Birth control pills cause weight gain?

jalisaruss

Has anyone else ever wondered if their birth control pills have contributed to weight gain? I was 200 lbs when i began taking my BC last year around this time and I know my unhealthy diet contributed to the weight gain of 40 lbs but I'm also questioning whether or not the birth control had anything to do with it. Sadly though going off of the pill at this point is not an option so is there anyway to stop the possible hormonal weight gain, foods to eat etc;?

bajoyba

I don't think that oral birth control pills cause weight gain, although I have heard that they can cause an increase in appetite. I've been on birth control pills for 9 years now. I did gain weight after I started taking them, but I'm sure it was because I wasn't active at all and simply paid no attention to what I was putting in my mouth. Since I changed my eating and exercise habits in January, I haven't had any trouble losing weight.

jalisaruss

that makes sense

lovemuffin6

Generally weight change will be on the list of side effects for any birth control pills. However you have to remember that people trialling the pills are monitored over a period of months, it's very common for weight gain/loss to happen during that time period anyway without monitoring intake, so while its included on the list of side effects generally its not anything to do with the drug. The hormones involved don't have any role in regulating appetite. This also applies for side effects such as headaches and nausea on some drugs...people get headaches regularly anyway!

joannadalina

I haven't noticed a weight gain from being on the pill. Though I have gained weight, I am pretty confident it was from my horrible food choices and lack of exercise

Best of luck,
Joanna

faalyn300

I believe that birth control in fact does cause weight gain. My, skinny as a rail, daughter gained 30lbs taking the Depro-Provera shots. She used them about 2 years, as soon as she switched to the ring she lost it all without changing any if her regular routines. I was started on an estrogen pill about 5 weeks ago for heavy menstrual cycles. The goal was to keep me from having a cycle until I could went for hysterectomy. The initial dose was not working, my doctor advised me to double my dose, which is also the max dose until my bleeding ceased, then go back to the lesser dose. I dud this for 2 weeks. Now 1 week after I increased my dose I started a diet challenge to lose 4% in 4 weeks, so I was watching my diet very closely eating 1200-1350 calories daily with a diet log. The first week of this diet when I was on the lowest dose I was able to lose 2 lbs. After I increased my dose I was unable to lose anymore weight. I decided I may as well lower my dose as the higher dose was not helping. Incidentally I allowed myself 1-2 cheat days a week on this diet and the day I decided to cut my dose back was a Friday and a cheat day! Of all the days this was not the day I would expect to lose weight. Weighed myself the next morning to assess the "damage done" and had lost about 1/2 lbs! The next day ate good until my son brought pizza over for dinner lol. This is the highest sodium and greasiest yummiest pizza around this area. Generally I gain a couple lbs in water weight just from this pizza. Weighed myself again to assess the damage, lost another pound! This is proof to me this medication in fact is effecting my weight, to eat like this and still lose when I seriously couldn't lies an ounce in 2 weeks is ridiculous! So now I have 1 week left to lose 1 more lb to meet my goal and feeling pretty confident it will happen now!

JasminHyde

this topic has been recently tested within the medical science industry and has observed that actually the pill itself does nothing to the rate of metabolism or the direct gain in weight of the woman taking the contraception.

When a woman takes the contraceptive pill, weight gain is always in the back of her mind - but it is actually her own body working against her from day dot. When a woman goes through puberty her body is put under physical and mental strain, using up excess energy causing the metabolism to slow and the need to eat sugar and saturated fats increases in the woman's mental stature.

So even when a woman doesnt take the contraceptive pill - each month there will be a need to eat high fats and sugars, but also the need for more iron and folic acid - due to the excess blood loss - so instead of blaming the pill or sitting around hating yourself take iron supplements during your period including B12 vitamins, this will help reduce your bodys mental requirement for overeating.

(Taken from a recent lecture I had - studying Bsc Bioveterinary Science)