Depo ProVera birth control; hindering my weight loss?
Replies
-
RUN AWAY FROM DEPO. I went from a size 8 to a size 16 in 1.5 years time. That was some time ago, but I'm just now earnestly trying to lose the weight. It wasn't easy then and it isn't easy now. From the other responses I've read, things haven't changed. I encourage you to try something else...0
-
I don't think it does. I've been on it since January and have lost 25 pounds since. The doctor did tell me up front that I would gain weight and my response was "No, I won't"
Its all about control. Birth control in general changes your homones, which may cause you to eat more. However, just like with anything you have to be responsible for what you consume.0 -
Yeah. Depo is horrible for weight gain (as if there wasn't enough testimony in this thread)... There are too many other options to justify sticking with something that doesn't work for you0
-
Just read this article. Tell me what you think?
http://www.livestrong.com/article/99811-lose-weight-depo-shot/
I agree with this post! I have been on the shot for almost four years and while I did gain about 5-10lbs initally I also had success in losing 60lbs last year while on it. I personally feel that for my own self (not stating this as a general fact and please understand I know every womans body is different) using the "im on depo" excuse is just that an excuse. I know I can lose weight while taking it, does it make it a little bit harder? well yes i mean losing weight isnt easy but if you do the right things (like the article above states) you can def. lose weight while on the shot.
Just my opinon :-) Good Luck with your journey!!0 -
I didn't experience any weight gain and it hasn't hindered my weight loss one bit.0
-
I had the depo provera shot after the birth of my first child and gained about 30 lbs within the following 6 months.....also, it really messed up my hormonal cycle for a while.0
-
You can still have an IUD even if you haven't had kids. I don't have kids and it was suggested to me by my GYN and I have a friend who doesn't have any kids and she has an IUD. If your doctor tells you that, you need a new doctor. I think it's just "easier" to put it in if you've had children before.
This is entirely true. By the way the hormone coil has the same hormones as the depo shot but as its already in situ the dose is much smaller. Avoids the weight gain entirely and in my experience is pretty good. Problem is the insertion is not pleasant and I had it done after 2 kids (so have a slightly open cervix).0 -
I have been on the depo shot for over 6 years. Yes I have gained weight, but that was mostly because I ate whatever I wanted and hated to exercise. Within the last couple months I made my life style change and started eating healthier and exercising regularly. I have lost 16 lbs so far and I do not see the depo as hindering my progress. That was all me. I think if you make a life style change, make healthier fulfilling eating choices and excercise reguarly you will not have an issue with the depo. The majority of the people on the depo and who are answering your post while on the depo obviosly have not been eating right or excersing regularly. That is the difference. Any medication can make you gain weight it is all about how you counter act that drug to get the results you want. Good luck I know you can do it0
-
I am on the ring and love it because it doesn't make me sick like the pill and patch did, and inserting/removing isn't the nightmare that some people like to make it out to be. I have it for medical reasons and use it 4 weeks at a time instead of 3, so my cycle is completely stopped.
I do have to work a little harder to keep weight off but with the trade-off being not having a period anymore, I'm good with that.0 -
definitely a possibility... I was on depo for 6 months when I was a teenager.. I had been the same weight for a long time, didn't change anything (eating habits/exercise, etc.) and I gained 7 pounds in each 3 month timeframe...0
-
I didn't gain weight with it the first time I was on it for two years, then I quit, re-started, and gained forty pounds. I can't entirely blame the depo, there were other things going on in my life that probably attributed to it a great deal, but I have considered going off it to see if it makes a difference.
Then again, I really enjoy the convenience of not having to worry about taking it more than 4 times a year, and I have it set up so that my pharmacy refills my prescription and my coworker, who is trained, gives me the injection, so I never even have to go into the Dr's office. Right now, convenience probably wins.
