The myth of Birth Control

iloveyou9951
iloveyou9951 Posts: 12
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Does Birth Control really make you gain weight? I heard it makes you gain weight in your thighs a lot. I have to go on it for a couple of reasons, but I'm scared it's going to make me gain a lot of weight! HELP
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Replies

  • lilmissy2
    lilmissy2 Posts: 595 Member
    Hi,

    There are studies that show a trend of weight gain when people start birth control BUT remember that most people starting birth control are becoming very comfortable in their relationships and it has been speculated that this is actually the reason for the weight gain (ie. not as much effort to maintain yourself, less time for exercise, more going out for dinner and takeaway, bad habits picked up from our boys haha), not necessarily the pill itself.
  • pelelovesme1011
    pelelovesme1011 Posts: 33
    I'm not a doctor so I don't know for sure but I have been on birth control almost continuously for 10 years. I have lost a lot of weight on it and I have gained weight on it. I would ask your doctor about forms that cause the least amount of weight gain. There are some, like the shot, that are notorious for weight gain. I don't think weight gain is guaranteed though. If you notice weight gain, I would start exercising more and watching what you eat. If you still gain weight despite being very strict about what you eat, then I would consult your doc about switching to something. Don't be scared though :P
  • AlannaPie
    AlannaPie Posts: 349 Member
    When they've done studies it's a very small amount who gain weight, and guess what the same amount of people who gain weight lose weight on birth control. I think it's one big *kitten* excuse
  • iloveyou9951
    iloveyou9951 Posts: 12
    That is very true ! Thanks so much! I was scared that this was going to ruin my whole plan to lose it, not GAIN it. But sadly, I'm not in a relationship. But I guess, this is a plus to being single:)
  • sweetrevenge
    sweetrevenge Posts: 188
    Birth control can definitely make you gain weight but it isn't an absolute. Depends on the birth control and the person taking it. I would definitely voice your concerns to your doctor and see if you guys can discuss getting you started on one that has the least amount of reported weight gain. I have never heard of or experienced "gaining weight in your thighs". I don't think that BC will gain weight only in certain areas. Weight gain is weight gain.
  • stratdl
    stratdl Posts: 303 Member
    I think that the weight fluctuations can also be attributed to metabolism changes due to the hormones your body is receiving from the birth control. I gained quite a bit of weight on Depo Provera and each time I had the shot, I'd be totally wiped out for the rest of the day and then I'd drag for about 2 weeks. I suspect it was my metabolism slowing down. It also didn't help that I was becoming a couch potato at the same time! However, all people are different, and the things I experienced while on Depo may not be experienced by any other person (especially not the laziness thing :wink: ).

    The main thing to remember is to keep up with your fitness program and be as healthy as you can be while on birth control. Don't let it be something that you feel will control your life. It may be more challenging to keep fit or it might not. Just remain vigilant and listen to your body. Your body will tell you just about everything you need to know, if you just stop to listen. :flowerforyou:

    Good luck! :drinker:
  • tiwi1890
    tiwi1890 Posts: 8
    I'm not an expert at all, but just from my own experience, I did put on weight from the pill alone. My eating habits and exercise patterns did not change, but I did put on a couple of pounds. My best friend was on a different pill, and due to her small stature, a few extra pounds caused by the pill looked like a lot more. She was on it for a year and then quit because of the weight gain - all of a sudden (literally, 3 weeks) the weight was gone, due to nothing more than quitting!
    Like I said though, I'm not an expert in any way at all and feel free to disagree because I'm only going by personal experience. However, my doctor did tell me that some brands of pill can help you lose weight (and help acne apparently) while others have varying levels of whatever chemicals make you seem to put on weight - plus everyone probably reacts differently!!
    Hope this helps!
  • kcdrake
    kcdrake Posts: 512
    I wouldn't be surprised if there actually was a *little* bit of weight gain, but not massive amounts of pounds. I know I increased a cup size after starting BC, so obviously that caused a little bit of increase, but nothing that would cause concern.
  • aedfit
    aedfit Posts: 65 Member
    I think with the pill you can gain maybe a couple of pounds at most but I know some people who have lost on it. I will tell you that I had the Mirena IUD for 6 weeks and gained 11 pounds. I did not change anything with regards to my exercise or eating. My doctor told me it was highly unlikely that the IUD caused the gain. After extensive research I discovered a large group of women who experienced the same thing. I had it removed and lost 12 pounds in 3 weeks without trying.
  • iloveyou9951
    iloveyou9951 Posts: 12
    I'm hearing some of you all say there are types of BC that can actually help you LOSE? Anyone know what those are? Or does it just depend on the person
  • Sparksfly
    Sparksfly Posts: 470 Member
    I think it's a total myth and definately has something to do with the fact that people can comfortable with their signif other. Ever heard of HAPPY WEIGHT?
  • stratdl
    stratdl Posts: 303 Member
    I think that the makeup of each type of oral contraceptive (and, most likely, non-oral contraceptives) can cause changes in the body (my earlier comment about metabolism). The website below talks about different forms of birth control and how they are made. It is true that not all pills are created equal (mainly because the pills are designed for different body chemistries, etc.).

