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Thread: birth control and fitness

  1. #1
    God/dess Athenathefabulous's Avatar
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    Default birth control and fitness

    So i noticed this when i read charlie's going off birth control thread. Ive posted enough on here but for those who dont remember , i have PCOS. i went on yaz in march because my skin was starting to get really out of control. I had a few other symptoms but i really didnt mind most of htem.... i only got my period 2x a yr which i was ok with... my hair isnt great but i have extensions so it really doesnt matter.

    In the past, I never really put on weight unless i did something that would obviously put on weight. i.e. i could pretty much eat whatever and not work out that much and be fine. however, if i drank over 10 beers a night and ate lotsa pizza, yess i would put on a pound or 5 but logically it made sense to me why and it came off easily. I put on muscle really easily... i was one of those girls who immediately dropped weight when i started stripping because i built lean muscle so quickly.

    when my skin went haywire... i switched to a low glycemic diet (one of hte recommended diets for PCOS) and i also started working out at the gym and my skin got fairly cleared up. And i got really buff-- like i said, i put on muscle very easily and hte fat came off easily. I moved to NOLA and slacked off with the diet and the working out, put a few pounds back on (again it made sense here- i kind of took a vacation from eating right) and my skin went haywire again. At that point i became so flustered i finally went on yaz.

    Now: I bust my ass at the gym. I really do. and i really struggle to put on lean muscle. im starting to get back my bicepts, seeing some shoulder muscles, my legs are solid, but im not nearly as defined as us ed to be and it seems like i am working twice as hard for results that are not as good. after charlie posted her thread, i googled birth control and fitness and a study turned up and women who were not on oral contraceptives put on 60% more muscle than those who were on them when following a specific workout routine and protien requirements.

    i also have some cellulite. Ive NEVER had cellulite before.

    i think this has to be it... when i first went on BC i went a bit crazy. i became all emotional and stuff-- this is not me. i havent completely felt like myself in a while either. I used ot feel very aggressive and energetic. And after i worked out i kind of felt like a superhero because i felt so strong. But now, i sometimes feel stronger, but not like i used to.

    so im going to stop it. ill take bad skin and being fit any day over this sluggish unable to get lean bullshit. i dont know why it didnt click- i think because when i first went on it i started drinking heavily and i figured that was why, and then when my temper sort of evened out (it went all over the place on the pill) i figured it meant it was working for me plus my skin cleared up.

    i just want it out of my system. i am on week 2 of the pack but i am spotting again- i always do this. my body does not want to be on this stuff. i am debating whether i should finish the pack or not. i really dont want this stuff in my body if it is making it hard for me to get in shape.
    The best thing i have heard in a strip club to date:
    customer: we should get married right now! we should get a shotgun marriage!
    me: uhh... i think you are misunderstanding what a shotgun marriage means. A shotgun marriage means you knock me up and my daddy shows up at your door with a gun and forces you to marry me and raise the baby. You mean elope.
    customer: hmm... nah actually i will take the shotgun marriage. At least then we would be having sex.


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  3. #2
    Veteran Member sunny,*'s Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    Same thing happened to me when I went on birth control, except I was on Ortho Tri Cylclen Lo. Gained weight no matter what I ate (or didn't eat) or worked out, huge painful breakouts, fucking CRAZY thoughts and emotions.. Yeah. I pretty much lost all hope....

    And then!

    I went to see this chiropractor/kenisiologist/naturopath about my lower back pain, and after we started to get that under control (which I thought was impossible in the beginning!), he asked if he could help me regulate my hormones, which would help fix my skin, emotional problems, and help my lower back. I was totally skeptical, but I'd try ANYTHING.

    He gave me a B-Complex (this one: http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CGkQ8wIwAA#) and said take two in the AM and two at night, and Vitamin A (this one: http://www.pureprescriptions.com/pro...ProductsID=153), one in AM and one at night.

    I also go to him for bodywork every other week, or every week if I'm too much pain or feeling extra hormonal-crazy.

    My life has been changed. Stable emotions? Check. No more debilitating back pain? Check. Clear skin? Check.. (unless I eat tons of halloween candy, hah! Bad girl Savannah, BAD Bad Bad!)



    I would seriously, seriously recommend trying a shit load of B-vitamins for a few weeks. I started feeling better immediately, and it took about 10-15 days to start seeing results in the mirror. I also made a conscious effort to eat well (lots and lots of dark leafy greens!) and drink tons of water, especially during that first two weeks. Get a good b-complex that has folate, thiamine, riboflavin.. All that good shit. Once I ran out of the Thorne brand, but found a similar substitute at Whole Foods, that should be fine.


    I hope this helps... I never thought some simple vitamins could be the answer, but I'm so thankful they are!!!









    “Things are as they are. Looking out into it the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations.” -Alan Watts

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    Moderator charlie61's Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    Athena--I'm totally with you on this. I didn't realize birth control could have such a drastic effect on so many aspects of my life. That thread I started was a huge eye-opener for me!

    I'm pretty sure that the reason we've noticed effects like these is b/c birth control masks testosterone (testosterone--> lean muscle increases, acne increases). So birth control usually good for acne and not so great for muscle/tone/cellulite.

    I'm verrrrry curious to see how my body/mood will change over the next few months, and I'm encouraged that you're going to take the plunge too!

    Is Spironolactone an option for you? (it reduces the effects of androgens in your system, which cause acne, but it doesn't contain synthetic hormones like b.c.)

