3 Signs Your Hormones Are Behind Your Weight Gain
Even the best diet can’t compete with hormonal weight gain. If your hormones are out of balance, you need a weight management approach that works with your body’s chemistry, not against it.
Is Your Birth Control Still Right for You?
Birth control isn’t a lifetime commitment, but it’s all too easy to treat it like one. Once you find a contraceptive that prevents pregnancy, you might stop thinking about your options entirely.
But that might be a mistake. Your body changes as you age. New medications, hormonal changes, and weight fluctuations all affect how you react to different types of birth control.
Susan Lacy, MD, FACOG, at Modern Gynecology & Reproductive Health in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee, is dedicated to helping you find the best contraceptive for every stage of life, especially if it's time to find something different. Here are a few reasons why your current birth control may no longer be the right one and how we can help find you just that.
Weight changes mess with hormone processing
Lose or gain 15 pounds, and your metabolism shifts. Your liver processes birth control hormones at a faster or slower rate based on your current body composition.
Dr. Lacy sees women who lost weight and suddenly experience breakthrough bleeding on pills that previously worked perfectly. Others gain weight and find their periods become unpredictable.
Your other medications create problems
If you recently started taking a new medication for depression, blood pressure, or migraines, your birth control effectiveness can drop.
Common culprits include:
- Epilepsy medications like phenytoin and carbamazepine
- Rifampin, an antibiotic used for tuberculosis
- Antifungal drugs and some HIV medications
- Mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder
- St. John’s wort
Dr. Lacy reviews every medication and supplement during contraceptive visits because these interactions get missed elsewhere.
Age changes your risk profile
The estrogen-containing pill that made sense at 25 might make less sense at 40. Several factors change your risk profile:
- Higher blood clot risks, especially with smoking or high blood pressure
- Increased pregnancy complications after 35
- Greater cardiovascular risks from estrogen
- Better safety profile with non-hormonal or progestin-only methods
You need reliable contraception at any age, but the safest methods for your body can change.
Signs your birth control needs an update
Your body gives clear signals when your contraception isn’t working as well as it used to:
- Breakthrough bleeding between periods
- Mood changes that coincide with your cycle
- Persistent acne that developed after years of clear skin
- Weight gain that won’t budge despite diet and exercise
- Sleep problems or decreased sex drive
- Periods that suddenly became much heavier or lighter
- New side effects you didn't have when you first started your method
If you’re tolerating problems you didn't have before, it’s time to reassess.
Better contraception options exist now
Contraceptive technology has improved dramatically. You have access to methods that didn’t exist when you first chose birth control.
Long-acting methods require less maintenance
The levonorgestrel intrauterine device (IUD) reduces heavy bleeding by 90% while preventing pregnancy for seven years. The Nexplanon implant provides three years of protection through a single office procedure. The copper IUD offers ten years of hormone-free contraception that's more effective than sterilization.
Pills designed for fewer periods
Extended-cycle pills allow four periods per year instead of twelve. These work especially well for women who want reliable contraception without monthly cycles.
At Modern Gynecology & Reproductive Health, Dr. Lacy stays current with these advances so patients have access to methods that weren't available when they first chose contraception.
Your contraceptive should serve your current needs and health status, not just prevent pregnancy. If you’re experiencing new symptoms or your life has changed significantly, let our team help you find better options.
Contact Modern Gynecology & Reproductive Health in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee, at 901-701-1777 or schedule online to discuss whether your birth control still makes sense for you.
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