female only Is your birth control the culprit?

[clk 3,519]

Let me preface by saying I am not a doctor or a nurse or associated with the medical field in any way. Everyone’s body is different and reacts in different ways. What works for one person might not work at all for someone else. There are far too many variables for anyone (I think even doctors sometimes) to be 100% certain of what causes one person’s body to react to something a certain way, while someone else has no problems.

Now that I’ve cleared that up, a little background.

I was sleeved 15 July. I had a Mirena IUD inserted 2 November. It fell out mid-January and I had it put back in about two weeks later.

I just had it removed (for good) 15 April.

I am a firm believer that if you go looking for side effects to the pills/meds you’re taking you are going to find them. A lot of what we experience is easily influenced by our minds, in my opinion.

I had mine removed because I suspected it was causing me to crave foods, inhibiting my weight loss and possibly causing me to lose hair. There is no question that the hormones made me a raving b*tch for part of the month - PMS is never fun in my house but it was a nightmare while I was using Mirena.

I had a definite issue losing weight while the IUD was in my body. In the past, I’d always chalked my slow loss or non-loss (or worse, GAIN) while using birth control down to my eating habits. But post op I am very aware of what I eat and of how much I exercise. I weigh daily. Since November, my eating and exercise habits have not changed significantly.

Prior to Mirena, I was losing 14 pounds a month (on average). When it slowed down afterward, I chalked it up to the quick loss not lasting forever, or the stress of our overseas move, or me not being diligent enough with my diet and exercise. However, after months of sticking to the program and losing only 1-4 pounds a month, I decided it had to be related to the IUD.

After Mirena was put in, I lost 2.6 pounds a month (on average). The only exception is the month of January, when it fell out for just over two weeks – I lost 8 pounds that month.

I’ve lost just a little less than 10 pounds in the two and a half weeks since I had it removed. Since having Mirena out, I am losing nearly half a pound a day (except during my cycle, when I don’t lose at all), something I haven’t done since November.

So in my case, birth control was very clearly a part of the problem. As soon as the hormones were gone, the loss started again. Incidentally, the carb cravings and the urge to snack at night went away, too! I am not sure if my Hair loss was related to the Mirena – some women that never had WLS have hair loss with it, too. All I can say is that once Mirena came out, the hair loss stopped, but that could be simply because I’m nearly ten months post op. I can’t be certain the hair loss is related. I was losing a huge wad of hair each time I showered or brushed my hair just a few weeks ago, and I'm down to just four or five strands with brushing or showering now.

I mentioned this to a WLS buddy and was told I should put it out there in case someone else is having an issue.

So, it’s out there now. If you made a change to your birth control regimen post op and noticed a change in your weight loss, you might be able to fix the problem.

It might not explain everything. I think we tend to blame our overindulging or snacking on things like pregnancy or birth control, so the first thing is always to evaluate your eating habits and your exercise. That said, I think this is a real issue for some women, and I didn’t want someone to overlook the possibility of a solution.

Best of luck to everyone!

~Cheri

[coops 1,790]

Hey Cheri, this is very interesting for me and I have been thinking along these lines for a while.

I had my bloods done a couple of mths ago and they read abnormal for the female and male hormones; the doc suspected early menopause as at the time I was 39... I've only just turned 40... I had a lot of the other symptoms to. I was then sent to the menopause clinic where the specialist told me I was peri menopausal as my periods, as sparodic as they are, were still with me. She has perscribed HRT Patches which I started at the beginning of April. That week I lost a pound for the first time in several months. I have lost, since wearing the Patches, a total of 4lb which is a lot more than before the patches!! I feel better now, not as moody, tired and snappy... I have more energy and I am not crying as much (lol) and the headaches and hot flashes have all but gone.

However, I haven't lost since that 4lb ... the patch has given me two periods, the first being very heavy and long and the second lighter - that is a total of three 'shows' in 5 weeks and that is probably why the scale hasn't moved much?

Like you I am no medical professional, but I am learning to read my own body and trying to get into synch with it. Hormones are funny little things that play havoc with us!!

I am chuffed that you have discovered why you were losing slowly and removing the IUD sounds to me like it was the right thing to do... do you feel better for it? Congrats on your total weight loss too... you are really near goal now!!

[clk 3,519]

Coops!

Lady, you've had a HELL of a time this entire journey, so I would not be one bit surprised to find that some hormonal imbalance is partially to blame. Hopefully once your cycle regulates itself and evens out you'll continue with your loss. I know how incredibly frustrating it is!

I honestly put off removing that second Mirena because I figured it was just stress or a fluke, but losing ten pounds in less than three weeks after having it removed proves to me that there was a real issue. My moodiness is far better, and while I am dealing with a bit more of the endometriosis pain it's a small trade off for the weight loss. I did not self pay to settle for anything less than goal, you know?

