Birth Control & My Progress?

Well, starting the pill or any time my pill was changed caused some weight gain from me for a few reasons. Water retention was probably the biggest- I noticed I would put on like 5-10 lbs the first WEEK from water retention and often felt just bloated and blegh.
It also greatly increased my appetite. The pill itself didn't consume extra calories on my behalf but I often felt ravenously hungry and would binge eat. Three months after starting the pill I was 30 lbs heavier.
I've done well at managing my caloric intake and have been steadily losing weight but water retention is a constant issue when I'm on the pill.

againstalloddz wrote: »

I am 18 and I am about to start the pill on Sunday. I started my weight loss journey about a week ago. I am 5'2 weighing at 150 lbs, but I would be at 120-130 lbs.

Not sure if any of you ladies havs similar experiences, but I really want to know if this will affect my weight loss progress. Thank you!

Understand that it doesn't cause you to gain weight, but some women find certain brands of the pill increase their appetite. So as long as you track your calories, you can control your weight.

Hormonal changes can also cause you to retain water, but that should work itself out after a couple of weeks.

If after you start you find you do experience appetite issues (or any other side effects for that matter) you can try another brand.

I was on the pill for 15 years and it was a life saver. In addition to BC, it regulated my horrible cramps, heavy bleeding, and a practically random cycle. And I didn't experience any side effects.

Been on the pill my whole journey. Did not stop it at all.
From when I started again (10 years ago) after multiple trials with alternatives and all being a disaster for me it did seem to cause some water retention initially but that effect wore off after about 2 months. I attributed it at the time to the pill but could also have had to do with multiple other stuff that was going on in my life at the time

I lost more weight than I gained while on the pill (and I gained a lot. The pill was not to blame). Just be mindful if how it's affecting your appetite, and know that fluctuations are normal.

sblackwell509 wrote: »

I would forget the pill, and just wear protection. The pill has so many chemicals in it that is not healthy for you! It can even cause infertility.

Please ignore this comment! the poster who made has no idea about you or your situation and has no right to tell you this, also the pill has HORMONES in it not chemicals.
and there is no evidence that it causes infertility. take it from somebody who has been on and off the pill since I was 21 and now at the age of 31 have 5 kids....never did me any harm lol

in answer to your question, some people finds it can cause them to feel hungry so the pill its self wont cause you gain weight BUT how you deal with that hunger will if you dont keep it in order.
also can can cause water retention which usually comes and goes through out your cycle.

I find i suddenly go up 5-6lbs around a week before Im due my break butis gone by the time I get to around day 3/4 of my period

sblackwell509 wrote: »

I would forget the pill, and just wear protection. The pill has so many chemicals in it that is not healthy for you! It can even cause infertility.

Condoms dont help during that time every month when it feels like a knife has been thrust through my uterus and someone's twisting it.

I no longer take the pill (migraine with aura + pill = bad, apparently, so now I'm on the depo shot - which I will say is also working wonders for cramp control, in case anyone else needs a backup plan). But when I did, the ONLY reason I gained weight was because I ate too much, and the ONLY reason I ate too much was because I love food and had no experience needing to moderate it.

And if you are on it for contraception, well, I can think of something that would interrupt/affect your weight loss efforts a whole lot worse than the pill you could have taken to prevent it...