I'm on the exact same problem as you. Except, I don't take spiro. I wanna get off birth control as well, but I already have a lot of pimples while being ON the pill. So scared... I first wanted to clear my face completely before getting off, but it does not seem te respond yet..

Same here. Never had cysts in my teens, had a lot of breakouts though so went on bc. After going off BC I eventually developed these big hard deep acne, and have since been on and off the pill with now much more mediocre results than before. It seems like birth control is getting less and less effective for me now in terms of curing acne. Not sure what to do. I tried taking fish oil and other supplements after breaks from pill, but they've done virtually 0 difference. I read a few posts here about DIM, but after doing more research discovered there hasn't been enough studies on it yet, and I don't know if I actually want to put something I don't know much about in my body. Gonna see a doc pretty soon, maybe I can figure it out.

I'm not sure what birth control pill I was on but both my friend and I, when we came off of it, had about three months where your skin is ok, then you start to break out again. I think it is at the level of how bad your skin was before the pill, but I started it taking it too early (for period problems) that I didn't actually know how bad my skin was until I stopped taking it. Yes your skin will break out, but it shouldn't completely cover your face with cystic acne.

Hope this helps

Hi JennaBean, I don't know for sure, but I would think being on Spiro when you go off the pill would help some. There's also the option of weaning off birth control that seems to be working for quite a few people. That's what I plan to do when I eventually go off the pill (Diane 35.... the one notorious for making peoples' skin go nuts after going off). There should be some threads on here about weaning off BC.

Jep, that's exactly what I will do; weaning off! I'm just at this point trying to figure out WHY I would still break out while being on the pill (ok, it's a very light version, but still!) so I can fix those triggers. I would like to do a food allergy test to see if that might help for me. I already eat pretty healthy. I take 2 smoothies a day (one green, one berry) vedges as a side dish to my breads and vedges at dinner. I cutted out all refined sugars and fast-carbs. I don't want to go too crazy on my diet, because I just know I won't be able to stick with it. I weight 48 kg, which is really thin and I will lose weight on almost every adjustment, so going any further is not really an option. Also, I'm a social person and being on such diet will just feel like a punishment and make me even more depressed about it.

I think I will try to heal my gut flora if that's possible and then do a food allergy test (yay, another 200 euros goes in fire) and cut out all my allergen foods (please please no gluten!!) to see what kind of different that makes. And of course, when I'm off the pill I will try something like vitex or insitol to get regular again. Also stuff to control possible sugar spikes or insulin resistance might be helpful...

I went crazy last time I quit BCP. Diane 35 is a horrible, horrible drug! Big fat pussy pimples would be on my entire face and they would reach from my back to my bums. They said I had pcos which I'm still not convinced off... I mean... I'm just 100% sure that this drug did this to me. Almost everyone who is acne prone comes of BCP worse than before!

So maybe it's an idea to first go on a lighter pill before weaning off? That way your body can already adjust a little to lighter versions of hormones.

I will do this weaning at around april... at that time I will have almost finished university, so stress will fade and spring is beginning here in Holland... I think that's the best time for me to do it. By that time I hope that I've figured out for myself what I can do best do control the post-birth control break out.

I already dealed with the fact that I will always have oily skin and somewhat acne, and that's completely fine, no one is perfect! But not being able to go on the street is just not aceptable for me...

well, it's kind of a long story. Haha

And it just makes me angry that my stupid doctor would have given me diane 35, while I had only had oily skin when I started taking the drug... really, nothing bad at all. I just know that if I wouldn't have taken any bcp at all, I would have been almost completely clear by now! Sure, like I said, I would still have oily skin and some occasional acne, but that's fine! *frustrationssssss* lol

missC1990, I've been breaking out mildly a lot of the time I've been on Diane 35 (2 years exactly). Most aren't cystic but I do get those occasionally.

I've never been able to find anything that triggers my acne. Before I went on Diane 35, I went about two years eating extremely healthy foods, exercising daily and had almost no stress.... still had cysts. Then for a while during school, I'd eat terribly, for example eat basically nothing but Halloween candy for two weeks (don't judge me!!), get no exercise, be stressed as hell.... still had cysts. But they weren't any worse than before. My acne has never been any better or worse during my time of the month. No soaps, moisturizers or makeup seem to have any negative or positive effect on my skin. I find it weird. Maybe I have to do what some people on here do and completely cut out dairy, gluten, etc.

