OMG! I have exactly the same problem. I also would really like to quit the pil but I am sooo scared. I really do not want do look like a puber again. I really hope it goes away soon! Keep us updated please!
Okay I thought a bit more about it… You can also consider going to a dermatologist? I a not sure if you would get something completely natural then, but probably it’s better than the hormones, right?
Hey B, if the problem persists I might go see a naturopath, rather than a dermatologist. a) because I indeed think dermatologists are not soon to write out natural supplements and b) because troubles skin is a sign of something inside your body that needs fixing, not the skin itself is the ‘real’ problem. But this photo was taken a few weeks ago and with the oil and the supplement my skin is looking heaps better already, and its only been a week or two since I have been on it, while a lot of what I read suggests that hormone balancing *may* take months. So I am pretty pleased with how things r going
I am so happy you wrote this post because I absolutely relate. I stopped taking oral contraceptives 2 years ago (after being on them for 10 years) and finally within the last 5 months has my body gone back to “normal.”
I too suffered from acne during my time off the pill, the horrible, scarring cystic kind. What I have found helpful are cutting down sugars, getting enough restful sleep, lots of water, yoga (all these you already do!), spirulina tablets and raw honey which has become my saviour. Wash your face and take a 1tbsp of raw honey (must be the raw, unpasteurized kind) and apply to face as a mask and leave on for 20 mins, I try to do this a few times a week and it works wonders.
And last thing, positive affirmations totally work. Louise Hay has some great ones or you can choose your own but they help!
I have stopped taking the pill a year ago. i wa put on it for 8 years in a row!(i am 23 now).
i feel so much better since. but its true i felt my hormones being imbalanced for a long time. i decided not to see doctors and see how it would settle, naturally. i even stopped taking supplements. i wanted my body to ‘ride it out’ on its own.
-I had awful acne that started about 3 months after, then up until a month ago was pretty dreadful… i never had such bad skin, and finally understood what people mean about the insecurities coming from bad skin… i kept a very simple routine, got a clarisonic, a basic cleanser and moisturizer. now my skin is pretty much perfect, better than on the pill! i do have scars from the cystic pimples though…. nothing that a bit of concealer cant cover up.
-period came back exactly 30 days after my last pill and has been extremely regular non stop since (after 8 years on the pill non stop that was very lucky)
-hair was growing everywhere, much quicker which was awful. apparently too much testosterone its getting back to normal now. it was so annoying! having to shave almost every day when on the pill i was really not hairy at all!
-sex drive (sorry if its tmi) higher than ever!
-the biggest difference was my personality. i wasnt irritable anymore. I used to get fits of jealousy and anger. many members of my family and friends have commented that i seemed a lot calmer. apparently the pill can exacerbate some signs which are typically PMS-like… it has really changed my life. i was getting worse over time, as the fake hormones were cumulating in my body…
The main things are that 1) i would never consider going back, no matter how annoying finding a good form of contraception is, because the withdrawal symptoms showed me how messed up it is (and im definitely a lot more careful now about medication i take. never thought something so many women take could be so dangerous).2) it feels good to know that I am ‘me’ completely and not chemically controlled by fake hormones.
Hang in there im sure you will be back to normal very soon!
it’s so important that when we take such good care of our bodies through exercise and diet, we remain aware of ALL aspects of our health!
Thank you so much fort his post! I’ve been struggling with my acne for over almost ten years. 2,5 years ago I stopped taking the pil and ever since it’s worst then ever! I am going to buy the stuff you said, I hope it will work!
This sounds so familiar! I just stopped taking the pill about a week ago so after I went to the naturopath. For me the reason (aside from not wanting artificial hormones messing with my system) is that I had really bad skin while on the pill, (it was a progesterone pill, no estrogen).
So now I am also looking for hormone balancing remedies. I take this supplement FemGuard+Balance. (+ the regular healthy helpers like spirulina, chlorella, green powders, green smoothies, etc. ). Also I try to live extra balanced and clean and doing lots of bikram yoga. Avoiding stress, sugar, alcohol and overeating too. (just the more obvious stuff).
