Depo Provera Weight Gain .. Help?
Lizchan
Posts: 60 Member
http://www.steadyhealth.com/how_soon_do_you_lose_weight_after_going_of_depo_provera__t56048.html
Now please stop telling me to go to a therapist, those of you that read my previous posts... I am. But see, this happened to other people, too. I am not the only one.
I have gained a lot of weight that I just cannot seem to lose no matter WHAT I do! That is why I am resorting to diet pills.
I have went to so many doctors only to be told that they don't know why this is happening and that I am eating right and exercising, so I should be losing weight. They say I am perfectly healthy other than my weight right now. However, they said that I will pay for it if I stay this size. That I have to lose the weight so that I do not get diabetes, cancer and such like the rest of my family. They got it when they became overweight from overeating horribly.
This has happened to others, you see!
Women -- DO NOT TAKE DEPO PROVERA.
Thank you for those of you who took a look at this and who may even have some answers.
Now please stop telling me to go to a therapist, those of you that read my previous posts... I am. But see, this happened to other people, too. I am not the only one.
I have gained a lot of weight that I just cannot seem to lose no matter WHAT I do! That is why I am resorting to diet pills.
I have went to so many doctors only to be told that they don't know why this is happening and that I am eating right and exercising, so I should be losing weight. They say I am perfectly healthy other than my weight right now. However, they said that I will pay for it if I stay this size. That I have to lose the weight so that I do not get diabetes, cancer and such like the rest of my family. They got it when they became overweight from overeating horribly.
This has happened to others, you see!
Women -- DO NOT TAKE DEPO PROVERA.
Thank you for those of you who took a look at this and who may even have some answers.
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Replies
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I gained weight while on depo provera too...and had other medical conditions. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 21 years old, and my doctor believes it was due to the depo provera! Please consult with your doctors about what is best for you before taking this medication.0
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I, too, gain quite a bit of weight after starting on Depo Provera. After I stopped I was able to lose weight doing Atkins but I know the regain was due to stresses in my life that I had no control over.
But, yes, there can be significant weight gain while on Depo. I had a girl friend who also put on weight after starting on Depo. And I agree, unless that is your only option, don't go on Depo Provera....find some other form of birth control....especially one that doesn't totally whack out your hormones like that!0 -
I don't know one person who has taken Depo without side effects... Yucko, sorry you all are dealing with them
Next month I'm getting off birth control entirely and switching to the Fertility Awareness Method... I'm really excited to get this hormonal shiz out of my system! Any women who are on birth control for non-medical reasons (i.e., you are on BC for contraceptive purposes only!) and who are sick of having side effects, you should check it out... look up the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility on amazon.com or something. I got it yesterday and I'm already on Chapter 6!! Good stuff in there!!
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I gained weight while on depo provera too...and had other medical conditions. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 21 years old, and my doctor believes it was due to the depo provera! Please consult with your doctors about what is best for you before taking this medication.
Aww... wow... I am so sorry to hear about your cancer... I hope you will get well soon. Please be okay. 0 -
I, too, gain quite a bit of weight after starting on Depo Provera. After I stopped I was able to lose weight doing Atkins but I know the regain was due to stresses in my life that I had no control over.
But, yes, there can be significant weight gain while on Depo. I had a girl friend who also put on weight after starting on Depo. And I agree, unless that is your only option, don't go on Depo Provera....find some other form of birth control....especially one that doesn't totally whack out your hormones like that!
I am sorry to hear of you suffering from this, too... no one who lives around me believes me about it...0 -
I started on the depo when i was 16 by the time i came off it at 18 i had gone from 60kg to 70kg...i was never able to loose that weight it just didnt seem to budge no matter what i did. Then i got pregnant with my daughter and it all went down hill from there (weight wise). stupid depo.0
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I'm sorry no one around you believes it. If I hadn't seen it on myself and my girlfriend I might not have believed it myself. I was on Depo from 1995-1998. I saw my doctor Dec of 1998 and told her then I no longer wanted to be on DP. After that time my husband and I just used other methods of contraception (never got pregnant) and it was then that I found I was able to lose some weight. I believe that I will never get to my pre-birth control weight, but I will be happy if I can reach my goal weight of 130 lbs.
