Odd issues with birth control and weight gain..
ohrandi
Posts: 28 Member
I know there's a million topics about people gaining weight or being concerned about it when on the pill. I'm starting a new thread because my issue is a little different.
I gained almost 30 pounds in 3 months, AFTER QUITTING the pill.
You can skip over this paragraph if ya want.
I'm 22. I went on Yasmin when I was 16, mainly because I had absolutely horrible acne and it was making me miserable. Also because that time of the month was miserable, I had to miss school. Anyway.. A few months later, my Dr. switched me to Yaz, due to them finding out Yasmin was horrible for you lol. All was well, until January 2011, when I started getting horrible migraines. Around that time, I was put on Loestrin since apparently Yaz is bad for you too. I continued having horrible migraines 3-4 days of the week until October 2011, when I randomly decided to quit taking the pill since I couldn't connect anything else in my daily life to my migraines. They stopped completely when I stopped the pill. But then, the weight gain started..
Over the next 3 months, I blew up like a balloon. I was packing on 10 pounds a month. I got really bloated and cramped around what was supposed to be that time of the month, kinda normal. Except I didn't have a period, and the bloating didn't go away. Next month, same deal. Got more bloated and cramped, didn't have a period. In December I went to the doctor panicking after numerous negative home pregnancy tests and the onslaught of random chin/neck hair. They ran all kinds of bloodwork, everything came back completely normal and they said there was no reason I should be gaining weight and having no period and all the other things I was experiencing. They blamed it on my diet and stress? The weird part was, after going off the pill, I did nothing differently except spend a little more time in the gym due to the energy I gained when quitting the pill. My eating habits didn't change, I wasn't stressed. To make matters worse, I'd bet 90% of the weight I gained went STRAIGHT to my stomach. You think I'm kidding, I'm not. I look like I'm 7 months pregnant. 168 lbs on a 5'0 frame, all concentrated in the stomach is awful. I have NEVER weighed this much in my life. Luckily after 3-4 months I stopped gaining weight, but still random periods and no matter what, I cannot lose a pound. I stopped eating crap and upped the time I spent on workouts for 6 months and didn't lose any more than 5 pounds. What on earth is going on?? mind you, I gained MAYBE 5 pounds in the 6 years I was on the pill, and gained 2 cup sizes. That is minimal weight gain, if any. Of course now my boobs have gone back to what they were before, smaller, plus the 30 something pounds I packed on to my belly and face.
I guess what I'm wondering is if anyone else has had this problem, or has any suggestions on what I should do. I feel so awful about myself. I need help.
I gained almost 30 pounds in 3 months, AFTER QUITTING the pill.
You can skip over this paragraph if ya want.
I'm 22. I went on Yasmin when I was 16, mainly because I had absolutely horrible acne and it was making me miserable. Also because that time of the month was miserable, I had to miss school. Anyway.. A few months later, my Dr. switched me to Yaz, due to them finding out Yasmin was horrible for you lol. All was well, until January 2011, when I started getting horrible migraines. Around that time, I was put on Loestrin since apparently Yaz is bad for you too. I continued having horrible migraines 3-4 days of the week until October 2011, when I randomly decided to quit taking the pill since I couldn't connect anything else in my daily life to my migraines. They stopped completely when I stopped the pill. But then, the weight gain started..
