I don't know what to do about my daughters weight gain since she had the supprelin implant last November. If removed will her weight go down? Should she actually eat less calories than recommended for her height? What is in Supprelin that causes the weight gain?
Weight Gain and Supprelin Implant?
Question posted by abbysmom on 12 Aug 2012
Last updated on 4 May 2022 by Gabbys Mom
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5 Answers
Gabbys Mom
4 May 2022
You guys have been an answer to my prayers. My daughter is just a few months into being 10. She has had her implant for a little over a year. She went from a tiny 4ft 6 ins 41lbs little girl to being 4ft 10 inches and weighing 144.2 lbs. We are DEVASTATED! I want it removed but her endo is adamant it is not because of the implant. I make all good from scratch, No processed foods or fast foods. Even her dietitian said it is BY NO MEANS her diet. She has A LOT of food allergies. She use to be so bubbly and active but has become so depressed and has little interest in much. I wish I could post a before and during picture.
KD636
16 July 2020
Hi Mom, I wanted to follow up with you. It is now 2020 and I wonder if you have an update regarding your daughter’s weight. My daughter is 9, 5’1 and 160lbs. We have had the implant since she was 4. No matter how much we exercise or change her diet, she continues to gain weight. Much like the other girls mentioned, her legs are like tree trunks, she has breast buds, and a very round mid-section. We have our appointment next week to determine if she will get a new implant and I am truly considering having it removed. Any insight into how things changed for your daughter once the implant was removed is appreciated. Thank you!
mrabino1
29 Jan 2015
I was so happy to find this post. My daughter got the implant at age 11 for short stature because her bone age was advanced. She gained about 20 lbs and she was about 4'10". We did not replace it because of the weight gain. She never lost the weight. She even went on a rigorous camping and hiking trip for 6 weeks over the summer and didn't lose any weight. At age 13 she got her first period but then got only two more in six months and hasn't had another in over a year. She's 14.5 now. I went back to the endo and she tested her testosterone and now that's high and she thinks she has Polysistic ovarion syndrome. I'm so angry! Do you think this was caused by the implant? Now she wants to put her on the pill! Has anyone found any successful treatment for the weight gain?
Anabriita
30 Jan 2015
mrabino1,
I just posted my daughter's story on the post above yours. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about Supprelin and Polysistic ovarion syndrome. I did see about three endocrinologist before starting her treatment. So it is always to get a second or even third opinion.
Good Luck, anabritta
abbysmom
30 Jan 2015
Thanks all for your feedback. It's so helpful!
Anabriita
30 Jan 2015
abbysmom,
For years since my daughter was diagnosed in 2008, I kept searching almost every night for answers why this was happening to our first child. My husband is a tall guy and I am 5'3. But, all the doctors told us she was not going to be even 5, if we didn't do the treatment. Again, the height was not all main concern. There are research out there, that a child who gets her period too early has a higher chance of having breast cancer later in life. Before starting her treatment 3 years later after she was diagnosed I changed everything in the house. For rid of all the BPA containers, bought all organic, and this was in 2008, a dozen organic eggs in 2008 was hard to find and it was almost $7. All my cleaning products, all her shampoos, laundry detergents. You named it we changed it.
When we decided to do the treatment, after going to three different endo, we were on the borderline of time. Our insurance was not going to pay the treatment if she was over 9 years old. We apply for the treatment she was two months of turning 9. On our second year, the insurance didn't want to pay, so we had to fight hard and this delayed the change of the implant. We still had out of pocket expense, but we manage to pay. It is not an easy decision and I agree 100% that the pharmaceutical company knows that weight gain is a huge side effect. I just don't understand why the insist in telling us that no side effect is involved during treatment, other than sometimes a minor allergy reaction on the skin where the implant was put in. My daughter doesn't have the implant anymore for over a year now as I mentioned on my old post, but I know many other moms just like me in 2009 will be looking for answers hoping to do the right decision for their daughters.
doozer21
9 May 2015
I just wanted to let you know of our experience. My daughter had the supprelin impact for 3 years, prior she had the lupron shot. She has been off the supprelin for the past year and a half. She is now 14 1/2 and still has not started her menstruation cycle. I'm starting to get concerned and hoping this is not a side effect of the implant. I'm scheduling a dr. appt to discuss and hopefully get tests to figure it out. Her testosterone level was high prior to the implant. She was already a little over weight in the belly region, not significant. She did have weight gain while on the implant. Despite our routinely working out and diet control the weight continued to be resistant to coming off! She has since been put on adderal. She is now back in the "healthy" weight region. My main concern is infertility right now and praying this is NOT the case. Anyone have any further suggestions.
abbysmom
11 May 2015
I don't think I've seen comments so far about issues with the period starting. My daughter's implant came out the beginning of December 2014 and she hasn't started yet (thank goodness) but she will only be 11 in July this year. Anyone have concerns over this please comment!! Was your daughter put on Adderal for her weight or another issue?
