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[Jessicaponies]

I made a big decision two weeks ago to stop taking the pill. I have been on it since I was 15 and its the only contraceptive I have ever used. I have my private health screen on Monday and I am hoping that the Dr I see will write to my GP afterwards and ask that I am given this test to prove that I have began an early menopause. My husband is away with his work at the moment until next week at least so if the Dr on Monday says I don't need the FSH test I can start taking the pill again on Monday night and be protected by it by Next Sunday when he gets home.
      So far I haven't had any bad symptoms and my tender boobs are slightly better. I am having a smear test on Monday so was worried about having a withdrawal bleed but nothing in two weeks now. Alternative contraception is one of the things I want to discuss on Monday so I will see what the Dr recommends.

Jess.

[Dorothy]

If you've only stopped taking it two weeks ago, it will still be in your system to a certain extent?  I don't think blood tests would be accurate, probably best to go by symptoms.

[Taz2]

I think that the hormones in the BCP are out of your system within a couple of days which is why you can get pregnant if you forget a pill or two?

It can take a few months for menstruation to return Jessica - I stopped at 44 and was three months without a period but then they were regular after that. I have found this which explains it can take a while

"Once the hormones are out of your system, your body will begin to start producing hormones to initiate menstrual cycles. Some women will begin to ovulate in a couple of weeks, whereas it may take several months for other women to begin to ovulate. Generally speaking, your body should be back to "normal menstruation mode" within two to three months after stopping the pill. It is important to emphasize that if you had problems with ovulation prior to starting the pill, you may continue to have irregular ovulation/periods after stopping the pill. Most women with normal ovulation/periods prior to starting the pill will continue to have normal ovulation/periods after stopping the pill. But some women who had regular periods prior to starting the pill may have irregular ovulation after stopping the pill. The key point here is that everyone's experience with ovulation/periods after stopping the pill is different!"

Taz x

[Dorothy]

I was told I would have to be off the pill for 2 months before a test would be accurate. 

[Dorothy]

That would make sense.  I was in my 30s, which I guess is why they wanted me to wait so long.

[Jessicaponies]

I am 36 and have been told I need to be pill free for a month before I can have the test, and if the results are borderline or inconclusive then give it another two months before having it again. My husband has had a vasectomy so waiting for that to take effect, when he is home in around a week we will send another sample off and hopefully it will be clear as I am dreading sorting out another method of contraception.

[Dorothy]

It does make you wonder how confident GPs are when advice varies so widely from surgery to surgery!

Jessicaponies, is there any reason why you need to know whether or not you are post menopausal?   Just thinking that the pill is recommended for younger women anyway, due to the higher levels of hormone, and if you're planning to go back on it anyway, do you really need to know?  I am on BCP for early meno; my GP suggested I could have a break for the tests if I really wanted to know if I had 'finished', but said that as I'd need to keep taking it (or something else) until I was 50 anyway, she didn't think there was much point.  And as I feel absolutely terrible on my pill break, I agreed with her!