Do Birth Control Pills Cause Weight Gain
It is a misconception among many ladies today that birth control pills contribute to increased body weight. However, various studies have revealed that this is not actually possible. According to experts, the effects of birth control pills on the body weight are minimal, if any. However, the pills may make the body retain more fluids, hence making you feel as if you are gaining weight. This effect is particularly on the thighs, hips and breasts. The estrogen hormone in these pills can also make the adipose cells larger, but not cause weight gain.
Possible Causes Of Missed Period On Birth Control
1. Hormone
Birth control pills contain hormones which can suppress the periods. Some pills cause the periods to pause for a certain period of time such as Lybrel and Seasonale. You can change your pills by consulting a doctor to get back to regular menstruation.
Significant hormonal misfiring in women under 40 year old may indicate premature menopause. Its symptoms include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats besides missing periods.
2. Lifestyle
When female athletes undergo training or include long term of exercise in their lifestyle, it can affect the menstrual cycle. Emotional stress can also lead to changes in the period cycle and amenorrhea.
2. Illness
There are some illnesses which can cause missed period on birth control, including thyroid disorders, false pregnancy, tumors, depression, eating disorder, ovarian cysts, cystic fibrosis and kidney disease. To rule out the illness, a checkup should be done if two periods are missed.
3. Medications
Some medications interfere with the menstrual cycle, such as steroids taken orally, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and chemotherapy etc. These medicines can cause amenorrhea and you should consult doctor to get a confirmation.
5. Pregnancy
It is rare to get pregnant while being on birth control pills. However, it can happen to a small percentage of women who has missed taking a pill or hasnt followed the instructions on the package.
Seasonale Seasonique And Yaz
Those arent the names of contestants on Americas Next Top Model but rather popular brands of continuous birth control pills.
These pills require taking active pills for 3 months in a row and then taking a week of inactive placebo pills. Aunt Flo might show up for some spotting between months but is only in full flow for 4 weeks out of the year when youre taking the inactive pills.
This can also happen with injectable birth control methods like the Depo shot.
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Possible Reasons For Missed Withdrawal Bleeding On Birth Control
Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Barbara Levy explains why people can sometimes experience no withdrawal bleeding on their pill break:
- When taking combined hormonal birth control, especially with the lower estrogen formulations, the lining of the uterus becomes very thin. For some people, the lining is thin enough that there isn’t anything built up during the month to shed during the placebo week. And regular withdrawal bleeding does rely on enough lining growth to shed. As the doses of estrogen in the pills have gotten lower and lower over the years, there are more people who experience irregular or no withdrawal bleeding.
- In the case of the progesterone-only pill, the growth of the uterine lining requires estrogen priming estrogen alone before progesterone is secreted after ovulation. And the role of progesterone is to maintain this growth. With progesterone-only pills, the progesterone is present throughout the month, which suppresses growth of the lining. Sometimes the lining becomes so thin that there isn’t any tissue there to shed. And thats why you can experience no withdrawal bleeding when you use this type of contraception.
I Have Bleeding During My Active Birth Control Pills Is This Normal
If the bleeding is severe: If the bleeding is heavy enough to fill 1 tampon or pad per hour for 2-3 hours in a row or you are feeling dizzy or lightheaded, we recommend you see your primary care provider or go to Urgent Care to ensure there is not a serious issue going on. Make sure to tell them youre using birth control and be prepared to tell them the name of your birth control. Please let us know what they say so we can ensure we are prescribing you a safe and appropriate medication.
If the bleeding is not severe, but still annoying or concerning: Are you experiencing breakthrough bleeding in the first 3-6 months of your birth control? Breakthrough bleeding is unscheduled bleeding during the active pills, or during the ring-in or patch-on phase of your cycle. Dont stress! This is not abnormal. Breakthrough bleeding is the most common side effect for women beginning birth control. Just continue using your birth control as normal and give your body time to adjust to the birth control you are using. Breakthrough bleeding typically goes away with time and the second cycle is usually much better than the first, but it may take up to 3 full cycles for breakthrough bleeding to go away for good.
