Skyla and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Bet...
• September 10, 2016

For Birth Control "I had Skyla inserted almost 4 months ago. The insertion was painful, but not like most people make it seem. I was fine afterward. I even decided to go to the gym. I feel bloated all the time since the insertion. I am gaining weight (even while eating healthier and working out more). My belly looks like I am 3 months pregnant. I have lost my desire to have sex, and my self-esteem is really low. I was diagnosed with vaginal bacteria when I went to my 3-month follow-up about a week ago and was told to wait it out for another 3 months to have the body adjust to it. I am waiting a couple of weeks, and if I do not see any difference, it is coming off. Other than that, I am not pregnant, so it is reliable."

• Cin...
• January 9, 2018

For Birth Control "I had Skyla for about 10 months. For the first 6 months, I bled every other week. Before Skyla, my normal period would last 3-4 days. With Skyla, after the 6 months passed, I stopped bleeding every other week, but my periods were long, 9-10. Also, my skin was the type that I would get acne once a year (not kidding). I’m 25, by the way. And with Skyla, my face got terrible. I have so many acne scars now. Plus, I gained 17 pounds. I come from a very small-framed family. (My mom had 5 kids and weighs 103.) I went from weighing 110 to 127. I had it removed 2 weeks ago and already lost 6 pounds."

• que...
• January 29, 2021

For Birth Control "The insertion hurt worse than I thought. The cramps after were terrible, but only lasted an hour. I had normal cramps weeks after. I spotted for a month after insertion. I spot occasionally now. I gained 8 lbs, which I don't mind. Overall, the pain is worth the peace of mind. Deducting points for the spotting and overall experience."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 22, 2017

For Birth Control "Skyla is the third birth control method I’ve tried. To date, I’ve had an IUD for ten months before getting it out today. In regard to its effectiveness and convenience, it’s a 10/10 option for birth control. No condoms or trips to the pharmacy for refills in ten months, and no pregnancies. It’s nice to not have to actively think of your birth control, especially if you lead a busy life. However, there were some downsides to this method, which is why I switched back to the pill today. The insertion process was unbearably painful for me; I’d rate it a 9/10. I’ve always had heavy periods with severe menstrual cramping, and this was by far the worst pain I’d ever experienced. After insertion, I experienced mild cramping for the rest of the day, but I experienced sporadic, severe cramping for the first two months. Like, “knock the wind out of you, can’t walk or talk” cramping, and it would come and go in spontaneous waves. Those passed after the first two months, and for the remaining eight, I experienced cramping maybe two or three times, and it was when I got my period. Speaking of, I spotted for no more than two weeks after insertion; my periods became significantly lighter during the first three months and by the fourth plateaued out but remained light the rest of the time. I noticed the more long-term side effects I experienced with Skyla around the sixth month, which were fatigue, weight gain, acne, irritability, and mood swings. The acne is mild, but the weight gain, irritability, and mood swings were more significant. I gained about 25 pounds within the ten months and I noticed I was tired, irritable, and hormonal all the time-not just when I had my period. I waited a few months to rule out any other factors contributing to these symptoms and to see if they’d subside, but they remained. So, I switched to a low-dose birth control pill today, Taytulla. It contains estrogen and progestin, instead of just progestin like Skyla. Hopefully, my symptoms will begin to disappear. Skyla was effective, but unfortunately didn’t react well with my body chemistry. But it’s different for everyone."

• Cas...
• November 21, 2016

For Birth Control "After years of bad experiences with birth control, my OB recommended the IUD for me. I'd taken Orthotricycline and Trisprintec for many years, and a few years on NuvaRing. I suffer from acne, migraines, and depression very badly and also have had problems with weight gain and decreased sex drive with other birth controls. My doctor told me about Skyla, and I signed up for it that day! About a month later, I got the call from my doctor's office that they received my device and scheduled an insertion for the week of my period. Well, my period was late, so my cervix wasn't dilated and was extremely sensitive, and the insertion was super painful. I had a normal period and spotted for a week after. Now my sex drive is great and my acne is better!"

