Ladies! I need some opinions!

135

Replies

  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,710 Member
    the shot made me hate men. the smell of them churned my guts. any men. all men.

    the pill just made me frigid.

    these days, the dude can rubber up or jerk off. his choice.
  • Acidique
    Acidique Posts: 119 Member
    I've taken the pill for about 13 years now, and I've never had a problem with weight gain. It's a pain to remember to take it everyday, but I really don't mind at all. Some of them can also help treat acne, not that you need something like that. It's just a nice side-effect. In the end, docs usually recommend trying something out, and if you feel strange or have an undesirable side-effect, just change what you're taking. Everyone's body is different so what works for me might not work for you.

    Also, the price ranges can be a bit scary. IUDs are not cheap. Pills are. :)
  • ElviraCross
    ElviraCross Posts: 331 Member
    I have mirena, it didn't make me gain any weight. I've lost.

    Also never gained anything with the pill when I did take it.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    I have a doctors appointment this afternoon to get birth control. Did it make you gain weight? If so, how much? Any suggestions on which kind you recommend? Pill or shot? Any input is greatly appreciated! :] I'm really hoping it won't set me back in getting fit.
    Yes, 15 pounds, pill. But quite honestly, I think it just made me fidgity and eat more. I don't think there's been proof that the birth control pill causes weight gain...Several studies have been done and what has been found is people eat more when they're on the pill.

    You can definitely lose weight on the pill. You'll also have nice clear skin. The needle I'm afraid of. My x's best friend tried it and I didn't see her for a few months and when I bumped into her next her arms were about the size of my head. She was what I'd consider hefty to begin with but she had muscle definition, she definitely didn't after that. She blamed the weight on the needle, but I don't know what really happened. Didn't look into weight gain on the needle, only pill because I was on it.
  • PixEm
    PixEm Posts: 190 Member
    I'm on the ring, I like it because you only have to think about it twice monthly. It didn't make me gain weight.
    I agree. I am use the NuvaRing as well and did not notice any weight gain. The shot made me psycho hormonal and I forgot the pill at times.
  • neversettle
    neversettle Posts: 168 Member
    My best friend had the shot and after she stopped taking it, she bled non stop for 6 weeks.
  • lambeas
    lambeas Posts: 229 Member
    Whatever you do, do not go the shot/depo... I was on it for almost 8 years and never mind weight gain, but it does some messed up things to your hormones and skin. +++ is causes bone denisty loss and no one needs that!

    on yasmin now... not a single side effect!
  • katicasi82
    katicasi82 Posts: 121 Member
    Okay... let me share what I think is correct.

    The side effects of any particular drug are gathered from a test study-- so, they give birth control drug X to a bunch of women. They may also do a control group. Anyway, they record any and all "unusual" symptoms, and the common and/or dangerous ones make it onto the warning label. So, maybe some the women report weight gain while on drug X. This gain may or may not be related to the drug, but because enough women reported it, it makes it onto the label.

    Every OBGYN you talk to will tell you that bc drugs do NOT make you gain weight. Any weight gain from taking them is all because of personal behaviors, not the drug.

    There MAY, however, be a small number of women out there whose bodies simply cannot handle the hormones, for whatever reason. If you go with a hormonal form, make sure you talk to your doc if you notice anything weird. (For example, I can't have hormones because they may have caused a stroke or migraine w/ aphasia -- scary stuff, and we're not sure what it was or if my bc was the trigger)


    I'm NOT a doctor. ALWAYS talk to medical professionals before making any medical decisions. This is just my two cents, and I hope it helps. :)

    Many doctors receive generous gifts from drug companies - I would be more inclined to trust people who have nothing to gain...
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member
    I have the Mirena IUD. I like it.

    The shot is more likely to make you gain weight than any other birth control. But if you have specifics you are considering, I highly recommend getting the pharmaceutical inserts for each (you can even google it). They will have the rate of weight gain in clinical trials. With Mirena, for example, I believe it was under 1%.... like 0.6% of participants? People inflate the weight gain with birth control stories - it's not usually the birth control's fault. Obviously your hormones will be adjusting for a bit, but keep logging and being mindful of what you eat. You'll level out and the birth control is not going to magically make more fat form on your body.
  • mistigoodwin
    mistigoodwin Posts: 411 Member
    I've never heard of anyone who was on the shot and didn't gain weight. It's nice to not have to think about remembering it, but I say go with an IUD, (Mirena), low horomone, reduces cramping, less bleeding and works great for most people. I didn't gain weight on the pill, but I got pregnant on the pill, so I personally don't reccomend it. To get an IUD you have to have already had a kid. I had an IUD for 5 years and didn't gain any weight.