If you are interested in switching birth control brands to help reduce spotting or bleeding, our medical team can help you find the right fit. Get started here or for more answers to your healthcare questions, visit our Knowledge Center.
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How Long And How Much Spotting Flow And Duration
While we use the term spotting for bleeding between periods, that doesnt mean it only leaves a spot.
Sometimes, youll notice blood on toilet paper, but its not enough to continue flowing. Other times, breakthrough bleeding can resemble the flow of a regular period.
Spotting generally lasts less than a few days, so hold tight it should be over soon.
If you find youre soaking through a tampon or pad, call your healthcare provider.
While it isnt necessarily cause for alarm, theres a good chance heavy breakthrough bleeding will cause you to ditch your pill altogether, or signify that you may have other underlying causes, so discuss alternatives before deciding youre fed up.
How To Safely Skip Your Period On Birth Control
- Reviewed By: Shannon DeVita DNP, FNP-BC, CPNP-PC, Julie Lamonoff, CNM, OBGYN-NP
Growing up, you might have learned that women need to get their period every 28 days or so. This is often considered natural and necessary while skipping your period is thought to be bad for your fertility.
These beliefs have been shakenmodern-day hormonal birth control has now made it possible to safely delay your period.
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Should I See A Doctor For A Missed Period
In most cases, missing your period while taking birth control is not concerning. However, if you have missed one or more doses of your pills, you have experienced nausea with vomiting or diarrhea, or you have taken medication that could interfere with your birth control, you should take a pregnancy test to make sure you arent pregnant. You can also contact your healthcare provider with any concerns related to your missed period or symptoms you are experiencing.
For more answers to your healthcare questions, visit our Knowledge Center.
Spotting While On Birth Control: What Does It Mean
Medically reviewed by
No one enjoys unexpected blood. Ever. And when that unexpected blood is in your underwear, it can not only be a major inconvenience, but worrisome.
Any unexpected vaginal bleeding is a cause for concern and you should always talk to your healthcare provider to ensure there isnt a more serious cause for your bleeding.
In this article, we will focus on spotting that is purely as a result of taking birth control pills.
Common but rarely dangerous. Thats how one academic paper describes spotting, also known as breakthrough bleeding, while on birth control pills.
Whether youve been on the pill for a few years or you just started it, breakthrough bleeding can happen.
And theres some evidence it can lead to less effective contraception .
It can also signal something more serious, so having all of the facts can help ensure youre protected from pregnancy and other more serious conditions that can lead to spotting.
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Is Skipping Your Period Safe
Medical studies have reported no significant negative health effects when you skip your period on the combined hormonal birth control pill . That being said, itâs still important to mention that there have been no long-term studies examining the safety of continually skipping your period. Sometimes medical repercussions take a longer time and/or need a larger population sample size to emerge.
If you choose to stop taking hormonal birth control, your natural menstrual cycle and fertility will usually return to normal after one month, regardless of how long you skipped your âperiodâ .
Does Birth Control Stop Periods
Technically speaking, yes. The period that you get when youre on birth control isnt the same as a regular period. Without hormonal birth control, the lining of your uterus gets thicker to prepare for possible pregnancy and then sheds during your period if youre not pregnant. Your body doesnt ovulate or go through this regular menstrual cycle when youre taking oral contraceptives. Instead, what you experience as a period on birth control is called withdrawal bleeding.
This bleeding occurs as a response to your body not receiving the same hormones during the rest week at the end of your 21-day pack. That means that if you continue taking the pill and skip the rest week, you can skip your periods too. Make sure to talk to your health care provider about whether this is a good option for you.
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Should I Take Pills To Regulate My Period
I’m 15 and I have irregular periods. I have been told by people similar to me that they are given pills to help regulate their periods. I am unsure on whether I should go on them and I’m scared of the side effects. Do these pills work and what are some of the side effects? Are there any other ways to help regulate a period? – Nikeyah*
It’s normal to have irregular periods for the first few years of menstruating. Several things can cause irregular periods, including changing hormone levels. Doctors sometimes prescribe birth control pills to regulate periods because they can help control hormone levels.