Over the next 3 months, I blew up like a balloon. I was packing on 10 pounds a month. I got really bloated and cramped around what was supposed to be that time of the month, kinda normal. Except I didn't have a period, and the bloating didn't go away. Next month, same deal. Got more bloated and cramped, didn't have a period. In December I went to the doctor panicking after numerous negative home pregnancy tests and the onslaught of random chin/neck hair. They ran all kinds of bloodwork, everything came back completely normal and they said there was no reason I should be gaining weight and having no period and all the other things I was experiencing. They blamed it on my diet and stress? The weird part was, after going off the pill, I did nothing differently except spend a little more time in the gym due to the energy I gained when quitting the pill. My eating habits didn't change, I wasn't stressed. To make matters worse, I'd bet 90% of the weight I gained went STRAIGHT to my stomach. You think I'm kidding, I'm not. I look like I'm 7 months pregnant. 168 lbs on a 5'0 frame, all concentrated in the stomach is awful. I have NEVER weighed this much in my life. Luckily after 3-4 months I stopped gaining weight, but still random periods and no matter what, I cannot lose a pound. I stopped eating crap and upped the time I spent on workouts for 6 months and didn't lose any more than 5 pounds. What on earth is going on?? mind you, I gained MAYBE 5 pounds in the 6 years I was on the pill, and gained 2 cup sizes. That is minimal weight gain, if any. Of course now my boobs have gone back to what they were before, smaller, plus the 30 something pounds I packed on to my belly and face.
I guess what I'm wondering is if anyone else has had this problem, or has any suggestions on what I should do. I feel so awful about myself. I need help.
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Replies
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I'm not any help but I also gained a lot after stopping the pill and now have terrible acne too. Interested in others experiences. I have considered starting the pill again but I had serious anxiety while on it.0
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i would change doctors and talk about alternative pills... there are literally hundreds out there with different levels and types of hormones in them... also injectable contraceptions and stuff like that could help??? i have been on my pill since i was 17 (9 years) I came off it, had my son with no conceiving troubles, breast fed and straight back on it.... i came off it again at the beginning of this year (no man = no sex= no need for it), back on it now and have been for 3 months... it has never let me down and i believe there has to be a treatment out there that will suit your body and your needs... the most worrying part is the hair growth and migraines... so yeh my recommendation is maybe visit a gyno, they all up in that business and may know a little more than a regular gp?
best of luck!0 -
I would ask to be checked for PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). BCP are often a prescribed drug for this, so maybe you had it and going off it you started showing symptoms - google it up but the irregular period, weight gain and difficulty loosin, insulin resistance (leading to putting on weight in the abdominal region) are all symptoms. Other drugs than BCP can be used to treat it if you don`t want to go back on one. Also make sure you get your thyroid checked properly!0
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I would ask to be checked for PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). BCP are often a prescribed drug for this, so maybe you had it and going off it you started showing symptoms - google it up but the irregular period, weight gain and difficulty loosin, insulin resistance (leading to putting on weight in the abdominal region) are all symptoms. Other drugs than BCP can be used to treat it if you don`t want to go back on one. Also make sure you get your thyroid checked properly!
As a follow-up to my original post, I had a lot of testing done and found out I do indeed have PCOS... my hormones were all out of whack. My testosterone was abnormally high, and my gyno suspects I'm not ovulating most of the time. This explains so much, why I started growing hair on my neck and chin, why all my gorgeous hair on my head started falling out, why my skin now looks like a pubescent boy with cystic acne all over my jawline, and to me, explains my sudden weight gain and shift in attitude.. It's all so sad.
I'll be seeing another gyno, while I was given a diagnosis, this guy had NO bedside manner whatsoever!! He said PCOS doesn't cause weight gain, and that I was eating too much and not exercising enough.. he didn't listen when I tried to explain I had ZERO shift in lifestyle, other than quitting BCP's. I shouldn't have gained almost 30 pounds in a little over 2 months. I think I would've noticed if I suddenly started stuffing my face.. Granted I never worked out diligently, but I always watched what I ate and have NEVER been someone to over eat.. He told me to try weight watchers, and told me I would basically feel like I was starving myself but it works. I was fighting back tears at this point, and he then had the nerve to say "Are you okay? You seem depressed.. do you always feel this way?" ONLY WHEN I'M BEING TOLD I NEED TO STARVE MYSELF and that all this is MY fault!! anyway...
