I started taking the pill, will it make me gain weight ?

florinazamfir39
florinazamfir39 Posts: 4 Member
edited December 1 in Health and Weight Loss
Im overweight already.. so.. im taking the pill for pcos.. can that affect my weight loss ?
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Replies

  • RachNRoll
    RachNRoll Posts: 192 Member
    One time while overweight I asked my doctor if she could prescribe me another pill because the one I was taking was making me fat. And she said “No, what is making you fat is your mouth that you keep opening up for food”.
    So basically the pill by itself won’t make you gain weight, BUT it might increase your appetite, so be careful. Also, it could be normal that you retain more water when you have your period. I personally find the week before I get my period very bad with water retention, so I try to drink water as much as I humanly can.
  • tinymermaid12
    tinymermaid12 Posts: 1 Member
    edited May 2016
    Honestly, I was an elite athlete when I started taking Yaz. I was okay. Then, as soon as I stopped sports I gained 10 kgs. Now, I'm on a new pill and it's not affecting my weight. Therefore, you should try taking a pill with low estrogen.
  • LazyButHealthy
    LazyButHealthy Posts: 257 Member
    edited May 2016
    I'd say that she should just discuss and listen to her doctor and not take pill recommendations on the internet!

    Is it possible that when you stopped sports you didn't adjust your calorie intake and that's why you gained 10kg? Honestly not being a smart *kitten* here, genuinely. There is no evidence that the pill itself, any version of them, causes increased weight.
  • dancing_daisy
    dancing_daisy Posts: 162 Member
    RachNRoll wrote: »
    “No, what is making you fat is your mouth that you keep opening up for food”.

    Wow! That's doesn't seem like a very nice way to put it!
  • choppie70
    choppie70 Posts: 544 Member
    The pill will not make you gain weight. It can increase your appetite. Keep logging your food and make sure you are hitting your target calories and you will still lose weight. I have been on the pill for about 8 years now and have lost weight with no issues. My weight gain was because I ate too much.
    Honestly, I was an elite athlete when I started taking Yaz. I was okay. Then, as soon as I stopped sports I gained 10 kgs. Now, I'm on a new pill and it's not affecting my weight. Therefore, you should try taking a pill with low estrogen.

    This made me giggle. You gained weight when you stopped sports, because sports were helping you attain a calorie deficit. You no longer gained extra calories from exercising! If you didn't lower your food intake, then of course you would gain weight. That has NOTHING to do with the pill.
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
    The only reason I put on weight when I got on the pill was because I kept eating. I wasn't any hungrier, it just coincided with me having a sole source of income and access to a university food hall that had killer chips and gravy. Oh my god, those chips and gravy. YUM.
  • Charlot4444
    Charlot4444 Posts: 170 Member
    RachNRoll wrote: »
    “No, what is making you fat is your mouth that you keep opening up for food”.

    Wow! That's doesn't seem like a very nice way to put it!

    I love my doctor. He's blunt like this.

    When I went in years ago because of a foot thing he plain out told me. "You're fat that's why"

    And he was right too.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,645 Member
    edited May 2016
    Honestly, I was an elite athlete when I started taking Yaz. I was okay. Then, as soon as I stopped sports I gained 10 kgs. Now, I'm on a new pill and it's not affecting my weight. Therefore, you should try taking a pill with low estrogen.

    Low estrogen won't necessarily solve the problem. I was on a combination pill since '08 and managed to lose 80 lbs in a little over a year without a hitch. I just switched to progestin-only (skyla) on 4/11 and am at a wicked stall because my hormones are screwed all the way up and I'm struggling not to eat the whole house. I'm doing the best I can while my body sorts this mess out, but it still boils down to what I put in my mouth.

    Also, have you read the instructions for a combination pill vs. progestin-only or low estrogen? The margin for human error gets ridiculous. It's why I went with the IUD. That *kitten* scares me worse than a perforated uterus.

    To the OP: it won't make you gain fat, but it can screw with appetite and water retention. Be mindful of thise things and the damage should be minimal.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    RachNRoll wrote: »
    “No, what is making you fat is your mouth that you keep opening up for food”.

    Wow! That's doesn't seem like a very nice way to put it!

    It's called honesty. Sometimes being nice doesn't get you anywhere.