The other thing I notice with Depo is that after stopping it, my periods actually became more intense. I never really had a lot of pain or cramping before but in the past 12 years I find that the first day or two is sometimes unbearable. I also have a lot of hot/cold flashes during that first day or two and NEVER experienced anything like this the entire time growing up. I'm only 37 and there is no history of early menopause in my family. I have two older sisters who haven't gone through the change and my mom didn't until she was into her 50s. (She is 73 now.)
I hope you are able to find a doctor who can really help you out with this. It is frustrating when no one believes you about something you KNOW is happening. Hang in there!0 -
I never used it but the friends I knew who were on it gained weight, and grew facial hair . One even had a section of her hair to become weak /brittle and broke off.
Sorry this is happening to you !0 -
Did someone actually tell you Depo doesn't lead to weight gain?0
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I don't know one person who has taken Depo without side effects... Yucko, sorry you all are dealing with them
Next month I'm getting off birth control entirely and switching to the Fertility Awareness Method... I'm really excited to get this hormonal shiz out of my system! Any women who are on birth control for non-medical reasons (i.e., you are on BC for contraceptive purposes only!) and who are sick of having side effects, you should check it out... look up the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility on amazon.com or something. I got it yesterday and I'm already on Chapter 6!! Good stuff in there!!
My best friend's mother used that method. My best friend has three siblings. None planned.0 -
My doctor put me on depo (for just 6 months) after I had surgery for my endometriosis in 2005. Gained wait, was a raging ***** and guess what - 6 years later, I'm in just as much pain as before the surgery. The weight never came off. That's what I'm working on now.
Best of luck to you...0 -
I guess I'll present another side of the argument. I'm on Depo right now and previously tried two different birth controls. I did gain weight with all of them but now that I'm on here the weight is coming off. So far the only problems I've seen in loss are when I don't eat well. Depo has actually made my moods BETTER while the other two BCs made me depressed or a raging B. In all I have a love/hate relation with Depo because of the side effects (something that kills your libido is definitely a great birth control :grumble: ) But everyone is different. Have you considered other BCs? There may be something out there better for you. I do believe you when you say depo is causing problems for you. It sucks that other people give you flak. So, I guess I wanted to say there is hope and good luck with your journey!0
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I don't know one person who has taken Depo without side effects... Yucko, sorry you all are dealing with them
Next month I'm getting off birth control entirely and switching to the Fertility Awareness Method... I'm really excited to get this hormonal shiz out of my system! Any women who are on birth control for non-medical reasons (i.e., you are on BC for contraceptive purposes only!) and who are sick of having side effects, you should check it out... look up the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility on amazon.com or something. I got it yesterday and I'm already on Chapter 6!! Good stuff in there!!
My best friend's mother used that method. My best friend has three siblings. None planned.
You sure it was that method? because it's different than the so-called "Rhythm Method," which does not work at all.0 -
I too gained weight when I was on depo, thankfully after one year my doc said I gained too much weight & took me off it. That was several years ago and I was able to drop the weight after I was off.0
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Did someone actually tell you Depo doesn't lead to weight gain?
The doctors said the weight gain would be very small, if any. They were lying... 'cus there are a looootttttt of people I know with this now that I've said something about it. 0 -
I am sorry that you are having these issues. I agree with some of the other posters though, you should try other forms of BC. Trust me when I say I have played musical pills with BC. Have you ever seen an endocrinologist? They can do a full hormone workup to see if there is another underlying issue with your weight gain. I had trouble with weight since I was 16 and just last year i found out I have PCOS. Get a second opinion if the doctor you are seeing is not helpful. Find someone who can really assess your issues. Hope everything gets better!0
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Did someone actually tell you Depo doesn't lead to weight gain?
The doctors said the weight gain would be very small, if any. They were lying... 'cus there are a looootttttt of people I know with this now that I've said something about it.
You need new doctors. As long as there has been Depo, it has been known as a major side effect that it causes weight gain and makes it difficult to keep it off. It doesn't happen to everyone and my BFF actually LOST weight on it (she maintained a size 2 the entire time she was on it, but without it, she's a bit larger). So maybe by percentages, where you factor in those who lose and those who don't gain or lose, it comes to a small amount. But the people who have the side effect of gaining gain a LOT!