Sometimes it gets so frustrating because it seems like there is not much Im doing ‘wrong’ and my skin still doesn’t seem to clear up, aaargh! So hopefully stopping with the pill and let my hormones stabilize will help.
(ps you should visit thelovevitamin.com for more about this)
(ps do you know what a naturopath is in dutch? I am from a’sma but currently live in San Francisco)
Yup it is! THOUGH. Even taking maca every day did not do much for my *female* hormone balancing, at least not noticeably. I think maca works more on/for hormones regulating stress etc (cortisol, adrenaline) which is invaluable too, but didnt help me much with my problem. I never really saw how herbs could have a big impact on the body… but now I see they do. I guess specific hormones need specific substances to be triggered.
I have the exact same problem. I started using the pill when I was 14 (my periods were crazy painful) and stopped when I turned 20. I always had super smooth skin, but when I stopped taking the pill, my skin turned into some kind of horror story. So I got back on it again, soon realising that I hate using the pill (same reasons as you). So I stopped again and been off it for 2 months now. The thing is, my skin still looks ok, I just get cystic-like acne :/ Huge bumps under my skin and they hurt like hell. Plus, even when I manage to get some stuff (ew) out or they go away after a week or so, they simply come back in a few weeks, in the exact same place. It’s so frustrating! And it hurts
I’ve been changing my diet though (your blog inspired me to do so ) and I must say that it helps a lot. I drink lots of water, eat loads of fruit and veggies, no meat and I try to stay off sugar (chocolate!). I’ve actually been doing this for quite some time (or at least I tried), but when I discovered your blog, I started really thinking about what I was (not) putting in my body and what it was doing to me. This is the first time I’m actually leaving a comment here, but I just wanted to thank you
Hmm I’m drifting off haha. What I really wanted to ask is the following. I googled the supplements you’re taking right now, I assume you bought them in Australia? Do you by any chance know if I can get them anywhere in Holland?
I relate to this so much. Thank you for your post!
Finally someone who thinks about it the same way as I do! I was on and off the pill for about 7 years because of my skin. But the side effects were horrific so I kept going off it but then my skin got worse again and I went back on it.
But now I have finally stopped since 16 months and my skin is still bad. I’m hoping it will get better though, positive thoughts.
Dermatologists can’t help. They only prescribe meds, which have so many side effects. I think doctors should be more careful at prescribing heavy meds.
The tips I got from a beautician are: change your pajama shirt every day (back, chest acne), change your pillow case every day, sheets at least once a week, wash your face twice a day with special stuff (I use eucerin face scrub in the morning and cleansing gel at night), also try not to touch the spots. IF you squeeze use a tissue. Also I think if your hair is greasy and its in your face it can cause it.
I think I have maybe had 4-5 periods in the last year. I hope it will pick up, because it concerns me.
I hope that I will keep off prescription drugs, because I feel so insecure with bad skin…
Have you got any more tips about what to do? Do you think acupuncture or anything like that will help? Any therapy that doesn’t involve medication?
Hi AJB! Kudos for making this hard decision, i know it’s hard! My skin is going up and down as well and its frustrating to say the least. At least I/we know what the cause is, hormone imbalance, so doing some research (ourselves or with a naturopath) should send us in the right direction.
I think all that stuff you mentioned is only very superficial help, if help at all. Bacteria or a little bit of grease are not the main problem of bad skin. I think nurtering the skin and washing it only with water and using natural products is best (like sesame oil, tea trea oil, or coconut oil). And natural products to prevent scarring like calendula and vitamin E oil. The most improtant thing though is to try and keep zits from occuring in the furst place. Ill be the last to say that is easy.
I think you would really benefit from seeing a naturopath and having your hormone balance tested, so you could start working on the root problem. either with herbal supplements (they are stronger than you think!) or bio-identical hormones if necessary.
This is very interesting article! Interestingly, I stopped taking the pill recently, for no particular reason, just because I take it for 11 years. Sorry to ask this question, but what contraceptive precautions you take now, instead the pill?
I’ll follow your blog, I think it will be a pleasure to spend some time reading you.
