Birth control

idiocracy

I have been on birth control for the first time in my life during the past year. This has also been the year when I noticed I am struggling with my weight, even if I am more active than usual. I have been on Nuvaring for 6 months and I think it caused some weight gain (I know it didn't release calories into my system), but could it interact with the metabolism? I am now using Alesse, which is what I was using before the ring and I am not very happy with this either. Have any of you experiences weight gain or difficulty losing weight while on birth control?

sallydurkin

Yes my theory was the hormones it releases.... I don't rememeber but I assume I ate more because of it, it has been many years since I have been on. But my husband and I both hated the side effects of birth control I used. Guess I'm not much help but that is what we guessed at that time.

purpleipod

I've only ever gained on birth control because I ate more than I should've.

MercenaryNoetic26

I was on Nuva for a while. No issues. Like pp said, I was overeating when I'd gain weight.

sandylion

Your entire body is run on hormones. Every single thing in your body is effected by them. It is very possible that screwing around with hormones will have other, un-intended results. I don't know for sure if birth control could effect your metabolism, but I know a LOT of women gain weight while on it, so it seems to me its possible.

MrsSardone

When I was on the nuvaring I gained weight. I was always hungry. I didn't have problems losing weight though. Exercise was all I needed

Sharkington

I was never really sure why weight gain is a side effect of birth control - whether it was the hormones being the direct cause, or whether it was due to the hormones making you crave/eat more than you did before birth control. The only kind of birth control I have used in orthotricyclene (a pill) and did not experience any weight gain from it whatsoever, cravings, or difficulty maintaining weight. I know a lot of people don't like taking a pill every single day, but maybe you could try another form of BC if it's becoming an issue. Different forms of BC work differently depending on the woman.

idiocracy

it made me always hungry and cranky. it made me crave hamburgers and fries like crazy. as soon as i stopped it, i gagged smelling a hamburger.

JessieLMay

I have Mirena, got it in September 2012, weighing in at 230. January 2013 I go in for weight loss and I weighed 272. I am getting it out in a few days and getting on one I had before that didn't make me gain an absurd amount of weight in such a little time. I don't just gain weight like that. I am usually always steady so I know Mirena caused it, especially after talking to other women who had the same problem.

imstrong4me

I haven't tried those but im on the mirena I don't have any problems with it , the only advantage about it is you don't get you tom, Ive been on it since june of 2012 and I love it

idiocracy

I have Mirena, got it in September 2012, weighing in at 230. January 2013 I go in for weight loss and I weighed 272. I am getting it out in a few days and getting on one I had before that didn't make me gain an absurd amount of weight in such a little time. I don't just gain weight like that. I am usually always steady so I know Mirena caused it, especially after talking to other women who had the same problem.

same with me, i gained 15 pounds in one year, while exercising (some of it might be muscle mass), but even before when i used to eat a lot i didn't gain this much. it is creeping up on me. anyway, i started 30 day shred and watching what i eat more so than ever, i hope this will work.

christinet8504

Girl, its the hormones! They can do everything from make you hold onto water till you feel like a bursting balloon to screwing with your appetite. I tried 8 different brands of BC before I found one that DIDNT make me gain weight. Every BC is different and affects every women differently, so you cant even really take suggestions from your friends. Pills that were a nightmare for them were great for me and vice versa. You need to find one that works for your specific body. I chose seasonique because its extended cycle and my weight always goes out of control around that TOM (sometimes as much as 10 pounds which magically disappears the next week). BUT, only the off brand works for my body....and its supposed to be identical to the name brand. Makes total sense, doesn't it?! Just keep switching till you find one you like. I gave them all about a 6-8 month trial.

olives28

birth control is what made me fat in the first place

Jenn010101

I was on Depo (the needle) and I ballooned 50 pounds in 6 months. I lost my motivation and didn't have the energy to work out. it was awful so i had to stop because I couldn't keep living like that. I started birth control pills about 3 years ago and I lost the 50 lbs within a year and have only started going up on the scale again because I was promoted to a desk job with a treat bowl (which has gone "missing" as of January)

oh_em_gee

Estrogen is implicated in fat storage. For me, the pill would be 20 pounds added almost instantly.

fatgirljessica

I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, the birth control pill actually helps me loose weight..
Women just have lovely hormones. :[

Bubsys_mom

This is one of the many reasons my only form of birth control is the Paraguard IUD. It is hormone free so I don't have to worry about going crazy, nor weight gain. I had mine put in March 2012 and I absolutely LOVE IT. I have had no issues with it. No heavier periods than normal and no cramps that are worse than normal. Actually, I haven't had my period in a couple months, BUT, that is typical of me. It has nothing to do with the IUD. Just an FYI.

VelociMama

I bloated up badly with a few BC pills, but Ortho TriCyclen Lo worked well for me in that regard. Very little bloating and minimal side effects. None of the weight I gained was fat weight though, just a lot more fluid retention.

