Birth Control and Weight Gain

missflygirl80

Has anyone else experienced this? This is my first time on BC for a significant amount of time (over 6 months) and I have gained about 20 lbs. in that 6 months. My doctor keeps trying to tell me that it is probably a change in my diet and exercise and I keep trying to tell her that that is not the case. The last time I gained weight so quickly was about 10 years ago when I had a depression episode. I have reduced my caloric intake and will start increasing my aerobic activity this week. I'm nervous that if I can't get the weight to come off that I will have to come off BC. Have any of you other ladies experienced this? Does your weight gain "stabilize" at some point? Are you ever able to lose the weight again while still on Birth control? I am
Currently taking a generic form of Alesse.

tschlach

Almost all forms of birth control has the side effect of weight gain. Any Dr. that tries to tell you otherwise is full of it.

missflygirl80

And that what I thought but she kept insisting that it was something I was doing. My weight has been up and down for many years so I know when my behavior is such that it would cause me to gain weight and that is not the case here. It's so frustrating because I worked so hard to get the weight off and maintain it just to gain it all back again.

strong_curves

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10178278/ladies-lets-talk-birth-control-and-weight/p1

Narcissora

I have experienced weight gain with birth control as well... But the pills themselves aren't causing the weight gain. They cause an increase in appetite. So the pills aren't making you gain weight - eating more is making you gain.

misskarne

Birth control did not make me gain weight. Me eating too much made me gain weight.

I am losing while on birth control.

Liftng4Lis

Medication can increase appetite. Eating too much causes weight gain. Unfortunately, sometimes we have to be more conscientious than others.

tschlach

It's funny because when you read the literature or Google it the med has side effects of weight gain. Of course there are no calories in the medication it's self. When I was on birth control I gained a lot of weight, my lifestyle did not change. I was a active young adult at the time. After stopping the birth control the weight came off. I'm not the only women out there that this has happened to.

missflygirl80

@misskarne....that is wonderful that you are losing weight while on BC. I, However, am not, and there has not been a significant increase in my eating habits where I would have gained so much weight. I know I cannot be the only person who has experience this equation. Can someone who has had this issue and who has been able to over come it answer? Because I am certain that my circumstance is not uncommon. I am not a doctor but I am a relatively intelligent person who assume that changing hormone levels in itself is enough to spark weight gain for some especially if it affects your metabolism at all. For those of you who experienced the weight gain did you up your exercise more? Did that work? Did you see a stabilozation in weight gain at any point or did you continue to gain? For those that lost weight...great but I don't need your input as that was not my question. Kindest thanks in advance.

Sarasmaintaining

I just posted in the other thread, but I didn't notice a weight gain/loss while on/coming off the pill. However, I did develop a blood clot from it, and I wouldn't wish that nightmare on my worst enemy. Scariest thing that's ever happened to me. Clots are a common side affect with bc pills, and that's a way more serious issue than potential weight gain

lalepepper

I mean this in the kindest way possible - it seems like you're looking for someone to come along and confirm your beliefs that it must be hormones or activity level (both are certainly very influential) or something else besides overall caloric intake vs. expenditure that is causing you to gain/not lose. It's important to remember that people who lost weight on BC may have felt the way you do now before figuring out that it's about calories in vs. calories out. The unfortunate part is that calories out (and in, but you've got more control over that!) can be hard to determine.

There's some merit to those things - hormone levels can influence water retention, but hormones tend to be more stable on BC, not less. Comfort and interest in exercise influences your actual activity, which influences your overall calorie burn vs. need balance. BC can lead some to experience cravings or increased appetite, resulting in increased intake without realizing it. BC might also contribute to emotional states or side effects that people who eat emotionally might cope with by eating.

Despite our absolute sincerest effort, we don't always notice that extra snack we have when alone, make accurate measurements, or remember those "just a taste" bites. I don't know anything about your eating habits and don't intend to imply I do, but I'd recommend watching an episode of Secret Eaters if you're interested in seeing how easy it is for people to lose track of exactly what they're eating, yet feel like they're doing things the same as they always have. Starting a new medication that causes a variety of effects that translate to increased appetite and/or reduced activity could absolutely result in fairly quick weight gain without it feeling like much has changed. Unless you've been tracking your portions accurately since before you started the meds vs. now, it's hard to rule out eating habits as a contributor. Habits that feel the same aren't always. I gained about 55 lbs (was 240 to begin with) feeling like I hadn't changed a thing in my routine since starting the Mirena 2 years prior, and thought it was my BC. I felt that nothing had changed with my eating habits, so I never bothered evaluating them. What I didn't realize is my choices had become more lax (but similar), and my portions got just a bit bigger over time. It sounds like you're logging now which is really helpful, so I'd stick with that and ensure you're being as accurate as possible, weighing by gram if possible. Even slight portion overestimates can add up to a lot of extra calories if repeated every day. Hopefully with accurate logging and adhering to a deficit, you'll have some success.

lemonsnowdrop

I gained 10 pounds when I started depo provera. I thought, "This medication is awful! Look at how much weight it made me gain!" After a while, though, I realized this was just me placing the blame where it wasn't deserved, and after I started accurately logging my intake, I was able to lose a significant amount. The birth control is rarely directly responsible for weight gain.

missiontofitness

Yep. I'm on Depo, and have been for several years. Birth control itself is not the direct cause of weight gain; it does not have the calories in it necessary to physically cause weight gain. What it can do is affect your appetite. I have been able to easily gain, maintain, or lose, as long as I am logging my calories.

