Sorry guys..but birth control?

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honu18
honu18 Posts: 294 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I had a horrible experience with birth control pills--I went on them in late January, and since that point, have gained approximately 8 to 9 pounds while eating at what MFP prescribes as a deficit (and what worked for weight loss for me from June-December). It's like I couldn't lose weight no matter what I did- eat more, eat less, work out a lot..nothing. I couldn't even maintain my weight..it just keeps going up. I basically lost about 12 pounds on MFP and so happily (NOT) have gained a lot of it back. My pants are tighter again. I've noticed that the gain is largely in my hips/thighs/chest, which is I guess what is expected while on hormones. It was causing me emotional problems as well, so I stopped it about two weeks ago. I feel a lot better, but my pant sizes haven't changed or anything. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with attempting weight loss while on BC and once you got off of it..how long did it take to see a noticeable change? I'm eating around 1,600 to 1,700 cals a day while working out a minimum of 6 days a week (I usually run 4.5-5 miles or swim for 40 minutes). I feel as though my thighs should not be getting more jiggly with that kind of running!

Replies

  • zoegator
    zoegator Posts: 165 Member
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    I noticed a little difference when I started taking BC back in August, but I've been able to lose weight.

    The piece of advice I have for you is to talk with your doctor about the type of pill you were on. Some have more hormones than others and therefore your body reacts differently. Some ladies need different amounts of hormones to accomplish the same goal (for BC) so just check with your doctor.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    Try a different brand or hormone combination. There are dozens of types of BC pills on the market. Don't be afraid to switch it up. Some work better for some women than others.
  • sarahsaur
    sarahsaur Posts: 18 Member
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    When I was on the pill, I was first prescribed a triphasic with high doses of estrogen and my body freaked out, I gained weight, my acne got worse and I had horrible, awful mood swings. I was switched to a monophasic bc with lower estrogen and my body normalized. I wasn't trying to lose or gain weight at the time, so I can't answer that for you. :(
  • BriskisGrl
    BriskisGrl Posts: 461
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    i agree try another pill. I personally haven't gained any weight while on the pill I'm on, but it's a very low dose no room for errors, and for me it's not an option to stop using them (i don't want more kids) I also don't want a higher dose of hormones being put into be due to other issues that are genetic in my family.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    I lost about 20 pounds, went on birth control and did the EXACT same things and lost only 5 pounds in 4 months on birth control. And I was always STARVING. I felt like my insides were eating themselves, while eating exactly the same as I had done for months prior. Also telling was that my weight only changed during my period... that is, I could only see a small loss while on the placebo pills, and NOTHING the rest of the month. I went off the pills in January and it was immediate reversal. Back to not being hungry and seeing weight loss. When I get to goal, I may try a different BC, but that was awful.
  • luhluhlaura
    luhluhlaura Posts: 278 Member
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    I had a horrible experience on bc pills...aside from the gynecological problems one gave me and the emotional problems another gave me, I think it definitely made it hard to lose weight.
    Although I was running/doing cardio most days of the week, I never dropped a pound. I wasn't counting calories, however, just trying to "eat healthier".

    A week or two after stopping bc I magically dropped 3 pounds lol...but I think that was largely water weight.
    Since then, though, I've had more success and a lot less stress. the weight still comes off slowly for me, though.

    I would give yourself at least 2-4 months before you decided to get back on bcp.
    It can take a while for your body to completely rid itself of excess synthetic hormones and re-regulate.
    So give it some time, continue eating right and working hard, and see what happens in few months. :)
  • ashley67203
    ashley67203 Posts: 95
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    Yes, some BC pills just don't work for some people and can make you feel very sick (Yaz, in my case was a nightmare). I've lost and gained weight both on and off BC and have never seen a difference either way other than a little water weight in the first few weeks after switching.

    That seems like a lot of cardio for maybe not enough calories. You might be eating under your BMR. That kind of eating will let you lose weight initially but after awhile your body adjusts. You might consider subbing out some of that cardio time for strength training and calculating your TDEE to make sure you're getting enough fuel for your level of exercise.
  • weighlossforbaby
    weighlossforbaby Posts: 847 Member
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    I am on the mirena IUD and it's the 5 year one which expires in January! I barely have any periods which is normal but it feels fine.

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