Skylarsmom
25 June 2015
Hi Moms:
Please,please please do what I did - call the drug manufacturer and get those side effects listed for the FDA. My daughter was 7 with her first one and it all went smoothly. It was removed 2 months late because of the facilities scheduling and and a new one was put in Jan 2015. Since then my thin beautiful girl looks like an alcoholic - puffy face and huge mid section - she has gained over 30 pounds! I called the pharm company and they said NOW they must list weight gain as a side effect. The endo argued with me immensley and insisted that the weight gain had absolutely nothing to do with the implant. However, I pushed and thankfully this is coming out on Fri June 26th. I am praying that her body responds well to the removal and she starts losing the weight and getting her self esteem back. Please listen to your mommy instincts even when the endo says otherwise - there is an issue with these implants and parents need to be more well infomed about them.
Had I seen all of this prior to the implant we would have said no. I trusted the dr to steer us in the right direction - I will never make that mistake again!
mrabino1
25 June 2015
To the mom who said that her daughter is now on Adderal, why is that? Does it help with weight loss?
Anabriita
26 June 2015
I am so happy the drug company will list weight gain as a side effect. My daughter had the implant for two years and gained simnifically weight eating and exercise as much as before the implant as I mentioned in my older posts. She removed the implant on January 2014 and got her first period January 2015. Which comes on and off. But the weight is still there. She did grew to be almost 5.3 so we are happy about that. Before the first implant her height estimation was 4.9 if she didn't get the implant. She eats like her younger sister who is actually under weight for her age. She is a swimmer, and she came back from a 3 week sleep away camp with lots of hiking, biking, swimming, etc and her abdomen fat still very obvious. I really hope the pharmaceutical companies inform the doctors about the side effects of this drug so the parents can make their decisions. Many times the doctor told me that the supprelin was not making my daughter gain weight. Many times...
supper1
12 Oct 2014
I just came across this forum today while researching " Supprelin implant and thinning hair". My daughter had supprelin implant a month before her 8 birthday last year. she gained 25 pounds within a year. Mostly on face, shoulder and midsection. I couldn't find shoes or jeans that fit her. she also complaint about being tired. She also lost halve of the thick long bounce beautiful hair on her heard. without a any known side effect of supprelin, I decide to have it removed this past August, a month before her nine birthday. She is 5', 120 at age 9. Lost 2 pounds in one month. The protruding belly has reduced. I anticipate the weight lost to be a slow process, remember it took one year to gain all that weight. I am happy to learn about the reason for her weight gain and hair loss today. I Had her tested tor thyroid and iron deficiency. I would advice all the moms to discontinue the implant and let their daughters grow normally. The weight gain, low self esteem and other side effects are not worth the implant!
abbysmom
12 Oct 2014
I wish I would've never continued on the implant. My daughter is now 5'3 and 138 lbs at age 10. She gets her final implant out the beginning of December. Can't wait for this to be a thing of the past but it has totally shattered her self esteem.
murphinater
19 Jan 2015
Hi Moms,
Here is another update regarding the removal of my daughter's implant nearly a year ago. But first let me say that I used to get emails when someone replied or commented to this forum thread and although that option is still "checked" for some reason I don't get the emails anymore and have to actively go into the site to check the status of the discussion. I don't know why that is. So my apologies. I see that some moms have asked me questions that went unanswered for months. Hopefully this will answer them and I will make a point to check the site more frequently.
