Can birth control KEEP you from LOSING weight?

24

Replies

  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
    In my entirely uneducated based only on friends, family and my own experiences: it depends on the person & the pill. I have a friend who is extremely sensitive to hormonal changes and being on the pill caused her to gain about 5 lbs. she ditched the pills an dropped the 5. For myself and many other friends and family members however it doesn't effect weight at all. I've gone on and off several times in the last few years due to blood pressure issues and have had no difference in loss or gain rates (as a matter of fact I've been on them for the last 4 months and during that time I've lost over 20lbs and dropped from a size 16 to a 12).

    As others have said: 6lbs in 5weeks is very normal and I'll bet you've lost more than that in fat% but your muscle gains are making the scale move slower. People lose at different rates for a variety of reasons, does she have more to lose? Is she eating cleaner or less than you? Is she younger? All of this plus genetics will effect weight loss.

    If you're really concerned get off the pill for awhile and see if it helps! Just make sure to use something else so you don't wind up gaining from a baby!!!
  • Muddy_Yogi
    Muddy_Yogi Posts: 1,459 Member
    Everyone is different....Yaz made it very hard to lose....I lost but it was slow....but I have heard other that lose like crazy on bc. I asked my doctor about it and He said it has everything to do with your body and your hormones.....
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Your losing a pound a week roughly... which is perfectly healthy and fine.

    I take Loestrin 24 FE and thats the rate I lost at.. about a pound a week.

    I had no issues whatsoever losing weight while on birth control.
  • amandammmq
    amandammmq Posts: 394 Member
    Considering how much you would gain if you became pregnant, no lol.

    Actually, some birth control works by tricking your body into thinking you already are pregnant, so that you don't release another egg. So...
  • blair_bear
    blair_bear Posts: 165
    No.
    It can hinder weight loss and make it more difficult, but not impossible. Few medications can actually make it impossible to lose weight, but they do exist.

    Uh yeah :noway: , like the countless steroids perscribed everyday, anti-psychotics, meds for seizure disorders, the list goes on... Trust me there are PLENTY of meds that can cause weight gain and make it next to impossible to lose weight.
  • alipink
    alipink Posts: 3
    it can definitely hinder weight loss. Can someone tell me how to post my own topic? Thanks!
  • Tryin2LiveFree
    Tryin2LiveFree Posts: 9 Member
    I was on the depo shot for about 3 years and didn't change any of my eating habits but, continued to gain weight. I wasn't until I got completely off birth control did I begin to lose weight. It wasn't a lot of weight at once but, it kinda crept up on me. I opted for an IUD (something without hormones) and finally was able to manage my weight. All in all you have to do what is best for you. Good luck.

    Now I'm just overweight from eating.... LOL..
  • Tryin2LiveFree
    Tryin2LiveFree Posts: 9 Member
    My health nurse told me that the pill can increase your appetite, which is why a lot of people gain weight, but then she said, "the only thing that will make you gain weight is what you put in that mouth of yours." :)

    if you put it in your mouth then you dont need the pill at all ...

    OK. I had to read that twice. I'm glad I wasn't the only one taken back a bit... was kinda funny.
  • Fluttershy91
    Fluttershy91 Posts: 2
    Hahaha, true, but that's more hard work.
  • Boobookittyfq
    Boobookittyfq Posts: 454 Member
    I would have to say its most probably the type of contraceptive.. Ive been on and off birth control for years i use Ortro-Tri Cyclen Low. The worst are the shots or the actual sticks in your arms ive seen major weight gain on those on other women. I think it just works different with everyone's body personally.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Yes, it can cause insulin sensitivities issues. Get one with as low estrogen levels as poss.
  • mesee619
    mesee619 Posts: 84 Member
    Considering how much you would gain if you became pregnant, no lol.

    ^ this

    also i have tried every birth control there is and they ALLL gave me horrible side effects ... so now i just dont have sex... it seems to be working lol

    I agree---seems like no sex works best
  • marvelscale
    marvelscale Posts: 135
    I have to be on a BC shot as part of a medicine regimine... sounds weird, but... :|
  • Melanie_RS
    Melanie_RS Posts: 417 Member
    My health nurse told me that the pill can increase your appetite, which is why a lot of people gain weight, but then she said, "the only thing that will make you gain weight is what you put in that mouth of yours." :)

    if you put it in your mouth then you dont need the pill at all ...

