Quitting the pill - how to get your body back on track

Stopping the pill is a big step. We can imagine you might be worried about your symptoms returning. But if you prepare your body properly for stopping the pill, you can prevent symptoms like mood swings, weight fluctuations, acne, and other unpleasant side effects. Stopping the pill: here's how!

In this blog :

• Tired of the pill or getting pregnant?
• Stopping the pill, this is how you do it
• Complaints after stopping the pill
• A faster, healthy cycle after stopping the pill
• What else can you do to help your body wean off the pill?
• But… how can you live cyclically if you don't have a real cycle when you're on the pill?
• FAQ: When can I stop taking the pill?
• FAQ: When will my cycle return?

Tired of the pill or getting pregnant?

Figures show that women are increasingly tired of taking the pill. They no longer want artificial hormones in their bodies, want to live more naturally, or they're fed up with the pill's side effects.

But many women also stop taking the pill because they want to get pregnant. Whatever your reason for stopping, it's good to get your natural cycle back on track as soon as possible. A natural, regular cycle is a sign of a healthy body.

What's your reason for stopping the pill? If you want to prepare for pregnancy, it's recommended to start taking a multivitamin containing folic acid . Folic acid intake increases a woman's folate status. A low folate status is a risk factor for developing neural tube defects (spina bifida or cranium) in the fetus.

Stopping the pill, this is how you do it

It's hard to imagine, but that little pill you take every day has a massive impact on your body. It completely disrupts your hormones, making it nearly impossible to get pregnant.

This is what the pill does to your body:

• It prevents you from ovulating
• Your cervix becomes less suitable for sperm cells
• Your uterus prevents the implantation of a fertilized egg
• You don't have a natural period
• It shuts down your testosterone production

The pill does all this with synthetic hormones, which you take every day. How long you take the pill doesn't really matter.

Complaints after stopping the pill

Because your body is used to this dose of hormones, coming off the pill can cause symptoms. Think of it as a kind of withdrawal. All these symptoms together fall under the term Post-Birth Control Syndrome.

After stopping the pill, you may experience:

• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Swollen abdomen
• Headache
• Irregular periods
• Mood swings
• Sore breasts
• Hormonal acne

Other additional (positive!) effects may include:

• Increased desire for sex (because your normal hormone production starts again).
• Fewer mood swings. Some women experience severe mood swings when taking the pill.
• Stronger hair and nails.
• Reduce your risk of yeast infections. Read more about vaginal yeast infections in our blog: Everything you need to know about a vaginal yeast infection.

You will notice these positive effects when your body has recovered from the pill.

Faster natural cycle after stopping the pill

We've already mentioned it: It's important to get your natural cycle back on track after quitting. Help your body get back on track with a healthy cycle faster by ensuring you're getting enough vitamins and minerals.

Taking the pill may cause your body to need more vitamins and minerals. To process all the extra hormones from the pill, your liver has to work harder than usual (and therefore needs more fuel).

If you don't give your liver this, a deficiency will develop. The result is physical and mental problems.

A healthy lifestyle can contribute to a healthy cycle.

What else can you do to help your body wean off the pill?

Another important way to help your body recover after the pill is to live a cyclical lifestyle. What does that mean? Cyclical living means living according to your cycle. Throughout your cycle, your body has different needs. This is due to hormones, which change throughout the month.

Each phase of your cycle therefore has different nutritional needs. Your physical activity also depends on the phase of your cycle.

We therefore recommend that you eat according to your cycle and exercise according to your cycle. This increases your chances of returning to a normal cycle more quickly after stopping the pill. 🚀

You can read more about this in our blogs:

Period Power: Train according to your cycle

Hack your cycle with nutrition

But... how can you live cyclically if you don't have a real cycle when you're on the pill? 🙋

By pretending you do have it. This is what your cycle would look like:

Menstrual phase = the stop week

Follicular phase = the 7 days after the stop week, days 1 to 7

Ovulation phase = the 3 days that follow, days 8 through 10

Premenstrual phase = the 11 days that follow, days 11 through 21

FAQ: When can I stop taking the pill?

You can actually stop taking the pill at any time, but it's recommended to finish your pack. You're still protected against potential pregnancy during those days. You're still protected during the withdrawal bleeding that follows. Only on the day you're supposed to start a new pack does your body prepare to resume its natural cycle.

FAQ: When will my cycle return?

When you stop taking hormones, your body needs to adjust. Your hormone balance needs to get back on track. This can take some time. It can take a few months, or even a few years, for your body to get everything back on track. In most cases, your body will adjust to coming off the pill after about 3-6 months. Your cycle may be irregular at first.

If it lasts longer than 3-6 months or you have many symptoms, contact your doctor.

We hope this blog has helped you learn more about stopping the pill. Still have questions or concerns about your cycle? Chat with us !