birth control and weight gain

I had a baby via c-section December and i'm now considering birth control but i'm really worried about gaining the weight that i've worked so hard to take off.  I've lost 20 pounds so far.  I was wondering if anyone here is on the patch and has been losing weight normally or if it's harder to lose weight while on the patch?

Thank you

Hi Zizi,

I am 39 and have been on various BC medicines and devices over the years.  I always find that anytime I put a BC medicine of any sort into my body, I gain weight.  I have been on the Depo shots for about a year now (gained almost ten lbs right out of the gate) and have managed to work off about 16 lbs, but it took a lot of calorie watching and a tremendous amount of exercise.  I just changed to an IUD, so I'll let you know if my weight loss seems to speed up.  I am optimistic!

Good luck!

You can google "patch and weight gain" or "the patch and review"  and see what you get.  I have taken ortho-tricyclin and yasmin and have been losing weight normally.  ask you do if he knows of people's reactions to the patch

I've been taking ortho tri-cyclen since I was 16 or so due to cycle problems and acne. I don't know it this helps you but I found I gained around 10 lbs. at first over the first couple of months, but then it came off after 4 months or so. My doc said that it reacts in different ways with different women, but generally speaking if you do gain weight at first, it will come off once your body gets adjusted. My friend finds she has more trouble keeping off weight with depo shots than the pill, and she has since tried the implants and seems to prefer those in terms of weight gain, or lack of. I guess it's just a matter of trial and error unfortunately! Good luck, and congratulations on your baby! : )

I'm not on the patch nor have I had a baby, but I did not gain any weight with ortho-tricyclen.  My doctor informed me that weight gain is pretty unlikely this day in age, being that the pill has been worked on quite a bit over the years.

They also said I'd gain weight when I quit smoking.  I think its just a matter of counting those calories and getting some exercise.

I had a baby in December 2005, and got on Ortho Evra birth control patch in February 2006.  I did not see a weight gain from it, at the time I was losing the baby weight, which came off completely in a few months.  But, just today ironically, I was reading a study done on birth control and found out that the FDA does not recommend the patch as a safe form of birth control because it puts out 60% more birth control into your body than a standard birth control pill.  It has been linked to blood clots in your legs, stroke and has actually caused some deaths.  I am going to the doctor in a few weeks and I have made up my mind to get off of the birth control patch for that reason. 

I have also tried the NuvaRing, it is inserted once a month by yourself "down there."  But I did not like it as well, not because of weight gain issues.  It kind of "got in the way" sometimes.

So, I am without a good form, at least a hassle-free form of birth control at the moment.  I have read about something they inplant into your cervix or something like that.  It is fairly new and might be expensive since it is not monthly.  I think it lasts up to five years or something like that.  I am going to talk to my doctor about the options.  If you can remember, which I am bad at, to take a pill once a month there are some very good low dose pills that are suppose to have little or no side effects.  One is called Yasmin, it is adverised as an effective birth control without the water retention weight gain.  That may be the route I take.

There's no scientific evidence that birth control leads to weight gain.  I've been on it for 10 years and haven't noticed any different in my weight - except when I change my eating habits.  I think this is an urbn myth.

I didn't gain any weight each time I went on the pill (both Orthotricyclin & Yasmin). Well, the first time I kinda did, but I blame the fast-food-only diet I'd started right around then too (yay college).

I gather that it depends on the person, and the data available is mostly anecdotal (can't always prove just what caused it, as there are a lot of things that affect weight)....and the listed side effects for hormonal birth control tends to include both gaining and losing weight. I've often heard that the weight gained by women, if it's only a few pounds, tends to be in the breast region anyway  :-)

I had norplant a few years back (same stuff as the depo shot but lasted 5 years and off the market now). That made me gain weight, and made me generally "crazy". it gave me terrible mood swings where sometimes I was near suicidal, sometimes in a manic state. I had the norplant removed early and all of those symptoms went away completely. My doctor told me that psychological problems and weight gain were common side effects from Norplant for some women.

