Question for the Ladies!
Lauralsaur
Posts: 50
I had started birth control pills back in March of 2011 (I was 70 lbs lighter). I had gained about 20 lbs from it (and that was fine). I finally went off the pills just recently (June 2012 I believe?) because it made me feel awful and moody. Now I have gained a massive amount of weight (almost 50 lbs) bringing me up to where I am now. Now I can't even seem to lose any weight at all. Before the birth control I was losing 10 lbs a month just from walking! I'm even eating healthier than I have back then, but still I'm not going anywhere. I'm also having weird spikes in my weight, for example I weighed 258.9 on Friday, I ate fine throughout the weekend and even went for a 4 hour walk on Saturday, yet when I went to weigh myself and measure myself this morning, I weighed 266.2 and my inches were up. I'd really like some advice if you guys have any! Also it's not a thyroid problem because I had that checked way too many times to even consider counting 
:laugh: I'm so confused and I wish I could go back in time 
Please no negative comments!
:laugh: I'm so confused and I wish I could go back in time Please no negative comments! 0
Replies
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Bump0
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You will get a lot of "birth control doesn't make you gain weight" but I can say that it was a major cause of my weight gain. I couldn't stop eating.
I decided to go 'natural'-meaning, I don't want to ingest a lot of synthetic chemicals. So I stopped taking the pill, I dropped 20 pounds pretty much right away. I also eat as much organic foods as possible.
You haven't been off them for very long, and it can take a year for your body to rid itself of ALL the hormones. (not the ones that keep you from getting pregnant, but your body will retain minute amounts of the drug for a while).
Keep doing what you are doing, drink LOTS of water, it helps flush your system. It has been 2+ years since I stopped, and I finally feel like I'm back to normal. Haven't lost all the weight I want to lose, but it's happening.
Hope this helps!0 -
Thank you so much for answering!
So that would mean I'm still retaining a lot of it I hope it starts to go away soon because it's so difficult to look at old pictures!! Thank you again for answering! 0 -
My doctor told me it can take months or even a year to return to normal like the other poster said. She also told me that there is a slightly increased risk of pregnancy for several months after coming off of them, I think due to your hormones readjusting and overcompensating for a while.0
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Wow that's a long time lol I guess I'll keep going strong so then I'll have a pleasant surprise later 0
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I've been wondering if my pill is stopping me from losing weight too! I've been on the pill for over 10 year I didn't really think that because of it I couldn't drop weight... but i guess some people notice a difference? I'm going to ask my doctor and see what she says. I really like my pill because I can skip my periods and without the pill it's super heavy like I get light headed heavy...0
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I had started birth control pills back in March of 2011 (I was 70 lbs lighter). I had gained about 20 lbs from it (and that was fine). I finally went off the pills just recently (June 2012 I believe?) because it made me feel awful and moody. Now I have gained a massive amount of weight (almost 50 lbs) bringing me up to where I am now. Now I can't even seem to lose any weight at all. Before the birth control I was losing 10 lbs a month just from walking! I'm even eating healthier than I have back then, but still I'm not going anywhere. I'm also having weird spikes in my weight, for example I weighed 258.9 on Friday, I ate fine throughout the weekend and even went for a 4 hour walk on Saturday, yet when I went to weigh myself and measure myself this morning, I weighed 266.2 and my inches were up. I'd really like some advice if you guys have any! Also it's not a thyroid problem because I had that checked way too many times to even consider counting :laugh: I'm so confused and I wish I could go back in time Please no negative comments!
there is NO way you ate enough over a 3 day period to gain almost 7 lbs of actual fat. I would venture to guess that you may have eaten higher than normal amounts of sodium over the weekend, and that is the cause of your weight gain.
because you have had a rapid spike in your weight ( like 50lbs in less than 6 months) I will suggest that instead of getting your thyroid checked, you get a diabetic panel done. About 8 years ago I wanted to lose 15-20 lbs. I joined WW and a women's circuit gym. I think I am the only woman in the history of the gym to GAIN 30lbs in like 5 months. I went to my doctor and was diagnosed with insulin resistance (sort of like a pre-diabetes thing...). My doctor suggested that I go low carb for 2 months, and if that did not control my insulin levels, then she would put me on metformin. I went back 2 months later almost 20lbs lighter, with normal insulin levels...and about a month pregnant.0 -
I agree. I was on Depo for 3-4 years and would gain weight, lose weight, gain weight, lose weight. It started making me moody so I got off of it and like seriously over night I gained 50 pounds or something it felt like. More like 30 I guess. It's a hormonal change and combination of eating.0
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So I'm not the only one suffering from this weird spike in weight! Now only to figure out what it is. @sarahrbraun that's a good idea, I really should get that checked! There's diabetes in my family. I've always been quite healthy (except for the last 6 months), could you actually get that pre-diabetes thing in 6 months time? Before I was 30 lbs from my overall goal weight, and it's frustrating that I'm currently at my healthiest but seeing nothing lol but I'm also impatient! Thanks everyone I really enjoy having other's inputs 0
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So I'm not the only one suffering from this weird spike in weight! Now only to figure out what it is. @sarahrbraun that's a good idea, I really should get that checked! There's diabetes in my family. I've always been quite healthy (except for the last 6 months), could you actually get that pre-diabetes thing in 6 months time? Before I was 30 lbs from my overall goal weight, and it's frustrating that I'm currently at my healthiest but seeing nothing lol but I'm also impatient! Thanks everyone I really enjoy having other's inputs
My mother was tested for diabetes and it came back all good, she was tested exactly one year later and was diagnosed with type 2 so very possible.0 -
You will get a lot of "birth control doesn't make you gain weight" but I can say that it was a major cause of my weight gain. I couldn't stop eating.
