Ideal timeframe for going off BCP before TTC?

[ali_ohli]

What's considered the ideal timeframe for going off BCP before TTC? (I.e., what would a doctor tell me to do?) My DH and I are planning to TTC next summer, but I'd like to have a little time to let my hormones settle and to figure out charting before we "pull the goalie" altogether.

Any thoughts? If it makes a difference, I'll be 29 next summer and was always pretty regular with normal periods before going on the pill five years ago.

[tlew12778]

Drs will give you all different answers. I would personally say 6 months. That gives you 2-3 months to get the hormones out of your system and another 2-3 months to see if you are having any issues (or in case you have long cycles initially). I went off the BCP last October and ovulated regularly for the first 7 months. Then suddenly, BAM, suspected PCOS and now I haven't had a period in over 50 days. Go figure. Apparently the BCP suppressed the cysts or something... but I was definitely very fertile for the first few months.

[KKay]

My doctor told me to wait 3 months to TTC. It's enough time for your body to regulate itself.

I have a DD. My cycle was regular last time I went off BCP. I just stopped taking them again last month. This time my cycle is a little wacky, but I know it will level off.

[Jane&Andy]

it varies - when I asked my doctor told me she wanted me to have 2 normal cycles after going off the pill before TTC. But that didn't really tell me when to go off the pill. I went off it a little early and started cycling normally right away - so I had 4 normal cycles before TTC. But some people have really wacky cycles when they go off the pill.

[BeachBum]

You can get preggo right away after stopping the pill. I've found most doctors tell you 3 months to help accurately date the pregnancy if you are lucky enough to get preggo right away.

[Jane&Andy]

yep, Beachbum is right - I've known several people to go off the pill and get pregnant right away. You don't have to wait for the hormones to get out of your system - thats an old myth - the hormones are gone right away (thats why you take the pill every day). Some people's body just need time to get used to regulating themselves without the hormones and therefore don't cycle normally at first.

[ktdelsur]

Yup. I was having problems on the Pill (no period for six months when I was previously like clockwork) - doc said to give it three months to see if my body went back to normal.

I started charting to see what my body was up to - and sure enough I ovulated like clockwork the next cycle and nothing was wrong. We intended on charting to avoid until next year, but somewhere around this past March something went awry and I slacked on charting thinking I knew myself well - then ovulated like 3 days earlier than normal. *POOF*...our son is due in December. :D

[HSSweethearts]

I've heard several different things, although 3 months seems to be the general consensus. It is up to you and how comfortable you feel about your cycles and the possibility of getting pregnant sooner than expected.

I agree with tlew12778 that 6 months is a good start. It will give you plenty of time to get the pill out of your system and see how your body is working on its own.

[twinnyme]

You can get preggo right away after stopping the pill. I've found most doctors tell you 3 months to help accurately date the pregnancy if you are lucky enough to get preggo right away.

Yes, this is true - I got pregnant during my second cycle off the pill. I saw this thread this morning and I always respond with this info - because of what happened with us. We were fine with it, though I think DH was a little shocked by how quickly it happened. My sister is an OB and had warned me, but I also didn't expect it that quickly. So now I always post this info in threads like this - or reiterate what others have said! :)

[sunshineab622]

my ob told me to atleast be off bcp for 3-6 months before trying so my cycles could get back to normal :confused: hahaa that has been over a yr & they are still not normal

[polarama]

I've talked to my doc and a number of my girlfriends and we found out that there's a lot of different advice out there.

My doc told me not to go off BCP until I'm ready to TTC. She said that the first 2 months of going off BCP could be the best time to TTC. Two of my girlfriends said their docs told them the same thing.

Two other friends of mine were told to wait 3 months after going off the pill to TTC.

I have two friends who got pregnant in the last 2 year--each following the "opposing" advice. One got pregnant her first month off the pill, the other got pregnant her 4th month going off the pill (they charted to avoid in the first three months she was off BCP).

[ali_ohli]

Thanks for all the responses. I'll talk to my doctor as well, but sounds like three months would be about right for us.

[karlatta]

My OB said for me to stop taking it three months before.

My RE sometimes gives me a prescription of BCP if a cycle is looking like it will be weird, though, so there's nothing wrong with taking it right before you conceive. (In other words, having taken BCP the month before you conceive won't cause problems in your pregnancy or with your baby.)