Also, my skin is finally clearer than it has been for several years and I wouldn't want to jack with that, either.0 -
**Just a PSA for birth control side effects, one that is hardly ever mentioned is HAIR LOSS!!! Be careful everyone, because I was on Nuva Ring for 2 years and it was a miracle worker for birth control, however, my thick curly hair fell out by half. I stopped taking it immediately when I found that out and maybe a quarter of the half has grown back....
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/hair-loss-oral-contraceptives0 -
I've been on the Depo for over a year now and have gained weight. I also was less responsible about eating and didn't exercise during that time. My boyfriend and I ate out WAY too much. So, was it the pill or lifestyle, who knows? Today, ironically, I went to the doctor and asked to switch to a progesterone only pill. So, we'll see how that goes. It wasn't the weight or other side effects that bothered me, it was the possible bone loss. It's suggested you use the Depo for no more than a combined TWO years of your ENTIRE life. As for the weight, it's a challenge you'll have to overcome. Hope you find something that works for you.0
-
I am on the ring and love it because it doesn't make me sick like the pill and patch did
But it does kill you after seven days0 -
I HATE Depo. Made me gain 10 pounds almost immediately. I've only taken the shot once and after seeing what it did to my body and sex drive (not to mention the pain I got from having sex...this happens in the beginning since it makes your hormones go crazy), I will never take this birth control again. It's been 3 months since I've had the shot and I now see the effects wearing off. My cycle is almost back to normal and I'm finally losing weight now. Look up alternatives for this birth control. DO NOT TAKE DEPO.0
-
Birth control isnt to good for your body period. Had the mirena but my sex drive decreased like crazy plus i gained 35 pounds on that which is a 1% chance but i was apart of that 1% i guess but birth control always get recalled after a few years and I don't want that deterring my health...although i loved the patch i would rather take the natural pill that they have out that have no chemicals no hormones nor anything of that nature. If I were to get on birth control it would definitely be that...something natural sorry i forgot the name but it's an all natural birth control pill or just use a condom if you can't remember pills like i do0
-
.....0
-
I started depo in October 2010 and just now quit my last dose as of July 1, 2013. While on depo I gained an approximate 60 pounds. I have never felt worse in my life. In addition to the tremendous weight gain I have also become extremely fatigued and experienced loss of libido. I hope that getting off of this horror drug will help in my efforts to lose weight!0
-
I recently posted about Depo and almost all the reviews I received from the myfitnesspal community were telling me it was my fault and not the birth control. I am glad to see an older post showing it isn't just me! Your depo will make you gain weight, even if you maintain the exact same diet and level of activity. Hang in there!0
-
I HATED depo! I gained 10 lbs and when I stopped getting the injections my body went crazy. Granted, I should've consulted my physician before stopping, but I was miserable and just quit. Suddenly I looked pregnant, my chest hurt so bad it hurt for the shower water to touch it, I was moody, gained what I am guessing was water weight. I looked swollen and my whole family thought I was trying to hide a pregnancy.
Best thing to do is talk with the dr that prescribed it to you.0 -
Emily, I definitely understand! I had serious pregnancy symptoms to the point where I was looking at maternity clothes. I was not pregnant and now that my husband and I want to conceive, it is discouraging!! I am working out like crazy and seeing no weight loss. I took my last shot 8 months ago and hope my cycle will soon be back to normal. How long until yours went back to normal?0
-
I am on Depo too. I just got back on it in December. I have lost 20lbs since then. I think that if you focus on losing weight and are active, eating the right things you can lose on the shot. If you dont that is when Depo rears its ugly weight gaining head!
After losing 50 pounds in a short 3 months (I had no appetite at all for over 2 years) I started taking the depo shot and suddenly I had an appetite and gained 7 pounds in just the first week. I was also wondering if I just got myself on a strict regime and stuck to it, if I could overcome the shot. I am so glad someone posted on this and I saw this post!
By the way, try eating next to nothing for two years and then eat steady for a week, IT HURTS!
