Weight gain and feeling unsure about getting off the pill

[march12th.livejournal.com]

Hey ladies. I've been seriously considering getting off my birth control pill for various reasons, but I need your feedback.

First, some background info: My doctor to put me on Yasmin in October 2002 (I was 17 at the time). I wasn't sexually active back then, but my periods had become really irregular and lasted way too long. The pill didn't really make my periods that much shorter, but having a regular cycle was enough of a reason for me to stay on it. I became sexually active a few months later, so the pill obviously began to serve another purpose as well. Around May or June of last year, I heard about Yaz and how it can make your periods shorter. I asked my gyno to prescribe it for me and I've been on it ever since. I'll be honest and say that I  hardly ever take it at the exact same time every day, but my boyfriend and I always use condoms just in case, so getting pregnant hasn't been a concern so far.

I've always heard about studies that say that weight gain due to the pill is a myth, but I'm starting to wonder if that's the case. Before I got on any HBC, I weighed around 108-110 lbs. After being on Yasmin for a while, I gained a few pounds and I ended up fluctuating between 112 and 114 lbs. I know that doesn't sound like much but I'm not very tall so the weight gain is noticeable. Regardless, I didn't mind gaining a couple of extra pounds. Once I got on Yaz, I slowly put on more weight. Right now, I'm at about 117, but I weighed 120 a few weeks ago. I eat relatively well, but I've never really exercised before. I've started working out for some time, but I'm not seeing much of a difference. My weight seems to fluctuate between 117 and 120 regardless of how much I exercise. Like I mentioned earlier, the extra pounds are noticeable on me, and it's really frustrating to not have any of my favorite jeans fit me anymore. To me, it seems like Yaz caused me to gain more weight than Yasmin did. Also, my periods never became shorter like I thought they would, and I've started to experience pretty bad menstrual cramps that I never had before I got on Yaz. I told my gyno about it a couple of weeks ago, so she suggested I switch back to Yasmin.

So here's what I've been thinking of doing. My period is due to arrive on Wednesday, and I was going to start up my Yasmin on Thursday. But I've always heard about women gaining weight on the pill and then losing it once they get off it. Would it make sense to sort of take a break from the pill for a while, and see if my weight goes back down to how it was originally? I'd eventually want to get back on Yasmin again, and hopefully at that point, I would have a regular exercise regimen that would keep me from gaining weight again. I'm still kind of uneasy about it though. I can hardly remember the last time I didn't know the exact date my period would come. I'm also worried that my cycle will go back to being really irregular again. And of course, even though we normally use condoms, I'm concerned about the risk of unplanned pregnancy. Has anyone done anything like this before? Is it safe to get off the pill and get back on it a few months later?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Comments

[nicolesvoice.livejournal.com]

I was at my heaviest when I started the pill, so I didn't notice much of a difference in my weight then. I did eventually step up my excercise and change my diet, and I lost a bunch of weight. I was on it for years and the weight crept back on, and I had the hardest time getting it off.

I stopped the pill because I couldn't get it, and immediately lost about 15-20 pounds. The withdrawals started a couple months later and I thought I was pregnant. I didn't get a period for 4 months, I felt so incredibly bloated. I climbed back up to what was my heaviest weight. No change in diet, I was still working out a lot, and even stepped it up and dieted more to try to slim down. No luck. I was irritable, emotional, depressed, my body was so swollen it hurt. I have an eating disorder from which I was mostly recovered, but it flared up again and I pretty much stopped eating. Still no weight loss (of course I am not saying that it was the right way to go about things by any means - I have now been ED free for nearly a year).

All in all, it took nearly a year for my body to return to a natural hormone balance. I now feel better than I have in years! HBC made me depressed and miserable. Only now that I am off, can I see what it did to my body, and after the withdrawals I experienced, I realize how much the pill really changes your body. I guess some people are more sensitive than others. I know many who have experiences similar to mine, and probably as many who have had no issues at all.

I am happy to talk about it, but afraid to sounds preachy. Feel free to email me with any questions.

[nicolesvoice.livejournal.com]

No problem. I was going to say use my livejournal email, which is fine, or you can email me at: nicolesvoice@yahoo.com. I'll be happy to answer questions and share my experience with you.