    Things I'm going to do to prevent bad skin:
    1) EXERCISE
    2) Drink tea/tisanes like crazy. HYDRAAAATION.
    3) Take vitamins: Flax/Fish oil, Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5), Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Daily vitamin, Vitex (homeopathic for hormones)
    4) Slightly increase Spiro intake

    Let's keep each other updated on what happens!!

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    Moderator charlie61's Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    Oooh, and I'm going to stay the FUCK away from sugar. I freaked out the other day and had three donuts, and I could seriously tell the difference in my skin the next day. I was like, "Why the fuck is my skin so bad today?" and then realized it was all of the sugar I had eaten. And I don't even have PCOS!

    Sugar-->Insulin spikes-->Hormones freak out.

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    Moderator Jessie_tinydancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    Well I mentioned this in the other thread... I also easily build muscle and never been fat. Ive had heavier stages and crazy skinny stages and all inbetween but one thing I know for certain is the damn pill makes my thighs and ass fatty and full of cellulite. My friend did not believe me when I said I was convinced that the pill was causing my cellulite and when I went off it 3 months later she saw my legs and could not believe it. Its just as though when Im on it all the weight goes there and if Im not its more evenly distributed. Im also on spiro which blocks testosterone so when you think about it, it makes sense... less testosterone and more estrogen = less muscle and more fat. Im really going hardcore at the gym right now and eating moderately healthy so Ill let you know if I manage to beat it but Im not expecting much.

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    God/dess 4everresolutions's Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    Quote Originally Posted by charlie61 View Post
    Oooh, and I'm going to stay the FUCK away from sugar. I freaked out the other day and had three donuts, and I could seriously tell the difference in my skin the next day. I was like, "Why the fuck is my skin so bad today?" and then realized it was all of the sugar I had eaten. And I don't even have PCOS!

    Sugar-->Insulin spikes-->Hormones freak out.
    Reads like: ME! This happens to me too. Large amounts of sugar and carby-carbs like bread and pasta (so, more sugar) will trigger my breakouts. Also want to agree that staying hydrated seems to fend off my acne a little, too.

    I've started using a new facial cleansing system that's helping with the breakouts and hyperpigmentation/scarring. It's called Dermalogica. So far it's working very well; much better than any other system/acne pills I've tried.



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    Moderator charlie61's Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    ^ I've heard horror stories about both Yasmin and Yaz, specifically. My women's health teacher singled them out as being problematic.

    Women looking for anti-acne birth control should tri Ortho-Tricyclin Lo, IMO. Though, of course, every pill has its own set of people claiming it's the devil.

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    Featured Member Christany's Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    ^^^
    Exactly. I wish there would be more hormonal testing prior to issuing birth control, or at least making this information better known and offering it as an option. I feel it would be easier to predict which birth control would be best if women knew their pre-existing hormonal state. I'm not too pleased with the current model of trying everything on the menu till you find one that works.
    Quote Originally Posted by markx View Post
    I'd have to have a "4 simease twin strippers gave me head and then lite themselves on fire" story to blow anybody's mind here.

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    God/dess Will's Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    Quote Originally Posted by Athenathefabulous View Post
    So i noticed this when i read charlie's going off birth control thread. Ive posted enough on here but for those who dont remember , i have PCOS. i went on yaz in march because my skin was starting to get really out of control. .
    This may not have direct application to your personal situation, but it's a lot of useful info on womens hormones, and the need for correct therapy and balance of womens hormones. Highly recommended reading for all women regarding their hormones by the Life Extension Foundation:

    Female Hormone Restoration
    A cunning linguist...

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    Moderator Jessie_tinydancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    Quote Originally Posted by charlie61 View Post
    ^ I've heard horror stories about both Yasmin and Yaz, specifically. My women's health teacher singled them out as being problematic.

    Women looking for anti-acne birth control should tri Ortho-Tricyclin Lo, IMO. Though, of course, every pill has its own set of people claiming it's the devil.
    I actually like Yasmin. The potassium sparing diuretic thing is not a big issue for me as fellow spiro user. Ortho-tricyclin was the first pill I ever took and it was quite good but unfortunately now not strong enough for me. Causes constant breakthrough bleeding.

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    God/dess Kisca's Avatar
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    Default Re: birth control and fitness

    This is interesting. When I was on BC #1 it made me puke and I felt sick all the time and it made me bloated as well and feel like I was PMSing all the time, something I dont feel when I am stable. This was Yasmin.

    I then tried another BC #2, this worked greatly on me, nothing was changed except my skin did clear up, my oily face came to a normal state, and I had no trouble gaining muscle when I worked out 3-4times a week. No negative emotional or physical outbreaks. This was Alesse.

    I wanted to higher my dose in my BC since I've read over years the body becomes used to the BC dosage that it might not work properly as it did in the beginning. I went on BC # 3 and had no problems at all like number 2. This was Tri-Levlen.



    My doctor said each body accepts the chemicals in the BC differently, and you need to find one that goes well with yours. Each BC contains estrogen and progesterone; estrogen always stays the same, while progestin comes in 3 main forms: levonorgestrel, norgestimate, drospirenone.

    Yasmin, Yaz has drospirenone
    Alesse, Tri-Levlen, Seasonale, Seasonique has levonorgestrel
    Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Ortho-Cyclen has norgestimate

    Those were just examples, but maybe try a BC that contains a different progestin. I know all BCs that contain drospirenone make me sick while BC that contains levonorgestrel doesnt affect me negativly.

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