Not to mention the bone loss, early menopause and lumps in breasts that it causes. Something like 40% of people who use it experience the negative side effects. It's an awful BC method and you couldn't pay me to go on it, knowing what I know.0 -
i've been on depo for 1.5 yrs - i run approx 25 miles a week....swim w/a master group approx 3-4 days a week & work out at the gym 3-4 times a week. I eat approx 1200-1500 calories a day (on this site - it kept saying i was under my caloric needs). anyway - i haven't gained a ton of weight per se - but i've gained FAT - a layer of it - all over my body...i exercise enough that that should not happen.
When i talked to my dr about my concerns w/weight/fat gain (as i race a lot so unhealthy for me to carrying extra weight/fat) - he told me i was OCD....so when i told him maybe we should check my hormone levels as prior to depo - i had every symptom of estrogen dominance - he told me 'i don't ascribe to suzanne sommers books'. needless to say - i am now going to a new dr & she is NOT a fan of depo & gets my frustration (i explained to her my lifestyle - she said i should absolutely not be gaining fat w/my regime).
anyhoo - the first 3 rounds of depo were interesting - 6 weeks of instant weight loss then 6 weeks of bleeding & weight gain....get a shot - 6 weeks of instant weight loss then 6 weeks of bleeding & weight gain. on the 4th cycle - i suddenly gained approx 20 lbs of all fat (lean body be gone). I've managed to lose 10 lbs of the gain - but am struggling w/the last 10. i have 6 more weeks (yes i started bleeding on sunday - just like clockwork & have been every day since) til the depo is 'gone' then i'm working w/my new dr to get me straightened out.
i'm worried about the length of time it will take me to lose this fat...but am excited to think that by x-mas - i may possible be my lean old self....
hope this helps - by the way - i 100% blame the depo!0 -
I know this post is a little old but I had to comment. I started depo Jan 2012 at 37 year's old. I had taken it for 3 year's in my 20's and didn't gain an ounce. In Jan 2012 I weighed 157, a great weight for someone that's 5' 11". Today I weigh 200 pounds. I gained 43 pounds in the past year. I've tried dieting and really sticking to it. Some weeks I loose other weeks I gain. I am getting nowhere. I am overweight for the first time in my life and very frustrated. I mentioned to my doctor that I have no idea how I gained so much weight as my lifestyle has not changed and she said women typically gain 25 - 45 pounds the first year you are on the depo. I don't really want to stop using it as I find it to be a very convenient firm of birth control (I already have 2 kids that are long out of the baby stage) and I certainly don't miss the periods, but the weight gain is driving me insane. I'm actually starting to think that I could eat nothing at all and still gain weight! You are not crazy and you certainly not alone in the weight war with depo proverb.0
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My daughter just started on this yesterday... I need to do some research for her..Thanks for sharing0
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All I can tell you is we educate our clients forcefully and constantly about eating correctly and exercise before they start even using it. Also, our physicians have mentioned this issue has been mainly with USA not other countries and/or the weight gain is not as much. We try and tell them if they gain more then then 3lbs in the 12 weeks to next one may want to consider another method.
Don't despair there are plenty other methods that work fine.0 -
I was thinking of switching to Depo for the convenience of once every 3/months. But my doc actually told me, with no prompting from me, that one of the major side effects is a lot of weight gain. So I never did it.0
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Birth control is just as personal as running shoes. There is nothing that works for everyone. I've been on Depo for years and have never gained weight or had trouble losing. It has been nothing short of miraculous for me The pill, on the other hand, made me horribly depressed. My doctor was upfront about the fact that increased appetite is a common side effect of Depo, but it never materialized for me. It will be different for everyone. Please, don't stop/start a certain form of BC based on the opinions of strangers on the internet.0
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I have been on and off Depo for 8 years now, my advice...STAY AWAY!
First off the weight gain, to combat what some others have said, no matter how much you exercise and how well you stick to a diet plan you will still gain weight. The idea of depo like other bc's is to trick your body into thinking it is pregnant, thus it tends to hold on to calories a bit longer and makes it harder to burn because it is saving them for the baby. I gained 40 lbs and it is taking me forever to lose it. As well, you gain a lot of weight in your midsection and in strange places, its just overall a crap shoot of side effects not worth it.
