What type of birth control will help me lose weight?

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  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    Also... I have been told that they will not consider an IUD of any type if the woman has never had a child. So that leaves me and many others out.

    False. Kind of. No kids and a Mirena right here. Of course, my other option was a hysterectomy, so my doc went with Mirena. Hurt like heck going in.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
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    I take Ortho-Cyclen (because I have PCOS and I have to take bc pills) and I've lost 100 lbs while on it. I think everyone's body is different, really. No one pill will work the same for everyone.

    Ditto this. I'm on Tri-Sprintec (for 7 years) and I've lost 14lbs since mid May. Someone above says that Sprintec made them gain weight.
  • HM2206
    HM2206 Posts: 174 Member
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    I have never heard of, or observed, a method of birth control that will stimulate weight loss. If there was a type that actually did that, we'd all be on it.

    However I have used Nuvaring and it has not increased appetite or made me bloat, so I suppose that's a neutral option.
  • MelisRunning
    MelisRunning Posts: 819 Member
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    Interesting thread. Back in the day, I could not tolerate BC pills so elected to go with an IUD. It perforated my uterine wall. That hurt like a ________! Seeing as I had my two children, I had a tubal ligation. Problem solved. Due to medical issues at 36, I had to have a "complete" hysterectomy. Instant menopause. New set of problem and new set of medications. There is never an easy out. Hang in there.
  • nopotofgold
    nopotofgold Posts: 164 Member
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    IF I remember right, the Depo is high estrogen which causes the body to hold on to weight. Make sure you aren't eating to much soy, it has high levels of estrogen too (so much that it help women naturally get through menopause). there is not pill that helps lose weight since they are hormone based, they help gain weight only. The best you can hope for is one that doesn't help pack on the pounds. Sorry for the bad news.
  • bethanyka
    bethanyka Posts: 159 Member
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    Took Yasmin for help with PCOS/ regulation of my period, ( I have never had it naturally. ever) and lost 40+ lbs.

    If you are taking the pill because hormone imbalance is the main issue, getting on the pill regulates that, resulting in normal periods and ability to lose weight.
    I think any pill that helps you balance out the hormones will "help" you lose weight as you are in a deficit and counting calories... Just giving my own experience.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    IF I remember right, the Depo is high estrogen which causes the body to hold on to weight. Make sure you aren't eating to much soy, it has high levels of estrogen too (so much that it help women naturally get through menopause). there is not pill that helps lose weight since they are hormone based, they help gain weight only. The best you can hope for is one that doesn't help pack on the pounds. Sorry for the bad news.

    Depo is a progesterone only type of BC.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I have never heard of, or observed, a method of birth control that will stimulate weight loss. If there was a type that actually did that, we'd all be on it.

    However I have used Nuvaring and it has not increased appetite or made me bloat, so I suppose that's a neutral option.
    For you. :flowerforyou:
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    There are two types of hormones used in BC: estrogen and progesterone. So saying "it has the exact same hormones as Depo" for a reason to not use a BC is kind of silly. The dosages are different, but most all BC are a combination of those two hormones. You do have a few that are estrogen only or progesterone only.

    The copper IUD has a listed side effect of heavy periods and break through bleeding, so take that into consideration. It is not used to control periods as it contains no hormones.

    I have a Mirena and have no issues with it affecting my weight.

    The hormones do not "make you gain weight", but they can make it more difficult to control your appetite and cause you to be hungry enough to eat too much. My doctor refuses to give Depo as that one is well documented to increase hunger and as a result, make women gain weight.
    More technically, they contain synthetic progestins and synthetic estrogens. In addition to stimulating appetite, many also cause water retention... among other things (larger breasts etc.). They all have the potential for systemic effects, including nuvaring and mirena.
  • amethyst7986
    amethyst7986 Posts: 223 Member
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    Thank you to those that actually answered my question... to clarify:

    1. I know birth control isn't going tomake me lose weight, but I want something that won't make losing weight impossible (like the Depo I've been on for three years).
    2. I'm positive I'm not over eating. I can barely eat anything, because I'm pretty sure if I ate a slice of pizza I'd gain 5lbs instantly. Like I said, I have lost 15lbs but now I've hit a plateau. But yes, I do attribute over eating to my weight gain in the first place because I have an insatiable appetite on Depo that I've had to learn to control.
    3. I do use condoms; I need birth control to control my periods.


    That being said, it sounds like the pill (not Yaz) or maybe Implanon is my best option? I've considered ParaGard, but I've heard it makes your periods 10x worse.

    What do you ladies think of these options?