    http://www.wdxcyber.com/ncontr13.htm
  • wannabe
    wannabe Posts: 29
    different ones do different things and its a matter of your reasons for being on it as well. i take mine for horomones just as much as for a contraceptive and it helps me to loose weight, i cannot lose weight without being on it!! BUT the shot....i cant remember what its called, makes you gain weight......tell your dr that is a concern and they should put you on one that doesnt effect that or helps you to lose
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
    My weight yo yo'd all the time. I got on Yaz before I got married, and I blame the weight gain on being happy. :smooched: :blushing: However, I had a much harder time losing weight. All the way into my mid 30's, I could drop 20lbs in two months easy. As soon as I got on the Yaz, it got harder to lose weight. It still came off but happened slowly. I'm off it now, because it was messing with my system, but it might not mess with yours as each woman is different.
  • LovelySnugs
    LovelySnugs Posts: 389
    Hi,

    There are studies that show a trend of weight gain when people start birth control BUT remember that most people starting birth control are becoming very comfortable in their relationships and it has been speculated that this is actually the reason for the weight gain (ie. not as much effort to maintain yourself, less time for exercise, more going out for dinner and takeaway, bad habits picked up from our boys haha), not necessarily the pill itself.

    this
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
    I gained a lot of weight when I went on birth control (not to mention had a ton of other unpleasant side effects...). Anyway... my doctor at the time told me that bc pills do not cause weight gain but they cause an increased appetite which can cause weight gain, obviously. I'm not sure if I believe that because it would have been pretty tough to gain the amount of weight I did just by eating more! I do think that everyone's body is different and just because the pill affects one person a certain way doesn't mean the next person will be affected the same way. (Also, I haven't been on it for about 10 years so I am sure things are different now!)
  • namrettik
    namrettik Posts: 127
    My personal experience only: no. I'm on the pill. When I started, I actually lost weight.

    Keep in mind, every body is different, and every birth control is different.
  • seemae
    seemae Posts: 38
    I've heard both ways for the pill, but I personally use the Nuvaring and have no problems with it whatsoever. The shot - as someone previously mentioned - is notorious for being the most likely birth control method to cause weight gain and I have a close friend who put on weight after the shot, though I wouldn't say that the two were necessarily linked. Possibly, though.
  • zuchy
    zuchy Posts: 40 Member
    Student midwife hat on:
    Generally speaking yes, the pill can make you gain some weight. It is based on progesterone, also known as the pregnancy hormone, and it's the hormone that we have high levels of during the second half of our cycle (after ovulation).
    But if it will cause weight gain, it's not going to be worse and worse as the months go by, you'll gain some weight during the first month or two, and then stay there. A weight gain of over 10 lbs is very rare.
  • aryaw
    aryaw Posts: 36 Member
    I gained weight and couldn't seem to lose any weight while on birthcontrol - once I got off I was able to lose weight again...but then again I am really sensitive to the hormones put into birthcontrol - now I don't have to worry about it any more since I had a tubal after my last pregnancy.
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
    everyone's different. i didn't gain any weight (i actually lost a few pounds), and i have friends who gained weight. it's going to depend on how your body reacts to hormones.
  • parkygirl
    parkygirl Posts: 37 Member
    Gain about 5lbs on birth control or 40lbs of baby off of it. ;)
  • hotpickles
    hotpickles Posts: 639 Member
    The reason I gained weight while on it was because I did not exercise and had terrible eating habits.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
    Does Birth Control really make you gain weight? I heard it makes you gain weight in your thighs a lot. I have to go on it for a couple of reasons, but I'm scared it's going to make me gain a lot of weight! HELP

    It's not a myth. The two times I was on birth control, I gained about 10-15 pounds rather quickly. When I stopped taking the pills, I lost it all within that month.

