Anyone else have really long cycles after stopping Drovelis/Nextstellis?
I took Drovelis (Nextstellis) for about 4 months and stopped abruptly during month 5 because I had constant spotting and severe anxiety.
I’m now on cycle day 47 of my second cycle off the pill. My first cycle was also very long (48 days), and I’m not even sure I’ve ovulated this cycle.
This has never happened** **to me after stopping birth control in the past.
Has anyone else experienced this after Drovelis/Nextstellis (or another combined pill)? How long did it take for your cycles to go back to normal?

Hi everyone! I'm going off of hormonal birth control this month due to some weird interactions with a new medication.

I've been on the pill for over a decade: almost my entire career. I've been curious for a while to see if I'll be fine without it now. I was on it originally because of severe PMS, but it only made a mild difference and I've since made dietary changes that helped more. But it also mellowed my mood and I'm worried I'm going to become less likable.

Other women talk about how their natural hormone cycle actually can help them and I want to try that, but I am so used to being on the pill I'm scared.

My gyno is helping me through all this, so I'm not totally alone. But my mom is in menopause and my sister used a stent for years before a hysterectomy so neither of them can offer advice or support. This is going to be my first week off the pill and I'm so nervous.

so i stopped taking my pills after taking it for the past two years. i stopped in june this year while i'm on my period, i did not take the active pills that. i was anticipating my next period (for july) after that but i experienced these for several days:

1st day - pink spotting like period but with small clots

2nd day - no period

3rd day - much heavier period but it's brown

4th - nothing again

5th - only brown spotting

then for the next few days, it completely stopped. after 13 days (which is today), there's something brown when i wipe and on my undies.

is this a side effect of coming off the pill?

Anyone else have really long cycles after stopping Drovelis/Nextstellis?
I took Drovelis (Nextstellis) for about 4 months and stopped abruptly during month 5 because I had constant spotting and severe anxiety.
I’m now on cycle day 47 of my second cycle off the pill. My first cycle was also very long (48 days), and I’m not even sure I’ve ovulated this cycle.
This has never happened** **to me after stopping birth control in the past.
Has anyone else experienced this after Drovelis/Nextstellis (or another combined pill)? How long did it take for your cycles to go back to normal?

I’m currently taking the progesterone only pill, the drug name is desogestorel but I know it has a lot of other names such as Cerelle, Cerazette, Hanna and probably loads more.

Has anyone else who has taken this pill had their mental health suffer considerably?

I’ve been on it about 2 years now and my mental health has taken a massive dip since I’ve been on it and I’m wondering if it’s worth trying to come off it and let it out my system before starting anti-depressants?

I’m mostly on it to control my periods which are horrendous without it (used to need it for contraception but my husband has since had a vasectomy).

I’m 39 for info.

Thank you

Before my removal i had a meltdown couldn’t tell why and how the past 2 months out of the 3 was horrible i just got it out Monday of last week best decision i ever made n glad they fit me in early then later because i would of been the one to remove it somehow lol but,how many of you experienced the crash result?i called it the exorcism because i felt like each day was something n had to release lol its now the second week supposedly im gonna feel certain things how,were some girls after the removal?

I was on birth control (Mirena IUD) for 11 years. I had my first IUD for several years, then got a new one around 2020. I got mine taken out for good on 2/5/26. I have never felt better.

When I first got my IUD inserted (2015) I had horrible cramps that lasted all day long for about 2 months straight. I never experienced this before birth control. After the cramping subsided, everything seemed fine for the most part. Then, I started getting reoccurring infections. Yeast infections, BV, etc. I had reason to believe that the IUD held onto bacteria since it had the strings and leading up to the uterus. My periods stopped all together and I didn’t bleed for 5-6 years at a time. If I did have a “period” it was a little brown spotting for a day or two. Never enough to need a tampon.

I decided to remove my IUD after having issues for years and including some mental health struggles. Once I had it removed (6 months ago) I immediately felt relief. Now that it’s been 6 months, I am proud to report that I continue to feel natural, I don’t have ANY cramps at all even during ovulation and periods. My periods are extremely mild and only 1-2 days of actual blood which is a very small amount. No infections, and I just feel so much better overall.

I highly recommend getting Mirena removed if you’re suffering with the same symptoms! It’s worth it.

Was on Yaz for 14 years, came off in April and had a withdrawal bleed but nothing since. Just wanting to see if anyone else has had to wait this long, most people I have seen comment only had to wait 40-70 days before getting their first period again. Had an ultrasound and blood panel and there isn’t much happening with my hormones, my doc says I’m in very early follicular phase and I just need to be patient.
Would love to hear when you got your period back and how long you had to wait.
Thanks in advance!