When you suggest taking a milder pill as you're weaning off Diane, do you mean you'd be taking two BC pills at once? I'm not sure about that... I wonder if anyone has done it.

I'm also waiting until around May to start weaning because I'll be defending my thesis in April and my stress levels will be through the roof for the next few months! Do you know how long you're going to take to wean off?

blossom, to me your acne does not sound hormonal at all! But I'm unfortunately not one of the well educated people about hormones on this forum. All I do know that hormonal acne definitely gets worse whenever stressing, bad food, etc. Since that isn't the case for you, maybe a food allergy is?

I know for 100% sure my acne is hormonal, for the biggest part. On diane I would halve 1-2 very small zits weekly. On this pill it's 6-8 and without it would problably at least double... But just because it's a hormonal problem doesn't mean that nothing else is triggering it. All the little things that I can do to help is at least something...

No, lol, I did not mean taking both at the same time. I meant switching BCP. Switch from diane to a much lighter version that would still compete a little with testosteron. Oh and about DIM.... just saying it broke the hell out of me. I read somewhere it can increase free testosterone so that was a definite notice on my skin.

I feel tired about the acne subject, like I should give it a rest. I've been searching for days about food intollerances, thyroid problems, hormonal imbalances, gut healing, etc, etc. I just don't know what would appeal on me, and there's no doctor out there who's educated enough to help me ;/ I feel overall pretty fine, energic and healthy but I do have some IBS problems. Pff, am I the only person who is that angry about this problem all the time? Maybe that's a dragon too... the anger on this subject. Lol

Hey everyone! Thanks for your replys! All very helpful!

I am on ortho tri cyclen Lo. I thought about switching to the regular one, but since my skin has been doing well, I decided not to. And also, decided not to since I want to come off of it soon.

I know people suggest weaning off of them. But how?? Wouldn't taking one every other day, one every 3rd day...etc,....completely mess up your hormones?

And yeah, I never had acne before going off the pill that one time. As a teen I would get your typical small bump and whiteheads. But no cystic. I think going off the pill totally screwed me up. But that was like 7 years ago! Wouldn't my body be back to "normal" by now? Guess not since my blood tests did show elevated (slightly) testosterone. But it definitely seems like the pill isn't as effective on acne the 2nd/3rd time around.

Most people will cut off 1/4 of the pill for 2-3 months, then 1/2, then 3/4. So the entire process can take 6+ months but there are a lot of success stories from doing it that way!

Most people will cut off 1/4 of the pill for 2-3 months, then 1/2, then 3/4. So the entire process can take 6+ months but there are a lot of success stories from doing it that way!

Hi apple blossom! I've read that too! But they are soooo small! I'm worried that the whole pill will scrumble if I try to do that! Lol

JennaBean - I do think the Spiro will help, and it's great you've already put in the time so that it's working. Any crazy androgen activity that happens off the pill SHOULD be blocked by the Spiro. I'm actually really curious to know what happens, and please do let us know because it will be educational. I'm sort of in an opposite but similar boat because I'm going on hormone replacement (already started the estrogen patch and so far so good, but this Sunday I start cycling progesterone). I've been on Spiro a year so I'm hoping it will block any conversion of progesterone into testosterone. We are human science experiments!

JennaBean - I do think the Spiro will help, and it's great you've already put in the time so that it's working. Any crazy androgen activity that happens off the pill SHOULD be blocked by the Spiro. I'm actually really curious to know what happens, and please do let us know because it will be educational. I'm sort of in an opposite but similar boat because I'm going on hormone replacement (already started the estrogen patch and so far so good, but this Sunday I start cycling progesterone). I've been on Spiro a year so I'm hoping it will block any conversion of progesterone into testosterone. We are human science experiments!

Gosh I really hope so!! I'm thinking about starting the process in a month or two. But I will definitely document the journey.

I hope your hormone replacement goes well!! And yes, we are all definitely human science experiments! And honestly, I feel like all of us have more knowledge on acne than some derms do lol!