    To answer the OP's question, in my experience the pill didn't make me gain weight. I have lost weight while on the pill and while off the pill, and at times I gained while on the pill. The only thing that made a difference was how much I was eating.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    There are lots of different pills, so you should work with your doctor to find one that doesn't give you side effects. You might temporarily gain due to water weight being influenced by new hormones. (This might be 3-5 pounds). You should be pretty stable after 3 months or so.
    Many women with PCOS find they have an easier time losing weight once they start various treatments that stabilize hormones and/or help with insulin resistance - metformin, birth control, androgen inhibitors, etc. But you still have to watch your calories to lose weight, and if your doctor recommends it, possibly carbs. Hormonal BC isn't for everyone, but lots of women with PCOS have a very good experience using it to help treat their symptoms.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    RachNRoll wrote: »
    “No, what is making you fat is your mouth that you keep opening up for food”.

    Wow! That's doesn't seem like a very nice way to put it!

    I love my doctor. He's blunt like this.

    When I went in years ago because of a foot thing he plain out told me. "You're fat that's why"

    And he was right too.

    I prefer this too, however there are a few (lots actually) who don't esp here.

    OP the Pill has listed as a side effect of increased appetite which can lead to weight gain....but it doesn't have to.

    Appetite is a desire to eat vs hunger a need to eat.

    Learn the difference and make the choice....

    *before anyone jumps on my definition as before it comes from websters.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    Decades ago, one type of pill gave me headaches...which led to being too cranky to eat. Weight was stable. New pill switched, and I actually lost weight, probably because I was feeling way too fabulous for my own good. Such a freedom. I think too it helped TMOM in that I wasn't barfing my brains out and cramps were minimal if barely there.

    So really, not one smart-aleck answer about "taking the pill will not cause you to gain as much weight as being pregnant?" lol. Sorry OP, I just could.not.resist. :)
  • smithalysonm120
    smithalysonm120 Posts: 8 Member
    For me, I noticed a huge difference between generic and brand name. I was on Yaz for about three years, and had no changes in weight. I tried the generic form for a month however, and was ravenous (as well as crazy moody). I checked online, and found a lot of other people that had the same experience. I'm not sure what you're taking, but it might be something to keep in mind.
  • justincooper405
    justincooper405 Posts: 107 Member
    Now that your on the pill you can increase your physical activity in the sheets - know what I mean? :D:D
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Nobody can answer. Hormones are tricky and we all react differently to them. If you see that your appetite increases or that you gain weight, talk to your doctor about trying a different pill.

    I tried several pills (that was YEARS ago) and they all had different effects on me (none of which good, which is why I stopped).
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Im overweight already.. so.. im taking the pill for pcos.. can that affect my weight loss ?

    Hormonal BC affects different people in different ways and different kinds of it affect different people in different ways.

    The pill never affected my weight, so the answer is maybe, maybe not.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,645 Member
    Now that your on the pill you can increase your physical activity in the sheets - know what I mean? :D:D

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  • therealklane
    therealklane Posts: 2,172 Member
    edited May 2016
    I've been through several different kinds of BC in the past year. It's been a disaster. Gildess FE was amazing and I did great on it. I didn't feel like I was starving or super emotional. Lost 145 lbs while taking it (and of course 5-6 days in the gym a week + eating healthy) - then my insurance didn't want to cover it. So. I started taking Seasonique (again) to get through until I could see my doctor even though it made my emotions go haywire..Couldn't handle it. Seasonique would make me cry if the wind blew the wrong way, I didn't want to move or get out of bed..so in turn I ate everything in sight because I am an emotional/stress eater and I know. it. Plus I was still taking it when I had my appendix removed. That didn't help. Ate all the things. Was a bottomless pit. Gained around 30-35 lbs back. MY FAULT. Started taking Minastrin FE because my doctor gave me samples of it, but not a prescription. SO when I ran out of that I switched back to Gildess FE..this time around it made my TOM unbearable. Now......I'm back on Minastrin even though it costs a fortune, but I finally feel like everything is leveling back out. Working out 5-6 days a week, eating is on point, emotions are not all over the place.

    I don't know. Honestly, it's about how it affects your hormones and how you respond to those changes.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited May 2016
    Honestly, I was an elite athlete when I started taking Yaz. I was okay. Then, as soon as I stopped sports I gained 10 kgs. Now, I'm on a new pill and it's not affecting my weight. Therefore, you should try taking a pill with low estrogen.

