Stopping birth control and weight gain.

Hey same thing happened to me. I went off the pill and made some healthy food choice such as not to have hot cholocate, my spice chia lattes, stopped having md's breakfast for about a month now. Bam, weight gain of about 5 to 9 pounds. I can feel it in all my cloths not good. Shouldn't I be loosing weight now that I eat less colories and off the pill? Weird. Think I was better on it.

Same as that....had blood work done and all fine....have gained about a stone since last year....attended two different slimming clubs and hVe lost four pounds since September....seven months ago....also run and walk daily. :(

Well have your levels checked again! I've read of people having to get tested repeatedly in order to uncover hormonal problems (for thyroid I've heard there are also different tests). Make sure you get your estrogen and testosterone levels checked too--really low testosterone in women can lead to weight gain and an inability to lose it (also major fatigue and motivation issues). Don't give up. From what I understand the pill is known to mask various health conditions that can suddenly come on full force once you go off of it.

Girls it is soooo good to hear that I am not alone in this! I was only on birth control for 1 month and a half and stopped 2 weeks ago because I was feeling too emotional and since then I have gained about 10 lbs and I feel MISERABLE. I was in good shape and went running every day as well as eating a healthy diet so this is VERY unusal for me. It is so comforting to know that this is "normal" and it saddens me that there seems to be no solution besides going back on the pill :(

I gained 10 lbs after going off the pill. I lost my insurance. I am 43. I have Hypothyroidism already. I watch what I eat and exercise regularly. I am going to go back on them!!

I have been the same weight for 10 years...... which is how long ive been on my pills... Ive gained 6 lbs since I got off... in about 3 months

I am 30 yrs old, exercise and lift weights 3-4 days a week.  I ALWAYS watch what I eat and I stopped taking the pill 2 months ago, gained 5 pounds (Was 129 now 134) and was curious as to why when I have not changed any of my habits.  Except working out more because of the weight gain.  I teach and am off for the summer and the pants that I wore two months ago are really tight.  I was on the go every day over the summer, did not eat bad and rather ate better for fear of weight gain because of being off for the summer.  BUT I did gain and thought it might have been that hormonal change I experience every time I START the pill. When I started the bc my body changed for 3 months then went back to normal.  I am assuming this is the same thing just the stopping of the pill.  However, I am adjusting my diet accordingly. 

I just found this thread after searching around... I stopped taking the pill one month ago and have already gained 10 lbs. I track my food and exercise, and haven't changed either of those. I am drinking at least 128 oz of water a day. This is SO frustrating! I'd worked so hard to get to a weight that I was happy with and now this. UGH. Any solutions?

OMG This is my story too! Im seeing a naturopathic dr. we are going to do blood tests to check hormones etc. How have you made out?

Let me know what the naturopath says! I was on BC pills for 13 years for irregular cycles, cramping etc. I had to come off them this winter due to migraines that were directly related to Seasonique (be careful!!!). I now can never take oral contraception again.

But besides that, I have spent the last year losing over 70lbs and in the past 6 months, I have been watching my weight creep up and up and up (almost 13 lbs). I am on My Fitness Pal, I eat a very clean Vegetarian, dairy and gluten free diet (due to actual intolerance), I get enough exercise, I am sure I am the healthiest I have ever been in my life and I can NOT seem to stop the weight gain! I am on the path to have lost 4-5lbs this month with diet and exercise but have gained 3lbs. It has been extremely discouraging and I am so afraid that all the hard work I have put in over the years is going to disappear DESPITE all my very best efforts.

Fortunately, I feel amazing so I am going to try and stay with that feeling and remain conscious that I am doing my very best.

In the meantime, if anyone finds anything that helps, please let me know! I have been thinking of visiting a naturopath so anyone who has this experience, let me know how it goes!

I am both sad and glad I am not alone in this because I was beginning to feel like I was going a bit crazy.

Best of luck to everyone!

j x.o

I hope people keep this thred going!!!! I gained 13 lbs over the last three months and somehow I'm not convinced I will lose it over a year even with exercise and a healthy diet!

I went back on it after a month of being BCP free, it's been three months on OTC and my face has gotten clear, it was horrendous after quiting for a month, and my oily hair from quitting is back to where it was.

WEIGHT HOWEVER is still here..it's very sad to know I can never wear any of my clothes again. Makes me so sad because I love my clothes and I can't even wear them anymore..what a freaking waste...

PLEASE KEEP THIS THREAD GOING. I DESPERATELY NEED SUCCESS STORIES :'(

I so glad I'm not the only one with weight gain!!!! I went off birth control because I didn't want the hormones anymore and doing research on it says well birth control lowers your risk of one type of cancer but if you take it longer then x amount of years it increases for another type of cancer blah blah. So I said screw it and went off it about 5 months ago and boy worst decision ever!!!! I have gained 18 lbs! And diet exercise has been the same. I eat healthy and don't eat processed c**p and I dont eat things with a lot of added sugar. Im drinking anywhere between 40-80oz of water every day..im drinking warm lemon water in the morning. Working out 5-6 times a week. Not super strenuous workouts but I do yoga 2-3 times a week. Weights, squats, ab exercises 2 days a week and usually do a hike once a week and the weight isn't coming off. It's so frustrating!!! If there's no improvement in the next couple weeks I guess I'll have to go back on the pill.

I went back on the pill for three months and the weight didn't come off. Just a heads up. I'm going to quit again.

Finally I have found a topic I can relate to. Any insights on what others have done to go around this issue would be great :) I've gained so much just from stopping birth control it's honestly depressing :( 

I also have stopped taking the pill about 2 weeks ago. I have noticed that I feel more bloated and have put on about 5 pounds. I have been told in the past by my endocrinologist that women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome when not regulated by birth control pills, can gain weight. Also, I have very high levels of testosterone when not on the pill and this also causes me to gain weight. My doctor has put me on Metformin in the past to control my PCOS symptoms and it does help. I am already taking a high dosage of synthroid as well and my TSH levels are perfect, so I know it is not my hypothyroidism. My suggestion is to ask your doctor to check your hormone levels with a blood test. I will be making an appointment to do so for myself soon! Good Luck ladies!! :