    To each his own....Birth control will be different with every woman. What works for one may not work for another. I do however recommend that you do your research....WebMD, Mayo Clinic--talk with your physician and if they aren't able to give you some good help then you need to find a new one. Ask to have the full blood work up done before making a decision...go from there. Good Luck!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Thank you to those that actually answered my question... to clarify:

    1. I know birth control isn't going tomake me lose weight, but I want something that won't make losing weight impossible (like the Depo I've been on for three years).
    2. I'm positive I'm not over eating. I can barely eat anything, because I'm pretty sure if I ate a slice of pizza I'd gain 5lbs instantly. Like I said, I have lost 15lbs but now I've hit a plateau. But yes, I do attribute over eating to my weight gain in the first place because I have an insatiable appetite on Depo that I've had to learn to control.
    3. I do use condoms; I need birth control to control my periods.


    That being said, it sounds like the pill (not Yaz) or maybe Implanon is my best option? I've considered ParaGard, but I've heard it makes your periods 10x worse.

    What do you ladies think of these options?
    Have you spoken with a naturopath about trying bioidentical hormones? They likely will have fewer side effects, and as you're not relying on hormonal BC for birth control, it may be an option.
  • writergeek313
    writergeek313 Posts: 390 Member
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    I have to take birth control to help prevent me from getting uterine cancer. I would really rather not take it, but if I don't take it, it's almost certain that the precancerous cells I had problems with a few years ago will come back. I had a Mirena IUD for three months and had to get it removed. I had all kinds of side effects and was completely miserable with it in.

    I've been on Junel since March of 2013. I lost all of the weight in my ticker while on it, but my weight loss has stalled. While my first impulse was to blame the medications I take, I realized I've been sloppy with my logging the last few months. I'm going to focus on weighing/logging accurately and hitting my macros, and if I don't start seeing results again, I'll talk to my gynecologist when I see her next month and my regular doctor when I see him in September.

    Everybody is different. The important thing is having a doctor who you feel comfortable being honest with and who you feel like really listens to you. If you try a BC and it isn't working for you, you can switch to another one until you find the one that's the right fit for you.
  • cookiekrunch
    cookiekrunch Posts: 65 Member
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    I've been on Depo for 8 years. I gained 40 pounds over the years but a lot of that was because of my poor diet and eating habits. I am still on it and have lost 65 pounds. There is no birth control that will help you lose weight.?? It's all about diet and exercise (calorie deficit).
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    The kind where you only date men who are slower than you, and then you don't let them catch you. Exercise is a very underrated component of weight loss! :tongue:
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    Also... I have been told that they will not consider an IUD of any type if the woman has never had a child. So that leaves me and many others out.

    False. Kind of. No kids and a Mirena right here. Of course, my other option was a hysterectomy, so my doc went with Mirena. Hurt like heck going in.


    "Hurt like heck going in" <---THIS is the reason why it isn't recommended for women who have not had a child. It is not a contraindication, it is because it hurts like hell! Those of us who have had kids have already had the hurt like hell part, so the insertion isn't as bad.
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    ]Have you spoken with a naturopath about trying bioidentical hormones? They likely will have fewer side effects, and as you're not relying on hormonal BC for birth control, it may be an option.

    This makes my head hurt. Bioidentical hormones are not hormones? WTH?
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    ]Have you spoken with a naturopath about trying bioidentical hormones? They likely will have fewer side effects, and as you're not relying on hormonal BC for birth control, it may be an option.

    This makes my head hurt. Bioidentical hormones are not hormones? WTH?
    Bioidentical hormones ARE hormones. They are BIO IDENTICAL. Identical to the ones your body makes. The ones in birth control pills are not the hormones your body makes. They are synthetic hormones. Their chemical make up is not the same. How your body handles them may not be the same.
    Sorry your head hurt.
  • stepfordexwife
    stepfordexwife Posts: 24
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    For the person that mentioned Implanon, I'm on it and having it removed. On top of it causing me to hold on to water weight it also has given me insane acne. No thanks. This baby is out Wednesday and I am going back to Yaz. Some people have had issue with Yaz but I took it for years and I loved it. I didn't go back on it after the birth of my daughter do to the fact I was breastfeeding. Well she will be a year in a month and eats 3 meals and two snacks a day so if I lose some supply she'll be fine.
  • abyt42
    abyt42 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    My first reaction to the title of the post was "running," but that's not helpful. I'm glad there were helpful responses!
  • mickiebabs
    mickiebabs Posts: 183 Member
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    BC will have different affects on different people. It is entirely trial and error. I will tell you though, you need to RESEARCH. Before you agree to taking any BC, research it like crazy. I was one of those that had nasty side effects on the depo. Like the other poster that mentioned, I wont go into details on here but when I say nasty I mean NASTY. Also, as food for thought, my midwife will not prescribe the depo shot to anyone that may possibly consider kids in the future. She said that she's seen too many people use it and then have fertility problems later in life.

    Talk to your doctor and do some research. Good luck to you.

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