anyone with knowledge of birth control..

i have been taking ortho tri cyclen lo for about 3 months, and for the past month and a half, my period has not stopped.

this has happened to me before, and i know its because i need to be on the regular and not LOW, but my question is...

i have gained about 10 pounds during this time and i havent really changed my eating or exercise habits, so do you think its because i have been on my period for so long? and im retaining water?

any input would be appreciated (:

The weight gain could be related to the hormones in the pill making you hungrier. Switch to the regular pills you're used to.  The bleeding itself would not cause you to gain weight.

10 lbs is a lot of weight for three months, perhaps you are eating just a bit more than you think you are? Do you count calories?

no, i gained 10 pounds in 2 weeks.

it was just recently. i dont exactly COUNT calories, because that just leads me to the path of restricting, but i eat pretty much the exact same thing everyday, and ive been exercising MORE lately, so i do not understand the 10 pounds i have gained..

i just thought since being on your period makes you retain water..and ive been on it forever....ahhh

10 lbs in two weeks? See your doctor.

That's not good.

And for what it's worth, you retain water before your period, not during it (usually).

If you have a full period for that long, definitely tell your doctor because it can actually lead to anemia.  Well, that's what my doc told me when I was having irregular bleeding from another form of BC.  No fun.

I more or less assume that when I'm on hormonal birth control, I'm going to carry around 10 lbs 'extra'.  I had been on depo for going on 4 years, and just now pulling my hair out cause my period hasn't really come back yet, and I can't switch to an IUD until it does.  But four years of no period - the weight is still there.  (and I'll take that extra ten lbs in exchange, let me tell you!!!).  Actually, I've been told that I'm doing really well not to gain an additional 10 lbs per year I was on it.

I am on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo, i was on the plain jane Ortho Tri Cyclen for about 4 years and then switched to the lo in the last 2 years. I didn't notice a dramatic weight change at all or the constant period for weeks on end. A friend of mine was having 2-3 week long periods though, She switched to the Ring and is happy as can be now... Everyone is different, but you should definately consult your doctor about what is going on with your body. She or He can help you correct it.

 

I'm a Yaz user, and while it is more expensive than Ortho (it has no generic brand), it's a lot cleaner.  Less mood swings and weight gain as Ortho.  But it's got fake progesterone, so it's why you HAVE to talk to your doctor about it.