Can't lose anything thanks to Depo Provera!!!

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  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
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    I am on depo and have not had any problems
  • dare2love81
    dare2love81 Posts: 928 Member
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    Thank you so much! This is soooo true! So many people are insinuating I'm overeating or something but I'm not! I eat 1100 calories (fish, chicken, rice) and am exercising 1-3 hours a day. Obviously I'm doing everything right and the only change is the Depo. I'm not getting a period, either!


    *sigh* No. Actually, a lot of us are saying you're not eating enough.

    Also, if you're off the Depo, and still not getting a period, get to the doc.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Let me make this simple: A known side effect of Depo Provera, which 40% of women experience, is weight gain due DIRECTLY to the shot itself and not tied to overeating or a bigger appetite.

    [citation needed]
  • originalcookiemonster
    originalcookiemonster Posts: 278
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    When I was on that, my doctors actually told me it in and of itself won't make you gain weight, at least not any more than any other birth control. It actually just increases your appetite which leads to over-eating and that's what causes the gain.
    Your doctors are either liars or idiots.

    Seriously? BC alone can make you gain weight? Unless I missed the medical marvel in which BC magically creates an excess of calories, the above poster is correct. BC can affect many things, it is hormonal after all, well most are anyways, and it often can increase your appetite or even alter your metabolism some. But please show me the one birth control that causes WEIGHT GAIN in and of itself.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
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    When I was on that, my doctors actually told me it in and of itself won't make you gain weight, at least not any more than any other birth control. It actually just increases your appetite which leads to over-eating and that's what causes the gain.
    Your doctors are either liars or idiots.

    What a delightful comment in the Motivation and Support forum. Jeez.
  • SDkitty
    SDkitty Posts: 446 Member
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    ^^ Every single birth control on the market has a possible side effect of weight gain, it all depends on the person, the eating habits, the body's reaction to the hormones etc. The shot itself does not actually prevent you from losing weight. I was on Depo for years and didn't have any problems.
    Translation:

    "It didn't happen to me, so it can't possibly happen to you."

    That's not what I said at all, I said every person reacts differently. Some people (like me) have zero problems, some people have a lot. You have to test different birth controls. For me I had tons of problems on just the regular pill.
  • laurawilfong
    laurawilfong Posts: 45
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    When I was on that, my doctors actually told me it in and of itself won't make you gain weight, at least not any more than any other birth control. It actually just increases your appetite which leads to over-eating and that's what causes the gain.
    Your doctors are either liars or idiots.

    Actually my doctor said the same thing. When I first got on it I actually lost weight because I used to not eat when playing sports and it increased my metabolism. Weight gain is a side effect because of the increase in appetite.
    Let me make this simple: A known side effect of Depo Provera, which 40% of women experience, is weight gain due DIRECTLY to the shot itself and not tied to overeating or a bigger appetite.

    This is documented and well known. Any doctor who says otherwise has not educated him or herself on the drug being administered and I would find a new doctor. I had this same experience with Mirena. My doctor insisted it did not affect weight. Yet after losing 30 pounds and maintaining that loss for several years, without decreasing my activity level or increasing my calories, I gained 25 pounds and no matter what I did (I even tried eating 500 calories a day for three weeks), I could not lose an ounce. I started asking around and found many, many women had the exact same experience I had.

    Lucky for you, you were in the 60%.
    Thank you for this!!!! Every one is different and I am glad some gal didn't gain, I am glad some even lost weight, but I am just holding (which is good I'm not gaining, anymore!)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    ^^ Every single birth control on the market has a possible side effect of weight gain, it all depends on the person, the eating habits, the body's reaction to the hormones etc. The shot itself does not actually prevent you from losing weight. I was on Depo for years and didn't have any problems.
    Translation:

    "It didn't happen to me, so it can't possibly happen to you."

    That's not what I said at all, I said every person reacts differently. Some people (like me) have zero problems, some people have a lot. You have to test different birth controls. For me I had tons of problems on just the regular pill.

