From CANFP
Off the pill after 12 years of use, trying to conceive
By Sheila St. John
Oct 16, 2005, 12:49
Question
I am 28 years old nad have been off of Ortho-tricyclene for 7 cycles now. I was on it for about 12 years straight. These past 3 months I have been having one or two days of spotting (brown or red discharge) about 4 to 6 days before my period starts. My cycle has stayed relatively regular (29 days,ovulation at day 14)except for last month, my period was 4 days late. I don't have a short luteal phase as it is about 14 days long. The past couple months I have had major pregnancy type symptoms (sore breasts, blue veins, ring finger swelling, bloating, acne, severe lower back ache, quick weight gain in mid-section and thighs, etc) but then I spot 3/4 of the way through my luteal phase and then have my period. The first day of my period is heavy and severe cramps that will wake me up in the middle of the night having to take Advil for the pain. I went to see my GP (my DH and I are ttc 3 months now) and she figures I may have a hormone imbalance (low progesterone/estrogen dominance) and that it could be aftermath of being on the pill for so long. She won't refer me to an ob/gyn or get blood tests for another 3 months as she feels that my body will regulate itself as it is just starting to get used to making its own period/cycle instead of relying on the BCP (eventhough I went off 7 cycles ago). She thinks that I may have fertilized eggs but that they can't implant due to the progesterone deficiency. It bothers me to think that she will just let the eggs continue to abort without helping me. It's very frustrating and sad. This could easily go on for another 3 months (maybe 3 more babies lost). Can you please provide some advice as to what I can do or what I should tell my GP? In Canada, we must be referred to an ob/gyn so I can't make my own appt.
I could really use a second opinion.
Answer
It can take some time for the body to recover coming off the pill. It sounds like you and your doctor both suspect a hormonal imbalance, and your doctor suspects that the problem may correct itself over the course of the next few cycles. If you cannot obtain the testing without her referral, it sounds like you have no options but to wait the three months she has advised. If you are concerned that you may be conceiving, but progesterone levels are insufficient in the luteal phase to support pregnancy, have you considered avoiding pregnancy for those cycles? This would give your body a little more time to recover, and you could then return to your physician, obtain the testing, and resume timing of Intercourse to achieve a pregnancy. If you are not already doing so, charting your cycles by using one of the modern methods of NFP (ovulation method or sympto thermal method) during this time will enable you to effectively avoid a pregnancy for a few months, and have several cycles of detailed information to share with your physician when you return. It will also provide you with the information you need to time the hormonal evaluation, and to time Intercourse to achieve pregnancy, when you are comfortable doing so. I understand why you would not welcome the delay, but at your age a three month delay is not cause for concern.
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