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

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  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    But she could still be right.

    If you Google 'depo shot weight gain' you'll find HUNDREDS of posts from women all across the world who are struggling with the same thing. If you KNOW you are eating within your calories, and using MyFitnessPal will help with this, then is HAS to be something else. And if it's not based on 'overeating' or 'increased appetite', what else is there other than something to do with the shot itself?
    ^^^^^^^
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    I HATE birth control. Ugh.

    I've been on so many different types of birth control throughout the years and each one of them affects me differently. Right now, Yaz is the lesser of all evils (although I hope I don't die of a stroke). If I didn't have problems with acne, I would be off the pill in an instant. Years ago I went off completely and I lost 10 pounds in two months without changing a thing.

    I haven't been on Depo, but I did try Seasonal. Like Depo, Seasonal is also a birth control that makes you not have a period for three months. I started gaining a lot of weight and immediately jumped off of it. I'm assuming it had something to do with the high dosage of hormones in that style of BC.

    Weight gain is definitely a side affect of hormonal birth control. Of course, different people are affected in different ways, but it is an established side affect that is discussed in the drug implications and risks portion of the pharmacy write up. Read the packet you get from the pharmacy. It's all in there.
    Thanks Paige! Right now I am detoxing from all birth control. I was hoping to lose weight before my husband and I have a baby. Since Depo, I can't lose weight AND I am not ovulating. So no weight loss and no baby. Thanks for your encouragement!! BTW: you are BEAUTIFUL!

    Thank you for the kind words. A :flowerforyou: for you!

    Hang in there. You'll get through this. If you have the resources, you might want to see a dietitian as well. Working out as much as you do, you should probably be eating more. But, a professional should tell you that.

    Best of luck to you :-)
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    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.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    But she could still be right.

    If you Google 'depo shot weight gain' you'll find HUNDREDS of posts from women all across the world who are struggling with the same thing. If you KNOW you are eating within your calories, and using MyFitnessPal will help with this, then is HAS to be something else. And if it's not based on 'overeating' or 'increased appetite', what else is there other than something to do with the shot itself?
    ^^^^^^^

    I love how your defense is now "I could be right" :laugh:

    39323198.jpg
  • luckynky
    luckynky Posts: 123 Member
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    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.
  • amwoidyla
    amwoidyla Posts: 257 Member
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    Actually, there was a gyno from John Hopkins who came out recently and said modern birth control only make 3-4% of women gain weight. So if you're not in that "special" group, you're probably gaining weight for other reasons.
  • kateauch
    kateauch Posts: 195 Member
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    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
  • laurawilfong
    laurawilfong Posts: 45
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    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.
    Your doctors are either liars or idiots.

    Actually my doctor said the same thing. When I first got on it I actually lost weight because I used to not eat when playing sports and it increased my metabolism. Weight gain is a side effect because of the increase in appetite.
    Let me make this simple: A known side effect of Depo Provera, which 40% of women experience, is weight gain due DIRECTLY to the shot itself and not tied to overeating or a bigger appetite.

    This is documented and well known. Any doctor who says this has no educated him or herself on the drug being administered and I would find a new doctor. I had this same exoerience with Mirena. My doctor insisted it did not affect weight. Yet after losing 30 pounds and maintaining that loss for several years, without decreasing my activity level or increasing my calories, I gained 25 pounds and no matter what I did (I even tried eating 500 calories a day for three weeks), I could not lose an ounce.

    Lucky for you, you were in the 60%.

    This! And men (unless they're certified doctors) have no place in this thread trying to tell her she isn't "working hard enough" because birth control messes you up in ways you'll never understand. Hormones regulate a lot in a woman's body and yes, it is possible for your body to gain and retain weight regardless of your diet when your hormones think you're pregnant and are prepping you for what your body assumes to be childbirth.