    One week after my IUD was removed I did get pregnant, so they are definately good if your planning your family.
  • fit4lyfeLisa
    fit4lyfeLisa Posts: 529 Member
    I was on the shot until I had my tubes tied.
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member
    Hello there. If you are open to getting the Paragard IUD, I think it is the best option. I was on the pill for 10 years and it caused me to gain weight, lose hair, experience nausea, and it killed my sex drive. I was even on a low dose version. All hormone based contraceptives will do similar things. The Paragard IUD is great! I am so happy I decided to get one. It is good for 10 years (a much more cost effective method) and has very limited side effects (some women experience heavier periods) which are easier to tolerate. And contrary to popular belief, it is not a requirement that you have had a child to get an IUD placed. In addition, hormonal contraception seriously depletes your B vitamins. If you decided to go that route, I would supplement with a good B complex. Hope this helps.

    Rate of explusion is significantly higher if you have not had kids. And while I'm not against it, the fact that they insert a copper lined IUD but say in the clinical inserts themselves that they don't really know how it works made me uneasy.

    Also, the pregnancy rate on Paragard in clinical trials was higher. Still less than 1% for either, but those reasons are why I went with Mirena.

    I do totally understand that some people can't handle the hormones, though.... so it sounds like you made a great choice for you!
  • TKHappy
    TKHappy Posts: 659 Member
    Thank you all so much! I appreciate all of your responses!

    I have been on a few things and it took me awhile to find one that fit ME...because everyones chemistry is different. :) I have suggested what I am currently on to a few people and they love it, it is a pill you have to take everyday but the side effects are minimal compared to some...its called Lo Loestrin Fe! There is no generic for it though so good insurance is a much because its about $80 without. :)
  • vishk2809
    vishk2809 Posts: 20 Member
    IUD! get an IUD!
    its the BEST.
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
    I had terrible luck with the depo shot, not only did I bleed for 8 weeks straight at a time, I had mood swings, paranoia, hot/cold flashes. Was terrible.

    I use the pill now and have for 10+ years, no weight gain associated from it (was just bad habits) I use it continuously so I don't get a period that often, maybe every 5 months. You can do this with ANY pill not just the ones sold that way.
  • dcholliday2
    dcholliday2 Posts: 36 Member
    Please use this website when considering choosing: www.rateadrug.com It has so much information put on it by users of all kinds of medications. People rate it and their side effects to it.

    I started out on Ortho-tricyclin-Lo (combo pill). I loved it, but it ended up not shutting down my ovaries, and made a giant, but harmless cyst.

    I switched to Yasmin---made me crazy for about 6 months, then my body finally adjusted.

    I had to switch off of combo pills when I found out I had a clotting factor mutation, I just wanted to end my journey with BC at that point, but my doc had me switch to Nora-Be, that's a progesertone only pill. It was Terrible, I got horrible acne, and produced multiple cysts, needless to say I stopped taking it 3 months after I started it.

    I never gained any weight on any of these.

    I would seriously use the website I listed if you want more info. about what to consider. I wish I would have known about it when I switched BC, because I definitely would have said no to the Nora-be & possibly Yasmin.
  • tara_seay
    tara_seay Posts: 171 Member
    I have been on the depo shot for 7 years. The weight gain is unbearable, to be honest.

    I am getting off the shot in August, and put on a birth control pill. The main reason for that is because fertility is compromised when you are on the shot, and it takes some time after getting off the shot for your fertility to come back.
  • sweetbeckymarie
    sweetbeckymarie Posts: 144
    I have been on Orthotricylcin, Natazia, and Loestrin 24. None of them caused me to gain weight, but certain ones effected my moods greatly so I'd be more concerned with that. I think the weight gain caused by birth control issue is dependent upon individuals. Some people have problems with weight gain while others may not, due to birth control. It's just a matter of trial and error and finding the right birth control for you. Best of luck.
  • bpwparents
    bpwparents Posts: 359 Member
    I wouldn't get the shot. It's just months of birth control pill hormones thrown into one big shot- my mother had horrible mood swings and weight gain. It sucked living with her when she was on the shot. From personal experience, no, the bc pills didn't make me gain weight or make me any hungrier. I would talk to the dr. you're going to see about the side affects because really, with birth control, it's trial and error. Works differently for everybody.

