Ladies: Birth Control and Weight Gain

Kari089

Just a little background before I pose my question: I'm a 31 yr old woman, have used the pill as a hormonal birth control method on and off since the age of 21. I began using it to control my heavy periods and PMS symptoms. I have been overweight-obese most of my life so I never paid much attention to weight gain due to taking these pills.

I stopped taking the pill over 5 years ago (and I had only taken it regularly 2 yrs or so before that). I lost and then gained a lot of weight during this time-mostly due to bad eating habits and lack of exercise. I started my weight loss journey last year in September and I have been steadily losing weight and average a couple kilos weight loss every month. Which is perfectly fine for me. I am not looking to lose it all overnight. I do have a lot of weight to lose and I try to vary it up so as to not hit a plateau.

At the start of this month I went to my gyno and I asked for a form of birth control. I still wanted something with the least amount of hormones. Just something to help me with my PMS symptoms. The couple years before I started to lose weight I began to lose my periods so I knew I had to do something to correct this imbalance. Which of course, was to lose the weight and sure enough after losing 50lbs my periods are now stable but they are a nightmare every month. The mood swings, the ups and downs, highs and lows are unbearable. I basically have one good, sane week per month where I am not crabby, moody and crampy. You can guess how my OH feels about this! poor guy!

So I reasoned the pill could help me get these under control. Or at least help me a little bit. I spoke to my gyno and she gave me a monthly dosage of the pill to try and to let her know if I would continue this or try another method.

Now here is my dilemma. I keep reading online how researchers have debunked this myth of the pill causing weight gain. But I am still convinced that something is very wrong at least with me. Not having taken the pill in so long and being more aware of my body changes and whatnot I have really noticed a shift. Since I began taking this pill this month I haven't felt right at all. I feel sick to my stomach every day. I have a general feeling of nausea and light headiness. Hungrier than before. Having finished a meal, not 5 minutes later it feels as though I haven't eaten in hours. I find myself excusing second helpings-behavior which I thought I had curved a few months ago! Before I started the pill this month I had a couple weeks of great weight loss. I was eating right, working out. Felt motivated and even though my mood swings were still in effect, at least the highs seemed to push me on.

The last couple weeks of this month while on this pill seem to have completely turned that around. I feel unmotivated, even a little depressed, been eating more than I should-and not a little more green salads either. But all those starchy foods and chocolate I used to crave and eat with wild abandon before. I gained back whatever I lost at the start of this month and the scale isn't budging. I have been staying active, drinking tons of water and putting in some long workouts. But some days have been awful food wise.

So I'm wondering for you ladies out there..have you noticed this behavior change after taking the pill? While the pill itself might not bring in the extra weight gain I have a feeling these hormones really do curve our behavior-and at least for me not in a good way at all.

I would be interested to hear about your experiences with hormonal birth control or any other alternatives out there that have helped you control your PMS symptoms yet still continue steady weight loss.

AnnieMae07

I have been on BC pills for six years now and while doctors say they don't cause weight gain- THEY DO!!! In the course of the first year or two I saw myself gain well over 25 pounds. Where as before I was pretty stable with my weight. I, however, am not on them for controlling PMS or periods, strictly to prevent pregnancy. Now that I am working out daily the pounds do seem to be coming off though.

Good luck!

srpm

Talk to your doc, there are different types of pills, if this one is making you feel sick you need to switch types.

On the weight gain side, I was on the pill from the time I was 16-26 with the exception of about 2 years in college for other girly problems. When I went off the pill in college I did not lose weight, when I went back on, I did not gain weight. I actually gained weight when I stopped taking it in December but I'm pretty sure that is because of the holidays. My not at all professional opinion is that the pill changes up your hormones and we all know that our hormones can make us feel hungry etc when we aren't thus the binge eating that is so common during PMS

Good luck finding something that works well for you. I was on a low-dose version of ortho-cyclen for a while and really liked it, I've tried others but it was probably was my favorite low-dose.

dad106

I've been on the pill since 2009.. and I've had no issues with mine. I know for a fact that mine didn't make me gain weight.. what made me gain weight was my poor eating habits and the fact that I went out drinking every night in college.

