Sudden weight gain after stopping birth control?!

I was on loseasonique for about a year I really just wanted to get on the pill because I had heavy bleeding and after a year of taking the pill I didn't want to take it anymore and cut cold turkey. After a couple of months I realized I gained 35 to almost 40 pounds.. At the time I didn't realize what was happening and why I gained that weight. I am a small girl 5ft tall and weighed always around 100 lbs. After gaining weight I ended up being around 140 pounds. This made my self esteem so low and I ended up loosing all the weight in a year and back to my normal size :)

Did you start taking the pills again? Is that what made you get back to your normal size?

I stopped taking Sprintec in Dec after 22 yrs on bc.  It has been a miserable experience and I'm considering getting back on it as soon as possible.  I've put on 6lbs and have changed nothing in my diet or excersise that should result in that weight gain in 3 months.  On top of that, I've had some amount of bleeding for all but maybe 2.5 weeks total.  I ended the last pack and as usual got a period... except it lasted for 3 wks.  About a week was very heavy, then a few light days, then gone for a day or two and back again. It went from little to nothing to a heavy day or two for 3 wks.  Then 2 wks later I had another 5 days.  Another almost 3 wks just stopped 10 days ago and today I have another heavy period. 

I understand that my body is probably in some sort of hormonal shock or withdrawl, but at 48, I'm not planning on pregnancy and if these 3 months are any indication of what life off the pill will be like, then I'm really not interested.  Pre-birth control pills I had very irregular and painful periods.  As bad as that was it was nothing like this.  

It's hard to say what's worse, the weight gain, awful bloated belly (looks 6 months pregnant and the bloat hurts), or the insane amount of bleeding.  I'm calling the office for a refill on Monday and making an appointment for my annual visit.  I will happily stay on bc until I'm past menopause age if what I'm experiencing now is the alternative.  I wish doctors were up front about these post-birth control side affects when they prescribe. 

Yes I'm sick of being bloated!! I'm active I eat normally and lots of healthy food choices.

I went off Ocella (generic yaz) after being on it for 4-5 years, in September 2013. Gained 20 pounds by April 2014. And now in March 2015 I am 154 pounds, when I usually was around 115-120 at most when I was really eating a lot. So about 35-40 pound heavier. I'm only 5'4. Have really deep stretch marks all over and a bunch of other weird symptoms of getting off the pill. Mainly hair has broken off, thinned, and won't grow still. Hoping the weight gain will come off eventually, but as of now there's no sign of that. It's really depressing and I understand how you guys feel. I'm really worried about the extra skin when the weight loss comes too, hoping it doesn't effect my breasts too much. Please if anybody has lost the weight let us know when you lost it! Take care all of you. It's hard to deal with, but better to have extra pounds than the horrible side effects and risks of being on the pill!

I'm furious. I was on YAZ exactly ONE month.. the WHOLE time I had BLEEDING and burning diarrhoea. My g.p and the help-line said it would pass after 3 months... There was no way I was doing that for 3 months! I'd die of anaemia and malnutrition! After week 4 I called the Bayer help-line and they told me to call poison's information centre as apparently I was having an "EXTREME" reaction..  :(    I now have stacked on 3 or 4 kg around my stomach after NEVER putting weight on in my my life.  My inner thighs are also very fat..  :(  My diet and routine has not changed.. I believe there has been a fundamental hormonal disruption and a gut-flora imbalance.. I have no real idea how to repair it. It's destroyed my sex-life, my energy levels and self-confidence....   Avoid Yaz like the plague.....    

@ soccer_girl1121 I stopped taking my birth control last month. I have since noticed that I want to eat ALL the time. I know I've gained weight, although I haven't actually gotten on my scale (I hid it from myself) lol. I just purchased the items you listed. I hope they help. I'm also taking pre-natal vitamins as I would like to start trying to get pregnant in a few months. I'd rather get my weight under control before that.

I have been off NuvaRing since August of 2015 and I have slowly began to gain weight. So far I have gained a total of 15 pounds. I tried using and continue to use Maca, Coconut Oil, and Flax Seed to help regulate my hormones. Nothing is working. Today, I went to the doctor today for a blood test so he could check my hormone levels. Results will take up to 2-3 weeks to get back. I will let you know what I find out!

Hey. I think you have your date wrong for when you stopped the Nuva ring! That's in the future lol. Good luck with the hormone tests :) mine were low based on what I found online, but the doctors said normal like always. Both my estrogen and progesterone were low, and the ratio was way off when I last checked. Maybe get checked for diabetes or thyroid issues just incase you have that? I'm "healthy" besides all the weird issues I have after the pill. Blood tests don't show anything according to the doctors. I hope you feel well besides the weight gain, it could be way worse. But I'd definitely like to lose the 40 pounds I gained!

