Women Only...BC Help!

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mabupi
mabupi Posts: 15
in Motivation and Support
I'm 29 years old and have never used birth control before. I finally started 2 1/2 weeks ago because I wanted to see if it would really help my periods become shorter and lighter. I had been doing MFP for about 6 weeks prior to starting and had lost 12 pounds with calorie counting alone and was feeling FANTASTIC with very few cravings.

2 1/2 weeks later, after taking Sprintec BC pills (which my Dr. assured me were "weight neutral") I am feeling so frustrated! I've gained 2 pounds despite doing a reasonable good job sticking to my daily calorie goal of 1500/day, I crave terrible food ALL THE TIME, have lost so much motivation, I feel fatigued all day and worst of all I feel like I'm pms'ing every single day!

I know I should know this at 29, but I honestly don't. Will my body adjust to the hormones in the pill after a little time? How long should I give it before talking to my doctor about alternatives? Have any of you had particular success with a certain type/brand of BC (I've heard especially good things about IUD's, but after working in a hospital and registering several women for surgeries to have them removed after they punctured their cervix, the idea of an IUD kind of freaks me out).

I want so badly to stay motivated and follow my weight loss journey through to the end this time, but I'm afraid this may derail me. Any advice/experience is appreciated! Thank you!!
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Replies

  • MzHornedOne
    MzHornedOne Posts: 71 Member
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    You may need to look into something that is lower in hormones. I used the nuvaring and really enjoyed it. It was lower in hormones if I remember right.

    I would give it a little time before dismissing the current one. Your body is going to need to adjust so I would try and give it a chance.
  • agottula
    agottula Posts: 13 Member
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    I can't really say which pills work better, I'm on Levora now, and do find it more difficult to lose weight. I don't have any excessive cravings though.

    From what I'm heard though, it takes at least 3 months for your body to get used to the pill so you need to give it time.

    I had the Mirena IUD awhile back and would fully recommend.

    Good luck.
  • acora
    acora Posts: 25 Member
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    Hello!
    I have been on the Depo Provera BC shot for almost 2 years now. I can definitely relate with you! Within the first 6 months of being on it, in combination of working at a pizza place, I gained 25 lbs. YIKES!

    I really do love this form of BC because I don't have to remember to take a pill everyday, and while I used to get AWFUL cramps and crazy periods, I only lightly spot occasionally, if all at, every couple of months. IT'S WONDERFUL! So I mean, if you are looking for an amazing form of BC that helps your period, this one definitely wins my vote.

    As far as losing weight, being on most forms of BC can make it tougher to lose weight. I recommend just waiting it out. Keep doing what you are doing to eat right and be healthy. If you still continue to gain weight, then I suppose that is your decision whether or not to stick to it. I a=have found though, that with just a little extra push, I am still able to lose weight just fine (No more gaining and down 7lbs so far! yay!).

    Also, as far as cravings go, I got those quite often when I first started, and with my willpower and healthy eating, they went away.

    I hope this helps a little! Let me know if you have any other questions! :)
  • LATeagno
    LATeagno Posts: 620 Member
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    Sprintec made me feel a lot of side effects: achy breasts, bloated, water weight gain. Everyone is different, though. I will say this-- in general, it can take your body 3 to 6 months to regulate itself while on hormonal birth control. If you're looking for something lower in hormones, I've always had great luck with Loestrin (they also make a Lo-Loestrin that's even lower in hormones). Everybody is different, though.
  • Mhaney
    Mhaney Posts: 467 Member
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    I am on the ring, the hormones are less because they go right where they are needed instead of completely through your blood stream.
  • Bjoyz
    Bjoyz Posts: 24 Member
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    Last time I talked to my DR about BC, she said it wuold take around 4 months for my body to adjust to a new pill. It may be the same with you. It's always hard on your body to introduce something new, but it may adjust in time. If it doesn't seem to be working out, there are other pills and other methods you can try!
  • CherryOnionKiss
    CherryOnionKiss Posts: 376 Member
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    Most BC pills make you gain a few pounds. But mostly never more than 5.

    I never had any mood related side effect while using BC pill and i've been taking it since im 14 and i'm 28
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
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    Wait a little longer to allow your body to adjust before talking to your doctor. She will likely tell you to give it at least a month before changing to a different pill. There are a lot of different pills out there with different hormone combinations. It might take awhile to find one that works for you. Good luck!
  • lisitabonita
    lisitabonita Posts: 81 Member
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    It takes me 3 months at the very least to get used to a new b/c pill. I really love LoEstrin. It is expensive if you don't have insurance but it is what has worked best for me.
  • MaintainCats
    MaintainCats Posts: 222 Member
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    The 2 pounds could just be water weight.

