Birth control and weigh loss stall

SisterSueGetsFit

Question for some of you ladies out there. About 10 months ago I started taking the POP (progesterone only pill) as my form of birth control as I'm over 35 and a tobacco user (yea...I know, it's a terrible habit). Anyway... I've put really good effort into losing weight twice in the last 10 months, most recently within the last 3 weeks. The attempt prior to this lasted about 4 months. My logging/weighing wasn't as tight, but I should have lost something yet I've had zero success with losing any more than a pound or two. I'm weighing my food and logging accurately. I've recently cut out alcohol, with the exception of a few days as well. I've successfully lost 55 pounds before so I kind of have an idea of what I'm doing. For reference, I'm 5'5" and 162 eating about 1,400/calories a day.

The only thing I can think of that's changed in the last year or so is the introduction of this new pill. I've googled a few articles with respect to this, but most of them pertain to women who are breast-feeding. I understand CICO, but don't have a lot of experience with medication of any kind and am just wondering if this isn't a contributing factor.

I'm just curious if anybody has any experience with this form of birth control? I was thinking of stopping it anyway as I've never really like the way it made me feel. I've also recently ended a long term relationship so it's not quite as necessary. I would appreciate any insight you may have.

Deviette

Hormonal birth control can have "increase appetite" as a side effect. This often leads to weight gain, as you need to consume more food to feel just as satisfied as you did previously.

However, I'm more interesting in your weight loss. You say that your current weight loss has only been going on about 3 weeks? And you've lost, what, a pound or two? tbh, you might just need to adjust your expectations. From the way you're talking it sounds like you're not massively overweight (listing your height and current weight would be useful). At that point, you're probably looking at losing at a rate of around 0.5lbs per week.

Also, at only three weeks, you cannot adjust for hormonal changes that happen as a result of your period cycle. These fluctuations aren't fat gain, but only water weight. A change in contraception could change how much water you retain, so you can't really use the data you has from before you started on the pill. Speaking personally, I gain about 2-3lbs the week before my period, which masks my fat loss for that week (and often the week before).

The reason why you might not have succeeded before was because your logging wasn't very tight (and is possibly the case now). As you lose weight, the accuracy of your logging becomes more important. If you're not very accurate about how you log (such as not logging alcohol, for example), the possible deficit isn't going to be that large, and so the little bits here and there can really make a big difference.

marieamethyst

So medication can affect everyone differently, but I've been taking the Pill in various doses/types for over 10 years now and can't say I've seen it affect my ability to lose weight. (I'm also 5'5 and 165 lbs was my highest pre-pregnancy weight) If it's not working out for you then maybe talk to your doctor about alternative forms of birth control and see if you can find the one that works best for you.

tinkerbellang83

POP messed with my hormones when my lovely doctor insisted on me swapping to it after being fine on my previous birth control for 15 years, I retained a lot of water and it seriously messed with my appetite, before throwing me into total hormonal imbalance.

Medication can affect your weight in 2 ways:

• Increased appetite leading to eating more than needed.
• Increased water retention

If you're only 3 weeks in at weighing/logging food super accurately again I'd give it a couple more weeks before you change anything.

SisterSueGetsFit

Deviette wrote: »

Hormonal birth control can have "increase appetite" as a side effect. This often leads to weight gain, as you need to consume more food to feel just as satisfied as you did previously.

However, I'm more interesting in your weight loss. You say that your current weight loss has only been going on about 3 weeks? And you've lost, what, a pound or two? tbh, you might just need to adjust your expectations. From the way you're talking it sounds like you're not massively overweight (listing your height and current weight would be useful). At that point, you're probably looking at losing at a rate of around 0.5lbs per week.

Also, at only three weeks, you cannot adjust for hormonal changes that happen as a result of your period cycle. These fluctuations aren't fat gain, but only water weight. A change in contraception could change how much water you retain, so you can't really use the data you has from before you started on the pill. Speaking personally, I gain about 2-3lbs the week before my period, which masks my fat loss for that week (and often the week before).

The reason why you might not have succeeded before was because your logging wasn't very tight (and is possibly the case now). As you lose weight, the accuracy of your logging becomes more important. If you're not very accurate about how you log (such as not logging alcohol, for example), the possible deficit isn't going to be that large, and so the little bits here and there can really make a big difference.

These are all very good points. In the past I've dropped very quickly the first few weeks (water weight, I know) so I guess I was expecting that. I just finished my period Saturday so I'm sure that's part of it as well. I updated my post to list my height/weight (5'5" and 162).

marieamethyst wrote: »

So medication can affect everyone differently, but I've been taking the Pill in various doses/types for over 10 years now and can't say I've seen it affect my ability to lose weight. (I'm also 5'5 and 165 lbs was my highest pre-pregnancy weight) If it's not working out for you then maybe talk to your doctor about alternative forms of birth control and see if you can find the one that works best for you.

I'm due for my annual check-up in 2 months.

tinkerbellang83 wrote: »

POP messed with my hormones when my lovely doctor insisted on me swapping to it after being fine on my previous birth control for 15 years, I retained a lot of water and it seriously messed with my appetite, before throwing me into total hormonal imbalance.

Medication can affect your weight in 2 ways:

• Increased appetite leading to eating more than needed.
• Increased water retention

If you're only 3 weeks in at weighing/logging food super accurately again I'd give it a couple more weeks before you change anything.

