Coming off the pill

Well hello there blog, my old friend, long time no see! I realise the last time I posted on here was *cough* just a little over 3 years ago… 
 
Has it really been that long? gosh. A LOT has happened since taking flat lays of beauty products in my old little bedroom, let me tell you. From moving out and buying our first home to switching careers and becoming a mother…to a beautiful kitty. But that's for another day.
 
I’ve had the urge recently to write a blog post and to hopefully resurrect the ghost of Katiesworldofbeauty from the grave because I do miss writing and chatting about all things beauty related. And although TikTok and IG reels are where things are at these days, there is nothing better than sitting with a cup of tea and getting lost in reading a blog post. So here goes nothing…
 
So, I did something crazy at the end of 2022, I came off the pill. 
 
And no, it’s not to try and get pregnant. I already have my furry child. 

A background story:
 
I still remember the first day I went on the contraceptive pill. I was 17 and things were starting to get serious with my partner. I had wanted to go on the pill for a while, and back then all my friends were talking about going on the pill and sharing stories about how it helps ease cramps and makes periods lighter. So, of course, my 17-year-old hormonal, crazy brain wanted in on this and I figured ok I’m dating now let's try this out. I was on the Rigevidon contraceptive pill, though back then I THINK it was called Microgynon - basically the ones in the pink pack that you take for 3 weeks and have your 1-week break. And that remained for 12 years basically. 
 
I had no issue being on Rigevidon, in fact, I thought I was a lucky one because everyone I had spoken with had some sort of bad experience being on the pill or it had caused health problems. I never had those symptoms. I never got cramps hallelujah!, my periods were pretty light and easygoing, and I always had a period every month without fail. So no real dramas. 
 
I did however suffer from raging hormones, breakouts, and weight gain/loss throughout most of my twenties, but we will get to that soon.
 
But overall, I was happy I was able to enjoy my everyday life being on the pill for that length of time, without any real concerns.
 
Fast forward 12 years:
 
After celebrating a massive 12 years of being on the pill, I took my last ever pill in December 2022 and never looked back. It was a decision my friends and I had talked about doing for a while and I finally decided to do it.
 
I had been thinking about coming off the pill quite a lot last year, it dawned on me that I am almost leaving my 20s behind and I’ve been on the pill for 12 years. Surely it can’t be doing my body any good. Despite the nurse telling me it's fine to be on the pill for that length of time and to continue taking it, I decided I wanted 2023 to be the year I come off and see how my body reacts. And oh boy did it react.
 
So we are 4 months into being pill-free and I’ve been tracking my body to see what has changed…
 
The pill caused me to have breakouts. 

As I mentioned before, I suffered from breakouts pretty much my entire teenage years and even into my 20s. But I just brushed it off as being your typical teenage breakouts…I mean I am 29 how long can that old excuse keep going? Basically, I realised the pill had caused my face to break out and I noticed this 3 months into not being on the pill that my skin had totally cleared up. I’ve always had a good skincare routine so I knew it was never that. But this has been the biggest change I have noticed and it’s given me such a confidence boost. I actually don’t wear a spec of makeup some days when leaving the house!
 
The pill made me sensitive to absolutely everything! 

Crazy, raging hormones. I suffered from bad hormones in the sense I was sensitive and crying one minute to being tense and frustrated the next. A whole emotional rollercoaster. But lately, I have realised I am so calm and not as reactive to things as I might have been before. It’s great. I don’t feel tense and my brain doesn’t go 20 to the dozen with emotions. I am actually a nice person when on my period, who knew. I joke, or half-joke.
 
The typical ‘oh you can tell you’re on your period, has vastly become, oh you can tell you are on the pill…’
 
Cramps come and go, but so far it’s been bearable! 

- Although last month I experienced stomach pains and instantly my reaction was ‘oh I must have eaten something funny’…turns out it was Mother Nature stirring her pot. But again it was totally fine and I got on with my day. My periods as well, same as before nothing new to report on. They are regular and I am able to track when I am due every month with the Flo app, and so far it's been pretty spot on.
 
I know it's still early days for my body to totally get back into its natural form, but so far I am so happy I made the decision to come off the pill. I do kind of wish I came off it sooner, having realised it has likely been the cause of my off-balance hormone and breakouts. 

 
Have you come off or are thinking of coming off the pill? Would love to hear about others' experiences!