By the way, the look of your blog is fantastic, can I ask how did you do? Naturaliiz recently posted..Café
Well at the moment, nill, because I don’t have to . I am not opposed to condoms (though I do see why some people would) and I have the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility, which teaches you to track your cycle and can be used as contraceptive OR to get pregnant. Definitely see myself going this route in the future.
I am so glad i came across this! I had the adiana tubal blockage proceedure done in January 2012 and got off Yaz right then. Not one week later my skin went CRAZY! I am very health concious simple non irritating skin routine and change pillow case daily. So i couldnt figure why the bad skin so suddenly. Since January my skiin has been a mess. After not responding to Candida cleanse , liver cleanse , and parasite it dawned on me it must be horomonal. I am going to order that supplement asap! Thank you for posting your struggle. I hope you are free and clear! ALSO where can i buy the product and how long do I take it? I had been on the pill for 8 years with only one 3 month break after 4 years. Thanks for the advice!
So happy I came across this post. I am struggling with the exact same thing, and I too am a health coach. It’s frustrating to me because, like you, I eat really well, drink tons of water exercise and do yoga. I know it’s something from the inside and so far I’ve experimented with Apple Cider Vinegar, and am going to start taking daily fish oil supps & my hormonal balance multi vitamin again. What worked best for you? Do you have a top 2 favorite products to start with? I don’t want to try too much at once!
I can’t seem to find the actual article that these comments go to, I can only see the comments. I am very interested as I am going through what everyone seems to in the comments. I just went off of bc and my skin/scalp is super oily and starting to get cysts on my chin again. What supplements did you suggest in the article?
OMG! I have exactly the same problem. I also would really like to quit the pil but I am sooo scared. I really do not want do look like a puber again. I really hope it goes away soon! Keep us updated please!
Okay I thought a bit more about it… You can also consider going to a dermatologist? I a not sure if you would get something completely natural then, but probably it’s better than the hormones, right?
Hey B, if the problem persists I might go see a naturopath, rather than a dermatologist. a) because I indeed think dermatologists are not soon to write out natural supplements and b) because troubles skin is a sign of something inside your body that needs fixing, not the skin itself is the ‘real’ problem. But this photo was taken a few weeks ago and with the oil and the supplement my skin is looking heaps better already, and its only been a week or two since I have been on it, while a lot of what I read suggests that hormone balancing *may* take months. So I am pretty pleased with how things r going
You convinced me! I am going to stop as well! Thanks! <3
I am so happy you wrote this post because I absolutely relate. I stopped taking oral contraceptives 2 years ago (after being on them for 10 years) and finally within the last 5 months has my body gone back to “normal.”
I too suffered from acne during my time off the pill, the horrible, scarring cystic kind. What I have found helpful are cutting down sugars, getting enough restful sleep, lots of water, yoga (all these you already do!), spirulina tablets and raw honey which has become my saviour. Wash your face and take a 1tbsp of raw honey (must be the raw, unpasteurized kind) and apply to face as a mask and leave on for 20 mins, I try to do this a few times a week and it works wonders.
And last thing, positive affirmations totally work. Louise Hay has some great ones or you can choose your own but they help!
Good luck, I know it’s a tough battle! xo
great article!
I have stopped taking the pill a year ago. i wa put on it for 8 years in a row!(i am 23 now).
i feel so much better since. but its true i felt my hormones being imbalanced for a long time. i decided not to see doctors and see how it would settle, naturally. i even stopped taking supplements. i wanted my body to ‘ride it out’ on its own.
-I had awful acne that started about 3 months after, then up until a month ago was pretty dreadful… i never had such bad skin, and finally understood what people mean about the insecurities coming from bad skin… i kept a very simple routine, got a clarisonic, a basic cleanser and moisturizer. now my skin is pretty much perfect, better than on the pill! i do have scars from the cystic pimples though…. nothing that a bit of concealer cant cover up.
-period came back exactly 30 days after my last pill and has been extremely regular non stop since (after 8 years on the pill non stop that was very lucky)
its getting back to normal now. it was so annoying! having to shave almost every day when on the pill i was really not hairy at all!
