Can we talk birth control ladies ?

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  • Alassonde
    Alassonde Posts: 228 Member
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    I've been on the pill for 15 years now. It definitely didn't cause any weight gain for me, and I don't have a problem losing while on it. My weight gain came from my deep love of fast food. :) I did try Mirena for a very short time and it was a nightmare. I gained 3 pounds in 2 weeks on that, mostly because it was causing me constant pain and I kept telling myself "If I'm going to be in pain, then I can at least have some ice cream!". I had it removed after two weeks; my experience was so bad I would never recommend it to anyone. I know it works great for some people, but I am not one of those people. I'll just be on the pill until I'm too old to need it, I guess. Not that much longer anyway.
  • tiffanyfoundit
    tiffanyfoundit Posts: 130 Member
    edited November 2015
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    I started birth control last November (Sprintec) and started actually eating right and exercising in like February and March and I haven't had any issue with losing weight.
    Mostly the first couple of months were really hard on me hormone wise and adjusting to it, but I'm better now. I used to get sick every month on my period, like the flu every month and haven't since then. I hardly have a period. It's mostly just discharge at this point.
    Only bummer is my libido is not where it used to be. But I'm waiting on my boyfriend to come back to make a legit judgement call on that one, cause he's been gone since I started losing weight (deployed) so that may change things once he's back. Cause losing weight can help with your libido, I've read. Not sure about the difference in birth control.
  • Duchy82
    Duchy82 Posts: 560 Member
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    Lathandria wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »

    @Lathandria There was a news story on the other night about ESSURE. There are many women suing the company who makes it due to a myriad of complications. It ]
  • Duchy82
    Duchy82 Posts: 560 Member
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    Duchy82 wrote: »
    Lathandria wrote: »
    christinev297 wrote: »

    @Lathandria There was a news story on the other night about ESSURE. There are many women suing the company who makes it due to a myriad of complications. It ]

    whoops accidentally pressed post reply when I hadn't actually added anything

    @Lathandria could you not ask for a bilateral salpingectomy, that way you keep your ovaries and womb but lose the essure. That way you dont go into early menopause and you will still not be able to get pregnant.

    to the original OP i was on the pill for 16 years and never gained weight
  • MsMaeFlowers
    MsMaeFlowers Posts: 261 Member
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    I've been on several different pills, the nuvaring, the patch, mirena, and the depo shot.

    The only one I can stand at all is the depo shot. I love it. Only good side affects so far. I've gained and lost weight with all of them, except mirena. On mirena I only gained weight, and couldn't lose it, plus I had a ton of other horrible side affects. Like 24/7 cramping. Cramps so bad I had to take muscle relaxers to get them to stop, and exercising was hell, as it caused the cramps to get even worse. (the cramps might have been part of the reason for the lack of weight loss, it's harder to exercise as much as you want when doing it hurts so bad you want to break down crying in the middle of the gym)

    Everyone is different though, but I honestly don't think any form of birth control will cause you to gain weight permanently if you are controlling your calories.
  • Mukuma_1
    Mukuma_1 Posts: 7 Member
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    I have used condoms for the last 10 years with no problems whatsoever. No side effects so far. My own doctor said I should never go onto the pill as I am now over 40 and not recommended. I am so used to them and I can never have intimacy with anyone without them. So used to them now x
  • umachanxo
    umachanxo Posts: 926 Member
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    I was on different types of bcps for about 10 years. They didn't cause me to gain weight, I was just eating too much. I actually got to my lowest weight while on tricyclen-lo.
  • Mrsrobinsoncl
    Mrsrobinsoncl Posts: 124 Member
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    CoffeeNCardio wrote: »
    lunad_w wrote: »
    Is there anything besides the pill that everyone is using? Has anyone had a reaction to the implant or Nuvaring?

    I have the paraguard IUD (hormone free). I probably wouldn't have got it before I had my son, because they say implantation in a mint-condition(tee-hee) uterus can be painful as well as increase period pain, but if you've had a kid already, and hormonal birth control doesn't work for you (it turns ME into an emotional wreck half the time and a horrifying ***** the rest of the time) and obviously if you're not seeing multiple partners whose STD status might at any time be in question, I highly recommend it. It just sits in there, where it can stay for up to 10 years, you don't ever have to think about it except to occasionally check it's still there, and it's SUPER effective.

