For the ladies: I need some insight on birth control and wei

Options
Ashia1317
Ashia1317 Posts: 415
in Health and Weight Loss
Recently I posted on here about the Depo shot. I had gained - no, I BALLOONED back all the amt of weight that I lost last year. I have recently switched. I'm a little at a stale mate these last couple weeks. I keep hearing from friends that it's the BC (pill now) - there's nothing I can do.

Am I seriously doomed? Or can I still fight this battle?
«13

Replies

  • kingnatalie
    kingnatalie Posts: 163
    Options
    Fight the battle, don't just blame it on B.C. It may or may not have that effect on you, and by working hard and eating right - you should see no difference (as in you shouldn't gain weight from it). I have been on B.C. for many years and am now the lowest weight I have been in about 6-7 years.
  • AnneElise
    AnneElise Posts: 4,221 Member
    Options
    I am on the pill and have had no great effects. What I heard is that it sometimes can cause you to initially gain a little weight because of hormones changing but once your body is used to it you should be able to loose that weight just as easily as any other.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    Options
    I've been on birth control for about 7 years. During that time, my weight has fluctuated quite a bit, but so have my exercise habits, eating, etc. So, I can't say that BC did or did not cause me to gain weight. I guess it wasn't something that happened drastically, if it did.

    I do have another friend who started BC about a year ago and says that she has since gained 20 lbs. This woman has always been tiny, athletic and great at regulating her food intake. She swears that nothing in her lifestyle has changed except the pill. So, who knows?

    It might also depend upon the pill you are on? Maybe? I've been on NuvaRing since, basically, when it came out and I really love it. The hormones are released so steadily that a lower dose can be used (at least according to my doctor). So, people report fewer side effects, apparently.

    I don't know if that helps you. I will say that when I voiced this concern to my doctor upon starting birth control she said "it is still a matter of calories in and calories out and a gain of more than 5 lbs is due to not controlling those other factors."
  • hdelamore
    hdelamore Posts: 206 Member
    Options
    I've been on the pill for 12 months now, and instead of putting weight on I'm losing it
    you just have to have commitment
    what the pill tends to do is make you more hormonal so you feel more like eating chocolate etc
    but if you don't give in to the craving your weight doesnt change
  • red01angel
    red01angel Posts: 806 Member
    Options
    I'm having the same dilemma. My doc thinks I should have an IUD put in since my husband and I don't want children until we're closer to 30 and I hate taking pills, so I've been doing research, and everything i can find says you may gain weight...and they also don't say anything about IUDs and women who DON'T yet have children, but want to in the future.

    As for the pill, I've been on it for almost the past 10 years, and it's worked...it hasn't caused my weight gain. You just have to make SURE you take it at the same time every day, and back it up with a condom or something if you're on antibiotics. :)
  • melbhall
    melbhall Posts: 519
    Options
    I have been on birth control for seven years and never gained a pound from it until I got pregnant (don't worry he was planned!) so I agree you should just continue the fight. If you really feel the kind you are on is a problem talk to your doc and see if you can switch.
  • acakeforawife
    acakeforawife Posts: 207
    Options
    Well, I lost quite a lot of my weight while on the pill, so I don't think it affects your overall ability to lose. However, i will say that it seems like any time you start or stop a hormone-based contraceptive, there's a lengthy period of adjustment. I went off the pill in November, and it took me a good 2 months for my weight (and moods! ugh!) to stabilize. I suspect you would see the same thing when going off depo / starting up with the pill.

    I think just keep on plugging away and try not to focus TOO intently on the scale for a few weeks. Good luck!
  • Ashia1317
    Ashia1317 Posts: 415
    Options
    *sigh*

    I was on depo for more than a year and the bloating and weight gain didn't happen just over night, it took several months, but man! So when I went for my yearly check up I had a talk with her. I'm on a low dose hormonal pill. The first week I lost 4 lbs and assuming that was water weight. I plan to give it some time and keep working as hard as I can before I talk to my doctor again. I am just hoping that my friends aren't right . . .

    Thank you all for your input. It makes me feel better :wink:
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    Options
    There's a wonderful bc method that will not affect your hormone levels or make you gain weight-- CONDOMS! Men need to realize it only takes as long to put one on as it does for us to take a stinkin' pill, or the time to put a patch on, or stick a bc ring up our behinds. KWIM?
    I'm on the ring, and my only complaint is that my period doesn't start until the end of the week, right before I put a new one in, and then my period drags on, very heavily for an entire week or longer. There's only so much energy left after 10 days of bleeding through 6 heavy duty overnight pads daily, yet I refuse to take the pill. I'd never remember anyway.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    Options
    Nah, you're not doomed at all. Lots of women lose and maintain their weight while on BC.
  • mvl1014
    mvl1014 Posts: 531
    Options
    There's a wonderful bc method that will not affect your hormone levels or make you gain weight-- CONDOMS! Men need to realize...