Our daughter had three implants with the last being removed January 24, 2014. For the first four months or so we saw absolutely no weight loss whatsoever and it was very disheartening for all, especially her. However, since then, she suddenly, albeit VERY slowly, began losing weight. I don't remember exactly how tall she was (about 5'2" or so I think) when the implant was removed, but she was two months shy of her 12th birthday and weighed 148 pounds. She is now 5'4" and has lost 16 pounds. The puffiness in her face has gone down and the crazy weight in her midsection has reduced significantly, though there is still more to go in that area. Her goal is to be under 130 pounds so she is aiming to lose 4 more pounds but I know she would like to lose 12. We'll see... She eats healthy so that was not the issue. It just took a long time for the medicine to leave her system and for her metabolism to reset itself and until it did, no amount of dieting or exercise was going to do anything. She got her period in October, about 8 1/2 months after the implant was removed. She is still losing weight and she is still growing so we are all happy. She does not see the weight loss in herself as everyone else does and still feels self conscious, in particular about the stretch marks on her thighs and breasts and the exaggerated pear-shape of her midsection. However, she cannot deny the math of her weight loss and she acknowledges that clothes that she had no choice but to wear fitting snuggly around her waist lest the rest of the garment fit like a tent, are now loose and require a belt. She sees that were are periodically moving the buttons on her uniforms skirts to make the waist smaller. But, her self esteem took a hit from the embarrassment she felt about her development that occurred before the implant was put in and the weight gain and stretch marks as a result. Still, with all of this, she says that she would rather have the weight gain and all the other stuff that came with it than have her period and fully developed breasts at 8 years old and be under 5 ft. tall forever. This experience she will be able to put behind her; being under 5 ft. would have been permanent. And if a few stretch marks are the worst things she ever has to deal with in her life, then she is lucky indeed.
It is interesting though that someone in their comments mentioned polycystic ovary syndrome. I actually suspect our daughter may have that but thought it was due to her epilepsy and never thought to associate it with the implant, certainly not now that is has been out for nearly a year. She is having an ultrasound this week to confirm whether or not she has it and I will post the results. Polycystic ovary syndrome can occur in girls/women with epilepsy and is usually associated with certain medications but our daughter is not on that particular medication, so it does raise the question as to whether or not it is from the Supprelin implant instead. I hope this answers all the questions everyone had. Our daughter will be 13 in March, for those of you who want to know, and her precocious puberty started at 7.
abbysmom
19 Jan 2015
Thank you so much for the update. My daughter is 10.5 and we had her final implant removed a few weeks ago. She is also 5'2" and 148. Hopefully with the medicine leaving her system and the extra summer activity, by next school year she'll start 6th grade 20 lbs lighter. Glad to know the mid section and puffy face have gone away for your daughter for that is truly what my daughter exhibits as well. Please keep us updated. This is a truly inspiring post!
murphinater
19 Jan 2015
Hi Abbysmom,
So glad you got the post and that you found it helpful. I have found that being in the same boat with so many other moms helpful as well. I think patience is key and constantly reminding yourself it will be slow as molasses to lose the weight but it will happen. I truly hope your daughter has success!! What I would love is for all of us moms in this discussion to band together and insist that Supprelin and the doctors finally admit that metabolism changes and weight gain are in fact bonafide side effects of this medication. It infuriates me that the makers of Supprelin deny it and families are going into this process without all the information they need to make educated decisions for the children. While my daughter still would have chosen the implant, it is clear that other families would have opted against it had they known the ramifications. All our daughters are experiencing versions of the same thing. It is irresponsible for Supprelin to turn a blind eye.
And because weight gain, etc is not listed as a side effect, the doctors disregard it as well. But we know better, don't we? Sorry for the little soapbox moment, but I remember calling Supprelin when the weight gain began and they steadfastly denied it had anything to do with the medicine. Ridiculous. Our daughter easily gained 55 pounds from the Supprelin if not more and most of that was in the first year.
Anabriita
29 Jan 2015
The same thing happened with my post. I wrote my question almost two years ago and just today I got an e-mail telling me that my post got answered.
When I wrote my question, I believed my daughter was on her first year of the supprelin implant. She was diagnosed with precocious puberty at age 6 but we didn't start the implant until she was 9. On her first year she gained about 10 lbs but finally started to have a normal grow spur. Before the treatment she was growing about 3-4 inches per year and the normal growth at this age is about 2 inches per year. But, her breasts disappeared, or it was almost gone, and we were happy that she could be a child again and most importantly she was not feeling different from the other girls in her class. Well, she had one more implant put in the next year. Her first one was put in October 2011, and the next one on November 2012. She removed the second implant on January 2014.
She just got her first period 3 weeks ago, exactly one year after the removal of the implant. She is 12 years and 4 months old. She is almost 5.2 and she might grow one more inche or two. But, unfortunately, she is still overweight. She actually gained more weight on the second year of treatment. She has belly fat, her legs are big but her face is not puffy. And her is very thick and she never lost anything. She has a beautiful long curly hair. Right after the removal of the implant, she started to develop everywhere. But now she is 12 and most of her friends are going through the same changes. We are happy that we did her treatment. She was probably get her period at 9.5 if we didn't do the treatment. We were not worry at all about her height. But, just becoming a woman before time it was just unacceptable for my husband and I. She is a very healthy eater. I really think the supprelin made her gained all that weight. I asked her doctor so many times and she was sure that the weight gain was not a side effect. We have another daughter who is very skinny( didn't do the treatment), and my husband and I are skinny people. The hardest part about her weight gain was telling her not to have two cookies or two pieces of cake at a birthday party. She is conscious about her looks now and she tries so hard to eat less but I don't want her to do that. She is still growing and she needs the food. She eats fruits, vegetables, grains. Weekends she eats ice cream and she takes her lunch everyday to school.
