Can birth control keep me from losing weight?

I was on depo for a year and I gained about 30 lbs. It messes with your progesterone levels.

I'm on the birth control shot Depo & lately it seems like no matter how hard I try I can't seem to lose the weight I'm wanting and
I'm beginning to become discouraged & I'm not understanding why I'm not losing weight.
could this be because I'm on the shot?
the only thing is, I've lost 20 some pounds before while on the shot but I ended up gaining back, so I don't think that it's the shot holding me back, so I'm not understanding why I'm not losing weight.
anyone have any answers/suggestions ?

You may talk to your doctor about another birth control option. The shot is the only one I know of that doctors pretty much know will make you gain weight. You might try a lower dose sort of birth control.

Also, don't listen to the people that say hormones are bad for you...you make hormones, but if they are off balance this can be an issue. Also if you are eating a lot of animal foods you are ingesting hormones that can aid in throwing things off.

Not sure about your reasoning for choosing the shot over the pill, but nuva ring as well as iuds are effective.

I am struggling with this too! I was told the first year is the hardest year with all of the problems. I am half way through and so far have only gained 5 pounds but it is really hard to get it to go. I am trying my best though and am working harder at this. So yes I think it is harder.

I'm on the birth control shot Depo & lately it seems like no matter how hard I try I can't seem to lose the weight I'm wanting and
I'm beginning to become discouraged & I'm not understanding why I'm not losing weight.
could this be because I'm on the shot?
the only thing is, I've lost 20 some pounds before while on the shot but I ended up gaining back, so I don't think that it's the shot holding me back, so I'm not understanding why I'm not losing weight.
anyone have any answers/suggestions ?

I was on Depo from age 16-25. While I believe it increased appetite.. I still lost all the weight I put on with it before switching up BC (now on implant). It could be a factor, but with consistent diet and exercise, I don't believe you have a problem, just an "excuse".

"Lift Heavy! Run Hard!" =D
www.facebook.com/jenaesmithfitness

I gained at least 10-20lbs when I was on depo, despite trying really hard to diet and exercise. Try the ring, it's really low dose and it felt really good having less hormones!

I have heard that the shot is guaranteed to make you gain weight. When I am on the pill I seem to be able to lose weight more easily, but I think it depends on the person. Most women gain weight when on some type of hormonal birth control

Just as an FYI - not to get into a great debate - yes, we make hormones, but they are hormones that are supposed to be in our bodies, not the artificial ones created for BC. There is a big difference and the artificial ones do cause side effects and are dangerous.

I only advised the OP to read the fine print and urged her to do some research. She is free, as is anyone, to make her own decisions based on the facts she finds in her research. There is a lot of info in the fine print that COMES WITH the birth control, straight from the company, that no doctor will tell you. There are also MANY studies which correlate many health problems (increased risk of cancer, blood clots, infertility, etc.) to hormonal birth control use. It's your health and your body. If you want to roll the dice with it, go for it, but we are presumably on this site to lose weight and get healthy. I just wanted to give some info that I thought might be helpful. Do with it what you like.

Oh, and yes, absolutely, I understand that some women are prescribed BCPs to regulate cycles and help with hormonal imbalances. I would still urge women in that situation to look into natural hormones rather than synthetic and look to find out WHY the hormones are imbalanced. There are many ways to correct imbalances without hormone replacement.

Peace.

Deo Juvante, Jen

I'm headed to bed (thought NOT because I'm exhausted from chasing my SEVEN kids around all day - I actually enjoy them - most of the time! lol - and really I don't chase them at all because one's in college (she wouldn't appreciate me chasing her around all day), 4 are kind of old for that almost being teenagers, and the other 2, I let the other kids chase around! lol )

