QuestionQUESTION: Dear Allison,
I recently stopped taking birth control because I thought it was making me
break out and I heard a lot about how it's bad for your and screws up your
system. Now that I'm off the pill, I'm breaking out like crazy (my skin was
clear on the pill). Is this a symptom of going off the pill? More importantly, if I
JUST went off the pill and want to go back on it, is it safe for me to go back
on it right away? If so, how would I go about doing this - should I wait until I
have my next period? Lastly, how bad is the pill for you? Obviously, it's best if
you don't have any synthetic hormones in your system, but one of the
reasons I went off the pill was to cleanse my system. Thank you for your help
and information. I really appreciate you taking the time to advise me what to
do.
Best Regards,
Heather
ANSWER: Dear Heather,
You have several questions so I will start with the first about your skin. Because there are many different forms of the pill with many different combinations of hormones they will all affect your skin differently, however, many pills actually have a positive effect on skin and some are even prescribed to help people with acne problems. It is best to ask your doctor about this and she will make sure you have one that suits you. As such, breaking out is not a symptom of going off the pill but rather is your body's natural state and being on the pill was probably helping to control break outs.
Secondly, in regards to going back on the pill, it does not matter when or how you do this so long as you are aware of the effects of the pill as a method of birth control. If the new pill pack is begun on the first day of your period then it will be effective immediately, if you start it at any other time it takes 7 days to take effect. As such, you can start the new pill pack again at any time but will need to use a back-up method of birth control (such as condoms) for 7 days before the pill can be used alone as a birth control method.
Finally, you ask how bad is the pill. A lot of this answer will depend on your medical history, but in general the pill is not bad for you. Many studies have been done and the pill is perfectly safe to take so long as you don't have any conflicting health problems. Some things that make the pill less safe are being a smoker, over 35 years of age, or having a tendency for heart/blood pressure problems. Most of the side-effects of the pill (such as emotional instability or headaches) go away within three months of beginning the pill as your body adjusts to it. If you do have these symptoms for longer talk to your doctor as you may want to try one of the other pill options. Some of the benefits of the pill include decreased risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, fewer ectopic pregnancies, and it may protect against osteoperosis, endometreosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. A lot of the myth about the pill not being good for you is left over from the early days when the pill was new and not yet perfected, however, over the last 50 years many advancements have been made.
All of this being said, it is up to you whether or not you are comfortable using a hormonal method of birth control. There are other options available and you should make an informed choiced based on what works for you.
Check out this website for more information and talk to your doctor.
http://www.optionsforsexualhealth.org/birth-control-pregnancy/birth-control-opti
Regards,
Allison
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Allison,
Thanks for all the info! It has definitely helped me understand the pill better.
I was concerned because I had heard that stopping the pill for a month is
really bad for you. You're saying it's not? I do not have any conflicting health
problems, with the exception of occasional aura vision migraines. Does the
pill have a negative effect or any health concerns regarding aura migraines?
Also, I'm unsure of what you mean by when to start the next pack. Should I
start it the day my next period ends? I just don't want my hormones to get
messed up so I want to ease back on it. Thanks again for your help!
Best Regards,
Heather
AnswerDear Heather,
It is not bad for you to go back on the pill soon after stopping it. The only concern would be if the pill greatly affects you (i.e. you have a lot of side-effects when first going on it) and you do not want to deal with the fluctuations in hormones. If this is the case, you should talk to your doctor and tell them about the side-effects and they can prescribe a pill that is better for you (i.e. less side-effects). Other than that there is no problem at all, it is simply your personal preference.
As I am not a doctor, I am not sure about migranes, this is something you will need to see your doctor about and I recommend this to be done before you go back on just in case.
Like I said before, you can start again at any time. You just need to be aware of the 7 days needed for the pills to begin to take effect. And there really is no easing back on as you are either on or not, you can't be sort of taking the pill. Just be aware of the 7 days time frame and you will be fine.
Regards,
Allison