He gave me 3 months of Lo Loestrin, which I will start IF I have a period soon.. If I don't, I'll have to take prometrium to start it like I did before. I really didn't want to get on BCP's again, but I can't handle feeling like this anymore. I have been busting my butt in the gym, and drastically changed my eating habits for the past 2 weeks.. I am determined to drop a few pants sizes by May! He is also currently obtaining copies of bloodwork done by my PCP to possibly start me on Metformin. Even though my insulin resistance was very low, I am considered pre-diabetic because of my family history. I think I'm the only one in my immediate family that isn't diabetic.. I am also the smallest. But anyway, I'll try to keep this updated. I hit a really low point, and almost believed this all really was my fault. Now I have a little bit of hope that something can be done.0 -
It absolutely sounds like PCOS and from what I understand, it is tricky to dx. My friend used birth control for years to control her pain during her period. When you go off the pill, your hormone levels become more androgynous. This can lead to facial hair, gaining weight in more typically male places like your waist. Your story sounds very similar to my friend. She ended up back on birth control for now.
Edit:
ACK! I guess I should look for updates before I post! I'm sorry you are going through this. Your Dr. sounds rude, but his medical recommendation of bcp's and metformin sound pretty proactive. Hopefully you will be feeling better soon!0 -
haha yep! I'm just hoping I can get back on them soon.. I'm ready to lose some of this weight. I swear I gained 99% of it on my stomach, I was convinced I was pregnant because I looked 6 months along! It's so embarrassing.. Someone I hadn't seen in years actually asked me how far along I was!!0
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I came across your initial post, and it sounds exactly like what I have been experiencing. I am 33 y/o, initially started bc pills when I was 16. I had been taking Yasmin for several years up until last November after I went to my PCP because I had been experiencing migraine headaches for the first time in my life, and they were interestingly coming on during menstruation. So, long story short, after a lot of daily journaling and bloodwork, we discovered that they were most likely menstrual migraines, so my GYN immediately told me to stop taking bc pills. I have a significant family history of stroke and heart disease, so she felt like I was going to have a stroke any day. So, I stopped the bc pills in Nov 2012 and started significant weight gain in the abdomen area only in January 2013. I am a big runner, at least 45 mins every day, plus a lot of strength training. And I intensely watch what I eat and how much, and have always been mindful of the types of foods I put in my mouth. All to no avail! I have been back to my PCP and GYN who have nothing to say, except that I need to eat better and workout more! So frustrating! I know there is something going on inside my body that is not being caught by the docs, but don't know how to get that point across.
I am wondering how they found that you had PCOS, because I have researched it some and think it could be what I have. Any help you could give would be much appreciated. Thank you.0 -
Hello dockarri,
Do you have irregular periods? That is one of the major indications of PCOS. People with PCOS tend to have irregular periods, excessive body hair, darker in the area between thighs or neck and weight gain, especially around the belly. Most people have one or more of these symptoms. Ask your doctor to do a Hormone test and see if you have spiked testosterone levels and specify that they check you for PCOS. As far as Yaz, terrible! I hated it, used to give me mood swings! I have known that I had PCOS for years and used to be on BCPs but felt I was taking them for so many years and decided to quit. Since that time, I've gained about 40 lbs and have struggled to lose it. I've never been this big in my life and couldn't understand the cause. I figured it was because I moved to a new city and have changed my life style but it's not by that much. My weight gain happened over a 2-3 year period so it didn't occur to me until today which is how I ended up in this message board as I was looking to see if others had the same issue. Anyhow, ask your gyn specificly about this. Also have your thyroid checked. Best of luck!0 -
This sounds almost identical to what I have been going through! I stopped my BCP about 3 months ago simply because my prescription was up and I didn't have time to get an appointment to have it renewed with my crazy grad school schedule. I had been on the pill (I think it was Yazmin) since I was about 16 to help control my terrible acne as well as the terrible flu-like symptoms I would get every month including headaches, chills, bouts of excessive sweating, painful cramps. I was miserable! While the pills didn't really help with my acne my other symptoms were gone and my doc allowed me to take several months in succession without the sugar pills so that I could skip periods, I was a relatively happy camper!