• Adr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 17, 2018

For Birth Control "I got Skyla in Jan 2017, and I loved it at first. The pain was tolerable for the insertion, no pregnancy scares, lighter periods, and occasional cramping. I loved it, but after about 5 months, I started getting really bad mood swings, weight gain, and horrible acne on my neck and shoulders. I don't do well with birth control, so I thought this would be the ideal one with the hormones being so low. I did like it because it did what it was supposed to do, but the side effects were too much for me. I was at 150 lb when I got it inserted and went all the way to 166 lb. I removed it, and within 2 weeks I dropped below 160 lb. Overall, I would recommend it for not getting pregnant, just hope that you don't have the same side effects as I did."

• Lov...
• July 12, 2017

For Birth Control "I hate this thing! I've had it in for over 2 years, I got it after I had my daughter. Not the best decision I've ever made, and I'm having a hard time getting my doctor and my OBGYN to take it out, it's like nobody wants to. It has decreased my sex drive, made me hormonal, mood swings, depressed, put a strain on my relationship with my husband because of that. I can hardly ever get 'in the mood,' and that sucks. I'm 24 y.o.! Also the weight gain, the nausea, irregular periods, cystic acne breakouts on my face... seriously, I hate this thing! It has made me so miserable. I'm switching OBGYN offices just to get the damn thing out!"

• Jus...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 9, 2017

For Birth Control "28 yrs old, no kids/pregnancies, and had previously only used the YAZ pill birth control. I got Skyla inserted in April '15 and am due to have it removed next year. I give it a 7.5. Insertion was uncomfortable, but my OB recommended I take some ibuprofen before I came in. I was crampy the rest of that period. Every period after that for the following 6 months came with pretty sharp cramps the first few days. The periods now are definitely longer, but light enough that I have mostly used light tampons since then. No weight gain, skin didn't change. Sex was fine except that I'd spot after depending on how close to my period it was. I've had a few accidents and have not gotten pregnant yet, so I would probably use it again if I find nothing better."

• kar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 27, 2017

For Birth Control "I began this birth control around November. Insertion was awful; I threw up and passed out. It depends on the person, though! I'm not a huge fan of this birth control. It made intercourse painful in certain positions. It did increase my sex drive a lot, though. My skin is now a disaster; I'm pretty sad about that. I'm excessively tired all the time. I've gained 30 pounds out of the blue. I dunno, guys, this birth control just wasn't for me, and I'm switching back to the pill."

• Rev...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 18, 2015

For Birth Control "I read several forums before I opted to have an IUD placed. I was a person that had a fear that it would affect my chances of having children in the future. The forums scared the daylights out of me! So here is my experience: I am 27 years old. Never been pregnant, tried other forms of birth control but either didn't like the side effects (weight gain, acne, etc.), or I forgot to take that darn pill daily! So I talked to my OB about this and he recommended Skyla. On the day of the procedure, I had scared myself enough that I was so worried it was going to hurt! Dr. gave me medicine cytosis (sp) to open my cervix to make implantation a little more simple. This procedure was definitely uncomfortable, but it really didn't hurt at all!"

• Han...
• April 30, 2016

For Birth Control "I had an absolutely terrible experience. I had it in for 6 months and had 2 periods a month, debilitating cramps that made me cry from pain, mood issues, suicidal thoughts, terrible acne, and 20 pounds of weight gain, to name a few. I now have self-harm scars from how far this thing pushed me. I really wanted to like Skyla, but it did not work for me. Don't make the same mistake I did, check if you have a progesterone intolerance before you get one of these things in!"

• mad...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 30, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm 18 years old and could never keep up with the pill, so I went looking for other birth controls. After lots of consideration, I decided to go with the Skyla, and I can say it's been the best decision I've ever made. I've had it for 14 months now, and I'm 80% sure my periods have stopped. I will admit the insertion was the worst pain I've ever felt! I've read a lot of reviews saying girls reacted badly with daily bleeding, major PMS, and weight gain, but I never had any of that. I barely get cramps. I will say follow doctors' orders and check your strings after every period or at least once a month, it'll settle your nerves. Don't feed into IUD horror stories, you'll just psych yourself out. It's amazing not having to take a daily contraceptive!!!"

