Transitioning off of Hormonal Birth Control

Exactly 1 year ago, I decided to end my relationship with all forms of hormonal birth control and I have not looked back. After almost 9 years of various forms of contraception, I decided to cut ties with synthetic hormones and begin to safely remove them from my body. I am grateful for my traumatic experience of getting the IUD from the moment of insertion to the removal 8 months later. This is what really pushed me over the edge and made me rethink what I was putting into my body and how much discomfort and imbalance I could bear.

Transitioning off of hormones was not easy. It takes time, patience, trust and forgiveness. Women’s bodies are powerful and carry innate wisdom that can thrive under the right circumstances. It’s time we look at imbalance as a sign that we need additional support through diet and lifestyle rather than our bodies failing us.

Learn about my journey over the past year to support my ever-changing hormones using a whole body approach. Educate yourself about associated nutrition, supplements, lifestyle changes and energetic self-care that I implemented. I am delighted to say that I am more connected and in tune with my body than ever.

In April 2018, I came to the decision that the side effects were far greater than the benefits of hormones. I started asking around for help through friends and classmates and doing my own research online. 

In early August, I got the Kyleena IUD which had the lowest dose of hormones and was even smaller than the Mirena. I experienced constant bleeding for the first 3 and a half months, moodiness, hair loss, weight loss and an extremely low libido. I eat a very healthy diet and included adaptogens and hormone balancing supplements in my diet. I gave it a chance to normalize in my body and eventually got the courage to get it removed

​It makes me sad that this invasive procedure is being pushed on so many girls at a young age who are uninformed about the side effects both short term and long term. (Although the IUD is said to last 5 years, many people I know have gotten it removed within 12 months of receiving it due to unforeseen side effects.)

If you are considering getting an IUD, please do your research before. Know that there are other methods that do not involve a foreign object  and synthetic hormones in your body. “Fertility Awareness” techniques can vary from the temperature method to charting your cycle.

I started looking into methods that would not interfere with my hormone balance and came across the Daysy fertility thermometer. 

The daysy thermometer tracks your Basal body temperature (BBT) in the mornings before you get out of bed. You manually input your menstural days into the app on your phone and sync the device to your phone. It is user friendly and has a good support network. After 3 months of getting to know your cycle, it will tell you your fertile days, the days where you are fluctuating and they are not sure yet, and the infertile days. 

**In no way am I promoting or encouraging people to come off of their hormonal birth control. I am telling my story about my own side effects and choices and sharing it with others for informational purposes. Everyone is different, and birth control acts differently in everyones body. You have a right to choose what method or type of birth control is right for you. ​

Daysy Fertility Tracker

Alternative Methods

1. Ovutech: this sensor is worn internally and syncs to your phone tracking ovulation
2. OvaCue: this is something I did not know about until I researched for this article. This magnifying device examines your saliva to find out when you are ovulating
3. BBT monitoring: Using devices like the daysy thermometer to test your basal body temperature each morning and sync to your smart phone
   
4. Creighton Model which includes:
   
   1. Mucous method
      
   2. Barrier method
      

OvuSense

OvaCue

Creighton Model

Oral Contraceptive Warning

Supplements for Hormonal Balancing post IUD Removal

I booked my IUD removal appointment 3 weeks out so it gave me time to plan to support myself nutritionally. 

Since it was coming into springtime, I began to take a course of liver support with Milk thistle and N-acytel cysteine.
Once I completed this, I began to take Calcium D-Glucarate to specifically help the liver remove old hormones from circulating in my system. ​

After I finished this, I came across a supplement specifically formulated for Estrogen Dominance and stayed on it for 4 months. This was one of my favorite supplements that I have tried because I could actually feel the difference from start to finish.

