Help with birth control!!!

Hey I am getting married in June and I am planning on starting birth control pretty quick. I also don't have regular periods and I would love my acne to clear up a little. I have been getting really worried because I hear that a lot of times birth control makes you gain weight... I have been working to lose weight for over a year now and I have about 15 pounds to lose. Oh, and I can't afford to gain any weight for sure or I won't be able to wear my dress. Can anyone give me advice on what kinds of birth control are better or any other advice on the subject??

The pill will only make you gain weight if you choose to eat.  If you are on CC and counting calories then you wont gain weight.  I went on the pill and lost weight because i'm here counting my calories!

The pill does sound like a good choice for you because it will regulate your periods.  I choose to skip every second one. 

Another option is the depo shot.  Personally I wouldnt use this as long term usage can contribute to osteoperosis. 

Obviously using condoms or a diagphragm or whatever are probably not the easiest choice if you are married and with a partner who is 'clean' and monogamous.

I like Seasonale (generic is Quasonale) because you only have a period every 3 months.  I've been on the pill my whole life and it didnt make me gain weight--food did.

if you get a single dose pill, like Levora (which is what I use) they don't have the side effect of weight gain. They cyclic ones, ex ortho tricyclen, have weight gain as a side effect. Just ask your doctor about it, they can give you more options.

I am pretty absent-minded, so the daily pill is not a good option for me. I tried the patch for a while but it made me very moody, so I switched to NuvaRing. It hasn't done anything for my skin, but it hasn't made me gain weight. It's easy to remember, doesn't intrude on special moments the way you might worry it would, and I can put off my period for about a week if I need to.

food made me get fat, not the pill.  being pregnant made me get fat, not the pill. 

I think a daily pill is the best bet to start with because if you find you're having side effects you aren't happy with, it's quick and easy to stop taking it and let your body go back to normal.  If you try depo and it sucks you've got to wait much longer for it to get out of your system. 

werethylacine :  funny story; a friend of mine who uses nuva ring has on more than one occasion had to remove it from the head of her bf's penis.  hehe.

IUDs can be great, especially for regulating your period (many women stop getting theirs entirely). They're also nice because they last for 5-10 years, are as effective as getting your tubes tied, and I haven't heard of anyone gaining weight because of them. However, they won't clear up your acne.

I'd still recommend getting one, though, if you're not thinking of kids right away.

I've been on every birth control but depo, so if you have any questions, feel free to message me.

I currently have an IUD, and other than some discomfort when it was put in, it's been great.  I haven't gotten a period since I stopped the pill, but I have PCOS, which is the main culprit.  I would check into why you aren't regular just to make sure it isn't anything you need to worry about.  

I've had mine 2 years now, it's Merina (SP?), so it can stay in up to 5 years.  It is recommended for women who have had children, but only because they stretch your cervix a bit to get it in (hence discomfort, just ask for some drugs and it's fine), not because you can't get it other wise.  It also contains a small amount of hormones, which may help with acne, I don't have that problem so I'm not sure, but it definitely didn't change my appetite or contribute to weight gain for me.  The old school copper IUDs are cheaper, but only last 3 years and contain no hormones.

Best advice though:  Talk to your doctor and have him/her help you decide what they best option for you is.

(And congrats on getting married!)

Edit:  Actually, werethylacine, I did have an awkward moment once with the ring...I feel like you can imagine what happened.  Luckily my bf at the time had a pretty good sense of humour, and obviously knew what my BC was.... but it only happened once.

I don't want to scare you because I know that the pill is different for everyone, but when I went on it, I was under the impression that it would only make me gain weight if I ate more because of increased appetite or something. But that wasn't the case.

I did gain about 7 pounds in two weeks, but it wasn't the weight that was so horrible but the bloating and discomfort, lethargy, and problems with consuming even decaffeinated beverages and any form of carb. If I ate an apple, I would get really itchy and feel it going and depositing all over my body. That could have just been MY reaction to it though, because I know a lot of people who are on it and don't ahve problems, but for me, it really caused a lot of issues that I am still dealing with today (I haven't been getting my period, my view of food is all messed up because while I was on it I restricted so much). Just want to let you know that if you do start to feel like it's hurting you more than it's helping, DO NOT restrict your caloric intake. Just wait out the month, continue what you normally do, and go off of it.

And if you don't have many severe side effects, then that's so great! I wish I could take the pill. But you should try it if you really want to, just know that it's different for everyone.

Original Post by werethylacine:

I am pretty absent-minded, so the daily pill is not a good option for me. I tried the patch for a while but it made me very moody, so I switched to NuvaRing. It hasn't done anything for my skin, but it hasn't made me gain weight. It's easy to remember, doesn't intrude on special moments the way you might worry it would, and I can put off my period for about a week if I need to.

I second the Nuva Ring... I've tried other pills and this one is working best for me so far.  It has a continuous low dose so I don't feel sick, hasn't made me as moody (I have a hormone imbalance), and I don't have to remember to take anything each day.  Everyone is different though and what works well for one, may not work well for another... you just need to try a few out and see what works best w/your body.

Well, i used to take Diane, which I think it's one of the most strong birth pills, because I had a lot of acne. The problem is I gained 20 pounds in 2 months!! So yes, it was pretty bad. Also it brought me cellullite, ugh. Oh well, at least my skin cleared up, a lot!!

PS: Do NOT take this pill, I'm not using it anymore too.

i went to my doctor and specifically asked for a pill that didn't cause weight gain as a side-effect, and he prescribed me yasmin. i've been on it for almost a month, and haven't gained a single pound :)

Hi!

Congratulations!  I've used a few different bc options...

DO NOT get on DEPO!  I was on it for 3 years, then all the sudden I gained 60 lbs in 3 months and could not lose the weight no matter what I did..  I ate super perfect, exercised every day..  still carried the weight!  Oh, I also had acne (no acne before depo), hair falling out, and scars that turned black on my fair skin whenever I had the slightest injury...  even a cat scratch!  I also have 3 other friends who gained weight from depo, at least 10 lbs.

From there I got on the NuvaRing, and was able to -- almost instantly -- lose the weight I gained from Depo.  NuvaRing is a great option, after a little time you won't notice it's there at all, and its a low dose of hormones.  I was on this for 3 yrs too.  Only side effect I had with it was bad tension headaches for the first 6 months.

Although I loved the ring, I lost my med insurance and had to find a cheaper option so I talked to my doc and she gave me Tri-Sprintec ($9 @ Walmart with NO insurance!)  I was a little skeptical of it, but I've been on it about 1.5 years and I love it!  I have no side effects from it, clear skin, and no pregnancies, lol!

One main thing to consider about the various pills out there:  Do you want to have a monthly period?  Many of the pills offer a period only a few times each year, but for me personally, I like my body to remain as normal as possible.  Plus, I'd be worried that I didn't get my period because I was pregnant, but I'm a little paranoid like that, lol!

I'm currently considering switching to an IUD because I want something a little more permanent since I just got married and want to enjoy "us" before we add to the bunch!  ;)

If you have any more questions, feel free to message me!  I'd love to help!

Good luck!