She plays volleyball twice a week, she has a private gymnastics instructor that works on her posture and she jumps on the trampoline with the instructor. She swims too twice a week she stopped now for the winter but for the two years of the treatment she was swimming three times a week, and gaining weight. I will keep you moms posted her on growth and weight. If you need to ask me any question about the treatment I can tell what I saw on my daughter for these two years. I will keep checking this post. Good luck for every mom who wants the best for their daughters.
Anabriita
12 April 2013
My daughter also gained weight since she started the treatment. She is on her second year and you can definitely tell that she is getting overweight.
The doctors tell me that it is not a side effect of the medication. In December of 2013 she will remove the implant and I am hoping she will loose the weight.
abbysmom
14 April 2013
How old will she be when you discontinue the treatment? Her endo did worn me that she'd probably games in weight with the implant but is now scolding me for her being overweight! Well she wasn't before. I'm hoping she loses fairly easily when we discontinue treatment but still have a few more years to go.
murphinater
24 July 2013
My daughter is on her third implant. It is her last and is being removed in October. She has gained a SIGNIFICANT amount of weight since the first implant. She gained 35-40 pounds the first year alone, which is an awful lot for anyone, let alone an 8 year old. She is now 11 and her weight has continued to go up while her self-esteem goes down. She is incredibly thick and puffy around the mid-section, her legs are like tree trunks and her feet have gotten ridiculously wide. It is nearly impossible to get her shoes. Her face is also extremely puffy looking. I called Supprelin to inquire about this and was told it isn't one of the side -effects, which is absurd because it CLEARLY is. I insisted they report it. She was an average-size 7-year old when all this started and now she is definitely over weight. I have to get her women's clothes and tailor them. Nothing else fits her. She feels very, very self-conscious because she can see that she is different from everyone else.
To make matters worse, the weight gain has been so drastic that now it looks as though she has breasts, which is one of the things we were trying to avoid in the first place! Her endocrinologist insists that she is indeed "suppressed" and that it is not breast tissue, but due to her excess weight. I have no idea if the weight will come off once the implant is taken out and would love to hear from someone who may have experience with it. My poor, sweet girl; she was so confident and independent and now she is riddled with self-consciousness and insecurities. It is heartbreaking. Anyone have any insight?
abbysmom
24 July 2013
I am so sorry your daughter is going through this. Believe me we are living the same nightmare. Abby will receive her final implant this November. She'll be almost 9.5 so Nov '14 it will be removed and we'll let nature take its course. Please moms that have daughters that have experienced this same side effect let us know once the implant is removed what happens with their weight. She went to the doctor recently and is 5' and 125 lbs.
abbysmom
24 July 2013
Also by any chance did you use soy based formula? I have a sneaky suspicion that my using this type of formula with the soy is what propelled her into early puberty and oh the guilt I am feeling over it! If that does increase the likelihood soy formula should be discontinued!
murphinater
24 July 2013
Hi, Thanks so much for commenting on my post! My daughter is 5' as well and before she left for camp she was 128 pounds. I'm sure by the time she gets back she will be 130 or more. It is very distressing. Her body has changed so dramatically and the weight has caused her to be shaped quite strangely around her midsection. She looks like a pear from her chest to her waist. She can't put her arms directly at her sides because of the strange "muffin-top," (for lack of a better word), from her waist to her hip bones. She has to put her arms slightly in front, so now she is getting round-shouldered whereas before she had wonderful posture. All in all she has gained upwards of 60 pounds. We did not give her soy-based formula, but I did make her lots of tofu and edamame when she was little thinking we were doing a good thing. We have wondered about the soy-thing as well. For some reason, though, I tend to think that in her case it may be caused by something else.