    ^
    This!!! My roomate got the shot and immediately started extreme mood swings. I lived with her for 2 years before this and she was the most level headed person I knew. I decided to try it years later thinking maybe it had been improved, but no such luck. I had extreme mood swings and debilitating headaches. I went off it after only 2-3 shots. My roomate stayed on it and it took her 2 years to get pregnant once she wanted to start a family. Every body is different though. Those are just my experiences.
  • ShaunaLaNee
    ShaunaLaNee Posts: 188 Member
    I gained about 20 lbs with the shot, and got pregnant ( very rare) However I wasn't eating right or working out.
  • CassieD2008
    CassieD2008 Posts: 10 Member
    Go with NuvaRing. No worries, no weight gain and no cravings at all for me.
  • shaynak112
    shaynak112 Posts: 751 Member
    When I was 18, I was prescribed Alesse. I do think it helped in me gaining weight, but I had other changes that I went through during that time period as well. The biggest problem was that it made me VERY emotional and moody. After about a year, I switched to Tri-cyclen Lo. It has the least amount of hormones (or one of the least anyway) ... but of course it still works the same. Since then, I have not been as moody. And I haven't noticed as much of a weight gain with it. I'd recommend Tri-Cyclen Lo :)
  • cbu23
    cbu23 Posts: 280 Member
    Bump to read later. I'm on the pill and have been forever. Been thinking about the shot.
  • prismperfect
    prismperfect Posts: 24 Member
    Pill for me, (Tri-sprintec, generic ortho tricyclen), I've been on it for 10 years. I gained about 50 lbs after starting it, however I also moved in with my now husband at that time, and we ate really unhealthy too. So I'm not sure which one caused it, maybe a little of both, but more than likely the bad food. (Taco Bell, Ramen, Hot pockets and Mountain dew every day? ugh.) I had no clue how many calories I was eating, but it was probably likely 3x what I'm eating with MFP.

    I thought I was locked in to a certain weight for many years because of the pill, turns out I wasn't really trying apparently, as that "locked in" weight was 26 lbs ago. I'm actually surprised how easy it's been using MFP and tracking everything, it's just slowly trickling off.

    So everybody's body is different, but in my case I don't think it was much of a factor looking back.
  • rcbeck99
    rcbeck99 Posts: 56 Member
    Had an IUD twice. Once after each of my boys was born. Loved it! No problems and hardly any period. Last fall we were going to try for baby #3 so I had it removed. Then life happened and we decided two may be plenty so I got on the pill. First pill made me crazy. I mean, crying over everything, super moody. So they put me on a different pill. Things have been better but still not like I was when I had the IUD so I am currently awaiting my appointment to have an IUD put back in.
  • starfish1783
    starfish1783 Posts: 120
    I'm currently on a low-estrogen pill and haven't gained any weight. I was told the shot would make me put on about 10-20 lbs. though. I've been on the pill since I was 14 (for other menstrual problems) and never really had any weight problems.

    Whatever form you choose, PLEASE be careful! I developed a blood clot (2 to be exact) in my upper right leg and now I'm on blood thinners for the rest of my life AND i have horrible varicose veins. My leg looks like a Colorado roadmap! I was bed-ridden for 5 weeks and on crutches for another 4-6 weeks. So, please be very cautious of what you decide to go with. I'm not trying to freak anyone out - just being realistic.
  • Jigglebewie
    Jigglebewie Posts: 336 Member
    I'm on the pill: Microgynon 30 and I haven't gained. When I first went on the pill 4 years ago, I did gain, but that's not to say it was the pill, I can't remember terribly well, but I think my crappy food choices were more to do with the weight gain than the actual pill. But everyone will react differently to differnt types of brith control. Choose what is best for you. The only thing with the pill is make sure you have a daily alarm or something so you don't forget to take it =]
  • oboeing
    oboeing Posts: 1,816 Member
    i've been on the pill for 12 years. i can't really blame my weight on it, because i've been a yo yo person with bad eating habits since before i started it. it has helped immensely with cramps and mood swings.

    but like so many have said before me, i think they affect everyone differently. just make sure you tell your doc you are working on your weight and want to take that into consideration.
  • Shrinking_Moody
    Shrinking_Moody Posts: 270 Member
    I've been on just about everything but I will start with saying that everyone is different.

    In my experience - I gained the most weight on the shot.

    I gained a trivial amount of weight on Nuvaring and with the pill. I haven't gained on my current form (Mirena).

    I have not had an implant but a friend of mine has it and hasn't actually gained anything.

    I'm not a doctor - but I do believe that every form of birthcontrol COULD make you gain weight. What I've gained on others haven't and vice versa. You could always try the shot once or twice and if you are gaining - switch it up. Good luck!
  • soehlerking
    soehlerking Posts: 589 Member
    I've been on the pill for the last 2 years...I'm not sure about whether or not I initially gained weight. I know I put on weight just before my wedding (20 months ago), but most of that was stress-related. I have since lost 35 pounds, so you can definitely still lose while on it. I hope you find one that's right for you!
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