    Me, I can't take birth control because it makes me gain insane amounts of weight. SSRIs will do that to you too. It's proven. I agree with the above advice to do it religiously for 4 weeks and bring the results to your doctor.. for me, I had to stop birth control altogether. But the right partner won't mind ;)

    Thank you for your perspective! I am having definite pregnancy symptoms (I feel like I'm mental!!)
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0014869/
    Authors' conclusions: We found little evidence of weight gain when using POCs. Mean gain was less than 2 kg for most studies up to 12 months, and usually similar for the comparison group using another contraceptive. Appropriate counseling about typical weight gain may help reduce discontinuation of contraceptives due to perceptions of weight gain.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19346753
    Weight gain is one of the side effects often attributed to the use of hormonal contraception. Concern about weight gain can hinder particularly young women to use a safe contraceptive method or may be a reason for early discontinuation. In the following review, we present studies examining the influence of different contraceptive methods on weight change and discuss the results and methodological problems. During use of hormonal contraceptives, weight fluctuates by about 3 kg over an observation interval from 6 to 24 months. Only in a subgroup of Depo Provera users is the increase in weight higher: the proportion of women gaining >3 kg/year is higher compared with the other hormonal contraceptives. Interestingly users of intrauterine devices experience a weight gain too, which is approximately double that of the average female population. The age-associated weight gain has been described to be 0.1 kg/m(2) annually, corresponding to about 300 g/year.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22141308
    Weight gain is a side effect often associated with progestin-only contraceptives. A recently published Cochrane review focuses on this issue that has been addressed in only few studies of good quality. Here we discuss the results of this review in the context of three clinical cases. With progestin-only contraceptives the weight gain is less than often thought, especially after six or twelve months of treatment. Some results are rather reassuring, especially those in obese women and during the post-partum period. This should help improve the compliance of women who fear gaining weight with this type of hormonal contraception.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19751857
    CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent DMPA users who are obese may gain more weight than normal weight users. This observation was not seen in adult DMPA users or adolescent Norplant users.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    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.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    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.

    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.
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
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    And yet here she is, claiming that doctors are liars and idiots and that she has the right answer.

    Eh, I think it's easy to say doctors are idiots when they refuse to run tests or even open themselves up to the notions that it could be something else. If you go to your doctor and say 'I've been logging my calories, but still gaining weight' the most appropriate (and easy) response for them would be to blame it on the shot because it's a listed side-effect and then they don't have to assist you any further.

    Honestly, I'm not in this to debate it, I just know how much birth control can suck.

    It took me trying four different types of pill before I found out that my body just wasn't meant for it. My doctor kept trying pill after pill after pill before I started an IUD and even then this thing is riddled with side-effects that I have little choice but to ignore for the betterment of my health and my relationship. Win some, lose some.
  • gls1548
    gls1548 Posts: 13 Member
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    i lost 50lbs with ease at one point when i was on the Depo Shot... I'm on Mirena now but i think it just depends on everyone's body and how they handle things. Everyone is different.
  • _Emma_Problema_
    _Emma_Problema_ Posts: 261 Member
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    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.

    :heart: +1 logical arguments!
  • coyoteo
    coyoteo Posts: 532 Member
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    I gained 75 pounds super fast on depo. :-( Using nova ring continously now and I love it!
  • chantelle0312
    chantelle0312 Posts: 17 Member
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    yh i have been on depo for years but i allways loose weight easily i gain easily too though haha
  • kateauch
    kateauch Posts: 195 Member
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    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?

    :drinker: I have to agree on this front!
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    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.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    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.
  • nrz242
    nrz242 Posts: 76
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    I know there are all kinds of opinions about birth control/hormones and weight gain. My personal experience: I was given the shot once - in the 3 month period I went from 154 to 192 lbs without changing my eating or activity level. I also had some pretty uncharacteristic mood swings, that was a pretty bad month for me and anyone that knew me. Unfortunately I didn't lose the weight before going back to school and eating all kinds of junk during some stressful classes - I'm STILL paying for those 3 months but at least I'm not on it anymore.

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