Tips for losing weight on birth control pills

24

Replies

  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
    I had been lo loestrin fe for over a month. No weight gain, but did have break through bleeding.

    Oops... I've been on it for over a year, not a month.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    If anything, the pill will make you put on water weight but I doubt it will make you gain actual fat.

    I've been on Lo Estrin 24 FE since 2009 and yes I put on 40 pounds but it was not due to the pill.. It was due to the fact that I was in college, ate crap and didn't exercise like I should.

    Now that I've been trying to get the weight off, I've lost all the weight I wanted to in a years time and am just maintaining now.
  • pineapple1989
    pineapple1989 Posts: 195 Member
    When I was on Microgynon I gained loooooads of weight... or at least thats what I thought when it happened. In reality it was all the extra pizza I was consuming! I've been on the pill about 7 years, tried 3 different ones, I gained weight when I ate too much, lost it when I ate less, I am on Cerazette now and have had no trouble losing weight, well no more than people not on contraceptives anyway, to be honest, now I am older and more experienced with it I am inclined to believe with the doctors on this one. But everybody has different experiences, this is just based on mine! I guess everybody will react differently to the hormones as well.
  • Peta22
    Peta22 Posts: 377 Member
    I asked my doctor about this the last time I saw her and she said that weight gain is no longer an issue with today's oral contraceptives
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    There is a possibility that it can hinder some muscle gains tho. Not that you can't gain muscle, but not hit your true potential. But I could argue that because I'm pretty lean.
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
    I'm on Yasmin and haven't had any problems with my weight or weight loss since I started it last year.
    I think with some pills you're more likely to see weight gain when you stop taking them, but I have no experience with this.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I was on the pill for 13 years with no effect on my weight or ability to lose. In fact, my experience was overall very positive. Different women react differently to hormonal BC, but don't assume you will have issues.
  • Christi6604
    Christi6604 Posts: 247 Member
    Hi, I am currently taking Ortho cyclen and I have never had a problem with weightloss. As long as I diet and exercised as anyone should, I have lost. I have lost 50 pounds once while on the pill.

    ^^ same here. I was worried when I read about it, but it didn't impact my weight loss at all.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    I think the doctor is wrong. I mean I understand that just because many blame their weight gain on the pill doesn't mean it's true...maybe they just started eating more? But I assure you I was eating the same when I was on the pill and I gained a significant amount of weight. Then there's the girl I know that went on a needle. She went from short and a little bit chubby to her arms being flappy and approximately the size of my head in a few months. It was terrifying. Even if I tried to do that I don't think I could...and she was dating a fitness trainer who took her to the gym constantly...

    I was also sick on the pill, so throwing up multiple times a day (tried 6 different kinds, didn't know there were that many). So that may have been something to do with my weight gain (my body was probably thinking wtf are you doing and trying to compensate).

    How did I loose the weight? I stopped taking the pill.

    Hope you find a solution!
  • lily896
    lily896 Posts: 1
    I am a little disappointed. I have always had an active life style and kept up with a health diet. I live in the mountains so my hourly bike ride commute is an exhilarating cardio-work-out, and I keep up a weekly date with friends playing racquet ball. I also eat very well and cook most of my food myself.
    But I started taking Lo Loestrin Fe and then I gained 5 pounds. I think this is due to water weight because I have been incredibly thirsty all the time (maybe also just because it's winter and home heaters dry out anybody :) ). To top it off, last week I went to the doctor with an infection and he told me I was very dehydrated. He said that basically if I were to be graded on my hydration I would get a C-. Seemed weird to me since I've been drinking so much recently.
    Now I have just started taking Lo Loestrin Fe and this is the first time I have ever taken an oral contraceptive. Im about half way through my third pack. I understand that when you first start a new medication the first three months can be somewhat strange as your body adjusts itself to the new hormone levels.
    Now, my question is… Are these 5lbs some kind of water retention or "bloating" that the doctor warned me would happen during the first three packs? Will they go away once my body learns how to deal with these new levels of hormones? I guess Im just a bit disappointed that I have been taking care of myself and I gained weight on a medicine that most people said didn't effect their weight.
  • mandicrocker
    mandicrocker Posts: 1
    Im taking microgestin and I'm doing the 17 day diet. Last time I was on it, i dropped 12 lbs in a week and 20 by the end of the following week eating healthy food. This time I started dropping weight and as soon as I started the pill again I immediately plateaued to the point I'm looking up this conversation. It's waaaay too early to be plateauing on this diet knowing my body and my past experiences. Ill have to see how it goes.
  • kawaii7
    kawaii7 Posts: 1
    wow.. for those who are ignorant and claims that it is a myth.. first able... not all body types are the same nor are the pills. I am not saying everyone will gain weight when they take pill but it can cause hormone problems and contribute to weight gain

