Depo shot + gaining weight= myth

2

Replies

  • nicole_andan
    nicole_andan Posts: 127
    I am sick and tired of people blaming their birth control for their weight gain. "I was on birth control and I gained Xlbs"

    birth control does NOT cause you to gain weight.

    I think it's quite sad that one woman can be so judgemental about another woman's experiences. Your experience is not the same as another woman's. I don't use birth control any more because I have had really horrible experiences with birth control and weight and / or mood swings. It is not for you to judge me or the millions of other women that have struggled with the side effects of birth control... it is NOT one size fits.

    A real shame that women can't be a bit more supportive of each other.
  • ContraryMaryMary
    ContraryMaryMary Posts: 1,778 Member
    I loved being on depo - I had no side effects and thought not having a period was the best thing ever. I was warned about weight gain but easily lost weight. However my doc took me off it after four years saying that's the maximum amount of time you should be on it as it decreases your bone density. Fortunately I was wanting to get pregnant so it didn't bother me. Having a period again though is a hassle (and expensive).
  • stephaniemejia1671
    stephaniemejia1671 Posts: 482 Member
    I'm on the pill (loestrine) and I was one of those that blamed the pill for the weight gain. What I SHOULD have done was blamed my DIET. I told my doctor who refered me to a nutritionist , who then told me to change my diet. Lol.. So that being said I owe an apology to my pills.
  • pannellkat
    pannellkat Posts: 709 Member
    It made me gain weight when i was younger. 20 lbs. Everyone has different reactions.
  • woodsy0912
    woodsy0912 Posts: 323
    I had terrible experiences with Depo. I gained over 100 pounds the year I was on it. I can't blame it entirely because I was for sure eating/ drinking way more than I should have been, but I feel i would not have gained the weight without the shot.

    It also made my TOM go INSANE for that entire year.

    If I did it again I think I would not gain the weight if I was logging calories. Back when I was on it, I had no idea how to live healthily and would just eat whenever I wanted and whatever I was craving. (THIS is what I blame the Depo for. :laugh: )
  • NanaWubbie
    NanaWubbie Posts: 248 Member
    Be aware of long term Depo Provera use....it can cause osteoporosis. There is a black box warning on the product. Plan on taking it for no more than three years. My insurance company contacted me and told me about the warning, after I had taken it for about 5 years longer than the limit. The damage was already done. Be careful.....

    And you are correct. It is a MYTH that Depo and birth control pills cause weight.
  • kandys
    kandys Posts: 1
    I agree that you have to watch what you eat while you're on it, but I totally disagree that BC doesn't affect your metabolism. The BC pill I was on after I had my first child almost 13 years ago sped up my metabolism because I lost 50 in the 3 months I took it not even trying. I didn't change my diet, and didn't exercise at all.
  • RyanneRose
    RyanneRose Posts: 128 Member
    I gained a few pounds, but a fairly insignificant amount. My issue was it didn't stop my periods...it mad me bleed for a straight 9 months. It took two different types of pills after I stopped it to get me back on track. Arg. It's not all sunshine and roses for everyone. Too bad. I had high hopes.
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
    it doesn't make you gain weight, but it makes you want to eat ALL THE TIME! It's hard when I finish a 600cal meal and know I'm full but still feel hungry. A strange, horrible feeling. I was off contraception for 2 months and now that I'm back on I can really tell a difference.