She changed schools in first grade and had a terrible year. She was teased every day from the second day of school till the last. It was terrible. We noticed her symptoms three months after school ended but my guess is that they were sneaking up on her before we actually noticed them. I think it may have been all the emotional stress of that year that started it. I have no medical reason for thinking so, it's just one of those "mommy feelings." I will say though, that a few weeks ago I was searching the internet for Supprelin side-effects and saw something that nearly stopped my heart. I found a site that documented side effects that were not listed on the Supprelin site as side effects, but had been reported as unexpected side effects. In two instances, people reported convulsions. Eight months after her first implant, our daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy. She doesn't have convulsions, but she does have seizures. I am devastated by the thought that it may be caused by the medicine. Now, in all fairness, three months before she was diagnosed with epilepsy, our son was diagnosed with epilepsy. However, our doctor, who is considered by many the leading epilepsy doctor in the country, told us before testing her that it is highly unlikely she has it as well because it is very rare that siblings will have epilepsy. He was shocked when her EEG came back positive. He was even MORE shocked when it revealed that they both have different types of epilepsy. He said it is literally like lottery-winning odds that they would both have and both have different types. That's what now makes me wonder if it is from the Supprelin. We will find out once the implant is removed, I guess.
I know what a tough situation you are in. We are right there with you. I promise to post once she gets her implant out in October and report and changes. Hopefully, the weight will begin to fall of and we can all rest easy.
abbysmom
24 July 2013
Is your daughter 11? Abby will only be about 10.5 when she has hers removed and I'm not having another put in at that point. My daughter did experience 2 cerebral seizures while a toddler. The doctor said she shouldn't have another past the age of 5 and she never did. That's kind of a coincidence. No its not epilepsy but a seizure non the less.
My daughter's weight is all in her midsection as well. Which is odd because if she's like her mom and her aunt we carry our weight in our hips, butts and thighs. Not the stomach area. Confirms my suspicion that its from the implant and not being inactive or overeating. Though she isn't the best eater and does prefer carbs to anything else. Keep me posted I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your daughter.
murphinater
25 July 2013
Our daughter is 11. To hear you say that your daughter's weight is all in her midsection as well is such a relief because, as you said, it confirms that the weight is from the medicine. Now we can only hope that it comes off once the medicine cycles through their systems. Interesting coincidence about the seizures your daughter had. My daughter also prefers carbs, but she doesn't eat nearly enough of them to be causing such extreme weight gain. The only meal I don't control is lunch at school and there is no way she can do that much damage through bad eating in the half-hour they give her for lunch. It's definitely the medicine. If you search "lupron" which is essentially what the Supprelin is, you will find hoards of women complaining about weight gain while taking it to help their endometriosis. My fingers are crossed for both our daughters and all the other daughters out there struggling with this!! As if the precocious puberty wasn't enough all on its own...
seacoastmom
25 Aug 2013
Hi ladies, I hate to say it but I am relieved to find this site and read these postings. I have consistently been told the supprelin implant does not cause weight gain, but my 9 year old has gained a significant amount of weight since she's had it (it's been almost 1 1/2 years at this point). It is going to be removed in December, and I am praying that her weight goes down. It had had a very bad impact on her self esteem. I'm curious as to whether your daughters also have gotten acne since starting the implant? Thanks.
abbysmom
25 Aug 2013
My daughter has not experienced acne.
abbysmom
25 Aug 2013
Seacostmom are you having your daughters implant removed in Dec and she'll be 9 yrs old at that time?
njbreeze
3 Sep 2013
Mom of 10-year-old on 2nd implant due to be removed in January. Bree was lanky and thin prior to implant and is now 84 pounds and 57". Definitely the implant as she is also on Vyvanse for ADHD, eats breakfast, light lunch of carbs and healthy dinner. Plays golf, lacrosse and swims. She's aware that the weight gain is from the implant and has a healthy attitude about it. Endo and pediatric surgeon assure us weight will normalize when implant is removed. Still I sometimes get concerned. Yes to soy formula but all kids had soy. This is genetic but we didn't know until we specifically asked about symptoms rather than a diagnosis among older family members.
murphinater
25 Sep 2013
Dear seacoastmom and njbreeze,
If you scan earlier posts you will see that my daughter is 11 and is currently on her third implant. She was supposed to get in removed in October but due to her last bone-age test results the doctor wants to wait until January before removing it. I am crossing my fingers that all the weight she has gained throughout the three implants will come off once it is removed. She was a normal girl prior and has gained a significant amount of weight. She is 5'1" and weighs 130 pounds; she gained 60 pounds. Most of it is around mid-section and thighs. Feet have also gotten very wide. Seacoast mom, I believe it was you who asked about acne, and while our daughter doesn't have acne her skin has definitely changed. She gets a pimple here and there, but her skin, in general doesn't look as healthy. Aside from the weight, the worst side-effect has been how oily her hair has gotten. It constantly looks greasy and dirty no matter what we do.
