Ladies: Birth Control?

Hey ladies, just wondering if anyone out there has found a birth control that doesn't cause weight gain. I started on the Nuva Ring about two years ago, and actually had a 5 lb weight loss initially, but then gained it back plus 7 more lbs. Of course I attributed the gain to eating habits, but I just went off of the Ring two months ago and have dropped 8 lbs without much effort. But, eventually I will want to get on birth control again, so just wondering if any ladies have alternatives that have not triggered weight gain. It would be much appreciated!

My wife takes YAZ, it works very well. She actually lost weight when she started taking it. I can honestly contribute the weight loss to the medicine because she does another calorie counting program so I monitor that weekly to make sure she is staying healthy. The weightloss effected her mainly in the stomach and hips however..... good for her, but i like her hips :) . I hope this helps you out..... i know you said this forum is for ladies but I think married man advice is just as good :)

I've been on Ortho-tricyclen for a couple months now.  I've not gained any weight on it.  I'm actually still losing, just extremely slowly.  I don't think it's the pill that's slowing down my weight loss, though.  I think it's the holiday temptations I keep running into. 

I do seem to have more cravings.  I'm not sure if that's the pill or not.  And I've had other side effects that I'm quite positive are from my bc pills. 

desogen is awesome...low hormone birth control is definately the way to go!

Those are great suggestions. One thing that I have noticed since I went off the Ring is that my cravings have greatly subsided. I never knew it could cause that, I just figured weight gain was attributed to how your hormones effect your metabolism or something.

thats correct, birth control is a derivative free form estrogen. Estrogen is what makes a woman instead of a man. High estrogen levels increase appetite as well as your bodies fat storage rate. Thats why woman collect fat in the stomach, hips, and thighs and men do not. Men tend to carry fat in the chest and lower back. Differant birth control effects a person differantly because as they are all free form type estrogens they have differant molecular structures. If a man was too take birth control he would develope female characteristics ...... but since estrogen is a steroid that increase the effects of testosterone.... he would get big as hell, just wouldnt be too attractive.

I don't want any more children so am thinking about asking my doctor when I see her in Febuary about this method where they implant little metal coils in your fallopian tubes which causes scaring so there is no way for the sperm to travel to fertilize my eggs... Because I was on the pill before but my blood pressure got up too high and was taken off of them.  I just wish my husband would consider having a vasectomy but he won't so hopefully I can have this other procedure done.  It is supposed to be pretty non-invasive with minimal cramping.  I'm doing it because I want something permanent as I'm getting mighty tired of using condoms...

I am on the low dose depo shot. I've only lost on it so far. No gain. Yay! I was on the regular depo and it kicked my butt with the spotting and whatnot, but this one i spotted for maybe a week after my period and nothing since. It's kind of nice. Really small needle, taken every 15 weeks.. I'm not complaining.

It doesn't contain estrogen. That's the major plus side for me. The regular depo made me moody, and my appetite sky rocket.. but the lower dose is definitely the way to go.

I must know more about this low dose depo. The regular one castrated my SO's drive almost completely.

I am on Seasonique, the kind where you have 4 periods a year.

I really like it and I have never gained weight being on it

the depo shot is incredibly dangerous as it helps contribute to bone deterioration. I thought about getting it last spring and did some research. Considering my grandmother is dying of bone cancer, I thought it would be an insult to her to willingly put my own body in risk.

low dosage Pills are usually the most healthy all around, compared to other options, and the weight gain is usually water, not fat or muscle.

Before I went on the pill, I was nervous about gaining weight... my doctor explained to me that a study was done where two groups of women had their weight monitored for a year, one group of women on the pill and one group off... at the end of the year the gross weight gain of each two groups was almost exactly the same... the women off the pill who gained weight explained it was due to stress, lack of time to work out, eating differently, all different reasons... OVER 90% of the women ON the pill who gained weight attributed their weight gain to going on the pill. basically, the conclusive evidence showed that less than 5% of women on the pill (ANY brand) actually gain weight because of the pill. It does happen in some cases, but it's more of an "urban myth", if you will, that you'll gain weight by going on the pill. Sorry I can't give you a URL to a more detailed explanation of that study, my doctor mentioned it in passing and I never caught the name... But I really trust her. Anyway, I'm on Yasmin, I lost weight when I started it, but I don't know if that's because of the pill or because my cross country preseason workouts started right around the time I started taking it!

I used to be on BC pills for 5 years, and finally quit, yay! I tried everything, I tried ortho tri cycline, after a while it stopped working and I got mid cycle bleeding, I tried the ring, but it made my emotions too crazy, it would also sometimes fall out "in the moment" which my husband said was like ring toss, but it did get annoying, then I was on Yaz which I liked but after a while I justed no more pills no more hormones, so now I track my cycles naturally with a ladycomp (www.ladycomp.com) and then on my fertile days I use a cervical cap w hich I got thru (www.birthwithlove.com, so I am happy to be on no more ills, even though quitting the pill caused me to gain 10 lbs instantly and I didnt even change my diet!

The 10 year IUD has no hormones.  So, it should not affect your weight at all.  When you are ready to concieve just have it taken out and you will be good to go.

I'm on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, and I like it. I may have gained a few pounds while on it, but I highly doubt that it's from the pill. Ultimately it's me and my choices. My doctor also said that for many women, the weight gain is actually from mental causes from the women - i.e. expecting to gain weight, so therefore they do. But eating right and working out while on the pill should be fine. :)

i actually am on a new birth control called Implanon.  It is a tiny implant in your upper arm and i was very adament with my doctor that i was pre-wedding dieting and didn't want to gain weight!!! you can find lots of b.c.'s that won't make you gain weight.  a good plus with mine is that it will last for 3 years, with no pill or ring- i don't have to do anything at all for three years.  during the case study of 1000 women there was zero pregnancies too.  i am really pleased with it.  i was on a 4 week plateau when i got the implant and i was finally able to lose 6 pounds afterwards!

(sorry it double posted)

Original Post by cheidb3:

desogen is awesome...low hormone birth control is definately the way to go!

I take desogen. I have very few problems with it. EXCEPT. it causes my nose to bleed!

I agree with the person who noted that nearly all women gain weight regardless of which pill or not.  A lot of it has to do with demographics.  Most women get on the pill somewhere between late teens and twenties.  It is also the time where us girls tend to put on some weight until their thirties.  It's a change of natural metabolism and our bodies gearing up for imaginary babies.  Just find one that gives you fewer ups and down in terms of mood or pms.  

Everyone is different, but I take low-estrin.  I like it a lot, because it has lower estrogen levels- which my bodyneeds.  You should discuss your concerns with your doctor because there are hundreds of BCPs on the market.  I was on Mirena, which is an IUD with hormones- I didn't have any problem on that- but they won't give that to you unless you are in a long term relationship etc etc etc. 

I also have the Implanon implant and I like it so far.  I was able to lose a few pounds on it.  I also believe that a lot of times people blame weight gain on their BC pill when maybe its not at fault.  But who knows.