‘I Went Off the Pill Thinking I’d Lose Weight, but Here’s What Really Happened’

One of the first questions I asked her was, “Can you put me on a pill that won’t make me gain weight?” She smiled and reassured me that no statistics show birth control pills affecting weight, though some women may say differently based on their personal experience.

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So I went home, pill pack in hand, ready to conquer fertility and night sweats. While I did gain a few pounds, I was also running a lot more so it could have been muscle mass. Plus, the night sweats continued. Some months were better than others, but after 15 months on the pill I had enough and decided to call it quits. Remembering to take that damn pill every day coupled with the fact that it didn’t help my sweating issue put me over the edge. Since I was trying to lose a little bit of weight from my last pregnancy (at this point, my youngest was now almost three), I got a little excited about the idea that going off the pill would help me lose weight without much work.

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After three months of being off the pill, I’ve realized my doctor was right. Quitting the pill didn’t make the scale budge one bit. If anything, I may have gained a few pounds because thanks to PMS. Now, I’m craving more sugar the week before my period arrives. On a side note, I also feel insanely emotional due to the natural fluctuation of my lovely hormones. With videos like moms empowering kids to exercise and elderly women giving advice to their younger selves, reaching for the box of tissues is a given.

On the bright side, my night sweats disappeared after throwing out that last pill pack, so that’s pretty exciting. All in all, I love being off the pill. And I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll have to lose that extra bit of mummy tummy the good old-fashioned way with healthy eating and exercise.