    I have been on birth control for 4 years.. I am 173cm and 170 pounds
    i used to be 120-130 in high school and never exercise. I drove everywhere and I barely even walked. I looked fine and i was normal. I also use to eat a lot and never cared about cutting down meat. After birth control i started to gain weight and I ate the same amount. Everyone around me started to notice the change and I started to cut down. Since then, i gained 35-40 pounds. Currently I go to the gym twice every week and walk at least for 1-2 hrs daily. I eat a veggie based diet with no junk food nor juice. I gain weight just by eating apples.. it is ridiculous. People who eat with me and the same amount or even more, don't ever gain weight. ( most of my friends eat more than me and they never gain weight - i used to be like that)

    I stopped birth control in between for 3 months because i broke up with my boyfriend for a while and I went back to 146 just within 3 months. (ps i ate fruits and vegetable)

    some one please tell me how i can lose weight.. I can't just not eat... I need to eat to survive, but my IMB is already over weight. I am sick of eating vegetables and apples all day long and still gain weight.
  • Dfracassa
    Dfracassa Posts: 318 Member
    This is the third type of BC I've taken, and it's supposed to be either one of the lowest or the lowest hormone amount, in a pill. It's called BeYaz, and while I like it just fine, I have DEFINITELY gained weight while being on it. I started taking it in October 2009, and have gained nearly 25 lbs. Before that, I was on Depo for about 9 months, and gained a bunch of weight with that. Never get Depo. EVER. The problem with that crap is that while you will of course gain while taking it, you'll also have a hard time losing that weight -- and by hard, I mean almost impossible. I've never heard anyone give good reviews of weight gain with Depo. Since being on BeYaz, not only have I gained weight but I find it nearly impossible to lose weight. Short of actually starving myself, I can't seem to lose a pound...which is why I'm on here. I don't find that I'm hungrier because of the pill, like some people claim to be, but it's like my metabolism has completely disappeared: if I eat a pound, I gain a pound. It's frustrating, to say the least.
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
    its not the birth control it self that makes you gain . The birth control increases your appetite and with that being said you eat more. Im on birth control and i ben doing fine. I do get hungry alot more often but you have to find things with less calories or exercise more. Hope this helps :)

    This exactly. That's why doctors say the pill, itself, doesn't cause weight gain but so many women post that it does. It's actually the cravings and increase in appetite that some women experience. If they aren't conscious of their calorie intake, they may not realize they're eating more.

