What to Know About Post-Birth Control Syndrome Before Quitting Your Contraception

Birth control offers a lot of obvious perks (from combatting period irregularity to preventing unwanted pregnancies), but there comes a time in life where you’re ready for a change. Maybe you’re trying to get pregnant or you just don’t feel like dealing with birth control anymore. Whatever the deal, it’s important to be aware that going off of birth control can set you up for post-birth control syndrome.

Post-birth control syndrome (PBCS) isn’t technically a medical diagnosis, but it’s a phenomenon that ob-gyns are well aware of. So, what is PBCS and how concerned about it should you be? Here’s the deal with post-birth control syndrome, plus how to ride the wave after life with birth control as comfortably as possible.

Experts Featured in This Article:

Jennifer Wider, MD, is a women’s health expert and co-host of the Open Wider podcast.

Christine Greves, MD, is an ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Orlando, Florida.

What Is Post-Birth Control Syndrome?

It’s important to get this out of the way upfront: Post-birth control syndrome is a slightly controversial diagnosis. But, again, ob-gyns understand what it is when you mention it.

“There are many healthcare providers that would argue that the symptoms are a normal part of adjusting to a change in hormone levels and not a ‘syndrome,'” says Jennifer Wider, MD, a women’s health expert and co-host of the Open Wider podcast. Still, others say PBCS is legit.

The term is “used to describe a group of symptoms that can occur after a person stops using birth control,” Dr. Wider says. “I see it a lot,” adds Christine Greves, MD, an ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Orlando, Florida. She describes the syndrome to her patients this way: “Your body is going to go through an adjustment period, and how it adjusts depends on what your body was like before birth control and the reason you were on birth control.”

This adjustment period can take one to two months, and health concerns you experienced before you went on birth control, like acne and heavy periods, may come back, Dr. Greves says.

What Are Potential Signs of Post-Birth Control Syndrome?

There’s a range of symptoms associated with PBCS, and a lot depends on the person. However, doctors say that these can be common signs of post-birth control syndrome:

“You could have symptoms of PMS, too,” Dr. Greves says. “A lot of times, birth control is fantastic at helping not only with the heavy flow but painful periods—and that can come back.”

To be fair, Dr. Greves says that some women don’t experience any of this. “But others may end up really missing their birth control,” she tells PS.

How to Manage Symptoms of Post-Birth Control Syndrome

Management of these symptoms depends a lot on what you’re going through, Dr. Wider says. If you’re dealing with pain, breast tenderness, headaches, and cramping around your period, Dr. Greves suggests taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen to try to help you feel more comfortable.

If you feel like your internal thermostat is out of whack, Dr. Greves says that regular exercise can help with this and plenty of other symptoms. Using relaxation techniques, like meditation or doing yoga may also help with feelings of anxiety, mood swings, and sleep issues, Dr. Wider says.

Ultimately though, “there’s not really a magic vitamin that can help,” Dr. Greves says.

When to See a Doctor About Post-Birth Control Syndrome

Post-birth control syndrome is temporary, and doctors stress that you may need to have some patience during this time. But you also don’t need to suffer through it if you’re miserable.

“If unwanted symptoms persist for several weeks and home remedies aren’t working, you could speak to a doctor for alternative treatment options,” Dr. Wider says.

Dr. Greves also suggests seeing a doctor if this is impacting your quality of life. “If things don’t return to normal after several months and you know you’re not pregnant, you may want to speak with a doctor to try to determine why,” she says. You could have an underlying health condition that your birth control was previously masking, she points out.

Korin Miller is a writer specializing in general wellness, health, and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Self, Health, Forbes, and more.