    I have paraguard too and no complaints!! I tried several hormonal methods of birth control, they all made my crazy, light headed, fainted.. fun stuff like that. I got my first Paraguard before I had children, it was painful but only for a couple seconds, then I had a dull ache, like period cramps for a day. It has caused me to have a little heavier period, but it evened out after a while. I had it removed and got pregnant within 2 weeks, eek, we were planning a kid but didnt think it would happen that soon. 6 weeks after I had my son I had another one put in, very rairly even think about it !!
    It hasn't caused me to gain any weight
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
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    for me - birth control pills were a nightmare - I tried a variety before giving up completely. some made me crazy weepy psycho, another made me punch my then boyfriend in the face because I got the *kitten* with him annoying me while I was watching Beverly Hills 90210 - seriously - I've NEVER been a physically violent person but I turned around and packed him one on the side of the face. The scary thing was - it felt so good. But anyway, not condoning domestic violence here - like I said - it was that particular pill - when I was on it I would activelly look for trouble like walk down a dark alley at night hoping someone would mess with me so I could kick their butts. I have never been in a fisty-cuff fight BTW. I got off that one pretty quick! ALL OF THEM made me fat.

    So I now use an IUD with no hormones - the old school copper one. The period sucks as it's longer and heavier but at least I'm not crazy or fat.

    Before discovering the IUD I tried diaphragm (sucked big time) and just using condoms mixed with rhythm method but that was always too emotionally draining as I would always be worried "what if I get pregnant".

  • MurderMeSomeFat
    MurderMeSomeFat Posts: 68 Member
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    I also have Essure (since 2011). I am starting the process of having a hysterectomy to have it removed. I have over 50 symptoms caused by E-hell. I thought I was just falling apart
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I tried various hormonal BC, including Mirena. All were hell for me. Ultimately, we went with condoms/foam, cervical cap, diaphragm, at various times. One advantage to menopause: soon, I won't have to worry about that part!
  • lisalewis7588
    lisalewis7588 Posts: 76 Member
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    I was on the birth control pill for years and never had a problem with weight gain. I switched to Mirena IUD about a year ago and it has caused essentially a year-long period with breaks here and there... meaning I am feeling PMSy about 90% of the time. And with PMS comes comfort food cravings & chocolate cravings. So I've gained about 10 pounds in the last year, because I have been eating too much.

    The IUD did not cause the weight gain, but it affected my appetite, so I ate more, so I gained. If I had the willpower to say no to PMS cravings, I could lose the weight, but I'm not sure my husband would want to live with me :expressionless: . I am going to have the IUD removed because of the year-long PMS thing. They said to give it a year, but it's only gotten worse for me. So I'm going back on the pill for now, it seemed to be a better match for my body.
  • Alassonde
    Alassonde Posts: 228 Member
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    I had the Mirena IUD for a whole 2 weeks. It caused me so much pain I had to have it removed. I managed to gain 3 pounds in that 2 weeks because I was basically constantly eating ice cream and yummy things in hopes of taking my mind off the pain. Didn't work.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I've used the pill, Mirena and depo over the last 30 years.

    Only time I gained weight was when I put too much food in my mouth.

    All BC have a side effect of "weight gain/increased appetite" but if you read how drug tests are done you would understand that any "odd" thing the people experience must be reported and none of them were on a calorie controlled diet atm in a lab esp.

    Does BC cause weight gain? probably but is it real weight or water weight?

    I don't believe that a pill can cause fat to materialize out of nothing...so chances are if you have gained a few pounds it's water weight....if more than 10...you are eating too much.

    I can hardly wait till I get my tubal so done with BC....for no other reason than it's a pain.
  • lesleyloo7879
    lesleyloo7879 Posts: 439 Member
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    My better half is fixed.... he has an empty coin purse so I do not worry about it anymore.... the only time I gained weight on bC is when I over ate ....which was quite often
  • xnearlytherebx
    xnearlytherebx Posts: 50 Member
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    I think most issues with weight gain on birth control are because the different hormones cause hunger cravings. If you resist them, they should die down!
  • RWayne48
    RWayne48 Posts: 68 Member
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    one side effect I had on the pill was increased blood pressure - after going off the pill my bp dropped about 15/7 pts!!
  • cate320
    cate320 Posts: 130 Member
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    I am on Levlen, and have been for years. Never had any weight gain, or loss from it. No increases or decreases to appetite either.

    Everyone reacts to hormonal BC differently though, which is why you are getting such conflicting results. Basically, you won't know until you try. But if it's making you gain weight or having any other unpleasant side effects, let your doctor know and they will switch you to a different combination of hormones, or even try non hormonal BC.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
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    I lose weight easier on birth control.
  • erzadel
    erzadel Posts: 5 Member
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    I was on depo provera and the reason why I started dieting was to avoid weight gain (and to shed those extra pounds of course). I've heard HORROR stories about women gaining up to 100 lbs while on depo. So I've been (slowly) losing weight. Sometimes those cravings get the best of me...

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