have any of you took the depo shot???? HELP!!

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  • littlesis412
    littlesis412 Posts: 314 Member
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    I've been on it for about a year. I gained weight because I started living with my boyfriend and eating crap. I hate the other side effects of depo. But it's the most convenient form for me because I did NOT react well with pills. Mood swings like you've never heard of. Anyways, I haven't had trouble losing the weight when I stick to MFP. (I took an extended Christmas holiday and now have to extend my pants.)
  • suztheq
    suztheq Posts: 171
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    I've never been on Depo provera, but I was on Lupron Depo for 18 months (not the 6 that the FDA recommends). It's fairly similar to Depo provera as it stops your cycle. It also puts your body into chemical menopause. I read what seemed like a million horror stories online about it. Weight gain was a constant complaint. So while I was on it, I really kept my diet in check. Lots of veggies, complex carbs and lean protein. Lots of water. I managed to not gain anything the whole time I was on it, but it was hard. Other than the hot flashes and a little more acne, it was worth it. You may want to ask your OBGYN about taking a pill continuously. It doesn't have to be one "designed" for it. Apparently, it can be any of them as long as they are monophasil (one steady dose). I'm on a very low dose pill and I just skip the iron pills. Not such a huge dose of hormones, so my weight and my endometriosis both stay in check. Hope you find the answers you need.
  • Jhillian
    Jhillian Posts: 185 Member
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    I went on Dep from the age of 13-17 and never gained a pound. Then I had 3 children and have obviously gained weight with them only about 20lbs. Now I am back on Depo (I never can take a pill why I had kids) and am currently losing weight and have had no problems. And I'm not overly active (I work as a PSW so run around a lot at work) and playing with my kids but I haven't had any issues with Depo and weight gain :)
  • SerenityGelsinger
    SerenityGelsinger Posts: 80 Member
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    I was on it for a few years and gained tons of weight. It also really screwed up my system. That's just my personal experience.
  • 29jaz
    29jaz Posts: 4
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    Yes i took it many years ago and i really packed on the weight also
  • MLgarcia3
    MLgarcia3 Posts: 503
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    I was on it in 2010 when I decided to lose weight.. I monitored my calories and never gained! Lost all the weight I had intended to :-) I really didn't even feel the increased appetite.. BUT I didn't like all the other side effects, so I switched to Yasmin and love it.
  • valerietoxii
    valerietoxii Posts: 93 Member
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    I gained 30lbs and got pregnant on it. twice. I will never ever ever do that again. IUD is the only way for me.
  • mixedfeelings
    mixedfeelings Posts: 904 Member
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    I had it about ten years ago, I gained weight and I wouldn't stop bleeding. Had an IUD put in recently and have not had as bad side effects., I also had stents put in but to block a couple of arteries feeding a tumour in my kidney, haven't noticed any weight gain from that.
  • Atate66
    Atate66 Posts: 4
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    As with ANY birth control- it CAN make you gain weight. I work in a OBGYN office and I can say that we have alot of patients on the DEPO that do very well. No weight gain, no problems. If you continue to eat right and excersise I don't forsee you gaining that much. However, if you do notice alot of weight gain, then talk to your GYN doctor and they can switch your form of birth control.

    I work in an OB/GYN office also, and I agree. Talk to your GYN. Everyone's body is different. What might be right for one, may not be right for you.
  • Sepheara
    Sepheara Posts: 208 Member
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    I've been on the depo-provera for a few years. I did gain about 50 pounds, but it was really my own fauly. My doctor warned me that I would have an increased appetite and I didn't listen and went about snacking on junk all the time.

    Since cleaning up my diet and cutting back on snacking, and joining the gym I've been losing inches. I'm not sure about pounds as I threw out my scale so I would nt get demotivated.

    I don't regret my decision as my TOM was bad enough to get me a doctors note out of school/work it was pretty bad. now i have no TOM and feel great. Also I have a horrible memory and don't think I could remember a pill every day (I miss days on my thyroid pills all the time my doctor is always yelling at me to take them when I brush my teeth or something but I still forget). I looked into implanon, but it says it doesn't work well with overweight people, and I refuse to have an IUD, or something like essure. I even was really squeamish about Implanon.

