Depro Provera

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  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
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    I wasn't trying to loose weight when I was on it (right after my pregnancy, was just on it for the one shot to ensure that I wasn't preggers when they put my IUD in), but I felt awful the whole time. I had a rough pregnancy, and Depo was like being pregnant for another 6 months (except I was bleeding the whole time...sorry for the TMI, but you should be aware, sometimes Depo and IUDs mix poorly).
  • Sweet13_Princess
    Sweet13_Princess Posts: 1,207 Member
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    I've never been on the shot myself, but my roomate Christina was. She gained 30 pounds being on it and said she felt hungry all of the time. She also had trouble taking the weight off afterwards and had trouble get back on a regular period (which makes it difficult if you ever decide to have a baby.)

    I'm on the nuvaring and I love it! You get the same freedom of mind as the shot, except rather going every three months for an injection, you just take the ring out and put a new one in once a month. You don't have to worry about anything on a daily basis. Plus, it's more effective than the pill because the hormones are delivered consistantly. The only thing that could harm effectivness is antinbiotics, but that's the same with any method you can use.

    If you have questions about the ring, just ask. I'd recommend that before the shot!

    Shannon
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    Been there, done that! Between it and like 3 other meds that they gave me trying to deal with my crazy cycles, I gained 100 pounds in a year! I was working as a personal trainer at the time too, and I'm sure there were people who saw my weight gain and thought I was the worst trainer on the planet, but it was all the medications and not the workout or diet. I had to get off of everything and spend 2 hours a day in the gym to get the weight off. I also had an endometrial ablation to end the crazy cycles and that has been the greatest thing ever! You can't have kids after an ablation, though, so it is kind of a last resort option before the hysterectomy. Good luck!
  • teresaelliott
    teresaelliott Posts: 7
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    It is really hard to make a decision based on everyone elses opinion...I think if you are really concerned that this is the reason why you can't lose weight, you should discuss it with a Dr. or a dietician. My personal opinion is yes you will gain a few lbs like with any birth contraol, however, I have read all the other comments and I find it hard to believe that a person can gain anywhere from 50-100 lbs and blame it solely on birth control. That is not realistic. The calcium part can be an issue, but it is mostly young girls on Depo that have to be careful As you get older it becomes less of a problem. Good luck with your decision.
  • CarlydogsMom
    CarlydogsMom Posts: 645 Member
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    I agree with teresaelliot who just responded. I would talk to your physician. I've been on depo for probably 15+ years (between the ages of about 33-48). I've had no problems that I can attribute to depo--I got married soon after I got on it, and slowly gained weight (but I attribute that to making larger meals and being not as active as I was before). I went on Atkins about 11 years ago, and lost weight no problem. Then, I did the usual thing, went off that specific diet, and have gained an average of about 6 pounds per year over the past 10 years.

    I went to my obgyn this last time, and he indicated that women, on average, gain 5 pounds per year on depo.

    I have since started on MFP and have easily lost 12 pounds in the past month, mostly by lowering caloric intake, and I'm still on depo.

    I have found it to be a vast difference between Atkins and what I'm doing now, because I'm actually counting calories, and seeing a big difference. Even though I lost weight on Atkins, I couldn't last on it. This time, I am committed--lowering caloric intake is working, and perhaps if you examine your calories, that may help determine why you're not losing.
  • emills88
    emills88 Posts: 28 Member
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    Keep in mind that this is not meant to be a long term solution for birth control, my gyno told me (After getting my last shot a few months ago) That I had been on it for over 2 years. She said it is recommended that DP only be used for up to 2 years because it can increase your risk for osteoporosis, create hair loss, and can affect your body in other ways. I had somewhat figured this out on my own since I had been having terrible mood swings, although I wasn't sure what had been causing it, I had been on DP for a while at that point with no problems. I stopped taking birth control now to try for a baby. Although that causes more problems with that than I thought...I have been off of DP for 6 months (counting from when my last shot was due, which I did not recieve, not the last shot given) and I am still waiting for my cycle to regulate so my body will get pregnant. I think I am going to try Mirena after this, my insurance will cover it now and a friend says it is pretty decent.
  • kimmcburnie
    kimmcburnie Posts: 5
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    Well thank you everyone for your thoughts!! I am sure everyone is different, my thoughts are if this many people feel they have gained weight on Deprovera ( whether it is from increased appetite or the drug itself) I still feel that I will go off of it and see. I am not taking it for birth control, I take it because I have low iron and my menstrual cycle makes this worse and is very painful. I am hoping that the running program I have started will help slow it down and decrease the pain and give me more energy!! I will keep the topic updated as we go and see what happens. I find it hard to believe though that I haven't lost a single pound since I have been on it. I had a fear of gaining weight when I went on it so I started walking everyday. I was up to about 10 K and then played soccer in the summer and did Zumba. I was eating way less calories because at one point I thought I wasn't eating enough. I am now counting calories and running 3 times a week and doing Zumba once a week and still not loosing weight. It's got to be something because I wasn't really active at all before going on DP.
  • Claudia007
    Claudia007 Posts: 878 Member
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    I am a little late on this but I am as over weight as I am becuse of Depo. Maybe it affects everyone differently but I remember sitting there eating and eating and eating and wondering WTF?!? How can I be eating all this? I gained TONS of weight (don't know excactly how much as I never weighed myself) but I KNOW for a fact it was because of it. I got off it and went back on the pill for a bit but now have an IUD because I had a hard time remember to take it. Good luck :)
  • kimmcburnie
    kimmcburnie Posts: 5
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    Okay ladies, I have been off Deprovera for 1 month today and have lost 6 lbs. Coincidence.....I think not!!!

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