Stopping birth control and weight gain.

DUDE !! I read this and it sounds precisely the same as my situation. I went off of taking birth control for about three years, weighing about 127, and three months later went back on the pill because I gained over 10 pounds and am still about 140 now and feel so uncomfortable in my own body. SOMEONE. WHY?!!

I just wanted to share my story in hope it helps somebody else here. I gained 15 pounds on BCP (progestin only) and after going off 6 months ago have gained another 10. I was only on the pills for 2 years. From my research, progestin is NOT progesterone, it's synthetic, and it desensitizes your progesterone receptors so it stops your body from making it. This is bad because it's progesterone that burns fat, keeps your skin toned, and keeps your adrenal glands in check when producing cortisol. Estrogen stores fat and promotes water retention. When your body is no longer making progesterone and only had estrogen, the build up occurs in your fat, which produces MORE estrogen, thus more fat and fluid retention. It's a vicious cycle. Depending on your age (I'm 34) your progesterone production naturally starts to decline, usually in the mid 30's. After trying everything- diet changes, workout changes, working with a nutritionist and personal trainer- nothing worked until I met a girl who told me about Natural USP Progesterone cream. I went out that night to buy it as I was on day 14 of my cycle (it is used the last 2 weeks of your cycle, just as you would naturally produce progesterone) and started to see results. The first night I bloated 5 pounds, which is normal and your receptors 'wake up' and have to metabolize the hormone, but in the last 4 days when normally I would be bloating and gaining more water weight, instead I have been steadily shedding 1-2 pounds per day of water weight. My stomach looks much more toned and my pants already fit better with out a pudgy 'fluffy' muffin top. I'm also taking 1000mg a day of Dong Quai to regulate estrogen, 3000 mg of cod liver oil, and a whole food multi-vitamin, all which I've been taking for months before I started the cream. Today I also started cranberry and saw even more of a 'flush' when it didn't have any effect over the last year. I'm feeling really positive about this treatment. I also checked with a holistic gyno and she says she recommends it to a majority of her clients for these symptoms. I bought 2 different creams: emerita which is progesterone only to use at night, and Life-flo progesterone with 7 keto and pregnenolone to aid in fat loss and cortisol production in the morning. After feeling depressed, fat, and dead to the world (I could sleep for days) I've been happy, focused, and productive. I urge you to do your research and talk to your doctor because it's a hormone and not right for everyone, but it's been my miracle!

It's refreshing to ready all of these posts and learn that I am perhaps not crazy despite the fact that my naturopathic and western med doctor tell me this is impossible. I went off ortho-cyclen six months ago at age 41. I immediately gained 25 lbs in 30 days. I have been thin, in shape and looking great for years. I've been killing myself with all of the diet and exercise regimens that usually work for me and doing anything else including acupuncture and NOTHING works. I've finally given up and gone back on the pill. I guess I will know in a month or two if this is the issue or not but, having tried everything else, I have to believe it's a hormonal issue. Why do doctors treat us like we're crazy and aren't willing to help? I'm tired of hearing that this isn't a real issue and that my body will adjust and go back to normal. I think six months is long enough to see a make an adjustment and something is clearly wrong. Sadly, I wish I had an answer to help everyone out on this post because everyone else seems as desperate as me but I don't. If doctors won't listen to you then how can you get help?

Hi! I'm just going to throw this out there in case it can be helpful to anyone. I am 37 and was on generic Yaz for 8 years. After numerous minor issues with my health, I started to really research birth control pills and decided they were probably to blame for a good majority of them since I eat a very healthy diet and exercise regularly. Rather than stop cold turkey, I weaned off the pill over the course of a few months. I took 3/4 of my tabs for a one month pack, then the next month, went down to a half tab daily for that pack, then the last month, I took 1/2 tab every other day. If you wean off them, your body has a chance to start producing its own hormones again slowly, rather than "shocking" your system and waiting for your body to "remember" how to make its own hormones again. This seemed to work, so far no weight gain, actually lost a bit, some acne but, nothing cystic like before birth control. I feel great, my mood is much improved, my hair is suddenly thick, wavy, and no breakage like was happening on the BC. I did use maca root powder as it helps hormones to regulate so, that may have contributed to my lack of issues when weaning. Overall, I had almost no issues with coming off BC and feel so much better and I am convinced the weaning and maca contributed to my easy transition. Hope this helps!!! Good luck!

I stopped the pill 2 years ago after about 14years on it. I am almost 30 and don't have any kids so I figured now is the right time. Well I went from 125-150 lbs in about 8 months and can't get the weight off! They say this is not a symptom but I am positive it is. I also have acne like a teen. The only upside is I no longer suffer from depression, shockingly my periods are really lite too, not what I expected. Everything feels backwards. I guess 15 yrs on a drug will mess up your body's natural routine. I am finally, slowly losing pound by pound with strick dieting and exercising.