    LMAO!
  • cvthatcher
    cvthatcher Posts: 47 Member
    man, i hope everyone who says it does keep one from losing weight is wrong. :sad:

    but fat weight > baby weight, haha
  • earthtoemilyy
    earthtoemilyy Posts: 66
    i started working out, eating right, and joined this site all within the same week as i stopped my birth control. but I feel like i'm losing faster than i did last time i tried to do this. so maybe?
  • roachhaley
    roachhaley Posts: 978 Member
    no
    the majority of weight gain from BC is from increased appetite. you can control that
  • JeaninePaige
    JeaninePaige Posts: 464 Member
    I take Ortho-Tricyclen and I have been losing weight at a steady pace.
    I think the main reason they say birth control can make you gain weight is because it can make you very hungry at times.
    In the beginning I had this problem, but now that I've been on it for over a year I've gotten used to the hormones and such.

    Plus, I have clear skin soo... Not giving that up. :bigsmile:
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    Wow, the severe hating in this forum is disappointing. Some of you are stating that it's an "overused" excuse? It's been proven over and over that BC DOES cause water retention--so while it may not be true "weight" gain, some women have a hard time fighting that bloat that comes with going on BC. Not to mention, EVERY pill affects women differently, since everyone's hormones act differently. For instance, I don't have a ****ing thyroid, AND i'm on BC. Needless to say, I gained a great deal of weight (though frankly, it may be my boobs, since I gained two cup sizes but didn't up sizes elsewhere).

    But damn, stop the women on women hating.
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
    Wow, the severe hating in this forum is disappointing. Some of you are stating that it's an "overused" excuse? It's been proven over and over that BC DOES cause water retention--so while it may not be true "weight" gain, some women have a hard time fighting that bloat that comes with going on BC. Not to mention, EVERY pill affects women differently, since everyone's hormones act differently. For instance, I don't have a ****ing thyroid, AND i'm on BC. Needless to say, I gained a great deal of weight (though frankly, it may be my boobs, since I gained two cup sizes but didn't up sizes elsewhere).

    But damn, stop the women on women hating.

    Thank you. We are all different. Some people are just so unhappy with themselves they can't stand to see someone solving their own problems. It's ridiculous, it's like blaming a cancer patient when chemo doesn't work because it worked for someone else.
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
    No.
    It can hinder weight loss and make it more difficult, but not impossible. Few medications can actually make it impossible to lose weight, but they do exist.

    Uh yeah :noway: , like the countless steroids perscribed everyday, anti-psychotics, meds for seizure disorders, the list goes on... Trust me there are PLENTY of meds that can cause weight gain and make it next to impossible to lose weight.

    I said they exist, didn't I? If you were to form a chart as to the percentage of medications that actually make you gain and make it either extremely difficult or impossible to lose, it would not be a high percentage. I definitely am not one of those people who thinks medication is not a valid excuse. I know people on steroids. They went from being petite to obese without diet change. But birth control=weight gain is an excuse. Yes it can hinder progress, and you might need to make changes to your diet and exercise, but you CAN lose on birth control.
  • JSmallz88
    JSmallz88 Posts: 6
    What are you taking? I'm actually on Yaz also and having a steady loss.


    im takin seasonique, its definitely harder to lose weight after you've had kids and im exercising and eating right cuz i dont want to gain weight< side effect to the pills.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    My weight loss slowed down when I went back on the pill after my first child, but it didn't stop, and I still lost my baby weight through exercise and healthy eating. When I stopped taking the pill (cilest) to try for a 2nd baby, I suddenly lost weight a bit more quickly....of course, once I got pregnant, I put it all back on :ohwell:

    My 2nd child is 14 months old now and I didn't bother going back on the pill, and I'm now smaller than I was before I got pregnant with my 1st, despite putting on loads in my 2nd pregnancy.
  • orishp
    orishp Posts: 214 Member
    I do think that hormonal BC has some effect on your weight. I had the opposite effect, was on implanon after my first child, was able to lose all the baby weight (not because of it, but while on it) but didn't like it so I had it removed, just like that, in a matter of over a month, I gained 10 lbs weight that were EXTREMELY STUBBORN. I didn't change my diet during that time, or my workout routine or anything, so I blame it only on the hormonal BC.