Use a food scale, log everything you eat, and experiment with different calorie intakes until you find one that lets you eat enough while staying in a comfortable deficit. Also, if you are using MFP to estimate burns, they are generally grossly overestimated. It will take some trial and error, but I am sure you will be able to stay on birth control and reach your goals.

NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner

I used to blame my BC for my weight gain. I just ate more. Until you weigh, log and look at what you are actually eating... You can't blame BC. It is frustrating to gain weight when you feel like nothing much has changed but in reality... it does make you eat more than you realise.

SezxyStef

tschlach wrote: »

Almost all forms of birth control has the side effect of weight gain. Any Dr. that tries to tell you otherwise is full of it.

weight gain is due to increased appetite ...bc itself does not cause weight gain...eating too many calories does...

Clinical trials require it's participants to list anything that feel is not normal...they are not in a controlled environment and their calories are not monitored...

So no the doctors are not full of it actually...

Toadstool_

misskarne wrote: »

Birth control did not make me gain weight. Me eating too much made me gain weight.

I am losing while on birth control.

Much the same for me. Weight gain is listed as a side effect for birth control, but personally it hasn't affected my weight - my eating has! I'm losing weight whilst on birth control without a problem. Could you try a different pill? Perhaps it's the one you're on that's not working for you?

taylorizal

I used to be someone who was adamant that birth control doesn't stop you from losing weight. I have lost 100 pounds while on birth control. However, now that I have lost weight and my hormone levels are changing, I plateau at the same weight on the 1st week and 3rd week of my birth control. This has been happening for the last three months. The second and fourth week I lose like crazy. I have an appointment next week to talk to my doctor about different birth control to see if we can figure out a different form of contraception that will work better for me.

LovingLife_Erin

taylorizal wrote: »

I used to be someone who was adamant that birth control doesn't stop you from losing weight. I have lost 100 pounds while on birth control. However, now that I have lost weight and my hormone levels are changing, I plateau at the same weight on the 1st week and 3rd week of my birth control. This has been happening for the last three months. The second and fourth week I lose like crazy. I have an appointment next week to talk to my doctor about different birth control to see if we can figure out a different form of contraception that will work better for me.

I'm not sure if it would help you, but I'm on the mini pill (only 1 hormone instead of the usual combined). I take it every day, without a week off so I don't get hormone fluctuations like others might on the combined pill, or other forms. The downfall is that you can have very long periods, or none at all. They are completely random. That being said, I have settled into getting a very light one for 2 weeks every 3-4 months. Compared to my 7 days of hell that I had before, it is bloody brilliant (pun intended... sorry! lol). I also had no issues gaining on it, or trouble losing, but that's me. Maybe talk to your doctor to see if it would be appropriate for you, and if you'd be happy using it. Good luck!

missflygirl80

Hey everyone...thank you for all of your advice. I am going to start tracking my calories more closely and I will talk to my doctor about some of things suggested here. Sorry to be so snappy before but I am beyond frustrated with this! Lol I have struggled with my weight for awhile and had hit a good two years maintaining my goal weight so to see the scale going up again is making me panic a little :-) Thanks again all...I will heed everyone's advice!

SezxyStef

taylorizal wrote: »

I used to be someone who was adamant that birth control doesn't stop you from losing weight. I have lost 100 pounds while on birth control. However, now that I have lost weight and my hormone levels are changing, I plateau at the same weight on the 1st week and 3rd week of my birth control. This has been happening for the last three months. The second and fourth week I lose like crazy. I have an appointment next week to talk to my doctor about different birth control to see if we can figure out a different form of contraception that will work better for me.

women in general do that actually.

There is one poster on these boards that only loses weight once a month...

If you all don't want hormonal BC try paraguard or dun dun condoms...

korpi

I was just searching for a forum on BC as I've taken it for six months and gained a bit (2 kilos). I have tracked, weighed, and counted all of my food for years, so I know from going through my diaries that my intake hasn't changed, nor has my activity. Plus the weight focuses around my breast (much bigger) and abdomen (I think it looks like I'm pregnant!) it's not a lot of weight, but I'm small and it makes me uncomfortable with my body. I asked my doctor if I could change the pill and he suggested just taking it without a week break for 3 months and see what happens. The other side effect is my mood - for one week a month I feel like a different person, am snappy and cry for no reason at all - I'm never like this and my boyfriend notices it too, saying once a month being miserable isn't worth the cost. Sorry for the rant, but I'm on the verge of just stopping the BC and saving my sanity.

Missflygirl80 - have you been able to lose any of the weight since this post?

nicola8989

since being on BC I have gained weight but I think this is due to increased appetite and because it makes me retain water. My weight fluctuates terribly - I can gain or lose 4lb overnight because of water retention.

Korpi - I used to feel terrible for one week a month on a combined pill, switched to progesterone only and feel so much better. Hormones affect everyone differently but tell your doctor about your mood and see if you can try a different pill.

MamaBirdBoss

It makes you hungrier so you eat more. Likely, you don't even notice doing it. It only takes a small amount more to see a significant change in weight over time.

FloralBlossom

I was on Lol Loestrin Fe for a while the switched to the Depo shot so I didn't have to remember to take it everyday. The depo made me gain a lot but once I switched back to the pill I lost all the weight the depo made me gain. I'm not a doctor so I have no idea if it would help but maybe try a different brand on your next cycle?

iamsmara

I was easily able to lose weight while on birth control - read it as: able to command my mind to stop eating after a point - but the minute I stopped bc, I started gaining all the lost weight back, i.e., no more control over eating urge, it was stuff my face all day. Not sure how to tackle this. The garden variety self control did not work. I wonder what will? I have put on almost all the weight I lose so far and am feeling really down.