I promise to keep everyone posted as to how she changes once the implant is removed.
It's wonderful to know there are other moms out there dealing with the same issues. We can get through it together.
topteach
3 Dec 2013
My daughter is 10 right now and is on her 4th implant. Before having the 4th put in we let the last one go longer than we should have. My daughter lost 20lbs during the last couple of months with the implant. Once the new one went in she gained them back almost immediately. All weight is in her midsection as well. We are considering removing the implant soon.
abbysmom
3 Dec 2013
Thank you for responding. That's really very interesting especially because my daughter is 20 lbs overweight and now on her third implant. She'll be 10 when her 4th implant is done. I really Dont want her to get the 4th one but she is afraid of starting her period. One Endo told me it prob wouldn't start for 18 months after the implant was removed. Another told me it would be sooner. I Dont know what I'll do next year! Please keep me posted on your decision.
murphinater
28 Jan 2014
Dear Topteach,
It brings me such a sense of relief to hear that your daughter lost weight once her implant ran out. It's also good to know, in a science experiment kind of way, that once she got a new one her weight went up again. That means that none of us are crazy and that the weight gain is directly related to the implant--even though Supprelin denies this is a side effect. My daughter had three implants and just got the last one removed this past Friday. She is almost 12. I am praying that the weight falls off easily and quickly. How long did it take for your daughter to lose the 20 pounds? Was most of the weight in her midsection? My daughter has gained 70 plus pounds since starting the implant three years ago. She weighs 140 (!!! ) and is about 5'2". They weighed her before the implant removal surgery on Friday and her whole face crumpled into tears when she saw the number on the scale. It was heartbreaking.
It's been awful and has completely crushed her self-esteem. She eats well and is active, but it doesn't matter, the weight remains. When we see "before implant" and "after implant" pictures of her it's like it is a different child completely. the fact that your daughter lost so much weight gives me a great sense of hope. We want our confident, self-assured daughter back! I will keep everyone posted on the weight loss progress (fingers crossed) and how long it takes.
murphinater
25 March 2014
Hi, Ladies,
Here is the update I promised, if anyone is following this thread anymore...
My daughter had her third implant removed exactly 2 months ago today. I was crossing my fingers and hoping to see some change , however small, in her weight but I am sad to report that as of now we have seen no change at all. I am not sure how long the supprelin takes to cycle through her system in order to be completely gone, but so far, nothing. I have noticed that her skin is getting a bit temperamental and her hair still looks oily but all that would be small potatoes (and we would gladly take them) compared to losing all that weight she gained since her first implant.
I was hopeful when I read the comment from TopTeach that her daughter lost 20 pounds fairly quickly when they left her implant in too long but since we have yet to see a change, I wonder how much longer was "too long" and how long it took her daughter to actually lose the 20 pounds: Was it two months? Six months?
Anyway, that is my update. I will post again in another two months or if we see any change before then.
abbysmom
25 March 2014
Thank you for responding back. I'm most certainly still following this thread. What a shame you haven't seen some sort of positive change in your daughters weight. If there isn't going to be a change I'm wondering now if I shouldn't keep her on the implant another year. How old is your daughter?
Livismom
7 April 2014
I just came across this forum today while researching "effects after Supprelin implant removal." My daughter started developing when she had just turned 7 and had her implant put in when she was 10, it took us that long to find out what type of doctor to take her to. She ended up getting her period before the implant was put in and another one right after the implant? CPP runs in my family, my sister had just turned 9 when she got her 1st period, but it did not happen to me. Our Endo let her keep her original implant in for 2 years. The first year there was a 10 lb weight gain, but she also grew about 2 inches, so I was not worried. She had her implant removed this past Aug. and in 1 year (April 2012 to April 2013) she put on almost 15lbs and over Christmas break while not as active as usual, she put on another 10 lbs with no height gain. She is currently 5' 1/2" and 125lbs. I have to reiterate like the rest, that the weight gain is in her belly and face.
