Is It True? Birth Control pills & Weight Gain

[Kurohyou-Chan]

I want to start using birth control pills for a contraceptive. I might decide to have sex w/ my bf soon, and I wanted to do my part in protection (We're both virgins.)

So I go to the doctor to get my yearly checkup, and I tell my doc about me wanting to start on the pills. She tells me all the info I already know about contraceptives, and proceeds with my checkup. She gives me a blood test to make sure my blood is healthy, since I'm anemic.

She then tells me my blood count is low...Meaning my anemia has gotten worse. My doc tells me that going on the pills will help alot, and will help better my anemia.

The only thing that I'm worried about is the hormonal weight gain that occurs when you start taking contraceptives. I asked my doc if it's true, and she said you only gain 1-3 pounds that will go away in 2 weeks or so, that you don't get bloated so bad and gain, say 10-30 extra pounds. I then call my mom, and she tells me that they DO make you gain alot of weight (even the low hormone dose pills) and it's very difficult to lose it. (She used to me on birth control when she was younger) I didn't tell her about me wanting contraceptives because of sexual reasons, I only told her because of my anemic reasons. She knew people who've taken them because of health reasons.

I did massive research on the computer, and I got mixed results. I'm utterly confused...Who is correct? My mom, or my doc? I'm afraid that if I do take them, I'll gain ALOT of weight and I won't be able to use them. (I'm 151 pounds- around 10-15 pounds overweight for my 5'1" frame, and I'm in the process of loosing 10 pounds...Since it's mostly in my stomach sweatdrop I don't even look overweight. I just need to exercise & work on my tum.)

What should I do?

[Kurohyou-Chan]

[Kurohyou-Chan]

Just promoting one good petition sweatdrop

[halves]

It didn't happen to my sister. It depends on which kind of pill you take, and your own bodies reaction among other things.
Also, you don't need to bump LD unless you fall off the first page. This is a slow moving forum.

[Sheer_Immortal]

Well, in the first three months that I was on the pill, I lost about 10lbs. Of course, I was watching what I ate, exercising, etc. I've gained weight since then, but that's due to me not being consistent with my weight loss plan >.<

[Kurohyou-Chan]

I wasn't bumping, I just wanted to help someone out and I forgot to post it with my 1st post. Sorry about that.

Hmm...maybe it does depend on the pill. It's just so...Confusing.

[spiderwebbing]

I've been on birth control for 5 months and have gained no weight. I talked to my doctor specifically about my fear of weight gain and he told me that the pill he is aware of with the least chance of weight gain is Alesse. I believe that Tri-Cyclen Lo also has a low chance of weight gain because it has lower hormones then a lot of other birth control pills. Anyways I'm on Alesse and for me I haven't gained a pound unless it was my own doing. I've gotten bloated before like before that time of the month but it's not very noticeable because I've noticed the pills have minimized the effects of PMS as well as lighter periods.

Anyways my two cents.

[Tahltos]

I think the effects of the pill are different for every person. And they're different for every prescription too. I've been on the pill for about a year and a half and I've changed prescriptions about 4 times. The first two didn't have any side effects, but they weren't strong enough doses. The third one was a nightmare. It made me totally moody and depressed and absolutely miserable. The one I'm on now has been fine as far as mood swings and hormones go, but its made me gain about 50 pounds. I've recently upped my exercise and that seems to help. My step mom, however, was on the pill for years and she's always looked like a super model, even after having 4 kids. So it really is different for everyone.

[Kurohyou-Chan]

I've heard about the loosing weight too. Which pill did you take?

[Cucumbercake]

Well before I started the pill I was 98-105 lbs and I had been at that weight for a long time. After the pill I gained about 15 lbs. I'm not sure if they do make you gain weight or not. It might also be that most of the time most women are younger when they start is so as they start to really mature physically into a women they just play it off as the pill made them gain weight.

But personally I think they do make you gain weight, but probably not as much as I did because I was young when I started them and I also was pretty underweight for my 5' 5" frame. Since your 150 now I don't think that you'd gain that much weight from the pill, maybe 5lbs.

[Woah Its Azure]

Long live the rose that grew from the concrete

Well, they're both right. It completely depends on the brand of pill and the person taking it. My guess is, your doctor knows what she's talking about though and the brand she is going to put you on is one with a lower risk of weight gain.

Long live the rose that grew from the concrete

[Kurohyou-Chan]

So maybe I should just drill to my doc bout the fact that I'm scared of gaining weight. Since I'm living on campus and I go to the campus clinic, I think all they have is Aviane and some other brand. I'm not sure if I can request a different brand. Hopefully I can.

[Myythren]

Your doc. Pills used to have far higher does of hormones, and that lead to more side effects. Including weight gain. However, today even regular dose pills have a way lower amount of hormones than ay used to.

Think 300mmg for a regular pill before, and now a higher does pill is about 60mmg with low dose pills comign in as low as 15mmg. (However there is some debate about the really lose does ones, they do tend to be less effective. 15mmg -90% to 95% vs 99.9 or 98% for a 50mmg)

But different pills do effect different people in different ways. You and I could take the same pill, I have no side effects, and you get 3 months of morning sickness, an extra pound or 2 and mood swings.

It really depends. You pretty much have to try the brand your doctor gives you, and see how it goes. And keep in ind that the pill makes you gain weight in two ways: Water weight (that you can lose via exercise or the like) and by making you hungry )Or so I read)

If you watch what you eat, you can pretty much deal with the second one. But overall, weight gain usually isn't a big deal on the pill. I've been on two brands over about 6 years, and I gained 3 pounds at most. I even had a friend who was underweight, and they gave her BC to help her gain. And it failed utterly. (And she eats like horse. I'm always amazed thats she's bone thin, rather than 300 pounds)

[Kurohyou-Chan]

Hmm. Well I turned 18 3 months ago, and since I'm in the process of loosing a few pounds...I just hope If I do gain, it wont be too much.

Thanks for the help so far everyone. I just wanted to say this. smile

[Kurohyou-Chan]

Myythren

Your doc. Pills used to have far higher does of hormones, and that lead to more side effects. Including weight gain. However, today even regular dose pills have a way lower amount of hormones than ay used to.

Think 300mmg for a regular pill before, and now a higher does pill is about 60mmg with low dose pills comign in as low as 15mmg. (However there is some debate about the really lose does ones, they do tend to be less effective. 15mmg -90% to 95% vs 99.9 or 98% for a 50mmg)

But different pills do effect different people in different ways. You and I could take the same pill, I have no side effects, and you get 3 months of morning sickness, an extra pound or 2 and mood swings.

It really depends. You pretty much have to try the brand your doctor gives you, and see how it goes. And keep in ind that the pill makes you gain weight in two ways: Water weight (that you can lose via exercise or the like) and by making you hungry )Or so I read)

If you watch what you eat, you can pretty much deal with the second one. But overall, weight gain usually isn't a big deal on the pill. I've been on two brands over about 6 years, and I gained 3 pounds at most. I even had a friend who was underweight, and they gave her BC to help her gain. And it failed utterly. (And she eats like horse. I'm always amazed thats she's bone thin, rather than 300 pounds)

Wow @ your friend's situation o.o But I can watch what I eat & eat better. I guess I'll just tell my doc about the weight thing and sh'll give me the best dose.