Birth control, weight gain, depression

mattandlora · August 2015

First, I have an appointment with my OB to discuss. I'm just looking for personal experience stories.

I've been on the pill, the mirena IUD, and now the nexplanon implant on and off for, er, 15 years????

Over the last 10-15 years, my weight has gone up and down a lot. So have my moods. Only recently, I started to realize that being on hormonal birth control corresponds with times of depressed mood and weight gain. I don't know if the birth control only causes one, then that causes the other, or if the birth control is responsible for all of it.

For example - do the hormones make me gain, then I'm depressed that I'm gaining weight? Or do the hormones make me depressed, then I adopt bad lifestyles and gain weight? Or do the hormones just cause both?

I just got my nexplanon a couple months ago and I'm going to ask the doctor to remove it next week. My moods are getting too wacky. Trying to decide if I want to go back to the IUD or what. It would help if DH and I were certain if we were done with kids or not

That is all.

Guennie · August 2015

I was on birth control pills most of my adult life and I have always struggled with depression and anxiety. This runs in my family, however, so I can't say if the birth control contributed. I do know my anxiety and depression, especially anxiety, are prone to being worse during certain times of my cycle whether I'm on birth control or not, so I do think there is a relationship with hormones.

The last time I tried birth control a few months ago I tried a low dose pill and it messed with me big time. I found this odd since I was on high dose pills my whole life and did just fine. I'm going to let my body be at this point, no more birth control for me.

I'm sorry you're having a hard time. It's tough when you don't know if you're done. Birth control affects people differently, some have a lot of side effects and some don't. It sounds like you have pretty much the same experience no matter what you're using. Have you been off birth control long enough to know if you would still experience these swings without it? Postpartum doesn't count because your body hasn't balanced out yet, especially when breastfeeding.

Talk to your dr about all of your concerns and hopefully you can come up with a solution together. Good luck!

ETA: being off bc pills hasn't eliminated my depression or anxiety. I find I go through a few days of really strong hormonal flux just before I ovulate. Some cycles are worse than others, I think stress also contributes.

mattandlora · August 2015

I've had extended periods of time when I'm off all hormonal birth control, even excluding pregnancy and breastfeeding. During those times, my mood improves, I have more energy, and weight loss is easier. Again, I don't know if the hormones are responsible for all the changes, or if it is just responsible for one change and trigger a domino effect

I'm going to see if the ob will take out the nexplanon next week. I hope so, but I only got it 2 months ago. He may want me to give it more time. After that ...... ?????

marijaa333 · August 2015

I quit hormonal BC in my 20s after a scare with a blood clot. Never looked back. Have you considered a copper IUD like Paragard?

mattandlora · August 2015

marijaa333 said:
I quit hormonal BC in my 20s after a scare with a blood clot. Never looked back. Have you considered a copper IUD like Paragard?

We've talked about that, but it can cause infertility. Most docs won't give it unless you know you're done with kids. We still haven't decided that yet.

niknak1208 · August 2015

I haven't been on BC for over ten years. I refuse to go back on it. I was on a low estragen pill for a long time. I lost 100lbs while on the pill. As far as I know, there's no scientific evidence that BC affects fertility.. The pill I was on.. But I am 100% convinced that it whacked out my hormones and that triggered my fertility issues. I'll never take it again.

mattandlora · August 2015

mattandlora said:

marijaa333 said:
I quit hormonal BC in my 20s after a scare with a blood clot. Never looked back. Have you considered a copper IUD like Paragard?
We've talked about that, but it can cause infertility. Most docs won't give it unless you know you're done with kids. We still haven't decided that yet.

I WAS WRONG!!! It was an old brand of copper IUD that caused infertility. It got pulled off the market, then the Paragard was released without issues. That is the route I'll be taking

mindaa · August 2015

mattandlora said:

mattandlora said:

marijaa333 said:
I quit hormonal BC in my 20s after a scare with a blood clot. Never looked back. Have you considered a copper IUD like Paragard?
We've talked about that, but it can cause infertility. Most docs won't give it unless you know you're done with kids. We still haven't decided that yet.
I WAS WRONG!!! It was an old brand of copper IUD that caused infertility. It got pulled off the market, then the Paragard was released without issues. That is the route I'll be taking

Phew, good to know - that's what I plan to do eventually. Was a little worried there.

xuxachi · August 2015

I was on the pill throughout my 20s and early 30s and then I started to wonder if my mood swings would improve if I went off of the pill. So I went off of them around 33 or so. And I didn't really want anything put in my body, so decided to use condoms as bc and did that up until this last pregnancy when I got tubes tied. I can't prove anything for sure, but I felt like I was more "even" off the pill and was so convinced that DH and I tolerated condoms for many years. I also kept my weight steadily even but the difference was only a 5-8 lb swing, so not sure I can link those. I was also living abroad during my late 20s/early 30s, so lifestyle was quite different (and stress). Anyway...hope you find the solution that works for you @mattandlora.

happyhorse · October 2015

Just another para guard fan here. Although spellcheck thinks I'm a fan of Paraguay. I got the copper non-hormonal IUD at 30. I was single with no kids. Had it in for a couple of years. Out with no problem and pregnant a couple months after our wedding. Only complaint was husband said he could feel the strings. They softened after a few months.

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