Skyla and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Aly...
• August 14, 2016

For Birth Control "I got on Skyla when I was 18 after I had a miscarriage back in December of 2015. Insertion hurt like crazy, as if you were having period cramps that would make you want to double over in pain and go to the hospital. After having it inserted, I started gaining weight, I was constantly depressed, I would want to eat more, periods would last for two weeks at one time minimal. It felt like I was on a constant period with all these mood swings. It's now August of 2016, and the pain is ten times worse, I go to the hospital about the situation and they tell me I'm a month pregnant. I do not recommend Skyla to anybody."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 21, 2016

For Birth Control "Super painful when I got it inserted. Almost fainted. Cramps continued and continued on and off for the LONGEST. I've been with it for almost a year now, and I'm still getting the constant cramping. Not to mention the constant spotting/bleeding for the first 4-6 months was horrible as well. It was told to me that my periods were gonna be lighter and cramps lighter as well. But I experienced the complete opposite. I did gain weight as well. I don't recommend this to anyone. Literally."

• Zou...
• June 9, 2018

For Birth Control "I had Skyla for 2.5 years before I finally had it taken out. The insertion/removal were both fairly painful. After insertion, I spotted for a month and felt generally uncomfortable. The random cramping and bloated feeling never went away. Sometimes I would cramp really badly and be doubled over in pain, but this would pass in a few minutes, so it wasn’t a deal breaker. I dealt with all this because I loved having a birth control that didn’t make me nauseous for once. The deal breaker was that I gained 10 pounds. I work out 5 times a week, follow a healthy diet, and no matter what I did, I kept gaining weight. My doctor denied this had anything to do with the IUD and instead blamed my getting older. Well, I listened to instinct and got it removed on Wednesday. It is now Saturday. I have lost 5 pounds in 3 days. I’m not saying everyone’s experience will be the same, but listen to your instincts and remember you have a continuous medicine in your body. I am SO THANKFUL I finally did."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 5, 2015

For Birth Control "I had the Skyla inserted 4/22/15, so it has been 6 months now. I have a very high tolerance to pain, and the insertion was not the best, but do take ibuprofen beforehand, and you'll be fine. The worst of the pain is right before my period, the cramps from ovulating and right before my cycle starts. I have had my period now for two weeks at a time every two weeks, which is killing my sex life with my boyfriend and my pockets on the amount of tampons I am purchasing. My acne is still the same, I'm always bloated, and I'm shedding so much, and have gained a ton of weight. I wanted to at least try to give it a year to see if things were going to change, but it's just so aggravating. I know some love the Skyla, but it's not for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 21, 2015

For Birth Control "I have been on Skyla since October 23, 2014. It was an awful day of cramps the day I got it put in. And I am used to cramps, but those cramps were awful. My period had just ended, but it started back up again once I got it inserted. My period seemed to last longer once I got the IUD, but only a couple of days. And that only seemed to last for a few months. They're regular now, but the God-awful cramps continue. I'm having my gynecologist check it on and had to set up a sonogram. Pain is never normal with an IUD. Also, I gained about 10 lbs. My lifestyle changed right before I got on it, but it doesn't seem to matter what I do, the weight stays. But I am not pregnant, and other than cramps and weight, it's been awesome."

• Dee...
• April 20, 2015

For Birth Control "I had the Skyla insertion after being on the pill and absolutely hated the hormones. I had it inserted about 8 months ago. Insertion was a bit uncomfortable but nothing unbearable. Cramps were mild for a few days and some bleeding. I have had few side effects. I gained around 6 pounds, which sucked, but I'll take it over baby weight. My boyfriend nor I can feel it during sex. I don't get a period anymore, it seems, which is pretty great, at first, it got lighter and lighter and then just went away. It's worry-free and lasts 4 years. Definitely getting it done again when the 4 years is up."