    Male bash much?
  • Ashia1317
    Ashia1317 Posts: 415
    Options
    There's a wonderful bc method that will not affect your hormone levels or make you gain weight-- CONDOMS! Men need to realize it only takes as long to put one on as it does for us to take a stinkin' pill, or the time to put a patch on, or stick a bc ring up our behinds. KWIM?

    :laugh:
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    Options
    There's a wonderful bc method that will not affect your hormone levels or make you gain weight-- CONDOMS! Men need to realize...

    Male bash much?

    You consider that male bashing?
  • mvl1014
    mvl1014 Posts: 531
    Options
    You consider that male bashing?
    If the topic is about HER birth control and she mentions condoms, it's off-topic at best. I noticed she didn't bring up other methods that are irrelevant like abstinence. Yes, I've seen worse, but it's a slippery slope.
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    Options
    There's a wonderful bc method that will not affect your hormone levels or make you gain weight-- CONDOMS! Men need to realize...

    Male bash much?

    Didn't sound like a bash to me. The topic is insight on birth control. Condoms are birth control, yes?

    I stopped taking the pill in October 2008 because... well, because I wanted to. My bf gripes about condoms a lot. It's very romantic. :indifferent:
    But I'd rather listen to him complain than to deal with BC side effects at this point in my life. They're a whole lot more unpleasant than a little stretching/twisting latex.
  • gabi_ele
    gabi_ele Posts: 460 Member
    Options
    I think that every body is different and some women react differently to the pill then others.My mom started to retain water at an alarming rate, plus she had major mood swings and had to quit the pill. My friend's doctor told her that her stroke (at 32) was mainly due to a combination of taking the pill and smoking. I can't remember where I put my glasses half the time and am pretty bad at taking medication, so the pill was not an option for me. I had an IUD for a very long time, loved it and didn't have any side effects. After trying to get pregnant with our second child I realised that I was not very fertil in the first place and could get by with the temperatur method and condoms.( I have to admit that it wouldn't have been the end of the world if we would have had another child anyway)
  • HonestOmnivore
    HonestOmnivore Posts: 1,356 Member
    Options
    I used Nuva (sp?) ring - loved it - I used it continuously (swaped one out for the next after about 25 days) so I didn't have a period.

    In August I was spayed (basically LOL!). Turned out BC was a good thing because it lowered my risk of Ovarian cancer (I carry a gene that makes me high risk).

    My older sister used the IUD and liked it a lot.

    Condoms are always a good idea!
  • hallswan
    hallswan Posts: 90
    Options
    Not sure where you are based, but we have a pill called yasmin that I recommend. The reason for my suggestion is that I have been on and off the pill for over 10 years and different pills had different reactions. I have even been on the depov

    two years ago, several girls who I rowed with who were having the same problem, i.e weight gain even though we were training up to 6 days a week and at times twice a day. One girl said that yasmin was the key, hormone levels are quite low so I believe your body adjusts to it quite well. I tried it and have been happy with it since and for the first time I didn't put on weight going back on the pill.

    So, I guess the first point is that most do put on some weight going on the pill, it should settle after a while as you body works it out. However as my doctor said you need to try different ones to make sure you get the right one for you. At the end of the day, doctors will work through the options starting on the oldest tried and tested before the will move to the newer pills. You probably just need to talk to them. Also, listen out for recommendations and finally listen to your body.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    Options
    Not sure where you are based, but we have a pill called yasmin that I recommend.

    With all of the controversy (and lawsuits) surrounding Yaz/ Yasmin, I wouldn't recommend it. There have been serious side effects reported- blood clots, heart attack, stroke, and more. It's a different kind of pill than standard bc pills. At the very least, I'd say do lots of research.
  • kicklikeaGIRL
    kicklikeaGIRL Posts: 867 Member
    Options
    I also use birth control. I use the Yaz (simliar to the Yasmin) and I have never had any effects. No moodiness, no heavy periods, no weight gain. From my research it seemed like Yaz had the least amount of side effects. I was so scared to gain any extra weight from birth control (especially since I can do a fair amount of damage on my very own..haha) The downside is it is a little more expensive than I'd like, and my insurance doesn't cover as much of the cost.

    But, like someone else said, maybe once your body gets used to the hormones it will adjust.


    Edited to say: My research was primarily focused on side effects regarding weight loss/moodiness. Not the other possible effects mentioned above. Although, I'd have to say...with many prescriptions comes the possibilities of having more serious side effects, which are very unlikely. But, your doctor should know based on your health & questions they ask to see if Yaz would be okay for you. But, like mentioned...do your research. :)

Categories