I'm now 24 and had been switched to Lessina several years ago after the worries about Yazmin were discovered. Recently when I stopped taking them I didn't have a normal period for about 3 months, which for most people would scare them but since I have never been sexually active I wasn't really concerned. What did bother me was the extra 20-25 lbs I put on around my mid-section over that time, migranes (which I'm prone to anyway) that would disrupt my ability to concentrate and study 3-4 times a week, and crazy mood swings. I thought a majority of those problems were just from being stressed all the time from school and while I eat healthy I admit that my course load does not allow me for nearly as much time to workout as I would like.
PCOS and diabetes runs in my family and I have a large majority of the same symptoms including weight gain/ difficulty losing weight, acne, excessive hair loss from by head while having hair growth on my face and hands, migranes, depression, and anxiety. While I still humorously think these all sound like symptoms that any grad student might have I still have plans to be checked for PCOS and potentially be put on Metformin when I go home for Christmas. I am hoping that at the very least some of the weight will come off because its even more depressing that I have a closet full of clothes I love and I can no longer fit into a majority of them.0 -
I thought I'd post a little follow up since I've received several messages about this since I've posted.
My only "solution" was to go back on the pill. I'm trying to wean myself off slowly by taking a month or two off every few months. Every time I stop taking it, I start losing all my hair, breaking out, and growing stupid chin/neck hair. it's so unfair. I swear if anyone ever warned me about what could happen when you stop taking the pill, I never would have started. 0 -
I have been on the pill for like 6 years , I have 4 lovely angels now and have taken a break' but I know one thing, I am not going back on it again..it was the main reason for my weight gain.lol0
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I've left the pills, the shots alone, long time ago. Gained too much exceeded over weight from it.0
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ohrandi,
I feel you, girl. Stopping birth control after 10 years threw my world into a tailspin!
I have yet to get back on track, but I've learned a lot in the past 2 years of being BC-free. My suggestion to you is to find a doctor in your area who specializes in hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Let me stress, BIO-IDENTICAL ONLY! Otherwise, you're just doing the same damage to your body that you did with the synthetic hormones in BC pills. I began seeing a bio-identical hormone specialist about 6 months ago, but he only prescribed progesterone & testosterone, which helped some things, but exacerbated others. I knew that my body shape, hair & skin quality were all better on birth control, even though I believe that BC is NOT good for you, but I was afraid of estrogen due to all the horrific things I've heard about it (estrogen dominance, breast cancer, etc.) so I didn't dare request it or even consider it as an option.
So, I'm scheduled for my 2nd follow-up in a few weeks and I plan to inquire about estrogen. You will hear a lot about how estrogen is the devil and will cause all sorts of problems. Truth is, if in balance with your other hormones and coincidental with a healthy lifestyle, estrogen can be magical. It helps with skin, hair, metabolism and several other physiological factors.
I believe, and this is just theoretical talk from my perspective, that as long as your body is not flooded with cortisol from stress and you have optimal progesterone levels, then estrogen is not a threat to your health!
I will return to this message thread to share my experience if/when I incorporate the bio-identical estrogen into my life/body. I'm really counting on the heavens to shine & angels to sing, here, so I hope like hell this is the missing piece!
In the meantime, if you have any questions or thoughts you'd like to share, please give me a holler!
XO -K0 -
I really haven't heard good things about Yasmin from anyone.... I've been on (and off) Levlen for 5+ years and no issues. It's the standard birth control these days in Aus.
Just one to look into!