This supplement contained:

• Calcium D-Glucarate
• Indo-3 Carbinol 
• Green Tea extract
• Chastetree berry extract
• Turmeric 
• DIM
• Rosemary leaf extract
• Zinc
• Broccoli Sprout Extract

Hormone Help

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Birth Control Depletes Nutrients in the body

The most commonly depleted nutrients from birth control are:

• B Vitamins
• Zinc

I supplemented with both of these (yes, for an entire year) and am feeling much more balanced. I also supplemented with the following supplements (usually 1-2 rounds of each not equivalent to an entire year):

• Magnesium
• Probiotics
• Molybdenum
• Omega 3s

Supportive Nutrients and Food

Adaptogenic herbs are powerful especially for hormone balancing. My favorites were:

• Ashwaghanda 
• Maca root (gelatinized maca root powder is easier to digest)

Liver/Hormone supporting foods:

• Cruciferous vegetables: brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage
• Bitter greens: chard, beet greens
• "grounding" root vegetables: squash, beets, yams, rutabaga

Prebioitcs/ Probiotics:

• Sauerkraut, water kefir, kefir, kombucha
• Garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus

Other key nutrients found in:

• Micro-algaes: spirulina, chlorella
  
• Wild caught fresh water fish 
  
• Flaxseed, pumpkinseed 
  

AVOID:

• Inflammatory foods: sugar, alcohol, conventional dairy, trans fats, refined grains

Along with this, I made sure to go to bed and wake up on a regular schedule to keep my circadian rhythms normal.

A healthy liver can remove old hormones efficiently

It's true, we are currently exposed to more toxins, chemicals and pollutants in our environment more than ever . Toxins can come from external & internal sources.

Old hormones can circulate in our system with an overloaded liver. This contributes to a condition known as Estrogen Dominance. 

...Did you know that we are exposed to xenoestrogens (hormone mimicking chemicals) in many different personal care products, household cleaning products and plastics?

I used the database called "Skin Deep" from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to cross reference any product I was buying to make sure that it was as natural as possible and wouldn't interfere with my hormones or liver. Some products are now being manufactured with the EWG verified label.

EWG's Skin Deep

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Call it "Woo-woo"...

Did you know that trauma can be stored in the body until it is subsequently released?

Energy Work was essential to my healing especially around my sacral chakra. It is non-invasive and works to rebalance the body, remove imbalances and trauma leaving me grounded with more energy. During an energy work session, both the practitioner and client are actively holding an intention and working together.

​"Mindfulness not only makes it possible to survey our internal landscape with compassion and curiosity but can also actively steer us in the right direction for self-care" -Bessel A Van der Kolk, The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma

​I was so fascinated by the application of energy work and the effectiveness on myself that I decided to study it part time at Langara.

Complimentary/Alternative Medicine

There are so many modalities to help rebalance the body out there! My top 3 were:

Naturopath

Luckily, I still had insurance in the US during this time. While most naturopaths do not accept insurance, lab tests are covered (which would be super pricey otherwise!)

I found a naturopath across the border who specialized in women's hormones and she also put me on Unda numbers. Unda numbers are homeopathic compounds 

Acupuncture/TCM

I react extremely well to acupuncture. Acupuncture uses the body's meridians to help promote systemic balance. On certain occasions when I felt extremely depleted I would also accept Chinese herbs for hormone balancing. 

I found a student clinic that was very affordable. There was always an acupuncture master in the room supervising students with inserting the needles.

Reflexology

Reflexology can stimulate the function of reproductive organs, help the body with eliminating toxins. It also helps balance stress hormones. This is a great alternative if you do not like needles. It also feels so amazing!

I found a student clinic at Langara that also included essential oils as a bonus, it was affordable and I would highly recommend it.

The reality of hormone balancing

Hormones take time to regulate. I fostered patience and trust during this transitioning period in my life. I am proud to say that 12 months later I am feeling balanced, strong and more self-aware than ever. I continue to listen to my body and prioritize self-care. 

Keeping an open mind is essential to this type of practice. There were many times that I almost lost faith in my body when symptoms of teariness, night sweats, excessive cramps, brain fog, joint pain and low energy dominated my days. With the assistance of complimentary modalities, nutrition, supplements, lifestyle changes and most important a community of friends and family I can now move onto the "Maintenance" phase in my life. 

Thanks for listening.
x Norny