so wouldnt' that mean that the eating was the cause of your weight gain and not the birth control!!! just saying.0 -
i recently got off of the shot and i haven't gained weight but i do think that being on it was keeping me from losing the weight. Doctors can confirm but i think the imbalance in your female hormones must have something to do with it. I do wish you luck in figuring out what is really going on with your body. I know it can be frustrating. if you ever do get back on BC pick a low hormone formulation and the side effects should be less unbearable. I also venture to say it isn't stricktly the birth control causing the wieght gain. The stress you feel from worrying about your weight can cause you to gain more weight, Thats another hormonal thing.. Find time to relax throughout your day and just take some deep breaths and get enough sleep at night, eat on a regular schedule as regular as you can anyway, drink lots of water, and dont weigh yourself to often.0
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I do think that there was an imbalance with my hormones that was caused from the BC. I'm not as moody I was and somethings have changed since. I'm not too fond of those pills anymore xD I was only on them for acne and to regulate my period.0
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This is why I chose Nuvaring form day one. Horrified of all the weight gain warnings of all other types.0
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I didn't know of the Nuvaring at first how affective is it? 0
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I've been on the pill for about 11 years and am still on it. I gained weight over the years because I had a crappy boyfriend and low self-esteem. I started dieting about 7 weeks ago and have lost 12 pounds so far. I've been eating better and exercising.
:happy:0 -
Awesome work!
I think my weight is coming from my muscles getting back to what they were actually. I noticed today that my leg muscles are more defined. 0 -
I couldn't lose weight on Mirena either. I think that I am sensitive to hormonal birth control; also had issues with Implanon and the Pill.0
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So I'm not the only one suffering from this weird spike in weight! Now only to figure out what it is. @sarahrbraun that's a good idea, I really should get that checked! There's diabetes in my family. I've always been quite healthy (except for the last 6 months), could you actually get that pre-diabetes thing in 6 months time? Before I was 30 lbs from my overall goal weight, and it's frustrating that I'm currently at my healthiest but seeing nothing lol but I'm also impatient! Thanks everyone I really enjoy having other's inputs
Yes, my always thin, very athletic cousin was diagnosed with diabetes in his mid-thirties.
His symptoms were different, but please still get checked for that.
Going too long if you DO have that is very, very bad for your health.
Good luck!0 -
I couldn't lose weight on Mirena either. I think that I am sensitive to hormonal birth control; also had issues with Implanon and the Pill.
You know all the side effects listed for Mirena? I think I had every single one of them. That thing was satan to my body. It's never been the same since then. I HATE Mirena........ you should see all the complaints on the web about it. I'm surprised that EVER was approved by the FDA. Unreal.0 -
I think it probably differs for everyone? I've been on birth control for 7 years now and from that time to early this year I put on 25 lbs but my eating habits were awful so I can't blame that on the birth control. I stopped taking it for 7 months last year and didn't gain anymore weight or lose weight.0
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When you stop taking the pill, your hormones are on their own again. The pill is often prescribed to help control hormonal imbalance issues (PPD, endometriosis, even PCOS and acne). So you may be back to any PMS symptoms that you would have had not taking the pill. Is it leading up to your Time of the month? Maybe you're retaining water and bloating. (I also tend to want to binge the week before, which makes weight loss harder.) It doesn't explain the long-term, but can definitely be why your weight and inches are up now.0
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When I first went on BC, I gained weight and had crazy mood swings and food cravings. After a few months I tried a different brand with different hormones, and it made a huge difference. When I am on the week of inactive pills, I notice instantly that my body feels and looks different, and I gain 2 lbs easily. I don't know if this is normal period weight gain, or from the absence of the hormones, but for me I feel better on them. Maybe it was the types/amounts of hormones that you were using?0
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I couldn't lose weight on Mirena either. I think that I am sensitive to hormonal birth control; also had issues with Implanon and the Pill.