I am going through the same exact thing as you did a year ago. I hope that you're still active on this blog because I am trying to reach out to anyone that has gone through or is going through what I am going through. I am 25 years old, 5'3' and I normally weigh between 127-130. I got off birth control 3 months ago after being on it for 10 years!! the first week I lost 8 lbs and after that I gained 10-15lbs and it will NOT COME OFF. I am almost 145 lbs now and I have done nothing but obsess over every piece of food I put in my mouth (PALEO lifestyle change now) nd I work out like crazy (swimming, biking, crossfit, ) the final straw was yesterday a man asked me if I was pregnant because my belly pokes out now. all of the weight is around my stomach like a tire that wont come off :( please let me know if there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Thank you

I have gained 20 pounds since going off the pill! I don't each processed food, sugar, alcohol, or grains. I even cut out fruit because of the sugar content! I Went back on the pill 3days ago and will update later. I think my body wasn't doing a great job of regulating my hormones so I'm hoping this works!

I was on the pill for 20 years I got off about 6 months ago. I want to die. Every month around my period I get a migraine I feel nauseous I never got my period heavy but I get bloated and I've been 115 all my life I gained a few pounds. I don't know what to do. Sex don't even care about it. Help. Any ideas

Hello, the EXACT same thing happened to me. Did you ever find out why you were getting irregular periods?

The same thing has happened to me! I hate it! My body Dosent feel normal since I have stopped using the nuva ring I excersise regularily and am an avid runner and I have gained 10 lbs. I feel bloated a lot but I can't go back on the ring because we are trying To conceive as well. It's been about 2 months since I have been off it and I'm trying to be patient but I hate the way my body feels!

Did this ever improve for you? My symptoms are a lot like yours. Weight gain increasing every day...used to hover around 130 and now I'm almost 150 (a year and a half after going off the pill).

I now have answers!!!!! The Yaz caused me to have to have my gallbladder taken out. That may or may not have been the culprit, but, I had very low vitamin D levels and my testosterone was abnormally high. Both of which contribute to irregular periods, anxiety, depression, hirsutism and a number of other issues. I am now on 500 mg of metformin 2 times a day, 5k iu of Vitamin D and saw palmetto for the increased testosterone (I cannot take aldactone due to elevated potassium). My testosterone has decreased from 125 to 25. my vitamin D levels are normal now (the endocrinologist says that for women, she aims for 50 and mine went from 12 to 47). I have lost 25 lbs from the combination of meds and cutting down on refined carbs (I still have fruit and oats). Get your Vitamin D levels checked, ladies! This has been suggested as a root cause of hormonal imbalance in 80% of women. It damn sure has helped me TREMENDOUSLY.

This has been quite the struggle for me as well. I have been on birth control for 10 years. Of course going on it I faced some weight gain but after some time I learned to manage and was able to stay at a good 120-125 pounds. I barely got off of birth control maybe two months ago and I am now 135. I was warned about this and told I need to eat as clean as possible. Although my diet consists of plant based food with no oil, salt, butter, etc. I can't lose any weight! Luckily it's capped at 135 (for now) and no matter how much I exercise... I can't get a pound closer to the weight I was normally at. I did get some responses on social media after being so frustrated with this and luckily I learned some of my old classmates, colleagues, and co workers experienced the same thing. Our bodies are detoxing and it's confused. For 10 years I didn't experience ovulation, my period was a piece of cake, and pmsing was almost non existent. I now feel pain on one side when I ovulate, I break out really bad time to time, my cramps are horrific, and my poor boyfriend is dealing with my mood swings I can hardly stand myself. I almost had a nervous break down from not being able to take any control over what's happening to my body no matter how hard I tried. My thyroid was fine, I have no deficiencies in my blood work or any surplus of anything. I guess with time our body will settle and stop being confused. From the responses I got on social media. One girl who was on it for 3 years experienced 6 months of this agony. One with 5 years said about 6-9 months. and another for 10-15 years said it took about a year and a half. I know all of us are different and hopefully this tragedy doesn't last too long. But I guess we can't undo YEARS of damage in just a few weeks or months. :/ definitely never going back on the pill again even if it helped me lose weight for the time being.

Leave a message when you succeed losing the weight. Everybody posts when something it wrong, would be very encouraging when people posts what works, how long it took etc. wish you all the best. I went back on the pill and is back to normal. But I would rather not be on it. So please post once you see results and share your experience

I posted. 2 up the line from this. I am now down 40 of the 60 that I gained with coming off of the birth control. All from getting my vitamin D levels, testosterone and insulin resistance under control through an endocrinologist. I would recommend a reproductive endocrinologist if you can get to one.