Ladies: Implanon and weight gain.

Yes I am exactly the same - I kept the implant in though simply because I would forget to take the pill etc.

It is due to come out in a couple of months and this time I will be going onto something different, but only because I want to give my body a break from that particular hormone as I have had the implant for the last 6 years (had it replaced after 3).

I had the same issue. I had it in for one year and gained lie crazy. I never thought it was that. I had to remove Implanon because it was causing ovarian cyst. I started loosing weight within 6 weeks of having it out. Now my tubes are tied thankfully I dont have to deal with thatl

Oh, girl, I hear you.

In some ways, the Implanon has been a total lifesaver. I have PCOS and endometriosis, and so I used to be in near constant pain. I would also have periods that would last 3-4 weeks, so I was weak and anemic as well as in pain. Since I got the Implanon last year, the pain has been so much better. I don't have to take near as much pain medication, I don't have cysts rupturing every couple months, and I haven't had a period in seven months or so. The Pill gave me blood clots and the IUD punctured my uterus (I nearly hemorrhaged to death) so before I saw a doctor who recommended the Implanon, they were talking about doing a hysterectomy (I was only 25!). I am thrilled beyond words that the Implanon is working so I don't need surgery or heavy duty medications.

On the other hand...

Yes, I gained a LOT of weight after they put in the Implanon! And before all the weight gain, I had been told that it would be very difficult for me to gain weight, because of other health problems (short-gut syndrome). Still, I put on over 80 lbs in just a few months after getting the Implanon. I was hungry ALL THE TIME. Ravenously hungry. I would try and try to ignore it, but I would end up gorging in the evening because I was starving. And I wasn't limiting my calories, either! I was so depressed, and it was enough to make me want to get it removed. If I hadn't been in so much pain pre-Implanon, I probably would have.

However, in the last few months, I've made some changes that helped me work with the device. It was a lot of trial and error. Some of it was suggestions from my doctor, some was suggestions from Jillian Michaels, of all people (I hate "The Biggest Loser" with a passion, but I did like her "Master Your Metabolism" book and found it helpful). I'm not a doctor, so I'm not saying that this will definitely work for you, but these are the changes I made that helped me. I still have quite a bit of weight to lose, but I'm about half-way there, 40 lbs lost (give or take), and I'm moving the right direction, slowly. Anyway, here is what helped me:

I eat every 3-4 hours. Even if I'm not terribly hungry at the time. I try to eat my biggest meals earlier in the day, with progressively smaller meals and snacks as the day goes on. If I don't allow my blood sugar to peak and crash, I tend to not eat as much. If I starve myself during the day, I just end up binging at night (or the next day).

I stop eating by 5-6pm. This keeps me from binging at night, my dangerous time, and it also helps me sleep better. It's totally an arbitrary time...I go to bed fairly early, so if you go to bed a lot later, you can move the time up. I've just found that stopping eating 3-4 hours before bed is a good idea.

I eat foods that are high in fiber and protein. I'm a vegan, for ethical reasons, so it's easier for me to have a high-fiber diet, but it's worth trying. Plant-based foods are a lot less calories, usually, than animal products, so you can eat a much greater volume for the same amount of calories, or less. Eating more plant-based foods allows you to fill up without taking in tons of calories.

I don't eat a lot of empty carbs and sugar. This makes your blood sugar peak and crash, which can make cravings and hunger worse. It's not that I NEVER eat processed foods or sweet treats...I find that if you totally forbid something, you'll probably end up craving and craving and then giving in and binging and eating WAY more than if you just had a little every once in a while.

I stopped drinking diet pepsi. I was a total diet pepsi addict, at least 36oz a day. Now, it might just be psudoscience, I'm not sure if it's true or just confirmation bias, but a lot of people say that artificial sweeteners can make your cravings worse and your hunger signals go nuts. Plus, it's just not that good for you. So take this with a grain of salt, I don't know if it actually worked or if it's all in my head, but I knocked off the soda entirely.

I have little snacks with me constantly. I try to keep them healthy and low calorie. But if I get a hunger craving, I've found that it's a lot better to have something small right away than to try and ignore it for hours until I think it's "time" to eat. Putting off eating when my body is screaming for food, again, leads to binging later on and eating way more than I otherwise would have. Along the same lines, I few little candies around (usually those Werther's Originals). If I get a sugar craving, I find it's better to satisfy it immediately with a small, little piece of candy than try and ignore it or put it off until I find myself in front of the freezer at 1am scooping out soy ice cream straight from the carton.


Like I said, I can't say for sure that these will work. You have to experiment and see what your body needs. And it may be that, for you, it's better to have the Implanon removed. But, no, you aren't crazy or weak, the Implanon DOES cause weight gain, so I hope that makes you feel a little better. Good luck!

I had one put in 3 week ago and have lost 6lb since then.

I had one put in after by baby and I did put weight on....when I started binge eating in the evenings...ooops

I've gained weight on two types of hormonal birth control: the pill (Ortho 777, which I took in my late teens) and the shot (depo-provera).

I didn't have Implanon, but I did have Mirena. Similarly, I suspect it made me gain weight and also really tweaked up my hormones. For some people it doesn't effect them in the same way, but for me and a lot of women the hormones are just not a good match. Several people have stated that it didn't bother them. I am now on Aviene and that bothers other people, but its fine for me. Birth control is very tricky. Unfortunately it's a lot of trial and error as each different body will respond in its own way.

@Tink36 - I know this is about a month after you posted that, but uh...Implanon is only good for 3 years =\ Or did you have a new one put in immediately?