Does every single pill make you gain weight?

**emmyj** · 12-04-2011 07:59 PM

It's all in the title, really. Every single pill I've read up on has supposedly made the consumers gain weight, or a vast majority of them. So, I was wondering, are there any contraceptive pills out there that WON'T make me gain weight? I understand it's different for everyone and it just depends on your body. Some bodies gain weight, some don't, but weight gain is always a possible/very likely side-effect when it comes to pills, so I was wondering if there's a pill out there that doesn't have this as a side-effect.

Far fetched and a lot to ask for, I know, but it's just curiosity, really.

Also, what would you guys recommend?

I've heard very bad things about the Microgynon.

**ItsASecret** · 12-04-2011 08:40 PM

No. All pills will react differently in all women, hence there is zero ability to predict how any certain pill will react in any woman. Taking birth control is entirely trial and error. Some women experience absolutely no effects with any pill, some have a side effect simply because they thought they would. Some experience cramping when they shouldn't, some have such light periods that they become freaked out that they are not even happening, some women have symptoms that are not even listed as a side effect. It is always different. All you can really do is talk with your doctor and try different brands or completely different methods.

The reason it is listed as a possible side effect on so many pills is because it is such a general side effect, it like saying "may cause you to be sore"...if it has happened to other women it needs to be listed only for legal reasons.

**LonelyWife** · 12-04-2011 08:55 PM

I totally agree with ItsASecret. There just isn't a way to know how a specific pill will affect you until you try it. For example, I was on a generic birth control pill for several years and didn't gain an ounce. I didn't have any other issues while on this pill either. Life was grand.
Then, after my daughter was born, I decided to give the Implanon a try. BIG mistake. I had severe side effects that included major weight gain, depression, constant heavy bleeding that made me anemic, and the list goes on. The point is, I did fine on one kind of birth control and fell apart on another. And there was no way to know ahead of time what would happen.

**emmyj** · 12-06-2011 04:48 AM

Thanks for your help, guys.

**sarasbluegroove** · 12-22-2011 08:21 AM

The nuvaring worked really well for me. Before that i was on a generic pill. What i thought had been my womanly curves (started in college, so was going from my high school body, to a more grown woman's body) had actually been weight gain from the pill. For 2 years i struggled with maintaining my weight at 120 (when i had easily maintained 110-115 at the start of college). i switched the bc because i thought it was taking away my sex drive. The lbs started melting off me, i was amazed, and i hadn't changed anything in my eating/exercise habits. Now i comfortably maintain 115, which was IMPOSSIBLE to even get close a year ago. But anyway, my point, try nuvaring, it worked for me!