Before I go to college in the fall, I am considering starting birth control. Its not because I plan to whore around or anything, its just that I have painful, irregular periods and acne, and some day I will probably be in a sexual relationship, too.
My main concern is weight gain. I am already significantly overweight and I have struggled with my weight in addition to my eating for nearly my whole life. I am also concerned with emotional problems that one might encounter on birth control bills, too. I have dealt with depression/anxiety/OCD in the past and I am slightly scared that the hormones might cause these symptoms to reoccur, which is the last thing I want.
Thank you!!
lovenlight,
Linz

It's different with everyone, but I gained weight with orthotricylene, the one that is supposed to help clear up skin. They say the weight gain goes away with time, but I didn't stick with it long enough to find out. I also felt moody on it, but who knows, that could've been anything.

However, triphasil was pretty good, no weight gain or other side effects on that.

But everyone has a different story, and you really won't know until you try one. Sorry, but good luck!

But everyone has a different story, and you really won't know until you try one. Sorry, but good luck!

I agree. I did gain wait around the time I started the birth control shot, depo provera. But then again, it was about that time that I stopped participating in competitive sports and also started living on my own and didn't have established meals. (Ex: Breakfast in those days equaled Doritos and Mountain Dew.) So I don't know if I can blame the weight gain on the BC.

I think you'll just have to try it and really pay attention to how you feel and what you're craving, etc.

The latest studies (as per my doctor, the uber doctor of all that walks on water) are showing that there is an up to 5lb water gain the first month, but then it evens out afterwards. It appears that weight gain for people was independent of the bill control; was just being used as something else to blame.

In order to avoid the emotional trauma I experienced from the "regular" birth control pills I took in the past, I began taking Lo-estrin brand (low estrogen, the generic name is microgestrin) pills about four years ago. I stopped taking them about 1 week ago. They worked very well, and I didn't experience any emotional side effects or any weight gain while I was taking them. The only change was that I rarely had a period at all even while taking the placebos each month, but after awhile you stop worrying too much about it. You might want to look into low-estrogen pills.

Lo-Estrin ROCKS! It is the most incredible birth control pill out there, in my opinion (having taken many different kinds). If you are the overly emotional, sobbing type, Lo-Estrin is for you! lol

I'm on the patch right now, simply b/c I got tired of always forgetting my pills.

ACK! Just remembered...today is Wednesday, I need to put on a new patch when I get home tonight. Someone send me a PM and remind me lol

Low-e pills ROCK! I started taking the pill when I was 18 and experienced weight gain (5-8 lbs.). The uncontrollable mood swings were intolerable, but my doctor (MALE) at the time wouldn't hear of switching me. Well into my 20's I suffered through ridiculous mood swings, until I switched docs (WOMAN). She was sympathetic to my concerns, switched me to a different brand of tri-phasic pill. Still had mood swings but not so severe, until I found VB and was educated by the "oh so wise Kristadb" on the low-e pill. For a little over a year, I've been on the low-e pills with few if any at all side effects.

In short RM, have an open relationship with your doctor, express your concerns and work with them to monitor and manage any side effects. Best of luck.

This is a very timely topic. I got my period back after not having it for over a year and half due to eating disorders (My feelings on that are a different topic :-/) and my mom told me I could go on Seasonale or BC or something so I wouldn't have my period. Due to the ED (as well as anxiety/OC tendencies), I obviously worry about weight gain. THose low-e pills sound awesome.

I think the low estrogen pills don't help with acne, though.

I've been on orthotricyclene for a few years now and I've never had any problems. I went on it because my periods became extremely irregular, long, and very painful and my skin was breaking out like no tomorrow. It stopped all of that and I never had any weight gain and I actually think it made my mood better - maybe because my hormones were so out of whack in the first place? I'm not sure why. However, I know a girl who went on them and it made her moods horrible, so like Kateq said, it's different with everyone. I think it's almost a trial and error thing, unfortunately.

All bc helps with acne, but in the US they aren't allowed to say that. For example, all the BC here is used as a means of controling acne.

I was gonna say what Krista said. All bc pills can help with acne, the only one who went through the process of getting FDA approval to say that it helps with acne is Ortho Tri Cyclen.

I didn't gain any weight on the pill, neither did my little sister, and off hand, I can't think of anyone I know who has claimed to gain any weight. I've heard sometimes you pick up a little water weight while your body adjusts to the hormones, but it rarely is even 10 lbs and it goes away within 3 mos.

I can't take a low-estrogen pill. I learned this the hard way by being put on one and bleeding for 2 mos. I've been on Ortho-Cyclen since Feb 01 and the first week I was on it, I cried all the time. Haven't had a problem since. Our doc put my sister on the same thing, since it worked for me, seemed as good a place as any to start, and she had no side effects. [i mean no negative side effects by no side effects, i started taking it not because i was sexually active, but because i wanted the side effect of predictable, shorter, less painful periods. that i got. its awesome!]

The best advice I can give is try it for 3 mos, and then stop if its making your life hell. ETA: you may want to start it soon though if you're going to college in 2 mos so at least you won't be going through any neg side effects also while trying to adjust to college life. it'll be easier to determine which is causing problems -- the pills, or just the crazy stress.

I gained weight on all the pills I tried, even the low-dose ones, like Mircette.

I'm on the nuvaring now, and I haven't gained any weight...in fact I've lost a few pounds! (Due to eating better and stuff, not due to the ring.) Also,

It's very convenient, I don't have to worry about forgetting pills.

BUT, I have experienced two negative side effects.

