I’m about to get REAL up in here. And I’m definitely a little uncomfortable talking about it, but I feel like more people should be talking about this…so here we go – I recently got off of birth control completely. You know why? No, it’s not because I’m trying to get pregnant. Definitely, definitely not. But because this past year I completely lost my sex drive (if any of my family members are reading this right now, please leave. thank you.). This is all pretty personal so it feels a little weird to share it all on the internet for anyone to read, but I digress.
For quite a while I just thought it had to do with my husband and I going through some tough times in our marriage while his job was eating him alive. But once he quit and we became the happiest we’ve ever been in our relationship, I had to face the fact that there was something else at play. Or not at play, if you will. But it didn’t make sense to me since I’m super healthy, I work out regularly, get enough sleep, and eat dense, nutritious foods. Then one day while I was out for coffee, I mentioned it to a friend and she brought up birth control and how it may have to do with it. This surprised me. Like, really surprised me. I had never heard of that, my doctor had never mentioned it, and none of my friends have ever talked about experiencing it. So then and there, I decided to get off birth control for good.
Then I went on my merry way hoping things would get back to normal in no time. Well, turns out the body often needs more help than just hope. A couple weeks back, my girlfriend Christina Rice (if you don’t already follow her, do it, she’s the best!) was in town and I told her about getting off of birth control and she quickly asked what I was doing to help my body with the transition. I said, “Uhhhhh…nothing.” She rolled her eyes and started spouting all her knowledge bombs at me, explaining how birth control depletes vitamins and minerals in the body, especially B vitamins, selenium, zinc, Vitamin C and Vitamin A. But there are also a ton of other things that can happen once you come off of birth control – loss of periods, depression, anxiety, hair loss, headaches, bowel issues, and WAY more. It’s bananas. Not only did I never know that being on birth control can cause these issues, but I definitely didn’t know coming off it could be just as crappy.
Christina was nice enough to send me a list of all the different vitamins I needed to get into my daily routine. And right away I went straight to Thrive Market to grab my vitamins. I’ve talked about Thrive Market about a million times because it’s truly one of my favorite places to shop, for almost anything! Dog treats, paleo snacks, non-toxic cleaning products and makeup, and a ton of other must-haves. Plus they have a HUGE selection of vitamins and supplements, all marked down below MSRP! I was able to pick up a Magnesium & Zinc, B Vitamins, Vitamin C, and Selenium, all between 20-36% below MSRP, and have it shipped to my doorstep in just a couple days.
In case you were like me and completely in the dark about birth control can deplete so many important vitamins and minerals in the body, here’s why some of these supplements can be beneficial when coming out of birth control –
- Magnesium & Zinc
- Magnesium – We all know magnesium is good for us. I feel like it’s talked about more than any other mineral. It’s involved in energy creation, protein formation, gene maintenance, muscle movements, nervous system regulation, and more. And it plays a role in brain function and mood which can help with depression while coming off birth control
- Zinc – This can be helpful with loss of menstruation since many birth controls can cause zinc deficiency or copper overload.
- B Complex – When your body is detoxing from the excess hormones, it needs adequate B vitamins such as B6 and B12, both of which can be depleted while on birth control. B Vitamins help with energy levels, cell health, and a crap ton of other things.
- Vitamin C – Surprise surprise, birth control also depletes Vitamin C in our bodies which is sucks since it helps protect our cells and fight against free radicals.
- Selenium – When you’re detoxing from the excess amount of hormones coming off of birth control, your liver is responsible for processing them. Selenium supports the liver, as well as the thyroid, to help process and eliminate heavy metals.
Sure, I complained for quite a long time about the size of the vitamins. I mean COME ON. Pills suck, especially ones the size of small boats. But I quickly learned that taking the vitamins with some carbonated water washes them down real quick like. It’s a game changer. Try it!
I’ve been off of birth control for over a month now and I’m happy to say things have been going very well. I’ve had some definite mood swings and cramps were a little worse than before, but I was quite happy to get my period on the same day as I thought I would. Sadly my sex drive isn’t fully back to normal (again, so awkward to talk about on here), but it’s improving. I’m a person who definitely understands that everything takes time and I don’t expect my body to be back to normal after 16 or 17 years of birth control.
I don’t know personally know many people who have had the same experience as me when it comes to birth control, but I’m hoping that sharing this story helps at least a few people out there. And I have Christina to thank for talking me into supplementation post birth control. And I can thank Thrive Market for having everything I would need to make the transition a little easier. Thrive Market makes healthy living easier and more affordable. And the more we can support Thrive Market, the more they will be able to change even more households in the US, for the better. And don’t forget, you can get 25% off your first order + free 30 day trial + free shipping when you click here! Thrive Market will help you save on groceries, beauty products, and yes vitamins and supplements!
Remember, I’m not a doctor. This is my own personal experience. Don’t forget to talk to a medical professional you TRUST. And if you have your own birth control or post-birth control experience you’d like to share, I’d love to hear it. I know it can be a little strange sharing it over the internet, but those stories can impact people in such positive ways! I’d especially love to hear any vitamins and minerals that you’ve added into your own daily life to help you thrive. I’m really excited to feel like I have my body back. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the progress!
