Someone asked us:

Hi guys, so this might seem like a silly question… but are there any negative side effects to coming off the pill? I’ve been on hormonal birth control for roughly 6 years and I’d like to try and come off it. I’m just nervous after a google search that it will make my skin go crazy and give me mood swings or something? Help a girl out! Thank you in advance :)

Planned Parenthood is the land of “no such thing as a silly question,” so ask away!

Any time there’s a change in your hormones — like when you go on or off hormonal birth control such as the pill birth control pill — there’s a chance of side effects. But the good news is, negative side effects usually go away within a few months as your body gets used to its new normal.

When you go off hormonal birth control, your body will eventually return to the way it was before you started using your method. Say the pill helped clear up your acne — it may come back after you go off the pill. Your periods will also go back to the way they were pre-birth control. So if the pill made your periods lighter, they may get heavier once you stop taking it. But everyone’s body is different, and our bodies also change over time. You’re less likely to have acne after puberty, for example — so if you started taking the pill in your teens but go off it in your 20s, you may have naturally grown out of your acne by then. Basically there’s no way to know exactly how your body will react, but any negative side effects that you may have when you stop taking the pill will likely be temporary.

If you’re really worried about the side effects of going off the pill, talk with your nurse or doctor. They may be able to give you more specific information about what to expect based on your personal medical history. Another important thing to note: you can get pregnant right away once you stop taking the pill (even if your periods are irregular). So if you’re going off the pill but you don’t want to get pregnant, talk to your nurse or doctor about a new plan to prevent pregnancy.

-Kendall at Planned Parenthood