Plateau and birth control

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mcaro05
mcaro05 Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started my journey in July. Have lost a total of 32lbs.

But. When I first started, it was coming off pretty quickly. At the time I was not on birth control because it had been giving me headaches and I was in between doctors. In October, my new obgyn put me on apri. Since then, my weight loss has been EXTREMELY slow. I've only lost a few lbs. it is extremely frustrating because I am doing everything right but not losing. I am thinking it could be the birth control. I know everyone says it's a myt but I have been really struggling to lose the weight! Any ideas?

Replies

  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
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    Have you recalculated your calorie goal since losing 32 lbs? What is extremely slow? The closer you get to your goal weight, the slower it gets.
  • OMGeeeHorses
    OMGeeeHorses Posts: 732 Member
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    My doctor says its a myth about birth control affecting you losing weight. She said it would be more the last 5lbs that would be hard to lose than losing weight period. Also that the first year you will only if affected by the pill gain 5 or 10lbs max and after that it's whatever you are eating/doing with your body.

    I have been on my birth control pills for 8 years and the 46lbs I have lost hasn't been too bad to lose. So recalculate you macros and keep at it :)
  • mcaro05
    mcaro05 Posts: 9 Member
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    Yes I have. And I was losing about 1-2 lbs a week, now I'm losing 1-2 lbs a month.
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
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    So about .5 lbs a week. That's not too bad. When I was had my mirena ( I know kind of different), I noticed a super increase in hunger levels. If I had not been weighing my foods, I probably would've eaten my arm. How's logging been? Have you had the same symptoms?
  • fiaria
    fiaria Posts: 18
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    My experience is that birth control can make people gain weight, that's even what my doctors told me when I first started it. This is regarding the birth control (depo) shot, though.
  • Nutella91
    Nutella91 Posts: 624 Member
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    it most definitely is. a year ago my doctor gave me estrogen pills to help me GAIN WEIGHT.
    i didn't want to but i was underweight and i lost my period so i had to.
    to this day, i can't take those few pounds off.
    stop taking birth control!
  • DebTavares
    DebTavares Posts: 170 Member
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    If you are losing 2 lbs per month I would personally call that a success, especially if you don't have very much left to lose. What is your height and current weight? Also, as someone mentioned....as you get smaller you have to adjust your caloric intake and numbers.
  • wordpainter09
    wordpainter09 Posts: 472 Member
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    Your weight loss is more likely slowing down because of a natural adjustment to your new intake and activity, not the BC. That being said, some kinds (I've also heard Depo is a culprit) have produced many anecdotes about gain. I think some of them give people an urge to eat more, especially at first, but they don't magically make anyone gain weight.
    If it works for you, you can try switching to a lower dose hormone pill. That might help.
  • abbyoncloud9
    abbyoncloud9 Posts: 48 Member
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    When I was on the depo shot I gained about 15 lbs in 3 years, but when people asked me if it made me gain weight, I usually replied, "Well it didn't MAKE me go to the Taco Bell drive through." I started weight watchers while still on depo and was able to lose weight (calorie deficit just like here). Now I have a mirena and I'm still losing. (btw, love it)

    Usually if it s the birth control 'making' you gain weight it will be a rapid gain in a short amount of time. The fact that you are still losing, slowly but surely, is a good sign. If you're still not convinced, talk to your GYN again. And remember, birth control may cause you to gain weight, but you know what else does? A BABY.
  • mcaro05
    mcaro05 Posts: 9 Member
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    There are other factors that are possibly contributing to my slower weight loss... I guess I have to try different things to figure it out!

    1. My Vitamin D level is low. I am supposed to take 4,000 iu a day but sometimes forget. I think I need to be more consistent with this.
    2. I may be eating too few calories. I cut it, because I thought it would help me lose more weight.

    I still have about 100 lbs to go.

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