Depo Provera Question For The Ladies

Krys_T
Krys_T Posts: 1,406 Member
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, so I am wondering....I had my second shot on January 18th...and this week would be around the time that I would normally have TOM....now I know a lot of people say that with DEPO your TOM stops, but I wanted to know if you still experience the symptoms...because I hopped on the scale this morning and I am about 3lbs up from where I was on Friday? Now I know I didn't consume 10,000 calories over the weekend...so what gives? Any information would be greatly appreciated :)

Replies

  • daynalehman
    daynalehman Posts: 1 Member
    My docotr told me most women gain 15 to 25 pounds on the shot and that is why she didnt want me on it. But I took it anyway and sure enough I gained exactly 25 pounds :( I have gone off the shot but the weight remains. I now need to work out extra hard to take off the pounds. Its a tough thing :(
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
    I missed my shot once and didnt have a pierod for a year
  • Toridactyl
    Toridactyl Posts: 19 Member
    My TOM stopped almost completely right away. Unfortunately, a not so pleasant side effect of Depo is spotting and/or brownish clotting. I was on for 2 years and the clotting never completely went away. However, I was able to lose over 100lbs while on Depo. So, while they say weight gain is common while on the shot - don't use it as a scapegoat! ;) I think you'll find that you'll still experience some PMS symptoms like water weight, bloating, etc.

    Don't get discouraged! :)
  • udallmom101
    udallmom101 Posts: 564 Member
    I had that TOM even on DEPO. I gained a lot of weight. I am all for birth control, but that really messes up a body.
  • nhendri
    nhendri Posts: 236 Member
    I havent had tom for 2 yrs now. Still experiance the same symptom though like clock work.
  • CalorieNinja
    CalorieNinja Posts: 645 Member
    A couple years ago I went on the Depo shot, first I would not recommend it to anyone. I didn't have my period for the whole three months but I did however gain 40 lbs. in 3 months! I know I wasn't pigging out and thats a crazy amount of weight gain. I have heard this has happened to many others, but I have also heard ppl have their period and don't gain, I think it just depends on the person.
  • I have been on it for over 3 years and I never gained weight from it... I have lost 70 pounds while being on it. It took a few shots for my period to stop and sometimes I evern spot a little bit near the time that my shot is due. I cant say I gain my water weight during the time I am suppose to have my period though, Give it a few days!
  • Krys_T
    Krys_T Posts: 1,406 Member
    Yeah, I am definitely not too worried about that because I have been on it for 5 months now and have been consistently losing weight...so that's not the issue. Actually when I looked it up and studies show that women gained 11lbs over a three year span. So I'm not worried about that at all! LOL....I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't crazy and still have the PMS symptoms even if Im not having a "flow" Because when I looked at the scale this morning, I nearly fainted...plus I know that my water intake last week wasn't like it normally is....
  • Kirstie_C26
    Kirstie_C26 Posts: 490 Member
    im currently on the depo but i dont get any symptoms at all... i was on the implant for a yr but that made me ballon in weigh up to 14st so promptly came bak off it again lol

    have been bak on depo for over a yr now :)

    best wishes
    Kirstie x
  • HeatherShrinking
    HeatherShrinking Posts: 776 Member
    My dietician told me if I wanted to have a decent chance of losing any weight I had to get off Depo Provera. I went off it about 6 month ago (or 9 months since the last shot). Still haven't gotten my period yet. Peed on a stick twice-not pregnant. I read it takes some people over a year for their period to come back. Anyway, I couldn’t lose anything while I was on it (even with really trying) and I’ve been losing consistently since I got off it.
  • My TOM never stopped while I was on Depo, however it was unregular and spotted a lot. I def still had symptoms during and beware that depending on your bodies chemestry Depo can cause weight gain. I gained 40lbs (in 9 months) on Depo and couldn't lose it until I switched. You should have your dr test your progestin and/or estrogen levels. That can help you figure out which birthcontrol is right for you. Depo is mostly progestin and if your body is low on estrogen you will have all sorts of side effects. We are all different, but just be careful with Depo. Most have unpleasant experiences with it.
  • binabodu
    binabodu Posts: 120 Member
    I never had TOM on the shot but still had the "symptoms" every 6 weeks or so. Bloating can still happen. Keep up the hard work!

    I also gained 40 lbs in 3 months. It was horrific and I never got it off, but I WILL now!! Everyone is different.
  • LilynEdensmom
    LilynEdensmom Posts: 612 Member
    I took depo after my first daughter was born for a year, didn't have a period and gained 30 pounds... I had mood swings and regular PMS like normal just no actual um show
  • SuperStorm
    SuperStorm Posts: 119 Member
    I've been on DEPO for 10 years..minus a couple lapses and changes (currently on a pill) and it was always just a little different. If I just got back on it after a break (recommended by docs) it seemed to take a few shots before my body got back into the hang of things. Usually the third month of each shot i'd cramp a little. Very rarely did I ever have spotting but yes, some bloating was possible.
    I have PCOS so I was also dealing with cysts rupturing on my ovaries once a month. It DID help! Plus, not having a period was pretty fantastic :)
    Just give it another shot or two and then decide if it's worth it
  • After giving birth to my first child, I lost 50 of the 65 pounds gained within the first 2 months....I took the Depo shot at my check-up visit and gained 45 pounds back within 6 months! I did not experience a period at all on the first shot then on the second shot I had a period every couple of days....it just did not agree with my body apparently, I personally would not recommend it to anyone!
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
    Before I took depo my tom was so easy I never had cramps or anything till I got off it.Now its been 10 years and I still have horribal cramps.When I was on it my hands would go numb and I had headaches all the time.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    My TOM never stopped while I was on Depo, however it was unregular and spotted a lot. I def still had symptoms during and beware that depending on your bodies chemestry Depo can cause weight gain. I gained 40lbs (in 9 months) on Depo and couldn't lose it until I switched. You should have your dr test your progestin and/or estrogen levels. That can help you figure out which birthcontrol is right for you. Depo is mostly progestin and if your body is low on estrogen you will have all sorts of side effects. We are all different, but just be careful with Depo. Most have unpleasant experiences with it.