I wouldn't recomend implanon, my cousin had it inserted and THEN experienced exactly what you've described. Another friend with it now has her period for a sold month at a time.![:\](https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/resources/emoji/confused.png ":\")
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I have exactly the same as described all below. The pill stopped 6 weeks ago, no period, MASSIVE weight gain/bloated and no period. got PCOS. I have a personal trainer and am in great shape so this is a big blow, as it seems nothing solves it. Doc has said to go back onto pill, which I intended to do, but will this then get me back to normal weight/size???!!! HELP0
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I have exactly the same as described all below. The pill stopped 6 weeks ago, no period, MASSIVE weight gain/bloated and no period. got PCOS. I have a personal trainer and am in great shape so this is a big blow, as it seems nothing solves it. Doc has said to go back onto pill, which I intended to do, but will this then get me back to normal weight/size???!!! HELP
For me, it didn't.
I stopped gaining weight when I went back on it, but I'm finding it incredibly hard to lose what I had already gained from stopping in the first place. I really find it sad that every doctor I've spoken with denies any connection between being on the pill so long and suddenly developing PCOS after stopping. It's unreal.0 -
ohrandi,
I feel you, girl. Stopping birth control after 10 years threw my world into a tailspin!
I have yet to get back on track, but I've learned a lot in the past 2 years of being BC-free. My suggestion to you is to find a doctor in your area who specializes in hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Let me stress, BIO-IDENTICAL ONLY! Otherwise, you're just doing the same damage to your body that you did with the synthetic hormones in BC pills. I began seeing a bio-identical hormone specialist about 6 months ago, but he only prescribed progesterone & testosterone, which helped some things, but exacerbated others. I knew that my body shape, hair & skin quality were all better on birth control, even though I believe that BC is NOT good for you, but I was afraid of estrogen due to all the horrific things I've heard about it (estrogen dominance, breast cancer, etc.) so I didn't dare request it or even consider it as an option.
So, I'm scheduled for my 2nd follow-up in a few weeks and I plan to inquire about estrogen. You will hear a lot about how estrogen is the devil and will cause all sorts of problems. Truth is, if in balance with your other hormones and coincidental with a healthy lifestyle, estrogen can be magical. It helps with skin, hair, metabolism and several other physiological factors.
I believe, and this is just theoretical talk from my perspective, that as long as your body is not flooded with cortisol from stress and you have optimal progesterone levels, then estrogen is not a threat to your health!
I will return to this message thread to share my experience if/when I incorporate the bio-identical estrogen into my life/body. I'm really counting on the heavens to shine & angels to sing, here, so I hope like hell this is the missing piece!
In the meantime, if you have any questions or thoughts you'd like to share, please give me a holler!
XO -K
I haven't heard of that.. I will definitely look into it! I'd love to be off the pill. If HRT would help, I'm all for it!0 -
I am so glad that this isn't just happening to me! I went off the pill because after ten years I wasn't able to find one that didn't make me an emotional wreck, really moody, etc. The only thing that ever really worked was the patch, and that ended up putting me in the ER (blood clot). I was taking it for endometriosis and found a medical study that I qualified for a few months ago. So now I am doing that and they are keeping close eyes on my endometriosis. Part of the study was (of course) that I had to go off BC. I've been off for two months now and keep gaining weight. I track my calories pretty closely, and while I go over my 1200 sometimes, I don't do that often enough (or far enough) to have put on this much weight, especially this quickly. Thanks for helping me not feel like a freak of nature, ladies!0
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Now I'm terrified to stop taking my birth control. Yikes. Thankfully I'm on low dose estrogen, but... Still! :frown:0
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Really great post/interested thread. For the longest time I thought something was wrong with me for gaining 50 lbs in about a year. Maybe I was eating waaaaaaay more than I thought, because I never stopped going to the gym 3-5 times a week. Maybe I was super over calculating, having more "cheat" days than I thought, etc. And while that's all possible, I do suspect it might be BC. I talked to my doctor about my weight gain and he blew me off,as did the nutritionist he recommended, as if going from a healthy weight to overweight in 10 months is "normal" (ugh, just ugh). I am going to schedule an appointment with my OBGYN, as she's a woman and tends to actually--you know--listen. I don't think I have PCOS as I don't really have a lot of the symptoms, but I definitely sense something being "off."0
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I suspect there are a lot of hormonal issues that can be treated or suppressed by being on BCPs. Your weight gain probably has a medical/hormonal cause and isn't the result of any diet or exercise irresponsibility on your part.
