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

rml_16

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.

Yep. That thing is evil. I also know a seriously high number of women who had several miscarriages after going off of it, yet docs will say that isn't related. My BFF was one of them.

All of this while still in her 20s.

firstsip

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.

My main point in that post was that a survey of side-effects, is at its core, definitely research. Crowd sourcing information is a pretty standard form of gaining information, anthropologically, medically, and more.

In terms of just BC and weight gain, all research pretty solidly notes that water retention/bloating can and often occurs with BC. In terms of the "not noting what they eat," that's a pretty solid point, as BC also is noted as being linked to appetite increases. But discounting that forms of BC have also been linked to, with repeated science, weight changes outside of these two issues, let alone other issues is a fallacy in its own. USMCP did everyone a favor by linking and quoting some. Medicine is always changing, and BC research changes rather often.

One has to remember that BC is not used in the religious/government swayed US alone; Depo has had some pretty heavy **** confirmed with it outside the US, too. BC is, ultimately, not a very simple thing in terms of how it affects women. Science shows this. Women's personal experiences show this. The constant misunderstanding of what it is and does shows this.

Cutting down other people for voicing their personal experiences does not help anything, particularly when it comes with hyperbolic rhetoric.

senyosmom

Personally I did not gain any weight on that method of BC -- but if you truely feel that its the cause of your weight loss short comings then I would suggest you switch to another form of BC. There are certainly plenty of options!

jonnythan

That thing is evil.

This. Exactly this. You are highly biased against this form of birth control, and it is preventing you from being anything close to rational or fair about it.

laurawilfong

First of all, WebMD lists the side effects "weight gain" and "increased appetite" separately, which implies that the drug maker sees reasons outside of "increased appetite" that lead to weight gain.

Also, there's this from Drugs.com:

Metabolic
Weight gain is more frequently encountered than weight loss during medroxyprogesterone (the active ingredient contained in Depo-Provera) therapy. In women using intramuscular medroxyprogesterone for contraception, the mean weight gain after one year of therapy is 2.5 kg. After two, four, and six years, patients gain a mean of 3.7, 6.3, and 7.5 kg, respectively.

Data regarding the effect of medroxyprogesterone on lipid profiles have been conflicting. Some studies report possible negative effects on lipid profiles while others have documented a reduction in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

Metabolic side effects have included weight changes (increases and decreases), glucose intolerance, and changes in serum cholesterol concentrations.

Read more at http://www.drugs.com/sfx/depo-provera-side-effects.html#4Tlw5z8O5YAje4dC.99

Next time do your own research.

A list of side effects from drugs.com is not "research."

The fact is that the link between depo and weight gain hasn't been identified. It could be metabolism changes, it could be appetite changes, or it could be something else.

Protip: anyone claiming they "know" something that has not been scientifically established should not be listened to.

Protip 2: anyone attacking valid criticism with offtopic ad hominem (you're not a woman, you can't know!) is engaging in a huge logical fallacy and should not be listened to.

Geez. You really need to get over yourself.

1. Drugs.com pulls the information from the manufacturer. So it has been scientifically established. You don't have to believe me though. Here's the information from Pfizer: http://labeling.pfizer.com/ShowLabeling.aspx?id=522

2. There is relevance in anecdotal experience. No one says you have to listen to me, but I'm the only one here pulling facts.

Quite frankly, I think it's really weird that you've picked this argument as your hill to die on. Why do you even care? What's your intent in jumping into a conversation posted by a woman looking for help from other women who have experienced a drug side effect that is only felt by women because the product is only used by women?

Odd, indeed.

But, of course you know best.

Thank you for all your posts, Paige! I was definitely looking for similar experiences and after all I wanted to know what everyone had going on with Depo. I am sort of disregarding the posts from male writers who don't have these hormonal issues.

_Emma_Problema_

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.

This right here is definitely true. I was lucky not to have weight gain with the pill but I started on it for acne and not family planning. Like real bad "I can't look at myself in the mirror without a ton of makeup" acne.