    You said:
    The shot itself does not actually prevent you from losing weight. I was on Depo for years and didn't have any problems.
  • sc10985
    sc10985 Posts: 347 Member
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    I maintained a healthy weight for years on the pill. Switched to the depo shot for convienience and gained 15lbs in a month. Had other terrible side effects and decided not to get the next shot. Went back on the pill and dropped the weight with no effort. Hormones can do all sorts of things to your body. To the people who say "it's not the birth control" think about this: Birth control alters your hormones to trick your body into thinking it's pregnant. Some women gain a significant amount of weight during pregnancy before their baby even weighs a pound. And they're not gaining pure body fat due to overeating. Blood volume increases, breast tissue increases. It's all hormones and how your body reacts to them. Everyone is different and what happens to some may not happen to others. That doesn't negate anyone's personal experience.

    Thank you so much! This is soooo true! So many people are insinuating I'm overeating or something but I'm not! I eat 1100 calories (fish, chicken, rice) and am exercising 1-3 hours a day. Obviously I'm doing everything right and the only change is the Depo. I'm not getting a period, either!


    If you're still not getting a period then the depo is still in your system. I've known women who were on the depo and it took 1-2 years for their hormones to even out after being on it.
  • laurawilfong
    laurawilfong Posts: 45
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    Birth control doesn't change overall physiology. The idea that it would "make you store fat" is kind of ridiculous. The hormones in birth control can make you gain weight via appetite, as people have said. Or through water weight. The gain that most women have before TOM is due to hormonal changes. Therefore, it makes sense that changing the hormones in your body might have this effect.

    All side effects of hormonal birth control can be dealt with by switching methods. Or you can wait it out as most side effects are gone after 3 months. Hence why your OBGYN will tell you to stick with your BC for 3 months before switching.

    There's really nothing else to say on this topic. It's been determined in the scientific community that birth control in and of itself does not lead to increased fat stores.

    The shot for some reason makes your body think you're pregnant, according to my nutritionist. I have been off the shot for 8 months but was on it about 8 months, also. Just hoping for some change.
  • silvip
    silvip Posts: 2
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    I've been on Depo for approx 3 years & I did gain weight. Unfortunately this was just because I was overeating!
    My doctor told me that the shot alone won't make me gain weight but it could increase appetite like any other form of BC.
    Ive lost 32lbs whilst still on the Depo with no issues though...
    You said in previous post you are eating 1100 cals/day. Like other posters I would say that definatley isn't enough. I found upping my cals a little bit when I'm not losing helped :smile:
    Good luck losing! :flowerforyou:
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    I HATE birth control. Ugh.

    I've been on so many different types of birth control throughout the years and each one of them affects me differently. Right now, Yaz is the lesser of all evils (although I hope I don't die of a stroke). If I didn't have problems with acne, I would be off the pill in an instant. Years ago I went off completely and I lost 10 pounds in two months without changing a thing.

    I haven't been on Depo, but I did try Seasonal. Like Depo, Seasonal is also a birth control that makes you not have a period for three months. I started gaining a lot of weight and immediately jumped off of it. I'm assuming it had something to do with the high dosage of hormones in that style of BC.

    Weight gain is definitely a side affect of hormonal birth control. Of course, different people are affected in different ways, but it is an established side affect that is discussed in the drug implications and risks portion of the pharmacy write up. Read the packet you get from the pharmacy. It's all in there.
  • SDkitty
    SDkitty Posts: 446 Member
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    ^^ Every single birth control on the market has a possible side effect of weight gain, it all depends on the person, the eating habits, the body's reaction to the hormones etc. The shot itself does not actually prevent you from losing weight. I was on Depo for years and didn't have any problems.
    Translation:

    "It didn't happen to me, so it can't possibly happen to you."