• Soc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 7, 2017

For Birth Control "Again, this is not for everyone. I had it in for about 11 months. For the first 5 months, I bled constantly, after that, it was spotting. However, annoying nonetheless. Insertion was a little painful, but tolerable. The last 4-5 months, that's when everything started to get worse. It was constant spotting, my acne got worse, I gained like 15 pounds, headaches, and fatigue. I am 20, with no kids. I switched to the pill, but I just read reviews on it, and it has really bad reviews, but I'm trying it out."

• KC1...
• November 17, 2015

For Birth Control "I got my Skyla placed in March 2015 - I'm 21 and never had kids. The insertion was terribly painful, and I stayed in pain for about 3 or 4 days. I've bled/spotted for most days out of the month since I got it put in. I've gained a lot of weight with this IUD, and my acne has gotten a lot worse. I went to my doctor about my bleeding, and after looking at it, he said that everything was fine and there was nothing that he could do to stop the bleeding/spotting, and I would have to deal with it until it went away on its own. I would get this removed early, but because of how painful it was to get it inserted, I'm terrified that it's going to hurt just as bad. As far as keeping me from getting pregnant, it's 100% effective. I wouldn't recommend."

• Awi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 3, 2022

For Birth Control "I had the Skyla inserted in 11/2018. Within the first 6 months, I gained 60 lbs, which I initially attributed to stress because I had only been told IUDs do not affect weight. Insertion was very painful, and for the first 6 months after insertion, I had daily pain and cramping in the afternoons. Once that went away, I loved the IUD. My periods turned into monthly spotting. At about a year after insertion, I started noticing migraines and ovarian cyst pain that was worse than any period cramping I had previously experienced. I started seeking medical help to lose the weight I had gained. I tracked meals and exercise, talked to my primary care physician, a naturopathic doctor, an endocrinologist, and several nutritionists and dieticians. None of them could explain why I wasn’t losing weight. I had my IUD taken out in April of 2021, and by May, I had lost 10 lbs. I have lost a total of 20 lbs since then, and it’s still dropping. Look at studies on how IUDs affect cortisol."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 13, 2016

For Birth Control "I had Skyla 'installed' 3 years ago and had switched out for a new one yesterday. The first time I cramped and spotted for weeks, but it slowly faded. The removal and new insertion were rather unpleasant, but not as bad as having it placed the first time. I took one dose of Advil yesterday, but that's it. The pain today was minimal, a few twinges here and there, but nothing that required medication. Overall, I am pleased with it. I got it originally because my cramps were so bad they sidelined me for days. Now, I barely notice them, and my flow drastically reduced. No weight gain to speak of and no additional acne. My migraines have increased, but they had been over the last several years, so I'm not sure it's connected."

• 18 ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 20, 2016

For Birth Control "Update 3: So I've had Skyla for about 3-4 months now, and I HATE IT!! After about the first month, I loved it! But now I am having bad cystic acne, I've gained 12 pounds since being on it, and bad itchy bacterial infections 'down there.' I want to get this out so bad!!!"

• Dom...
• April 23, 2016

For Birth Control "So let me just start out by saying I have had Skyla for 3 years now, and I never got pregnant, so that's a plus. 1. Insertion is painful, but just like a really bad cramp, lasts only a couple of seconds. 2. Post-insertion, I had a lot of spotting for the first 2 weeks, got a little annoying, but stopped. 3. For the past 3 years, I have been having irregular periods. Sometimes I have my period for 2 weeks, sometimes there is no period. I feel very painful cramps during these periods, but if you don't want to get pregnant, what's a couple of cramps? PROS: Very effective birth control, easy, sometimes no periods, no acne (depends on the person, I guess). CONS: Loss of sexual appetite, increase in discharge, weight gain. It's okay."

• Bfs...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 1, 2016

For Birth Control "I have had the Skyla IUD since October 2015. I must say that it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I thought I would never find a good birth control after getting off Depo (it made me huge). I have yet to gain any weight and am now having regular periods. Sometimes I even forget that I have an IUD inserted! For those who are waiting to see positive results from Skyla, hold on, it will get better soon."

