Birth control pill and weight gain

sibetsimo
sibetsimo Posts: 39
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone know of a birth control pill that is unlikely to cause weight gain? I've been taking Seasonale for about 4 months and it has increased my appetite like crazy! I can eat up to 4000 cals per day and never feel full (I'm 5'6'', 124lbs, and not active). I've tried Allesse before with similar results. The funny thing is, during my t.o.m. my appetite is normal and I don't feel hungry ALL the time as I do when I'm actively taking the pills.

Replies

  • Daisy_May
    Daisy_May Posts: 505 Member
    I'm on the Novaring and love it! It has the lowest amount of hormones of any birth control product on the market so it could help!
  • I'm on Zovia... I have been on it for 5 years. I never gained weight (from the pill) and never had an increase in appetite. It helped my cramps disappear!!
  • cnutbrown
    cnutbrown Posts: 80 Member
    I am on Mirena IUD. I too haven't had weight gain or homones surges like I did on the pill. And my TOM is almost non existant! :)
  • courtney_love2001
    courtney_love2001 Posts: 1,468 Member
    I'm on Seasonale too and have never really noticed an increase in appetite. However maybe I just wasn't aware of it. I think it's worth it to not have a period but 4 times a year. Tried Lybrel too where u have no periods a year! Woohoo! U should just go to ur gyno and express your concerns...he/she can advise u the best and give u the rx!
  • I am on Yaz and I love it! I have been on BC for 13 years and never had a better pill. I didn't notice weight gain because of it and now I have TOM for only 4 days. It also really helps with my PMDD symptoms!
  • I take YAZ too havent noticed weight gain either
  • belldandy1
    belldandy1 Posts: 264 Member
    Ditto on the Nuva Ring. I love it. I didn't gain any weight on it or experience any increased appetite at all.
  • Magenta15
    Magenta15 Posts: 850 Member
    To ,my knowlegde [ told by doctors as well as much reading I've done]
    BC generally doesn't cause alot of weight gain, it may cause an initial gain of a few pounds when just starting on it, but not a continual gain once your body is used to it.

    Perhaps its the sort of food you're eating that is contributing to your hunger?

    just some thoughts :flowerforyou:
  • stylistchik
    stylistchik Posts: 1,436 Member
    everyone reacts differently! I was on a generic form for a few years and loved it and when i moved my clinic didn't carry it so they tried me on ortho-cyclen and it was terrible! Increased appetite, moody, nauseous, bloated... I thought I was pregnant!!! I called them and they switched my prescription to Cyclessa and I love it for a pill! my advice is just try something different for a few months and see how you react.
  • belldandy1
    belldandy1 Posts: 264 Member
    Also, you can have fewer periods with the Nuva ring, you just leave it in for the full 28 days instead of taking it out after 21 and having a period. That is what I do. I usually have one every other month. I had one friend who never had periods with it. My gyno said this was fine it was fine either way. It just depends on your strength of periods.
  • I am on YAZ...Love EVERYTHING about it and no weight gain from it...just over eating! :heart:
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    The weight gain due to birth control pills is said to be no more than 5 pounds, and due to fluid retention. There shouldn't be an ongoing weight gain caused by the pill.

    That's the medical opinion...in my opinion, anything that messes with our hormones has the potential to affect our appetite and god knows what else. I took tri-cyclen for a few years and never noticed a weight gain- in fact I lost weight at least a couple of times while on it. My blood pressure did go up during that time, so I stopped taking it. When my blood pressure evens out again, I plan to give tri-cyclen another try because it's amazing at keeping my skin clear.

    YAZ scares me because I've heard it has a higher incidence of blood clots- sometimes fatal blood clots.
  • JStarnes
    JStarnes Posts: 5,576 Member
    I'm on the Novaring and love it! It has the lowest amount of hormones of any birth control product on the market so it could help!

    Nuvaring made me a lunatic! :noway: My husband was NOT a happy camper. :indifferent:
  • mrd232
    mrd232 Posts: 331
    The shift in hormones and subsequent reactions will vary from person to person. I know the published works try to debunk the "BC makes me fat theory" but I'm still an adament believer from 6 years of BC-hell that it does (for some) contribute to increased water weight (regardless of TOM), fatigue, hunger swings, and cravings.

    A lot of it depends on the hormones present in whichever pill is being used and how your body reacts. If your body reacts negatively to estrogen-based BC, maybe try progesterone-based. Unfortunately, I can't take any of the stuff no matter what the hormone. :(
  • sarabear
    sarabear Posts: 864
    I'm on Seasonale too and have never really noticed an increase in appetite. However maybe I just wasn't aware of it. I think it's worth it to not have a period but 4 times a year. Tried Lybrel too where u have no periods a year! Woohoo! U should just go to ur gyno and express your concerns...he/she can advise u the best and give u the rx!
    On Seasonique, I didn't notice any changes.
  • mrd232
    mrd232 Posts: 331
    I'm on the Novaring and love it! It has the lowest amount of hormones of any birth control product on the market so it could help!

    Nuvaring made me a lunatic! :noway: My husband was NOT a happy camper. :indifferent:

    Both Nuvaring and Ortho Tri-Cyclen made me very moody and depressed. Me on BC = :explode:
  • carrieberrie
    carrieberrie Posts: 356 Member
    I'm on Nortrel and nope, never had anything like that happen to me. But I was on Depo Provera for 10 years and that blew me up!
  • nikki4ever
    nikki4ever Posts: 116
    YAZ!! the best, been on it for a couple of years..right before tom arrives, i just have more cravings, but thats normal....no weight gain with the pill though..i LOVE YAZ:)
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