    That's not what I said at all, I said every person reacts differently. Some people (like me) have zero problems, some people have a lot. You have to test different birth controls. For me I had tons of problems on just the regular pill.

    You said:
    The shot itself does not actually prevent you from losing weight. I was on Depo for years and didn't have any problems.

    Yes. Of course if you read only two lines of what I wrote.

    SOmeone seriously woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, you don't need to be so hostile to everyone. Take a chill pill.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    ^^ Every single birth control on the market has a possible side effect of weight gain, it all depends on the person, the eating habits, the body's reaction to the hormones etc. The shot itself does not actually prevent you from losing weight. I was on Depo for years and didn't have any problems.
    Translation:

    "It didn't happen to me, so it can't possibly happen to you."

    That's not what I said at all, I said every person reacts differently. Some people (like me) have zero problems, some people have a lot. You have to test different birth controls. For me I had tons of problems on just the regular pill.

    You said:
    The shot itself does not actually prevent you from losing weight. I was on Depo for years and didn't have any problems.

    And YOU said the shot itself causes weight gain regardless of calorie balance or appetite.

    This is pure speculation. And, really, poor speculation since you posit no actual biological mechanism for the gain.
  • laurawilfong
    laurawilfong Posts: 45
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    When I was on that, my doctors actually told me it in and of itself won't make you gain weight, at least not any more than any other birth control. It actually just increases your appetite which leads to over-eating and that's what causes the gain.
    Your doctors are either liars or idiots.

    What a delightful comment in the Motivation and Support forum. Jeez.

    I did just want motivation and support and some people are debating! So sorry!!
  • missjojo31
    missjojo31 Posts: 150
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    I was on depo for 3 years and lost weight, then i went on the pill and well, here I am :(
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    And YOU said the shot itself causes weight gain regardless of calorie balance or appetite.

    I said that it CAN, not that it always does.

    Until you are a woman and taking hormonal BC, you really need to stop. I usually agree with what you say on the boards, but in this case you just don't get it. Not your fault, but you don't.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    When I was on that, my doctors actually told me it in and of itself won't make you gain weight, at least not any more than any other birth control. It actually just increases your appetite which leads to over-eating and that's what causes the gain.
    Your doctors are either liars or idiots.

    What a delightful comment in the Motivation and Support forum. Jeez.

    I did just want motivation and support and some people are debating! So sorry!!

    People debate everything here. No worries. :-)
  • laurawilfong
    laurawilfong Posts: 45
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    I HATE birth control. Ugh.

    I've been on so many different types of birth control throughout the years and each one of them affects me differently. Right now, Yaz is the lesser of all evils (although I hope I don't die of a stroke). If I didn't have problems with acne, I would be off the pill in an instant. Years ago I went off completely and I lost 10 pounds in two months without changing a thing.

    I haven't been on Depo, but I did try Seasonal. Like Depo, Seasonal is also a birth control that makes you not have a period for three months. I started gaining a lot of weight and immediately jumped off of it. I'm assuming it had something to do with the high dosage of hormones in that style of BC.

    Weight gain is definitely a side affect of hormonal birth control. Of course, different people are affected in different ways, but it is an established side affect that is discussed in the drug implications and risks portion of the pharmacy write up. Read the packet you get from the pharmacy. It's all in there.
    Thanks Paige! Right now I am detoxing from all birth control. I was hoping to lose weight before my husband and I have a baby. Since Depo, I can't lose weight AND I am not ovulating. So no weight loss and no baby. Thanks for your encouragement!! BTW: you are BEAUTIFUL!
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    When I was on that, my doctors actually told me it in and of itself won't make you gain weight, at least not any more than any other birth control. It actually just increases your appetite which leads to over-eating and that's what causes the gain.
    Your doctors are either liars or idiots.

    What a delightful comment in the Motivation and Support forum. Jeez.

    I did just want motivation and support and some people are debating! So sorry!!

    Don't be sorry, it's the entertainment factor :wink:

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