I too was totally shocked and asked if it was the implant. The Endo said no, but the nurse practitioner we saw last April said about 40-45% of the kiddos on Supprelin gain weight. Unfortunately she has only lost a few lbs since we saw the doctor in February, and this is only because I have been trying to keep her on a 1200 cal a day eating program, so no, she has not lost any weight. She is very active in competitive cheer leading 4-6 hrs a week and athletics 1hr 5x per week. I think this is the only thing that has saved her from an even bigger weight gain. Another concern of mine is that she will be 13 in May and still has not got her period. I was first told it could take up to 6 months, then after 6 months I was told up to a year, and have recently read it could take up to 18 months. This is very concerning to me, and I now wonder if I made the wrong choice in having the implant put in. Before the implant she was always in the 25-50 percentile for her weight, and I noticed her eating did not change when the weight started coming on. Has anyone else had their daughters implant removed? If, so how long before she got her period? Another thing you may want to know is after her recent blood work, her Androgen hormone levels were elevated due to the weight gain the doctor said, and she could be at risk for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome if her weight gain continues. I am curious if anyone else's daughter's have had any of the same issues mine is dealing with? Sorry for rambling on, but it is nice to know there are other mom's and daughter's dealing with the same sort of issues, and I am not crazy!
abbysmom
7 April 2014
Thank you so much for responding. It would be extremely helpful to know the avg amt of time after the implant being removed that the period starts. One Endo did tell me within 18 months. My daughter will be 10 and 4 months when she is due to have hers replaced again but I'm having it removed and being all done with it. A lot of girls are starting their periods right before turning 11 so I Dont think its too soon. She'll be in middle school. Keep us posted please in the coming months and how your DD is doing. Thx
Livismom
8 April 2014
I think you are making the right decision in not having another implant put in. I wish I had my daughter's removed after one year instead of two, but she just didn't seem like she was ready to have it taken out at that time. Hope all goes well with your daughter and I will keep you posted about her period and weight loss, if any. Thx
abbysmom
8 April 2014
Thanks I am really appreciate it. Maybe it takes time for it to really get out of their system and the weight will eventually go down.
murphinater
16 May 2014
Update #2: My daughter had her third implant removed on Jan 24, 2014. I had high hopes that all the crazy weight she gained would begin to melt away once the implant was removed. It is now almost four months since the removal and I am terribly sad to report that she has not lost one ounce since then! She is very disappointed because she is so much bigger than her friends and other girls her age. She is 12 years old, 5' 2 1/2" and weighs 145 pounds. It impacts everything she does. For example, she used to be a fast runner and now because of all the extra weight she is carrying around she is an extremely slow runner. She has been taking dance since she was 2 and has not taken it in the last two years because she is too embarrassed to be in a leotard in front of people. She has stretch marks from gaining so much weight so quickly. We are going to try a two-week carb-free test to see if that will somehow kick-start the weight loss. I would love to hear from anyone whose daughter has lost weight since her implant was removed and how long it took.
Livismom
3 June 2014
Dear Murphinater,
My daughter had her implant removed last August, she is 13 now and I am also sad to say that she has not lost any weight either. I put her on a 1200 cal. diet a few months ago, she lost a few pounds, but she does not like to stick to it all the time, so if she is not consistent with her diet she does not loose any weight. My daughter also has developed stretch marks which really effects their self esteem. She was in competitive cheer/gymnastics last year and was in the gym 6 hrs a week, so I thought that contributed to the stretch marks, and I thought for sure she would loose weight, but unfortunately she gained instead (I know some is muscle weight, but not all). The stretch marks are fading around her breasts, but not on her thighs. Mederma helps to minimize the appearance of the stretch marks, so you might want to try it. A little expensive, but it does help.
I also would like to report that after 9 months and 5 days, my daughter has finally started her period. She started yesterday, and I am so relieved, I was worried that the implant had done something to prevent it from coming. She originally started her period at 10 yrs old, right before the implant was put in, and I thought for sure she would start within a few months of the implant removal. I was given a time frame of 4-6 months from the doctor, but then read it could take up to 18 months. So for those of you that are still waiting, don't give up hope, it may take a while, but it will happen and I am sure it is different for each girl. As far as the weight gain goes, if anyone has success with an eating program or diet please post, I would like to know what has worked for others. Hopefully in time all of our daughters will adjust and life will go on as normal. :)
rlcaj
11 June 2014
HI, I'm glad to have found this site. Makes me feel not so alone. Anyway, my daughter has had the implant since Oct. 2011. Since then she's gained about 22 pounds+. She's on her 3rd implant but having it removed July b/c the new doc is worried we may be missing her growth spurt for this age.
Her Height went from 94th percentile to 91st and now is 78th
Her weight went 87th to 82nd percentile but BMI has gone 75th to 81st.
She's definitely gotten thicker in a sense, but not really too much thankfully, though not happy with her BMI increase.
I'm worried more about her height. Once the implant is out does the height grow at faster rate? did we miss it? I'm kinda discouraged. She's not even 5 ft yet. Anyone see height changes after implant out?