I really am just not a fan of the POP in general I guess. I've kind of been a disaster on it... Good reason to quit taking it I guess.

dam0ne4

I was taking POP while nursing and then for several months after I stopped. My weight loss stalled as soon as I stopped nursing, even though I cut out the extra calories I was eating. I switched to a Mirena a couple months ago and the weight has started coming off again.

I think different BCs affect people differently. I've heard horror stories of people gaining weight with a Mirena but it hasn't been the case for me (so far)

tinkerbellang83

SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »

tinkerbellang83 wrote: »

POP messed with my hormones when my lovely doctor insisted on me swapping to it after being fine on my previous birth control for 15 years, I retained a lot of water and it seriously messed with my appetite, before throwing me into total hormonal imbalance.

Medication can affect your weight in 2 ways:

• Increased appetite leading to eating more than needed.
• Increased water retention

If you're only 3 weeks in at weighing/logging food super accurately again I'd give it a couple more weeks before you change anything.

I really am just not a fan of the POP in general I guess. I've kind of been a disaster on it... Good reason to quit taking it I guess.

I've since switched to the non-hormonal coil - it was a *kitten* of a settling in period with it for first 6 months, but it lasts 5 years, it doesn't give me any water retention, affect my appetite and my cycle has been super regular since switching and no having to remember to take a pill.

Deviette

SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »

These are all very good points. In the past I've dropped very quickly the first few weeks (water weight, I know) so I guess I was expecting that. I just finished my period Saturday so I'm sure that's part of it as well. I updated my post to list my height/weight (5'5" and 162).

It might be. I know some people drop a lot of water weight initially, but historically I never really have. And how your hormones change throughout the month will take a few months to work out unfortunately.

SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »

I really am just not a fan of the POP in general I guess. I've kind of been a disaster on it... Good reason to quit taking it I guess.

If you don't like it, switch to something else. I know people who have spent far too much time on contraceptives that don't work for them because they're worried about the alternative. Heck I did it. I stayed on the pill for longer than I should've when it really didn't suit me at all. I'm now have an implant (again hormonal), which I've just had renewed for the second time (so third implant) and yes I forget every flipping time how bad the bruising is, but for me it's completely worth it for 3 years of not having to worry.

There are so many different options out there to choose from, so make sure you look around, speak to as many people as possible (including your doctor) and find the one that's right for you.

Sunshine_And_Sand

In my experience the mini pill is EVIL. The effect that combo pills have of making periods more regular and lighter/shorter was what I liked most about them. The mini DID NOT have that benefit for me, in fact it made them much worse. They were much heavier even, with no regularity, and much less time in between periods than I'd had before taking those awful pills.
I also noticed it did affect my weight as well. I wasn't specifically trying to lose when I first started taking them, but I did quickly gain 5 pounds. That was probably water weight, but it didn't go away the way normal water weight fluctuations tend to. I was running three miles a day and felt like I was STARVING just to keep from gaining weight.
It also gave me hormonal acne, which had not been a problem for me since middle school.
All this went back to normal pretty much as soon as I stopped taking them.
Mirena however has been a good experience for me so far even though it's also progestin only, but since it releases the hormone directly into the uterus less makes it into the blood stream, so it should have less systemic side effects.
That said everyone reacts differently to different things. I've talked to some who hated Mirena but liked the mini pill.
It's best to talk to your doctor if you don't like your current form of BC.

lorrpb

You've lost two pounds in three weeks. That's a great start!
Prior to that you didn't log or logged poorly and didn't see much result. Hmmmm.

Consider opening up your diary for others to view. Some people here are very skilled at zeroing in on logging issues and that has been a huge help to many people.

SisterSueGetsFit

sarjenki wrote: »

In my experience the mini pill is EVIL. The effect that combo pills have of making periods more regular and lighter/shorter was what I liked most about them. The mini DID NOT have that benefit for me, in fact it made them much worse. They were much heavier even, with no regularity, and much less time in between periods than I'd had before taking those awful pills.
I also noticed it did affect my weight as well. I wasn't specifically trying to lose when I first started taking them, but I did quickly gain 5 pounds. That was probably water weight, but it didn't go away the way normal water weight fluctuations tend to. I was running three miles a day and felt like I was STARVING just to keep from gaining weight.
It also gave me hormonal acne, which had not been a problem for me since middle school.
All this went back to normal pretty much as soon as I stopped taking them.
Mirena however has been a good experience for me so far even though it's also progestin only, but since it releases the hormone directly into the uterus less makes it into the blood stream, so it should have less systemic side effects.
That said everyone reacts differently to different things. I've talked to some who hated Mirena but liked the mini pill.
It's best to talk to your doctor if you don't like your current form of BC.

Yes, I've not had a great experience with it. I gave it time because I know your body needs an adjustment period. I still hate it. I'm depressed on it as well. I'm going to stop taking it and will see my doctor in a few months to get new stuff. Thanks!

SisterSueGetsFit

lorrpb wrote: »

You've lost two pounds in three weeks. That's a great start!
Prior to that you didn't log or logged poorly and didn't see much result. Hmmmm.

Consider opening up your diary for others to view. Some people here are very skilled at zeroing in on logging issues and that has been a huge help to many people.

Thank you. I didn't mean to infer that I'm unhappy with 2 pounds in 3 weeks, I know it's a process. I'm just curious about the effects of this particular pill in general as I've never really had as difficult of a time losing when I really try. While my logging wasn't "tight" last time (about 3-4 months ago) it wasn't completely sloppy so I was wondering if the new pill could have contributed in any way.

I appreciate you taking the time to provide me your thoughts!