PCOS is relatively common among hormonal problems, but there are lots of other disorders affecting steroid-based hormones (which is the category of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, etc.), especially cortisol, that affect weight gain. Most can make you fat and miserable (not related to weight--body aches, weakness, etc.) if untreated. Treated and everything gets back to normal. Get checked, get treated, problem solved, though you may have to take a pill or two a day the rest of your life (like us thyroid people).
If there's a possibility of pregnancy, get checked for that too. All birth control methods have a failure rate except abstinence, and if you are Christian, even abstinence is suspect ("Virgin" Mary?)...0 -
I'm experiencing a similar thing... I've been on birth control for the last 15 year - recently low estrogen pills taken continuously. I stopped the pill about a month ago and have consistently gained 2 lbs per week. I've been measuring, too, and my hips and breasts have added inches. I follow the same eating plan and track my food, and my exercise habits haven't changed. I'm so frustrated and thinking about just going back on the pill to "solve" this. Frustrating! Any advice?0
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have you been tested for PCOS?I know there's a million topics about people gaining weight or being concerned about it when on the pill. I'm starting a new thread because my issue is a little different.
I gained almost 30 pounds in 3 months, AFTER QUITTING the pill.
You can skip over this paragraph if ya want.
I'm 22. I went on Yasmin when I was 16, mainly because I had absolutely horrible acne and it was making me miserable. Also because that time of the month was miserable, I had to miss school. Anyway.. A few months later, my Dr. switched me to Yaz, due to them finding out Yasmin was horrible for you lol. All was well, until January 2011, when I started getting horrible migraines. Around that time, I was put on Loestrin since apparently Yaz is bad for you too. I continued having horrible migraines 3-4 days of the week until October 2011, when I randomly decided to quit taking the pill since I couldn't connect anything else in my daily life to my migraines. They stopped completely when I stopped the pill. But then, the weight gain started..
Over the next 3 months, I blew up like a balloon. I was packing on 10 pounds a month. I got really bloated and cramped around what was supposed to be that time of the month, kinda normal. Except I didn't have a period, and the bloating didn't go away. Next month, same deal. Got more bloated and cramped, didn't have a period. In December I went to the doctor panicking after numerous negative home pregnancy tests and the onslaught of random chin/neck hair. They ran all kinds of bloodwork, everything came back completely normal and they said there was no reason I should be gaining weight and having no period and all the other things I was experiencing. They blamed it on my diet and stress? The weird part was, after going off the pill, I did nothing differently except spend a little more time in the gym due to the energy I gained when quitting the pill. My eating habits didn't change, I wasn't stressed. To make matters worse, I'd bet 90% of the weight I gained went STRAIGHT to my stomach. You think I'm kidding, I'm not. I look like I'm 7 months pregnant. 168 lbs on a 5'0 frame, all concentrated in the stomach is awful. I have NEVER weighed this much in my life. Luckily after 3-4 months I stopped gaining weight, but still random periods and no matter what, I cannot lose a pound. I stopped eating crap and upped the time I spent on workouts for 6 months and didn't lose any more than 5 pounds. What on earth is going on?? mind you, I gained MAYBE 5 pounds in the 6 years I was on the pill, and gained 2 cup sizes. That is minimal weight gain, if any. Of course now my boobs have gone back to what they were before, smaller, plus the 30 something pounds I packed on to my belly and face.
I guess what I'm wondering is if anyone else has had this problem, or has any suggestions on what I should do. I feel so awful about myself. I need help.0
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