Weight gain and BCP

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-11-2004
Weight gain and BCP
3
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 10:22pm
Hi all, I was just wondering how many of you have experience weight gain on BCP. Is it water weight gain, is it that your appetite increased, what is it about BCP that causes women to gain weight?

I have read a few things that have said there is really no direct correlation between the pill and weight gain, and i have to say I took Yasmin for 10 months and didn't gain a pound, but that is known for that.

Anyone have any experiences with gaining weight just on the pill? I've read the other posts about other methods causing weight gain but just curious about the pill.

Thanks in advance!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2004
Fri, 09-17-2004 - 9:51am
I believe for most women it's an increased appetite. I know for me, I didn't like food before I went on birth control. Suddenly I liked food a lot and wanted to eat everything, especially bad for me stuff, but I had been eating bad stuff before, so that may not have changed. I gained about 40 pounds over the 4 1/2 years I've been on the pill. I recently lost about 10 of it and should hopefully be able to lose another 10. But I know I will never be able to get nearly as small again.

A lot of people say this weight gain could be due to timing of when we start taking the pill and when our bodies naturally start gaining. But I have to say this - everyone in my family started gaining their weight around 25 or later. I started the pill at 18 and started gaining immediately. Could be coincidence, but I doubt it.

I'm not saying my weight gain was all the BCPs' fault, but I know for a fact that they had something to do with it and no one can tell me otherwise. But, as I look at it, weight gain is a small price to pay for not having babies before I'm ready. And I also probly needed at least 10 pounds of it.

So, I hope this helps and it's just my 2 cents,

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Mon, 09-20-2004 - 10:46pm
Not everybody who takes the pill gains weight--I'm the same weight I was when I graduated high school 11 years ago and I've been using hormonal birth control (the pill and then the ring) for the last almost 8 years.

As far as we know, weight gain is a very individual experience, just like every woman's period is different. The estrogen in the pill can cause the kidneys to want to retain water, which is what Yasmin helps with. The progestin in the pill can cause a woman's appetite to increase, making her eat more. And some women, in rarer cases, when they take the pill, will have change in how their bodies produce insulin, which can make weight gain easier even with a consistent diet and exercise. There's no way to know, though, if you'll experience any of this ahead of time.

Does that help?

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-07-2004
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 8:52pm
Hi, when I first took bcp about four months ago I took yasmin and actually lost like five lbs in a week and a half. Then I switched to the patch because I thought it would be more convent. It was the worst idea ever. i gained ten lbs in a week and a half. Everyone I know who went on the patch gained ten lbs or more. I say if you don't want to gain weight stay away from the patch. go with yasmin. hope this helps