[Wilsmom]

I've always heard 2-3 months, but I got pregnant 2 weeks after going off the pill. I was worried about it at first and when I questioned why I needed to wait, I heard answers like "to regulate your cycle so the doctor's know when you got pregnant." Then I heard a reason that was more worrisome: when you're on the pill, your uterine lining is pretty thin and stays that way for a while after going off the pill. That can make the chance of a miscarriage higher. Thankfully, that didn't happen and now I have a 2 year old son! :)

[alienhost]

You can get preggo right away after stopping the pill. I've found most doctors tell you 3 months to help accurately date the pregnancy if you are lucky enough to get preggo right away.

Yup it is true. I stopped the Pill and bam got PG right away. Never even got a period off the pill. Both DH and I were really surprised that it happened so quickly but it worked out great for us.

[Lolavix]

My doc told me not to go off BCP until I'm ready to TTC. She said that the first 2 months of going off BCP could be the best time to TTC. Two of my girlfriends said their docs told them the same thing.

Mine told me this as well, given that the first time we were TTC, I got pregnant the first cycle off the pill. She told me that when we want to TTC #2, to be sure that we are ready.

You don't have to wait for the hormones to get out of your system - thats an old myth - the hormones are gone right away (thats why you take the pill every day).

This is true. It's not like the hormones have just been sitting around, building up.

As others have said, I think the "real" reason doctors tell women to wait is for dating the pregnancy. If you get pregnant your first cycle off of the pill, it makes it more difficult and they might have to send you for an u/s to date the pregnancy.

[Twylla]

I just wanted to chime in and remind you to be aware that the first cycle (or more) off BCP can be a little crazy, so don't worry if it's a bit (or a lot) longer than normal right off BCP. I had several long cycles after my last pack of BCP. I've been off since November 2004 and I've only had AF visit 3 times since then! So just so you know and it doesn't worry you (I was starting to freak out!).

Good luck!

[pickle]

Just another vote for three months...both my OB/GYN and primary care docs have told me the three month "rule."

[lawgirl4]

I went off BCP in April 2005 (we are planning to start TTC in Feb/Mar 2006) and all I can say is I am very glad I went off almost a year in advance. My first cycle post-BCP was 85 days, and if I had been wanting to TTC shortly after going off BCP I would have been frustrated beyond belief. I'm now on my 2nd cycle (day 21) and I haven't even ovulated yet.

Everyone's body is different - and I don't think there is any real way to predict what your body will do when you go off BCP. I was totally regular, no problems ever, pre-BCP - I had perfect 28-30 day cycles, no surprises. So one would have expected that I would go right back to normal after the pill - no such luck. Thus, I advocate going off earlier than 3 months just in case your body needs more time to regulate...

(just fyi - my doctor said that it's totally "normal" to have crazy cycles right after going off BCP - it's not weird and doesn't mean that there is anything "wrong" with you. If my cycles aren't under 35 days by my 3rd cycle, she said she'll do additional testing, and she already started to test my thyroid levels just to establish a history. but she really wasn't concerned at this point since it is so normal to have non-regulated cycles right after you stop BCP).

[ali_ohli]

Thanks for all the helpful thoughts, girls. Here's another question: Can I chart to avoid right after going off the pill, or will my body be too screwy?

(Okay, that sounds crazy since I initially asked about TTC. The deal is, we'll be traveling Europe for three weeks next summer and would like to avoid until after it.)

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Jane&Andy]

sure you can. I didn't chart right away but my cycle was perfectly normal after going off the pill. Its different for everyone, yours might be screwy but it might not be. Although I don't think I'd depend on it as your only method of birth control until you've charted a few cycles and know what your body tends to do.

[jessied1025]

My vote is for 2 to 3 months. I am just finishing up my last pack of pills and will be starting the prenatals on Sunday. Our goal is to start TTC this October, but we will see how my body reacts to being off BCP.

Thanks for all the advice girls! :)

[njdiva]

jessied1025 - where did you get the prenatal pills? were they prescribed by your doctor or did you purchase over the counter??

I am also planning on getting off the pill in the fall - but I was thinking of taking a folic acid vitamin...

[bea_mama]

With my DD, I went off the pill about 6 months before we TTC. I'm glad I did, b/c my cycles were very screwy - very long (45+ days for the first few cycles) with tons and tons of spotting pre-AF. After about 6 months, things seemed to settle down and we got pregnant right away when we started trying.

Prior to being on the pill, I never had spotting and had very regular cycles, so I do think that it screwed up my system to some extent.

[lawgirl4]

bea_mama - I'm so glad to hear about your experiences post-BCP - I am about 6-7 months away from TTC and on my 2nd cycle off the pill, and my first cycle was totally long, and this one is starting to be longish too... I know that it's probably just my body readjusting, so it's good to hear that others had similar experiences! :) thanks for posting.