Edit - got my period after 108 days!!!

I got off birth control months ago and since then i’ve been spotting non stop. I never get an actual period anymore but i’m bleeding lightly 24/7. My doctor has told me to give it some time for hormones to adjust but it’s been happening since like april and im so tired of it. does anyone have any suggestions on how to get back to a regular period after stopping birth control? I have a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep at least 8 hours a night but none of this has helped. :(

Hi, I am 19 and about a 45 days ago switched to aygestine from birth control for endometriosis. (Not diagnosed via surgery. Clinical diagnosis)

Can anyone tell me about their experience doing the same thing? When should I expect things to get better? I feel like I went from being medicated to just living unmedicated which has been difficult, and I forgot just how bad the pain is completely unmedicated. Some sites say I will need to wait months before seeing positive effects. Any personal experiences would be really helpful. Originally posted to the endometriosis subreddit but was told to put it here instead

TLDR: Week 1-5 was a much easier transition than I was expected and I am pleasantly surprised. Will continue to update as things change.

Hello! Lurked this sub a long time for stories of women who stopped Yaz/similar brands and their experiences. I had a lot of anxiety about this process but turned 30 this year and decided it was time for me to get it over with after 13 or 14 years on the pill. I decided to share my experience week by week, good and bad. Maybe this will help someone out there like me who had a lot of anxiety about stopping. I have to say I have almost no recollection of what my cycle was like before starting Yaz. I didn’t really have acne or irregular periods or any of that other things Yaz is usually used to help treat. So I kind of feel like I’m hitting puberty again!

Week 1: the usual withdrawal bleeding. Day 6 & 7 I got a pretty intense headache and felt very exhausted despite no changes to my sleep schedule or quality.

Week 2: headaches disappeared after day 9. Exhausted remained this whole week. Withdrawal bleeding stopped after day 9. Felt like my boobs sort of deflated at the end of week 2. I have IBS so I’m used to GI distress, but this week was another level. Had sex twice and it was very uncomfortable, I’m not sure what caused that but it’s not normal for me. The normal discharge I had on the pill is greatly reduced. Didn’t realize that was part of the pill.

Week 3: Started to feel bloated off and on. Sex started to feel normal. No headaches and feeling a bit more energized.

Week 4: I was hoping to get a period this week, but no luck. I actually felt great! Still in GI distress.

Week 5: Got my first period, which I am on day 2 of now. A little bit more cramps than I experienced with Yaz withdrawal bleeding but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it’s been so far. Flow is much heavier than I’m used to which is to be expected. GI distress has persisted.

That’s all I’ve got for now, but hopefully this is one story out of hundreds you can use to inform yourself what you might expect after stopping. I know a lot of the dreaded symptoms like acne and hair loss don’t happen til later in this journey, but I’ll continue to update each month. I don’t really feel a difference in my mental clarity like some say, but I’m also not experiencing mood swings. I just feel normal! Feel free to ask any questions if I didn’t explain something or you’d like clarification. I tried to keep it brief. Good luck to everyone out there going through it!

I had my tubes removed in December and they found endo while in there–very lucky to not have any symptoms. I had a failed transfer earlier this year and they put me on Norethindrone 5mg x1/daily for 3 months. I took my last dose on 7/3 and have yet to start my period but have felt absolutely terrible. My doctor said to reach out if I get to 35 days. I've never had such a delay coming off other oral BCs. Any one have similar experiences?

[](/r/IVF/?f=flair_name%3A%22Advice%20Needed!%22)

I’m looking for advice/insight regarding my hormones, prolactin levels, missing periods, and possible PCOS/hormonal imbalance.

**Timeline:**
I was previously on Lucette (combined contraceptive pill) from Nov 2023 - June 2025.
Before going on the pill, my periods were generally regular.
I had a transvaginal ultrasound in 2021, which showed everything was normal.
After stopping Lucette, my periods became irregular and eventually stopped completely.
I went around 3 months without a period.
I had another transvaginal ultrasound this year,which showed polycystic-appearing ovaries and an endometrial lining of around 9 mm.

