will birth control pills make me gain? LADIES!!

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Changing_Charity
Changing_Charity Posts: 197 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
i have been on the pill and the depo shot. i gained weight with the shot and it threw my periods out of whack. i want to get on birth control again in the near future, but i am afraid of it making me gain weight or make it harder for me to lose. what are your experiences with using the pill and weight loss? thanks guys!

Replies

  • mollz007
    mollz007 Posts: 168 Member
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    I have a friend that was on the shot and she said it made her gain weight. The only other BC I havebeen on besides the one I am on now- Paragard IUD- was Yaz which I was on for 3 years. I personally do think that it made me gain weight even though doctors will swear that it won't. Everyone reacts differently to them. I feel much better not being on a hormonal BC, but I dont mind having periods because I donnt cramp too badly. You just gotta see what works best for you. Good luck!
  • MichellenMiller
    MichellenMiller Posts: 3
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    I've never seen any difference in my weight loss or gain when on birth control. I have know lots of people who used the depo shot and gained weight but that was years ago. I have friends now that use the depo shot and it does eventually lead to you no longer getting your period, but non of them have gained weight. I think they have come a long way with birth control. Maybe ask your doctor about a lower hormone one first to see how you do on it first. :)
  • shammxo
    shammxo Posts: 1,432 Member
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    It really depends on you. Everyone reacts differently.

    Personally, birth control fixed a lot of things for me... My skin cleared up, I started losing weight after a 9 month plateau, and I even went up a cup size!! (a to b).
  • GypsySoul_74
    GypsySoul_74 Posts: 152 Member
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    i'm on the pill and i don't find that it hinders my weight loss at all. my doctor told me that the patch, the shot and the hormonal IUD all have a much higher chance of causing weight gain than the pill because the hormone dosages are so much higher than the pill.

    i've been on the same brand of pill (yasmin/safyral) for eight or nine years--although i tried other brands on and off, i always come back to this one because i like how i feel on it and it has NOT caused weight problems for me.

    i know when i first went on it i did see about a five pound weight gain, but it was also my freshman year of college and my eating habits were TERRIBLE :)

    it's been proven that most weight gain associated with the pill is either water weight (which is temporary) or due to increased food intake from perceived hunger. i don't think you should have any trouble as long as you keep logging and don't change your normal diet/exercise routine :)
  • Castvnsn007
    Castvnsn007 Posts: 11 Member
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    You will probably gain a little weight at first due to the hormones- it's very typical to. Usually maxing at 10 lbs. I have heard that more people have problems with weight gain after the shot than typical pills. So what if you gain 5 lbs after starting bcp, u will regulate, lose that weight in the future, and it's way less weight than you would gain being pregnant (which averages at 30 lbs!!!!)
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
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    Some women gain because the hormones make them want to eat more. So even though they think it's the pill, it's really because they don't notice how much their snacking has increased.

    In some cases, the hormones can make you retain more water, leading to "weight gain".

    If you have issues with PCOS, high estrogen birth control pills can exacerbate insulin resistance, leading to weight gain.

    I would give it two cycles and see how it affects you. It takes a few weeks to adjust, so that's why I say two cycles, just to be sure. If you're still tracking your calories as usual and notice a gain, ask your doctor for a different prescription. Similarly, if they make you really angry/sad, switch to something else.
  • mrstravisjones
    mrstravisjones Posts: 104 Member
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    I didn't necessarily gain weight, but i do think it made it harder to lose it. i was on it for about 5 years, and recently went off of it in order to TTC. i think my weight loss is more in my control without the extra hormones.
  • justgowithit17
    justgowithit17 Posts: 1,392 Member
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    i've been on lutera for almost 3 months! it's low dosage and haven't gained anything! well i haven't lost any weight either, but that's because i haven't trying! i literally just started my journey yesterday, but hopefully lutera won't make me have a hard time losing weight! and even if it is giving me a hard time, i'm just gonna work harder! i'm finally gonna do this and i won't let anything get in my way this time! :D
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
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    I've been on the pill for 5+ years now and yes probably was a factor for the weight gain but not much. I notice now I lose more weight while I am on that week break than I do on weeks I take it. Its basically just water... Just get into tune with your body and you will figure out whats best!
  • MrsGSR
    MrsGSR Posts: 88
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    I've been on two different pills and had the implant, none of which have made a difference to my weight :) everyone reacts differently, if your finding it really hard to lose on a pill go back to the docs and ask to be put on a different one :)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Everyone is different. EVERY type of hormonal BC made me gain weight (which was the least of my side effects). Just remember: there ARE other birth control options!

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