Birth Control and Weight Gain

tartansheep

Hi there,

I'm sorry if this is the wrong place for this! I did look elsewhere, but couldn't see anywhere more suitable.

I'm on Microgogyn 30 (combined pill), and have been for the past two months or so.
It's caused an increase in appetite, which has led to weight gain - 5lb, so far - as well as seemingly weight gain spontaneously. Apparently, this is because it contains pregosterone, which changes the water balance in my body and means I retain water to a greater extent than previously. I'm trying to eat less, but I am so hugely hungry all the time that it's becoming difficult not to justify to myself the mammoth portions I am eating.

Either way, I'm not happy.

I've looked around at other options available, but they all seem to cause weight gain. Obviously, I'm trying to avoid weight gain... I'm nearly at my goal weight, with around 15lb to go now (thanks BC). I'm still going to the gym, although I now need to wear a sports bra - something I had never bothered with, since even at my highest weight I was pretty much flat!

Anyone else having this problem? How did you solve it? Many thanks.

Followingsea

Not quite progesterone - progestin. They're synthetic hormones that simulate effects of progesterone, but they're not bioidentical to progesterone.

Microgogyn uses levonorgestrel as its progestin. Maybe ask your doctor about potentially switching your Rx to a pill that uses a different progestin. Desogestrel (some brands are Mircette, Apri, Ortho-Cept, etc) is one option; desogestrel reportedly has a lesser effect on metabolism and weight gain than other types; drospirenone (Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella) has less of an effect on weight gain due to water retention. A different brand may help?

tartansheep

Ah, thank you! Do you think that would stop the appetite gain? I was looking at side effects of the implant and that said that more than 10% of women experience a gain in appetite... Contraception. Ugh

Followingsea

It certainly might! Give it a try - can't hurt, right?