Oh boy!
I'm going to be very open with you all, so this post may not exactly be something men want to read. I promise not to talk about very embarrassing things, but there ARE things about being a woman that I'm needing to vent about.
So I've been counting my calories, watching what I eat, exercising 3 days a week plus doing a mile and a half at the track every Sunday morning.
Last month I started a new birth control pill....Ortho Tricyclen Lo.
I have gained 10 pounds since starting the pill.
Really?????
And nothing I do is keeping that weight from piling on. I'm so disappointed and frustrated.
Aside from the weight gain, other side effects I'm having are mood swings, feeling tired, horrible sleep etc etc and etc......and a pretty much non existent sex drive. There I said it!
If you cringed, I apologize but I had to include that in my list of things gone wrong since I started it.
I won't even mention the bloated feeling, the increase in breast size which I really really really do NOT need.
I'm done.
I am dropping this pill and going back to a hormone free body. I've done very well and have felt amazing for the past 3 years off any kind of birth control that is hormone related.
When I had my appointment last month I thought "well let's try the pill again and see how that works". Clearly it's not working for me, and I'm going nuts with the way it's making me feel.
To say I'm disappointed and upset over this, is an understatement. But I think I'm making the right decision. If it's worked for me before not being on any hormone medication, why change it now?
I think I just need to vent about this and I guess reach out to anyone out there who has gained weight while on birth control. And please don't tell me that birth control does not cause anyone to gain weight because this is not the first time that birth control pills have done this to me.
It happened before I was married and it happened right after my daughter was born as well. The only one that didn't do it was the Mirena IUD. Other than that, seems that every birth control pill I've used has caused dramatic weight gain almost immediately.
*sigh*
Seriously, I could have written most of your post! I haven't had trouble with weight gain but I am having trouble shedding these 5 extra pounds from having my son...2 years ago. I did the counting calories, exercising and it had very little impact on losing weight. I think hormones have a huge impact on weight. I can relate to all of your other side effects as well...and like, you I'm going back to the Dr next week to talk about getting the implant in my arm removed. I'm ready to be hormone free. The more I read about hormones the more it freaks me out! I've been on some sort of hormone for 10 years, with the exception of when I was pregnant with my son. When I was off for a a few months pre pregnancy I felt so good! I'm anxious to see what it will feel like again. Good luck and thanks for being honest! We women need to stick together on these isues.
ReplyDeleteI too have found the hormones and side effects in the past with birth control to be a deciding factor against it entirely. I was on the depo shot for a few years after having my daughter which sent me on a spiraling roller coaster of emotions and of course I gained weight. Then I switched to the NuvaRing which brought on the first of many painful migraines. Thankfully my husband and I had a baby plan and after having our son He chose to take care of business so that I never have to be on any type of birth control. I am very thankful for this. I hope that you are able to find something that works better for you soon. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are making the right decision for you. All of our bodies react differently, and no one knows what is right for us better than ourselves. I hope you feel better quickly once you are off this med!
ReplyDeletedrug free was the only way to go for me as well, after we were done having our family hubby got things taken care of for good!
ReplyDeleteI encourage your decision! I know these are studied out drugs...but, not worth any of the risks!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't be more thankful for your post. It makes me feel normal knowing the are more of us that are so sensitive to the pill. I've also decided to go hormone-free and see if I feel any better, have been on Cerazette for the past 3.5 years, but man can I get into a mood swing from hell!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't do hormone-based BC either. The short time I was on ortho-tricycline I experienced the worst mood swings, and most imbalanced cycles (one of the reasons I was on it was to REGULATE). Ugh, I feel for you.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I know all of your pains with the pill. I am currently on a low dose pill since I'm breastfeeding while we wait for my husband to get snipped in December. I did get pregnant with Rylie on the low dose pill while breastfeeding Sydney. I had never had a period and so I was totally surprised to find out I was pregnant. This also makes me super nervous now.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'm still going through everything you have mentioned even with the low dose pill. I guess my hormones are so out of wack though that I don't know what normal is supposed to feel like. I've been pregnant or breastfeeding for almost the last 6 years. Maybe it's my pill causing a lot of the problems though.
I used Ortho Tricyclen Lo when I was younger to also help regulate my periods, but I did gain weight and felt absolutely awful. I struggled with everything that you have mentioned. Most of my weight issues come from hormones and it's awful.
Thank you for posting this. It's something that sooooooo many women go through and don't realize, or just suffer alone.
What had you been using before starting this pill? If you don't mind me asking. I'm just curious since I've had so many of the same problems and my husband keeps putting off his surgery because he's not sure he wants to be done having babies.
Oh my goodness! I know all of your pains with the pill. I am currently on a low dose pill since I'm breastfeeding while we wait for my husband to get snipped in December. I did get pregnant with Rylie on the low dose pill while breastfeeding Sydney. I had never had a period and so I was totally surprised to find out I was pregnant. This also makes me super nervous now.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'm still going through everything you have mentioned even with the low dose pill. I guess my hormones are so out of wack though that I don't know what normal is supposed to feel like. I've been pregnant or breastfeeding for almost the last 6 years. Maybe it's my pill causing a lot of the problems though.
