birth control and losing weight...thoughts please.

The pill/BC method does not cause gain itself. It can impact appetite, which can then impact weight.

I've been on microgestin, Nuvaring, and finally Depo for the past few years. I have never had issues with weight loss, as long as I am accurately tracking my intake. Do you weigh your food? Since you're switching to a new method, it may be worth it to invest in one if you aren't already.

mom2ava07 wrote: »

So I ended up having the impact removed 5 days ago and the doctor gave me a prescription for ortho cyclen pills. I had them filled but noticed that weight gain was listed as a common side effect. I know many say they don't think bc causes weight gain, but of its listed as a common side effect I have to think its a definite possibility obviously.

My question is, what causes the weight gain? As in, is it just from overeating with increased hunger or something else? I wonder if it's safe to assume that if I keep track of my calories I logically wouldn't gain, pill or not. Babies defitnley cause weight gain so I'm a little torn which way to go.

Hormones influence metabolism, and different people react differently to the various forms of hormonal birth control.

I would suggest asking more questions and doing more research before you start taking those pills. A good first step would be talking to your pharmacist. There are an enormous number of pill options available these days, so if one doesn't work for you, another might be a better fit.

You might also want to consider a non-hormonal form of birth control, such as Paraguard, mentioned above.

I have been on YAZ since I was 16. I'm 36 now and I have no issues losing weight. It's not the pill that makes you gain. It's the food you put in your mouth. Seriously, it may make you feel hungrier, but honestly it's mind over manner.

mom2ava07 wrote: »

I would love an option such ad Paraguard, but I tend to have heavy breakthrough bleeding with any form of birth control so my doctor said that's probably not a viable option for me.

If I'm going to try the pill I have, I am supposed to start it today. I think the best option is for me to just try it and monitor myself. I already weigh my food, keep track of every single thing down to occasional gum even, and exercise daily. I weigh myself every morning, so if I stop losing entirely for a while or even gain I can maybe stop the pill and go from there.

I was on the pill for quite a while (got off it because the NP found that it could complicate the heart problems I have; really lucky find on her part!), and I honestly had no issues with it in regards to weight gain. I only got off of it because it wasn't the best option for my heart, plus it was a pain remembering to take it every day at the same time.

If you do want to talk to your doctor about different options if the pill doesn't work for you, I highly recommend Depo. You do need to watch your calcium with it if you stay on it for a while, but it's a once every three months option via a shot. I personally have a very painful cycle, and getting rid of it completely + only worrying about making an appointment four times a year for it has been beneficial for me. If you are having bleeding issues, it could be worth it to check it out, and see if it helps reduce that bleeding even a little bit, while giving you the benefits of protection from pregnancy.

Man, it stinks being a woman sometimes! Lol.

I had Mirena for a very short time - was a nightmare for me. It is not everyone's experience, of course, but for some, it absolutely can cause weight gain, bloat, gastro-intestinal issues, etc. I gained about ten pounds in a few months' time. Doc tried to say it was not Mirena but ... and I say this confidently ... he was wrong. I never had weight-related issues with the pill, but they were a stroke risk so I came off them after many years. Anyway, tread carefully with birth control options ...

sizesixorbust wrote: »

personally, sometimes it felt like the pill made me put on a lot of water weight, but now when i look back on when i used to be on it i was just constantly, constantly overeating, even moreso than when i wasn't on it. i can never stay on a pill for more than a month because my hormones overreact and i go into a spiraling depression (yay). it's definitely different for everyone!

I had to shop around for the right pill for me for the same reason - I called it the crazies, but basically the same reason. I will never forget the humiliation I felt when, in college, trying to explain to a older, male doctor who didn't believe the pill could affect mood. I was basically just a silly girl, and he had more important things to do. Ugh ... so glad I've moved past all that and (I think) people now know better!

I was on the pill. I gained weight. I had mirena I gained weight while dieting. Everyone's body reacts to hormones differently. Trust yourself.

fwiw: with mirena I also had painful breasts, migraines, acne, bloating, and lowered libido. All of which resolved after my hormones settled after having it removed.

I've been on two different types of pills in the past year (I was switch from the "regular" pill to a progesterone only pill due to migraines) and I've lost ~40 lbs.

You can lose weight being on birth control. Even with hormones being messed up you can lose weight. You might have to lose at a different rate than expected at a lower calorie goal than expected, but there is a tipping point where you will lose weight.

Start with the numbers MFP give to you for a reasonable rate of loss. Make sure you are being accurate with your intake (weighing solids, measuring liquids) and give it a month. If you don't lose, cut the calories by 100 and then give it another month. Rinse and repeat (you may have to mess with macros a little bit if you have certain health conditions like PCOS). If you get below 1200 calories and you're still not losing (assuming you are being super accurate with your tracking because that's the problem when people don't lose 99% of the time), then see your doctor. At least at that point you will have a solid food log to bring to your doctor to show them what you've been eating.

lgutches wrote: »

britishbroccoli wrote: »

Science says no ...

I think that people posting, "Well, I gained weight!" is a detrimental confirmation bias.

While I appreciate your reliance on science, I think it's unfair to negate people's physiological experiences (en masse) in a few short sentences and a list of articles. Science sometimes takes time to catch up, and there's a lot of money to be made in hormonal birth control by drug companies.

Can you imagine how much money would be on the line if a pharmaceutical company could prove that their competitors products cause bloating, soreness, weight gain, whatever, and that their brand new product doesn't? That hasn't happened because all evidence points to confirmation bias in adverse symptoms.

The studies actually demonstrate that women on oral contraceptives gain slightly LESS weight than women who are not on birth control. As far as symptoms, read up on confirmation bias, nocebos, and the article above with placebo controlled studies. Women who were on sugar pills had the same rate/severity/spread of symptoms as women who were on hormonal birth control. Thinking you are on a hormonal birth control is enough for many people to claim the symptoms associated with hormonal birth control.

All of these studies have been initiated because of the very common misconception that birth control causes weight gain/symptoms. Many women discontinue birth control because of the symptoms that they attribute to the medicine, exposing them to the risk of pregnancy.

It's possible that women with these symptoms are sick from something else. If so, they should know not to blame their BC and see a doctor ASAP. Or, it's possible that these symptoms are just part of being a woman. Either way, it's not helpful to falsely blame BC that has run the gauntlet of scientific research.

lgutches wrote: »

britishbroccoli wrote: »

Science says no ...

I think that people posting, "Well, I gained weight!" is a detrimental confirmation bias.

While I appreciate your reliance on science, I think it's unfair to negate people's physiological experiences (en masse) in a few short sentences and a list of articles. Science sometimes takes time to catch up, and there's a lot of money to be made in hormonal birth control by drug companies.

I knew very little about Mirena when I chose to do it. I read the pamphlet, but since I don't tend to have reactions to such things, I forged ahead. I knew immediately something was wrong. As I mentioned above, my midsection was terribly bloated and there were accompanying physiological symptoms that were extremely unpleasant. In a few short months, I had gained about ten pounds and couldn't button my pants. I'm a regular runner with a predictable diet. It was the Mirena. No "science" will convince me otherwise. Perhaps in ten years, the declarations made today will be reversed and those of us told that it's in our head will feel slightly validated. Either way, though - I got that thing out of me and moved on. I simply suggest that people proceed with caution and choose their own paths.

YOU know your body. Definitely do what makes sense to you.
Mirena was NOT good for me either.