So there are good things that come out of the hormonal changes for some people.

Joreanasaurous

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

Yeah.... No. Condoms break. They should never be someone's sole contraceptive.

I have never had weight gain from BC, so I can't really give you advice on that. However I do agree with everyone else suggested you upper your calories. 1100 seems way too low.

chantelle0312

they stick it in your arm they allways stick :O the needle in my *kitten* it only aches a little for that day

rml_16

Here's a scenario that might help people understand how hormones affect different women differently:

When I was pregnant, I had severe morning sickness beginning in my second month. Month one, I was so hungry I couldn't get enough to eat. I started at 110 pounds and was 120 after that first month. Then I started getting sick. I dropped to 102 pounds, stayed there until my third trimester, where I ballooned up to 155 pounds in three months. The morning sickness lessened, though continued right into the delivery room.

Many women never experience a second of morning sickness. Many have it only in the first trimester. Some women gain gobs of weight, no matter what they do. Some looklike they're carrying triplets with only one baby while others barely show at all.

All due to hormones, yet we're all going through the exact same process. BC is the same basic thing, but artificial.

laurawilfong

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!

Thank you so much for your insight! God bless!

jonnythan

Here's a scenario that might help people understand how hormones affect different women differently:

When I was pregnant, I had severe morning sickness beginning in my second month. Month one, I was so hungry I couldn't get enough to eat. I started at 110 pounds and was 120 after that first month. Then I started getting sick. I dropped to 102 pounds, stayed there until my third trimester, where I ballooned up to 155 pounds in three months. The morning sickness lessened, though continued right into the delivery room.

Many women never experience a second of morning sickness. Many have it only in the first trimester. Some women gain gobs of weight, no matter what they do. Some looklike they're carrying triplets with only one baby while others barely show at all.

All due to hormones, yet we're all going through the exact same process. BC is the same basic thing, but artificial.

So your hormonal changes made you hungrier, which made you eat more, which made you gain weight.

Interesting!

firstsip

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.

This right here is definitely true. I was lucky not to have weight gain with the pill but I started on it for acne and not family planning. Like real bad "I can't look at myself in the mirror without a ton of makeup" acne.

So there are good things that come out of the hormonal changes for some people.

I can't believe I forgot to mention acne, too, since you and I have specifically talked about this. I think I forgot because I'm so used to NOT having acne issues now from being on BC.

There are many things that make me unhappy about BC, but the lack of migraines for the first time in my life (since skipping off weeks), and the no more debilitating pain from rupturing cysts that were becoming big enough to potentially "twist" my ovaries (gag) trump the issues of water retention and just random craziness that can occur when you chemically alter your hormones (including the 2+ week long period I just had with a sudden 8 lb increase in bloating).

PRMinx

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.

My main point in that post was that a survey of side-effects, is at its core, definitely research. Crowd sourcing information is a pretty standard form of gaining information, anthropologically, medically, and more.

In terms of just BC and weight gain, all research pretty solidly notes that water retention/bloating can and often occurs with BC. In terms of the "not noting what they eat," that's a pretty solid point, as BC also is noted as being linked to appetite increases. But discounting that forms of BC have also been linked to, with repeated science, weight changes outside of these two issues, let alone other issues is a fallacy in its own. USMCP did everyone a favor by linking and quoting some. Medicine is always changing, and BC research changes rather often.

One has to remember that BC is not used in the religious/government swayed US alone; Depo has had some pretty heavy **** confirmed with it outside the US, too. BC is, ultimately, not a very simple thing in terms of how it affects women. Science shows this. Women's personal experiences show this. The constant misunderstanding of what it is and does shows this.

Cutting down other people for voicing their personal experiences does not help anything, particularly when it comes with hyperbolic rhetoric.

^^ This. Thank you for saying it so eloquently. Again, data shows that weight gain happens.