    I haven't touched that stuff in over 11 years. However, every body is different!
  • Jenni268
    Jenni268 Posts: 202 Member
    My OB/Gyn told me this. The only form of birth control that may MAKE you gain weight is the Depo shot. She said that even then it isn't an obscene amount. Her feeling was that every since that rumor started it's a self-fullfilling prophecy. Women THINK they're going to gain weight and so they do. But they do it by not watching what they eat and by not being active enough.

    I was only on birth control for a period of about 5 years. I used the patch, the ring and about three different types of pill. I did not gain weight from any of those methods.
  • daphne_gets_fit
    daphne_gets_fit Posts: 73 Member
    You don't necessarily gain weight on birth control, believe it or not I actually LOST weight when I started birth control, but there are alot of other factors involved as well, I was in college so I was walking back and forth to class everyday, the kind I was on originally made me nauseous all the time so I wasn't really eating much until I figured out when was a good time for me to take it, but everybody's different some people do gain weight on birth control and some people don't.
  • sprinkies
    sprinkies Posts: 309 Member
    the pill doesn't make you gain weight, food makes you gain weight.

    i've been on the pill for 10+ years and haven't noticed any particular gain with any type (i've changed pills MANY times). my fav was necon 1/35 and that's the pill i was on when i lost all my weight. not that it had anything to do with it, but it def didn't make me gain.
  • HW2Hottie
    HW2Hottie Posts: 100
    I think with the pill you can gain maybe a couple of pounds at most but I know some people who have lost on it. I will tell you that I had the Mirena IUD for 6 weeks and gained 11 pounds. I did not change anything with regards to my exercise or eating. My doctor told me it was highly unlikely that the IUD caused the gain. After extensive research I discovered a large group of women who experienced the same thing. I had it removed and lost 12 pounds in 3 weeks without trying.


    I am right there with 'ya! I have had mine for a month so far and haven't lost ANY weight since I got it. I haven't gained any, but I haven't lost any either. I am going to give it a couple of more weeks and if it doesn't work it self out. It will have to go!
  • Charli666
    Charli666 Posts: 407
    Hey, i tried 3 different pills, and the Mirena IUD, and every time i went on them i gained about 7-12 lbs in a month, my doctors actually agreed the weight gain was due to these, and when i came off or had them removed i lost it all within the same amount of time.

    Having said that, my Cousin went on the pill (one of the ones i'd tried), and it made her gain like 3lbs in the first week, she stuck with it, and it dropped off the next week, and she's now consistantly losing about 1lb a week without doing anything different (she's been on it a couple of months now)

    i guess it depends on your body
  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
    I think with the pill you can gain maybe a couple of pounds at most but I know some people who have lost on it. I will tell you that I had the Mirena IUD for 6 weeks and gained 11 pounds. I did not change anything with regards to my exercise or eating. My doctor told me it was highly unlikely that the IUD caused the gain. After extensive research I discovered a large group of women who experienced the same thing. I had it removed and lost 12 pounds in 3 weeks without trying.

    I have a mirena, and my weight stayed pretty much the same.

    I'm not contradicting you, btw, I'm just excited to get to talk about my mirena.:D

    Different types of contraception will have different kinds of effects for different people. I hated being on the pill; it made me grouchy, and ran my sex drive into the ground. Can't remember if I gained weight or not. The copper IUD (I had a flexi-T) was really painful, for me, made my periods three times as heavy, and then expelled itself (thank god). I suspect the extra-strength bloodflow flushed it out.

    I love my mirena on the other hand. It hurt to get it, but since then, no problems. And, it seems like my periods have stopped completely.:D No weight gain, no mood swings, high sex-drive. It's heaven.
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