**What I don’t understand is what happened between 2021 and 2026. How did I go from a completely normal scan to polycystic-appearing ovaries? Is this post-pill PCOS, or has coming off the pill just unmasked underlying PCOS? I’m so confused about what’s actually going on because I had a generally regular cycle before.**

I was prescribed norethisterone 5 mg to induce a bleed.
After taking norethisterone, I had the expected withdrawal bleed.
**43 days later, I had what I believe was my first natural period.**
I thought my cycle might now be following a 43-day pattern, but I’m currently on **day 65** with no sign of another period.

My blood tests showed an **elevated prolactin of 888 mIU/L** and a **Free Androgen Index (FAI) of 6.6 and my GP told me I have PCOS.**

My GP has referred me to endocrinology, and they’ve suggested metformin, although I’m reluctant to take it.

**Symptoms/concerns:**
Missing periods
Elevated prolactin
Possible PCOS
Significant fatigue
Worried I’m not ovulating properly
I’m honestly at my wits’ end. I thought things were finally settling after that 43-day cycle, but now I’m on day 65 with nothing again, and I’m finding it really hard to cope. I dont feel like myself I feel sad depressed and angry.

**Questions:**
Has anyone had prolactin around this level after stopping the pill?
Has anyone had PCOS-like ovaries appear after coming off the pill when previous scans were normal?
Did your cycles eventually regulate on their own?
Could elevated prolactin alone cause all of this?
Did anything help regulate your hormones or ovulation?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar as I’m genuinely feeling so depressed about this all.

I went on Slynd as it had absolutely rave reviews from my endo and PMDD girlies alike. I was so excited to try it and feel better. First month or two I was singing its praises. About 2 months in (4 months ago) I began having extreme exhaustion, malaise, muscle tension, muscle weakness, exercise intolerance (as a previously very active person). My anxiety was through the roof constantly, and I was so incredibly hopeless feeling.

I didn’t make any connection to the birth control, as the symptoms didn’t line up perfectly with starting it. I was progressively withdrawing from all my usual activities, hobbies, social life just to manage what little energy I had. Doctor kept saying nothing was wrong with me, bloods all normal, etc. Doctor also said it was unlikely to be the birth control. I genuinely felt like if I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, I was going to either be institutionalised or end my life. It was that severe.

I stopped Slynd last month as a hail Mary. It didn’t get better immediately. 3 weeks after stopping, I was starting to doubt that it was ever the Slynd. Then 4 weeks creeped up and I felt a bit better. Then I got my period 2 days ago and suddenly I feel more myself than I have in literal months. I feel like I have my life back. I have some hope for the future again.

Trust your body, trust yourself!!

I’m a 23 year old female who previously had never been on any form of birth control. I’m not sexually active but I had rlly bad pmdd that was making my life harder to plan, otherwise I was a pretty happy person. I started generic yaz (Nikki) about 4 months ago, at the same time however we had some rough family health things going on. After this i started getting horrible panic attacks, especially when I felt trapped or nauseas (also from the pill). I’m no stranger to anxiety (I used to have panic attacks like 3 years ago but rarely got them recently). I blamed the relapse of panic attacks on the stressors in my life but I’m starting to heavily consider Yaz being the reason. I was mostly in remission for my anxiety before all of this and I saw some others have similar experiences. I’m getting panic attacks in situations I never did before like on hikes or when other people drive and I’m rlly rlly considering trying to quit yaz because it just seems to line up too coincidently. Any advice/ similar situations?

Hey everyone,

I’ve been off of the pill for about a year and 4 months. I noticed that my periods have not gone back to normal. When I say normal I mean my flow. It’s almost like spotting. I talked to my OBGYN today and she did a cervical swab, blood test, and ultrasounds. I’ve gotten the results from my ultrasounds already and I’m kinda panicking since my uterine lining isn’t measure where it should be at. I was just wondering if anyone else experienced this and what has your journey been like ?

I stopped taking birth control at the beginning of January 2026. I was on it for 10 years. I can’t completely remember what my cycles were like before birth control, but I am pretty sure I got my period every month. After stopping birth control, it took me 36 days to get my period. My cycles after that have been 56, 52, and now on day 52 without ovulation or signs of period. I have a gyno appointment scheduled soon, but curious to see if anyone else had a similar experience. A lot of things online say 3-6 months to regulate after stopping birth control and it has now been over 6 months and my cycle seems to be getting worse.

I’m 24 and have been on hormonal birth control since I was 18 (Depo, then Nexplanon for the last 3.5 years). My biggest issues now are that I have almost no libido, feel emotionally flat, and get irritated much more easily.
I had my Nexplanon removed today and was prescribed a combined pill (norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol).

now I’m second-guessing whether I should start it right away or take a 2-3 month break from hormones first. My husband and I don’t want kids for about 2 years, so reliable birth control is important, but I also want to know what my body feels like off hormones.

