ladies: does birth control make you gain weight?

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vengefullilac
vengefullilac Posts: 44
in Chit-Chat
myth or fact?
«1

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  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
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    With some women it does, with some women it doesn't.

    Also depends on which birth control.
  • marinebiologist_girl
    marinebiologist_girl Posts: 300
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    I'd be interested in an answer about the contraceptive implant.
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
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    Not as much as getting pregnant does.
  • shammxo
    shammxo Posts: 1,432 Member
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    I asked my doctor something like this, and he said that it doesn't necessarily make you gain actual weight. Maybe some weight from water retention.

    The hormones may shift your appetite, and you might wanna eat more or less, but birth control doesn't force you to over eat.
  • quietcoral
    quietcoral Posts: 64 Member
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    I was on it for 6 months or so and I didn't gain any weight. I think for some people it may increase appetite or something, but I didn't notice.
  • amystyran
    amystyran Posts: 84 Member
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    i've had loads of different types of the pill, and i've had the implant too, and then had the implant and pill combined. everytime i've put weight on, and it always made me want to eat anything in my sight :( but some people don't get that whatsoever, it depends how lucky you are :')
  • SurfinBird1981
    SurfinBird1981 Posts: 517 Member
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    I gained weight with the Depo injection, 2 stone (28lbs). It gave me an increased appetite I think.
    I currently take the mini pill and haven't gained, I've been on it for about 3 years.
  • MrsWilsoncroft
    MrsWilsoncroft Posts: 969 Member
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    I had to change my pill type because of weight gain.
    I tried the implant which was great too but then when I had it replaced I kept getting on and off bleeding which drove me crazy so I had it taken out then went on a different pill.
    Not had any problems with this one so I'm happy now x
  • PattieCakes23
    PattieCakes23 Posts: 336
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    I don't remember if it did. I know after I started taking it, my appetite got a bit bigger.
    Therefore, I ate...
  • melry77
    melry77 Posts: 43 Member
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    Not sure, I stopped bc two years ago and got pregnant and THAT made me fat lol
  • alias1001
    alias1001 Posts: 634 Member
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    Not as much as getting pregnant does.

    Ha, that was my answer.

    But yes, it depends on the individual.
  • basslinewild
    basslinewild Posts: 294 Member
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    I've been on ortho tri cyclen low for 3 years and have not gained weight.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    Mostly myth. The complaints of weight gain, and many studies tend to come from women between 18-22. Women who are just beginning birth control because they are leaving home to what? Go to college. Most of them are putting on their freshman 15 and it just correlates with the birth control it isn't really caused by.

    Some of the Testosterone based birth controls cause water weight as well as increase appetite. There are estrogen based Birth controls. I take Lo Lolestrin. I experienced no weight gain.
  • eillamarie
    eillamarie Posts: 862 Member
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    Depends on the person and what they're on. My mom gained a noticeable amount that stuck with her decades ago. I gained maybe 5 lbs after starting both times. One thing I have noticed, and I'm not sure if it's my age (early 20s and approaching mid 20s) but I hold more of my weigh in my abdomen than I ever have before.
  • Mich4871
    Mich4871 Posts: 143 Member
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    I always thought it was a myth.

    However, with that said, I started a new BC pill two weeks ago, and despite my usual way of eating and excercising, I had a 1.5lb gain last week. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what went wrong, and it seemed to correspond with me starting a new pill.
  • drinkdeathhatred
    drinkdeathhatred Posts: 18 Member
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    I've never gained any weight from the pill and I don't know anyone who has. I do know three people, two related and one not, who have gained weight from the shot but I also know yet another on the shot who never gained anything. I suppouse it would depend on your own body's reaction to the hormones.

    ETA: The pill I'm on is Tri-Sprintec if it matters.
  • jtakingcareofherself
    jtakingcareofherself Posts: 144 Member
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    It does, for a vast majority of people. That is because it "tricks" your body into thinking it's pregnant, and it's natural and hormonal for women to retain weight when pregnant. Of course, the pharma companies would never advertise this or admit to it! They don't want to lose their sales!
  • tidesong
    tidesong Posts: 451 Member
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    I gained weight with the Depo Provera shots, probably about 20 pounds. I've been on three different types of the Pill, and have not noticed weight gain since being on them, and I've been on them now for close to 15 years. I think it's like any other pill's side effects: some people will gain weight, some people won't. Even if the Pill itself doesn't, the hormonal shift may make one want to eat more and could cause weight gain that way. I don't know anything about the implants, or about hormonal-laced IUDs though...I've only had experience with Depo and the Pill.
  • Asil02
    Asil02 Posts: 261
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    NOT having birth control made me gain weight. There are two sides to every coin....
  • klewlis
    klewlis Posts: 79 Member
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    I personally didn't gain weight from the pill, but I have friends who say they did. Also that it causes other problems like acne. I think it always depends on the person, which pill, and other lifestyle factors.

    It makes sense, really, since how/what/why we eat is often hormonally based... so if our hormones are off-balance then we might eat more, or feel more hungry, or feel more emotional, or whatever.... going on the pill did the opposite for me, in that it makes me feel so much BETTER.

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