From Pfizer: Women tend to gain weight while on therapy with Depo-Provera CI. From an initial average body weight of
136 lb, women who completed 1 year of therapy with Depo-Provera CI gained an average of 5.4 lb. Women
who completed 2 years of therapy gained an average of 8.1 lb. Women who completed 4 years gained an
average of 13.8 lb. Women who completed 6 years gained an average of 16.5 lb. Two percent of women
withdrew from a large-scale clinical trial because of excessive weight gain.

Whether it's happening because women are eating more, or they go to the bathroom less, or their metabolism is screwed up, or they are retaining water or WHATEVER it could be is really irrelevant to the question. All of these issues present weight challenges. There is no Depo data that specifically states that the increase in appetite is the only factor that contributes to such significant weight gain. There is data, however, that points to metabolic issues and BC's impact on lipids and gluten intolerance.

firstsip

Here's a scenario that might help people understand how hormones affect different women differently:

When I was pregnant, I had severe morning sickness beginning in my second month. Month one, I was so hungry I couldn't get enough to eat. I started at 110 pounds and was 120 after that first month. Then I started getting sick. I dropped to 102 pounds, stayed there until my third trimester, where I ballooned up to 155 pounds in three months. The morning sickness lessened, though continued right into the delivery room.

Many women never experience a second of morning sickness. Many have it only in the first trimester. Some women gain gobs of weight, no matter what they do. Some looklike they're carrying triplets with only one baby while others barely show at all.

All due to hormones, yet we're all going through the exact same process. BC is the same basic thing, but artificial.

So your hormonal changes made you hungrier, which made you eat more, which made you gain weight.

Interesting!

For someone who seems to be very adamant about objectivity and logic, I'd hope you take a second to realize you seem to be addressing only the one or two people who you claimed to be illogical yourself. It's apparent this has become less of a crusade for science and more of a, "Let me keep fighting the people I invested time fighting with."

Plus, you can't exactly discredit anecdotal stories on one hand then use someone's anecdotal evidence on another as evidence.

rml_16

Here's a scenario that might help people understand how hormones affect different women differently:

When I was pregnant, I had severe morning sickness beginning in my second month. Month one, I was so hungry I couldn't get enough to eat. I started at 110 pounds and was 120 after that first month. Then I started getting sick. I dropped to 102 pounds, stayed there until my third trimester, where I ballooned up to 155 pounds in three months. The morning sickness lessened, though continued right into the delivery room.

Many women never experience a second of morning sickness. Many have it only in the first trimester. Some women gain gobs of weight, no matter what they do. Some looklike they're carrying triplets with only one baby while others barely show at all.

All due to hormones, yet we're all going through the exact same process. BC is the same basic thing, but artificial.

So your hormonal changes made you hungrier, which made you eat more, which made you gain weight.

Interesting!

In this case, yes. I never said BC doesn't cause some women to feel hungrier. I said it affects different women differently, just as BC does.

I was on several different BC pills for 13 years, then Mirena for three. Neither caused an increase in appetite and I had no weight issues on the pill. On Mirena, I gained 25 pounds and could not lose it, no matter what I tried. And I tried everything.

Mirena contains the same hormone that is in the Depo shot.

jonnythan

Here's a scenario that might help people understand how hormones affect different women differently:

When I was pregnant, I had severe morning sickness beginning in my second month. Month one, I was so hungry I couldn't get enough to eat. I started at 110 pounds and was 120 after that first month. Then I started getting sick. I dropped to 102 pounds, stayed there until my third trimester, where I ballooned up to 155 pounds in three months. The morning sickness lessened, though continued right into the delivery room.

Many women never experience a second of morning sickness. Many have it only in the first trimester. Some women gain gobs of weight, no matter what they do. Some looklike they're carrying triplets with only one baby while others barely show at all.

All due to hormones, yet we're all going through the exact same process. BC is the same basic thing, but artificial.

So your hormonal changes made you hungrier, which made you eat more, which made you gain weight.

Interesting!

In this case, yes. I never said BC doesn't cause some women to feel hungrier. I said it affects different women differently, just as BC does.