-hair was growing everywhere, much quicker which was awful. apparently too much testosterone
-sex drive (sorry if its tmi) higher than ever!
-the biggest difference was my personality. i wasnt irritable anymore. I used to get fits of jealousy and anger. many members of my family and friends have commented that i seemed a lot calmer. apparently the pill can exacerbate some signs which are typically PMS-like… it has really changed my life. i was getting worse over time, as the fake hormones were cumulating in my body…
The main things are that 1) i would never consider going back, no matter how annoying finding a good form of contraception is, because the withdrawal symptoms showed me how messed up it is (and im definitely a lot more careful now about medication i take. never thought something so many women take could be so dangerous).2) it feels good to know that I am ‘me’ completely and not chemically controlled by fake hormones.
Hang in there im sure you will be back to normal very soon!
it’s so important that when we take such good care of our bodies through exercise and diet, we remain aware of ALL aspects of our health!
good luck and well done on the new website!
leahxxx
Thank you so much fort his post! I’ve been struggling with my acne for over almost ten years. 2,5 years ago I stopped taking the pil and ever since it’s worst then ever! I am going to buy the stuff you said, I hope it will work!
This sounds so familiar! I just stopped taking the pill about a week ago so after I went to the naturopath. For me the reason (aside from not wanting artificial hormones messing with my system) is that I had really bad skin while on the pill, (it was a progesterone pill, no estrogen).
So now I am also looking for hormone balancing remedies. I take this supplement FemGuard+Balance. (+ the regular healthy helpers like spirulina, chlorella, green powders, green smoothies, etc. ). Also I try to live extra balanced and clean and doing lots of bikram yoga. Avoiding stress, sugar, alcohol and overeating too. (just the more obvious stuff).
Sometimes it gets so frustrating because it seems like there is not much Im doing ‘wrong’ and my skin still doesn’t seem to clear up, aaargh! So hopefully stopping with the pill and let my hormones stabilize will help.
(ps you should visit thelovevitamin.com for more about this)
(ps do you know what a naturopath is in dutch? I am from a’sma but currently live in San Francisco)
Amazing article! I heard that Maca is a hormone-balancer, non? You probably already know that, but still, just wanted to point that out.
Yup it is! THOUGH. Even taking maca every day did not do much for my *female* hormone balancing, at least not noticeably. I think maca works more on/for hormones regulating stress etc (cortisol, adrenaline) which is invaluable too, but didnt help me much with my problem. I never really saw how herbs could have a big impact on the body… but now I see they do. I guess specific hormones need specific substances to be triggered.
Monnikspeper is een goede en Grote Klis. verde kan je Manuka honing op je pukkeltjes doen. xxx
thanks for the tips babe!
Sabine recently posted..Superfood: Irish Moss (This Post Will Change Your Life)
ur welcome:)
Marieke recently posted..Fashion Film Friday: Boys of Fashion Week S/S 20
I have the exact same problem. I started using the pill when I was 14 (my periods were crazy painful) and stopped when I turned 20. I always had super smooth skin, but when I stopped taking the pill, my skin turned into some kind of horror story. So I got back on it again, soon realising that I hate using the pill (same reasons as you). So I stopped again and been off it for 2 months now. The thing is, my skin still looks ok, I just get cystic-like acne :/ Huge bumps under my skin and they hurt like hell. Plus, even when I manage to get some stuff (ew) out or they go away after a week or so, they simply come back in a few weeks, in the exact same place. It’s so frustrating! And it hurts
I’ve been changing my diet though (your blog inspired me to do so
) and I must say that it helps a lot. I drink lots of water, eat loads of fruit and veggies, no meat and I try to stay off sugar (chocolate!). I’ve actually been doing this for quite some time (or at least I tried), but when I discovered your blog, I started really thinking about what I was (not) putting in my body and what it was doing to me. This is the first time I’m actually leaving a comment here, but I just wanted to thank you 
Hmm I’m drifting off haha. What I really wanted to ask is the following. I googled the supplements you’re taking right now, I assume you bought them in Australia? Do you by any chance know if I can get them anywhere in Holland?
