# ok gals, here is my experience with going off the pill



## beth_crocker1 (Nov 7, 2000)

Ill try not to make this too long. But this past month has been an absolute nightmare for me. As some of you may have read in another post, about a month ago I decided to go off of birth control pill because Ive been having some problems that I thought might be because of the pill. My problem has been that Ive been having burning stinging pain with intercourse and occasionally some spotting afterwards like something was getting irritated. My whole female area would literally feel like it was on fire after intercourse. Now at first , I firgued ok, its probly a yeast infection. So my doctor checked things out, and there was some yeast so I got some treatment and used it, and still had the same problem. That it when I decided maybe I should try going off of the pill and see what happens. Because it had seemed like ever since I went on the pill, I had a problem with dryness down there. I think that is why it is feeling irritated during intercourse. So 4 weeks ago , when I was due to start a new pack of pills, I decided not to. The first week off the pill wasnt too bad. By the second week I started to feel this little twingy annoying kind of pain in my lower left pelvic area. Wasnt too worried about because it wasnt really painful. By the third week it got a little worse then it just out of the blue disappeared. Then came the most horrible part. I started getting some breast pain. It started out kinda mild but kept getting worse. It then turned in to a constant dull ache in my left breast, under my arm and down my arm. My arm actually started getting numb. So off to the doctor I go. He does a breast exam, and says everything is fine but he thinks I probly have costochondritis. He said keep taking some ibuprofen and it will go away on its own. So I was taking the ibuprofen and getting absolutely no relief at all. For 2 straight weeks I suffered through this pain. Then my period started and I thought well, that is enough of this pain and I started back on the birth control pill thinking that it would help with the breast pain. I had figured that the pain may have been coming from the change in hormones due to going off of the pill. Well Im happy to say the breast pain is now gone.







But.....now IM still stumped on the whole pain with intercorse thing. I went to my gynecologist yesterday for my yearly pap smear and pelvic exam and when she proceeded to put the ole speculum in there it didnt feel to groovy. So I asked her, did it mean anything that I was experiencing a little pain and she said that of course a pap smear is going to be a little uncomfortable, becuase its not going to be fun. And that she would be more worried if I enjoyed it.







She said everything looked fine in there and that I may have some light spotting later on. And I did, which I thought was unusual because Ive never had this happen with a pap smear before. Any way to get to the point...... I have discussed the painful intercourse thing with her a number of times, and she still feels there is nothing wrong and that Im just experiencing some problems with dryness and to use some lubrication. Ive been using the lube and sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesnt. She also suggested that since I have ibs, that I may also have vulvodnia. I feel so lost here. I dont know where to even start. I would like to try going off of the pill again, but Im scared I will get the horrible breast pain again. But I think a lot of my problem may be related to the pill. It just plain sucks to be a woman. I mean , why cant our parts be swinging out in the open like a mans? Wouldnt that make things so much easier to figure out? Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I could use all the advice I can get right now.


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## christine (Jun 4, 1999)

I posted earlier too about my going off the pill last month and the IBS type symptoms I am having. I can really feel for you!!! I wanted you to know that I also have the burning problem after intercourse. Not always, but there are times (months) that it goes on and on. And, in some ways it is a dryness problem. I never found that being on or off the pill has solved this, and I've been on and off this year. Your doctor may be right in that you could be suffering from vulvodynia. This could clear up as mysteriously as it started. As a matter of fact, using yeast creams or being dry and having painful intercourse can set off a whole cycle of this pain. It is like the nerves in that area become oversensitive to EVERYTHING. The last time I was at the GYN I saw a REALLY great nurse practictioner and she was the first who noticed that I may have some thinning of the skin of the vaginal wall area. Sometimes birth control helps this, but she said that a topically applied estrogen cream would really take care of the dryness, stinging, etc, IF it was hormonally related. I may try that soon. It seems that at age 38 this really shouldn't be happening.Anyway, as far as going off the birth control pills--I have been off for just about 1 month and I have had lots of strange symptoms. I haven't gotten my "real" period yet and don't feel like I am. I have had some vague pelvic pain throughout the month that I can't clearly tell if it is IBS or GYN related. Last week the nipples on both breasts were so sensitive even my bra hurt. That lasted two days. Then about an hour ago, both breasts started aching on each side, kind of like the feeling you get right before you breastfeed. Weird, huh? If I were you, I might TRY going off the pill again. I know that without the pill, my natural lubricants and discharge are heavier. This may be your case but everyone is really different. Good luck.Christine


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

Yes, what we must go through! I've had that burning sensation in the lower pelvic area for 2-1/2 years, though since using progesterone cream it hasn't been as bad. Mine isn't caused by intercourse; I think it is/was sensitive to anything going on. For a while there, I had the pain off an on for several hours/day, 20+days/month. Sometime, I'll try some estrogen cream that I got. Good luck!


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## charlee (Dec 12, 2001)

Hi gals. Strange, but I too just went off the pill and my boobs are so sore I can't even wear a seat belt. I have the same lower abdominal pains, too, and feel sure I must have started my period. This is always around the time of ovulation then goes away before my period. The pains are intense for a few moments then go away so I never want to take anything for pain because it so intermittent. Geez, this is all so wierd that we all have the same thing. About the dry parts down there- I saw my gyn last week and that was one of my big complaints. Last time I had my estrogen tested it came back low (27, should be in the 100 area) and she said that low estrogen will dry you out big time. The love juice gel stuff works only alittle, and I had pain anyway until we "got going" then I was okay. This is dryness from low estrogen she said. I am also 38 years old this month and have been having major symptoms of peri-menopause for several years (that was why I was put on birth control). I quit the pill to see if the pains got better but no difference really. This last visit my GYN gave me estrogen and progesterone (HRT) to try for my symptoms- mainly loss of sex drive, hair thinning, peeing all the time, terrible mood swings, PMS ect...I have been going to a wonderful web site for women our age who are having weird hormonal problems, it is called WWW. earlymenopause.com and it is just wonderful. Go to the discussion board (general discussions) and you will learn soooo much!Good luck to us all- God knows we need it. -Charlee


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## Nat (Sep 29, 2001)

Girls, how old are you? I'm asking because I'm wondering if all those symptoms that we share are connected with hormones and our female cycle.







