going off the pill
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Category: Planning Pregnancy (trying for baby)
Forum Name: Planning Pregnancy (trying for baby)
Forum Description: Trying to get pregnant? Going through fertility treatment? Just planning your first or second child? There are many people out there in the same boat to help and listen and share with
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14468
Printed Date: 19 August 2025 at 2:16pm
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Topic: going off the pill
Posted By: obviousalias
Subject: going off the pill
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 4:56pm
| DH and I will be trying for a baby later this year. I'm wondering if it's advisable to go off the pill and just use condoms for one week a month for a few months before we start trying - do I need to give the pill time to work itself out of my system, or should we be OK to just stop the pill the month before we'd ideally like to concieve? TIA |
Replies:
Posted By: AliaDawn
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 5:06pm
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I have never been on anything like that myself - but I've heard it can take months for your cycles to regulate themselves after being on the Pill. I'd consider what was most important to you - the possibility of accidentally getting pregnant earlier than planned, or the possibility that it might take longer than you'd like. -------------  
 
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Posted By: Redbedrock
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 5:24pm
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Most prenatal advice is to be clear of the pill for 3 months before ttc, along with prenatal vitamins, folic acid and a general healthy approach to life. Get rid of all the toxins and get your body fit and healthy for pregnancy ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com"> 
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Posted By: AliaDawn
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 5:27pm
Oh crap. I forgot my folic acid this morning! Thanks claire  -------------
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Posted By: caraMel
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 5:30pm
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Hehehe @ Obvious Alias.
It does depend what kind of pill you are on, I was on a progesterone only minipill and was off it for only a couple of weeks when Benjy was concieved. My Dr had advised me when I got the prescription that it wasn't harmful to the baby if you got preg while taking the pill so I'm guessing the same applies for trying as soon as you come off it? ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and: 
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Posted By: blondy
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 5:34pm
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I came off the pill 3 months before we started TTC (plus went onto folic acid etc). Just be prepared that your cycles may be totally different to pre-pill days! I used to be 28 days every cycle, and after coming off the pill my cycles were anything from 35 to 45 days. Be aware also that ovulation when coming off the pill is rather unpredictable, so at least for a while you may want to stick to condoms for the entire cycle, rather than just the "at risk" week!
Having said all of this, my doctor did actually say that you don't need to come off the pill at all prior to TTC, but it makes dating the pregnancy easier if you do happen to conceive on the first post-pill cycle. Maybe have a chat to your doctor and see what they reccommend - it's good to go and get a pre-TTC check-up anyway, so you can make sure your smear tests are up to date, that you don't need a rubella booster shot, and you can get a prescription for folic acid. Good luck! -------------  
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Posted By: almostthere
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 5:47pm
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What a good question... ------------- http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2128f6"> 
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2128f6 - chart |
Posted By: Redbedrock
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 5:56pm
Always happy to help ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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AliaDawn wrote:Posted By: baalamb
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 6:16pm
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My cousin came off the pill thinking that it would take a while to conceive and became pregnant on her very first cycle. No waiting for them! Though it's not an answer to your question, I guess it differs from person to person.
Good luck! P.S would love to know if you're a regular under that 'obvious alias' 
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 7:17pm
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My doctor said to come off when we are ready, I think the 3 month thing is cause its good to be taking folic acid 3 months before you conceive.
My doctor advised that you don't need to 'take a break' with the current generation of pills. I'm probably going to make this next lot (6 months worth) the last, and take preventative methods until we are ready. It seems weird to introduce condoms after 8 years of not using them IMHO. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: Aprilfools
Date Posted: 13 February 2008 at 7:30pm
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The advice that I got from my doctor was to give myself one full cycle without the pill before ttc and then go for it and to start taking folic acid at the same time as finishing the pill.
