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

Ashia1317

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?

kingnatalie

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*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

DrBorkBork

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

Nah, you're not doomed at all. Lots of women lose and maintain their weight while on BC.

mvl1014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

kicklikeaGIRL

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.

Condoms are most definitely a form of birth control. Birth control is not just a HIS or HER type of birth control. Last time I checked....it took two to create a baby? But, hey---I'm no expert... :laugh:

MariSama44

i'm on sprintec which is a generic form of ortho cyclin. I had absolutely no trouble on this pill. My diet's going great and my periods are for the most part manageable and light. When I was on ortho tricyclin (Its the same thing but with increminting hormone levels in the pills) I was miserable, bloated and in pain. You just have to see what works for you. If you dont feel like you're on your period every day, then that pill will probably work fine and not hinder you much in ways of losing weight.

Personaly I'm not fond of needles so I dont wnat to go get a shot every 3 months or whatever. And as for the condom comment and the "male bashing", well, I see it from both sides. I truely think hormonal birth control is the best option, next to an IUD, but I'm WAY to chicken for that! :noway: (and I dont really need it right now anyway. No boyfriend. )

lisawest

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.

I'm currently using the Mirena IUD. In the reading included in the packaging it says that it is not recommended for women who have not had a baby. Basically because it will hurt being put in and taken out:sick: It did not feel too fantastic after 2 babies, so I don't even want to think about it! (It does not compare to the pain of HAVING the baby, but it is NOT fun!)

Mirena is little, plastic, and releases hormones to help regulate your cycle. Part of the attraction, is that a large percentage of people who use it stop having a period after a couple years.:huh: Two and a half years into the 5 year time span of this, I have experienced some of the good and bad side effects. Good: TOM only lasts a day, maybe 1.5 days, and is VERY light. Bad: cycle is VERY unpredictable, 0 to B**ch in 1 second (NOT usual for me!), B**ch to crying mess in less than 1 second:sad: , and back to 0, very draining:yawn: minimal weight gain (can't really blame the IUD for a lazy lifestyle). Of all the side effects, the mood swings were the WORST for me. I'm a middle school and high school teacher. Having uncontrollable mood swings out of the blue, for no apparent reason, was NOT a bonus for me! DH and kiddos didn't like it much either. I discussed having it removed, but they recommend you do it during TOM. Hmmm, since that's like a day at this point and almost IMPOSSIBLE to predict (2.5 years of charting, and still finding no discernible pattern:grumble: ), makes it kinda hard to schedule that appointment. I asked about doing it at other times, and I was told it is easiest and creates the least pain and complications during TOM. If you have other questions about my experience with it (which may not be normal!), send me a message!

Iceprincessk25

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.

I've been on Yaz for EVER and I have never had any problems or side effects with it. It has a diuretic in it so it's supposed to help with bloating. I like it.

Iceprincessk25

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!

I triple pack my pills and I was wondering if you could do the same thing with the Nueva Ring. Good to know that you can. I'm interested in the ring because you just pop it in there and forget about it.

DrBorkBork

As a ring user, I must say it's a little more tricky than just "popping it in there". The darn thing tends to be slippery, and doesn't like to stay compacted while being inserted. I've basically given up, and just put it in sideways, push it up as far as I can, and hope that it puts itself in the correct position. My doctor told me how to put it in, but telling and making sure one knows how to do it at the office are two entirely different ball games. I wish mine had made me put one in at the office. He gave me samples.

And sorry to the dude who thought I was male bashing. It was not meant to come across that way. I like males. I have a beautiful, hilarious, wickedly smart daughter because of a male (who just happens to be my wonderful husband). One of my favorite BC methods is the condom for various reasons-- no hormones, changes things up in the bedroom, easily disposed, etc.

HonestOmnivore

My doctor said that as long as the ring goes in - it's fine - doesn't really matter how it's in there. I had to start using it because I had bad migraines if I didn't take my BC pill at the same time every day - the ring is nice and even - very easy for my body to take.

MFPfriend

I read a study once that said weight gain on birth control was typically happening in the older women taking the pill. The teenagers taking the pills did not gain the weight. Then, the study went on to explain that the people who gained the weight had been in a relationship when they started getting the pill. So basically, they said those who gained the weight were those who got comfortable with their lifestyle.

Now I feel obligated to find the study and post it. Oi.

Another note: I'm on Yaz right now, been on it for 6 months... lost 10 pounds in this time (which is about right for the dieting I've been doing). My only side affect was that because it is a diuretic, it made me constipated and I have to have MiraLax every morning.
But other, nope, no side affects from the Yaz.

leavinglasvegas

I gained weight while on the pill. I also got preggers on the dang thing. It's only 99.8% effective. Hi, I'm Holly and I'm the .2%:laugh: I took that stupid pill religiously every night at 7pm on the nose.

I'm just now starting a new pill. I waited a long time to try it again and my docs didn't recommend it because of the weight gain. (I have some other issues as well, but she was mainly worried about me gaining more weight.)

This is what my doctor told me. She said that it will take a few tries to get the right one. She also said to give each one 2 full months before making any decisions. Some pills can cause weight gain or weight loss. Some won't cause any weight issues at all. So it is important to stick to a balanced, consistant diet so that you can fairly judge whether it is messing with your weight.
Most importantly, she said that you are never stuck to just one pill. After 2 full months you should be able to tell if you should stick with it or try a new one. Everybody is different and no 2 people will always experience the same side effects.

Good luck!

leavinglasvegas

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?

:laugh: :laugh: What are you doing in here anyway? lmao!:laugh: Nosey