Birth control...are these true or myths??!

Birth control...are these true or myths??

ok here are some of the thinkg i've heard about birth control and I want to make find out id theyre true before i consider going on it...
1.Birth control makes you gain weight
2.Birth control just increased your appetite
3.Birth control makes you breasts grow an entire cup size
4.Birth control clears up acne
5.Birth control causes acne
6.Birth control tricks your body into thinking its pregnant
7. pregnancy tests come out positive while on it
8.You won't be able to fit into any of your old clothes
9. It reduces PMS
10. shorter periods

ok alot of this stuff is contradicting, but these are all things i've heard and i just want to get it straight

1.Birth control makes you gain weight
-Hormonal methods have been known to cause weight gain. This is mostly prevailent in methods that have a longer trip to make to the uterus. The pill, the shot, and the patch are those that have the highest possibility of weight gain. Nuvaring, and the hormonal IUD (mirena) have a slightly less possiblity. However, if you don't want to gain weight, the copper IUD is a good choice. There are new studies out, however, that suggest that birth control does not contribute to weight gain, and is being confused with natural weight loss, weight gain occuring in women. I know when I was on the shot I gained a few pounds. Keep in mind that just as many people lose weight while on birth control.

2.Birth control just increased your appetite
Not at all, the weight gain if it occurs is likely caused by the slowing of your metabolism, not an increase in your appetite.

3.Birth control makes you breasts grow an entire cup size
Different for all women, usually the increase in breast size is due to weight gain. I wouldn't count on an entire cup size. The combination pill is the most likely to cause an increase in cup size.

4.Birth control clears up acne
Yes, some birth control pills help control acne. These only work if your acne is caused by a hormonal inbalance, pills help to balance out your hormones. However, don't get on birth control to control acne, until you have exhausted all of your resources, (differin gel is my fav)

5.Birth control causes acne
Pretty much any birth control method except those that are ment for the control of acne can cause acne. The higher the dose, the more of a chance it will occur. When I was on the shot I had horrible acne. This is caused by the huge spike in hormones ever 3 months.

6.Birth control tricks your body into thinking its pregnant
Untrue. This is how birth control works. Mostly is prevents ovulation, which means no egg for the sperm to find. If ovulation does happen to occur (rarely), then there is a back up plan. Hormonal methods also cause a change in the vaginal secretions, and helps prevent the sperm from reaching the egg. If both ovulation and the sperm reach the egg occur, then there is a backup backup plan. Hormonal methods keep the lining of the Uterus thin, which prevents implantation and if there is no implantation, there is no baby.

7. pregnancy tests come out positive while on it
No pregnacy tests look at a womens hCg levels, which is produced when a women is pregnant. Birth control does not contain this hormone, so would not cause a false positive.

8.You won't be able to fit into any of your old clothes
This is untrue. Most weight gain (if it even occurs!) is about 5-10 lbs. Hardly enought to warrent throwing out your wardrobe.

9. It reduces PMS
depends, the pill helps reduce PMS by controlling hormone fluctuations caused by the body's natural cycle. Higher doses, such as those from the shot and patch may increase PMS.

10. shorter periods
This also depends. Usually the pill will reduce periods by keeping the uterus wall thin. however, some hormonal methods, the shot and patch, may cause spotting in between periods, almost to the point of an extended period (that is what happened to me) Sometimes, however, birthcontrol can completely stop periods, the hormonal IUD and the shot has been known to completely stop periods, and Seasonel is a pill that does not contain placebo pills that allow the period to occur in most birth control pills except every 3 months, which will cut the occurance of your period down to 4 times a year.
Finally, the copper IUD can cause extended periods (I have one now, and it does)

I hope my knowledge on the subject helped.