Yep Fleury, we found condoms to be a real passion killer when we were using them a couple of years ago. But, if it's only for a little while then you can come up with ways to make them fun 
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Posted By: Andie
Date Posted: 14 February 2008 at 7:39am
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Well, I got preggers with Ella first cycle off the pill, and that was after being on it for years up 'till then. But then again, I hadn't been advised by a Doc on whether or not to give the pill a break before trying for baby. The GP only told me when I went in there to confirm my not-very-obvious +ve hpt that he thought it very, very unlikely that I'd be pregnant in my first cycle off the pill. But then, he was a bit of a dork! ------------- Andie |
Posted By: AuntieSarah
Date Posted: 14 February 2008 at 10:50am
| My doctor recommended that I come off the pill 2 or 3 months before trying, just so I could get used to a couple of 'normal' cycles. This may also have been because I've been on the pill since I was 16 (10 years) so had no idea what a normal cycle would be like. I started taking folic acid when I came off the pill - so just switched from one pill each morning to another lol. |
Posted By: maysie
Date Posted: 14 February 2008 at 11:55am
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I think it's different for everyone. I was on the pill for about 7 years and then off it for 2 - nothing happened, so went back on it for 6 months and then thought stuff it and stopped all together. We eventually got pregnant but only when we weren't 'trying' or thinking about it every month (were busy planning our wedding!). But I had a friend who forgot to take her pill a few days and fell pregnant from then. I'd advise a chat with your doctor though. Good luck!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: MonicaMouse
Date Posted: 14 February 2008 at 2:22pm
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Our plan was for me to stop taking it, DH stop smoking and then we would start trying. I came off it earlier thinking give it time to be totally out and to get a good idea of my cycles. Last pill 31st Dec 06, AF 3(ish) Jan 07, B arrived 15 Oct 07.
ETA by the way DH is still smoking (outside) ------------- 
Blair 15/10/2007 Daniel 30/07/2009 |
Posted By: pinky007
Date Posted: 21 February 2008 at 9:03am
| Hi all,i had been on the pill for 9 years and i swear it was the worst thing i couldve ever done i came off it nov 06 before i took it my af was bang on 28 days but now its anywhere from 28-35 days had my first EVER 28 day cycle last month since coming off it everything has been all over the show ovulation etc on strange days but doc itsnt worried at all (thats another story about him). |
Posted By: Snickerdoodle
Date Posted: 21 February 2008 at 10:05am
I like this advice the best:
But here's my own two cents, for what it's worth
It seems there's a lot of conflicting advice, huh? My GP said it could take 3 months after coming off the pill just for my body to sort itself out...then it would be "ripe" for conception. However, in '04 I had to take a course of anti-biotics and, me being me, forgot they could interfere with the pill, so didn't take precautions.. I got pregnant that month. That ended in m/c (I'd have a 3 year old this April  ).
So, as it's been said already, start taking folic acid and eating right. it'll happen when your body is ready for it to happen 
Good luck!! ------------- 
http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 21 February 2008 at 10:09am
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monica- i know that feeling...DH is supposed to have stopped before we got pregnant..and he still smokes (outside) grrrrrr...it really irks me..
as far as the pill i was on it 10 years...came off it and went back to 28 day cycle fine..same with depo though that took 7 months to get it back..the only thing that screwed up my cycle was my mc.... ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 21 February 2008 at 10:39am
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My Willie only just gave up again a couple of weeks ago. He gave up the first time when the gremlins were a few months old and did a course of Nicobrevin but started again after 10 months of not smoking. Now he's back on the Nicobrevin and not smoking, but for how long?
Sorry, OT! -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 01 March 2008 at 4:16pm
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I'm with AliaDawn's advice. I came off the pill 3 months before we wanted to conceive and got pregnant first time of officially trying. But, we weren't that good with contraceptives over the 3 months between being OTP and TTC. My cycles went completely out of whack - one was 28 days, the next 50, so who knows how reliable my dates are! My GP said I should conceive within a month of coming off the pill, but I wanted the 3 months to get the hormones out of my system and start getting my head around the idea of getting pregnant! ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: Vanillabean
Date Posted: 01 March 2008 at 4:35pm
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When I came off the progesterone only pill my first cycle went for 47 days with about a 7 day luteal phase but since then all my cycles have been 28-29 days. I did find it really stressful and frustrating to have the long cycle when I had just started ttc as I was mentally all ready to go but my body wasn't. ------------- 5x mc, Jan 08, June 08, Nov 08, May 09, April 11 http://lilypie.com"> 
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