    Did you change the amount of calories that you ate when you stopped sports?

    I'm with @florinazamfir39 What they gave wasn't a smart a$$ed answer at all. It was the non sugar coated truth. I once thought medications caused my weight gain, but when I started to log, that idea left my brain fairly quickly. Yes, the medication can cause one to eat more, but that's just it. This is the behavior the individual needs to address . The pill itself physically won't make your gain weight if you control your calories, but yeah, binges.
    RachNRoll wrote: »
    “No, what is making you fat is your mouth that you keep opening up for food”.

    Wow! That's doesn't seem like a very nice way to put it!

    I love my doctor. He's blunt like this.

    When I went in years ago because of a foot thing he plain out told me. "You're fat that's why"

    And he was right too.
    My doctor is like this, too. Honest, non sugar coating, non *hugzzz* type. Right to the truth.I am glad. It's not offensive. I find it offensive when someone pussyfoots their way around things and sugar coats everything. ;)
  • mathiseasy
    mathiseasy Posts: 165 Member
    choppie70 wrote: »
    The pill will not make you gain weight. It can increase your appetite. Keep logging your food and make sure you are hitting your target calories and you will still lose weight. I have been on the pill for about 8 years now and have lost weight with no issues. My weight gain was because I ate too much.
    Honestly, I was an elite athlete when I started taking Yaz. I was okay. Then, as soon as I stopped sports I gained 10 kgs. Now, I'm on a new pill and it's not affecting my weight. Therefore, you should try taking a pill with low estrogen.

    This made me giggle. You gained weight when you stopped sports, because sports were helping you attain a calorie deficit. You no longer gained extra calories from exercising! If you didn't lower your food intake, then of course you would gain weight. That has NOTHING to do with the pill.

    The bolded was my experience. I'm not on hormonal BC anymore because they were like crazy pills for me but the pill itself did not make me gain weight.
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
    I know when I took the shot one I gained weight. When I used the Nuvo Ring I gained weight. Both were hard to lose with. Now I'm on a low estrogen one it seems fine.
  • erinc5
    erinc5 Posts: 329 Member
    edited May 2016
    I've been on the shot for almost 4 years. I've lost almost 30 lbs total, with 20 of those this year alone. Control CICO, and you will lose (or maintain). Hormones alone will not cause you to gain. You may want to switch if the hormones make you especially lazy or hungry. I know that I am extremely lazy/tired for the first 3 or 4 days after getting the shot (then it goes away). I react to that by fighting through the tiredness and working out anyways or just eating less those days.
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    If you're already weighing and logging everything meticulously while eating in a deficit, and continue to do so while taking BC, it shouldn't be an issue. Best of luck! :)
  • unawind
    unawind Posts: 46 Member
    No, it won't.
  • BeYouTiful94
    BeYouTiful94 Posts: 289 Member
    Nahhh. The only one with scientific evidence of weight gain is the shot. The pill is very well known for increasing appetite, so then it's up to you to control it. I personally do notice that my appetite increases after I take mine, but I'd read the pamphlet and knew that appetite increase and/or nausea could occur and I didn't want to put up with that nonsense throughout the day, so I took it at night and still do. Then I just have an evening snack already planned, drink plenty of water, and take myself to sleep. If you do notice that your side effects are wild, talk to your doctor. There are pills with lower estrogen, and there are mini pills (progesterone-only)
  • Heartisalonelyhunter
    Heartisalonelyhunter Posts: 786 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I know when I took the shot one I gained weight. When I used the Nuvo Ring I gained weight. Both were hard to lose with. Now I'm on a low estrogen one it seems fine.

    that wasn't the pill or the shot or the ring tho causing the weight gain. I've used the pill, the shot, Mirena all while losing this 50lbs...and previous.

    you ate too much food...

    the side effect is increased appetite which we can control...not increased hunger.

    This. Women are so quick to blame hormones for weight gain even though there is no scientific evidence to support that. The pill may cause an increase in appetite for some people but there's no proof it's not psychosomatic. It doesn't matter what pills you're taking, you still get to choose what you put in your mouth.
  • CyeRyn
    CyeRyn Posts: 389 Member
    Im on the shot and Ive lost 55lbs so far while on it. Its harder to curb cravings Ill admit, but just control your calorie intake and you shouldnt gain weight while on it.
This discussion has been closed.