    I just don't like extra hormones in my body, period.
  • ashjdavis88
    ashjdavis88 Posts: 31 Member
    I've managed to lose 100lbs while taking birth control. So my gut instinct is to say "No!" BUT- there are hundreds of different BCs and each one affects each woman differently. It's really about learning to listen to your body.. I have found that every week of my pills my body goes through a different cycle (very hungry, no food sounds good, etc) I've learned to manage my hunger that way.

    I don't like the added things to BC, I have recently gone on low-hormone. I hope to stop it all soon!
  • Bry8432
    Bry8432 Posts: 37
    thank you all for your feedback! it was really helpful

    I was on lo-estrogen 24 FE but then I to switched to Mononessa...
  • fluteypie
    fluteypie Posts: 42 Member
    Yes, exactly. I don't know why people are getting so upset over this. Can't we all just have a friendly discussion without dissing other people and their habits? Jeez, lol.

    I just started taking birth control (mainly to control my abnormally intense menstrual cramps) and I'm really glad to see all of the different experiences people have had with/without it. I'm not going to go off of it because, as I already stated, my cramps are unbearable and the birth control has helped.

    EDIT: This was supposed to be a reply to someone, but uh...I don't know what happened, lol, their initial comment didn't show up.
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
    Yes, exactly. I don't know why people are getting so upset over this. Can't we all just have a friendly discussion without dissing other people and their habits? Jeez, lol.

    I just started taking birth control (mainly to control my abnormally intense menstrual cramps) and I'm really glad to see all of the different experiences people have had with/without it. I'm not going to go off of it because, as I already stated, my cramps are unbearable and the birth control has helped.

    EDIT: This was supposed to be a reply to someone, but uh...I don't know what happened, lol, their initial comment didn't show up.

    I just got off it. For me it was for a 4 yr period used as hormone replacement therapy. I only get upset when I see someone say...no it doesn't, it is just an excuse. Those comments are usually from people using it for birth control and haven't hit menopause or had "female" problems. I understand bad cramping. I always have. But when I turned 38 my period came and didn't leave. It got so bad I couldn't go anywhere and I became anemic. Hormones helped some but took a long time and I've been through all the combinations I can take. So yes it did cause me to gain weight, there was no other reason. Both my Dr's agree too. I'm not gonna lose sleep over someone on a forum saying it's impossible. But really wish people wouldn't assume they know everything and make judgements on everyone.

    A lot of people gain weight from having back surgeries because there is such a long time of inactivity. I didn't gain any and had two spinal surgeries and for several years I barely did anything because I couldn't. But I don't say everyone else is making excuses, I just got lucky. But that's a whole other subject, most people don't know what they are talking about with that either, they always know someone who took years to recover or weeks. Depends on what the surgery is.

    If you start taking any kind of drug and notice you are gaining weight then chances are it's affecting you. Either try eating differently or get off the drug. Or in some cases just accept it, depends on the situation.
  • loricancela
    loricancela Posts: 2 Member
    actually the hormones in birth control pills can significantly lower your testosterone level, which makes is difficult to lose weight or gain/keep your muscles mass, it also makes you accumulate fat in the abdomen.
    significantly low testosterone levels do not occur in all oral contraceptive users and there are many other symptoms that would accompany this low testosterone.
  • ereach4731
    ereach4731 Posts: 41 Member
    I have been working out everyday for about 5 weeks. I lost 6 pounds. But thats it. I'm curious to know if birth control affects weight loss.

    Because i have a friend who is not on birth control and we workout and eat together yet she is losing more weight? Could there be any truth to my theory?

    Or is it just me?

    Every body is different and so BC will affect everyone differently. For me, it doesn't make a different. For some of my friends, it provides some issues. Although everyone here has their opinion, the best thing to do is to talk to your doctor. Keep a food journal (as I imagine you are on here), be 100% honest in it. If you drink a beer or eat a piece a cake, put it on there. Are you getting enough calories for the amount you are working out? Do you have any other health issues, such as PCOS? This is all stuff you need to talk to your doctor about. If you are eating a balance diet and working out hard, you should be at about 10-15 lbs lost in 5 weeks. The other thing is that if you are building muscle, which weighs more than fat, you won't lose as much weight.

    Bottom line: Talk to your doctor about your health.
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