Anyone went on pill temporarily to regulate cycles?

[Soili]

It's just what I've been wondering about lately. I have PCOS. When I stopped the pill in Feb last year, I had 6 more or less regular ovulatory cycles. And then I stopped ovulating. I know for a fact, that my ovaries were clear of cysts while I was on the pill. And I guess once my hormones took over, I was back to the whole PCOS mess.

I hear women go on a pill before IVF too. Why is that? I wonder if stopping the pill actually makes you more fertile for a while?

If anything, I'd love to have a couple of "regular" BCP cycles. I'm on CD70 and even Provera didn't work this time (been 2 week since I stopped it). I do realize that it means that there would be absolutely no chance of getting pregnant, but heck, we're not even BDing much at all anymore anyway, because I gave up on ovulating.

 

[stellargaze]

Hi Soili,

I also have PCOS and was put on the pill to trigger ovulation at one point. I was told that it's best to take it for just a few months, and then to start ttc right away when you go off. A lot of women think that you need time for your body to re-regulate, but research has shown that most women will ovulate in that first month after going off of the pill. The adjustment period comes a bit afterwards. It also gave me time to unwind and not have to stress about everything.

I had a similar experience to you actually-- 4 months of normal cycles the first time I went off of it, and then nothing. Unfortunately, after I went back on I had other health problems (I broke my tailbone and injured my back) and ended up staying on it quite a bit longer. It did help me start getting my period regularly again though. I ended up on clomid, which has worked to trigger ovulation with my PCOS. Keeping my fingers crossed for this month.


Wishing you all the best.

 

[Soili]

Thank you a million times!! I remember asking same thing a few months ago, but no one confirmed my theory. It's awesome to know that someone's been in the same situation as me. Idiotically I actually waited 3 months after stopping the pill, because I read that's what you have to do, you have to give your body time to figure itself out. BIG mistake.

That is it then, my long awaited TTC break! Looking forward to feeling more normal again!

The best of luck for you with Clomid!! I'm waiting for my first fertility consult, so hoping that Clomid will be an option for me too and hoping it works.

 

[SweetJennie]

I was put on the pill to regulate my PCOS when it was out of control and i was bleeding nonstop and not even the pill would give me a normal cycle. It was really weird. The only thing that did give me ovulatory nonbleeding all the time cycles was Metformin. I didn't want to read and run but just wanted to share my BCP to regulate a cycle story lol. My doc did say that they put women with PCOS on it for short times to regulate their cycles because I remember being horrified when the doc who was supposed to help fix me so I could get pregnant gave me the BCP

 

[Soili]

Jennie, thank you for your story! The pill was quite awesome for me, I never had any side effects and my "periods" on it were always on time. Also whenever I did a 1 month break from it, I always ovulated that month. It also shrank my fibromioma (I don't know if it's back now or not, I've been off pill for 18 months.)

I've tried Metformin for a month and it did nothing for me. Didn't help with weight loss either. And Provera also didn't work for me while I was on Metformin while it always did the trick before :shrugs: Maybe I wasn't on it long enough, but at the moment I'm inclined to think that it simply is not the answer for me. I will keep open minded to trying it again in the future though.

 

[SweetJennie]

It prolly just wouldn't work for you. When I went on it within 1 week my bleeding stopped and I ovulated like a couple of weeks after. It was intense

 

[Soili]

You're probably right! I do hear girls saying they've ovulated in less than a month after starting Metformin. Maybe insulin is just not the problem for me after all. I was more disappointed that it did nothing for me in weight loss department. I was feeling bloated for the most of the time. It did cure my sweet tooth, but I barely lost any weight in a month despite not eating any sugar at all.