    The Depo can cause bone loss, so I take extra calcium supplements, and watch my nutrients. I guess I'll stay on it till I can get sterilized legally. I think if you don't underestimate the increase in appetite (in the beginning I would chew gum and drink water @ the same time and my body thought I was eating and would leave me alone) there's nothing wrong with it. All birth control has some downside. I wouldn't say you're "Doomed".
  • GB333
    GB333 Posts: 261 Member
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    I was on it for 10 years and did not gain weight. I successfully lost weight while on it, as well. I LOVED it!
  • Reptileszz
    Reptileszz Posts: 47 Member
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    I've been on it for years and weigh less than I did when I started. I work out a lot tho so I can eat what I want. Any birth control says it will cause weight gain. But they are talking about like a pound a year or something. It seems fairly simple to me, you just eat what you ate before and don't eat everything in sight. Weight gain of 50 pounds in one month? That's not the birth control, thats lack of self control.
  • nixhaz
    nixhaz Posts: 4 Member
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    I was on it for a few years, gained a bit of weight due to it making me hungry all the time. Man, it killed my sex drive. Sorry if this is TMI! I ended up having to take testosterone to get my hormones back on track. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, hateful stuff. I have heard it be called chemical castration!

    BTW, if you are thinking of having your tubes tied, have a look at getting endometrial ablation done at the same time, if periods are the problem. I have zero periods now. Before I was in agony for at least 2 weeks of every month. The procedure was painless, no recovery time at all. It is not reversible though, so you really have to be sure you don't want kids!
  • laiya22
    laiya22 Posts: 1
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    I was on depo since March of 2010. Starting weight was about 152. I gained 40 pounds and by June 2011 ( when I finally got off ) I weighed 193. I've never been more than 150-155. Along with weight gain I suffered from severe acne, cysts, pustules, you name it I
    had it. I'm currently 97% acne free and I'm weighed in this morning at 179. Please look into another form of bc. Depo ruined my face and body.
  • peachNpunkin
    peachNpunkin Posts: 1,010 Member
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    Girl, get off of that thing. Talk to your gyn and get her to change it to something else. That shot screwed me up good, for a long time. I gained tons of wt on it.
  • southernyankee716
    southernyankee716 Posts: 201
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    All of the doctors I've had have tried to persuade me towards a different birth-control, noting that I would likely gain weight. Needless to say, I took their advice and went with Mirena- love it! Good luck to you!
  • Jeaniehop
    Jeaniehop Posts: 88 Member
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    I took it as a teenager 10 + years ago and gained 70 pounds in 9 months but my mom was also on it and didn't gain anything I guess it depends on your body.
  • jsmith2377
    jsmith2377 Posts: 208 Member
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    A lot of it depends on your body and how you respond to that particular hormone. I tried depo at 19 and was on it for 9 months. In that time I gained 20 pounds (while playing very competitive college soccer, working out 2-3 hours daily), had horrible acne, and had my period for a month at a time. After my son, I had the same reaction to the mini-pill, which is also progesterone only. My doc said I simply can't handle the hormone and should stay away from it. I had a friend on it for years and she had zero problems.
    Also, be weary of the depo shot. A few years ago, it received a black box warning from the FDA for causing irreversable bone loss in woman after prolonged usage.
  • JenaePavlak
    JenaePavlak Posts: 350 Member
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    I've been on it for 10 years! Depo increases your appetite, so if you can't control it, you will gain weight but with eating right and exercise you can keep it off. I love being on Depo, but I'm now about to switch to an IUD because Depo isn't good for the bones for long periods.. so my doctor and I agree, after ten years, I'm gonna switch..
  • ARMom8251
    ARMom8251 Posts: 194
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    Yes I gained weight on it, a lot more than I wanted to thats for sure, but I also had big trouble losing weight on it as well. Like anything else it affects people differently, but I know that was why I gained weight, and when I stopped taking it I lost the weight I wanted to, but it took a while for that to happen!

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