Birth Control

Majda1234_wechange
Majda1234_wechange Posts: 100 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been prescribed with birth control pills because of some hormonal problems.I have heard that they cause weight gain and a friend told me she had gained weight when she started using them.So does anyone know if they really cause weight gain or maybe they just raise the appetite?I have researched every bit of internet to find the answer but the opinions are divided and i couldn't find any answers that would confirm or deny that.What is your experience with them?
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Replies

  • jen_zz
    jen_zz Posts: 1,011 Member
    I'm on birth control and I have gained 10kg in the past year. It's mainly due to the hormones making my stomach bottomless! Now I try to eat much more protein and get off the carbs and hopefully keep my calories in check.
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
    Weight gain is a side effect of almost all birth control pills however they will not make you gain fat alone.

    I find far too many women use the pill as an excuse as to why they have gained weight. The pill will either cause you to gain some water weight due to the changes in hormones or cause you to either feel hungrier or more tired and therefore cause you to either eat more or not be as active.

    Without changing anything they won't make you gain actual fat though.

    Keep up with your exercise... fill up on protein, healthy fats and fiber if you feel hungrier than normal. It takes your body a few months to get used to the changes.
  • Majda1234_wechange
    Majda1234_wechange Posts: 100 Member
    That is what i wanted to know, thank you.If i keep up with my exercise and diet i won't gain weight but i guess it'll just be harder to keep it up.
  • ashleyoh33
    ashleyoh33 Posts: 85 Member
    I did not gain any weight when I started birth control...maybe I'm just lucky? I think it depends on your body and also the type of birth control (ie which hormones, how many days you take the pill (21 or 2), etc)
  • jenbrenica
    jenbrenica Posts: 29
    I am in depot at the moment, the first two months and gained weight because it increases my appetite, the water retention did not helped as well. But I started to control my binging and did exercises and then I started loosing weight. It usually depends on you:)
  • in_this_generation
    in_this_generation Posts: 75 Member
    I gained about 15-20lbs in 3 months from birth control- I was on progestin(sp?) only and after 2 weeks was miserable. I had lost those 20lbs earlier in the year by eating healthy and packing a salad for lunch every day, but after BC I started craving white bread, red meat and cheese ALL the time. Before I loved my vegetables and salads, but I couldn't eat them any more and eventually it got so bad that if I thought of vegetables I would get nauseas- I'm guessing this is what food aversion during pregnancy is like. Anyways, I started getting up earlier in the morning to run 5k before I walked to and from work (2mi) in addition to my weekend work outs but it was clearly not enough to account for the cheese steaks I was eating lol. Anyways, in response to the other commenter, I think some women gain weight on BC for reasons beyond their control- I literally couldn't diet despite the prior year's dedication to healthy eating. That said, if I had taken a 1 month prescription instead of the 3 month my physician and I could have changed my formulations sooner so I would advise you to do that. Also, if you are worried about having to changing your BC, you would want to make sure you are not at risk for getting pregnant until you find something you can stick to. I don't mean to scare you and if you are going on BC because of hormonal reasons you will likely feel better with it, but I wanted to take the time to say that you should feel free to change your prescription instead of feeling like you need to stick with it for 90 days.
  • Lennonluv2
    Lennonluv2 Posts: 956 Member
    I'm on birth control and i didn't gain weight. Like any medication side effects depend on the individual. i take Seasonale which is awesome. I only get four periods a year, and my mood swings during PMS used to be off the charts. They are so much better now. Good luck!!
  • kitzi1
    kitzi1 Posts: 2
    In my 20's I didn't gain any weight from them. I started in my mid 30's a year ago and had water retention- especially in the first 3 months! I was very bloated, yuck. It is the same birth control brand that I had then.
  • squiggyflop
    squiggyflop Posts: 148 Member
    The pill didnt make me gain any weight. However when I was on the depo shot I got my period every single day for a year and so I became a bottomless chocolate eating machine.
  • juliana0813
    juliana0813 Posts: 49
    I didn't gain too much weight at first, but it did increase my appetite. I also retained a lot of water and it makes it harder for me to lose weight.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
    Just a little tidbit - I know you've heard it a thousand times - take it the same time each day... make sure you do!
    If you're taking the pill for hormone control, and take the pill at, say 10am.. the next day, you forget and take it at 12.. then the next day, you take it at 9.. the hormone levels will be all over the place.

    I had my doctor explain this because I was a lunatic on my pill.. now I've got the Mirena inserted, and things are much calmer (except that day before lol but I don't think anything is strong enough to calm that b!tch ;) )

    Not everyone gains weight from it though!
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    I did not gain weight on BC, or notice a particular difference in my appetite. However, I *personally* would stay away from the depo shot. My doctor refuses to even offer it because most women put on massive amounts of weight. A friend of mine put on 60+ lbs since she has gone on the shot.
  • ummlovelovesyou
    ummlovelovesyou Posts: 1,024 Member
    I'm on birth control and i didn't gain weight. Like any medication side effects depend on the individual. i take Seasonale which is awesome. I only get four periods a year, and my mood swings during PMS used to be off the charts. They are so much better now. Good luck!!

    BUMP! I am wondering about this too!
  • snooj
    snooj Posts: 69 Member
    There is actually no study that confirms weight gain with birth control. Any one you find could be another reason, such as people were gaining weight already before starting birth control, and continued to gain weight after or something.

    There is enough to suggest birth control may increase appetite, though. If you watch what you eat, it won't be a problem.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I got the implant this year and became a crazy bread eating *kitten*. There were literally moments where I thought I was losing my mind and would never be sane, full, or have any energy ever again. I'm only just now ( months later) mellowing out and getting back on track.