• AlB...
• January 19, 2016

For Birth Control "I got the Skyla inserted in November of 2015 due to my doctor thinking it was a better option for me since I am forgetful of the pill. The birth control part has done well, but the side effects and pain of it are totally not worth 3-5 years of birth control. I have not felt like myself ever since, and my periods are excruciating. I used to never cramp, and now I feel terrible when I am about to start and start my period. Not to mention the weight I have gained on it. I have gained about 20 lbs since then. I have dieted, worked out, and taken weight loss pills, and nothing seems to help. I will be contacting my doctor to have it removed in the next day or two. It is not worth it, in my opinion. I will be going back on the pill after I have it removed."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 27, 2016

For Birth Control "I am 20, with no kids. I got Skyla because I had very painful periods and very bad cramps, and I wanted some form of birth control that would at least stop the bleeding. Insertion was painful for me. My boyfriend went with me and heard me scream from the lobby. I spotted for about 2 weeks after insertion. My first period was normal. Bleeding got lighter and lighter until I no longer had to use a tampon, just a pantyliner. After 6 months, I stopped bleeding altogether, just with severe cramping throughout the month. My cramping never got better, it is actually worse than before, but at least I don't deal with bleeding too. I still notice a couple drops of blood in my panties periodically. Cons: weight gain, no sex drive. Good experience so far except cramps!"

• ama...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 18, 2016

For Birth Control "I had Skyla inserted 4 months ago, and I am very glad I went ahead with the insertion. The only negative thing I have to say is that I have gained weight since the insertion. I've gained about 15 pounds, but it's not something I'm worried about. If I can give any advice, it would be to not pay attention to other people's ratings of this birth control method. Do what is best for YOU. You know your body and what is best for it. Insertion was painful. I won't lie to you there. I had terrible cramps for about 6 hours after, but after that, it was a breeze. For me personally, getting Skyla was the best decision I could have made for birth control."

• Kay...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 1, 2019

For Birth Control "After being on the pill for over 2 years, I was recommended an IUD by my doctor for birth control. I had the Jaydess coil (13.5 mg levonorgestrel IUD) fitted in December 2016 (I was 18 at the time). The pain was awful straight after insertion and lasted for about 2 days. I have had irregular periods since then and acne on my cheeks and jawline (never had it here before). I also have gained about 2 stone since I got the Jaydess. My diet has stayed the same, although I do not exercise as much as I used to (still 3 times a week). I only realized how bad it was when I looked at other reviews a few weeks ago. I still have it, as I am trying to find another form of birth control that will suit my body. I hope to have it out in the next month, so I will post again if my acne has cleared up after I get it removed or if I lose weight."

• Gir...
• July 20, 2019

For Birth Control "Try it. Everyone is different. I gave Skyla 10/10 because it was effective, I did not get pregnant for the 10 months I had it. But it was just not for me. Periods sucked. I had painful bleeding every time I lifted something heavy. Always spotting. I was on my period/spotting half of every month. In my 9 months with Skyla, I gained weight, had anxiety, depression, acne. But it could have been my lifestyle as well. I was also on birth control before Skyla, so that could have been a factor as well."

• Bel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 26, 2016

For Birth Control "It is extremely effective. I'm having mine removed in two days after having it just a few days shy of two years. Insertion hurt like no one's business, cramps afterward were the worst I've ever had, and my period before was pretty terrible. My periods were irregular after that, prior to this, I had 3-4 day periods at the same time every month. Now I never know when they're coming. I gained a considerable amount of weight, which I've gotten under control with diet, as my periods are almost always close to two weeks long. Intercourse, more often than not, is painful or at least uncomfortable, especially with the onset of my period. Sometimes after climax, there are temporary very painful cramps. It's worth it for the most part, sometimes it's not."

• Kel...
• January 24, 2016

For Birth Control "I got Skyla when it was fairly new. I just had a child, and they suggested this was the in-between of the two main IUDs, between no hormone and high hormone. No bleeding at first, but then 6 months of spotting. No trouble with sex. Eventually, no periods at all. I loved it. Then I was worried about it not working anymore since I was told it could last 'up to' 3 years. I had it removed. OMG, I didn't realize the changes that Skyla had made to me. As soon as I got it removed, I felt a difference. I was excited to have a period too. (Weird.) I have had it removed for two weeks and have lost 7 lbs. I gained about 30 lbs in the 3 years of it! And my emotions were all out of whack, but again I didn't realize the subtle changes. Glad it's out!"