    Don't start me on the bloating... I'm avoiding gluten as much as possible and no alcohol, yet the bloat has RETURNED! *rages*
  • chellebublz
    chellebublz Posts: 568 Member
    I was on Depo when I was in my early 20s, I gained 40 pounds in a fairly short amount and I did NOT eat more or exercise less. The only new thing was the Depo. It messed my body up completely, took me over a year to get my cycle back and I only took 2 Depo shots before I quit taking them. I never had trouble with my weight before that. NOt saying Depo is some evil fat inducing drug for everyone, just some people gain and some don't, like previous posters said, every body is different. I expereinced the same effect with Mirena IUD. Still in me now and I'm having to fight tooth and nail to lose, I'm doing it, but so painfully slow.
  • skinnytayy
    skinnytayy Posts: 459
    Uhhh I maintained a weight of 150 forever easily ... Moved and shifted into a less active lifestyle. Gained 10lbs and starting controlling how much/what i ate and increased my activity. Got on depo and I know for a fact that my eating/exercise habits did NOT change at all. Still gained weight (57lbs in not even a year). How else would it be possible to gain that much weight in a short period of time for no apparent reason? That's why I'm here losing weight now. Everyone is different and just because you had luck doesn't mean everyone will. Sure, some people use it without any problems but not everyone. & Sure, some people probably do eat more or whatever but again, not everyone. But to be honest, weight gain was the LEAST of my problems with depo but that's a story for another time. Many medications cause weight gain. Weight gain is not always the result of someone being lazy and pigging out.
  • lk227
    lk227 Posts: 28
    Birth control can affect weight. I knew a lot of women who were thin before going on Depo and then they gained a bunch of weight, which went straight to their bellies. I was on Yaz for some months and I got diarrhea and my CRP (inflammation marker) got really high and I lost 20 lbs within a month( weight I was trying to lose for years). I stopped taking it and gained the weight back as quickly as I lost it.
  • SLLeask
    SLLeask Posts: 489 Member
    I gained a few pounds, but a fairly insignificant amount. My issue was it didn't stop my periods...it mad me bleed for a straight 9 months. It took two different types of pills after I stopped it to get me back on track. Arg. It's not all sunshine and roses for everyone. Too bad. I had high hopes.

    I feel your pain. I was on depo when I was younger and it was fab, had it again last October and have been bleeding ever since, sigh...
  • beckslite
    beckslite Posts: 125 Member
    "Hormonal birth control is often associated with weight gain. According to the Mayo Clinic,*** however; hormonal birth control doesn't actually cause weight gain. Instead, it causes you to temporarily retain water, which makes you feel like you've gained weight. It can also increase appetite in some women, which leads to weight gain, but this isn't true for all women.*** The University of Illinois McKinley Health Center reports that women gain an average of 3.5 pounds within the first year of using the Depo Provera shot and eight pounds total after the second year. Although some women do gain weight on the shot, it doesn't have to be the case for you. With a few tweaks of your daily routine, you can lose weight on the Depo shot."

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/99811-lose-weight-depo-shot/#ixzz2Rc6Ux0Vq

    Thanks so much for quoting evidence. Yes I agree it increases appetite which results can result in weight gain. Again everyone is different and ALL drugs can affect people differently. FACT. Just look at the side effects listed on a drug and you'd be amazed. In my experience I DID gain weight, and it wasn't due to excessive eating, I had just lost about 3 stones, and was going the gym. Having an increased appetite is simply not nothing. It's extremely hard to live with. For those who are not affected that's great. But not all people are the same. Except it. We should all be supporting each other, not getting on at each other.

    Example of a side effect. I lost my hearing on one side permanently due to an antibiotic. Anyone else have this side effect? I don't know anyone who this has happened too.

    Loads of people I know personally gain weight and loads don't. Accept that we are all different. Not everyone is lucky enough to go without side effects.
  • Mtleiker
    Mtleiker Posts: 160
    Be aware of long term Depo Provera use....it can cause osteoporosis. There is a black box warning on the product. Plan on taking it for no more than three years. My insurance company contacted me and told me about the warning, after I had taken it for about 5 years longer than the limit. The damage was already done. Be careful.....

    And you are correct. It is a MYTH that Depo and birth control pills cause weight.
    Thts great info some people may not hav known tht. I know tht osteoporosis develops in ur seventies and eighties commonly. My sisters on depo and she just got off it at 4 years. She lives a very healthy life and she's very young. When ur on the depo to protect ur bones( which is something I do) exercise daily, have calcium in ur diet, most of all be in the sun for AtLEaSt 10 minutes out of the day so u can get some vitamin D . Without tht vitamin D from the sun ur body can't absorb calcium thts needed for ur bones. I walk my dogs daily and strength train which is highly essential for good bone health. I wanna take it till I decide to have children then I think I'll be done w it.
  • Mtleiker
    Mtleiker Posts: 160
    "Hormonal birth control is often associated with weight gain. According to the Mayo Clinic,*** however; hormonal birth control doesn't actually cause weight gain. Instead, it causes you to temporarily retain water, which makes you feel like you've gained weight. It can also increase appetite in some women, which leads to weight gain, but this isn't true for all women.*** The University of Illinois McKinley Health Center reports that women gain an average of 3.5 pounds within the first year of using the Depo Provera shot and eight pounds total after the second year. Although some women do gain weight on the shot, it doesn't have to be the case for you. With a few tweaks of your daily routine, you can lose weight on the Depo shot."

