Hi. I'm 53, have been on the BCP (mostly Ortho-tricyclen) for almost 11 yrs now, and want to go off of it. I'm not in menopause (according to dr's test at last annual last May), but I'm surely heading there--at least it feels like it! Peri, for sure! Anyway, I just don't want to be on the pill anymore--and don't need to be, as I'm not exactly doing the horizontal boogie on a regular basis ...my concerns about being on the pill are like many others' concerns about health issues they may cause. So the question: after researching just how to go off of them (cold turkey? slow transition? switch to lower-dose?), I'm reading many stories about women who've experienced hair loss after stopping (though most women were younger, I'm not sure that matters...). Considering that hair loss can also occur concurrently WITH menopause, I'm naturally worried and want to protect my very long (hip-length) hair. So I'm wondering if you can share your experiences with me along these lines--I'm sure I can't be the only concerned woman in her early 50s who's wanting OFF the pills. Oh, one more thing...As a part of my research, I've noticed many articles indicating natural ways to keep hair healthy during/after hair loss--such as evening primrose oil, saw palmetto, horsetail, b complex (which I now take anyway, for stress), red clover, and dong quai--all except b complex apparently has estrogenic properties. And, of course, soy. So that's it. Feedback, advice, kind words, moral support, from my online friends...is absolutely appreciated. Thank you...