Thanks in advance
Livismom
6 Aug 2014
My daughter had only one implant. She was 10 when she had it put in and it was removed when she was 12. We noticed the greatest amount of weight gain after the implant was removed; about 20 lbs. Her height stayed around around 5' 1/2" for about a year. I just measured her today and it seems she has grown about another inch or so. We will see the doctor this month, so we will know for sure about her height. Unfortunately so far no weight loss, and it has been a year since the implant removal; we are now trying a low carb diet. Will continue to update.
murphinater
19 Jan 2015
Hi Moms,
Here is another update regarding the removal of my daughter's implant nearly a year ago. But first let me say that I used to get emails when someone replied or commented to this forum thread and although that option is still "checked" for some reason I don't get the emails anymore and have to actively go into the site to check the status of the discussion. I don't know why that is. So my apologies. I see that some moms have asked me questions that went unanswered for months. Hopefully this will answer them and I will make a point to check the site more frequently.
Our daughter had three implants with the last being removed January 24, 2014. For the first four months or so we saw absolutely no weight loss whatsoever and it was very disheartening for all, especially her. However, since then, she suddenly, albeit VERY slowly, began losing weight. I don't remember exactly how tall she was (about 5'2" or so I think) when the implant was removed, but she was two months shy of her 12th birthday and weighed 148 pounds. She is now 5'4" and has lost 16 pounds. The puffiness in her face has gone down and the crazy weight in her midsection has reduced significantly, though there is still more to go in that area. Her goal is to be under 130 pounds so she is aiming to lose 4 more pounds but I know she would like to lose 12. We'll see... She eats healthy so that was not the issue. It just took a long time for the medicine to leave her system and for her metabolism to reset itself and until it did, no amount of dieting or exercise was going to do anything. She got her period in October, about 8 1/2 months after the implant was removed. She is still losing weight and she is still growing so we are all happy. She does not see the weight loss in herself as everyone else does and still feels self conscious, in particular about the stretch marks on her thighs and breasts and the exaggerated pear-shape of her midsection. However, she cannot deny the math of her weight loss and she acknowledges that clothes that she had no choice but to wear fitting snuggly around her waist lest the rest of the garment fit like a tent, are now loose and require a belt. She sees that were are periodically moving the buttons on her uniforms skirts to make the waist smaller. But, her self esteem took a hit from the embarrassment she felt about her development that occurred before the implant was put in and the weight gain and stretch marks as a result. Still, with all of this, she says that she would rather have the weight gain and all the other stuff that came with it than have her period and fully developed breasts at 8 years old and be under 5 ft. tall forever. This experience she will be able to put behind her; being under 5 ft. would have been permanent. And if a few stretch marks are the worst things she ever has to deal with in her life, then she is lucky indeed.
It is interesting though that someone in their comments mentioned polycystic ovary syndrome. I actually suspect our daughter may have that but thought it was due to her epilepsy and never thought to associate it with the implant, certainly not now that is has been out for nearly a year. She is having an ultrasound this week to confirm whether or not she has it and I will post the results. Polycystic ovary syndrome can occur in girls/women with epilepsy and is usually associated with certain medications but our daughter is not on that particular medication, so it does raise the question as to whether or not it is from the Supprelin implant instead. I hope this answers all the questions everyone had. Our daughter will be 13 in March, for those of you who want to know, and her precocious puberty started at 7.
KD636
16 July 2020
Hi Mom, I wanted to follow up with you. It is now 2020 and I wonder if you have an update regarding your daughter’s weight. My daughter is 9, 5’1 and 160lbs. We have had the implant since she was 4. No matter how much we exercise or change her diet, she continues to gain weight. Much like the other girls mentioned, her legs are like tree trunks, she has breast buds, and a very round mid-section. We have our appointment next week to determine if she will get a new implant and I am truly considering having it removed. Any insight into how things changed for your daughter once the implant was removed is appreciated. Thank you!
KD636
16 July 2020
Hi Mom, I wanted to follow up with you. It is now 2020 and I wonder if you have an update regarding your daughter’s weight. My daughter is 9, 5’1 and 160lbs. We have had the implant since she was 4. No matter how much we exercise or change her diet, she continues to gain weight. Much like the other girls mentioned, her legs are like tree trunks, she has breast buds, and a very round mid-section. We have our appointment next week to determine if she will get a new implant and I am truly considering having it removed. Any insight into how things changed for your daughter once the implant was removed is appreciated. Thank you!
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supprelin, weight loss (obesity/overweight), weight
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