When I started this weight loss journey, I lost steadily every week except for the week before I went off the B/C and got my period. Even now I maintain just fine and gain weight right around my period and it goes away right after.

I take Loesterin 24 FE, and it is seriously the best.

FatStoatLondon

Get a hormone-free IUD fitted. They last for 10 years and are mega-safe.

Kari089

Thanks for your replies ladies I am considering the hormone-free IUD-it was actually the first method I thought of as one of my sisters had it for several years. I spoke to my gyno about it but in the end she sent me home with the pill and told me to think about the other methods and give her a call on what I decided to do. I'm giving the BC pill a go while I made that decision.

I will make another appointment and get this sorted hopefully. Thanks again!

rml_16

Hormonal birth control effects different women differently. I was on the pill off and on for 13 years with no problems whatsoever for the first 11 years. The last two years, despite switching pills several times, my periods were getting heavier and lasting longer (two weeks at a time) so I went off the pill and on Mirena. I need hormones to control heavy periods, so the copper IUD isn't really an option.

Well, before Mirena, I gained some weight through poor diet and lack of exercise. When I got serious about losing, I buckled down and went from a size 12 to a size 6 in 12 weeks (am average of 1.8 pounds lost per week). I took a little break and got back to losing and ultimately went from 166 to 132 with what seemed like little effort.

After Mirena, I started gaining and I cannot lose the weight. At first it was just 5 pounds and then leveled off (this after 2 years of keeping the initial weight loss off). Then a few more and finally I'm up 20 and no matter what I do (eat more, eat less, exercise more, lift weights, you name it), I bounce between 152 and 154. Mirena's website states that weight problems are a side effect in fewer than 5% of users, so I guess I got "lucky."

Some women on Mirena have no problems with weight at all.

lin7604

i went on the pill when i was 14 for pms symptoms, i had such heavy periods and so much pain and cramping. I tried about a dozen different ones to get the right dose for my body, i did gain 10lbs. i went off the pill when i was trying to have my son at age 29, i lost 5-7 lbs with in 2 months of going off it. so yes i do believe that you gain from the pill, i mean it changes your hormones..... I then went back on the pill after my son to regulate everything again ( i now have my tubes tied and still on the pill)... i gained 5-7 lbs this time. It's easy to know that it's the pill gain.... i would keep trying different brands till you find one that works for you...

freeli

I've been on the cerazette minipill for about three eyars, gained weight, came off cause it also gave me migraines after a while. Now no pill at all, weight coming off easy.
But I do have problems with PMS, cramps and so on. similar to you, I was sane for only one week per month. Did some googling and have started about 8 weeks ago to take Calcium w/ Vit D (1200mg per day), Evening primrose oil (1000mg per day) and Agnus Castus (1600mg). all in pills.

that helps me with OMS moodiness AND cramps too!

Kari089

I've been on the cerazette minipill for about three eyars, gained weight, came off cause it also gave me migraines after a while. Now no pill at all, weight coming off easy.
But I do have problems with PMS, cramps and so on. similar to you, I was sane for only one week per month. Did some googling and have started about 8 weeks ago to take Calcium w/ Vit D (1200mg per day), Evening primrose oil (1000mg per day) and Agnus Castus (1600mg). all in pills.

that helps me with OMS moodiness AND cramps too!

thanks for that! it sounds like a good natural alternative to help with those pesky symptoms without having to take hormones will look into it..definitely need something to help those. The cramps are so unbearable sometimes.

PRMinx

Every pill cause the body to have a different reaction and some pills definitely make you gain weight. For me, Seasonel was the worst! I gained five pounds in the first month, was sluggish and bloated and slightly depressed (probably because I was sluggish and bloated!). My favorite pill is ortho tri-cyclen, however, I have acne and that wasn't helping enough so now I am back on Yaz. Yaz did not impact my weight at all. If anything, I lost a couple pounds because it can wreak havic on your gastro intestinal system when you first get started.

While I'm relatively happy with Yaz (no acne!) it's definitely a pill that I would drill your doctor on before taking. It's known for having some real adverse side effects for some people.