I'm 37 and noticed that my period got heavier and longer about 1 1/2 years ago. The boobs are also so much more sensitive...Nat


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## beth_crocker1 (Nov 7, 2000)

well....I wish I could attribute mine to early menopause but Im only 29. And Im pretty sure that menopause is not what is causing all of my problems. All I know is Im getting really frustrated because every time I go to my gynecologist I feel like she thinks Im a nut case. I get so worried that I may have something wrong other than ibs, like a female type of problem and maybe its just getting overlooked or blown off as ibs. But every time I go to the doctor they tell me everything is fine, and nothing serious is going on. But I feel horrible. Constant traveling pain. I never know what is going to hurt or where its gonna hurt. constipated one day diarrhea the next. Burning pain with intercourse. Sore breast. heartburn and indegestion. nausea. excessive gas. back pain and depression. It just never ends. Then it will all go away for a few days, but it always comes back. Some days my stomach will make non stop gurgling noises. Then there are days when its really quiet in there and I feel almost normal. I feel like screaming........


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## salbal (Oct 4, 2001)

Hi, I am brand new to this sight, however have had IBS for most of my life. I was shocked reading your posts, it's as if I wrote them. I too have just gone off of the pill (and was only on it for the estrogen purpose). I too just turned 38 and have had the perimenopausal symptoms for a year or so. This month has been hard...a lot of ovulation cramping and spotting and breast pain. My IBS symptoms are definitely worse too. I also have had microscopic blood in my urine. Seeing a urologist this month. I too have pain somewhere all the time, is it female or bowel related?!??! I go back and forth. Thanks for the early menopause link, I will check it out. I just wanted to say Hi, and it's nice to know I'm not the only one!!!!!


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## Kitty19HasIBS (Jan 8, 2002)

when i was younger i was going in for gallbladder surgery and i mentioned i had pain on my right side they took ultrasound found a cyst and decided to take it out at same time..so i continued seeing this dr and well i had a lot of pains that never left even when there were no cyst cycle problems and she was always saying nothing was wrong and taking $1200 blood work so finally i was fed up i saw another dr and that dr found 4 things that was wrong with that the other dr never found one of which is insulin resistance which leads to diabetes if you dont take care of it now..the other dr never said anything was wrong i think maybe if this continues you should see another dr? it's always worth a shot if this continues


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## JennT (Jul 17, 2000)

Kitty, I also have the insulin resistance that comes with Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, and the Pill is one of the things that can treat this. I'd been on the Pill for years for birth control purposes and didn't even know about the PCOS or IR until I went off the pill and didn't have a cycle for months on end.Now I'm on Glucophage for teh PCOS/IR, which has the happy side-effect of regulating my cycles somewhat - every four-to five weeks is okay by me, as long as I know it's sometime within that range...


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## ouch! (Jan 3, 2001)

I've had the painful intercourse thing too - I'm 27. I came off the combined pill and am now on the mini-pill (progestin only). My IBS is a little better (not as much D) but even better, my lubrication has returned ! Try it girls, you don't have to come off the pill altogether.


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## squirt (Jan 29, 2002)

I went off the pill 2 months ago because I believed it was the cause of my chronic yeast infections. I have not had one since and have not had any of the breast pain, etc. At my follow up appt 2 weeks ago, my OBGYN FINALLY decided to listen to my complaints of painful intercourse. She did a Q tip test and diagnosed vestibulitis, which is related to or a form of vulvadynia. There are some really good websites describing vulvadynia. I really recommend researching this - it even connects is to IBS, which I also have suffered from for 10 years. My OBGYN prescribed Elevil, an antidepressant also used for pain control. Too soon to really tell - but so far so good! Back to the IBS, my Gastro doc had his nurse call me with the results of my biopsy during my colonoscopy (negative) and tell me to pick up a script for Levbid and follow up with him in 6 weeks. My IBS isn't as extreme as some described on this site. Has anyone used Levbid? Shouldn't I try diet modification, fiber supplements, etc first?


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## beth_crocker1 (Nov 7, 2000)

update on my pill dilema. Ive been off of the pill for about a month and a half now. And so far things are better. My problem with dryness is gone, I feel a lot more lubed during intercourse now. And I think it probly will helf with my yeast problem. I was having yeast infections a lot on the pill. I think overall , Im better off being off the pill. Of course that could change in an instant. You know how it is being a female...


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## harmonyintouch (Jan 23, 2002)

Just wanted to steer all you ladies to a resource that I have found invaluable regarding understanding femele hormones;how they work, how they affect us, and how foods and our environment mess with our hormonal balance, and what we can do about it! I don't have the book now but the author is Dr. John Lee..his book is about menopause, I believe. I did a quick search on Amazon.com but didn't find it...but with a little more diligence I'm sure you will find him. He is awesome and the book is SO INFORMATIVE! Good luck,harmie


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

I have two of Lee's books. You can read about them, and him, from his website (search for Dr. John Lee). I found the books were invaluable. However, something I don't like is that he says pro. cream has no side-effects. Well, I like the stuff, but for me, it does have side-effects. I guess I should write him.


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