    In general it is said that the body takes 3 months to adjust to new hormones. Some women take a little less, some take a little more.

    That said sprintec is one of the higher hormone options out there. Loestrin is another option (Junel is a generic) there is also loLoestrin now.

    I personally wouldn't go the IUD route only because I have tried it and it didn't go well plus the copper one typically makes periods heavier and the mirena one can make them very unpredictable.
  • mcr83290
    mcr83290 Posts: 1
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    Great job with your weight loss! Don't let some issues with this one formulation and type of birth control discourage you...there are many, many types of birth control pills out there and lots of other options beyond the IUD for you to consider. If you are not happy, then change it - and your doctor should be more than happy to prescribe something else for you. Make an appointment for about a month after you started taking them, and if you aren't completely in love with your pill then ask them to change it.

    Although the Pill you are taking is one of the better ones for avoiding weight gain, every woman is different. You have other options which you might like better.
  • All_Out_Attack
    All_Out_Attack Posts: 63
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    That's a very personal decision, but I'll give you my take on it.
    I'm 27, and single (unmarried). I don't use hormonal birth control. Eventually your body will probably get used to the hormones, but it will hold on to fat a lot harder. Basically, the hormones make your body think it's pregnant, so it'll stay in that mode. make sense? There's also the long term fertility issues, but I won't get into that. IUDs may travel, or embed into your uterus, etc. Also will provide a direct pathway to your womb if you get any kind of infection in there. That scared the hell out of me. I had Mirena for a while, but removed it. made me too nervous. I've done the shot (it took over a year to get my cycle back), and the pill (I'm not that reliable) also.

    Nowadays, I have one partner. We use spermacidal foam or gel or whatever (or cum killer as he calls it... lovely). I also keep track of my cycle and we avoid my fertile window. TMI, maybe, but it's been working. I tend toward more "natural" things, though. Hormones make me nervous. Were I more promiscuous, though, I would certainly be using condoms as well. I have one child, and probably don't want more, but I'm protective of my reproductive ability. Just in case.
  • carlysuzanne85
    carlysuzanne85 Posts: 204 Member
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    You may need to look into something that is lower in hormones. I used the nuvaring and really enjoyed it. It was lower in hormones if I remember right.

    I would give it a little time before dismissing the current one. Your body is going to need to adjust so I would try and give it a chance.

    ^this. The nuvaring has made my periods more regular and less severe (lighter flow, less intense cramps, etc.) and I have never experienced any other side effects. It's a hormonal BC but doesn't go through your whole system like a pill you ingest. Every body is affected differently, though, by every medication and your body needs time to adjust.
  • dward2011
    dward2011 Posts: 416 Member
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    I was on Sprintec last year and it wrecked havoc on my moods, weight, hormones, etc etc. My doctor switched me to the lowest hormone dose of OrthoCyclen and it is amazing the difference! My weight loss is ongoing and everything is great again. I've been on it for over 6 months now and it is the best.
  • mahonia_repens
    mahonia_repens Posts: 10 Member
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    Both types of IUDs are wonderful. You would probably really like mirena.
  • webutmirrortheworld
    webutmirrortheworld Posts: 52 Member
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    I just took myself off of sprintec because it was turning me into a crazy person... Seriously bad mood swings, anger management problems. I've had success with trinessa.
  • AmandaDawnRN
    AmandaDawnRN Posts: 29 Member
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    Be careful and do your own research. I am a nurse and had the Mirena for several years. It can take up to a year to regulate your cycle and can result in very long periods (think spotting for a month or more) while you regulate. However after that year they are as others have said very easy and have few issues.
  • tifftheneutron
    tifftheneutron Posts: 20
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    I hated the Mirena. Haaaaate. I constantly felt pregnant, I gained lots of weight on it, my moods were awful, and I had zero sex drive. The only positive was that my periods disappeared.

    I was on loestrin, and it sucked too. I am one of those that just can't handle the hormones, I guess :/ I hope you find something that works for you!
  • bonitacash08
    bonitacash08 Posts: 378 Member
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    Not sure if you have a child yet but Mirena can be difficult to insert if you haven't (I was going to go with Mirena but couldn't because of this).. I have Nexplanon (implant in my left arm) and so far it's been pretty great..
  • jessicarn76
    jessicarn76 Posts: 94 Member
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    Give the pill 3 months for your body to get used to it. If you want to switch, you can try a lower dose estrogen pill. The lowest is lo loestrin, but it's pretty knew and most insurances aren't covering it yet. It's a 10mcg pill. Another good one is microgestin fe 1/20. It's a 20 mcg and it's a generic so it's cheap. Sprintec is a 25mcg pill.

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