I have had the same experience. I stopped taking Lo-Ovral (Cryselle) birth control early last fall. I gained steadily about 14 lbs. Was often bloated and stomack stood out. Water retentiion. I felt horrible. I have had hypo thyroidsism for years, and go ever 4 months to control so all my hormon levels are good. I decided 3 weeks ago to go back on the pill as i could not take it anymore. I started feeling better almost immediately. I have not bloated or felt full nor have my stomack protruded. I "lost" the water retentain, bloatiness weight, about 4 lbs. But the rest is stuck. I don't like it, but I will just work it off steadily with diet and excersice, just as normal. I feel so much better though, i can take it. Perhaps as the hormone levels go back to "normal" as i have been on the pill for 20 years (off only the years i was having kids) I know the weight gain was hormonal with my eating and workout regime exactly as it has been the last few years and before stopping taking the pill I had basically weight the same for a decade, with the normal +/-5lbs depending on how much i eat for christmas or on vacation. I am not hoping as the hormon levels go back to birth control pill "normal" that I can finally see some change in my weight and i can go back to normal. I will never go off the pill again. I went off as I recently got a divorce and I am not dating, so I didn't need it. But i wish i hadn't. It messed up everything. If you have any experience with how to solve the weight gain, puffy ness and bloating, please share. It is good to see I am not alone with the weight gain, but it would be nice to hear any success stories.

This is EXACTLY what has been happening to me. I was on Lo Loestrin and went off because of the side effects. I had constant UTI's, kidney infections and BV s and my sex drive plummeted - and extreme vaginal dryness. Since stopping, I cannot stop gaining weight. I barely eat anything and am very cautious of what I do eat. I exercise regularly and do cardio. I have painful bloating where my stomach has actually swelled outwards and protrudes like I am pregnant. I am constantly trying to hide it and I find that I cannot wear the cute outfits I want to anymore. It just won't stop. I'm so uncomfortable and I don't know what to do. Tests have come up normal for me too. It has to be the birth control. I was hoping it would be out of my system and I would feel better but every day is a struggle. I'm ashamed of my body now and hide from my fiancée. It's just terrible :(

I have gained 10 lbs since going off othro after 20 years. I am looking for any advise or same experience to help shed the extra weight

I'm glad I read this post the last year of my life has seen crazy health issues very similar to what most people are describing. I went off of tricyclen after being on it for over 10 years one year ago I immediately felt bloated constantly had spotting and weight gain and developed cystic acne, and was majorily fatigued I thought this would balance out as the hormones left my system but it got worse. I exercise regularly and eat very clean, I increased my exercise only to just keep gaining weight. My tests came back mostly normal except one hormone prolactin, it is a hormone you are supposed to produce when your pregnant but I am not and have not been. My weight gain (25lbs ) was 115 now 140 , like many of you is in my boobs belly and thighs. My theory is my body is mimicking preparing for pregnancy, so it's giving me insulation for a baby that doesn't exist, I think this may be why it's so hard to lose the weight, because the female body is designed to resist weight loss measures while pregnant to protect the baby which again in my case doesn't exist. I have been to a ton of specialists and was told it was not PCOS although I do have small cysts on my ovaries I had increased bleeding instead of less bleeding and other symptoms didn't match....After 4 tests of high prolactin I got one normal result and so now my doctors think the weight gain is just part of aging...yeah right I was 27 when this started and it happen immediately after going on the pill I know my body and I know it's connected. I'm still not sure if it is suppressing ovulation for that long that caused my issues or if I had a pre existing imbalance that was being covered up...After a year it's starting to even out although I still can't lose the weight and in my moments of frustration I'm tempted to just take the pill again but part of what I've learned in this experience is that doctors do to fully know or understand the effects of bc or the sensitive powerful hormone systems in our bodies I'm gonna keep trying to deal with this naturally and good luck to all of you!

i was on yaz for 3 years and stopped it about 5 months ago. My diet remained the same and exercise too but my stomach has ballooned out. i look pregnant but i know not. it seemed to happen out of know where and i thought perhaps something was wrong. i had a blood test and the only thing that showed was
my sugar levels just tipping over the normal high end. ive started lite n easy eating plan of 1200 calories a day with some exercise throughout the week. i start this 3 weeks ago and my stomach looks bigger and measures slightly bigger! ive never had issues with my weihht before this. i am 26 years old and want to start trying for a baby but i want to feel healthy and lean before i do that and i feel its not going to happen. feeling very upset!

I have posted on here previously and am in exactly the same position as I was then..infact probably gained more weight...I eat as healthy as I can, I drink tons of water, I power walk daily and jog on top of that and my stomach is forever bloated. I too came off my microgynon birth control pill to potentially start a family and at the moment the thought of piling anymore weight on just frightens the life out of me...had blood test..had ultrasound and all showing normal, never heard anyone else having these issues, only on this post forum?!