How to Come Off Hormonal Birth Control

how to come off birth controlYou’re ready. You suspect hormonal birth control is no longer right for your body, and you have a sinking feeling it never was.

Of course, you have questions about the process of coming off birth control. What will happen to your skin? Will you get your period? Which natural treatments can you use to make it all go as smoothly as possible?

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Irregular Periods? It Could Be Your Thyroid

Thyroid as a cause of irregular periods.If you came to me for help with irregular periods, I would think very carefully about your thyroid.

It wouldn’t matter if you already had another diagnosis such as PCOS or hypothalamic amenorrhea. It wouldn’t matter if your doctor had vaguely said at some point that your blood test was normal. I would still think about thyroid. Why? Because underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is a common reason for irregular periods.

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How Birth Control Switches Off Hormones and Why That Matters

the pill switches off hormones

The pill was an important step in our struggle to legalize contraception. I celebrate that, of course.  Hormonal birth control can also be medicine for debilitating conditions such as severe endometriosis and very heavy periods. I celebrate that.

What I don’t celebrate is the distorted message that hormonal birth control is the only birth control. And I don’t celebrate its widespread prescription as “hormone balance” for any hormonal symptom that might arise in women and teenage girls. 

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