JennaBean - I do think the Spiro will help, and it's great you've already put in the time so that it's working. Any crazy androgen activity that happens off the pill SHOULD be blocked by the Spiro. I'm actually really curious to know what happens, and please do let us know because it will be educational. I'm sort of in an opposite but similar boat because I'm going on hormone replacement (already started the estrogen patch and so far so good, but this Sunday I start cycling progesterone). I've been on Spiro a year so I'm hoping it will block any conversion of progesterone into testosterone. We are human science experiments!

Gosh I really hope so!! I'm thinking about starting the process in a month or two. But I will definitely document the journey.

I hope your hormone replacement goes well!! And yes, we are all definitely human science experiments! And honestly, I feel like all of us have more knowledge on acne than some derms do lol!

Thank you and I 1000% agree with that statement!

Good luck girls!!

I decided to wean off around april/may. Doing it right now would be the dumbest thing everrrr. I'm very stressed right now due to my stupid university. That will show on my skin and maybe worse: period! Were you girls regular before starting bcp?

I was diagnosed with pcos, but the other night I read in an ebook about acne that pcos is eitherway caused by being overweight (nope), thyroid problems (assume not?) or stress (very likely). Soooo I do have high hopes that I can keep it in control when I'm not stressing.

What do you think about the diet/acne link? I know there is definitely proof that it has a connection, but do you think that it can stop ALL the acne you have?

Good luck girls!!

I decided to wean off around april/may. Doing it right now would be the dumbest thing everrrr. I'm very stressed right now due to my stupid university. That will show on my skin and maybe worse: period! Were you girls regular before starting bcp?

I was diagnosed with pcos, but the other night I read in an ebook about acne that pcos is eitherway caused by being overweight (nope), thyroid problems (assume not?) or stress (very likely). Soooo I do have high hopes that I can keep it in control when I'm not stressing.

What do you think about the diet/acne link? I know there is definitely proof that it has a connection, but do you think that it can stop ALL the acne you have?

How did it go when you weaned yourself off?

It's difficult for me to remember what my cycles were like before BC since I started them at age17. But I do know that I always got one every month.

I too have wondered if I have PCOS. I've never been diagnosed though. I have never had a weight issue, but my thyroid panels are sometimes out of whack. I do have slightly elevated testosterone but no excessive facial hair. Is there a test they can do it determine PCOS?

For me, stress is a huge acne trigger. But the diet link, I'm not sure if I fall into that category. There have been times when I've eaten like absolute crap, and my skin was amazing! Along with drinking soda and alcohol! I think for me, mine is a hormone imbalance of some sort.

Oh MissC1990! I'm sorry! I mis read your post! I thought u meant that U did wean off last April/may lol! I'm such a blonde sometimes!

Lol I'm a blonde too! I will be weaning pretty soon ^^

Yes there is a test. If they do an ultrasound and notice ovary cysts, you have it. They can also see elevated testosterone in your blood, which wasn't the case on me. I will do saliva testing when I come off and everything is getting a mess. That way I hope to find out what is causing my imbalance and so that people on this forum can help me fix it.

I also feel like stress and anxiety is a great trigger. When I'm not worried at all - never happens almost - my skin is at it's best.

Your a beautiful blonde! So gorgeous and your hair is so full of body!!

Well we will probably be weaning around the same time! I'm thinking to start either in march, April, or may.

Well if that's the case, I'm going to ask for that next time I see my gyno. I've spoken to her about my acne, and she knows I have mild acne, but never once mentioned PCOS. And I do have slightly elevated testosterone which showed up in my blood test. Which is why I'm on the spironolactone.

But yes, stress is a big one! A few months after I began experiencing the breakouts, I was a mess. I swear, I was having one pop up almost daily. I was literally wound up so tight and my hands would shake from anxiety! I would look in my mirror constantly while driving to work!!! It was a horrible time for me. But once I learned to settle down, the acne began to subside.

Hi There - I just wanted to tell you that I was on Diane 35 for 2 years and my skin was great. I went off to get pregnant with my second child and was worried that my skin would be terrible...but it did not happen at all. I did have the odd minor breakout just before my period, but it was suprising fine. It took me a year to conceive and I would say my skin was good. After I got pregnant however, all hell broke loose and I am now trying to figure out what to do. I was told in 2008 that I likely had PCOS based on an ultrasound, but was able to have 2 kids without any sort of treatment and now I am not so sure. Anyhow, just wanted to let you know that going off the pill doesn't always means a return of acne...at least it didn't for me. Just don't get pregnant! I found there was nothing worse for my skin than that! LOL! (unless that is you plan...in which case...it is totally worth it!

