Is it even possible to lose weight on birth control?
I've been on Depo-Provera for roughly two years now and I have experienced the weight gain associated with hormonal birth control. I started out around 270-something and ended up at 290 something after two years. I don't really attribute that to Depo, though, as I really didn't watch what I was eating because I was in a "comfortable" situation.
I've noticed that when I try to lose weight, I lose 3 lbs, stick to the same diet, and gain back 5. For example, last week when I weighed I was 285.1, and this week, I'm 289.1. I didn't change anything and I only slipped up once last weekend (I went out to eat and got steak.) I don't know if it's water weight or what. I've read a lot about hormonal birth control and weight loss and the internet's consensus is that hormonal birth control makes it impossible to lose weight. I'm changing from Depo to a pill, but I still feel hopeless about the whole thing. Pills are hormonal, too. I'd get a IUD but I doubt my mom would let me do that. I'm in a position where I really have to have effective birth control so I don't become pregnant, but most BC methods involve hormones.
Is it Depo that's screwing up my weight loss, or is it just water retention? How can I tell? Is anyone else on BC and is able to lose weight?
It is possible, but depo makes is very challenging. If you can, try going for a pill based on more estrogen, because the progesterone-based ones can cause major problems with cravings, depression, etc.
Or better yet, avoid the hormones and go with condoms if you can.
Depo CAN cause weight gain in some patients. And it can cause fat storage too. Most hormonal treatment can. However, from what I've seen personally, Depo is the worst for it because it's such a high dose of hormones at once. I would suggest switching to the pill or maybe considering the nuvaring (which is what I use because the hormone dose is lower than the pill).
I've been on nuvaring for 5 months and have lost 10lbs in May when I started my weight loss journey.
I know three people who gained a lot of weight quickly on Depo. I've been on all different BC pills for over ten years and never had a problem maintaining or losing.
Speak with your doctor and ask them about alternative choices, then present the reasons why to your mom. You technically can switch to other BC without her consent, but if you're under her insurance, she'd probably be billed the copay for any procedure/medication and would find out anyway.
Well, I'm stuck getting the shot tomorrow, because it's too late to cancel. I'm just really disappointed because I know it takes a long time for Depo to leave the body, and I don't know how quickly I can get back to losing weight normally. I know I can lose weight normally because I did it before I was on Depo, but still...
I'm going to make an appointment with my gynecologist to discuss other options. I'm still pushing for the Paragard as my mom said no to the nuvaring. I'm under her insurance, so I can't really switch without her consent anyways. If not, I'll just get BC pills and explain to my gyn that I need to lose weight. Maybe she'll know which one is best. It's just a really disappointing situation. I've spent most of the day crying because I can't seem to lose no matter what I do.
I believe it is possible to lose weight while on any drug. Drugs don't actually make you gain weight -- they can't, as they have virtually no calories. Some drugs make you retain water and/or increase appetite. If you wait long enough, your water retention will stabilize. In other words, you won't keep retaining more and more water until you pop. And if you resist the increase in appetite, there's no reason you can't lose weight, though it may be a little more difficult psychologically.
F.
Last edited by freelancemomma; 06-07-2012 at 03:10 PM.
Thank you, freelacemomma. It's not the cravings or the appetite increase that's bugged me. Actually, my appetite hasn't increased at all with Depo. It's just the water retention that's killing me-- Depo really causes some serious water retention and I'm having a hard time distinguishing between water weight and actual weight. That, and I've read that Depo causes more fat storage. Whether that's true I don't know.
I'm going to get off of Depo anyways because it causes bone density loss and I'm at the point where I've used it for the max number of years recommended. I just wish I would have gotten off of it sooner.
I hate that everyone has this perception of depo "making" them gain weight, I've been on depo for well over a year and I have not had any weight issues because of it. Yeah I gained a few pound in December but I know that was my fault and because of my poor eating habits. I've lost almost 20lbs in the last 4 months and I'm still taking depo. Everytime i tell someone Im on it their immediate reaction is "doesn't it make you gain weight??".....um, no. I know it affects people differently but I don't think using that as an excuse for gaining weight is very realistic. Most of the time it's just one making poor food choices but since that's the stigma attached to it that's why it has such a bad rep.
I don't know anything about Depo but I'm on the pill (Mircette) and have lost weight on it. I went off it for 6 months to see if there was any difference and there wasn't that I could tell, so I went back on it.
Misa66: I also believe that too. I can attribute my 20lbs gained to the fact that during the time I was in love and he was my first boyfriend and I felt comfortable and happy, so I ate. I'm still with him and I stopped gaining because I decided that I needed to lose weight for my health. I just had to make a promise that I wouldn't become a twig for him, lol.
It's really encouraging to hear that you've lost weight on Depo. I'm getting off of it for other reasons, but at least I know I can lose something while I'm waiting for it to leave my system. Everyone I've heard from said they're really struggling to lose weight, but I don't know their whole story. Like, did they try for a week and give up, or are they lying about how hard they're trying?
I've never been on Depo, but know two people who gained a lot of weight fairly quickly while on it...and also one person who had no issues with it.
My first round at Weight Watchers, I lost 63lbs. My second, I lost 40lbs. Both while on Tri-Cyclen birth control pills.
Is it even possible to lose weight on birth control?
