Hi all,

I was on Depo for a year and I gained heaps of weight but that was not the only problem...I had no libido, I suffered from depression that I was put on prozac which made things worse....my moods would change in a matter of minutes...one minute I was happy and the next I could have easily killed my husband about anything....it even got to the stage that we nearly split up.....
After I stopped the Depo it took me about 6 months to get a period and that did not become regular until about a year after I stopped.
I'll admit it was great not thinking about falling pregnant while I was on it and also not getting a period but it literally ruined my life for that year.....about 3 months after stopping the shots my mood swings changed and I was back to being the person I use to be....I think it is a personal choice to get the shots or not but you also need to balance the pros and cons and see if it is worthwhile.....
All this is from my experience and it does not mean that everyone has and will have the same experience as me but it is also good to know what others have gone through either be it good or bad!!!

Hope that was some help

Karina

I was on DEPO for almost a year-it was the most emotional year of my ENTIRE LIFE. I cried at the drop of a hat, i felt tired all the time, it SUCKED!!! Not to mention that every time i got an injection, i had to go home and sleep for at least 6 hrs because it made me soooooooo tired. In the last couple months i was on it i also started getting really bad pains in my neck, which still come around about a week before i get my period and i've been off depo for about 10 months now. I also gained alot of weight on it and i was always hungry- DEPO really messed me up and i would'nt recommend it to ANYONE!!!! Once i got off it, my boyfriend said that my mood totally changed- he said i was happier, he wasnt afraid he was going to make me cry all the time, i just feel so much better.

Hello everyone

It is pretty amazing to be reading this post, since I have just recently been made aware of these side effects and made the decision to never have the shot again.

I have been having the shots for 8 years (for endometriosis). It was GREAT not having a period and not worrying about falling pregnant, which is great when you are getting through uni.

I had become increasingly depressed that I haven't been able to lose weight. I have gaining weight steadily over the past - that's right - 8 years. I was 50kg when I first started the shots, and now I weigh around 65kg, and still climbing. I have been dedicated low-carber for over a year, with NOTHING.

I agree, the weight gain could be environmental, but still gaining???? I have increased my exercise 100% over the past 8-10 months, refined, refined and refined my low carb regime....nothing. It's very depressing...I started considering drugs...but I don't want to do that.

I have been off the shot for almost 2 months now and have never felt better. I had been suffering from very bad headaches, never putting 2&2 together. I've even had head scans, physio and endless pain relief for it. I would have a bad headache, at least once a day, I have been getting one ever 3 days or so now....getting much better.

I relate to almost all of the side effects mentioned, even though, 2 years ago I would have said it was the best pill ever. I never put all the various symptoms I've been suffering together. Now I'm looking at having kids in the future, and I just hope this harsh drug hasn't totally ruined my body.

Anyway, still not losing weight...seeing Naturopaths, Gyno, support from everywhere trying to lose...especially from loyal boyfriend (always trying to help me). I have hope that it will become possible to lose weight when my hormones are back in order....oh, just another point (sorry to ramble), the progrestegin (spelling??) in Depo is NOT real progresterone. It creates an unhealthy imbalance usually leading to too much eastrogen. We all know that estrogen causes weight gain. Anyway, I'm considering a progresterone cream to get the hormones back in balance. There is alot to learn about this product.

Like Dr Barry Sears (the RxZone) says, it's ALL about HORMONES.

Bored you all now????

Best of luck to you all, I'm not giving up. My beautiful boyfriend bought me a state of the art, wacko, exercise bike, and we both compete to use it...it's great. I'll lose weight eventually.

Cheers all
Deb

Hi,
I've been trying to find more information on the depo shot myself. I've been on Atkins since Jan 5 and have lost only 8 pounds even though I've been diligent. I have been on this before and lost weight much more efficiently. I have gained 30 pounds since beginning the depo, and it does not want to come off!!! I was beginning to think I had a thyroid problem, but I think it is the shot that is hindering my weight loss. I plan to talk to my doctor when it's time for my annual and see if there is a medication that would be move conducive to dieting. Hang in there and keep me posted!!!

I enjoyed your post, it shed some light on my problems too. My libido has disappeared since starting the depo, and my moods always seem flat. No highs ever, it seems hard to laugh. But I take it because I have fibroids (my tubes were tied 13 years ago so it's not for bc) and my periods were just wicked!!!! I've been toying with the idea of getting off completely, at least until I lose the weight...but I must confess I don't know if I can handle the pain. You said you were taking it for endometriosis, are you taking something else in place of it now? If not, are you having difficult periods now? Thanks!

Hi Kristalei

I have to be totally honest, I'm not taking anything at the moment. I went to see my gyno about another kind of treatment, but have since had to go in for surgery to help with the endo (& other gyno probs) .....so.....bad example right now. And yes, they are HELL!

But to be honest, my pain was getting bad whilst still on the depo, so, considering all the other negative effects, I thought it would be best to consider alternative treatments anyway.

In my research I have found people do really well on progesterone creams. You need to get these on a script from your doctor. I have to wait until this stretch of time passes, then I am going to try the cream also. The thing for me is, it's not birth control. But for you, that isn't a problem. Speak with your doctor about it.

