Could it be the pill or am I just being stupid?

Question

I'm currently on the contraceptive pill and lately, I just can't keep any weight off. I've gained a stone in the last 6 months and trying to stop eating so much but all I ate yesterday was a small bowl of cereal and quarter of a pizza and I put on a couple of pounds!

I've heard that some women suffer weight gain, but is this more of an urban myth?

I'm stepping up my exercise and I'm going to try and eat several light meals to see if I can stabilise it, but the truth is, if I'm to keep my weight stable, I have to be pemanently hungry. I know this is supposed to put you i starvation mode, but if I keep myself so I'm not hungry, but not full like many people say, I still gain weight.

Answer 1

I am CONSTANTLY hungry! I am eating now, in fact!! I have had a funny relationship with food for a while now. I crave food all the time. As an ex-smoker I can compare the craving to when you "need" a cigarette. My ex once found me in the walk-in larder shovelling sweets and biscuits in my mouth - I couldn't even wait to get them out of the cupboard. I have been on the pill for around 9 years and at 5'2" I am not fat, but curvy at 10 stone.

I stopped my pill for a few months because I split up with my ex. I joined a gym and started to lose weight. The cravings stopped... I now have a new man so decided to be on the safe side and go back on the pill. After two days, the cravings came back with a vengeance and I just had to have crisps, jelly sweets, hobnobs etc!!!! I put on all the weight I had lost (only about half a stone so it's not too tragic!!).

I am now trying to avoid too many starchy carbs and work out at least three or four times a week. I have a cereal bar for brekkie, a nice wholemeal wrap for lunch with chicken and salad followed by fruit or a yoghurt and for tea (after the gym!) I have a salad or stir fry with no noodles, spuds, pasta or rice. :o( I have also invented minced beef, tomato and vegetable bakes which are like pasta free lasagnes.

Hopefully this will do the trick! Don't worry too much about the weight you put on daily, weigh yourself weekly and go by the average. Our weight varies depending on the time of day and what time of the month it is. It is important to follow a healthy, sensible eating plan. Pizza and cereal are yummy but remember to eat some rabbit food too! It's nowhere near as appetising but think how good you'll look in a bikini if you stick to a sensible diet and exercise plan!!

Answer 2

See your doctor - the one you went to to get the pill. There may be a better pill or a different dose you could take that would not cause you to gain weight so easily. It's all hormone-type stuff, and if the pill is messing with your thyroid, the doctor can check for that.

Have you thought about going off of the pill? There are advantages and disadvantages to it - I don't know about your lifestyle or your medical conditions - but if you're on it for recreational purposes, you may find other options.

As for diet and exercise, you're smart to think of eating several light meals a day. This, along with exercise, will help keep your metabolism up. And no, you should not be permanently hungry. You should eat small amounts throughout the day before you feel yourself getting hungry, and hopefully it will fight off your need to eat larger meals.

Whatever happens, good luck to you! I hope you get this straightened out!

Answer 3

Sounds a bit strange that you could gain a couple of pounds in a day! Most women will experience some weight gain (between 2-5 kilo-not sure on pounds!) In very rare cases some women will experience large weight gain, but this usually couples with other unpleasant side effects. Speak to your doctor about a lower dose pill and explain the weight gain. You may also want to consider healthier options than pizza if you want to maintain a healthy weight too. Wholegrains, fruit & veg and lean meats are generally low GI so you tend to not get as hungry as quick.

Answer 4

Hey sweety

This could absolutely be the pill in conjunction with a poor diet (pizza and cereal... where's the water, fruit and vege!?!?!)

The contraceptive pill does make some women put on weight (some more than others). Truth is, you'll keep the weight on if you keep eating hardly anything.

Changing your nutrition and exercise is the only safe and sure way to get fit and healthy.