Thank you, that is so sweet of you! I hope I can feel like that too one day... on this photo my skin was flawless, thank to diane 35!

Do you have any specific 'strategy' while weaning off the pill? I'm planning to go completely paleo - with my food sensitivties left out - just to give that one a shot. I will also take some sort of multivitamin for my acne. After I come off I wanna try either way inositol or vitex, something that will promote good eggs. Just because the last time nothing happend down there... I'm so scared I will never be able to have a baby. That's really my biggest fear... and the acne, of course!

I think that if my face and hormones are going completely insane again, I will have my hormones tested by a saliva test, just to see what's going on inside of me. Also will have to my gyno again... -_-'' hopefully that won't happen!

Your a beautiful blonde! So gorgeous and your hair is so full of body!!

 

Well we will probably be weaning around the same time! I'm thinking to start either in march, April, or may.

 

Well if that's the case, I'm going to ask for that next time I see my gyno. I've spoken to her about my acne, and she knows I have mild acne, but never once mentioned PCOS. And I do have slightly elevated testosterone which showed up in my blood test. Which is why I'm on the spironolactone.

 

But yes, stress is a big one! A few months after I began experiencing the breakouts, I was a mess. I swear, I was having one pop up almost daily. I was literally wound up so tight and my hands would shake from anxiety! I would look in my mirror constantly while driving to work!!! It was a horrible time for me. But once I learned to settle down, the acne began to subside.

I don't know about a specific strategy. But I will definitely make sure to cut back, or completely, on sugar/sweets. I may also cut out dairy as well. And fast food! None of that!

I would be ok with minor blemishes. I'm just fearful of the dreaded "return of the cysts" lol

Yeah lol that's exactly my point! Minor blemishes would be fine! No one is perfect, and I will definitely not do some freaky hippie lifestyle to stay 'clear', what else will be left from my social life? But when coming off the pill I will eat extra healthy and take supplements... a friend of me last night who's a doctor said that the weaning method is maybe not a good idea, because the hormones in the pill are not equally devided in the pill (you understand what I mean?) so if you cut off a piece you will get different amounts of hormones in your body everyday.. hmmm....

I totally agree!! It would be very difficult to have a "normal" life while doing a crazy acne diet. You have to have a life.

Oh my gosh! So funny you said that about your friend who's a doctor! I know a nurse practitioner and she said that same thing!!! She said it could throw everything out of whack even more! Ughhh what to do?.!!?! Geezzzz

Yeah exactly! I seem to break out from every slightly hormonal change... mehh I added 8000 IU of vitamin D in 2 weeks ago and I have all tiny clogged pores on my forehead so I will have to lower that again, while it makes you feel awesome! Emotionally and stuff... less anxious. This sucksss... I will look into herbal teas that lower DHT again...

Actually when I started eating better everything went fine. After I went crazy on green tea and other supplements I keep breaking out. I'm considering to stop anything except multivitamin and just eat really healthy.

I'm really terified for the post pill breakout which I will absolutely get. Looking at the fact I'm breaking out over maca, DIM and a little over vitamin D tells me that everything is still going on in here. I would have to search for a doctor who's patient enough to find out which imbalance is causing my acne. Not some one who believes that there's just nothing we could do about it... geezz

Sooo I don't know yet if I will quit cold turkey or wean off... eventually your hormones should balance out if they're able to right??

Ugh really? What a bummer! When I was taking supplements (vit d, e, c, a and zinc) I would break out! So I stopped! Just my multivitamin now. Maybe just get off the supplements until you have blood work done. I think with eating healthy, you will get all the needed amounts of vitamins.

It's so difficult to find a good doctor! I went to 2 of them before I found my current Derm which commonly prescribes spironolactone.

And I would hope that hormones would balance out after a few months of being off the pill!

When I went off the pill when I was about 19 or 20, it took a few months off of it for me to START breaking out! So who knows!