I just wanted to throw in that Natural Family Planning has come a LONG way from the old "rhythm method" our parents used. It's actually very scientific and I know MANY families who use it and have rarely had any "oopsies". Plus, knowing how your body works is very empowering. You can see first hand how amazing our bodies are and all the signs - some subtle and others not so much - that tell you when you're fertile. I absolutely know, within a week's notice, when I'm going to ovulate. I know the day I ovulate, and I know within a couple of days, when my period is due. I know everyone isn't regular, but that's when NFP is really valuable. By watching your body's signs you know when you are getting fertile, know when you ovulate, and know when your period is due, even if your cycle isn't clockwork or isn't the 28 days they tell us is it should be (ha ha!). It's sad that we aren't taught more about our bodies and instead told, "here just take this pill" when the doctors KNOW that the pill and other hormones really can be dangerous. When you think about it, we've been sold out by the pharmaceutical companies and told NOT to listen to our own bodies. We were designed with some very powerful signs of fertility that, if you know them, you really can't miss. I know not everyone agrees with me but I hope that at least some of you may do a little research and see for yourselves that I'm giving factual info, not just my opinion. Blessings, all!!

Deo Juvante, Jen

I have heard that the shot is guaranteed to make you gain weight. When I am on the pill I seem to be able to lose weight more easily, but I think it depends on the person. Most women gain weight when on some type of hormonal birth control

Nothing is guaranteed anything. The side effects that come with BC and medication in general are not sure-fire "this is what you have to look forward to" symptoms. Some affect a small percentage, others a larger percentage but it's never the same with any two people. Case in point I've been on the depo shot for over a year now and it's never hindered my weight whereas with every pill I tried I had stuff like migraines so bad I had to wear sunglasses even at 9 at night just to watch TV and worsening depression and even worsening time of the month symptoms. They didn't work for me, the shot does. Doesn't mean those pills don't work for everyone or that the shot works for everyone, just means in my case that's what happened.

To OP: I would try and discuss other options with your doctor and try to remember exactly when you began the shot and when you began gaining and if in that timeframe you've been on any other medication, severely altered your eating habits, or had something happen that might also be the cause. If I recall correctly, depending on how long you've had it and the doses it will take upwards of a year to get the shot out of your system so even then it's not a quick fix.

But in general, most BC carries the side effect of weight gain as does a lot of medicine, especially stuff like anti-depressants. It's important to make yourself knowledgeable of what's being put in your body and the possible side effects so that you can watch for them and get the necessary help if they're severe or you can't live with them. I recently had to get off a medication because it's stalled my weight loss since I began taking it and though it was doing its intended job, I couldn't live with the side effect of not only barely maintaining my weight but possibly gaining it back.

TO Wild rose,
oh, i so AGREE that many forms of birth control CAN have side effects and health risks.
as can pregnancy, too, and the weight gain that some women suffer after pregnancy.
but no argument whatsoever, that some forms of birth control are risky especially for some women.
not my point at all.

there are tons of forms of birth control to consider, like IUDs, condoms, diaphrams, low dose hormonal therapy, implants, etc.

and yes, i am pretty well versed on all 'advances' in learning subtle, easy to miss 'signals' (like temperature charting, mucus stretching, etc ) which can be impacted by so so many factors Other than ovulation.

I was just going by Mayo clinic and other reputable sources, which state, 'natural' birth control does NOT work for all women, and can have about a 25% failure rate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's one thing to have take a 25% risk of failure on some things in life, but becoming a parent should ideally be a choice one wants very very much and is fully ready for and mature enough to deal with, etc.

It's often struck me as weird, that no matter how many children a woman using 'natural' birth control has, all were planned. Hard to find a woman who will admit any of her multiple children were unplanned.
A relative of mine, who insists on using natural family planning (mother of four) had medical problem, and was told NO more pregnancies..
sadly , soon after, they ended up with no sex life. at all,. I think a diaphragm might have helped that particular couple stay a romantically involved couple, rather to take that 25% risk. FEAR of pregnancy can impact some couples' sex life.

Some sites rate it as MORE than 25% risk of pregnancy.

