Comments on: Do birth control pills make you gain weight?

By: Mrs.Sick of Birth Control

Mrs.Sick of Birth Control — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:53:00 +0000

I was on bcp for 10 years. I was able to lose weight if I worked my bum off, but with each time that I switched, I gained more and more. I finally switched to nuvaring, and I gained weight faster and this weight I could not shed no matter what I did. I just got off bc b/c im sick of the side effects. I’ve lost 7.5 pounds in a week by eating 1200 calories a day. Being off bc is amazing. Im more level headed, less moody, but I do get headaches everdyay as my body is struggling to learn how to rely on its own natural hormones

By: Shay

Shay — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:30:30 +0000

I've taken orthotricylcen-lo, orthotricyclen, and trilevlin and haven't experienced any noteworthy weight gain. I weighed about 118-119 when I was 18 (a year or so into taking the pill). At 20, I weighed around 125-127. I think this weight gain is attributed to all of the weight lifting I was doing, however I was not lean. I was had muscle, but I looked soft. At 22, I weigh 123 and I run ALL THE TIME (high intensity running, at that). With the amount of running that I do (i.e. 8:30 minute miles for 7 miles), I would expect to weigh less. Either my body's set point is hard to shift, I've come into my “woman body”, or the pill is keeping me from losing a few pounds.
At any rate I'm getting off the pill because it has completely destroyed my libido.

By: Valencia

Valencia — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:10:40 +0000

I got my birth control shot in November on the 4th. The reason why I got the shot was to gain waeight. I would like to know how long does it take for to see improvement of gaining.I weigh about 120 but I just want to gain a few more pounds. I started feeling the adacity of eating alot but then I stop. I try to eat but then I just cant anymore. I get my next shot in january. I just want to know how long does it take for you see the improvement of a little gaining of weight on you?

By: Valencia

Valencia — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:10:00 +0000

By: lulu

lulu — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:02:04 +0000

I’m taking the shots now and I love the way its making me gain weight. I was very small at one point and now the depo shot has made me gain weight in all the right places. I’m sorry but I’m going to disagree with some of you. I love it!

By: Morgan

Morgan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:24:15 +0000

Yeah, I take ortho-tricyclin. I took another before this and it made me gain around 20 lbs! I gained that much, but never any more, It also caused me to have some issues with depression. So, I switched. Im still gaining no more weight, and no depression. But, I can’t seem to lose what I gained!

By: Morgan

Morgan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:24:00 +0000

By: Debby

Debby — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:41:04 +0000

Yours sounds like a very frustrating situation and I’m sorry to hear about your challenges getting help. As a scientist yourself, you may find it useful to begin with this article, which reviews some of the past research related to oral contraceptive pills and weight gain as well as presents a new study of various hormonal methods including NuvaRing and did not find a significant weight gain effect: http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/21/9/2304

I would also highly recommend seeing either a registered dietician (not a “nutritionist”) and/or an endocrinologist as a next step. You may know that when people are on very low calorie diets (which less than 1200 calories qualifies as) they actually have a very difficult time losing weight as the metabolism slows down to preserve health, fat and survival. You likely are also aware of the issues related to hypothyroidism, which is not always readily diagnosed among women, but that is quite common and may possibly have been overlooked, as may other hormonal issues. Just as idea. I am not a medical doctor and do not know you, but I hope that these ideas and resources may be helpful in some way.

Thanks for taking the time to read and to write.

Best wishes.

Debby

By: Debby

Debby — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:41:00 +0000

Thanks for taking the time to read and to write.

Best wishes.

Debby

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:56:07 +0000

I completely agree with Candice, “I know there are alleged facts claiming that birth control is not a contributing factor of weight gain in young women, but, from my own experience that claim is false.” Absolutely. I have been on BCP for approximately 10 years. My first few years were fine – typical “water weight” gain of ~5 lbs, which I was fine with. However, because my insurance “did not cover” the one I was on, I had to switch to Loestrin, during which I gained another 5 lbs or so over a couple years. Again, I was ok with this. Did not even realize it was from the pill. Then, again due to insurance, I had to switch to Microgestin. I have gained about another 20 lbs, have migraines, and am tired much of the time. Mind you, I have talked to my Drs about these symptoms, had blood work done, and no suggestions, not once, that it may be do to the Pill. I am an extremely active person, am great with food choices, and know that weight gain is based on calories in vs. out. So explain to me how I can reduce my diet to less than 1200 cals per day (noted in book ALL intake thank you), increase my exercise to running and walking 10 miles/day for 5 days a week PLUS weights 3 days a week, and only lose weight during my periods. During my non-period weeks, I either gain (yes gain with less than 1200 cals) or maintain. Oh, then another period week and I lose again. Please, explain to me how this is NOT related to the Pill. I would love to hear the experimental data. Oh, by the way, I am a scientist, so I understand the validity of data. So, please, explain away.

Yes, I am venting, because I am tired of reading stupid sites like this that simply state stupid statements like, “The research, it turns out, says that they don’t” without a single reference, explanation, or any further information at all. Also, does it not occur to a single site that corporations OF COURSE do not want women to believe that weight gain, or even better, lack of ability to lose weight, can be symptoms. Um, this is from the same companies that like to state, “Break through bleeding or spotting may occur, but is minimal and not a problem.” Ok…..only men and corporations can make a statement like this. Seriously. Give me a $&Z$*ing break. Please.