Depo

HQuinn96

so I was on the drop shot for about a year and I gained at least 50 pounds easily. Has anyone else had a lot of problems losing weight after being on that medication?

arsc02

I've been on it 2 yrs and gained about 2 st but I also stopped smoking. Slowly getting the weight under control.

LyssaJ1

I was on it for a few years and eventually all the good effects wore-off and I had all the bad side-effects. I gained 20lbs, and while I was in the military, that was a severe no-no. Long story short, it was a b*tch to drop 10lbs, but because I wanted to stay in the service, I did it by all means necessary (everything shy of illegal drugs...it was sad and scary.) The last 10 took a long while...but it *can* come off. Thing is, the only way I shook it was to get off it, but luckily I was actually trying to get pregnant (never happened tho'.) I wish y'all bunches of luck, truly!

Blueseraphchaos

I gained so much weight on the depo shot and had so many bad side effects. The best i could do on depo was stop gaining weight...could never lose it (unless i was willing to go without food entirely). My doctor and i decided to try a different birth control in pill form...the weight finally started coming off.
ETA i was on it for almost 3 years and in that time, i lost an inch of height. Drs told me i lost bone density, then told me it was most likely the depo. That was something i wish they had told me before i ever got on it.

But every body is different. Good luck!

Amanda4change

I took it for years and had no problems, I gained weight but not because of the shot. However after taking it for 7 years I ended up with severe complications and the doctor took me off it (and all hormonal birth control) it took 2 years to get my hormones back to being normal. Anyway within the first 3 months of being off it I dropped 30 pounds (not dieting but I had increased my physical activity. This was 6 years ago)

HQuinn96

I have increased my activity and dropped my calorie reduction a bunch and I am just not seeing the results I would like to be seeing... I know that my hormones are super messed up even though I am on a different birth control I am just wondering how long it will take for them to start going back to normal levels again

MadeandUnmade

I took it in my early twenties and I couldn't lose weight. I was trying to lose 5-10 pounds and running like a hamster on a wheel. The best I could do was maintain. Once I stopped running, I gained 20 pounds in a matter of months. Stopped taking the shot, and went back to my old weight. NOW, I'm 32 and just got my shot a few weeks ago after about a decade of no bc. The side effects are awful--nausea, mood swings, and feeling like a shark ravaging everything in the kitchen! I weigh the most I have ever weighed. I'm hoping my hormones even out as soon as the efficacy wears off in a couple months!

It took me 8-10 months to get my period back after getting off depo the first time, but as I recall, the ability to let go of weight was pretty immediate.

marylouise86

since going on to depo i have put on 2 stone and i am at my heaviest...i was getting so much pain once a month without the periods that I stopped taking it. hoping to see if it will help with the weight and feeling lousy on it. i have been on it for so long though now that I think its going to be a while till i get back to "normal"

lschifko314

It took me months to get it out of my system . I had sever itchy scalp and hair loss as well as crazy mood swings and cravings. It was fine the first year then all that started. Just be patient stress wont help!

Blueseraphchaos

My excess weight started coming off about 7 months after my last shot. Slowly at first, then i assume the depo finally left my system and the weight started coming off a lot faster.

jvt63

Ah, Depo. It was not good for me. I gained 10 pounds, had intense sugar cravings (at one point, I was eating brown sugar straight from the bag) and lost about a third of my hair. Luckily, I had thick hair to begin with.

I was fine ON the shot. The symptoms started a week after I was supposed to get the next one. My doctor told me the weight gain and hair loss was not from the shot. Actually, it was all in the small print.

dogzmom1031

I was on Depo for about 14 years straight, with no cycle. Yes, I gained weight. But I was able to lose when I really worked at it. I have been off of it for two years now and I am still struggling with my weight, my cycle is irregular, but when I am honest about my calories and exercise the pounds come off. I would still be on it if I hadn't developed osteopenia. A strong word of advice to anyone on Depo...it depletes the calcium from your bones, so it is essential to supplement with calcium supplements & D3 (try Citracal Max--2-3/day), double the amount what a normal woman would take. I didn't know about this until about 6 years ago, and now I'm 42 with decreased bone mass.

disneygirl626

I just got it for the first time about a month ago and have continued to lose weight while on it. Additionally because of an insurance issue I got a hormone implant within a few days so I got a double dose of hormones. I'm still losing pretty steadily. It is definitely possible to lose that weight.

callsitlikeiseeit

my best friend has been on it for YEARS (since, like, it came out?). i dont think she has any side effects.

i mean, she has the worlds crappiest diet, smokes, doesn't exercise and has chronic health and pain problems. but shes skinny (except for her 'food baby' ie: belly that can pass for a pregnant belly LOL ) but i attribute that to the other things and not depo. lolol

jvt63

See under "adverse effects." 38% of women who take it gain 10 pounds or more after two years. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2010/020246s036lbl.pdf

missiontofitness

I've been on Depo over two years; I gain when I don't watch my intake, and lose easily when I track and stay active. I've had no issues with it. I'm at nearly 30lbs lost now (and most of those 30lbs were gained before I was on Depo).

The change in hormones affects people in different ways. I would be very mindful of your intake, since changes in appetite can occur from it.