A recording guide · 5-minute read

What to record after stopping birth control

If you have already decided to stop a hormonal method, a few dated observations can be easier to review than a long diary. Start with what you want to remember.

This guide explains record-keeping. It does not tell you when or how to stop a method, what symptoms mean, or what changes to expect.

1. Give the record a starting point

Write down the hormonal method and its stop or removal date. In Post Pill, that date is Day 0. Earlier entries have negative day numbers; later entries have positive ones. You can use a known future date and begin recording beforehand.

A date label organizes the record. It does not establish that stopping a method caused something you later recorded. If you correct Day 0, the labels change while the original entry dates stay the same.

2. Pick one to three things that matter to you

Choose a small set you actually want to remember: mood, sleep quality, skin, energy, headache, libido, or cramps. These are available recording choices, not a list of expected symptoms.

Use the same scale consistently. Read its labels before choosing a value. If you decide to record something else later, you can change your selection; the app keeps separate recording segments instead of comparing incompatible definitions.

3. Record what fits that day

Tap a value for each chosen item. Add a note only when it will help you remember a detail. A few words such as “late night after travel” can be enough; you do not need to write a complete story.

Three or four check-ins a week is a suggested rhythm, not a requirement. Leave gaps when you do not record. You do not need to fill in a missing week from memory. If you deliberately add a past observation, keep it marked as recalled.

4. Keep context beside the date

If useful to your record, mark bleeding or spotting, a medication or supplement change, a pregnancy test, illness, travel, stress, or another event. Context belongs on the day it happened, even when there is no check-in that day.

“Travel was recorded during this week” is a statement about timing. “Travel caused this change” is a different claim that the record cannot establish.

5. Review the entries before the conclusion

After three check-ins on three different days within a seven-day window, the app can show a first recap for free. Ask: Which values differed? How many days did I record? Which days are missing? Do the source entries look right?

A later qualifying week gives you a second window to compare. Weekly labels summarize recorded values; they are not continuous measurements between check-ins. Missing days remain unknown.

6. Share only the record you choose

Before a conversation, select the dates and details that are useful. You can exclude particular signals, notes, or context. Read the generated PDF before sharing it, or use a CSV to keep your own copy.

Your local record does not sync across devices. Export anything you want to keep elsewhere before changing or losing access to this iPhone.