Thank you! There is hope!0 -
I went from 117 pounds to 190 in 4 months with the shot!!! I had been trying to gain weight for years so at first I was happy with the gain, but then it was just like the energizer bunny, it just kept going and gointg! I didn't eat any more, exercise any less, it just happened. I don't care what anyone says, some people do gain weight, my neice also gained about 50 pounds. It might not happen to you but it is something to think about0
-
Enough online research about Depo-induced weight gain shows that while it is a common side effect, like everything, it depends on your unique hormonal levels, among other personal traits. It sucks for anyone who doesn't want weight change, but for many there are other birth control options.
The Depo shot is the only thing that will make my period stop, and I'm wondering if there's anyone else out there in my same situation. I don't have health insurance but if I did I might get endometrial ablation, as I'm 40 and don't plan on having kids. In fact, I believe that the reason my periods never stop is because I'm not ovulating. But the myriad of doctors I have spoken with have very little interest in my reasoning, which is so frustrating. I'm no doctor but when my 3+ month period only stops within 24 hours of a depo injection, well... there's something a little messed up with my own hormone production, right?
Anyway, the weight gain is driving down my self esteem and I'm looking for options. Progesterone pills didn't work. I'm wondering if anyone has tried more than the suggested amount of the natural progesterone cream.0 -
Moser: I have not had children, and have an IUD. Why do you say it isn't an option?0
-
Implanon was not bad when I had it. NuvaRing is also good (docs will tell you that you remove it every three weeks but you can actually replace it every 4 weeks since there is enough meds in it to last that long). IUD is possible as well but since you have not had kids it will be painful to get done (there are hormone based ones and hormone free ones)0
-
Hi sphinx,
I believe that the reasoning is that if you haven't ever been pregnant, the shape/texture/etc of the cervix makes the IUD more likely to dislodge. If you're 100% not OK with being pregnant, it might not be a good option. You're also supposed to check the little string more often to make sure it hasn't been expelled.
It is NOT true that you can't have the implant without being pregnant. I had the implant for about a year and have never been pregnant. I got it taken out because I thought it was causing weight gain, but I continued to gain after I had it removed :P The implant isn't necessarily a good option for women who are very overweight, though, because of the lower concentration of hormones in a larger person's system.0 -
And I second the recommendation for NuvaRing! It's been my favorite method so far, and I've had Implanon, BC Pills, and the ring.0
-
Sorry, just realized how old most of this thread is. Well, I had poor results with the pill because I'm so bad about taking it. The patch was mediocre, my doctor wouldn't prescribe me enough of them to get through more than 3 months at a time without a "period", and even that was like pulling teeth. I used Depo off and on for 13 years, and it was by far my favorite. After being on it for a long time, I could stretch my shots out 4-5-even 6 months without starting cycling again. (If I was in a relationship and sexually active, I got it more or less on time!) then I'd take a year off every now and then and suffer the consequences and start over. When I hit 40 my doctor didn't want me on it any more because of the risk to bone density, so she suggested Mirena. First attempt at insertion was excruciating and unsuccessful (I've not had children) so she gave me the pills that cause the cervix to relax, and it went in lickety-split next time around. I still have a period, spotting really, every now and then, but I'm hopeful it will eventually go away. I had been off Depo long enough to begin cycling at least irregularly before getting the IUD. Insurance paid for my IUD, I never had insurance for the other forms so can't compare there. (besides, the rules have changed for them.) If I should decide I'm not satisfied with the IUD, uterine ablation in conjunction with tube-tying will be the next (and final) step. By combining the two, insurance covers the office visit and surgery, so I would only have to pay for the ablation part out of pocket.
Now as for weight gain? Yes, I gained almost immediately after beginning Depo back in 98. I also quit smoking, injured my back, was battling depression with meds for that, and was in an unsatisfactory relationship. So I don't think Depo was responsible, at least not solely, for any gain.
Anyway, there's a fairly inclusive review of most the birth control options, hope it's helpful to somebody!0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.2K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 421 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions