# What are the effects of a woman going OFF the pill **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 5, 2001, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-effects-of-a-woman-going-off-the-pill/60878 "2001-04-05T04:26:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-effects-of-a-woman-going-off-the-pill/60878/1 "2001-04-05T04:26:27Z")
If a woman, say, a little younger than 40, has been on birth control pills for over 10 years, then abruptly stops taking them because her husband had an, er, uh, um…operation, are there any side affects to her not taking the pill? I know there are side effects to taking the pill, but what about not taking it? Lower libido? **Extreme** mood swings? Are these things normal? And how long do these side effects last? ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-effects-of-a-woman-going-off-the-pill/60878/2 "2001-04-05T04:42:49Z")
I don’t think going off the pill generally causes symptoms like you describe. Of course the best thing to do is discuss this with your gynecologist. Or go to Planned Parenthood. Jill ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-effects-of-a-woman-going-off-the-pill/60878/3 "2001-04-05T06:56:00Z")
As far as I know, I’m a side-effect of a woman going off the pill, and quite happy with it. My wife, on the other hand, was advised that her moods would be altered by the pill, which she unfortunately isn’t able to take, because she has migraines (and hence a risk of a stroke if she takes the main pill) so she takes the mini-pill instead, which is non-hormonal so won’t affect hormonal moods. Or something. I’d think a woman about 40 is perhaps coming near the menopause anyway… maybe stopping the pill collided with that. Aren’t you supposed to slowly cut down rather than stop abruptly? I dunno. Yeah. Ask one o’them doctor fellas. Book learnin’s what you need about now. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-effects-of-a-woman-going-off-the-pill/60878/4 "2001-04-05T06:58:37Z")
I’ve been on the pill my entire adult life [sub]God knows why, these days[/sub] except for about six months a couple years ago, which would have been about ten years after I started taking them. The only symptom I noticed during those six months was that my skin broke out terribly. But then, I never had any of the “usual” side effects from taking the pill, either. I guess I’ll just have to agree with JillGat - talk to your gyno about it. ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-effects-of-a-woman-going-off-the-pill/60878/5 "2001-04-05T09:12:17Z")
One thing that will quite likely happen is that her first period after coming off the pill will be irregular - it’s often late and may be quite light or quite heavy. With her body getting used to standardising it’s own hormone level again, the normal menstrual and pre-menstrual may be exacerbated - for example, she may get increased tenderness in the breasts. These are only temporary side effects though and nothing too drastic. If you’re worried, the best advice is to ask your doctor. Here are some [Google](http://www.google.com/search?q=%22after+coming+off+the+pill%22) search results for “after coming off the pill”. Fran ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-effects-of-a-woman-going-off-the-pill/60878/6 "2001-04-05T14:15:11Z")
What **Francesca** said. My girlfriend had to get off the pill for a while because it was causing her to have high blood pressure. Whenever she would get her period after that she would break out a little. Also her periods would become _very_ irregular. 6 months in between sometimes (yikes!). Those are the only effects she ever complained about. ---
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-effects-of-a-woman-going-off-the-pill/60878/7 "2001-04-05T14:33:21Z")
I was on the pill for about six years and then stopped taking them for about six months. No side effects to report. My periods were very irregular when I got off the pill, but to the best of my recollection they were irregular before I got on the pill. I would ask your Doctor though. It couldn’t hurt to let him know.