Stopping birth control and weight gain.

Hello, can you tell us how to find the blogs since your post was moderated? Please please please?

my question to you, then, is that as someone who knows the importance of good health, is it okay to stay on the pill? I've gained like 30 lbs. in a few months (also quit smoking) - not planning on a baby for a year or more, just wanted a break. Do I go back on?

seriously! I want to know, too!

Hi, I am having the same issues now I've been gaining 10 pounds a year since I've started Yaz in 2010. About 1.5 years ago I stopped taking BC and gained even more , total 55 pounds since 2010 and my eating habits and exercise are the same. My thyroid tests were all ok too. I am so depressed don't know what else to do. I am 43 yrs old now so don't even know if my body has started pre-menopause, My gyno said it's possible.

Can I get an update on what you did and how you're doing now? I'm in the exact same boat! Healthy vegan lifestyle, 10 pounds weight gain after stopping pill. It's been 4 months and still no period or sign on weight loss..

Has anything helped you? This is me to a tee...same weight. Depressing.

The only things that helped me was going back on the pill. And I noticed a change in my body in just weeks. I was not so bloated, I felt lighter, though it took almost 4 months to be back to the weight I were before I went off the pill. And it didn't come off by itself. It took diet and exercise. But at least the body responded to the dieting, as when I was off, the same diet and exercise did nothing I just kept adding weight. My old OB/GYN thought I was crazy and told me it was impossible. Didn't believe a word I was saying and said I had to diet and exercise. I told him I worked out 5 days a week and eat mostly fish and chicken. He told me i needed to start count calories. I switched and my new doctor told me he had heard about it before. He told me that birthcontrol pill has a bad reputation, but there are some really good benefits to it. It cut chances for ovarian cancer tremendously, it is also an effective tool for endometrioses (which I have), ovarian cysts and heavy periods. 6 out 10 people on the pill uses it as medication for other things than birthcontrol. I had been on it for over 25 years, and I suppose my body has gotten accustomed to the hormone level and that is what I function at. When I went off, I went on estrogen overload. Last time I went off was over 15 years ago and it was to become pregnant and so I didn't notice the extra weight too much because of pregnancy and it didn't seem to affect me the same way. When i stopped last year was because I thought it was bad for my body and I wanted to stop putting chemicals into it. But that obviously did not work. I went back on the pill back in May, had my old weight back in August. Now that I have been told and then read to confirm that being on the pill is not the bad thing everybody tells it is (you supposedly have a higher risk for blod cloths, but that is usually in the beginning. If you have no issues is the beginning it is considered relatively small chances for any side effects. For me it was the right choice to be back on the pill. I am happy, I feel wonderful and my body feel wonderful. I do not plan to go off the pill ever again.

I don't know how helpful this will be but I had the same exact issue. I gained about 10 pounds and my once toned stomach become completely untoned almost overnight. I did some research on different natural supplements that help to balance hormones. I make a smoothie everyday with power greens coconut water, green tea, maca powder, hemp seeds, and chi seeds. Maca powder and hemp seeds are supposed to help regulate hormones. I also use magnesium oil at night and take vitamin b a few days a week. I've been working out about 4-5x a week and with that and eating healthy I've been able to lose about 4 pounds thus far. I can definitely see a differenc but toning is still an issue.

Did you ever lose the weight? The same thing has happened to me.

Yes, but only after I started back on birth control pills. I started feeling better within a couple of weeks, and the weight slowly started coming off. I had been dieting and working out trying to loose the weight while off birth control, and I kept doing the exact same after I started back on. It doesn't happen overnight, it is just like a regular diet, but at least the hormons in your body is not working against you preventing you from losing anything. I changed OB/Gyn doctor in the middle of this as the first doctor told me I was imagining it, that I needed to start counting calories etc..... I switched to a younger doctor and he told me he had seen this before and was not at all surprised to hear my story. Good luck.

I did finally start to lose the weight! My endocrinologist found that I had a pretty severe vitamin D deficiency. She started me on a high dose vitamin D supplement. I almost INSTANTLY felt better! Less tired in the mornings, sleeping better, have lost 12 lbs (started taking it 3 weeks ago), my depression and anxiety have lessened, insulin resistance has gotten better.....Turns out that may have been my ONLY problem! Get your vitamin D checked! That could be your issue too! It turns out that it is closely related to PCOS and insulin resistance!

The pill is intended to suppress ovulation, and utilizes synthetic hormones to accomplish this task. Essentially, you stop ovulation because the pill tricks your body into thinking it's pregnant each month (ovulation isn't necessary when you are pregnant because, well, you're already pregnant). Your body is adjusting to having to create the hormones (estrogen and progesterone) on it's own after NOT doing so for a number of years. If you are of the age for peri-menopause or even menopause, you might see some weight gain, as your body's estrogen levels would naturally be decreasing. The pill, at this age, might actually work to counter-act the symptoms seen in lower estrogen levels (weight gain, hair thinning,etc) associated with peri/ menopause. In addition, any hormonal imbalance (and make no mistake, your hormones are imbalanced after stopping or starting BCPs) can cause weight gain, and impact other systems in your body. BCPs are pretty strong little things. You should talk to your primary and have them run a full panel- check your vitamin D levels, B levels, TSH (T3, T4 for thyroid), iron levels, CBC, Lutenizing hormones, free androgens, and estrogen levels. After a certain age, it might become necessary to start to think about hormone replacement therapy, or, continuing a BCP with a high estrogen to androgen index...

Any updates after a year? Personally experiencing this now, and very frustrated. I'm assuming my doctor will tell me the same thing "nothing is wrong".

Did you find any solutions?

I found out I had diminished ovanarian reserve after TONS of searching for answers. The BC pill was masking it. I'm glad I didn't give up and found out early and was still able to have children.

What kind of birth control did you take?