Second is the chemical changes it has on your body. Many women experience mood changes and depression with it because of the intense hormone dose. I had a bit of mood changes but mainly mine was lack of energy, I didn't want to do anything and couldn't get out of bed. I was overloaded with hormones and my body moved to a slow crawl.
Lastly, I hadn't had a period on depo shot as long as I was on it, and then the past two times I stopped the shot, it took me one time 9 months to regain and previously one year and two months. The problem here is that as your body is coming off the shot you will experience sever pregnancy symptoms such as breast tenderness for a long period of time, cramping, maybe spotting, extremem tiredness, etc. So while these symptoms carry on for months, you still don't get your period and if you are like me, constantly think you are pregnant and spend hundreds on pregnancy tests each month.
My advice is for overall health and wellness......Dont do it!!0 -
Birth control is just as personal as running shoes. There is nothing that works for everyone. I've been on Depo for years and have never gained weight or had trouble losing. It has been nothing short of miraculous for me The pill, on the other hand, made me horribly depressed. My doctor was upfront about the fact that increased appetite is a common side effect of Depo, but it never materialized for me. It will be different for everyone. Please, don't stop/start a certain form of BC based on the opinions of strangers on the internet.0
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i can't believe they still prescripe depo...have they changed the formula?
2 doctors refused to prescribe me a refill, i had taken it for over 2 years. i realized that if they are refusing, i should probably just not use it.0 -
Ugh. Yeah, Depo has the absolute highest number of risk factors of any birth control method (barring surgery). If you don't want something to remember (like the pill), you'd be better off with an IUD, although that comes with its own risks--just not as many as depo. The Ring might be a happy medium--fewer risks, leave it for 3 weeks at a time, only "messing with it" twice a month (put it in once, take it out once).0
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this has been really interesting - I've been on depo for a couple of years & gained over 2 stone, although I have now lost almost a stone of it (and my diet is generally pretty bad, far too much junk), so I put it down to my metabolism slowing down as I got older. I did mention it to my doctor, but as I've always had trouble sticking to diets for any long period of time, didn't think too much of it. The problem is, I do love not having periods, so don't particularly want to go back on the pill. I think I'll mention it next time & have a chat about alternative methods!
thanks very much for all the info0 -
I guess I'll present another side of the argument. I'm on Depo right now and previously tried two different birth controls. I did gain weight with all of them but now that I'm on here the weight is coming off. So far the only problems I've seen in loss are when I don't eat well. Depo has actually made my moods BETTER while the other two BCs made me depressed or a raging B. In all I have a love/hate relation with Depo because of the side effects (something that kills your libido is definitely a great birth control :grumble: ) But everyone is different. Have you considered other BCs? There may be something out there better for you. I do believe you when you say depo is causing problems for you. It sucks that other people give you flak. So, I guess I wanted to say there is hope and good luck with your journey!
^^^Pretty much agree with what she said. I've been on it for around 4 years now, initially gained weight (maybe 10lbs at most) but I haven't had any problem with losing while eating right and working out. A friend of mine has also been on it for a while, I never saw any negative side effects with her either- she actually recommended it to me. I didn't realize it had such bad side effects on some people :ohwell:0 -
I guess I'll present another side of the argument. I'm on Depo right now and previously tried two different birth controls. I did gain weight with all of them but now that I'm on here the weight is coming off. So far the only problems I've seen in loss are when I don't eat well. Depo has actually made my moods BETTER while the other two BCs made me depressed or a raging B. In all I have a love/hate relation with Depo because of the side effects (something that kills your libido is definitely a great birth control :grumble: ) But everyone is different. Have you considered other BCs? There may be something out there better for you. I do believe you when you say depo is causing problems for you. It sucks that other people give you flak. So, I guess I wanted to say there is hope and good luck with your journey!
^^^Pretty much agree with what she said. I've been on it for around 4 years now, initially gained weight (maybe 10lbs at most) but I haven't had any problem with losing while eating right and working out. A friend of mine has also been on it for a while, I never saw any negative side effects with her either- she actually recommended it to me. I didn't realize it had such bad side effects on some people :ohwell:
it deteriorates your bone density....0
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