• i-S...
• November 23, 2015

For Birth Control "Before Skyla, I'd been on the Depo shot for 9 months. I'd had bouts with weight gain (20 lbs!) and depression while on it, so I decided to switch to Skyla. Had it inserted 11/20. Took a Vicodin before the procedure (didn't seem to help much). The procedure itself was fairly uncomfortable and painful. It wasn't debilitating pain for me - just uncomfortable with two sharp cramps (maybe an 8/10 on the pain scale, but they only lasted 30 seconds or less combined). I got it inserted at 4 pm and was having 7/10 cramps the rest of the night, took some Tylenol pm and slept like a baby. Woke up the next morning without any pain at all! Been having 3/10 cramps the last few days, but that's it. Hardly any spotting."

• Ann...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 27, 2016

For Birth Control "23 with no children, I've had Skyla for almost a year now. I'm an active duty military spouse, so I paid absolutely nothing for this IUD. I was on the Depo shot for several years and experienced pretty severe weight gain but had no periods, light occasional cramping. Then I switched to the pill for several more years, towards the end, I had regular once-a-month periods with controlled weight and no acne but excruciating breast and head pains, which was the deciding factor to change. My doctor and I opted for Skyla, hoping to eliminate my previous symptoms. So far, I've had absolutely no periods, no spotting, and no cramping. My headaches have improved for the most part. No breast pain yet, but I have experienced acne and weight gain."

• AAT...
• June 2, 2016

For Birth Control "Since I relied so heavily on reviews, I figured I'd share my experience here. I did months of research on IUDs, first wanting a Paragard, then opting for the Skyla because I have metal allergies and didn't want to risk having metal in such a sensitive area. The insertion was NOT BAD. Everyone who claims it is the worst pain they've ever felt must have an extremely low tolerance for pain. It wasn't comfortable or pleasant, but it was quick. The worst part was having my cervix clamped. But I am okay. I am crampy but okay. I'm looking forward to seeing how my body adjusts to it. I am also nervous about the risks-perforation, pelvic infection, bacterial vaginosis, hair loss, weight gain, moodiness, acne, etc. I hope I made the right choice for me."

• Syr...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 10, 2023

For Birth Control "I was on Skyla for a couple of years. Although it was good to me for the most part, it did make my testosterone levels spike due to PCOS. Didn’t affect my sex drive but made me gain weight all in my belly, so for a while, I had chicken legs with a huge belly and no butt, lol. I did a calorie deficit diet and lost over 120 lbs, which helped. After Skyla, I was on Larrisia, and it sucked because I couldn’t sleep. Sometimes I’d go a few days without sleep. I got off Larrisia and now I’m on the Zafemy patch and love it. My estrogen levels are now normal and higher than my testosterone levels. If you have PCOS, I suggest not getting the IUD because my doctor told me it can spike testosterone levels. Doesn’t happen to every PCOS girl, but it can, so keep that in mind."

• Nat...
• May 31, 2017

For Birth Control "I've had Skyla now for about 7 months. Everyone's insertion story will be different with the pain, but for me, I had a pretty bad experience. What hurt me the most was the opening of my cervix. I feel like they opened it wider like 4 or 5 times, and that was super painful. I have a feeling that's what birth will feel like. It felt like a sped-up dilation process. Good thing she was done when she was because I was about to pass out. I threw up from the pain, and (TMI) it made me have to go to the bathroom. The cramps afterward were very intense! Skyla has made my skin very oily, barely any libido, can't lose weight at all, irritability, but hey, I'm not pregnant. *smh* Getting it removed tomorrow, I'm done with BC."

• Ano...
• October 8, 2018

For Birth Control "I got the Skyla IUD inserted 6-7 weeks after my cesarean. I previously had the Mirena and the Paragard. Let me tell you! The Skyla is supposed to be smaller, but it was the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life. Keep in mind that I've had the other IUD inserted, which hurt, but nothing like this one. I was in tears the whole time! I was sweating, and for the fact I had jumped up when my cervix was being measured, they had to remeasure again, and the process took longer. Almost 8 1/2 months later, my periods last 2 weeks every month. I gained 6 pounds right after the insertion, and I work out like crazy. If I can go back on the Paragard, I would, but since I got pregnant 2 times in an 8-month period after 5 years of being on it, I can't. Good luck!"