PCOS, the pill and weight

[Lucy9033]

Hi,

Apologies if I have posted this in the wrong forum - I am a new member so I am still trying to figure things out.

I was just looking for some advice really and to see if anyone else is in the same boat.

I have been diagnosed for the past 10 years with PCOS. In 2019, I went on the birth control pill to try and help some of my PCOS symptoms - at the time of starting the pill, I hadn't had AF for 2 years.

I managed to lose 4 and a half stone from 2018-2019 taking my weight to normal BMI for the first time in my life. I lost this through Slimming World. I stopped slimming world at the start of the pandemic but maintained my loss.

2 months ago, I started taking supplements such as Myo-Inositol and NAC and a few others that I had read up were good for people with PCOS. I decided to quit the birth control pill on 5th March 2022, after about 2 weeks on the supplements. My AF arrived 22 days later which I was shocked about. I have since been spotting every other day since. Since quitting the pill, the hair on my chin has grown a lot quicker. I usually had to remove this every week but since stopping the pill, every other day. Also I have gained 16 pounds!! I haven't changed my diet at all. The only difference is the pill. I really hoped the supplements would have worked a bit more and helped with this but they haven't. So yesterday, I started the pill again as I am terrified of putting all the weight on I lost as it took me a lot of effort.

Has anyone else had any similar experiences?

Thanks.

do you blame the BC pill or the supplements for the weight gain, increased hairiness or spotting?

I blame coming off BC as the reason I have gained weight and become hairier!

@Lucy9033 oh the amazing journey that is pcos! I still get nightmares about hair growing out in weird places...

You need to find a good endocrinologist, and an expert nutritionist to help out with PCOS.

I know this is an old thread, but did the weight gain stop once you were settled back on BC?

I have PCOS too and been on combined BC pill for around 3 years. Went off it a couple of months ago due to loss of libido and tiredness. Anyway, chin hairs are growing insanely quickly (always been an issue, but one I can overcome with plucking weekly usually), boobs are killing one day and then fine the next, issues with my bowels, period-like cramps without any sign of a period...but main one causing me problems is the sudden weight gain. I've been on a calorie controlled diet the entire time since stopping BC and KNOW I've been eating on average 600cals less than I am burning so i should be dropping weight. But I can't drop any, and in fact I'm gaining!

After lots of research online I now realise the BC pill was probably helping my PCOS symptoms. I'd take a low libido over what I'm currently dealing with! Thinking of going back on it again but not sure if it'll help!

I gained 3 stone in 6months after coming off the pill. It was horrible.

@Lemonlily it's so odd. On a calorie in vs calorie out calculator i should be losing at least 1lb a week... I am not only not losing I'm gaining! Everything feels so out of whack with my body.

So tempted to just go back on the pill. We're done having kids so it's not a big deal, but I'm happier mentally (less flat) without it. Having said that, this weight gain isn't exactly helping my stress and happiness 😂