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/99811-lose-weight-depo-shot/#ixzz2Rc6Ux0Vq

    Thanks so much for quoting evidence. Yes I agree it increases appetite which results can result in weight gain. Again everyone is different and ALL drugs can affect people differently. FACT. Just look at the side effects listed on a drug and you'd be amazed. In my experience I DID gain weight, and it wasn't due to excessive eating, I had just lost about 3 stones, and was going the gym. Having an increased appetite is simply not nothing. It's extremely hard to live with. For those who are not affected that's great. But not all people are the same. Except it. We should all be supporting each other, not getting on at each other.

    Example of a side effect. I lost my hearing on one side permanently due to an antibiotic. Anyone else have this side effect? I don't know anyone who this has happened too.

    Loads of people I know personally gain weight and loads don't. Accept that we are all different. Not everyone is lucky enough to go without side effects.
    I agree we all tolerate tht one side effect differently. The first month was soooo difficult for me because the cravings were insane! I ate what I pleased tht first month but by the end of the month I realized the self control I needed to create if I WANTED to be on it. I'm not saying its impossible to gain weight because of the cravings . I'm saying tht unless u are the age of puberty where ur hormones are already raging, an older age of slower metabolism or have an otherwise underlying abnormality, it is not impossible to lose weight or maintain it. Some people may want to try it but we're too scared n thts who this thread is for. I did it , I faught past the cravings(which was hard the first month) but now I'm successfully losing weight. And thts my " personal experience" along with tht of my two older sisters. They have a different father then me so our genetics are not all the same and we all did well on it. So " if u want to try it but were afraid. If ur already an average healthy person , it's possible. If u don't like it , stop it. Make sure to live healthy on any contraceptive u decide to take
  • Missellaneous02
    Missellaneous02 Posts: 70 Member
    I gained a few pounds, but a fairly insignificant amount. My issue was it didn't stop my periods...it mad me bleed for a straight 9 months. It took two different types of pills after I stopped it to get me back on track. Arg. It's not all sunshine and roses for everyone. Too bad. I had high hopes.

    I feel your pain. I was on depo when I was younger and it was fab, had it again last October and have been bleeding ever since, sigh...

    This actually happened to me when I got off of it. I bled lightly for 2 months straight, it was awful!!
  • beckslite
    beckslite Posts: 125 Member
    You are lucky if your cravings only lasted a month. Mine lasted the whole time I was on it. It was he'll. that's no way to live. Again everyone is different, so it's not just about puberty, but that is a factor. I have a lifelong medical prob with my hormones, and I'm difinetly past puberty. So basically it can affect anyone at any age. Oh and I have tried it twice and both times I piled the weight on. Birth control doesn't suit me. I learnt that from my own personal experience, and I did put weight on because of it. I will admit the first time I was on it I had little money and didn't really focus on dieting and exercise. But the second time I was already dieting and exercising. And I still put the weight on. For those who are afraid to try it, the key thing to remember is that everybody is different and you don't know how things will work out for you until you have tried it.:)
  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,710 Member
    depo made men smell so repulsive to me that i loathed them and wanted them all to die.
    i quite taking it and soon reverted back to normal.

    100% effective as a contraceptive.
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    "Hormonal birth control is often associated with weight gain. According to the Mayo Clinic,*** however; hormonal birth control doesn't actually cause weight gain. Instead, it causes you to temporarily retain water, which makes you feel like you've gained weight. It can also increase appetite in some women, which leads to weight gain, but this isn't true for all women.*** The University of Illinois McKinley Health Center reports that women gain an average of 3.5 pounds within the first year of using the Depo Provera shot and eight pounds total after the second year. Although some women do gain weight on the shot, it doesn't have to be the case for you. With a few tweaks of your daily routine, you can lose weight on the Depo shot."

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/99811-lose-weight-depo-shot/#ixzz2Rc6Ux0Vq

    Thanks so much for quoting evidence. Yes I agree it increases appetite which results can result in weight gain. Again everyone is different and ALL drugs can affect people differently. FACT. Just look at the side effects listed on a drug and you'd be amazed. In my experience I DID gain weight, and it wasn't due to excessive eating, I had just lost about 3 stones, and was going the gym. Having an increased appetite is simply not nothing. It's extremely hard to live with. For those who are not affected that's great. But not all people are the same. Except it. We should all be supporting each other, not getting on at each other.