I totally understand, when it's concerning pain like that, it can be hard. Like I said, in the past, it really did me well to not have a period and avoid the pain. But in the end, it is no longer suitable for me...and the long term side effects have been hard to deal with. I really hope I can find a middle ground.

I wish you the best of luck. Look into it though...it's worth it.

Cheers
Deb

I always see "the pill" being referred to w/ regard to hormonal-related stalls and I wondered why nobody talked about Depo. I am really glad I found this thread. I am 24yrs old and had my last shot end Sept '01 (after having been on Depo for 2yrs). I came off bc the difference it made in me scared me. I had NOOOO sex drive, in fact, sex disgusted me (BTW, you do realise Depo is the EXACT same thing they give sex offenders, right?). My hair was falling out, I had vertigo, I spotted for the first 6mo, and beginning about 6 mo prior to stopping, my weight began creeping up NO MATTER WHAT I did. I even did marathon training, ate healthy and continued to gain. Another thing I experienced is that while I was gaining weight, my boobs were shrinking!! I think the scariest thing for me is that 6mo after stopping I'm no where near back to how I was- my body seems very confused. I had my first peroid 2 weeks ago but I am currently spotting, still NO sex drive. And I find it VERY difficult to lose weight The weirdest thing that has happened is that I feel sick in the mornings (no I'm not pregnant) almost every morning. This has been going on for a few months and I can't help but wonder if its hormonally related. I not totally opposed to the Depo shot but its not for me- I feel terrible for what I put my body through and I'm sad that i may never be the same again.

I started Depo for the second time back in October of 2002 after having my second daughter...After delivery I lost 32 pounds, but gained 20 of them back with the first shot...Im going in for my next shot the first week in April...I havent seen any problems losing weight myself...Now that my body has gotten used to the Depo again, I dont gain a few pounds after every shot like I did the first time I was on it in 1997-1998...

Now I have noticed that for the first few days after getting a shot, I ahve some PG symptoms, but they go away...

I know that BC's affect different women in different ways, so I hope you gals can find something that helps you in all areas!

With the depo shots, I gained maybe 10 lbs, but I was ok with that. I'm losing it now. My problems were NO libido AT ALL, but mostly


I had my period for MONTHS at a time!!!!!


I've been on depo a year now, but I NEED to stop. My cramps (the reason I started...so my periods would go away!!) are nonstop and sometimes even crippling. 3 or 4 times now I've had my period over a month, and always with constant, heavy flow.

My doc said I was fine, so it's not my body, it's the shot. I just happened to have a very violent reaction to them.

I'd like to change, but I can't take b/c pills because I get violent nausea reactions to those!! Also, I never remember to take them.

So, if this helps anyone have more information about trying this method, then I'm willing to come to terms with the living hell I've been through the past year--but only if someone gets some good advice out of this.

And there I was considering getting the shot! The combined pill is no good for me - I have constant mood swings on it and I'm finding it difficult to take the mini pill at the same time each day. Depo provera seemed like an option but I might give it a miss now!

I can't do pills either.

I'm going to look into the patch thingie and also Nuvaring....that seems like it would be alright (as long as you don't mind inserting things into yourself...ahem)

i think it's found at

www.nuvaring.com

I was on Depo for over a year and a half and had all the symptoms you guys have listed, weightgain and no sex drive were what finally drove me to stop. I have for the past 7 months been using contraceptive foam with a water based lubrication and it has worked really well. (Wal-Mart for around $6 and it lasts for about two months if you you know for about five times a week) Well I haven't gotten pregnant and I'm REALLY fertile(Three children in 4 years would prove that!)

Just found out the shots made me bleed so much I'm ANEMIC!!!!!!!!!!

So this WOE is really coming in handy right now to get my blood levels back up

Ive been on depo for years, and though Im losing pretty slowly, and have wondered if depo might be contributing to that, I have also not had any of the bad side effects you guys have mentioned.

After reading this thread I just had to post and remind people that hormones effect everyone differently and though some people may have yucky side effects, Depo is actually safer then the pill . People who cant go on the pill because of the pills very dangerous side effects are often put on depo. Its also extremely effective.

This thread was so alarmist that I just didnt want people to disregard a perfectly legitimate form of birth control because people posted here with their horror stories. For every person who posted here there are probably thousands who use depo with few or no ill side effects.

The best thing to do is discuss it completely with your doctor, especially your concerns and let your doctor and yourself make the decision to try it or not.

Even if depo is slowing my weight loss (and I have no idea if it is) You couldnt get me off it for anything.

A happy and satisfied Depo user.

Jaden

I have been on the Depo shot for 3 or almost 4 years. I talked with my doctor just last week and I have decided to switch to the pill and then when I am a bit thinner the patch. My boyfriend is behind me 100% on this but I have to say we are both a little nervous (Nothing like loosing weight and then getting prego! BLA). I am not only coming off depo because my doctor agrees with me about the weight loss thing (she has patients that just can not loose when they are on the shot) but because 4 years of depo is really bad for your bones and osteoporosis is common in my family.
So I guess what I am saying is I was happy with depo for 4 years but ready to move on.