I started this method at age 16 to improve heavy periods & kept with it as it worked at the time & I did not feel that other options were right for me. I ended up taking it for 12+ years! The only side effects I really noticed was a drop in libido & a gradual weight gain over the years.

When I stopped it with plans to think about starting a family, my periods were all over the place & incredibly long. They are still gradually becoming more predictable 7 months later & counting. My moods initially seemed a little more unstable than usual also but it's hard to say if that was solely withdrawal to blame or stress at work contributing. My boobs reduced back to original size & my libido is now returning. It does feel like I still have some way to go before my body is my own again though! I do feel that I could have been warned that periods may take some time to return to normal rather than the sense of fear that pregnancy may happen immediately when stopping or if a pill was missed. Perhaps it was the length of time I used this method for, but I was assured this was safe to do so by my GP. Overall, it worked well for me at the time, it's just frustrating now I want to start a family, as I would have considered stopping sooner if I knew what I know now :)