-Moodswings
-Constant yeast infection

My antidepressant was increased to compensate for the moodswings, and my gyn is helping me with an aggressive anti-yeast treatment plan including lots of diflucan, continuing to take acidophilus tablets regularly, and avoiding yeast-promoting activities like wearing non-cotton underwear.

Not every woman experiences the yeast infections and stuff with the ring, but it's been a real problem for me.

Despite this, it's the best method I've ever used. Because I have an ED, if I were to gain any weight, it would possibly harm my recovery, so right now, this is the best choice for me.

Good luck with your decision. You might consider checking out the birthcontrol community on Livejournal.

http://livejournal.com/users/birthcontrol

I take Alesse, which has been pretty good--it's a low-dose pill as well. I felt pretty insane for the first month or so, but afterwards it seemed to even out. I have heard such great things about Lo-estrin, though. I think I would like to try it...does anyone know about the difference between Alesse and Lo-estrin?

I never noticed a change in weight from the BCP.

I do get bloated sometimes for about a week before my period, which sucks. :(

My breasts went from a C to a D cup. Any other weight gain from the past few years can be explained by slowing metabolism and not enough exercise.

I started an old school high dose pill at 17. I didn't gain weight despite working at a pizza place and eating a small pizza or a tray of breadsticks for lunch most days. Then I turned 20. I don't think it had anything to do with the pill, though.

I started using a p-ring during a diet and didn't gain a thing. I don't know if they're available everywhere, but it's a small ring you wear "up there" between your periods. It's very easy to use. My skin did get more clear, but I don't know if that's the reason, because I also switched skin care products around that time.
Anyway, I'd very much recommend it, as I've gained weight and gotten moody on almost every other kind of birth control. Maybe you can ask your doctor about it? Good luck with it! :)

I gained a noticable amount of weight when I first went on depo. It all came off again when I came off it. According to the literature that comes with the shot, the shot does not effect your metabolism per se, but ups your appetite quite a bit. I don't know whether it was water or eating more, but I definately weighed a bit more when I was on it. For me though, that was the only side effect of depo, and the weight gain was worth the benefits. (No periods, no PMS, no pregnancies)

I hadn't even considered Depo - besides the weight gain, I hate needles :p

Thank you all very much for your replies. I will definatley make a gyno appointment for when I get back from vacation and I will look into a low estrogen pill. I wrote down the two names, Lo-Estrin and Alesse. I do want to get it started soon so that I will be fairly used to them when I go away from school.

A friend of mine is on Ortho Tricyclen Low...Does anyone have any info on this pill? Although her boobs got considerably larger, she didn't have any other harmful side effects.

Thanks so much!
lovenlight,
Linz

Cissy- My Mom took the Depo shot and got really messed up on it. She had NO appetite which caused her to get very, very skinny, and she also had some serious depression. We still don't know if this was related to the shot for sure; but we know that when the course of hormones was over and she was supposed to get another shot, she got her energy and appetite back. I don't know anyone who has had a good experience with the shot.

Reda, I'll check into the "p ring" thing as well. I've never heard of it before!!

Arti, I get bloated too, and I'm not even on the pill. :( I'm experiencing it as we speak, I feel like a cow!!! (even moreso than usual....)

My only acne is before my period! During the rest of the month, I get a few zits and such- I have really oily skin- but before my period my skin really goes whacko. I've been using topical medicine prescribed by a dermotologist, but it doesn't do anything. So I thought maybe it was a hormone thing.

Just so you know, low estrogen pills aren't right for everyone! I nned a high estrogen pill or I bleed endlessly!!!

From people I know who have been on tri-cyclics (ortho tri cyclen, low or otherwise), they've had a harder time adjusting to it because the hormone level kept changing. I do believe its the most highly prescribed pill though, so it must work for a lot of people!

I take Yasmin (http://www.yasmin-us.com/index2.html). It's a low dose combination pill, but it's monophasic. Does anyone know the difference in mono- and triphasic, as far as benefits/risks?

All birth control pills contain synthetic hormones that imitate the hormones a woman naturally produces. Today, there are over 40 brands of birth control pills that are variations of each other because they all contain the same kind of hormones. Only YASMIN contains a different kind of hormone, which makes it a different kind of pill. YASMIN can reduce excess sodium and water in your body, which may increase potassium - therefore women with kidney, liver or adrenal disease should not take YASMIN.

This was also on the Yasmin site:

Today's combination pills

The most recently developed combination pills are referred to as “low dose,” meaning that they have 0.035 mg of estrogen or less. Through the years, research has shown that the higher amounts of this hormone used in older birth control pills are not necessary to prevent pregnancy. As a result, the doses have gotten lower, but contraceptive effectiveness has stayed the same... [snip]

Since all low-dose combination pills have the same estrogen, called ethinyl estradiol, the main difference from one brand to another is the progestin.

ETA: I switched to this because it has a spironolactone derivative. I was taking spironolactone to combat my hormonal breakouts before this.

Cissy- My Mom took the Depo shot and got really messed up on it. She had NO appetite which caused her to get very, very skinny, and she also had some serious depression. We still don't know if this was related to the shot for sure; but we know that when the course of hormones was over and she was supposed to get another shot, she got her energy and appetite back. I don't know anyone who has had a good experience with the shot.


That's really interesting. More reasons not to get it... my main still being that I hate needles.

Just so you know, low estrogen pills aren't right for everyone!

I agree, I stopped bleeding with low estrogen pills. It's not a bad side effect, but I'd still like to be able to check if I'm pregnant or not and if my body is still working as it should be. :p