Please talk to be about Birth Control

[Blueberry]

Ladies-

I'm curious what your ideas are. I'm 35 and married. I do NOT plan to have children (have been of that opinion for a long time and seriously doubt it would change). I have been on birth control pills since college, with a small break during which I used a hormonal IUD. I have been told I can't use an IUD again, since I turned that one around in my uterus and ejected an arm (on my honeymoon, no less).

The problem is - even with great diet and exercise - I can't lose weight. Not a pound. The only way I have ever had success (more than a 10 pound loss) is Atkins, and I had some nasty side effects from that. I eat a balanced, mostly veggie, real food diet.

I'm starting to wonder if my birth control pills (which I take continuously) are the issue. Anybody dealt with this? Any words of wisdom? Efficacy is high on my requirements list - so condoms really aren't sufficient. I want to go to my annual appointment with my gyn armed with all pertinent information - so go! FWIW my gyn doesn't think the pills are the issue - but she doesn't have a basis for that. Weight gain started for me about the time I started taking them (which was also when I went off to college - so hard to know what was the real cause), and has been stable for ~18 years with minor gains (due to a crappy job situation resulting in reduced exercise and bad eating).

Many, many thanks!

One other thing I guess I should add is that I'm hypothyroid. I take synthroid, and my doc is happy with my levels, so I don't think that is the issue (and even with perfect numbers, no weight loss).

[tulip]

Vasectomy. Why should we have to take all the risks? If that is not acceptable, then a good old fashioned diaphragm. Combined with a condom, it's pretty darn effective. I've never taken the Pill because of the side effects and risks.

ETA: if you go the diaphragm route, you could always go back on BC if you find it doesn't result in weight loss.

[thekarens]

FWIW, as a lesbian birth control isn't an issue for me, but I was put on the pill about a year and a half ago to control crazy bleeding and I've been steadily been gaining weight. Unfortunately I don't have any other option really. The bleeding crazy out of control.

[Wahine]

Well here's my story.

Went on BC Pills age 17ish and put on weight, at 20ish was in a committed relationship with a man who had a vasectomy so when my BCP prescription ran out I just didn't bother to renew it and lost the weight I'd put on almost immediately. Fast forward to 18 yrs later, newly separated and exploring a new relationship, I went back on BCP and no matter what brand or type I had problems, weight gain, breast soreness, spotting or some combination of all three. Eventually I went to a copper IUD. On that, I didn't have weight issues but I had some other issues. Eventually I changed to a hormone IUD, other issues gone but some of the weight has come back and I have the breast swelling and soreness again.

Summary, I think some people are very sensitive to the hormones in BCP or an IUD. I certainly am. My side effects with the hormone based IUD are not strong enough for me to do anything about it yet. But I may in the future. I feel like I need to be responsible for my own birth control, so my next step would be an essure procedure. The only reason I didn't go for this instead of the hormonal IUD at my most recent change up was because I was hoping the hormonal IUD would stop my periods completely. Still hoping.

And yes, a vasectomy is always an option too. Worked great for me for my 18 yr relationship. The only bummer is that you don't get to dictate when you have your period.

[Crankin]

I went on BC pills at age 17 and stayed on it until I was 27. I experienced nausea, weight gain, and breast tenderness the first few days of taking them each month. When I started having leg pains, my DH (we were newlyweds) told me to stop taking them. I used a diaghram on and off for a year and then I had my kids. We relied on good old fashioned condoms in between my pregnancies and then DH had a vasectomy.
BC pills were great to not have to worry about pregnancy, but they affected me terribly. I lost 5 pounds immediately when I quit taking them, although the weight loss was the least of the problems.

[Helene2013]

I was on the pill from 18 to just over 40. Weight gain at the beginning and never lost it when I stopped it. Was removed from it due to migraines and I was tired of being sole responsible for protection. Hubby went through vasectomy. Simplified a lot of things for all of us but migraines did not stopped.

[shootingstar]

Blueberry, hope there's an amicable solution that's healthy.

I've never been on BC --yup. I'm amazed myself --though I did have some moments of slight panic. Condoms. And my partner already has 2 children from his ex..

I never thought of this....ask if he would ever considered vasectomy. It never occurred to me to ask him ...

By now, I'm probably considered by everyone here, as slightly insane.. and incredibly lucky. Long before dearie, I chose not have children.

[thekarens]

Just a side note, when I was first put on BC for my bleeding problem it completely cleared up my acne (yes, I'm a 44 yr old with acne problems) Well the dose wasn't strong enough and I was still bleeding all the time so he put me on a stronger dose and the acne came back with a vengeance and worse than it was before and I'm gaining weight.... However, I now have regular, light cycles, so I guess that's something.