i wonder if its true too.

I was a paxil girl. I was having anxiety attacks when I went to bed at night, and they got rid of them completely, it worked great. Next doctor's appt. to check the meds, I had gained 10 lbs. My doctor laughed and said I must be feeling better and eating better. I, too, have always had body image issues and had lost 40 lbs. a few years back, so I wasn't laughing. It was not enough to worry me, so I kept taking the paxil. Now, 40 lbs. heavier, I am struggling to take it off, 6 months after I stopped the paxil. When I told my doctor I thought it was the paxil, she adamently insisted there was no research indicating that. Then I went on the internet, and, sure enough, there was a lot of research indicating that. I faxed it to her. Then she tells me that she had three other woman patients who made the same complaint.

So, no, I don't think it is a coincidence.  Birth control pills are known to pack on the pounds. So you probably got double whammied. I absolutely feel for you. Talk therapy has certainly helped me.

I gained over 75 pounds because of a cocktail of psych meds, and I wasn't able to lose it (and then some) until I was off of them.  The meds made me get hypothyroid disorder; that's what caused the weight gain.

Well I know that some girls use birth control as an excuse. On average it's supposed to make you gain five pounds due to increased APPETITE, but you still control the food you put into your mouth. Also, five pounds isn't that much. When you gain more than that, I don't want to hear people blaming the pill for it. I've been on the pill for almost 7 years, and somehow I've been able to achieve a huge weight loss of 90 pounds with a lot of work.. so gaining is NOT inevitable.

I'm pretty sure I gained some weight while I was on birth control, but I never realized that was the cause. I think there are a lot of conflicting views on if it makes you gain weight or not, I know some girls that have gone on it and gained a little bit of weight, and others that don't change at all.

I actually am having the problem the other way around, my medicine makes me lose my appetite right in the middle of eating. I told my doctor about it and she said not to worry, because I'm just barely overweight and I should use it to my advantage until I'm down to a better weight. I've already lost about 10 pounds because of it. It just bothers me that I can't eat as much as I use to.

@presque_la@xanga - Well, I wasn't exactly blaming the birth control, because I was on that for a while before the others and gained nothing really. More talking about the fifteen plus other medications. However, I find how you stated this to be somewhat rude, because I know plenty of very active, health obsessed people who have gained weight on birth control, so it's really different for anyone. You can't say if one person gained nothing from it, and another person gained five pounds and the other gained ten, just based on knowing that, that the person who gained ten pounds was using it as an excuse. It truly could just be how their body reacts to the hormone changes...

@AGreatPerhaps@xanga - I didn't say you were blaming birth control for weight gain. In fact, I wasn't referring to you, or any of the other people you know who legitimately gained weight from it. I was referring to people I KNOW in my life, who blame it on the pill when they are sedentary, and eat a lot of crappy food then say "it's cause I'm on the pill." I'm making my OPINION based on people and situations I already know.

It wasn't meant to be rude in any way, so if you're the one who took it wrong, I shouldn't feel the need to apologize, but I will anyways. Sorry.

i went from 120 to 165 when i was trying out new medications. some anti depressants make me feel like i'm starving all the time. i'm on prozac now and weigh 140. my doctor put me on wellbutrin and its helped me with not eating.

birth control pills can contribute to weight gain because it causes water retention.

add this to the fact that women gaining weight because of these pills tend to be absent for workouts and they tend to eat more.

and when asked why they are gaining weight?

"It's the pills." 

Medication can totally make you gain weight.  I had maintained 120 pounds for a few years, and I began taking a mixture of birth control and Accutane.  Within two months, I had gained 20 pounds.  I'm off of it all now, and I haven't lost any weight, but I haven't gained any either.

@mystupidweight@xanga - It's a proven medical effect that it has that side effect. There is no "claim" of anything. I'm guessing you don't believe in evolution either ya moron.

it is definitely true.

you shouldn't need an "excuse" for a problem: sometimes, there are reasons.