    I've lost weight while on the pill. It probably helped that the pill I was on (Demulen) didn't cause an increase in appetite except the usual cravings/hunger during PMS.
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
    wow.. for those who are ignorant and claims that it is a myth.. first able... not all body types are the same nor are the pills. I am not saying everyone will gain weight when they take pill but it can cause hormone problems and contribute to weight gain

    I have been on birth control for 4 years.. I am 173cm and 170 pounds
    i used to be 120-130 in high school and never exercise. I drove everywhere and I barely even walked. I looked fine and i was normal. I also use to eat a lot and never cared about cutting down meat. After birth control i started to gain weight and I ate the same amount. Everyone around me started to notice the change and I started to cut down. Since then, i gained 35-40 pounds. Currently I go to the gym twice every week and walk at least for 1-2 hrs daily. I eat a veggie based diet with no junk food nor juice. I gain weight just by eating apples.. it is ridiculous. People who eat with me and the same amount or even more, don't ever gain weight. ( most of my friends eat more than me and they never gain weight - i used to be like that)

    I stopped birth control in between for 3 months because i broke up with my boyfriend for a while and I went back to 146 just within 3 months. (ps i ate fruits and vegetable)

    some one please tell me how i can lose weight.. I can't just not eat... I need to eat to survive, but my IMB is already over weight. I am sick of eating vegetables and apples all day long and still gain weight.

    Talk to your doctor. I used to gain weight on a 2000 calorie diet. He did some blood work and discovered I have insulin resistance. I had to switch to a low-carb diet, and I'm taking medicine to help control it. You may also have a thyroid issue.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    A BC pill will not actually make you gain fat. You may gain some weight when you first make the switch however it's water weight. Your hormones will be out of wack and your body needs to get used to it. Give it at least three months to stabalize. Some pills, due to the hormones can make you feel a bit hungrier... so if you don't react properly you may gain. They will not actually make you gain fat weight though.

    I gained on mine, but that was my own fault.. not the pills fault.
  • LongMom
    LongMom Posts: 408 Member
    I've been on the pill since I was 15 years old (minus a few years off to have kids) and I've never had any issues losing weight. That said, this past fall I started a new pill - Seasonale. A friend told me about it and I had to try it - it's a same dose pill that you take for three months straight, so you only get your period 4 times a year! The first 3 months though I swear I sabotaged MYSELF by "allowing" myself to eat more and blame it on the new pill. I did my research as well and online everyone swore the pill made them gain weight so when it started happening to me I chalked it up to "well it happens to everyone but the no period for 3 months is soooooo worth it!"

    Then this past Jan I got fed up with myself and realized I was still the one making the decisions to not eat properly and if I kept going in the same direction I'd gain even more weight, so I came back here actively and now I'm having no problem losing weight :P

    If you hate getting your period, I 100% recommend Seasonale!
  • GaiaGirl1992
    GaiaGirl1992 Posts: 459 Member
    I'm on Loestrin, it's been about 2-3 years since I started, and at one point if I worked out just about every day I lost 20 lbs in 2 months. I was doing 30 minutes at the gym, then about a half hour of calisthenics or a dance video, from 212-190ish. Idk if its my eating habits or the pill, but I also put weight on very easily if I'm not careful, and I fight for every ounce.

    Sorry I can't be more helpful, but I started trying to lose weight after I was on it for a year. I doubt it affects fat loss, maybe it's a water weight thing?

    ETA: My diary is open to look at, my 20 lb loss was in winter 2011 I believe XD I haven't noticed any change in hunger nor thirst since I began it, but I also haven't had blood work done....maybe in the next visits I will.
  • fg8585
    fg8585 Posts: 110 Member
    I recommend you also take these concerns to your doctor and tell him/her. The doctor can maybe put you on something non hormonal? I myself am on ortho cyclen and this is the first and only bc I've been on that didn't affect my hunger drastically. It all varies since we all have different body types.
  • Tatiyanya
    Tatiyanya Posts: 255 Member
    I recently came back to oral birth control and probably got prescribed pills that were way to strong for me. Cilest or some such. 10 lbs in 2 weeks, and sure it was prolly water weight, cravings for salty and sweet stuff that i didnt used to have before(not even during PMS), but 10 lbs in 2 weeks is hella much, esspecialy cos I put an end to giving in to cravings asap , excercised more and i only managed to keep the weight while caloric deficit was promising nearly 2 lbs loss a week. Not to mention mad moodswings and most painfull boobs in the history of mankind.
    Now am off those pills, got new ones and already my weight started falling down to its proper level I want to keep.
    So I seriously dont think the idea that oral birth control can cause weight gain is a myth.
    Hormones make you crave for food and retain water . If you have iron will and dont bother with scales too much it shouldnt bother you in any way. Otherwise ask for different pills. Different pills got different stuff innit and affect you in different ways.
    Tho reading the piece of paper that comes with the pills: the gain happens in first months of using the pills, then organism gets used to the hormones and stops flipping out.
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    Listen: BC does not make you gain weight. You putting extra calories into your mouth makes you gain weight.