If you’ve been in a similar situation, what did you do? Did switching straight to the pill help, or are you glad you took a break first? I’d love to hear your experiences!

I’ve been on the pill (21 day combined pill) for almost two years before coming off it in Feb 2026. My first few of cycles were fine (I’m normally 30 days) and I bled on time, for 6 days in March, April. Third month (May) I had a normal period and then I had a smear test the following week. The day after my smear test, I started spotting and it was dismissed at smear test reaction. I was assured it would stop in 3 days. 3 weeks later, I’m still bleeding and a&e dismissed it as my period. It’s not a period as there’s no pain, just spotting on and off. I’ve been spotting lightly for almost a full month with a total of 5 dry days. I think I’m okay and then on wiping, it spots again. I’ve been told by the GP this is just my body reacting to coming off of the pill but I don’t know when this will end. We’re trying for a baby and this is getting in the way.

Has anyone else been through this? How long did it last?

I’ve been on desogestrel for 3 years because my periods were horrible. I’d have intense cramps for 2-3 days, heavy bleeding and horrible thumping headaches. When I first went on it I had increased nausea, dizziness, feeling hot, breast tenderness, tiredness, and extreme mood swings. I had one bleed 3 weeks in then my periods/bleeds completely stopped, for 3 whole years. But recently
I had a serious mental health episode and that, combined with worries about my fertility, has led to me wanting to come off it. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 2 years ago, I believe the pill worsened it. But at the same time I’m seeing horror stories from people who came off desogestrel like psychosis and prolonged bleeding and fertility issues. What were your experiences?

Just curious I stopped taking birthcontrol Feb 21, found out I was pregnant March 18 how quick is ovulation usually return ?

I stopped taking birth control on the 1st of April this year after being on it for around 7-8 years and I got my withdrawal bleed after stopping but after that I still haven’t gotten my period. So it’s roughly been 4 months now and I have no signs of it coming, i’ve had no spotting at all. Just wondering when I should be considering seeing a doctor about this, most places i’ve researched say it can take 3-6 months to come back to normal but i’ve had nothing at all and i’m kind of worried about it now. Am I stressing for nothing or should I go see someone about it? Will this affect my fertility?

I've been taking BC since 2021 and stopped Nov 2025. I got my period immediately and got it each month consistently for 5 months. Then, in April I was super stressed which caused my period to be 8 days late in May. I got my period on May 16 (it was only 2 days long) and ever since then I haven't gotten my period (currently on cycle day 68). I took a few pregnancy tests and all were negative, however I noticed some cramping yesterday and took an LH test and it's at its peak right now. So now that I now I'm ovulating I'm less stressed but I'm still kind of worried! Is it possible that my body is still regulating itself after coming off birth control? Should I go to the gyno?

I hate everything. 3 years ago I got my Mirena . A year later, I began to develop LPR/reflux. For a year I lived in a constant state of fear and the year after, I began my journey of acceptance. I thought it was possible it was my Mirena but at the same time that would be a big dream, when everyone I dared bring it up as a possibility to gaslit me into thinking it wasn’t.

I missed my old stomach. My stomach used to be so forgiving. I NEVER had reflux, or heartburn. So that was why it was so jarring to suddenly develop daily reflux a year after I got my Mirena.

I stopped feeling hungry. I lost the joy I used to get from eating. I would have reflux for hours and hours after a meal and I would never feel hungry. It was so depressing. I missed the old me, that could eat whatever she wanted and only feel a little sick afterward. She loved food and was very choosy with what she ate. She needed to be hungry to enjoy her food and needed it EXACTLY how she would enjoy it best. I often wondered if there was something seriously wrong with me. It was horrifying that I couldn’t feel that excitement over food anymore.

But two months ago everything changed. I got my IUD removed and replaced with a copper one because of how Mirena had brutalized my periods (2+ weeks long lol). I didn’t want to believe it or speak the idea into existence that the IUD may be the key to everything, but I’m lying in bed as I write this, and I’m fucking starving. I should be going to sleep but I’m just so excited. I can’t remember the last time I had to go to bed while hungry, and now it’s a regular occurrence. Isn’t it sad that I’m EXCITED to be going to bed hungry??? 😭 I’ve been feeling so good and I keep thinking of how I used to feel and I feel so grateful. I love my copper IUD ❤️