I was on several different BC pills for 13 years, then Mirena for three. Neither caused an increase in appetite and I had no weight issues on the pill. On Mirena, I gained 25 pounds and could not lose it, no matter what I tried. And I tried everything.

Mirena contains the same hormone that is in the Depo shot.

And your personal experience with Mirena, and not any scientific evidence, is what has formed your current opinion about Depo.

Many of your claims about the shot are either unsupported or impossible to establish. Period, end of.

arains89

I can't pretend to have any scientific knowledge but I am among the MANY other women who were told by a DOCTOR that Depo Provera does not cause weight gain in and of itself. It can increase appetite and cravings which leads to overeating and therefore weight gain but as long as you have self control you should be fine. Well I get my 4th shot next month and I have lost 23 pounds. I am sure there are many different experiences but I trust my doctor and I have had no issues. Also, if you are doing 1-3 hours of straight cardio everyday and only eating 1100 calories than you should probably eat more... Just sayin'

luulu1999

I have been on Depo for years and years and years....I have not had any problems losing since I decided to go for it...i don't know if its because I have been on it so long or what

StarChanger

Ok, I've been trying to stay out of this because I *AM* an expert, and try to not let my scientific and medical training in my field influence people whom I do not have a personal / professional relationship, but I HAVE to stop this ridiculousness.

rml_16 you have a very, VERY biased opinion based on personal experiences pertaining to yourself and people you know...and you are discrediting everyone on this tread who doesn't side with you...including men. Just because someone has not taken birth control does NOT mean they can't have an opinion or educated comment about it.

Depo Provera can and does cause MINOR weight gain in clinical trails. Bear in mind that in the clinical trials, the patients were NOT on a specific diet and no other parameters were studied. They got a shot, they came back in a set amount of time, and they were weighed (among other parameters).. Some of them gained weight....some gained a LOT. Some even got PREGNANT! Gasp!!!! Some had other complications. Also, most of the clinical trials for ALL birth controls were performed on women who weighed less than 200lbs. Now, with the "obesity epidemic", the trials need to be revisited.So, yes, there were many different outcomes and the bottom line is that ....

EVERYONE RESPONDS TO HORMONES DIFFERENTLY!

As you may have noticed, quite a few women have LOST a significant amount of weight while on Depo or other hormonal birth control. Just because YOU didn't...or your girlfriend....or your cousin's aunt sally's daughter.....doesn't mean that other people won't. Depo Provera is a great, highly effective form of birth control for MILLIONS of women around the world. Just because you don't like it, doesn't make it so.

And it makes MOST women gain much less weight (and KILLS them much less frequently!) than PREGNANCY.

Big picture, ladies. Big picture.


The bottom line is that birth control needs to be individualized. Personally, I didn't do well with Depo Provera....it made me "gain weight"....however, I now acknowledge that it just increased my appetite and I just had no self control. I now have my second Mirena IUD. Same hormone, with little to no systemic absorption. GREAT birth control / bleeding control.

BTW, for those saying your IUD made you bleed for 4-5 months, etc....that was a lack of education on the part of your provider. That bleeding is NORMAL, EXPECTED, and exactly how the device works! It makes you shed your endometrial lining until your body quits trying to grow it in. MOST (not all!) women actually quit having regular periods after 6-12 months on the Mirena. If you took it out prior to that, you cheated yourself out of, arguably, the best birth control out there (it's protects from endometrial cancer as well).

Spinderella95, MD
Ob/Gyn

rml_16

EVERYONE RESPONDS TO HORMONES DIFFERENTLY!

As you may have noticed, quite a few women have LOST a significant amount of weight while on Depo or other hormonal birth control. Just because YOU didn't...or your girlfriend....or your cousin's aunt sally's daughter.....doesn't mean that other people won't. Depo Provera is a great, highly effective form of birth control for MILLIONS of women around the world. Just because you don't like it, doesn't make it so.

Um, that's exactly what I've been saying through this entire thread.