ShmareParks

birth control is what made me fat in the first place

Me too. And my first 15 pounds happened in the first month, with no change in my eating. And I never stopped gaining the whole time I was on it. To make matters worse, after going off it, I thought I could still keep eating/exercising the exact same, and the weight would come off. Nope. I had to eat WAY less and exercise WAY more. Now I finally feel back to normal, but it's been years. Hormones can do a number on you. Everyone is different, though.

emilyc85

The Nuvaring made me hungrier than normal, and of course like an idiot, I gave in and gained SCHLOADS of weight! I am now, for the first time, trying to diet and lose the weight. I have switched from the Nuvaring to Junel Fe, and the weight WILL NOT LEAVE!

Has anyone else had it where they just can't drop the weight on BC?! I have had no problems losing weight before the BC, so I am thinking the BC is making me hold onto the weight. Anyone else have this problem? I have only been on the Junel Fe for a month, I am giving it one more month before I make a doctors appointment because I just CAN'T lose weight!

Good luck to everyone in their weightloss goals!!

twinkiemon

When I lost 45 pounds before I was on birth control. The reason I put it back on was little to do with the birth control and everything to do with the fat, sweet, junk food I was shoving in my mouth.

It didn't seem to affect me weight-wise, but then every woman is different.

eastcoastcoco

I have the Mirena and have gained weight, not because of the actual IUD but because I was eating more and not exercising. I asked my doctor about it because I was concerned and he basically broke it down this way...when you're on a hormonal birth control in order to prevent ovulation it increases your hormone levels to trick your body into believing it is pregnant. He said you will find yourself retaining more fluids, nutrients, and caving to cravings because that is what a body does when it's developing a fetus. His advice was to be more conscious of what I ate, exercise more and if I didn't like that then switch to a non-hormone or Progestin-only pill.

I'm not a doctor and he could have been just telling me this to make me feel better about my weight gain but after speaking with him I realized that my weight gain/loss depends on me. Maybe it's a mind thing but it's worked for me and I have no plans to get rid of my Mirena anytime soon.

citybelle24

I was curious about this topic as well! I had been on Trinessa since Sept 2006, and have only struggled with tons of weight gain over the last three years... Has anyone else been taking Birth Control for long periods and then noticed weight gain?

I also stopped my pills in mid January because my Insurance was changed, so I have not been on Birth Control since mid January and in this time I have lost 10lbs. I'm afraid to go back on BC for fear that it was the trigger for the weight gain...

k_winder

I gained 20lbs in 8 months after starting BC in 2010 (I use Loestrin). I believe my metabolism was already slowed by beta-blockers I take for a heart condition. With the weight packed on from the BC and my slowed metabolism....I'm in a place where I am unhappy with my weight but having difficulty losing anything more than water weight. My dr has agreed that the weight was likely caused by the BC because I hadn't changed anything else and the gain started as soon as I began the BC. However, he told me that switching to something else is no guarantee I will be able to lose those 20 lbs and changing the hormone balance my body has grown used to could actually cause MORE weight gain.

So......no advice for you. But you definitely are not alone.

triciab79

Birth control and I did not agree. It messed with my moods and my weight. It was the same with Mirena. I was not one of these lucky girls that lost her period grew beautiful hair and had perfect skin all while avoiding pregnancy. FYI though I have a 4yr old and a 1yr old that prove that for some people birth control just doesn't work.

meeper123

1-5 pounds may be the birth control more than that and its probably the way you have been eating

devil_in_a_blue_dress

I've had Mirena since October 2009 and I love it. It did take my body about 3-4 months to adjust to the hormones, I gained 8 pounds but it was also over the holidays too, but then it leveled out and I was able to shed those 8 plus some more just like before I had it placed.

It's just one of those things you have to weigh out the pros and cons. I gained some weight temporarily, but I have no period, no cramps, no moods -- no worries about babies. I think you have to give your body time, but set a limit for when it's no longer worth it. Had I gained more than 25 pounds, I would have had it taken out.

Mommy4812

Birth control and I did not agree. It messed with my moods and my weight. It was the same with Mirena. I was not one of these lucky girls that lost her period grew beautiful hair and had perfect skin all while avoiding pregnancy. FYI though I have a 4yr old and a 1yr old that prove that for some people birth control just doesn't work.

Do you mean you got pregnant with both of them on the mirena?

samweee

I was on the pill for two years and it didn't affect my weight at all, but as soon as I stopped taking it, I gained almost ten pounds. I don't really know why, I always just blamed it on hormones but I don't really know.

getfit_kal120

When i got on nuva ring i had lost a lot of weight out of no where, like 45 lbs, im pretty sure it had to do with a break up, but then i ended up gaining it all back after i got in a new relationship with "happy" weight. then got off it a while back because i was having a reallly hard time losing weight ..nothing happend, then decided to get back on it and gained 10lbs.. now off it again.

cnewlin86

I have Mirena, have had it for nearly 5 years. I am planning to have it out in november when it's due out. Before that I had tri sprintec and got PG on it. I never would have switched off Ortho tricylen LO but i couldnt afford it anymore. Thinking of getting the Mirena out and trying Ortho tricylen again. I think the mirena may be cause for my low sex drive over the last five years and some of my weight gain. I have to take credit for poor food choices but I haven't ate horrible the last 5 years either...and it seems harder to take it off tho or maybe it was because before pregnancy i never struggled with weight issues....who knows....