Can birth control KEEP you from LOSING weight?

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  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    Will it make you gain fat when you don't change your diet and exercise routine? No. It cannot magically make you gain fat weight.

    Will it make you feel hungrier than normal causing you to eat more? It sure can. It messes with your hormones which can make you feel hungrier than normal causing you to gain weight. This is the only way it can make you gain fat.

    Will you gain some weight while on it (especially if you are just starting one)? Sure... but it's water weight. The hormones can make you retain water which can either cause your weight to slightly increase or you will not see a loss as the water weight masks the fat loss.

    I have been on various types of BC over the years and there was never weight loss or weight gain (outside of water retention) that wasn't my own doing.

    Your friend who is not on BC but workouts out with you and eats with you can lose at a different rate as you depending on her age, weight, height and muscle mass. No two people are the same. I will lose differently (following the same diet and exercise routine) as someone the same age, height and weight as me due to muscle mass differences.

    A lot of people use the BC pill as an excuse as to why they have gained weight or can't seem to lose weight.
  • xaMErica
    xaMErica Posts: 284 Member
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    I've been on the pill for 2 months now.. I did lose about 2 lbs.. but not it is stalling. I'm not going to say that my BC is the problem. There are a few things I have snacked on with out tracking.. and I did have 2 cheat days over Valentines day. I also realized that I am not tracking a couple of tings accurately. I honestly don't even notice extra cravings. I just get really moody O.o

    Add me if you want! =) I'll let ya know how my weight loss goes as I adjust other things about my diet =)
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    No.
    It can hinder weight loss and make it more difficult, but not impossible. Few medications can actually make it impossible to lose weight, but they do exist.

    Uh yeah :noway: , like the countless steroids perscribed everyday, anti-psychotics, meds for seizure disorders, the list goes on... Trust me there are PLENTY of meds that can cause weight gain and make it next to impossible to lose weight.

    These examples tend to make the person feel hungrier... which when you eat more than you should you will gain weight.

    A medicine can't magically create fat on your body. The only weight gain a medicine can cause on it's own is water weight gain.
  • KassLamb
    KassLamb Posts: 98 Member
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    6 pounds in 5 weeks is actually pretty good! Keep doing what you're doing!

    I'm on the depo. Doing the research, I learned that many women gain weight on the depo due to an increase in appetite. That's why tracking is important to me. I got on the depo, began tracking my food and calories, and lost 50 lbs. I stopped tracking and put on 30. Now I'm tracking again and lost 17 already in 2.5 months. My weight loss has been a bit on the fast side of a healthy rate, so I can say that it does not hinder weight loss (at least not for me). Unfortunately, I think I will have to track calories for as long as I'm on the depo, even after reaching my goal weight. It's too easy to gain weight when you have a big appetite and aren't paying close attention to everything you ut in your mouth.
  • Sparlingo
    Sparlingo Posts: 938 Member
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    On Alesse and losing weight just fine.
  • gracielynn1011
    gracielynn1011 Posts: 726 Member
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    It depends on how your body reacts to the hormones in the BC. When I was on the pill (orthotricyclin lo) I could not lose any weight at all and it caused me to gain quite a bit. When I switched to the Mirena IUD and my hormone levels changed, I lost a lot of the weight.

    Now that I use NFP and do not have the extra hormones, by controlling what I eat and exercising, I am seeing even better results. My doctor did tell me that some people experience problems with weight gain but the amounts vary.
  • JerseyGirlinTN
    JerseyGirlinTN Posts: 144 Member
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    It certainly can!

    Just went to the doctor 2 weeks ago with my weight loss frustration. That was the FIRST thing she did, was take me off BC.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    I had a similar prob. It depends on the level of hormones in the brand you are using...I switched o the depo shot, every 3 months you go get shot. And I think it was the best choice for my body...every body is different, so I would go talk to doctor and ask what brand he or she thinks is best or you...I have heard girls say that they gained weight with the depo..so everyone's different ..but the depo shot works well with me.
  • taziob
    taziob Posts: 12 Member
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    To be honest, I think blaming birth control for everything is a bunch of crap. I have been on Seasonique or the generic for it for 3 years. Since I started wanting to lose a little weight in Jan, I have lost a 1/2 lb to 2.5 lbs every week.

    I have heard all kinds of tales about bc but I think it is the bomb.
  • MicroHez
    MicroHez Posts: 125 Member
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    I'm on Yaz, and have been losing steadily. Did I initially gain weight when I 1st started on BC (then, Yasmin), yes I did, but that was probably a because of a combinations of issues (was no longer dancing, no longer in color guard, eating bad cos fast food was easier to get between classes, working in a pizza shop where reject pizzas and soda were readily available, other personal issues).

    I am wanting to go off BC, because I have been on it steady for the last 8 years, but also because I want to see how it affects my weight loss... BUT, I also don't wanna return to pre-BC PMDD either. Guess I'll see what the GYN says in 4 months!
  • iecreamheadaches
    iecreamheadaches Posts: 441 Member
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    I had been using the depo vera shot for 2 years, and was really struggling to lose the weight I gained while pregnant with my daughter. I'd lose 15 pounds then get my next shot and gain 10 back almost over night. It was frustrating and I hated the gross way I felt all the time (sick to my stomach constantly, bloated, super fatigued). My doc told me that exercise would help with those feelings, but it didnt for me.