I feel better emotionally and yes, losing weight again is fantastic. It's never easy to sort these things, and I don't know about your doc giving you grief when you bring these things up but mine was so reluctant to remove the IUD. I'm glad I talked them into it, and I don't regret taking it out one bit. I might try it again for endometriosis control once I'm at goal, but I'm not sure. The mood swings were crazy. Perhaps that part will get better as I continue to lose weight and burn fat, though? I read that we store hormones in our fat cells, so as we lose our hormone levels get wacky just from the weight loss. Adding in a hormonal cocktail for another reason can't be helpful.

I hope you continue to feel better and that the loss picks up soon. You're better than half there - it's been a long, hard haul for you, I know.

Best of luck!

~Cheri

[Tiffykins 673]

I've seen this more times than not with hormonal BC. Condoms might kill the mood, but I was willing to deal with condoms to get to goal and not have more hormones dumped into my system. I've seen more and more "slow losers" that went on hormonal bc get so frustrated because they were doing everything right, and going on month long stalls.

Hormones are evil, and research proves it. The worse cases I've seen are WLS patients that go on the patch or depo.

I'm glad you're back to losing and feeling better.

[Rainydayz 27]

This is just my experience and I'm not a doctor either, but I hate BC. I believe it in part was to blame for me gaining weight in my 20's and 30's. Whenever I was off it it seemed easier to lose weight and manage it. But when I was on the pill or the shot it was harder. I used Mirena for about 3 months and bled the whole time so it came right out. I'm glad you put that out there so women will have something to consider if they stall or have trouble losing. I'm so happy I'm past that now and had my tubes tied so i don't have to worry about that anymore.

[wishes 125]

Interesting! Thank you for sharing. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you sharing this. I am in my first month with Mirena, and I am kind of nervous about how my weight loss will be affected, but I will try this out and see how it works (at least for another couple of months).

[ASBgirl 53]

Well Darn it ! I just had Mirena put in last week to try to slow down my bleeding. My periods are so heavy that I have been extremely anemic. So anemic that my April 19th VSG was postponed until June 21st to try to get the anemia under control. Hope I have not made a mistake!

[Coookies 12]

This is very interesting!! Thanks for posting... I'm 30 days post-op... last week i started taking my bc pills again because I can't take my Iron pills and during my 1st period post-op, i was so dizzy and almost fainted several times.... Since i started taking my bc again, I only lost 2 pounds for the whole week... and I have been craving carbs soooo much, which is strange cuz i've been low-carbing it... I just stopped taking the pills yesterday, cuz I figured the hormones were messing up my weight loss... I hope stopping helps!

[Lakelady 2]

I've had a mirena in for over a year. I use it for heavy periods and after the first few months of spotting it's been spectacular! I'm not anemic for the first time ever. I haven't noticed any weight gain or trouble losing. Just one other perspective. I've never taken birth control pills so I wouldnt know about that.

[ahoy 3]

clk, I'm sorry that happened to you but so glad you figured it out and feel better now!

Me, I know BC is evil. Haha. Let me add my voice to the cautionary tale choir:

I started taking depo provera shots (that last 3 mos) as a 15yo cuz I knew I was not responsible enough to remember to take a pill every day. Sadly that was the WRONG decision, since I had such a host of side fx that I assumed were "just me" -- depression, etc. -- until the drug finally made me paranoid. It also gave me a rare blood sugar side effect which caused me to gain >100lbs in extremely short order (about 15 mos). No doctor I told believed me, just told me I was eating too much, even when I ate nothing but 2 bowls of rice a day for a week and gained. And, when I finally quit the depo, it took 18 mos to get my period back.

Now at 27 my skin is all white-on-white tiger striped with extreme stretchmark scarring and I have 113lbs left to lose.

Hormones are scary, scary ****. I am definitely not taking any ever again if I can avoid it!

And I always tell all my girlfriends that they should run screaming from depo or anything that lasts in the body after you stop taking it.

[Joyfull 0]

Well Darn it ! I just had Mirena put in last week to try to slow down my bleeding. My periods are so heavy that I have been extremely anemic. So anemic that my April 19th VSG was postponed until June 21st to try to get the anemia under control. Hope I have not made a mistake!

I wonder how your doctors have handled your anemia. I'm having some issues with my Iron levels and am afraid my July 15th date might get postponed. After hearing so many IUD horror stories, I decided along with my husband not to have that inserted. Did you also increase your Iron and B Vitamin intakes?

Thanks for your help!

[Jane_J 117]

I am out the other side of the menopause now but I spent some time on HRT and this was when I became my fattest. Prior to that I was a long term birth control pill user. When I stopped the pill at 32 I fell pregnant almost immediately which I wasn't prepared for and with twins! In hindsight it was my bodies last shots at reproduction as my menopause started at 35 and was finished at 38. Sadly the hot flushes etc continued so I had to continue the HRT to keep sane. When I had WLS I came off the HRT and my loss was good and predicable. However I started to have other side effects like vaginal atrophication which was horrible so my doctor prescribed hormone pessaries that I use a few times a week and pelvic floor exercises via a lady tens machine. These 2 things have made such a difference, I am now over the hot flushes, taking no oral hormones and all is pretty good down below too, Hope this isn't TMI but I figured it may help someone when they get to the stage of life I am at. Glad I don't have to worry about getting pregnant anymore too!!!