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I am SO glad you are sharing this! I went off BC in 2016 as my “ok let’s get pregnant” moment. My result was a missing period for 13 months with no solutions from my lady doc. I ate very well, balanced exercise, was a great sleeper, managed some stress (who doesn’t) and the only thing they could tell me was to gain 10 lbs (which was completely unnecessary, 140Lbs at 5’4; 28% BF). After 6 months of a missing period, I did my own research and started supplementing and meditating. I definitely noticed a change in my sex drive and wasn’t even expecting it! Sex felt goood, like I didn’t know it was supposed to feel that way; I had much more natural lubrication, and I realized what feeling horny actually meant. After 9 months, I saw a fertility specialist who said my hormones were “dimmed” but everything was functioning relatively appropriately. The “dimmed” hormones were likely a cause from the 12+ years of BC. Flash forward to today, I have a 13 month old baby girl. I never did get that period, but miracles are lovely. So if anyone is reading this and going through something similar, invest into your sex drive and love on your hubby as often as possible 😉
Thanks again for sharing! While 2016 wasn’t that long ago, the amount of resources found online were pretty limited. Since then, I’ve learned how common scenarios such as mine and yours may be – while normalcy may make someone feel better mentally, this should not be the expectation of women’s health.
Juli, your wonderful for owning your vulnerability and quashing it through sharing your experiences! Always love your blunt and off the wall comments that seem to come out of left field. If your looking for a new form of BC so you can truly enjoy the drive when it comes back check out VCF, vaginal contraceptive film or gel, one option even comes w an applicator. It’s extremely effective, non hormonal, and easy to use. Haven’t popped out another kid since I started using it religiously. HAHA! Hopefully having an option to help prevent pregnancy will help you to feel better about hoppin on the good foot and doin the bad thang! I recommend VCF gel w applicator it dissolves quicker, if using the film make sure to allow enough time to let it dissolve all the way. Once when we didn’t let it dissolve all the way a piece of undissolved VCF got into my husbands urethra, instead of dissolving where it should, and burned like hell when he urinated afterward. By the way your Paleo recipes are muther flippin golden!
Hey Juli!
Wow-clearly from the # of comments on this post this is a topic we can ALL relate to! Thanks for sharing – I hope you revisit this topic too and keep us updated as time goes on.
Here’s my BC and post-BC story:
Went on BC in college when I started a long term relationship with my then bc-now husband. Nuva ring, stayed on for probably 6ish years, mostly without issues, but it was weird sometimes and husband didn’t love it bc he could feel it so sometimes we’d remove it but that’s obviously not a great idea long term if you forget to put it back in right away
Heard IUDs were better so tried … I think the mirena- has some hormone but lower dose. Hurt like hell to have it inserted (like-if men had to do it it would be a procedure with anesthesia it hurt so badly) and then I would get these jolts of terrible abdomen pain when I moved certain ways – and my husband could feel it during intercourse (which my doc said was impossible but if you search online tons of people say happens) so we tried to trim the strings but then it was even worse and so I finally removed it within 6 weeks of inserting (I felt IMMEDIATELY better before walking out of the doctors office. I’ve since done some research inn IUDs and learned that it’s nit super well understood how they work; they think it’s just kind of a low grade inflammation in your uterus and that the presence of a foreign object makes your uterus hostile to a fetus?! Kind of crazy)
From there I went back on NUVA ring for a while but then I was traveling a lot and needed something I didn’t need to refrigerate or replace every 3 weeks so I did the arm implant (nexplanon). It lasts 3 years. I bled for like a month straight when I first went on it but then back to normal and pretty much good (well as good as BC ever can be) for the 3 years – regular cycle, etc.
My husband and I have never planned on kids so as my 3 years were coming to an end he took it upon himself to get a vasectomy. It was incredibly easy, not very painful and he was good to go 3 days later. I had my arm implant removed early April, so it’s been about 4 months now. My cycle is back to normal. I remember reading something that said that a lot of women say going off BC is worse (and the person everyone is recommending you read – Dr Jolene Brighten, has coined the term post BC syndrome I think) but that really, after the yucky months, it’s actually just that you’re back to YOUR normal which…yeah…might not be great. After all, you may have gone on BC bc of painful periods, PMS symptoms, or acne. So when you get back to that normal, it’s not that anything is wrong with you per se…it’s that you kinda forgot that your “normal” is not the same thing as feeling fantastic all the time, if that makes sense.
I agree with the commenters who said that a return to normal has also meant more ups and downs emotionally and with strength, etc. I’ve done some research on training for your cycle and there are better times of month to lift heavy, try for PRs, Progressively Overload, etc (if I remember right it’s week 1-2 of your cycle; then as hormone levels fall closer to your cycle you feel weaker the second half of cycle in week 3-4). Despite these ups and downs, and a return to my regular, sorta long cycle with pretty painful cramps, I still prefer this to being on BC and having “better” periods – I just feel more in tune with my body.