    So at my last yearly, at the end of last month, I asked to be switched to the Ortho Evra patches. Since starting them I have lost 6 pounds (i start week 3 of the patches today) on top of the 3 I had lost the week previous to starting them, bringing me to a total of 9 pounds in the last 3 weeks, which was better than I was expecting.

    I think it really just depends on the type of BC you're on if it keeps you from losing weight or not.
  • Makoce
    Makoce Posts: 938 Member
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    I'm on Lo Losetrin Fe 24 and I lose 1 - 2 lbs a week.

    My gym buddy is on another brand of BC, and loses weight.

    The only thing that causes you to gain fat is excess food in, and less calories out.
  • blu_meanie_ca
    blu_meanie_ca Posts: 352 Member
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    The birth control I took when I was a teen (back when the year started with 19XX) was notorious for causing weight gain, as it did replicate the hormonal changes of pregnancy, and many of the symptoms (including metebolic slowdown). The newer ones use a hormone the blocks ovulation, with out many of the other side effects, but, weight gain can still be one of them. This is *usually* temporary though, and the weight gain will stop (it's up to us to take it off).
    That being said: I gained 20lbs the year I was on ortho-tricyline (and had evil periods too).
    I lost 20lbs when I first started Yaz (though I cried at the drop of a hat).
    I put on 30lbs having 2 children.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    People keep saying that it does, but I honestly think it is an excuse. I don't want to play the blame-game, but I did go research what was out there and it says that it doesn't technically cause you to gain/unable to lose weight, but it CAN increase your appetite and water-retention. That being said, I don't think there is any 100% agreed-upon conclusion in the science world. I am on the Depo shot, which is one of the big "omg weight gain!" one, and I have lost 7lbs in two months, without being hungry or overworking myself.

    edit: I say "excuse" because I have met several people who say "oh why bother, birth control made me fat!". My roommate was like that. She claimed it was the depo shot that made her fat...not the pounds of cheese, fried foods, and candy that I saw her eat all the time....
    I actually use the depo, and have heard countless ppl say it made them gain weight, but I'm the opposite I gave birth to my son and weighed 202 that day, within 6 months I weighed 182, and so on.. I've been stuck at 153 for about a year now so am trying my best to change that..but it proves that every one is different , every body is different
  • sarah12277
    sarah12277 Posts: 212 Member
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    I think it depends on the type. I've been using the generic for loestrin fe for years and I had lost my previous 60 lb loss on it. The struggle was depending on the week from the affect of the hormones causing cravings or extreme hunger. If I made sure I was eating enough and didn't succumb to the cravings I was usually fine. I would say I'm a slow loser though, but whether that's the reason I don't know. I doubt it for myself.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    What do you mean "that's it"? That's a healthy amount of weight to lose so congrats. Looks like your birth control isn't inhibiting your weightloss.
  • hnt1215
    hnt1215 Posts: 1
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    My health nurse told me that the pill can increase your appetite, which is why a lot of people gain weight, but then she said, "the only thing that will make you gain weight is what you put in that mouth of yours." :)

    I've got to agree with that. Everyone responds differently to medications but it still comes down to what foods you eat and how much. And don't forget about water retention!
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    My health nurse told me that the pill can increase your appetite, which is why a lot of people gain weight, but then she said, "the only thing that will make you gain weight is what you put in that mouth of yours." :)

    I gained weight on bc once but it was due to the increased appetite I got from that pill. For some reason they gave me a high dose pill which also caused acne. When switched off it to another kind which was low dose my appetite went back to normal and I lost the weight I gained from the other pill.
  • gracielynn1011
    gracielynn1011 Posts: 726 Member
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    To be honest, I think blaming birth control for everything is a bunch of crap. I have been on Seasonique or the generic for it for 3 years. Since I started wanting to lose a little weight in Jan, I have lost a 1/2 lb to 2.5 lbs every week.

    I have heard all kinds of tales about bc but I think it is the bomb.

    I do agree with you that people blame the BC for a lot of issues, and weight gain/loss comes down to lifestyle. But there are some people who are affected by it. Those people gained weight or had a difficult time losing weight in spite of a good diet and exercise program. I am one of them, but will admit that after trying and being unsuccessful, I did give up. Until recently anyway.
  • NerdyJenn
    NerdyJenn Posts: 20 Member
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    I was a volunteer at a clinic, and the nurse I worked for started doing long-term tracking as we were seeing some significant changes from woman to woman on various BC methods. Our intake chat with a woman always included "each body is different and we might have to change your pill to better suit *your* body chemistry". We were talking about things like spotting, mood, acne - but soon started to see it was also about weight. And there wasn't any single "fix" for all women.

    Some women loved depo, but holy hannah it was BAD for others. We're talking about women who were on bcpills and switched to depo and came back three months later with an increase of 60+lbs. And so on. Others did great on depo, but their bodies did not like tri-cycle pills. As best as possible we would control for other factors, but it was very difficult to get good long-term data (let alone get funding to do the big study she wanted to do).

    Our approach, then, was to encourage women to track their eating and exercise and see us for a different 'script if they were seeing abnormal weight gain over a short amount of time. Full disclaimer that one of the biggest ways to gain weight is a 8lb baby growing inside you ;)

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