? And what would you say your skin type is like? Oily? dry?

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 09/12/2013 7:13 pm

Day #27
My skin's been better this week, woo! I'm on my second day of being clear, which must be some kind of miracle. My makeup went on so nice last night smile.png The only thing I've changed this week is taking coconut oil and using less product on my face, and I've definitely been less stressed, so maybe that's having an effect.
I am starting to break out on my back though, boo. It's pretty much just 4-5 red marks, but they're definitely there. So I'm washing my back with cetaphil gentle skin cleanser and putting on my tea tree gel twice a day. Ugh. I'm kinda disappointed because summer's coming up, but hopefully it's only going to be temporary.
My hair is still falling out a lot, maybe even a little bit more than when I was on the pill, which isn't fun. I have so much hair you can't tell though.
Also, I have way less anxiety than I did when I was on the pill. I didn't realise at the time, but now I'm off it I can definitely tell the difference. The anxiety about my skin is still there, but it feels like there's less pressure than before.
Magicandlights; I know, so many side effects! I wish I would've been better informed when I was 17. I've heard different things from doctors! One told me you couldn't get them either, but another said you could but it was super expensive. I'm sure you'd be able to get it done though! Maybe you'd have to go to hospital or something...
Oh no way! I'm due in a couple of days so maybe that's why I'm clearer at the moment too! Hm, that's interesting.
Ah I hate that! While I was using BP my skin got really dry and I think it just made everything worse. Are you using a good moisturiser?
My skin is combination... my cheeks are normal, my nose/forehead are oily and I'd say my chin is normal/oily haha. Yep, I'd say mine was mild and moderate every now and again too. Do you get it anywhere else or is it just your face?
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(@geeking)

Posted : 09/13/2013 10:43 pm

I'm utterly terrified of coming off the pill but part of me really wants to - been about 3-4 years as well. I will definitely keep an eye on this post. Good luck!

You feel your hair loss is from coming off the pill? How long does it take for the pill to be fully out of your system?

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 09/14/2013 12:26 am

I'm utterly terrified of coming off the pill but part of me really wants to - been about 3-4 years as well. I will definitely keep an eye on this post. Good luck!

You feel your hair loss is from coming off the pill? How long does it take for the pill to be fully out of your system?

Thank you for the luck! To be honest, I'm still completely terrified haha, but I keep telling myself it's the right thing to do.

As for the hair loss, yes, the pill is the only thing I can think of that's contributing. I'm very healthy apart from the pill so I can't think of anything else that it could be :( I noticed I lost more hair while taking it too, but now when I brush my hair/in the shower, I would say I'm losing a little more than before. It's not particularly worrying me at the moment though because it's not obvious and I don't have bald spots or anything, but I'm not too happy that it's happening!

I think the hormones themselves are out of your system within a few days (because you can get pregnant pretty much straight away), but then it can take months for your body to regulate itself properly again. From what I've read the average seems to be 3-6 months (as for when people break out/have side effects), but I've read that it takes 1-2 years + for some people (though these women seem to have been on it for 10+ years).

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(@geeking)

Posted : 09/17/2013 10:43 pm

I found my hair changed once going on the pill, not drastically but I noticed - more fell out and I think the texture kind of changed. Maybe it's just me because I notice any little thing that goes on with me. Maybe once you've been off it you'll balance and the hair loss will slow down and stop.

I kind of like being on the pill but I don't like to be on it hah it's one of those things. Plus who wants to be on it forever?

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 09/20/2013 8:47 pm

 

Day #35
My skin has been pretty good again this week. I've only had a couple of spots on my chin, and a couple of small ones of my forehead. Oh, and I've been getting some very small whiteheads around my mouth area, but they're not really noticeable and go away within a day or so.
My back is still the same as last week. Definitely more very small red spots on my chest this week, though they don't seem to come to a head very often and are reacting well to the tea tree gel. These don't bother me much either because you can't particularly seem them unless you look really close.
Also, I got my period this week. I'm actually thrilled LOL. I was only a day late. I'm so happy my body got back into the cycle I had before taking the pill so quickly. Such a relief.

 

 

Hahaha I've got my hair scraped back here so these photos make me look bald tongue.png

I kind of like being on the pill but I don't like to be on it hah it's one of those things. Plus who wants to be on it forever?