Kari089

Hormonal birth control effects different women differently. I was on the pill off and on for 13 years with no problems whatsoever for the first 11 years. The last two years, despite switching pills several times, my periods were getting heavier and lasting longer (two weeks at a time) so I went off the pill and on Mirena. I need hormones to control heavy periods, so the copper IUD isn't really an option.

Well, before Mirena, I gained some weight through poor diet and lack of exercise. When I got serious about losing, I buckled down and went from a size 12 to a size 6 in 12 weeks (am average of 1.8 pounds lost per week). I took a little break and got back to losing and ultimately went from 166 to 132 with what seemed like little effort.

After Mirena, I started gaining and I cannot lose the weight. At first it was just 5 pounds and then leveled off (this after 2 years of keeping the initial weight loss off). Then a few more and finally I'm up 20 and no matter what I do (eat more, eat less, exercise more, lift weights, you name it), I bounce between 152 and 154. Mirena's website states that weight problems are a side effect in fewer than 5% of users, so I guess I got "lucky."

Some women on Mirena have no problems with weight at all.

my gyno had a pamphlet on Mirena at her office and I brought it home to take a look. What worries me about having something like this is that it's quite expensive (at first since insurance doesn't cover it and you need to pay it up front) and if it doesn't work out, or I am unhappy with it, or things don't improve for whatever reason, it would take a doctor to take it out. It's a risk I suppose whilst the pill you can simply stop taking it or change brand. I would also hate to be one of those lucky 5%! The copper IUD appeals to me because it's hormone free-but then my PMS symptoms would still be running wild.

I don't remember having issues with the BC pill like this before-obviously I am older now and been through so much yo-yo dieting I can't even begin to imagine the mess my hormones are in to begin with. But I am definitely noticing side effects after taking this pill.

thanks for your reply

freeli

Add on for the Evening primrose oil tablets dose, cause i think it is the Cis-Lanoleic Acid that is immportant:

Product Information
Three capsules contain:
Evening Primrose Oil 3000mg
(Oenothera biennis, seed)
typically providing:
Cis-Linoleic Acid (LA) 2190mg
Gamma-Linolenic Acid 270mg
(9% GLA)

I take three of them a day.

Hope you feel better, PMS is such a miserable thing! It used to frustrate me so muchadditionally to the bad moods!

If something like the supplements would help your PMS that could then go fab with the copper IUD.

Good Luck

rml_16

Hormonal birth control effects different women differently. I was on the pill off and on for 13 years with no problems whatsoever for the first 11 years. The last two years, despite switching pills several times, my periods were getting heavier and lasting longer (two weeks at a time) so I went off the pill and on Mirena. I need hormones to control heavy periods, so the copper IUD isn't really an option.

Well, before Mirena, I gained some weight through poor diet and lack of exercise. When I got serious about losing, I buckled down and went from a size 12 to a size 6 in 12 weeks (am average of 1.8 pounds lost per week). I took a little break and got back to losing and ultimately went from 166 to 132 with what seemed like little effort.

After Mirena, I started gaining and I cannot lose the weight. At first it was just 5 pounds and then leveled off (this after 2 years of keeping the initial weight loss off). Then a few more and finally I'm up 20 and no matter what I do (eat more, eat less, exercise more, lift weights, you name it), I bounce between 152 and 154. Mirena's website states that weight problems are a side effect in fewer than 5% of users, so I guess I got "lucky."

Some women on Mirena have no problems with weight at all.

my gyno had a pamphlet on Mirena at her office and I brought it home to take a look. What worries me about having something like this is that it's quite expensive (at first since insurance doesn't cover it and you need to pay it up front) and if it doesn't work out, or I am unhappy with it, or things don't improve for whatever reason, it would take a doctor to take it out. It's a risk I suppose whilst the pill you can simply stop taking it or change brand. I would also hate to be one of those lucky 5%! The copper IUD appeals to me because it's hormone free-but then my PMS symptoms would still be running wild.

