Birth Control, Hormones, And Lipedema - My Symptoms After I Quit The Pill

[@BClancy]

I’m 26 years old. I’ve had a feeling that I have lipedema for a few years now. I’ve lost 40 pounds this year, but my arms and legs are the exact same size. I’m feeling so sad, scared, and discouraged. But I’m going to spend a lot of time tonight watching your videos. They’re super helpful, I’m really glad I found your channel. Thank you for making these videos ❤ I’m so glad I coincidentally got my iud removed last week. I didn’t realize how crazy, depressed, and anxious it made me. I just thoughts that’s who I was. It’s insane how different I feel after getting it removed. I feel like for so long I’ve been depressed because I couldn’t live up to version of myself I had in my head, when in reality, that version of myself was just locked away, trapped inside myself. And taking the iud out unleashed her. I’m not sure that any of that relates to lipedema, but that’s just my personal experience with iud’s. I’m so against hormonal birth control now, I will never go back or recommend it to anyone.

[@katem2411]

Thanks for doing this. I was on BC pills for around 15 years. Different types, some didn't seem to do much other than keep me from getting pregnant. A few other types caused my legs to get so heavy/fat that I stopped using them in the first month. Of course, the doctors and pharmacists just told me to stop eating so much /eyeroll So I went off BC and eventually was persuaded to get a Mirena IUD. The IUD was fine for a few years (and no periods was great, though the lipedema slowly got worse), but then I noticed that my sex drive was zero (huge change from my normal) and it seemed to cause some pelvic floor/vaginally atrophy. I told my doctor I wanted it out and she wouldn't remove it "because my insurance had paid a lot of money for it". I asked if she'd take it out if I wanted to get pregnant, and she said "oh of course! But we both know you don't want to get pregnant!" So I had to find someone else to do it. I can not recommend avoiding any IUD enough - you're at the mercy of a doc to believe your symptoms and agreeing to remove it. Since stopping hormonal BC my lipedema seems to be stable and with excersize, it actually beating it back. I've also done a lot of pelvic floor therapy and gotten the atrophy issues cleared up, and my sex drive is back to normal for me - although that took over a year.

[@sturdywoman]

Thanks so much for sharing @katem2411. What a rude doctor! Who cares how much the insurance paid of anything? If you don't want it, you don't want it. 🙄 I agree with you on the other side effects. It's easier not to get pregnant when you're never in the mood 😆 Sorry to hear that it seemed like some of them made your symptoms worse. Glad you're doing better now 💕

[@boblemons335]

My lipedema started during puberty when I was 10 and I started taking birth control when I was 16. I really don't think it made any changes to it and BC has been so helpful with my emotions, skin, and being able to completely skip periods is amazing. I'm only 21 and I doubt I would be able to get my tubes tied and an IUD with my low pain tolerance and trauma isn't going to happen. The most noticeable change with my lipdema and when I really started to notice it was after starting a new antidepressant and gaining about 60 pounds in 3 months and all that weight went straight to my legs and arms. I really would like to know if antidepressants could worsen lipedema but I really can't find much. It was the only change I made during that time.

[@sturdywoman]

Thanks for sharing that, @boblemons335! There so much they don't know about how different drugs may impact our condition. If you haven't yet, I'd encourage you to register in the Lipedema Foundation Patient Registry (www.lipedema.org/registry). They are collecting information from women about when symptoms started, what symptoms they have, medications, etc. Researchers can get access to this data and look for patterns. The initial findings from the survey are available here: www.lipedema.org/registry-first-look-report. Unfortunately, I don't see anything about antidepressants yet. If I come across anything I'll try to come back and drop you a note. 💓

[@boblemons335]

@@sturdywoman Thank you so much! I'll look into it!

[@misslaura80]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnvHd4t5eJyebcksi=H9-FugvM_JzEITKC. Serotonin is implicated in lipid metabolism changes.

[@tbarnett8]

Wow. Great info. Thank you!

[@sturdywoman]

Thank you @tbarnett8! I'm glad to hear it was helpful 💕💕

[@lawlessastrology]

Love your channel. Thank you ❤

[@anitacarmon-crawford6245]

Howdy, I’ve got adenomyosis. I had to come off birth control in 2018 after a migraine. Things have been very difficult since then. Thankfully, the migraine was most probably linked to lead poisoning. I was given the green light to go back onto Zoely in May. It stops ovulation. I think it’s improving things but I’ll know for sure in a couple of months. Thank you for all that you are doing. X

[@sturdywoman]

Hi @anitacarmon-crawford6245 Thanks so much for sharing this and I'm glad to hear things are improving. Fingers crossed for you 🤞 that it continues. I hope they continue learning more about all the different triggers for our health challenges 💕💕

[@olgaanatoliivna7806]

Does anyone know how HRT affects lipedema?

[@Manduhhlynn7]

I have been struggling for years with endometriosis and started birth control at 17. Im now 33 and stage 1 and i am strongly considering getting off because of this.

[@sturdywoman]

It's a tricky situation for us, right, @Mandahhlynn7? Educate yourself as best you can and work with a doctor you trust to help you decide what's going to be best for you. ❤❤

[@candaceion9622]

I had severe Endometriosis and Birth Control never helped with it at all.

[@Navita-c3d]

I have pcos . Not sure how to regulate periods.

[@MegSherrard-hl6ym]

paraguard IUD is no hormones. Copper makes your uterus inhospitable