Stopping bcp - what to expect?

[Dotty Doo]

Hello!

Sorry if I sound completely clueless, this whole ttc business is very complicated!

I have finished my last pack of bcp so will be officially ttc from tomorrow. If I was still taking bcp then tomorrow would be the day I would start a new strip but obviously I'm not, my question is what is going to happen?!

I don't know whether to expect AF, will she come a couple of days after the missed pill or will I be waiting a whole cycle? And when will cd1 be?

Help!!

 

[Flueky88]

I had my normal withdrawal bleed with the end of my pack. Counting first day of that bleed as cycle day 1. I then had 36 day cycle. I didn't do bbt or opk but I don't think I ovulated that cycle. Also, I was on pill for 10 years and am 27. We are all different. Some take more or less time to regulate. I'm on cycle 2 and its day 30, eagerly awaiting AF. I quit opks on cycle day 21 figured I won't ovulate this go round. Good luck, hun! I hope your body does a better job than mine

 

[DobbyForever]

Agreed. You will get your normal withdrawal bleed. The length of your period depends on two things: your ovulation day and luteal phase length. When you stop birth control, your body has to basically re-adjust to regulating its own hormones. Some women do this faster than others. I once read that women under 25 tend to get back to regular cycles faster, and my personal experience supports that. I ovulated my cycle off every time, just a week late. And by cycle two I was regular again. I was on bcp from age 14/15 (to regulate my hormones since I got bedridden sick every month from pms) until 24. I got off and on like 5 times.

Anywho, the unpredictable factor is your ovulation date. Having not tracked it before (assumption), you don't know when to expect it. So it could come early, on time, late... but CD 1 imo should be the first day of your withdrawal bleed.

A word of caution: whenever I stopped birth control, my O was delayed about a week. Because my body was adjusting, I had terrible symptoms that convinced me I was pregnant. So my word of advice is trust the tests and not your body, and when it doubt politely request bloods.