I don't remember having issues with the BC pill like this before-obviously I am older now and been through so much yo-yo dieting I can't even begin to imagine the mess my hormones are in to begin with. But I am definitely noticing side effects after taking this pill.

thanks for your reply

All good points. My insurance covered mine, so I paid a total of two $25 copays to have it put in and then checked a couple months later to make sure it was in place and working correctly. So for me it was $50 for five years where the pill was $10 a month (with insurance). I can honestly say I love EVERYTHING about it except the weight issue, which is why I haven't had it removed.

Kari089

Add on for the Evening primrose oil tablets dose, cause i think it is the Cis-Lanoleic Acid that is immportant:

Product Information
Three capsules contain:
Evening Primrose Oil 3000mg
(Oenothera biennis, seed)
typically providing:
Cis-Linoleic Acid (LA) 2190mg
Gamma-Linolenic Acid 270mg
(9% GLA)

I take three of them a day.

Hope you feel better, PMS is such a miserable thing! It used to frustrate me so muchadditionally to the bad moods!

If something like the supplements would help your PMS that could then go fab with the copper IUD.

Good Luck

Exactly! it's what I was thinking :flowerforyou:

thanks for the info!

iLoveMyPitbull1225

Its hard to say because everyone is different and there are so many kinds of birth control pills. I believe that when I started to take them many years ago, I gained about 5 pounds. nothing major. A friend of mine was always a very petite girl, and when she started to take them her boobies swelled and she probably gained about 10 pounds. So, these are just my experiences.

I also wanna add that I dont feel that my BC makes my periods any more tolerable lol cramps are always gonna hurt and Im still a b**ch and cry for no reason. Bless my boyfriends heart.

The only upside is mine only lasts 4 days MAX.

Kari089

I also wanna add that I dont feel that my BC makes my periods any more tolerable lol cramps are always gonna hurt and Im still a b**ch and cry for no reason. Bless my boyfriends heart.

The only upside is mine only lasts 4 days MAX.

Oh I know some pain and moodiness will remain regardless but I would just like it to be at a minimum. My periods last an average of 5 days and I begin to get cramps and severe mood swings a week prior then it runs through a week after my period is over. So this is where my one good week a month comes in. During the other 3 weeks I can go from cheery to ripping someone's head off within a flip of a switch and I know this isn't normal. My husband can handle my normal *****iness but I have now seen real fear in his eyes..lol that can't be right..

strongnotskinny121

The pill is what started my weight gain in high school. Was on BC several times through high school and early 20s. Every time I gained weight. and it never came off when I stopped. ( I never tried to lose it either, though). I used to have serious cramps and heavy bleeding when I wasn't on BC, part of the reason I was on it all the time. However, I have serious depression ON any hormonal BC. Like suicidal and having anxiety attacks in public. It was awful.

Weight loss has corrected most of my woman problems for me though. I rarely get cramps, and what I do get is very manageable. Flow still heavy at times, but not like it used to be.
When I was broke with no health insurance for BC I would take a few natural supplements that really helped. Black Kohosh, Feverfew, and I think the 3rd was yellow root. Taking one of each daily, really helped with the cramps and flow. I would try taking something like St. John wort for mood, or make sure you are getting plenty of magnesium (which helps control mood).

Kari089

The pill is what started my weight gain in high school. Was on BC several times through high school and early 20s. Every time I gained weight. and it never came off when I stopped. ( I never tried to lose it either, though). I used to have serious cramps and heavy bleeding when I wasn't on BC, part of the reason I was on it all the time. However, I have serious depression ON any hormonal BC. Like suicidal and having anxiety attacks in public. It was awful.

Weight loss has corrected most of my woman problems for me though. I rarely get cramps, and what I do get is very manageable. Flow still heavy at times, but not like it used to be.
When I was broke with no health insurance for BC I would take a few natural supplements that really helped. Black Kohosh, Feverfew, and I think the 3rd was yellow root. Taking one of each daily, really helped with the cramps and flow. I would try taking something like St. John wort for mood, or make sure you are getting plenty of magnesium (which helps control mood).

thanks for the info on the supplements..this is something I will definitely give a try. I'm trying to stabilize my pms symptoms the most natural way without having to rely on a BC pill.