Does birth control make you gain weight?

some do, yes.

I’m on Depo Provera, the shot, and weight gain is a major side effect. At least fifty-eleven people warned me about it. I’ve successfully managed to lose 20lbs while on the shot by dieting, so you can combat the weight gain. But if you slack off, you’ll pack on the pounds pretty quickly.

I can only speak for Depo though.

My roommate was on birth control. She didn’t gain weight, but had to diet constantly to maintain the same weight and always complained that she was hungry. :-/

Depending on the type of birth control certain types can make you feel hungrier, while others can suppress your appetite.

I’m on Loestrin pill and I lost weight because it suppressed my appetite for the first few weeks.

not as much as pregnancy

interesting.

I’m scared shitless about birth control, too. I don’t think I would ever go on any kind of hormonal birth control. One of my friends’ mothers is a doctor, and she told me at the tender age of 11 that the “period” you get while on the pill isn’t a real period, it’s technically a withdrawal bleed. That delightful seed of knowledge ended any desire to go on birth control that I ever could have had. (And yes, she was correct in saying this – I’ve looked it up since. Here is an interesting blog post about it.) So no hormones for me. I might if there were any comprehensive studies on the long-term effects of suppressing the uterine cycle, but there really aren’t any at this point. Not that that is anyone’s fault – the pill was only invented in the 60s, there hasn’t been enough time for us to know the long-term effects!

In conclusion, good thing I’m gay. :)

I’ve never noticed any weight gain on birth control. I often wonder if it’s just an excuse women use to justify weight gain… I don’t know. It hasn’t happened to me yet. As long as you work out, eat a balanced diet while you’re on it, I think you’ll find it’s perfectly safe.
I agree that it’s not very natural for the female body though. I don’t like this part of it myself.
I get horrendous cramping, so I’m using the pill to help control that somewhat. Good luck.

It just depends on how your body reacts to it. I lost weight with Depo, and the nurses said they’ve never seen that happen before. I came off of it because of other nasty side effects (like my skin getting horrible)
I never felt the pill made me gain weight. But, thats only been my personal experience.

I think it just depends on the person and which pill (or which method of birth control) you choose. I didn’t gain weight when I started taking birth control, but I have friends who did… and other friends who didn’t.
If you’re reacting poorly to the prescription your doctor put you on, you can always switch. I started with the most average birth control and it worked fine for me. My best friend started with the same one and had some problems with I think two types before she found one that was right for her.
If you talk to your doctor about it, they should be able to help you pick one that will work without too many (or any) negative effects.

@evil2 GA!!!

I did. But it wasn’t much weight, and the weight gain wasn’t the reason I went off it. The horomones made me feel not like myself, and I hated how I did feel. Oddly, they made my flow heavier and worsened my cramping each month. And a few times, I had the most horribly painful periods ever.

No, not necessarily.

I’ve been on the pill for more than 5 years, and I lost about 15 lbs around year 3 without really trying. I’ve kept it off (with almost no effort) the whole time. Hormones affect each person differently. As for me, now that I’ve found the right brand for me, everything is great. I feel a lot better physically now than I did before I started using birth control.

@fireinthepriory: 40 years is long enough for me.

If your birth control is his using a condom, you probably not gain weight.

Some people gain weight, some lose weight. I was on Yaz for over a year, and I gained about 20 pounds, despite the fact that I was eating right and exercising. I recently stopped taking it, and now am hoping the weight will come off and my acne won’t come back (the whole reason I was taking it in the first place). This is the second time on BC, and the lesson I’ve learned is: I’m not going on it again. Yuck.

Birth control can make you gain weight or make it harder to lose weight. It has to do with the hormones. However, most weight gain isn’t all that much. You’re not going to balloon up just because you started taking BC.

I like Nuvaring. You insert, leave for three weeks, pull out for a week, insert a new one. So easy. I’m one of those who stays on BC because my periods are horrible. Long, heavy, great potential for major cramping… You name it. :P I’ve taken several different types over the years, but Nuvaring is my favorite.