What Your Doctor Didn’t Tell You About Hormonal Birth Control
If you’ve ever left your doctor’s office with a prescription for hormonal birth control and very few answers, you’re not alone. I went to 4 different ones and never left with any answers.
Hormonal birth control is one of the most commonly used medications among women but the long-term effects, side effects, and what happens after stopping it are often left out of the conversation. Information is power!!
I’m HUGE on informed consent.
How Hormonal Birth Control Actually Works
Hormonal birth control works by suppressing ovulation and flattening your shutting down hormone rhythms. This means your body isn’t producing its own estrogen and progesterone in the same way. Instead, you receive synthetic versions that prevent pregnancy by:
Stopping ovulation
Thinning the uterine lining
Thickening cervical mucus
While this is effective for contraception, it also creates a hormonal environment that can lead to side effects, especially over time.
Common Side Effects You Might Not Have Been Told
Doctors often mention that birth control may cause nausea or spotting, but there are many other symptoms that can emerge:
Fatigue
Low libido
Mood swings or anxiety
Weight gain or digestive changes
Post-pill acne or hair loss when stopping
Nutrient depletions (B vitamins, zinc, magnesium)
These effects can creep in slowly and often get dismissed or misdiagnosed.
Long-Term Impact on Hormone Health
Because birth control suppresses ovulation, it also suppresses the production of natural progesterone. Progesterone is your calming, anti-inflammatory, pro-thyroid hormone. Without it, you might experience:
Trouble sleeping
Heightened anxiety or irritability
Irregular or painful periods post-pill
Many women also experience worsened PMS, period pain, or hormone-related symptoms after stopping birth control. This is often referred to as post-birth control syndrome.
So What Can You Do?
If you're thinking about stopping hormonal birth control, or you're already struggling with symptoms, you're not alone. Supporting your liver, gut, and hormone pathways naturally can help ease the transition.
Next Steps:
Download my free guide, "Hormones, Explained" to better understand your lab results and hormone symptoms
Check out my mini-course, Beginning the Breakup, if you're ready to come off the pill with a plan
