Patch and weight gain???

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2003
Patch and weight gain???
10
Sun, 04-18-2004 - 6:46pm
Hi. I just got my period today so I should be starting the patch today but I have been reluctant to put it on. My doctor prescribed it for me because I get horrible cramps that sometimes keep me home from work. I am very hesitant to go on it because about two years ago i went on Yasmin for two months and I gained about 20 pounds including another breast size (i am already a D and a double D was too much for me seeing as i am normally 110 pounds and i went up to 130 and i have a lot of breast pain with just a D cup). When i went off yasmin i lost all the excess weight within one week. I was very miserable throughout those two months. My doctor prescribed the patch because he said it was lower doses of estrogen and therefore i wouldn't gain as much weight. I have been reading various posts on this board about excessive weight gain and abdominal pain (which i suffer from very often without BC). Should i wait another month and research this more? I am very nervous and do not want to gain weight or experience these horrible side effects but i would like to get rid of ym cramps.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-11-2003
Sun, 04-18-2004 - 7:30pm
Hi. I was actually one of those posting about weight gain. I did gain 3 pounds the first month and then lost weight on my period to where I was back to my normal weight. Then, Tuesday was the first patch of the second month. I was the same weight Tuesday and Wednesday and then gained two pounds by Friday so I was not happy because I go to the gym 6-7 days a week and have never gained weight on any hormonal birth control before. However, yesterday my weight went back down and I had no bloating. So I have no idea what is going on. I know the first month on the patch, I'm pretty sure it went up due to that, but it seems to be (crossing my fingers) stabilizing right now. I would try it and give it three months and if your weight goes up again then maybe you could try Nuva Ring, I think that is the lowest dose of all of estrogen out of the combination hormonal birth control options. I was about ready to throw the things out the first month, but stuck with it since everybody says give it three months. Overall, I like it because it's a lot simpler than the pill.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2003
Sun, 04-18-2004 - 7:38pm
The reason i chose the patch over the ring (my doc gave me the option of both) was becuas ei experience a lot of discomfort from wearing tampons (i normally wear pads unless i go to the gym) and i thought having something in there for three weeks would cause the same discomfort (by discomfort i mean cramps).

i know i should try the patch and i guess if i gain weight i can just go off it, sucks that its right before summer!

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-12-2004
Sun, 04-18-2004 - 8:23pm

I'm having the same problem.

~Kristine
My body, MY decision. I'm Pro-Choice.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2003
Sun, 04-18-2004 - 9:45pm
i put it on lke two hours and i am having a panic attack about it. i'm freaking out and i want to rip it off very quickly. i am so nervous about the side effects. i don't think i can go on it right now.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-12-2004
Sun, 04-18-2004 - 11:06pm

The same thing happened to me the first two times I tried it.

~Kristine
My body, MY decision. I'm Pro-Choice.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 9:05am
Maybe because it releases more estrogen directly in our systems it causes these problems. A friend of mine is on Alesse and tried the patch and coudln't handle it because it made her way too sick and nauseious. Alesse only has 20 mc of estrogen and I coudlnt' figure out why it would make her sick (the patch) as she was the 2nd person I had heard of switching to the patch and saying it made them nauseaus. Now after reading the other post I kind of guess that is the reason why. I am gonna try Mircette now.

I'll let ya know if I get the same bloating/abdom. pain. Take care!
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2003
Tue, 04-20-2004 - 7:37pm
well, i eventaully took it off later that night. i am just too nervous about all those bad symptoms that i had and i had a weird panic attack and couldn't start it this month. i kept thinking my leg was going to clot up or i would get a stroke or heart attack because i was reading that it causes those symptoms.

i've had bad cramps this month! what a cycle.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-19-2003
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 8:22am
I would just like to quickly point out that most of the people found these message boards because they had a problem with something. The information that you get here is accurate, but keep in mind that for every one person that DID experience weight gain, abdominal pain, etc, there are probably a thousand or two people who experienced nothing of the sort. I have been on the patch for over a year and have absolutely no side effects from it. My major complaint is the red ring that I get for a few days after I remove a patch. It is a wonderful option that effects each individual differently, you won't know how YOU will react to it until you have given it that 3 month window for your body to get used to it. Add by the way, blood clots and the like are a risk for all forms of hormonal BC- not just the patch. As I understand it though, that is only a big risk if you are middle aged(around there) and you smoke.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-12-2004
Wed, 04-21-2004 - 8:34am
I think these side effects are more rare than some of you are thinking. Especially the blood clots/strokes/heart attacks. I'm sure you have a better chance of getting run over crossing the street than having a stroke from your birth control.

I for one have been on the patch for 3 weeks now and I am having no side effects besides the pink square on my "cheek" after I remove a patch. That and the underwear lint sticking to the outside of the patch are my only complaints. :D

CheckeredButt

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2004
Mon, 04-26-2004 - 4:21pm
I stopped using the patch about 2 weeks ago. I am also small (now about 100 pounds). I've lost 8 pounds since coming off of the patch and my breasts have shrunk a cup size. I would definitely say that this hormonal bc method causes weight gain...