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

chelseascounter

I couldn't gain anything thanks to Depo Provera!!

When I got off I gained it all.

collingmommy

condoms and nonoxyl 9 works! no horomones, no side effects, no prickly needles, just a trip to WALMART pharmacy.

juliegrey1

my weight problems started when I was 20 and coincided with the pill!

TheCaren

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.

That's what I was told when I started gaining when I took Seasonique. The drug itself doesn't cause the weight gain, it's the appetite increase.

sopatty

I'm past that "birth control" age (along with a tubal ligation after 2 sons!), but entering the "hormone" stage, I get it.
I've known friends who have had Depo who also had weight gain with no change in their habits. Once again, NOT having any idea about Depo specifically as far as its makeup, if your body's hormones are out of balance (especially estrogen-heavy) according to my doctor, it can and cause physical changes, including weight gain(I'm guessing it's the metabolism switch). Therefore she has me using some hormone creams after doing bloodwork to balance it all out, hence no weight issues. (As long as I am disciplined and calories in=calories out)
I'd change birth control after this one wears off and see what the difference is! Nothing worse than working hard and trying hard and not seeing results. I'm sorry!

rml_16

I couldn't gain anything thanks to Depo Provera!!

When I got off I gained it all.

lol

My best friend was like that. Ate everything in sight and stayed a size 2. Then went off and gained (though she's never been overweight).

She also had lumps in her breasts, severe osteoporosis and early onset menopause all due to the shot.

dare2love81

This thread is entering its golden years.
The fighting.
The repeating itself.
Eventually it will have a major cardiac infarction and flatline.

OP if you want to lose fat send me a PM.
I'll be more than happy to run numbers and get you in a training frequency that will help you get rid of the fat.

QFT! Also, not spam. He knows his stuff. I'm willing to bet the OP loses by following his advice.

x2

However, I'm beginning to wonder if the OP is even interested in losing weight, or rather, is just looking for something to blame as to why she's not, since she's ignored everyone asking her if she's checked her TDEE and won't open her diary.

_Emma_Problema_

A survey of side-effects is research, though. That's what is used to determine side-effects before a drug goes to market, and is what's used when a drug is on shelves but gets used differently.

Yaz and BCs similar to it (generic or otherwise), according to scientific research, were relatively low-risk compared to old BCs and were used to treat a variety of issues outside of contraception. Due to continued scientific research which includes repeated instances of women encountering certain things (read: side-effects), the entire drug is being studied differently and now being used differently in treatment.

Hell, Metformin side-effects being increased fertility/weight loss is why a Type-2 Diabetes drug is now used almost as much for PCOS treatment. This came from, you guessed it, patients citing side-effects consistently.

Although I understand your point, Shelby, and you are correct, I don't think that applies as much to the complex issue of weight gain. There's so much at play that it's really difficult to pin it on the drug itself and not increased appetite. Research shows that very few people are aware of how many calories they are actually eating a day, and even when they do try to track it through calorie counting their numbers are often off by quite a bit. Most people who have gained weight will tell you that it wasn't a sudden process and that most likely they weren't aware of eating that much more.

I think an important point is also that women are often told that they will gain weight on birth control and are scared out of taking them. My personal thought is that it's used as a scare tactic by the religious right but that may just be me and my paranoia. But people are more likely to blame weight gain on BC pills because of this, even though there are many reasons why a woman can gain weight.

So I don't necessarily trust everyone jumping on bandwagon that birth control caused their weight gain as proof of physiological effects.

kao708

I've been on Depo since my son was born 15+ years ago. Not sure if it makes you "gain" weight if you live a sedentary life but it's not been keeping me from losing weight.

laurawilfong

Very interesting thread here. Lots of clashing opinions/facts/figures. Either way, OP-I hope it works out for you. I know hormones can play a huge role in the pace of weight loss (keep in mind you are losing, not gaining or maintaining, and that's still success!!).

I got a Mirena IUD last fall and almost had to remove it as I continuously cycled for about 4/5 months. It was hell. Long story short, I also think I gained a lot from it though I was also very unobservant about what was going into my body. Maybe your body hasn't regulated to the hormones yet either? Or they're not all out of your system? I've heard it can take up to 2 years for a body to normalize after going off heavy hormone treatments (depo, mirena, copper IUD, etc.)