What kind of birth control are you (going to?) taking instead of the pill?
Hi Mariposa, a mix of condoms and fertility tracking!
I relate to this so much. Thank you for your post!
Finally someone who thinks about it the same way as I do! I was on and off the pill for about 7 years because of my skin. But the side effects were horrific so I kept going off it but then my skin got worse again and I went back on it.
But now I have finally stopped since 16 months and my skin is still bad. I’m hoping it will get better though, positive thoughts.
Dermatologists can’t help. They only prescribe meds, which have so many side effects. I think doctors should be more careful at prescribing heavy meds.
The tips I got from a beautician are: change your pajama shirt every day (back, chest acne), change your pillow case every day, sheets at least once a week, wash your face twice a day with special stuff (I use eucerin face scrub in the morning and cleansing gel at night), also try not to touch the spots. IF you squeeze use a tissue. Also I think if your hair is greasy and its in your face it can cause it.
I think I have maybe had 4-5 periods in the last year. I hope it will pick up, because it concerns me.
I hope that I will keep off prescription drugs, because I feel so insecure with bad skin…
Have you got any more tips about what to do? Do you think acupuncture or anything like that will help? Any therapy that doesn’t involve medication?
Hi AJB! Kudos for making this hard decision, i know it’s hard! My skin is going up and down as well and its frustrating to say the least. At least I/we know what the cause is, hormone imbalance, so doing some research (ourselves or with a naturopath) should send us in the right direction.
I think all that stuff you mentioned is only very superficial help, if help at all. Bacteria or a little bit of grease are not the main problem of bad skin. I think nurtering the skin and washing it only with water and using natural products is best (like sesame oil, tea trea oil, or coconut oil). And natural products to prevent scarring like calendula and vitamin E oil. The most improtant thing though is to try and keep zits from occuring in the furst place. Ill be the last to say that is easy.
I think you would really benefit from seeing a naturopath and having your hormone balance tested, so you could start working on the root problem. either with herbal supplements (they are stronger than you think!) or bio-identical hormones if necessary.
Hello Sabine!
This is very interesting article! Interestingly, I stopped taking the pill recently, for no particular reason, just because I take it for 11 years. Sorry to ask this question, but what contraceptive precautions you take now, instead the pill?
I’ll follow your blog, I think it will be a pleasure to spend some time reading you.
By the way, the look of your blog is fantastic, can I ask how did you do?
Naturaliiz recently posted..Café
Well at the moment, nill, because I don’t have to
. I am not opposed to condoms (though I do see why some people would) and I have the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility, which teaches you to track your cycle and can be used as contraceptive OR to get pregnant. Definitely see myself going this route in the future.
I am so glad i came across this! I had the adiana tubal blockage proceedure done in January 2012 and got off Yaz right then. Not one week later my skin went CRAZY! I am very health concious simple non irritating skin routine and change pillow case daily. So i couldnt figure why the bad skin so suddenly. Since January my skiin has been a mess. After not responding to Candida cleanse , liver cleanse , and parasite it dawned on me it must be horomonal. I am going to order that supplement asap! Thank you for posting your struggle. I hope you are free and clear! ALSO where can i buy the product and how long do I take it? I had been on the pill for 8 years with only one 3 month break after 4 years. Thanks for the advice!
So happy I came across this post. I am struggling with the exact same thing, and I too am a health coach. It’s frustrating to me because, like you, I eat really well, drink tons of water exercise and do yoga. I know it’s something from the inside and so far I’ve experimented with Apple Cider Vinegar, and am going to start taking daily fish oil supps & my hormonal balance multi vitamin again. What worked best for you? Do you have a top 2 favorite products to start with? I don’t want to try too much at once!
I can’t seem to find the actual article that these comments go to, I can only see the comments. I am very interested as I am going through what everyone seems to in the comments. I just went off of bc and my skin/scalp is super oily and starting to get cysts on my chin again. What supplements did you suggest in the article?
thanks,
I glad I found this site!
Lisa