When to stop the pill

Hey girls, I've been on the pill for 10 years now and wanted to try for a baby around april/may. My doctor had said to stop 2-3 cycles before, but now I'm reading 6 months.
What do you think about this?

Re: When to stop the pill

I think everyone's body is different and you can never guess how long it will take for your body to regulate after the pill. I would come off as soon as you feel comfortable even if it allows you more than 6 mths b/c you can always use other forms of protection while giving your body enough time to "become normal". I was on the pill for ten yrs and went off about a yr ago. We have just begun to TTC as I feel like my cycles are pretty regular now so I can track better. I figured my cycles were regular once I started to get severe cramps again!

HTH

Re: When to stop the pill

the midwife i started seeing said to stop the pill 3 months before TTC - she said that it's possible to get pregnant the first month off but it's better to let your body adjust first and that is why they say to wait the 3 months...she said to start my prenatals when i come off the pill...

we would love to conceive dec/jan and i am on my last cycle of pills we will play it safe in october my first month off birth control and then as each month passes we will be a little less careful. in december, about 3 months off, we'll start being totally reckless i'm hoping we can conceive that way without "trying", i don't want to get into that in the beginning if i don't have to...

i was nervous about getting pregnant before i was ready so i tried to stay on bcp as long as possible...i would be too worried stopping 6 months before i was ready...everyone is different..

Message edited 9/4/2010 11:10:17 PM.

Re: When to stop the pill

I've read that you can safely get pregnant right after stopping the pill. I'm planning to stop the pill in January. We're going to do what Nik211 is doing and slowly become more and more reckless, and start "trying" seriously by early summer if nothing happens.

Re: When to stop the pill

Thanks girls for your input. I'm terrified to go off the pill after being on it for so long. My periods were always so irregular, but I was 19 at the time. Also, it really helped to clear up my skin. I told everyone they would know I was TTC because I'd probably be breaking out.

Re: When to stop the pill

Everyone is different. When I came off the pill my cycles became regular right away. I got pregnant 2 months later. There really is no set time frame they say you should come off the pill. My doctor said the month you stop it, you can become pregnant.

Re: When to stop the pill

Everyone is different. I was on the pill for 12 years. I went off in Jan and was pregnant by April. My cycles were still very long but I was ovulating.

Re: When to stop the pill

Posted by KrisD72310

Thanks girls for your input. I'm terrified to go off the pill after being on it for so long. My periods were always so irregular, but I was 19 at the time. Also, it really helped to clear up my skin. I told everyone they would know I was TTC because I'd probably be breaking out.

Re: When to stop the pill

Well, I think the sooner you stop the more time you give your body to adjust. My Dr. said 3mths but 6mths will def. not hurt. Just remember to use other forms of protection when

Re: When to stop the pill

My dr said 3 months.. though no harm in stopping sooner - it gives you the advantage of getting to know your cycles better and more time for things to regulate.

Re: When to stop the pill

My period still didn't go back to regular 6 months after going off the pill. When we decided to start trying, it took 28 days for me to get a positive OPK. Luckily I got pregnant that month but I don't think I'm ever going back on the pill for that reason!

Re: When to stop the pill

I was on the pill for 11 years (starting at age 18). I had only had my period a handful of times EVER before I was 18, which is why I was put on the pill. I went off about 2 years before we started TTC (once we had talked about getting married and I was confident about the future so an "oops" wouldn't have been a big deal).

I never got regular cycles after going off. In the year after I went off the pill, I got my period about 3 or 4 times (twice was with jumpstart pills my GYN gave me). After that, my cycles varied big time... 59 days, 85 days, 34 days, 65 days, etc, etc.

Despite all that, it only took 3 cycles once we were actually "trying" for us to conceive. There's just no way to know what your body is going to do or what it means.

If you're ok with using other BC before you're ready to start TTC, my personal feeling is why not go off sooner than later? But if you or DH really don't want to use any other sort of BC, wait until you're ready to start trying because it's definitely possible to get PG right away and many women do. Just try not to fret if your cycles go all crazy once you stop the pill. I just kept track in a monthly planner book for the two years I was off it even when we weren't TTC. I never temped or anything to see if I was O'ing. Our plan was to start all that if we didn't get PG after 6 months of trying.

Re: When to stop the pill

you might be able to get pregnant the first month off the pill...but it might just take your body a few cycles to regulate. Once you are on a more regular cycle it will be easier to TTC bc you will have a better idea of when you O and when AF is due.