• Jra...
• September 25, 2016

For Birth Control "I have had Skyla for over a year. The insertion was not as bad as I was expecting, however, I had a child a month prior. The only complaints that I have are the terrible acne and the difficulty I have had losing weight. I have not gained any weight, however, I have had a hard time losing the weight that I wanted to (only about 10 lbs). Overall, the reason that this is available is for birth control. It has been extremely effective for what it was meant for."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 7, 2017

For Birth Control "I had an absolutely horrible experience with Skyla, which began from the insertion. Honestly, it was the most painful experience I had ever had. I was close to vomiting and fainting from the pain, and I typically have a high tolerance for pain. I had taken 800 mg of acetaminophen prior to the procedure as directed, and it didn't help a bit. Following that, I had bleeding, cramps, and ovary pain for the entire duration that I had the IUD in. I went to my gynecologist multiple times, and they assured me that it was in place and that it was normal to feel this way. I began breaking out on my chin and neck area, as well as becoming extremely moody and irritable. I was always tired and had no energy. Furthermore, I gained about 7 pounds."

• ANi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 26, 2018

For Birth Control "I got my first Skyla (my first ever BC) a little over 3 years ago. Took some Advil before insertion to help with pain, and yes, it was painful, but nothing like the debilitating cramps I’d get with my heavy periods every month. I spotted every day for the first 30 days. My periods got lighter right away, and the pain was minimal. Even though they were still consistent (I’ve always been consistent), my periods now lasted 3-5 days longer! That was weird. That lasted throughout my entire 3 years. I got my new one inserted this past summer, and now my periods are even lighter and shorter. Must just take me a long time to adjust. I haven’t noticed any weight gain or mood swings directly related to Skyla; it actually helped clear up my acne on my chest and shoulders (but that has since had a resurgence for some unknown reason). It used to be way worse without Skyla. Overall, I highly recommend it, but of course, talk to your doctor and decide what’s best for you."

• ECM...
• February 1, 2016

For Birth Control "I had Skyla inserted in August 2015 after being on the pill off and on for four years. The insertion was the most painful experience. I cramped and bled lightly for almost two weeks after the insertion and had mild paranoia from it. During my first period, I had very sharp, very centralized cramps that lasted only for a few minutes but happened once a day for the first three days. I would always spot two weeks before my period as well. My periods did become slightly lighter. I noticed during my second month that my sex drive was gone, and my husband noticed as well. I also started feeling depressed during the fourth month and noticed mood swings and weight gain. I've gained 10 pounds with no change to my lifestyle. I'm having it removed tomorrow."

• Onn...
• March 9, 2018

For Birth Control "The insertion of the Skyla IUD was the most painful experience of my life. My periods have gotten heavier, longer, and inconsistent over the past 7 months. I either bleed for two weeks, an entire month straight, or do not bleed at all for a month. My cramps are unbelievably painful, and painkillers do not help them. I have gained weight. I have acne for the first time ever, and it gets really bad around menstruation."

• Nat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 29, 2018

For Birth Control "I am 27, no children, and intend to stay that way (afraid of the sterilization surgery). I've been on hormonal IUDs for 8 years now and have hardly had a period in 8 years, just occasionally spotting. My Skyla IUD insertion wasn't as bad as my first IUD, the Mirena, but it was still uncomfortable overall. My Skyla comes out in less than a month now, and overall it's done its job, but the side effects are what's forcing me to switch to a non-hormonal method after this... I've had ovarian cysts, irregular spotting, vaginal discharge almost every day, ridiculous cramping, more acne than I've ever had in my life (never experienced acne before this), and weight gain (I went from 150 to 220). This is my second IUD, and like most IUDs, I've come to realize they work great but at a high price, so I will not be re-upping, instead, I'll try the Paragard next..."

