Post Birth Control Syndrome

amenorrhea fertility period problems Mar 18, 2021
Post birth control syndrome

 

Imagine quitting hormonal birth control and things are fabulous.

Your period is regular and you just know you’ve made the right decision to get those synthetic hormones out of your system once and for all.

You’re feeling more connected to your body than you have in years.

But then….4 to 6 months after quitting you start getting these horrible hormonal symptoms.

Acne.

Hair loss.

Mood swings.

Your libido has all of a sudden gone MIA.

Or worse….your period goes MIA.

It’s likely you don’t think this has anything to do with your birth control because things were fine after you quit….

But this could be something called Post Birth Control Syndrome.

 

What is post birth control syndrome?

Well as the name suggests, it’s a hormonal condition that often develops in women after they stop using hormonal birth control.

It can be experienced immediately after ceasing your birth control or it may rear it’s ugly head 4-6 months after you’ve quit the pill, hormonal IUD, the patch or another form of hormonal birth control.

I first learned about this condition when I read the book Beyond the Pill by the incredible Dr Jolene Brighton. In it, she explains how she observed and recorded hundreds of women's post birth control journey across a number of years in her practice.

And as a physician, she confirms that post birth control syndrome is a real thing.

For some women, the symptoms that show up are new and not something they have experienced before.

Others find that the things they went onto hormonal birth control to try and manage are the same things that come back after quitting.

Symptoms of post birth control syndrome

  • Acne or rosacea
  • Amenorrhea (no period)
  • Blood sugar dysregulation
  • Bowel issues (constipation or diarrhea)
  • Depression, anxiety or mood swings
  • Fatigue
  • Hair loss
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Heavy bleeding
  • Gut dysbiosis and leaky gut
  • Inflammation and other immune imbalances
  • Painful periods

 

Why your doctor won’t acknowledge this condition

Most doctors believe that hormonal birth control only affects the reproductive system and that your menstrual cycle will go back to ‘normal’ as soon as you stop using it. 

You’ve probably even been told this?

So, when you head into your doctors office for help with your post birth control symptoms (that may only be showing up months after stopping BC) you’ll probably be told your symptoms aren’t related to your hormonal BC use.

Which is SO frustrating!

Having experienced this condition myself, I’m very familiar with how quickly a doctor can be to dismiss your story and your symptoms.

A word of warning: If your doctor tells you that going back onto hormonal birth control will help with your hormone imbalance and the symptoms you are experiencing, they are wrong.

This will not help.

It will just mask the problem and allow it to manifest into something bigger.

This is a common narrative given to women by doctors and it needs to change. 

Until that change happens (don’t hold your breathe), we, the women, need to be the ones to take our health into our own hands.

 

You need to take the necessary steps to heal

Time and time again I have clients who make an appointment with me as their last resort.

They’ve been to the doctor and maybe even seen a second doctor.

They’ve read blog posts, asked their friends advice and tried all the supplements.

In fact, they often say they’ve tried everything but nothing is working….

Can you relate?

Well, when I dig a little deeper with these women during my one on one consulting, we often discover they’ve been putting all of their effort into the wrong things (which is heartbreaking).

Sure, supplements can be really useful but they won’t ever replace a healthy diet.

And sometimes, it’s more important to take things out than it is to keep adding more things in! 

If you’re feeling the effects of post birth control syndrome and you want to get on top of it asap, join The Femme Room so we can get straight to the root of what’s going on for you.

Don’t spend months trying to figure it out yourself (while your symptoms just snowball)

Join The Femme Room and let's work it out together. 

If you're not ready to invest in your health just yet, that’s ok, no judgment here. Honestly.

I still want to help you have a menstrual cycle you can love.

 

5 area’s to focus on if you have post birth control syndrome

  • Start replenishing all of the nutrients that were depleted by your hormonal birth control.
  • Balance your blood sugars
  • Detoxify the synthetic estrogens
  • Work out what hormonal imbalances you are dealing with
  • Heal your gut and reduce inflammation

Or go ahead and join The Femme Room here, I’d love to be on your team and help you heal.

 

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