Birth control pills do not cause weight gain

Danny · Supporter Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 346

Women who thought about contraception have always asked two questions: Do birth control make us weight gain? And which pills make us weight gain the least? Doctors have been always reporting that Birth control pills do not cause weight gain although most women have experienced such side effect. They would put on weight while on the pill, and loose it instantly once off the pill, which made them get off the pill soon after.

Many other women have been reluctant to starting the pills in the first place because of this.

New review has been carried out and once again doctors report that birth control pills do not make women put on weight and have acclaimed this belief as a myth.

Comparing the effects of the pills and dummy medications in a trial, “no difference was found in weight or difference in discontinuation rates due to weight gain”. It has been found in one trial though, that women may put on 4 pounds after one year’s use.

The main reasons for weight gain due to pills have been fluid retention, increase in appetite and extra fat laid down.

After further analyses, no causal link between the pills and weight gain has been found.

Princess19_1987 · Newbie Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 1

I use to be kinda heavy, but i lost a lot of the weight two summers ago. Now I am getting on Birth control pills, and I seriously do not want to gain weight. I go to the gym daily, and eat right as well....Is there still a chance i would out on weight? or is there another alt. birth control that will reduce the chances?

mosquitobooger · Newbie Joined: 04 Feb 2007 Posts: 4

I personally have gained over 40lbs due to birth control. I gained 20 from the depo shot, 40 from the pill and 20 from Mirena an IUD. I did try Yasmin pills however and did not gain any weight from those pills. My advice would be to ask your DR about the Yasmin pills. I am sill battling all that weight gain, I've never lost any of it so needless to say I'm 80lbs overweight and having the hardest time losing weight. May I ask what your secret is since you said you've lost alot of weight before.

Guest · Guest

are the makers of hormonal birth control funding these studies?! i recently used nuvaring for 5 years, and was pleased to lose 10 lbs the month after i stopped. just like that, no change in diet or exercise. eventually, cramps got worse and i picked up the pill again. it's been 1.5 weeks and i've gained over 10 lbs, which i don't even see how that is physically possible (fluid retention i guess). i have plenty of statistics education - albeit not in clinical trials - and i am amazed that across the board tests are not picking up what i believe to be overwhelming anecdotal evidence. There is at least some weight gain among a nontrivial number of women. But let me ask you, who has any interest in demonstrating that the pill *does* cause weight gain? no one.

Guest · Guest

i have to agree also--i have been taking yasmin for almost two years and i exercise every single day and try to eat healthy--yet i am about 10 lbs heavier than i used to be..i did not change my daily habits and i know my body well enough to believe that birth control is in fact contributing to my weight gain...i am so frustrated with so many doctors and specialists saying how the birth control does not make a person gain weight..maybe they should go on it themselves and experience firsthand what it does

MarineWife02 · Newbie Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 2

Okay....first of all. Birth Control does not cause weight gain! For those of you that dont know and need to obviously know. Birth Control inserts estrogen and progestin into the blood stream, and does not usually(if taken correctly) release mature eggs, which causes you not to get pregnant. It kind of tricks the body into thinking its pregnant. Therefore it increases your appetite. It is not the pills per se, but your appetite that causes weight gain. If you change your apetite to healthy foods, like fruit and vegetables than you shouldn't have a problem. BC pills have a tendency to make you crave sweet foods, where most ladies weight gain comes into play. So substitute an apple, orange or even grapes for that chocolate. It has worked for me. I have been on the pill for 4 years, (soon to go on the nuvaring, in a week) and gained maybe 5-10 lbs, it varies on what I eat. That also was from going from age 16 to 20. The developmental stage. If you ignore the cravings for chocolate, and salty things like chips, and substitute, fruit or steamed vegetables, than you will not have any weight gain.

Here's how I look at. If I did gain maybe 5-10 lbs on the BC pills or NuvaRing, I would prefer that, over 20-50lbs or more from having a child any day.

Ladies if your looking for taking a contreceptive, the pills wont hurt. If you are seriously worried about weight gain, dont take the DEPO shot. I have never taken it, but I have seen the side effects. The DEPO will almost for sure make you gain lots of weight. Stick the pill or the NuvaRing if your worried about missing a pill.
Heres a good way to remember to take your pill everyday. Put the container on top of your alarm clock. Lets say you get up at 0700 every morning for work. Have it sitting on top of your alarm so its the first thing you gran in the morning. Even if its your day off, set the alarm, take the pill and go back to sleep. That is the easiest way to take the pill at the same time every day. It has worked for me over the past 4 years and I have never had a problem.

Birth Control is a wonderful thing when compared to having to bare the responsibilities of a child!

devymaria · Newbie Joined: 19 Jun 2007 Posts: 1

It has alomot been a year since I've been on the pill and patch all together. And ever since then I've been gaining weight non stop. I used to weigh 130, and now i weigh 185. it is quite apparent that it is the birth control. I have swelling ankles, and it never seems to never go away. I am in the Military and it is imparitive that we must stay fit. It's not like im all of a sudden being lazy. I CAN'T! so with that said, there is something that birth control has an effect of weight gain

Guest · Guest

I used to weigh 125 lbs, I was on the Depo shot for over 2 yrs, and I am now 25 lbs heavier. I must say that even with exercise and no change in my diet, I have been GAINING weight, I did confront my doctor (who told me 2 yrs ago by the way told me the shot DIDN'T make you gain weight), told me today that it is a common side effect, that it is normal. If I knew this for sure 2 yrs ago, I wouldn't have been put on the shot! SO FRUSTRATING!

Guest · Guest

ok i just came across this in my search for a birth control that does not make me gain weight. and i disagree with most of you, birth control DOES make you gain weight. whether it is directly or indirectly. the point is, when you go on it you gain weight, or a lot of people do. i was 110lbs for all my life, go on the pill and i jump up to 135, after going off it i am now 118, i never changed my diet, or excersise habit while on or off of it, so in my conclusion the pill was making me store more fat or something. i want to go back on OCP or some sort of birth control but do not want to gain weight again, i can finally fit back into my clothes!!
i may try yaz,.....

awright · Newbie Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 1

I'm 23 years old and I'd been on birth control straight since I was about 17, meaning I never took the plasebo pills and therefore didn't have a period for about 5 years. I have been off bc since February to give my body a break and the natural flow it needs. I never noticed and obvious degree of weight gain that whole time. In fact, I lost about 10 pounds last year because I changed my diet and tried my hardest to be more active. I now float around 145 lbs and I'm 5'7". Much happier than 155 lbs. I'm going back on because just using a condom makes me too paranoid. I'm considering the NuvaRing but am going back to Junel-FE till my OB appointment in December. The point is that everyone is different. I do think its easier to blame a pill for our chosen lifestyles but hard work should put a dent in any scale, as long as you're willing.

Birth control pills do not cause weight gain

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