Hellobee Boards

I don't have much advice to give, but just wanted to say welcome! I don't think i need to tell you that our bodies can be a bit wonky coming off of BC. I think I would count that as AF, since it came at the right time and with all the right symptoms. Hopefully next month will bring a more recognizable AF! Good luck!

I would probably count it as AF also. I went off BC in December also. My first cycle was 40 days and I spotted for 2 days or so before AF fully came (never had that happen before). I'm on cycle two post-BC now and CD28 with no AF. I heard/read everyone else's story but was "convinced" my body would adjust much easier. Apparently not!

@Emsmems - Tell me about it... If I knew going off of it would be this annoying, I would've done it sooner so that my body had time to adjust. This board definitely helps me realize I'm not alone in this but I also get paranoid that I'm not ovulating or that something else is wrong with my cycle now, LOL!

@berdine - I was on it continuously for 12 years (no breaks whatsoever). I would take two packs straight so basically 6 weeks or so between periods. If I went too long, I'd start spotting which I figured was my body telling me it was time for AF. Which is why I thought I'd regulate pretty quickly off BC. I went off of it after my last pack in December - so I took the placebos and had AF the week of December 10. My first cycle was 40 days, I spotted a little before AF but fully bled starting January 16. No AF this month yet. If I knew this would happen, I would've given myself a couple months to regular before TTC. It seems like the majority of people have weird cycle lengths for the first couple months/cycles. So if, hypothetically, you wanted to start TTC next January, I'd go off BC early fall and give yourself a few months off it and use condoms? Also, fwiw, a lot of people noticed symptoms off BC. I've been lucky (knock on wood) and aside from a little pre-AF breakout, haven't noticed much of a change. Oy, sorry so long!!

Period. I looked into this when I was going off BCP and learned that when it is extra dark, that's your body getting rid of old blood. I personally think the body needs time to adjust after being on hormones for so long.