    Your appetite may increase but that's when Mrs Willpower has to kick in.

    I
  • elisafalvo
    elisafalvo Posts: 1 Member
    I'm also on lo loestrogen fe and It has been making me hungrier, but nowhere near the cravings I got when I was on Tricyclen BC.
  • SweetestLibby
    SweetestLibby Posts: 607 Member
    I'm on the mini/pop pill - Orthomicronor. I have not gained weight. In fact I've actually lost 10 pounds since starting it. Yes, there was an appetite/craving increase but that's where willpower and exercised did their job. :smile: I have however noticed that I bloat significantly more duing that TOM but it's not actual weight gain.
  • methridg
    methridg Posts: 50 Member
    I am on the Lo Loestrien FE and I have lost 21 pounds so far. It is a little slower than I would like as that took 4 months but its still coming off.
  • sanvanhaaften
    sanvanhaaften Posts: 118
    Bump!
  • maryv83
    maryv83 Posts: 73 Member
    I have been on BC since I was 16. Currently, I have been on Microgestin FE for over 4 years. In the 13 years of being on BC I have gained and lost weight, but I have always struggled with my weight (even from childhood). To say that BC makes you gain weight, I will agree with a lot of the other posts - it's all in what you put in your mouth. If you watch what you eat and continue to exercise, you should be able to maintain and lose weight. I get typically PMS symptoms like anyone, but especially water retention. So, try not to mistake normal PMS symptoms as a contributor to any weight gain from the BC. Also, talk to your doctor if you're concerned. They should be able to discuss other options with you, and maybe some you haven't even thought of.
  • dpollet2
    dpollet2 Posts: 68 Member
    I'm on Lo Loestrin, and I've lost 15lbs since Apr.11.
  • Tigg1011
    Tigg1011 Posts: 146
    I was just on lo-loestrin two months ago, and it was fine. Didnt stall my weight loss or anything like other birth control pills. Everything about it was great except for my sudden increase in migraines. That is the only reason I went off of it, otherwise it was great!
  • kellllldunn
    kellllldunn Posts: 1 Member
    i'm on the depo birth control shot and i gained 12 pounds from it and i can't get it off. i have softball practice everyday after school for two and a half hours and i eat pretty healthy for a 17 year old. i've tried so hard to lose it, and it just won't go away. not to scare you, but just a warning..
  • wendimlee
    wendimlee Posts: 34 Member
    I've just started taking lo loestrin fe about a week ago, and have been freaked out about weight gain. This is the first hormonal birth control I've ever been on, and I am terrified about gaining weight. I have lots of friends who said they gained 10-20 pounds on birth control. I specifically told my gyno my fears, and she prescribed me lo loestrin fe, saying it's low-dosage and shouldn't really affect my weight.

    Still, having heard all the horror stories...

    For most of last week, I went in serious deprivation mode and lost some water weight, but was so nauseous and exhausted I could hardly function. Plus I started getting those headaches too. For the past couple of days I have switched tactics and been eating and exercising normally, at least 1200 calories. I am just afraid of seeing the pounds inch up on the scale from week to week. Any suggestions for what to do if/when that happens?

    I eat a 80% vegan/20% pescatarian diet, and do some kind of exercise 6 days a week for at least 30 minutes.
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