Furthermore, like a few others have already mentioned here, I would up your net calories and start lifting weights as well. That might help your body pick up the pace.

Best of luck all around!

Edited: fixed a typo

Thanks Kate Auch!

jonnythan

I couldn't gain anything thanks to Depo Provera!!

When I got off I gained it all.

She also had lumps in her breasts, severe osteoporosis and early onset menopause all due to the shot.

This is 100% ridiculous. There is absolutely no way whatsoever anyone could ever identify those three things as the result of a single cause in a single human being.

You have some irrational hatred for depo, probably because you blame it for your weight gain, and that is severely clouding your judgment.


(Cue "you're a man, you don't know!")

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I guess I should have posted that I have been off the Depo for 8 months now. My nutritionist said it makes your body store fat and that, although I am doing everything 100%, I will not see results until the Depo is completely out of my system (anywhere from today to 18 months after my last shot)

It can affect you for up to at least two years.

I had weight gain on all birth control, with some other 1%-er serious side effects from depo. I don't know the reason for the weight gain, but I do know that when I finally let my shot wear off I dropped all of it within 3 months of my first missed shot without "being on a diet." The other thing that I can attest to is that the other side effects that I suffered lasted for 18 months after my first missed shot. I think the half life was 9 months, when I was on it 15 years ago.

firstsip

Also to add, anecdotal or not: Being on MFP, and as scientifically minded as my friends and I are, we did note an experiment with myself for funsies.

I had to go off BC in December for a possible TIA (ended up being migraine paralysis... yeesh). One of my friends said, "Tell us if you notice any change in weight," since we're all MFP-addicts. In the one month I was off, I watched everything I ate, did, drank, etc. I lost four pounds. In a month.

When I went back on BC, doing everything the same (yes, even with holidays), I regained those four pounds. Granted, I gradually have lost weight throughout all of this, but some form of water retention occurred with no other changing factor but hormones in this one month. And, to add, the only consistent measurement change was my boobs and a random .25 on my calves (which went down a week later, so who knows).

Scientific research changes and evolves; this includes BC, which in my reproductive years alone, has changed drastically and often for various pills, methods, etc. Depo is a rather controversial one because it HAS recently been noted as finding that it can cause weight gain outside of water retention alone.

And to the, "Just use condoms or natural family planning" crowd... unfortunately, not everyone uses BC just for contraception. PCOS, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, PMDD, migraines, and anemia are all issues just off the top of my head for reasons why women turn to the pill/shot/IUD.

rml_16

My gyno insisted Mirena could not possibly cause weight gain.

I went to the company's own websit and it listed weight gain as a possible, though rare, side effect.

Doctors telling you things doesn't always make them true. Depo is well-established as having the side effect of weight gain. A doctor who says otherwise is a liar or an idiot. Period. I stand by that.

There are far too many women having far too many similar experiences with particular types of BC for it to not be real.

PRMinx

I couldn't gain anything thanks to Depo Provera!!

When I got off I gained it all.

She also had lumps in her breasts, severe osteoporosis and early onset menopause all due to the shot.

Osteoporosis is most definitely an established side effect of Depo. From Pfizer:

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
5.1 Loss of Bone Mineral Density
Use of Depo-Provera CI reduces serum estrogen levels and is associated with significant loss of bone
mineral density (BMD). This loss of BMD is of particular concern during adolescence and early
adulthood, a critical period of bone accretion. It is unknown if use of Depo-Provera CI by younger
women will reduce peak bone mass and increase the risk for osteoporotic fracture in later life.
After discontinuing Depo-Provera CI in adolescents, mean BMD loss at total hip and femoral neck did not
fully recover by 60 months (240 weeks) post-treatment [see Clinical Studies (14.3)]. Similarly, in adults,
there was only partial recovery of mean BMD at total hip, femoral neck and lumbar spine towards
baseline by 24 months post-treatment. [See Clinical Studies (14.2).]
Depo-Provera CI should not be used as a long-term birth control method (i.e., longer than 2 years) unless
other birth control methods are considered inadequate. BMD should be evaluated when a woman needs to
continue to use Depo-Provera CI long-term. In adolescents, interpretation of BMD results should take
into account patient age and skeletal maturity.
Other birth control methods should be considered in the risk/benefit analysis for the use of Depo-Provera CI
in women with osteoporosis risk factors. Depo-Provera CI can pose an additional risk in patients with risk
factors for osteoporosis (e.g., metabolic bone disease, chronic alcohol and/or tobacco use, anorexia nervosa,
strong family history of osteoporosis or chronic use of drugs that can reduce bone mass such as
anticonvulsants or corticosteroids). Although there are no studies addressing whether calcium and Vitamin
D may lessen BMD loss in women using Depo-Provera CI, all patients should have adequate calcium and
Vitamin D intake.

