Depo Provera & BC patch

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  • HazelBug1987
    HazelBug1987 Posts: 30 Member
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    Hormonal birth control makes me crazy hungry ALL THE TIME. I gain weight like I'm pregnant if I use anything hormonal. And I am a big gainer during pregnancy.
  • kelsehdu
    kelsehdu Posts: 4 Member
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    I was the smallest weight of my life on Depo Provera, and I wasn't even trying to be (ie not tracking anything - my weight problems are fairly recent, ie after children). I was just very active and didn't eat a lot of junk food! Perhaps hormonal BC does cause appetite increase and a tendency to bloat a bit more but I really think that so long as you don't give in to the increased appetite (if you get it... I don't think I did) then you won't magically gain.

    I loved Depo, it was my favourite method of BC. I don't use hormonal methods at all anymore for various reasons, but if I was it would be the one.
  • _whatsherface
    _whatsherface Posts: 1,235 Member
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    I was on Depo for about 4 years. Some months I would gain weight, and some months I would lose weight and if I remember correctly, most of it was appetite - some was a hormonal issue. I stopped having periods and around 3 years into it I started becoming very hormonal and just a wreck. So I got off of it. With that being said whether it was appetite related or hormone related I gained about 60 pounds in that 4 years. But I also never watched what I ate and I never exercised either. So I'm sure if you're watching those things and you're getting in some exercise, you'll be fine.
  • danieb462
    danieb462 Posts: 32
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    I've been reading your replies and it looks like the only reason you gain weight is because of increased appetite. So I will most likely be watching what I eat and tracking honestly. I want to lose weight and not have a baby! Water retention I'm okay with. I already take a diuretic. That should hopefully get rid of any bloating. Thank you for all your replies! Has helped me a great deal and put my mind at ease
  • kikontx
    kikontx Posts: 92 Member
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    pincushion14 wrote: »
    I love Depo. Nearly 14 years on it, no periods, no cramping, no pms, no bloating. Also no weight gain that I didn't do to myself. I have no problem losing the weight once I get my head on straight and get down to business. .

    Same here. Been on it for about 10 years and definitely love it.
  • brimingus
    brimingus Posts: 66 Member
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    BEST THING EVER MADE!!!!! I'm on about year 10 and I'm 22. I used to have the worst periods ever. Depo solved everything.

    But, when it comes to Depo month, as I call it, I get moody, I break out, and I want to eat everything. So basically, once every three months I have the same symptoms a woman about to have her period would have.

    Once every three months if fine by me!
  • stormiecarlson
    stormiecarlson Posts: 1 Member
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    I bled for 3 months straight on Depo. Not extremely heavy bleeding but a consistent enough flow. I also gained 30lbs even though I did NOT eat more (I was maintaining at that point in time and was highly conscious of every aspect of my health). HOWEVER, every single birth control method that I have used (and believe me... I've gone down the entire list in the past 15 years), other than Mirena, has had some sort of severe starting-out side effects on me. Mostly rapid weight gain.
  • jsecret
    jsecret Posts: 606 Member
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    DEPO - I can honestly say from the time I started to ended the depo shot I felt like I was quite literally starving to death on a constant basis, I gained a good 30+ lbs and decided not to try it again.

    PATCH - The patch I used for about 4 months. Super convenient and I never got pregnant but I did end up getting multple pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lower lobes of both lungs) from it. I am now on blood thinner for at least a year to keep me safe and ended up doing a good amount of hospital pain, not too mention immense amounts of pain. The patch has a higher than average chance of blood clots and now I feel isn't worth the risk (before I was sure nothing like that would ever happen to me). I guess hindsight is 20/20.

    MIRENA - I am on the mirena now, insertion wasn't fun but was really quick and not painful as much as just uncomfortable. I haven't been on it long but no issues so far.
  • danieb462
    danieb462 Posts: 32
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    So update guys! I ended up getting the three month depo shot on Tuesday.I bent over the table and they jabbed me in the butt. The first day was fine but the second day I was sooo hungry. Like I was literally eating everything in sight. I tried the whole moderation thing but I'd eat and 20 minutes later I'm starving again. Like a poster above I knew I had to have some type of control so I had to keep myself occupied to not eat. Like the cravings were that bad. But it's been 4 days and the cravings have waned significantly. Thanks everyone for your input. I'm excited to see if its working! :) Gonna wait a couple more days though!

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