I know many women who say their birth control did fail, who doesn't? but hard to find one who will say natural birth control ever failed. But some must admit it, or else Mayo clinic would rate it as 100% effective, must just be the ones i know all say they wanted large families.
which is great! but not everyone wants large families. Nor any babies at all.
but i so agree, to each his own!!! I just felt this gal had a right to know, that natural family planning, is best left for couples who really would not mind an extra baby if it happened, its not for everyone. but glad it worked so well for you.

Just as an FYI - not to get into a great debate - yes, we make hormones, but they are hormones that are supposed to be in our bodies, not the artificial ones created for BC. There is a big difference and the artificial ones do cause side effects and are dangerous.

I only advised the OP to read the fine print and urged her to do some research. She is free, as is anyone, to make her own decisions based on the facts she finds in her research. There is a lot of info in the fine print that COMES WITH the birth control, straight from the company, that no doctor will tell you. There are also MANY studies which correlate many health problems (increased risk of cancer, blood clots, infertility, etc.) to hormonal birth control use. It's your health and your body. If you want to roll the dice with it, go for it, but we are presumably on this site to lose weight and get healthy. I just wanted to give some info that I thought might be helpful. Do with it what you like.

Oh, and yes, absolutely, I understand that some women are prescribed BCPs to regulate cycles and help with hormonal imbalances. I would still urge women in that situation to look into natural hormones rather than synthetic and look to find out WHY the hormones are imbalanced. There are many ways to correct imbalances without hormone replacement.

Peace.

Deo Juvante, Jen

I find your advice in this thread and others to be extremely irresponsible. I've seen you post about this several times now and I really am starting to wonder what your game is. This is the only thing you seem to post about. Whether or not a person should take a given medication is a discussion that they, individually, need to have with their doctors and other health professionals, such as a naturopath, and not with some random person on the internet with a very particular agenda who never seems to talk about anything else....

Hormonal birth control really benefits quite a lot of people, both in terms of it's obvious pregnancy prevention aspect, and a number of other potential benefits. I use the Nuva Ring and it has dramtically improved my life. It has eliminated my cramps and PMS symptoms and stablized my formerly wild mood swings, and yes, I have seriously worked with alternatives and did so for many years before trying this. This works for me. For the record, I used to be a hardcore believer in NOTHING BUT NATURAL and deeply criticaly of everything to do with pharmaceuticals. I am still critical, especially of the economy and political clout of the pharmaceutical industry, but I've come to realize that many medications can be genuinely beneficial and the best anyone can do is to just inform themselves and be mindful of how things they use effect their bodies, be it "artificial" hormonal birth control or "natural" herbal alternatives. At this point in my life I combine mainstream and alternative methods for just about any health problem I find myself facing. I use hormonal birth control and other pharmaceuticals, but I also take herbs and recieve acupuncture. Each has it's place and the best we can do is simply be mindful, careful to assess how our bodies respond and to work closely with that. Closing off options for paranoid ideological reasons is not responsible or smart. Be critical, but recognize that most options suit someone, and some of them with not suit you. That doesn't mean it doesn't suit someone else.

For me- every pill made me gain weight- increased my appetite for carbs and sweets and such. I came off it but once you get a sweet tooth its hard to lose it! (in my experience)

Some people find that hormonal contraception increases their appetite, others don't. If it's causing you problems, try something else. I've had injections for about 3 years and implants for the last 7, and I've been everywhere from a UK 8 to a UK14 on both, depending on my eating and exercising patterns at the time. The pill made me feel so rough I didn't stay on it long enough to see if it would make me put on weight.

There are loads of options - maybe try a family planning clinic rather than a GP if you want specialist advice?

Ive been on the depo for almost 10 years, and though at first I blamed it for making me hungier and gaining weight, its not actually a good excuse.
Ive not had any problems with it, in terms or weight gain, or loss. The reason I gained weight was by eating things like 4 sausage rolls for breakfast, I lost it eating well and exercising.

is rather be a big girl than a parent right now

My thoughts exactly. Birth control is so worth a little weight gain, although the OP might consider looking into other forms of bc.

And to miss "natural planning," the fact that you have seven children has turned me off of natural planning forever. Thanks for informing me that it clearly does not work at all.