MSeel1984

I went on the Mirena IUD.

I feel better on it and my periods are almost non-existent. Oh happy day.

laurawilfong

Food and water cause weight gain. Water weight is just easier to shed.

Lack of food causes weight loss.

If you are not losing, you somehow you are consuming too much. You are maintaining what you already have.

Taking hormones that mimic pregnancy can really f*** you up. It's not easy to just shed the water if your hormones won't allow it. There is more to weight loss than simple calorie counting (metabolism can vary from person to person, hormones, age, sex, etc.). Have you ever been pregnant or on birth control hormones, or even a 40 year old woman with changing hormones? I'm guessing not.

You are amazing for posting this! Thank you!!

jonnythan

I couldn't gain anything thanks to Depo Provera!!

When I got off I gained it all.

She also had lumps in her breasts, severe osteoporosis and early onset menopause all due to the shot.

Osteoporosis is most definitely an established side effect of Depo. From Pfizer:

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
5.1 Loss of Bone Mineral Density
Use of Depo-Provera CI reduces serum estrogen levels and is associated with significant loss of bone
mineral density (BMD). This loss of BMD is of particular concern during adolescence and early
adulthood, a critical period of bone accretion. It is unknown if use of Depo-Provera CI by younger
women will reduce peak bone mass and increase the risk for osteoporotic fracture in later life.
After discontinuing Depo-Provera CI in adolescents, mean BMD loss at total hip and femoral neck did not
fully recover by 60 months (240 weeks) post-treatment [see Clinical Studies (14.3)]. Similarly, in adults,
there was only partial recovery of mean BMD at total hip, femoral neck and lumbar spine towards
baseline by 24 months post-treatment. [See Clinical Studies (14.2).]
Depo-Provera CI should not be used as a long-term birth control method (i.e., longer than 2 years) unless
other birth control methods are considered inadequate. BMD should be evaluated when a woman needs to
continue to use Depo-Provera CI long-term. In adolescents, interpretation of BMD results should take
into account patient age and skeletal maturity.
Other birth control methods should be considered in the risk/benefit analysis for the use of Depo-Provera CI
in women with osteoporosis risk factors. Depo-Provera CI can pose an additional risk in patients with risk
factors for osteoporosis (e.g., metabolic bone disease, chronic alcohol and/or tobacco use, anorexia nervosa,
strong family history of osteoporosis or chronic use of drugs that can reduce bone mass such as
anticonvulsants or corticosteroids). Although there are no studies addressing whether calcium and Vitamin
D may lessen BMD loss in women using Depo-Provera CI, all patients should have adequate calcium and
Vitamin D intake.

A randomized control scientific study can establish that something such as depo can increase your chances of getting breast cancer, osteoporosis, or early-onset menopause.

However, you cannot select a single individual who got the depo shot and directly attribute any of those outcomes to the shot. Period.

cleanandlean2012

I have always been very susceptible to gaining weight from the pill. That is until I was moved onto Cerazette - zero weight gain, mood swings and now, no periods! Obviously we are all wonderfully unique, so it may not work that way for you. That said, if you have not tried it, it may be worth trying.

All the best. x

jillwhite12

I've been on depo for years and it did cause weight gain... Not the shot itself, but I suddenly had cravings for chocolate which I never had before depo. But I have lost 80 lbs now and I'm still on depo so it hasn't stopped the weight loss... From my experience, I would say that it was the increased appetite and cravings that caused the gain in the I first place.