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(@sorbet)

Posted : 09/27/2013 9:04 pm

Day #42
Had a breakout at the start of the week (probably about five whiteheads) after staying at my boyfriend's - curse his stubble (LOL)! A couple are still healing.
I've noticed my skin is healing so much quicker than it used to though, any whiteheads I get usually appear and disappear in 48 hours, but mostly within 24. This leads me to believe that my skin didn't heal itself as quickly when I was on the pill. This week I've also noticed my hair is falling out less in the shower - yay! My period also came and went without any trouble, looks like I'm back to normal in that department.
One thing (probably the best thing, actually) is my anxiety has decreased by at least 50% since being off the pill, though this is probably also because my skin has been pretty good the past few weeks. I seem to be able to rationalise having spot more than I used to. Having a positive mindset is a good thing, I'm coming to realise. Hopefully my skin keeps behaving itself (sort of) so I can keep it up.
I had a small breakout under my chin this week, this happened quite frequently when I was on Estelle-35. Thankfully it has pretty much healed. My back and chest are still about the same. I only have two medium red spots on my back, though they're healing now. My chest still has little red dots but you can still only see them if you look close.
Day #44
I'm breaking out under my chin, waaaaah. unsure.png
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(@sorbet)

Posted : 10/04/2013 7:02 pm

Day #49
My back and chest are so much better - no breakouts in the past week. Under my jawline/neck broke out in two new spots earlier in the week, but they are just red dots now.
I had a spot come up on my right cheek this week (I never ever get them on my cheeks - I only ever had them when I was on Estelle-35), but that's healed now. I've had quite a few whiteheads come up along my hairline this week, not sure why this is happening. My chin is having a small breakout too, but I'm pretty sure this is my fault. I picked a couple about a week ago, and have been over-treating so my skin is pretty dry. I need to stop obsessing about my skin!
I'm also starting to incorporate Kimberly Snyder's ideas about diet into my diet. My diet is really good anyway (no sugar, high GI foods or dairy, lots of fruit and veg), but I think I could eat more salad and vegetables. I'm not going to go vegetarian though, I've tried before and it didn't work out for me. Starting with the Glowing Green Smoothies in the mornings and starting food pairing. I'm probably not going to be perfect at first but I'll see how it goes this week.
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(@sorbet)

Posted : 10/10/2013 7:10 pm

Day #51

So, bad news. I'm back on the pill. But I need to start by saying I am NOT back on the pill for skin purposes, I'm on it for birth control. In an ideal world I would not be taking it.
I came off the pill thinking that it'd be possible to find more natural forms of bc, but this hasn't been the case. I was fitted for a diaphragm only to be told that they've been discontinued where I live, and spermicide isn't available in Aus. I then tried to get a copper IUD, but was told because I hadn't had kids it would have to be a day-stay procedure in hospital, costing around $1000. I thought everything was going well just using condoms until one broke and I had to take Plan B. I was pretty sick the week afterwards.
As far as my skin was off the pill, it improved. I guess if you had perfect skin on the pill you will break out to some extent, but my breakouts got significantly less. I have one active spot at the moment, whereas before I had six or seven at once. This probably has to do with my diet/supplements though.
My skin is a little more oily. My back and neck broke out so I think I got to the 'breaking out' stage at about a month being off the pill. This has been kept under control washing my back/neck twice a day with Cetaphil and treating with a tea tree gel. My chest also broke out into tiny red dots, maybe around 15, which never come to a head and aren't painful, and you can't see them unless you get really close. This is also kept under control with the same products as above.
Apart from that, my anxiety decreased and I didn't gain/lose any weight. My menstrual cycle was back to normal straight away, 32 days on the dot, just like when I'm not on the pill.
I guess this 'experiment' has made me more confident that my face won't become a complete mess when coming off the pill, and to anyone who is looking to come off, all you can do is try.
I'd suggest completely cleaning your diet up (no sugar, dairy, high GI foods), drinking 3 litres of water per day, exercising, being gentle with your skin care routine, minimise stress and taking supplements (I would even start taking them before you stop taking the pill).
Good luck ladies! x
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MemberMember
76
(@geeking)

Posted : 01/31/2014 4:07 pm

 

are you back on the same pill as before?

 

thanks for this thread, it gives me a bit of hope that I will be ok; I never thought the pill would contribute to anxiety but mine has been soso bad - I don't remember being this bad before starting the pill.

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