• Ali...
• April 13, 2018

For Birth Control "I love Skyla. I was on Seasonique (the pill) before getting this IUD, and the effects were horrible. I had gained 30 pounds in 6 months; I had awful mood swings; it was just bad. So I got off it and went to get Skyla. I’ve never had kids and have only been with one person sexually, so it was normal how much it hurt. I’ve heard it doesn’t hurt much for those who have been pregnant. But for me, I’ll be honest, it had to have been one of the worst pains in my life; comparable to my 4mm kidney stone. It was absolutely horrible. The pain was so bad I thought I was going to vomit or pass out, barely maintained my composure. I cried for about two weeks straight after that from how severe the cramps were. BUT I feel like it was so worth it because it has otherwise been a dream. NO weight gain, no mood swings, nothing. I got lucky; my boyfriend never felt the strings. Two weeks of pain is definitely worth 3 years of not worrying about being pregnant OR having awful side effects."

• Ill...
• February 7, 2018

For Birth Control "I’m a young, childless woman who first got Skyla put in around March of 2015. This is my personal experience, and I cannot tell you if you’ll experience the same things. Positives: Did not get pregnant (had unprotected sex at least once a week with my husband), periods became much lighter compared to what they’re normally like, not having to worry about taking a pill. Negatives: I gained a good amount of weight while on this IUD due to increased appetite, increased moodiness especially before a period, I got severe, out-of-nowhere cramps, tender breasts almost all of the time, and more cases of yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. Overall, the IUD did its job, but the side effects were not worth the benefits. I suggest if you’re one of the few who are suffering from more vaginal infections while on Skyla, definitely tell your gyno about it. If I had known sooner that it was the cause of it, I would have removed it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 9, 2018

For Birth Control "I had the Skyla placed almost 3 years ago. I'm due to have it replaced in a few months. I had the Mirena previously, and it caused so many cysts I had it removed and went with the Skyla. Insertion was painful! I had to be dilated to have it inserted, and I've had two kids. I experienced some cramping and spotting for about a month on and off after having it placed. After that, I regularly had a light period or no period at all some months until it became completely nonexistent. Overall, I feel like this is a great birth control. It has done wonders to help keep my endometriosis in check also! I have experienced the acne, weight gain, or mood swings/depression others have mentioned, but everyone reacts differently. I would definitely recommend this IUD. I just wish it lasted longer than 3 years!"

• yas...
• August 3, 2018

For Birth Control "I have had Skyla BC for about 8 months now. It has been horrible. Such a painful process to get inserted as I was 20 and had never had a pap done or had a child. Almost passed out after. I figured I would give it some time, thinking that the horrible cramps (that felt like knives in my uterus) would go away, but they haven't. I have developed PMDD since being on this BC, and I get extremely depressed before my period... like, it's bad. Have had to switch depression meds and keep getting the dosage upped. My husband and I have had issues in our marriage because I have had no sex drive since getting it. Also, I have never weighed this much in my life. Have put on 20 pounds since then. I can't get rid of it either. All the doctors say that none of these things are a side effect of the BC. They say my depression is just a part of my 'mood' and same with the sex drive."

• Nix...
• September 30, 2015

For Birth Control "I have had my Skyla IUD for 4 months now. I have no children. The pain to get it inserted was not too bad. After about a month of having it, I would get the worst cramps I have ever gotten. Up to now, I haven't gotten my period. I spot sometimes, but other than that, I have gained about 15/20 pounds after I got it. I get horrible cramps even though I'm not on my period, and I'm always moody. The Skyla was not the right choice for me. I'm getting it removed this week. I know I will be relieved."

• Tah...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 2, 2018

For Birth Control "I’m hoping my experience can help others. I’ve had the Skyla since February 2016, so almost two years. I had never been on birth control before (I’m 32) and had always just used condoms, but decided to try an IUD. Insertion was nothing, just had some moderate cramps the day of, not unlike a bad menstrual cramp. I had some more moderate cramping and spotting for about two months, then everything was awesome! No period, very mild weight gain, no mood swings, and no pregnancy! About 5 months ago, though, I started having pretty severe pelvic pain. I finally saw a doc last month who prescribed antibiotics for PID, but that didn’t help. I got an ultrasound, and it turns out I have two uterine fibroids and one ovarian cyst, all benign. Doc doesn’t think they are the cause of my pain, though, and is advising taking out the IUD. For me, Skyla was worth the negatives, and it’s not going to be easy to re-adapt to another kind of birth control."