    That said it didn't make me gain weight directly, it just turned me into a bottomless pit of rage that could only be soothed with chocolate caramel apples.
  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
    I've lost weight easily on BC pills.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    I did not gain weight on BC, or notice a particular difference in my appetite. However, I *personally* would stay away from the depo shot. My doctor refuses to even offer it because most women put on massive amounts of weight. A friend of mine put on 60+ lbs since she has gone on the shot.

    Ill call your friends 60lb increase and raise it by 30 more lbs! Depo was a nightmare all over, in every way. The worst - In 9 months, I gained 90lbs.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    I didn't gain any on either Alesse or Tricyclen. Look into those.
  • Pearlyladybug
    Pearlyladybug Posts: 882 Member
    I have been for birth control since i was 14 ( personal reasons) and i always blamed that for myself being over weight, Until i started working out and eating within my goals i started to loose weight like anyone else would with the right diet and exercise!

    I have just recently come of the pill in hopes to get pregnant in the next year or so and i felt it was messing with my anxiety and i haven't lost anymore or put on any weight since coming off it.
  • brazilnut05
    brazilnut05 Posts: 40 Member
    I started taking Orthotricyclen when I was 20, finally got off it at age 26 (two months ago, to be exact). It is an "old school drug" but was really cheap through my insurance.My weight pretty much stayed the same (went from 118 to 126 in a six year span). The only thing that noticeably changed was that my acne disappeared and my boobs went up a full cup size (wahoo!!). Eventually I had to come off the pill because I developed crazy mood swings and started to get horrible hyperpigmentation on my face. Dark splotches across my nose and cheeks. The skin problem didn't start until after 5 years of taking it. I probably could have switched to a different brand but I chose to come off the pill and get an IUD instead. :indifferent: Many of my friends are on the pill and they didn't gain weight or develop any skin issues.
  • Pearlyladybug
    Pearlyladybug Posts: 882 Member
    There is actually no study that confirms weight gain with birth control. Any one you find could be another reason, such as people were gaining weight already before starting birth control, and continued to gain weight after or something.

    There is enough to suggest birth control may increase appetite, though. If you watch what you eat, it won't be a problem.

    this, Its not the birth control putting the weight on you. Yes it increases appetite but if you can find a way to control them with healthier/within your goals then you should be fine.
  • Pearlyladybug
    Pearlyladybug Posts: 882 Member
    I started taking Orthotricyclen when I was 20, finally got off it at age 26 (two months ago, to be exact). It is an "old school drug" but was really cheap through my insurance.My weight pretty much stayed the same (went from 118 to 126 in a six year span). The only thing that noticeably changed was that my acne disappeared and my boobs went up a full cup size (wahoo!!). Eventually I had to come off the pill because I developed crazy mood swings and started to get horrible hyperpigmentation on my face. Dark splotches across my nose and cheeks. The skin problem didn't start until after 5 years of taking it. I probably could have switched to a different brand but I chose to come off the pill and get an IUD instead. :indifferent: Many of my friends are on the pill and they didn't gain weight or develop any skin issues.

    I also had a problem with skin problems and mood swings, It took a couple of goes to the one the worked for me.
  • amaranthine1018
    amaranthine1018 Posts: 36
    I think it depends on the type of pill. I'm on microgestin which is supposed to be one of the weakest birth control pills, and I never had any weight gain or other noticeable side effects except a more regular period, no cramps and occasional crankiness.
  • emcclore
    emcclore Posts: 38
    I'm on BC and I asked my doc the same thing.... Back in the day yeah BC packed on the pounds.... not so much nowadays.... now I'm no expert or anything... it can sometimes just be a mind thing.... I don't know about EVERY single BC out there but.... I don't see that its a big deal....My BC curtailed all my cravings that occurred during my period, eliminated my crazy moods that caused most of my binges, and now when I do get a slight urge for something sweet while on my period I have the "mind" to reach for something more healthy, like an apple....

    bottom line make yourself aware of what your body is doing or how it is reacting to your new BC, if you do find that your putting on a little weight and you're doing everything else right, I would just change my pill.

    good luck!
  • chelseascounter
    chelseascounter Posts: 1,283 Member
    Nope. I'm on depo right now and I'm still losing weight. I got off last year and actually gained weight. I was 95 lbs when I first was on it for 3 years. Now I'm back on it and I'm losing weight again :smile: It definitely depends on each individual.
  • RAURARIKES
    RAURARIKES Posts: 41
    I went on loestrin 24fe (low estrongen BCP) and didnt gain any weight.
  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
    No, just blood clots.
    what about Yaz, does that cause any weight gain?
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
    Funny, I've only ever lost weight on BC. You should be fine.
  • Delaina1
    Delaina1 Posts: 168 Member
    I was also put on birth control for hormonal reasons and i LOST weight! It seems that balancing things out really helped me. It also made my skin prettier and my hair softer and straighter. Since coming OFF of birth control (trying to have a baby) I have gained back a couple of pounds. It depends on the person. I believe that a lot of it is mental and people use it as an excuse.
  • mamathrash2
    mamathrash2 Posts: 80 Member
    I gained about 30 pounds within a year when they switched my pills from a monthly pill to a 3 month cycle. The doctor took me off of that particular brand but still in a 3 month cycle and I have only been able to loss some of it. The meds my doctor has me on is straight estrogen due to ovarian cysts. I am having a partial hysterectomy at the end of the month. I am hoping the doctor can change my meds to a lower level of estrogen. The doctor has told me that as long as I am on this dose of estrogen (which is the highest they can give someone my age), than weight loss will be difficult but I am still trying my best :)

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