I'm new to the board, but I wanted to share my experience on this personal topic of birth control. I was on combination birth control pills for years, and though I believe that it caused a minor weight gain, I was not concerned about it. Due to an increase in my blood pressure, I was taken off the pills and tried Depo Provera (progestin injection) for 3 years. Depo not only triggered a big weight gain, but I am convinced that it made it harder to lose weight. I would not recommend Depo to anyone with a weight issue, though I understand that birth control drugs have different effects on different people.

Six months ago, I switched to the mini pill: a progestin only birth control pill. It was essentially the same thing as Depo, only in pill form, at a small consistent daily dosage. And nothing has changed, except that I feel slightly anxious/agitated all the time. The mini pill has basically the same bad side effects for me as Depo.

Next week, I will start taking Yasmin, which is a combination birth control pill (estrogen and progestin) reputed to have a diuretic effect and less of a block on weight loss. I am hoping that this change will be for the better, and I will report back to you on it. Got my fingers crossed!

My former office neighbor had a horrible experience with depo. Don't know what she's using now. I tried Premarin once and hated it and now take real progesterone (progenstin?)(can't think of the name) in olive oil and tolerate it fine. My doctor said it's the synthetic stuff that causes problems, but I don't know if the natural is calibrated for birth control purposes.

good luck.

WOW! Good luck!

I was on Depo after I had DD and they took me off becasue I was gaining weight and my BP was going up. I went on continuous BCP because I had endo and continuous BCP was the only thing that aleviated the pain (no TOM). Well, DD is now 6 1/2 and I'll be going off the pill in a couple weeks because we're trying for #2.....

Good luck with the Yasmin!

I will be interested to know what you think of the Yasmin.
I stopped my Triphasil 28 becauseof the ongoing stall I was in and because it made me a bit "over senstive" at certain times shall we say. (and I have been on it for 15years straight) Now I have yet to have a period. Dr suggested Yasmin if Ii don't start soon and I am hesitant.

Please follow up with your results!

Good Luck!
Kristen

I recently stopped taking Yasmin. I took it for three months after my doctor suggested it after the birth of my son. My experience was not good. I could not lose weight with it and had a lot of breakthrough bleeding with it. I was so sensitive to it that if I was a hour late taking it I would bleed. I was not sure if it was even working to prevent pregnancy. I changed to OrthNovum and began losing weight again, and no problems with bleeding. Just wanted to share my experience, hope it works better for you.

I've been taking Depo for about 3 years and I have not experienced any problems with it. If it's stalling my weight loss at all, I'm not sure... but it feels great not to have any big hormonal changes or periods. I don't even remember what it's like to get moody and go though a period. I love it.

I tried the Depo shot after they took me off the pill for blood pressure issues. I took 2 shots (6 months) and my experience was HORRIBLE! I had constant bleeding, moodiness (translate: total bitch), and I gained 25 lbs. I'm surprised my DBF didn't dump me! Never again will mess with my hormones that way.

I got a copper IUD and have had it for 4 years now. No problems and no worries.

Have been trying since that time to lose that 25 lbs. and 20 more that I already had. Since a year on LC, though, My BP finally returned to normal. That experience, however, really has made me skeptical of what the medical profession really knows and now I always do my own research. If I had checked out Depo Provera before I took the shot, I never would have agreed to it.

I've heard that there's a chance of that happening. Lucky for me, I didn't have any effects like that at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's making it more difficult for me to lose weight... but I'd much rather not have to worry about getting accidentally prego, or deal with periods again. (atleast for now)

I take Yasmin and it's great. No breakthrough bleeding, shorter/lighter periods, less cramps. It did not mess up my weight loss whatsoever. It took me a while to find a pill that didn't have these things, Yasmin was it for me.

I've been on Depo Provera for 4 years and I love it. I dont want to have to get off it when I have kids! When you first go on it, it's likely you'll have moodiness for up to the first 6 months. I did for the first few months. However, the longer I've been on it the less moodiness I've experienced. Now I experience no moodiness associated with TOM at all. I LOVE not having my period anymore!!! I was VERY irregular and no BC pill I tried regulated me (I tried 5 or 6 different ones). It seem YMMV with the Depo, but i cant express how happy I am that I went on it.