With regards to nutrition:
- I drink a 3 litres of water a day to flush out toxins and replenish all of my organs (more while exercising)
- I eat heaps of fruit and veges (high in vitamins and antioxidants)
- I don't drink alcohol, or smoke
- I stopped having coffee, soft drinks, fast foods, fatty foods and foods high in bad carbs
- I eat foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids (i.e LSA, tinned fish, etc)
- I try to eat 5-6 small meals daily

Exercise is important, but without a balanced diet it just won't work. So my fitness goals are:
- Walking briskly everywhere I go throughout the day and I try and increase my normal daily activity
- I do about 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercises every second day
- Remember to stretch muscles before and after exercise and hydrate constantly (plain water)

Answer 5

Hi yes its true i was on the pill and i put on loads of weight and its not like i was eating loads eithr just the same amnount. I couldnt shift the weight either, i was excercising and everything and it wouldnt shift. I went to weight watchers and this helped me to lose weight without any excercise so i was please about that. I went to back to see the nurse and she changed it to Cerazette but i still but on back what i lost, So i dont know weather my body has just stayed this way from putting on weight the first time or not. But i know if i cut down my food intake i will loose the weight.
Go back and see the nurse he might change what you are on.
I put on nearly a stone each time i started a new month on my pills and it was getting silly. I did come off it for a while but i didnt lose any weight. I know how you feel, you are just hungry all the time and you eat the same but nothing seems to make you full and sometimes you feel sick because you are so hungry. But if you eat small meals healthy ones like you say you should be fine. Just drink lots of water during the day this stops the hunger i assure you, but dont drink it when you are staving or you will feel even more sick. Just in place of tea as water fills you up loads.

Answer 6

The Pill might be the problem but it does not always make women suffer from weight gain. See your doctor and ask if you can change brands, also have him check you over to make sure there is not another problem.
It might just be that you are not eating enough and your body is storing any food you do eat as fat in case you do stop eating less and less. Use a food diary to see what you are eating and specify the times aswell. Try not to eat late at night.

Answer 7

Change Ur eating habits, A quarter of a pizza has many empty calories.
u don't have to starve ur self, u need dairy products, protein, fresh fruits and vegetables ans whole grains for a suitable diet.
Make better choices, if u starve ur self, u will tick ur body into storing more fat.
some people on the pill may experience wight gain, many do not.
Increase ur exercise, next time substitute fresh fruit or veggies, even nuts for that Pizza, and drink plenty of water , really helps lose weight, be careful not to overdo on the water, tho.
Treat ur self to a slice of Pizza once in a while or a small portion of other treats.
KEY WORD small portions.

Answer 8

A lot of women do gain weight on the pill. Sometimes this depends on the type of pill you are on...if you talk to your doctor, you could try another brand.

There are things that you can do to keep the weight off in the meantime. Drink LOTS of water - at least 2 litres a day. It will help you to lose weight and also to keep your hunger checked. Also, stock up on healthy snacks like fruit - keep them at your desk to snack when you are hungry. One of the best ways to lose weight is to eat 5 small meals a day (rather than 3 large ones). Never skip breakfast, and cut out heavy carbs like pasta and potatoes at night.

Answer 9

Hi. I know exactly how you feel. I've been on the pill for years, and no matter what I do, can't shift any weight.
And I know it's the pill, as a few years ago I came off it and the weight fell off me. I went right back down to what I was before. Then went back on and it all piled back on. I've changed pills a few times to see if it helps, but it just messed my periods about.

It's very frustrating. The good thing is I know when I come off again i'll go back to normal. But that defeats the object as i'd only come off it to get pregnant. Then i'll be bigger than I am now!!!

Answer 10

I was told by a doctor once, that all types of contraceptives has its side effects. He assured me that gaining weight is not one of it. Honestly speaking, you can't trust all doctors, some are just businessmen. When he said it doesn't cause weight gain, I put it in my mind, as "it causes weight gain". No hard feelings, but I'd opt for rubber than tablets, which most of the time contain many side effects. Just saying what little I know.