I used Ortho Tricyclen Lo when I was younger to also help regulate my periods, but I did gain weight and felt absolutely awful. I struggled with everything that you have mentioned. Most of my weight issues come from hormones and it's awful.
Thank you for posting this. It's something that sooooooo many women go through and don't realize, or just suffer alone.
What had you been using before starting this pill? If you don't mind me asking. I'm just curious since I've had so many of the same problems and my husband keeps putting off his surgery because he's not sure he wants to be done having babies.
I also had horrible problems with Ortho-Tri-Low. I switched to a pill that does not have three levels, but only one throughout the month - it has worked SO. MUCH. BETTER. I feel better in *every* area of life. ;)
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
I have tried THREE different pills. Two were a combination of estrogen and progesterone. The third was a progesterone only pill while I was breastfeeding. The first two made me gain weight, cravings, non-stop PMS symptoms, AND DEPRESSION. After the first pill did this to me, I went to the doctor and she put me on another kind. It did exactly the same thing. I threw them in the trash. This was in college, fast forward to the future. Now married, with two children. After my second was born, I was really interested in the mini pill even though I had this horrible past with hormonal birth control. Now, this is 6 weeks PP and I felt great now PPD or anything but within three days, I told my husband that the world seemed physically darker and that I had a weight my shoulders that just wasn't there days before. He said, stop taking it immediately. Two days after I stopped taking it, I felt SO much better. I talked to my dr about it again, and she said while it is rare, it is a known side-effect. She also said that there is no hormonal birth control that I can take that wouldn't do this to me. I've come to the conclusion that it's just not for me and we'll have to figure out something else. GL to you!!
ReplyDeleteThank You!!!! Your words were exactly what I needed to hear, as I just stopped taking the Pill, too. Weight gain, NO libido, depression, vaginal dryness....I'll trade the ovulation pain and heavy periods for those side effects. It was a hard decision-I'm 45 and don't want to start a second family(our oldest just started college).
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the word "Vasectomy" - best birth control ever!
ReplyDeleteSandra,
ReplyDeleteI can only use the copper IUD.... anything with hormones messes me up so bad. I know how you feel!
I hate all kinds of BC. I wrote a post on this a while back... here's the link... http://whitneycroy.blogspot.com/2012/05/is-natural-family-planning-for-you.html
ReplyDeleteevery kind of BC has made me so sick to my stomach that is all natural for me! and I wouldn't change it for anything... the only question I have for you is... if non hormonal BC was working for you then why were you thinking about going on the pill?
It took me two kids to figure out that the depressive state I was in was caused by The Pill. Every time I'd stop it to test, I got pregnant- which didn't help and didn't answer the question.
ReplyDeleteWhat I was told after the first was born (2001) was that the pill absolutely did NOT affect mood, according to the drug company, so I second guessed myself for years! I never associated weight gain with the pill, but I might have had that too. Life has been so much brighter since I went hormone free.
As for what we do now... Kid3 came about between my copper IUD slipping out of place and my "consultation" before a tubal. (in other words, I found out I was pregnant at a tubal consultation!) I insisted on having the tubal before I left the hospital. I did not want to go home fertile after two babies born in 18 months! *Ahem* Other aspects of life and marriage have only improved since then!
I was on that exact pill and had all the same issues after my daughter was born. I had an emergency hysterectomy two years ago when my 11 lb 5 oz son was born so I haven't had to worry about any birth control, but after I went off it with my daughter I swore I would never go back on it.
ReplyDeleteAll of this happened to me too! I really think there is SO much work to be done in advancing birth control methods for women!
ReplyDeleteOk....so I got pregnant with my youngest on ortho tricyclen lo! After that, I got the copper-Paraguard- IUD (no hormones & good for 10 years) and its been great! Something to consider.... :) I've been nothing but happy & no weight gain or side effects.
ReplyDeleteangboz00@yahoo.com
I loved your honest on the subject of weight gain and the pill.
ReplyDeleteI tried for years to take the pill but due to my family history of blood clots and high blood pressure I gave up.
After years of other methods I had my son my husband and I decided we were done. I went and had my tubes tied. That was 20 yrs ago.
My doctor had put me on a number of birth control pills. They all made me gain weight AND I ended up having my period for months straight with no stopping. It was crazy.
ReplyDeleteI do not like those things one bit.
I've heard this from quite a few people on the pill. I have been on and off it as well, but I always feel so bad. At one point it affected my heart so bad the Dr. pulled me off of them for good.
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling lots better! :-)
Blessings,
Jill
I went through the same thing with birth control pills. I had constant headaches and constant pms. My husband told me to stop them because my personality was changing and not for the better. We used other methods and with my last child who I had via c-section, I got my tubes tied.
ReplyDeleteI was on this same birth control year ago. I didn't have any of the other symptoms but I did gain about 10-15lbs. Go with your gut, if you don't think it's working for you. I am now on the "mini pill" or the breastfeeding pill. I stopped breastfeeding a few months ago but I love that I have no side affects. But it's less effective than other pills if you don't take it at the EXACT time every day. But might be something you might consider. It has no estrogen, just progesterone.
ReplyDelete