After norplant I went on yasmin which worked fine.

I am on Seasonale now and really don't have any problem with weight gain or mood swings or anything. Seasonale is the pill where you only get your period every 3 months. It has worked very well for me.

I did notice when I first switched to the pill that I was really hungry all the time. That diminished with time (after a few months), and I really didn't gain any weight, but I guess I would of if I ate whenever I was hungry (which was constant).

I haven't had issues with birth control making me gain weight either.  I was on Orthocept for 2 years, then Ortho-TriCyclen for 7.  Switched to Seasonale, but that made me break out in a horrid rash, and now I'm on Loestrin Fe.  I didn't notice any change in my weight that wasn't due to me pigging out (which is why I'm on here now).

i've been on loestrin 24fe (a really low dose form of b/c) for about 4.5 months, and i've been losing weight steadily for the last three (when i started exercising and dieting). nor did i notice any weight gain when i started. if i did gain any, i've lost it all (and then some).

Just an FYI article on birth control: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070123/ap_on_he_ me/birth_control_drugs

I've been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for a year and a half now and at the beginning I definitely gained about 10 pounds...however, I also started it as a freshman in college and the "Freshman 15" may have been a contributing factor to my weight gain.

I definitely gained weight from Ortho Tricyclen AND TriCyclen Lo. My doctor confirmed it, and specifically put me on Cyclessa instead to combat the weight gain. It's worked perfectly in all respects!  ;)

Hi Zizi_monster, I have been using NuvaRing for the past 3 years, and while I did gain weight in the beginning, once I changed my eating habits and started eating healthier, I had not problem losing those extra pounds...I think it's a matter of choosing the birth control that works for you and your body, and monitoring what you eat (expecting perhaps more cravings?)

I did the "shot" and i gained a LOT of weight from it - about 20 pounds, and at the time I was eating well and exercising regularly. Couldn't lose the weight until I got off the shot. I also became allergic to it and broke out in hives.

I know that my doctor told me that the patch could cause about 5 to 10 pounds of weight gain.

I just thought I'd post a different perspective.  I've been on the patch and am now on Seasonale to combat migraine.  When I went on the patch (at 16), I lost about 15 pounds.  I've been stable on Seasonale (as stable as can be in college...who am I kidding?).

hormones screw with you, usually in a bad way.

if you are putting something like that into your body, you should expect bad side effects and most likely weight gain and/or it being harder to take weight off.

the only way to figure out which hormonal birth control is right for you is trial and error.  anything that works for one person might not work for you.

I have been on Apri birth control for almost a year now, and in that time gained over 20 pounds while on it, even though I was working out more and consuming fewer calories. I also obtained cellulite from them, an unfortunate side effect of hormones in some rare cases.

However, I did talk to my gyno, and she said that she'll try switching me to yasmin. It's the ony birth control pill that has been proven by the fda to be "weight neutral" meaning it won't screw up your metabolism, gain water weight, or things like that. So I'll try that, and see what happens.

Definately go with a brand name, like yasmin, in this case. When I stopped Apri for a month, the generic brand, I lost five pounds not altering anything at all. So, definately talk it over with your doctor, and tell them right away if you're gaining significant amounts of weight, and you're on a generic. See if you can switch. Try a generic first however, and see if it affects you. It might not, it works differently for everyone.

umm, yeah im kind of embarresed to ask, but i heard the pill kills your sex drive...

has anyone experienced that? and is there an alternative where u odnt gain weight or lose your sex drive on the pill, or get bad heavy irregular periods?

love&hugs

Sash

I used BC for years -- never gained an ounce on them nor had ANY other side effects. I liked them because of the regulation, though I don't think I'd use them again unless I was desperate because I just don't trust them as far as being "safe" (e.g., blood clots, and God knows what else). I just try to stay off of Rx at all costs. Just my personal opinion, not trying to sway anybody.