Another kinda crazy thing – I was listening to Mind Pump’s podcast interview with Dr Jolene Brighten and she mentioned some crazy stuff that (can) happen to our bodies while on BC and one of them I actually have!! (If you’re curious, it’s a benign liver tumor ?…benign so “fine” but WTF?! I definitely probably would have considered other BC methods instead of hormonal BC if I’d known that this and other issues could happen! Ridiculous!) Here’s that podcast link if you’re interested! Sometimes I like to listen more than read!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mind-pump-raw-fitness-truth/id954100822?i=1000440404362
Juli – What are you doing now for birth control?
What do you plan on using for birth control? I have never used anything except for condoms but was thinking of getting an IUD but am worried about side effects.
I’m curious about this too. I’d love to go off the pill because it scares me how long I’ve been on it but not interested in getting pregnant and not a fan of condoms. So is there a non-hormonal birth control out there?
There is only one non hormonal birth control out there. It’s an IUD called Paraguard and lasts up to 10 years. I just love that I don’t have to stress about getting pregnant and also don’t have to put hormones in my body. But IUD’s aren’t for everyone. But, you can always track your menstrual cycle to avoid getting pregnant.
I have heard about Paraguard from my sister (she works in an obgyn office) and she told me the doctors in her office wont put it in for someone who hasn’t given birth. I think it has to do with the size (it is pretty large). She did say she doesn’t see women having complications with it. Mirena is the one that women are ALWAYS having problems with. Just going by what my sister sees at her office. I would love to find a doctor who would put a Paraguard in me though for peace of mind since condoms aren’t 100% affective either.
If you find a way to get your sex drive back to 100% normal please let me know. I’ve been struggling with this for years. I went off birth control and saw little to no change. I was off of it for about a year. So now I am trying a different birth control. I talked to my Dr. about it and they didn’t see to be a lot of help so I am kind of at a loss.
Are you eating enough?
I got off birth control about 2 years ago and it was the best decision! I feel so much better! As for ‘birth control,’ my husband I use the Fertility Awareness Method. It’s tracking your basal body temperature daily so you know when ovulation is occurring each month….And knowing when he needs to keep his hands off of me each month…or use protection…haha!
I like the app called Kindara to keep track of all of it! It’s fabulous!
When I first got off BC 10 years ago, I lost my period for 5 straight years…that was a wild time, lots of Dr. appointments. In the end, it was contributed to inadequate vitamins and minerals, particularly iron. My body had zero ability to absorb nutrients – and I was following the paleo diet, so eating lots of iron rich foods. I began taking Gaia Liquid Iron from Thrive Market and it literally changed my life and eventually I got my period back. *I was also told to eat more to gain weight. I think drastic weight and fat loss happens at first to a lot of people when they start eating paleo, probably because they don’t eat/make alternative recipes like the ones you create!
I don’t want to get pregnant, maybe never, so until my husband gets a vasectomy, I choose to be 100% safe and use the Copper IUD. I’m with Maggie on this one, I have the sex drive of a 19 year old boy as well…great analogy. lol. While the Copper IUD is hormone free, my natural hormones (like Maggie) can be wild sometimes. During certain times of my cycle I get depressed, unmotivated, extremely hungry, etc. I acknowledge, however, that it’s my hormones and that it will pass, so it doesn’t upset me. The bad – I get cramps throughout the month, I literally can feel myself ovulating…at least I think that’s what is it. I also have dramatic cramps during my period, my boobs nearly double in size, and it lasts like 7 days. I have heard that these symptoms can be attributed to the Copper IUD, but it’s been 5 years and I still have it in me 😉
Hi Juli, thanks for sharing. I would love to get of BC so I find this very helpful. Since you don’t plan on having kids (same as me) what are you thinking you will do so that a pregnancy doesn’t happen? Thanks in advance.
Thanks so much for sharing your story! I was on birth control for a very long time and finally got off a few years ago. I still don’t have my period back and my libido is much lower than normal (sometimes non-existent). I’ve been working with a naturopath and she helped me understand that a low libido is your body’s way of not letting you get pregnant if you adrenals can’t handle a pregnancy. That made total sense to me since I have had some adrenal problems in the last few years and synthetic hormones are definitely hard on your adrenals, along with the stressors of every day life. I’m so glad to hear that I’m not the only one going through these issues because like you said, it often feels like I’m the odd one out.
When I was much younger (now 51) I had the same issues and went off BC and things dramatically improved! Check out NFP (Natural Family Planning). A woman’s body can only get pregnant about 3-5 days out of any month. Your body gives you plenty of signs from temperature and fluids and today there are many apps that can help you track. Keeping your husband involved in the process also increases the emotional intimacy between both of you and increases the level of respect for the power that you both have in getting pregnant or avoiding it. There have been studies to show that couples who practice NFP (religious and non-religious) have something crazy like a 1% divorce rate as opposed to those that use contraception options. I wish I had learned more about it when I was much younger! Today women mistakenly believe that they can get pregnant nearly all month long! Why flood your system with artificial hormones for a month for only 3-5 days of potential?!