You know all the side effects listed for Mirena? I think I had every single one of them. That thing was satan to my body. It's never been the same since then. I HATE Mirena........ you should see all the complaints on the web about it. I'm surprised that EVER was approved by the FDA. Unreal.
oh, that is so reassuring to hear! I had all the side effects too. I had it out two months ago and I feel so normal again, it's wonderful. No more psycho b***h from hell moments!0 -
Moody, weight gain, all these terrible side effects makes me scared to ever go on birth control! =/0
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I had started birth control pills back in March of 2011 (I was 70 lbs lighter). I had gained about 20 lbs from it (and that was fine). I finally went off the pills just recently (June 2012 I believe?) because it made me feel awful and moody. Now I have gained a massive amount of weight (almost 50 lbs) bringing me up to where I am now. Now I can't even seem to lose any weight at all. Before the birth control I was losing 10 lbs a month just from walking! I'm even eating healthier than I have back then, but still I'm not going anywhere. I'm also having weird spikes in my weight, for example I weighed 258.9 on Friday, I ate fine throughout the weekend and even went for a 4 hour walk on Saturday, yet when I went to weigh myself and measure myself this morning, I weighed 266.2 and my inches were up. I'd really like some advice if you guys have any! Also it's not a thyroid problem because I had that checked way too many times to even consider counting :laugh: I'm so confused and I wish I could go back in time Please no negative comments!
You should check your hormone level. After I had a morning after pill 10 years ago, my hormones went wild and got really dis balanced and I got big weight gain. Literally, I was getting bigger every day from water and air. Lost my period for 4 months too.
In my country doctors say that birth control pills are the last thing a woman should use, it's unnatural and causes many problems.0 -
I couldn't lose weight on Mirena either. I think that I am sensitive to hormonal birth control; also had issues with Implanon and the Pill.
You know all the side effects listed for Mirena? I think I had every single one of them. That thing was satan to my body. It's never been the same since then. I HATE Mirena........ you should see all the complaints on the web about it. I'm surprised that EVER was approved by the FDA. Unreal.
oh, that is so reassuring to hear! I had all the side effects too. I had it out two months ago and I feel so normal again, it's wonderful. No more psycho b***h from hell moments!
That really wasn't one of them that I had... the worst was the intense muscle pain/muscle soreness/muscle fatigue. It was unrelenting. I could barely fold laundry without taking a nap to be able to finish. It was HORRIBLE. It literally, IMHO, was poisoning my body.....0 -
I don't know, but are you sure you're not pregnant? You did gain 50lbs in six months...see your doctor, and an endocrinologist, seriously.
I may be the only person on here with the exact opposite experience. I went from having been on the ring for years to Depo about 18months ago, and in the last year I've lost about 60lbs. Turns out I had undiagnosed ovarian cystitis (PCOD), was per-diabetic and had about a dozen small benign tumors in my thyroid. The combination of not having extreme hormonal cycling and a lower carb approach seems to do the trick for me. I think it is dangerous to blame everything on birth control, but there may be more going on with you.
Best of luck,
~C0 -
I've been on birth control for the past 2 years, starting back in 2010. I never gained nor lost weight starting it. While on it straight for sixth months I was able to lose and maintain weight. I only gained some back from my crapping out thyroid. BUT with that said, each person handles it differently. Just as everyone said, it can take time for your body to return. The amount of time depends on your specific body and how it handles the change0
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So I'm not the only one suffering from this weird spike in weight! Now only to figure out what it is. @sarahrbraun that's a good idea, I really should get that checked! There's diabetes in my family. I've always been quite healthy (except for the last 6 months), could you actually get that pre-diabetes thing in 6 months time? Before I was 30 lbs from my overall goal weight, and it's frustrating that I'm currently at my healthiest but seeing nothing lol but I'm also impatient! Thanks everyone I really enjoy having other's inputs
I think so! My maternal grandmother was T2 diabetic, my father was diagnosed T2 about 12 years ago...I was insulin resistant 8 years ago, and my sister was diagnosed about 6 weeks ago. The interesting thing is, if you eat a lower carb diet for a while, you CAN reverse the insulin resistance. I was insulin resistant before I got pregnant, but have been tested many times since--most recently 2 months ago-- and my insulin levels are fine.
The funny thing is, I am currently 25 pounds heavier than I was when I was diagnosed as insulin resistant, but I am wearing the same jeans I wore back then! Yup. My gym time is paying off with lots of kick *kitten* muscle. Yesterday I was leg pressing 208lbs, and I have only been doing it like a month. I am less concerned with the number on the scale than the size of my clothes and the muscles that I am discovering. Because of the muscle, I may hit my goal of a size 10 and still be considered 'overweight'0
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