How long should I stay on birth control?

I am twenty years old and have been taking Logitech for two years now. I find myself undecided whether to continue the regimen or take a break. Some suggest I have been on them too long without a hiatus, while others argue I shouldn't stop until issues arise, fearing that breaking the cycle only to restart could disrupt my system. My gynecologist advises me to stay the course, yet I remain uneasy; I worry about potential hormonal fluctuations or unforeseen complications. What has your experience been?

I’ve been on them for three and a half years straight without any breaks. My gynecologist tells me I don't even need to take a break, but honestly, it took me forever to adjust to them in the first place. If I were to stop now, I feel like it would do more harm than good—everything would probably just go haywire.
It bothers me that I've been taking them for this long, and I have no intention of stopping for at least another two years, but there is absolutely no way I'm switching to condoms. What other option is there? Well, contraceptive patches finally became available here around $33, where you get three for one cycle. But I suspect it's the exact same deal; they still have to be loaded with hormones.

Douglas Lopez4 said:I've been on them for three and a half years straight without any breaks. My OB-GYN actually told me I don't even need to take breaks. Honestly though, it took me forever to get used to them, and I feel like if I stopped now, it would be more trouble than it's worth—like my whole system would just go haywire.
I'm a little uneasy about being on them for this long, and I definitely don't see myself stopping for at least another two years, but there is absolutely no way in hell I'm switching to condoms. So, what else is even out there? Oh, wait, those contraceptive patches finally showed up here recently; you get like $33 three of them per cycle. But I have a hunch it’s basically the same deal—still gotta deal with hormones.

Actually, they're in the final stages of testing this thing called the NUOVA RING—it's a hormonal ring you insert, and it just slowly releases the hormones over time... and apparently, there's an arm implant option too. There are also those pills coming out where you only get a period four times a year (they're already on sale in the US, but they caused quite a stir). Patches are fine and all, but mine literally peeled off while I was in a sauna, so they aren't great if you spend a lot of time at the pool...

boldcrane10 said:I'm 20 years old and I've been on Logitech for two years now. I'm honestly feeling pretty torn about whether I should stick with them or try taking a break. Some people tell me I've been on them way too long without a breather, while others argue I shouldn't stop until there's an actual issue—basically saying if I quit and then jump right back on, I might mess things up because my body is so used to them. My gynecologist told me to just keep going, but I'm still kind of spiraling here. I'm worried my hormones will go haywire or something else unpredictable might happen. What has everyone else gone through with this?

Look, I was on Logitech for four straight years without even blinking, and honestly, they worked perfectly for me; I never ran into any issues at all. When I finally asked my doctor if I had been using them for too long or how long it would take for my system to basically "flush out" the medication, his response was that these pills contain a very, very, very low dose of hormones. He made it clear that taking them for that long without a break wasn't even a minor concern. As for a total "reset," he mentioned it takes about three months... So, I guess my take is that you can definitely keep taking them, and nothing bad should happen to you... 👍

@Sarah Lewis64/">@@Sarah Lewis64, how did your body react once you quit drinking? Was everything smooth sailing?

I have been on Cilest for six years due to PCOS and uterine issues. My gynecologist assured me last September that continuing the medication is harmless, noting that stopping could lead to an unplanned pregnancy.
I plan to discontinue them next summer before my wedding, as I intend to conceive. However, I first want to detox from the hormones for three or four months.😉

boldcrane10 said:Sarah Lewis64, how did your body react once you stopped taking them? Was everything pretty much okay?

My body actually handled them quite well while I was on them, and honestly, I didn't notice any massive shifts once I quit, either. Maybe a little more acne right before my period starts, but it’s nothing I can't deal with. As for my cycle itself—now that I've stopped—it's just a tiny bit heavier and lasts maybe a day or two longer, which is also totally manageable. Though, I have to admit, even without the birth control pills, my period seems to arrive just as predictably as it did when I was taking them...👍

I have to be completely honest here—I actually started taking Logitech because I was dealing with these absolutely brutal, daily migraines after giving birth. I tried just about every over-the-counter painkiller under the sun, but nothing seemed to touch them. In the end, Logitech was the only thing that actually made a difference... It was pretty obvious there was some kind of hormonal imbalance going on. I wouldn't say the headaches have vanished entirely, since I still get them once in a while, but compared to how agonizing they used to be? It’s been a total lifesaver. 😉