Getting Off Contraceptive Medications

Birth Control has Side Effects, But So Does Stopping It

Oct 24, 2009

Mood swings, depression, anxiety, irritability, cramps and headaches can occur as a result of stopping hormonal birth control methods. Here's how to get through it.

Women are generally unprepared for the risks of getting off the hormonal birth control methods that they may have taken for years. According to The Handbook of Contraception, it can take three months for the body to start producing its own hormones and it may be months before a woman feels normal again. Natural remedies can ease this transition.

Plant-based Replacement Hormones

For a short time, it may help to take wild yam supplements or increase dietary soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, soy milk and edamame. These contain natural progesterone that brings relief from headaches, cramps, insomnia, depression and irritability. Black cohosh, dong quai, squawvine, false unicorn root, and cramp bark balance hormones and treat symptoms of PMS. Red raspberry leaf and nettles are rich in calcium and other minerals that nourish the uterus. They can be boiled and steeped overnight to make an infusion that can be sipped frequently throughout the day.

Birth Control Hormones Deplete Vitamins

It is important to correct deficiencies. According to Guillebaud's Contraception: Your Questions Answered, long term use of contraceptive medication results in deficiencies of B2, B6, B12, folic acid and niacin, as well as vitamin C and E. A high potency B complex should be taken daily to help the body deal with stress and to increase energy. An alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E can relieve tension or depression, and vitamin C with bioflavonoids are essential for proper functioning of the immune system.

Amino Acids Stabilize Brain Chemistry

Hormone imbalances affect the brain's ability to produce natural endorphins such as serotonin that enhance moods and fight depression. Gamma-amino-butyric-acid (GABA) raises serotonin levels in the brain. Melatonin is a remedy for insomnia. L-Tyrosine reduces anxiety and depression. S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is also a depression-fighter.

Lifestyle Choices Make a Difference

Caffeine increases anxiety because it is a central nervous system stimulant. Alcohol expels magnesium, an important mineral and electrolyte, out in the urine. Dairy products also block the absorption of magnesium; limit milk intake to cultured forms such as yogurt and kefir. Wild caught cold water fish and walnuts are good sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids that stabilize moods. A diet of whole foods that is high in plant fiber and low in hydrogenated oils and red meat is associated with improving the body's ability to handle stress.

Regular exercise stimulates endorphins. Even walking briskly for 20 minutes twice a day will improve outlook and mental clarity. Exercise increases oxygen intake which helps nutrient absorption in the blood, eliminates toxins, and stabilizes hormone levels.

The Handbook of Contraception: A Guide for Practical Management, Donna Shoupe, M.D., Humana Press, 2006

Contraception: Your Questions Answered, John Guillebaud, MA, Churchill Livingstone, 2008

The copyright of the article Getting Off Contraceptive Medications in Women’s Health is owned by Mary Earhart. Permission to republish Getting Off Contraceptive Medications in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.