The effects of Birth Control and Weight Loss

bethanywink

I posted a blog about this on my MFP profile, but wanted to share this in the community to get feedback.

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I've been on birthcontrol, the pill, for years now. Prior to pregnancy I was on the pill ( some brand, I cant remember now) and weighed in the mid 130's to 140's. I got off the pill in August of 2010 and dropped about 10 pounds to weighing in around 130 (with a hard work out plan and lots of calorie logging). The lowest I had been since high school (oh the skinny days).

However, once my husband came home from Iraq, the work out went out the window, trying for a baby was in full swing, and I got up to 145.

After I had Leah, weighing in at 177 just 6 weeks after having her. I was put on Oncon/Braziva, a high dosage hormone pill, because I was having some major issues with bleeding ( a long long story in that). Things leveled out, I seemed to be getting back to normal and in 9 months I loose 50 pounds with dieting, working out, and joining spark people - I was down to 145.

That was in November, from there, almost a year now I've been stuck in the 143-145 range, not moving much really. However, I did make it back to my original pant size and was feeling better.

Over the summer my hormones went wild again and I began to have to some issues, nausiation all the time, breaking out on my face, mood swings, and I became allergic to my wedding ring. All things pointed to, my pill - it was too much.

I need a lower dosage of hormones.

I was put on a new pill, Microgestine, a low dose, 4 weeks ago. Since then, my acne went away, my nausiation went away, my mood swings are gone, and I've felt so much better overall.

I stepped on the scale today, this morning, to read 139.2 on the scale.

Maybe it's the birth control? Maybe my hormones were making me hold on to the weight? I'm not quite sure. I would like to say it's my great eating and working out, but honestly I've not been able to work out in over 2 weeks.

Maybe it's a combination of everything?

Or maybe it's just a fluke?

I'm hoping, with my new work out plan, eating healthy again, and the new pill - the weight will keep coming off.

Anyone else have an experience with birth control one way or another?

dnhardy

I've been wondering if it has an effect as well lately. When I wasn't in a relationship, I had no need for birth control and I wittled my way down to 134 without a whole ton of effort. Now that I'm on bc, I'm killing myself to stay at 148 and the cravings are brutal. I feel like I HAVE to have sweets or I HAVE to have kettle chips. Also, before bc I didn't really have any issues around TOM. But now my mood swings could be a ride at Six Flags.

I may have to talk to my doctor about getting on a lower hormone dosage as well. I'd had always either though it was either this or no birth control. Thanks for opening me up to the painfully obvious solution of a lower dosage.

LATeagno

I vote fluke.

I was on Loestrin 24 FE (the brand name version of Microgestin) for four years and then switched over to Microgestin due to price. For whatever reason i had some breakthrough bleeding, so my GYN put me on a higher dose pill-- Ortho Cept. I was terrified I wouldn't continue to lose, but so far, so good. Give it a few months. Microgestin is a very low dose pill (just 20 mcg of estrogen) and shouldn't have much effect on weight loss. You may get achy boobs, though-- I got them every month; so often I just got used to it! lol

jenelizmin

I've tried various methods of birth control from the nuva ring, pill, patch, and now IUD. I seem to gain a little weight with some and lose a little with others. I tend to think it is more the effect on my moods, than the actual medication involved. If I'm moody and cranky, then I work out less and eat more crap. When I feel good I tend to go outside, be active, and eat well. But one thing I'm sure of....I always weigh less on birth control than I do when I'm pregnant!

mindiv

I've had some BC issues myself. When I stopped the pill after about 10 years in December 2010 to get pregnant, I didn't stop working out and ate better than normal since we were TTC. Well, I started a weight "creep" that I couldn't stop. In 8 months I gained 10 pounds for absolutely NO reason at all. I wasn't going over my calories, I didn't work out MORE strenuously. The ONLY difference was the lack of hormonal BC.

Fast forward to May 18. I had my baby girl, and had my first PP period when she was 12 weeks old. After an initial weight loss from having her and getting rid of the water weight, I lost ZERO for 12 weeks, even after being cleared for workouts at 5 weeks post-partum. I started a tri-phasic birth control pill after my first PP period. Lost 5 pounds instantly.

I'm on my third pack now and having MAJOR breakthrough bleeding on the active pills for the first time. Too heavy for spotting but not "period" heavy yet. Cramping a lot though. And I've had the "creep" back since that initial 5 pound loss. Just up and up, no matter how much or little I work out, and how much or little I eat.

It's frustrating!

kristen6022

I vote BS as well. I lost 40+ pounds while on YAZ and I'm not having a problem keeping it off. It's another "EXCUSE".

Work your butt off, eat right and the weight will come off. There is no easy fix.

AmberJo1984

Doctors had me on birth control for a few years because of PCOS. I ended up getting larger than ever during those times... plus, I was sick all the time and my blood pressure was always high. I may have just been on the wrong type for me, though.

chocolateluvr80

Hormones can have an effect on a woman's ability to lose/maintain weight. It is one of the reasons that women (initially) have a more difficult time losing then men (it evens out over time). If you look at the information you get with your BC you will see that weight gain/ loss are side effects.

edleim

Not sure I agree. Every woman has a different body and it reacts differantely to different things. I have friends who gain weight if they look at carbs (healthy ones) and my body reacts strongly to sugar (again even healthy sugar) but I can eat grains all day and not gain.

I have really heavy periods and I have been told by past boyfriends "that's weird my mom and sister never experienced that" and that is because every woman is different.

Some women do gain when on the pill for the same reason that some women gain while stressed out. It is a hormonal thing and some bodies react more strongly than others. It is a real issue for some and I don't really think warrants a get over it.

That being said, the weight may be from fat storage or it may be from fluid retention. If it's fluid retention I suggest you take a dieretic. The dieretic of my choice is dandeline root tea. Natural and really works. If it is fat storage then you are going to have to be super diligent until your body adjusts, which it eventually will. The stress of it all is counter productive since it can make you gain so r e l a x.

Blueberry024

I've lost weight before quite easily before and I had never been on birth control... I had the depo injection twice after my daughter was born, resulting in a 1 stone gain in 6 months (as well as the 2 stone I gained when pregnant)... I came on it and I'm now on cerazette (mini pill) and and really struggling. I'm constantly hungry, craving certain foods and very very irritable when hungry. Very different from when I easily lost 2 stone before I fell pregnant. I tihnk its definitely down to birth control... in fact there's no doubt in my mind, I know my body and I know something is up. I'm thinking of trying something else now...

bethanywink

What I was saying was not an excuse on why I have been stuck. I was just saying I think its been a factor, the high dosage of hormone has been on my entire body - since my hormones switched. I was on it for a year and lost 50 pounds while excercising and watching what I ate. Suddenly my body reacted bad to the hormones and the weight quit coming off, even though I've been doing the same routine, if not more. But now that I'm on the new dosage, which is less, my body has been feeling better overall, and now the weight has started to come off.

edleim

It's not an excuse- it's a frustrating reason. I just switched pills today and I have been doing a lot of research and have accepted that I may gain a few during the switch. But- just because I have accepted it does not i relinquish my right to ***** about it.

It's hard being a woman sometimes.

seaKind

here's an unbelievable video on the effects of BC. Please watch it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auv6c0-FsjU&feature=g-all-u