Birth control hunger

MarmiteToes
MarmiteToes Posts: 20 Member
edited April 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm on Depo and got the unfortunate side effect of increased appetite. I know many other methods of birth control have this same charming side effect so I'm sure I'm not the only one on this site struggling. For those of you with this same issue, what do you do to combat or deal with the extreme hunger? I've been a bottomless pit for days even though I'm eating the same stuff in the same portions as usual. I drink tons of water and finish my dinner off with a big cup of tea but I'm still hungry again 30 minutes after every meal. Sometimes I never feel satiated by a meal and would love to shovel down a second or third helping. Annoyingly, I can't increase my exercise right now since I'm recovering from an injury so I can't earn myself more calories. Any tips? I'm tired of being ready to go to bed at 9:00 PM because I'm fatigued and cranky from the hunger!

Replies

  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
    I can't really give you good advice other than we all deal with cravings and fatigue during certain times of the month. You have to build good habits to overcome some of those cravings. I would suggest being really aware of the kinds of foods that keep you fuller longer...for me it's proteins. I will eat mostly protein for dinner so I feel content going to sleep full.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    appetite vs Hunger...figure out if you are hungry or just want to eat.

    If it really is hunger fill up on protein and fats to help keep you feeling fuller longer...

    I often keep greek yogurt and cheese handy and if it gets really bad I eat a protein bar.

    with your meals try to make sure the majority of your calories are coming from Protein.

    ONe good way to make sure you are getting in good protein is if the meal you are eating or the food has 1 gram of protein for each 10 calories.

    So for example my greek yogurt has 80 calories and 10 or 11 gram of protein or my lunch had 390 calories and 38 grams of protein.
  • WVWalkerFriend
    WVWalkerFriend Posts: 575 Member
    Is there another birth control option you can use?
  • MarmiteToes
    MarmiteToes Posts: 20 Member
    LowCarb4Me2016 wrote: »
    Is there another birth control option you can use?

    I'm leery about switching and trying something new since they all seem to have a scary list of side effects and many of them also involve increased appetite. I figure since I don't seem to have any other major issues from the Depo it's safer to stick with the devil I know.

    I do hit my macros on most days and make sure there's plenty of protein in my diet. I eat Greek yogurt and lean meat every day and most of the time that works just fine. But then I suppose the hormones kick in and nothing seems to keep me full. I guess I was somehow hoping other women who have been through this had some sort of magic fix.
  • Ruatine
    Ruatine Posts: 3,424 Member
    I started Seasonique a couple months ago, and the first month or so was really rough for me with increased appetite. Honestly, I just ate more with the realization that it would even out at some point, and I'd be able to get back on track then. I also focused on things that I could eat with a lot of volume for not a huge amount of calories (veggies, berries, unbuttered popcorn, etc.).
  • jbirdgreen
    jbirdgreen Posts: 569 Member
    I second eating low calorie, high volume foods. If you can keep your mouth busy with something low calorie, it helps with the hunger. Tricks your brain into thinking you're taming the beast.

    Just be forewarned: Even though I changed my diet, I could not lose 10 lbs I gained on BC. It was impossible. I worked out like crazy and it was like the scale was stuck. I switched brands (Gildess to generic Yasmin), and it still stuck (moodswings got worse though). After I got off it, it was gone in a flash. Everyone is different, so this may not happen to you.

    SN: I hate birth control with a passion. What it did to me emotionally and physically makes me basically tell everyone: if you do not HAVE to take it, don't. This is just my opinion based on my experience.
  • FelinaDC
    FelinaDC Posts: 32 Member
    I was on depo years ago and gained 25 lbs in like 6 months. I also had mood swings and lower libido... isn't that the opposite of what you want when on bc? Anyway, the hunger I felt was intense to the point of always having to keep trail mix/nuts/fiber bars in my car or purse to satiate the monster. As soon as I was off it the side effects were gone! I switched to a lower-hormone bc pill and have experienced nothing like the depo shot. Hope this helps!
  • MarmiteToes
    MarmiteToes Posts: 20 Member
    jbirdgreen wrote: »
    Just be forewarned: Even though I changed my diet, I could not lose 10 lbs I gained on BC. It was impossible. I worked out like crazy and it was like the scale was stuck. I switched brands (Gildess to generic Yasmin), and it still stuck (moodswings got worse though). After I got off it, it was gone in a flash. Everyone is different, so this may not happen to you.

    SN: I hate birth control with a passion. What it did to me emotionally and physically makes me basically tell everyone: if you do not HAVE to take it, don't. This is just my opinion based on my experience.

    Oh, I am in complete agreement. As soon as my husband and I go from being 95% certain we don't want kids to 100% then he's getting a vasectomy. Birth control is a new experience for me and I hate it. I maintained a 100-pound weight loss for 13+ years but as soon as I went on the stuff I gained 40 pounds back in a year. I know that's down to my increased eating but I used to be able to intuitively eat and felt comfortable in my body and now... not so much. It also feels so much harder to lose but some of that could be due to my advanced age now that I'm in my mid-30s. I cannot wait until I can quit this stuff and go back to normal!
  • strifechick
    strifechick Posts: 129 Member
    I love my depo I think I lost weight from when I switched off the pill and not having to worry about having my period and horrible cramps make it worth any minor side effect I might have. I'm so worried my doctor is gonna force me to go off it when I go in for my annual appointment this summer because I have already been on it longer then recommended (they usually say like 2-3 years and I have been on at least 4) but I don't want to stop.
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 654 Member
    strifechick wrote: »
    I love my depo I think I lost weight from when I switched off the pill and not having to worry about having my period and horrible cramps make it worth any minor side effect I might have. I'm so worried my doctor is gonna force me to go off it when I go in for my annual appointment this summer because I have already been on it longer then recommended (they usually say like 2-3 years and I have been on at least 4) but I don't want to stop.

    There is no reason to take you off of it if you want to stay on. The side effect to worry about is bone density. After about 2 years you begin to lose density. If that is the concern, take extra calcium and vitamin D.
    I've been on it for 12 years, and my doctor plans on keeping me on it until I'm in my mid 50's. I'm 40 now.
  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
    edited April 2017
    I've never had an increased appetite while on birth control pills. Just because a side effect is listed for something doesn't mean you specifically will get that side effect. I think there are more significant risks while on depo than other types of birth control but ultimately it's your choice.

    Also, just because you have an increased appetite from meds doesn't mean you need to eat beyond a reasonable intake. I'm sitting in front of three restaurants in my car waiting for someone in an appointment. I am hungry and I could easily get out and get food. But I'm not doing it because self control is a thing I'm working on and eating out is not in my plan.

    Yes, some meds do have a side effect of some weight gain but ultimately, you are choosing your BC method even with the side effect you experience. If you don't want that side effect, then make the change to something else. There are at least ten different options for BC I can think of without trying very hard. Pick one of those.

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