    Example of a side effect. I lost my hearing on one side permanently due to an antibiotic. Anyone else have this side effect? I don't know anyone who this has happened too.

    Loads of people I know personally gain weight and loads don't. Accept that we are all different. Not everyone is lucky enough to go without side effects.

    yes it is a known side effect of certain classes of antibiotics to cause hearing loss. its called ototoxicity.
  • Radface
    Radface Posts: 7 Member
    I definitely believe that the hormones themselves don't directly cause your body to gain weight, yeah.

    BUT the depo shot in particular made me absolutely insane/depressed! A few weeks after the first dose I was back in the doctor's office begging them for any way to "get it out of me". :P That kind of stressful context can make it REALLY hard to maintain a good diet/exercise plan; I gained pretty significantly for the first time in years during those couple of months.

    That being said, it definitely affects everyone differently! I'm personally SO thankful for my Paragard <3
  • suznut8
    suznut8 Posts: 28
    The depo injection made me crazy!!
    I only had one shot last October and that was enough, I did not want any more.
    Although people say it does not make you gain weight, i didn't change anything with my diet and exercise regime and i gained 7lbs outta nowhere.
    Everyone is different and it will affect everyone differently.
    I wouldn't go back on it even if you paid me!!!
  • Hopelessone
    Hopelessone Posts: 270 Member
    I am sick and tired of people blaming their birth control for their weight gain. "I was on birth control and I gained Xlbs"

    birth control does NOT cause you to gain weight.

    Actually, when I was 14 and weighed only 98 pounds, my doctor asked my mom to put me on the pill to help me gain weight. I did gain weight but not too much, about 15 pounds, so as many of us have stated, everyone is different AND my DOCTOR perscribed it for WEIGHT GAIN!.
  • paintlisapurple
    paintlisapurple Posts: 982 Member
    I dunno about the science of it, but depo caused a lot of problems in my body. I had a year long period, the most awful acne of my LIFE aaaannnnnnnnd I gained weight while taking it. Thank heaven I don't have to worry about that anymore.
  • hdawn71082
    hdawn71082 Posts: 1 Member
    Actually you should do your research. I work in Family practice medicine and studies show that you will on average gain 11 pounds in 2 years. Maybe you were just lucky. Just because you did not gain the weight does not mean this is a rumor . My OB/GYN's office weigh patient @ every injection to make sure they are staying healthy.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    Depo provera is my favorite birth control. I have tried a few, but this one works with my body chemistry the best. My moods are much more level than when I'm not on it, and I'm less prone to anxiety attacks. I do not blame the shot for my weight gain. Actually quite the opposite; my weight gains can be directly tracked to times I wasn't on the shot. Specifically, when I was trying to get pregnant and while pregnant.

    Everyone is different. Otherwise, there would not be so many different versions of contraception on the market.
  • jazzydanny20
    jazzydanny20 Posts: 2
    Im 23 and by exercise eating right and watching everything I ate didn't prevent me from gaining any weight on the depo literally lost 10 pounds by getting off.it is not a myth the depo kicked my *kitten*
  • thepinkleprechaun
    thepinkleprechaun Posts: 23
    Bull****. I got the Depo shot when I was 16, had always been slim and athletic. Gained THIRTY POUNDS in the three months I was on it. Also had tons of other hellish symptoms.

    It's not worth putting that kind of poison in your body, especially if you have no idea how you'll react to it and it's not like you can just...stop taking it. You're in it for the full 3 months, plus after effects if there are any. There are plenty of other forms of birth control available.
  • AbbeyDove
    AbbeyDove Posts: 317 Member
    It's possible there might be a bit of individual variance to this. I'm glad you didn't experience a major weight gain, though! It's interesting to hear your experience.
  • youdontknowwhatyousaw
    youdontknowwhatyousaw Posts: 221 Member
    Depo didn't make me gain weight, per se, what it did was turn on my "I'm Hungry" switch and it would never turn off. Not only did I always feel hungry, no matter how much I ate I never felt full. So I gained weight because I wasn't paying attention to what I ate, how much I ate or how often I was eating. Depo definitely increased my appetite to unmanageable levels, but, it did not shovel the food in to my mouth, I did that part all on my own.

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