Birth control pills can have some side effects, like nausea, possible weight gain, headaches, mood changes, breast tenderness, and blood clots. But most young women who take it have no side effects or very few. Girls who take the Pill should not smoke because smoking can increase the risk of some side effects, like blood clots.
Birth control pills can be an effective way to regulate periods. But the only way to find out what’s causing your irregular periods is to visit your doctor.
Note: The Pill does not protect you from STDs. So, if you do have sex, be sure to use a condom every time. This will help prevent STDs and give you extra protection against pregnancy.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
If You Just Cant With Your Period Anymore Talk To Your Doctor About The Options At Your Disposal
Dont wait until youre looking to stop your period for a specific window of time, like for a wedding or vacation. Try to give yourself some lead timeif you can give yourself three months, thats better than the month before, Dr. Shirazian says. The longer youre trying methods to stop your period, the more likely they are to give you no bleeding.
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No Period After Stopping Birth Control What’s That About
If youve decided to stop taking the pill, it can take a while for your cycle to return to normal. This varies from person to person. Most people will have their period around two to four weeks after stopping the pill. However, your cycle may be irregular for some time. Its normal for your body to need up to three months to go back to normal after stopping your birth control. If your cycles remain irregular for longer, make sure to visit your health care provider to find out the cause of your irregular cycles.
Number : What’s Normal For A Period On Birth Control
The UK National Health Service says that irregular bleeding, like bleeding between periods, is common when you first start to take hormonal contraception like birth control pills, the patch, or the shot (Depo-Proveraâ¢.
Here are some facts about bleeding irregularities when you take birth control pills:
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Overall, birth control pills should decrease how much you bleed.
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Irregular bleeding is a common side effect during the first 3 to 6 months of taking the pill. It’s so common that 30-50% of women experience it.
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The good news is that irregular bleeding will lessen or go away with time, usually after 3 months, when only 10-30% of women experience unscheduled bleeding.
It may be helpful to describe what bothersome bleeding can look like when you’re on birth control:
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Spotting
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Unscheduled bleeding when you’re bleeding between periods or while taking active pills
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Short periods
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When Will My Period Show Up
Most birth control pills run a tight ship oer the crimson tide. Hormones are regulated on a 4-week cycle, and you can expect your monthly friend to visit every 28 days.
On some birth control methods, you might get your period more frequently, less frequently, or not at all.
There are two types of birth control pills. One combines estrogen and progesterone, and the second is a progestin-only mini pill.
TAKE THE PLACEBOS. This will get you in the habit of constantly taking the pills.
Taking your pill at the same time every day keeps your hormones stable. Three weeks of hormones, 1 week of placebos = 4 weeks of consistently taking the pill. Make sure to start your new pack on time too.
If you take your birth control pills SUPER consistently, theyre 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. Being human and sometimes taking the pill a few hours later than usual puts their effectiveness at a more realistic 91 percent.
Always check with your doctor if you start taking new meds, since some can interfere with the effectiveness of hormonal birth control.
But Ok It’s Actually Possible To Stop Your Period With Birth Control
Hear us out, because there are a few different ways of doing this. First, you want to talk to your doctor about your period, your general health, and your options when it comes to skipping your period. There are a few things they might suggest:
The hormonal IUD
The hormonal IUD is a little T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus. Hormonal IUDs contain progestin, which works locally to thicken cervical mucus and reduce the lining of your uterus. For some people, this results in such little uterine lining that their period straight up poofs and goes away. Since you can keep hormonal IUDs in for between three and five years , that can mean whole years in which youre not getting a period.
Heres the thing: Youre not guaranteed to not get a period with an IUD or implant. Taraneh Shirazian, M.D., an ob/gyn with NYU Langone Health, tells SELF it totally depends on the person. If you tend to have lighter, shorter periods when youre not on hormonal birth control, youre more likely to have no bleeding on a hormonal IUD, she says. But if you have heavy periods, its less reliable, she adds.
If youre interested in getting an IUD to potentially stop your period, explain that to your doctor. They may recommend an IUD with a higher level of hormones. Either way, you may experience some spotting when you first get a hormonal IUD. This typically abates after a few months but may be annoying in the meantime.
The contraceptive implant
The shot
The vaginal ring
The patch
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