    That might explain why I had such a horrible time on it. I was on it for a year with no problems, then I had one more shot and I bled for 4 months straight -- not a single day off (that was just with one shot -- I wouldn't get it again when the third month was done). Most was just "spotting' but there were some very heavy days. I took 8 months to get back to normal after I stopped taking it. During that "three month shot of hell" (which is what I call it), I'd wake up in the middle of the night sobbing and having no idea why I was crying. I'd start loud arguments with anyone who'd engage (my now husband knew not to even ask me anything and my parents thought I was on drugs). I gained so much weight (used Atkins to take it off) and I had terrible acne. My hair started coming out and since being on it, my knees make this cracking noise (sounds like walking up creaky stairs). Just the thought of it again makes me shudder. I'm surprised it's still legal.
  • apertuis
    apertuis Posts: 117 Member
    I was on Depo for about 7 years & never had TOM. I gained weight at first, but think I used it as a scape goat. It was really easy to pack on the pounds. At first it was 5 lbs every shot & then I started Weight Watchers and lost it all. It did give me bad headaches though :( I'm on Depo Lupron now and am losing weight so far.
  • My TOM never stopped while I was on Depo, however it was unregular and spotted a lot. I def still had symptoms during and beware that depending on your bodies chemestry Depo can cause weight gain. I gained 40lbs (in 9 months) on Depo and couldn't lose it until I switched. You should have your dr test your progestin and/or estrogen levels. That can help you figure out which birthcontrol is right for you. Depo is mostly progestin and if your body is low on estrogen you will have all sorts of side effects. We are all different, but just be careful with Depo. Most have unpleasant experiences with it.

    That might explain why I had such a horrible time on it. I was on it for a year with no problems, then I had one more shot and I bled for 4 months straight -- not a single day off (that was just with one shot -- I wouldn't get it again when the third month was done). Most was just "spotting' but there were some very heavy days. I took 8 months to get back to normal after I stopped taking it. During that "three month shot of hell" (which is what I call it), I'd wake up in the middle of the night sobbing and having no idea why I was crying. I'd start loud arguments with anyone who'd engage (my now husband knew not to even ask me anything and my parents thought I was on drugs). I gained so much weight (used Atkins to take it off) and I had terrible acne. My hair started coming out and since being on it, my knees make this cracking noise (sounds like walking up creaky stairs). Just the thought of it again makes me shudder. I'm surprised it's still legal.

    If it didn't benefit a few women I'd totally agree that it should be illegal. Some of the symptoms caused are outragious.
  • It has been quite some time since I've been on depo but from what I remember it was awful.
    I recently tried the iud (w/o the hormones) and I love it! Lasts for tens years. Haven't really notices any side effects and it's been three months.
  • Allibaba
    Allibaba Posts: 457 Member
    I am not on depo anymore, but I still have a mirena IUD and I don't get much of a visit but the other symptoms are still there, which is why I asked to have it removed but that is another long story! I also found the depo shot made me gain weight.
  • Try drinking more water. Depo causes water retention. This all depends on what your hormone levels are. Talk to your Dr. I have to take depo because it stops me from having seizures (hormonal imbalance). I've taken it 11 years now. I've gained quite a bit of weight, but didn't track my calories consistently. I yo-yo'd a lot because I found dieting very frustrating. I don't think I would take depo if I didn't have too. I would have a iud and use condoms if I was single. That's just me. You have to decide what works best for you, it's different for everybody. But if you are worried about your weight, depo is definately not on your side. Good luck!
  • I am so sorry, that sounds awful! My experience is totally different with depo. I had seizures related to excess estrogen (Catamenial seizures) and after taking seizure meds for a decade with all sorts of horrible side effects while still having seizures, depo completely stopped them. Yes, I have gained a lot of weight, but overall depo has been a huge blessing for me. I realize I am in a small minority, but I think this goes to show that medications effect everyone differently and you have to work with your Dr. to find the right one for you.
  • colortheworld
    colortheworld Posts: 374 Member
    I've been on it for about 4 years, I think. Haven't had a TOM for three, initially did gain weight but that was due to going from a very active job to a desk job, not because of the shot. I weigh less now than when I started the shot.
    I know a few people that gained on it, but from my POV they used the shot and the doctor saying they might gain weight on it as an excuse to eat more than they should have.
    I do gain some water weight about once a month but that always goes away after a week, I'm usually a bit moodier than too.
    Depo isn't right for everyone, but I love it!
  • NRSPAM
    NRSPAM Posts: 961 Member
    If you haven't been drinking water like you usually did, like you say, then that may be the culprit. Water flushes out the sodium that causes water retention. I did take depo back in the day, I can recall gaining quite a bit of weight on it, but not really sure about the PMS symptoms. I can say that I have had an ablation in the last year, and while I don't have any flow, I definately still get the PMS symptoms. I actually get them twice a month now, so....yeah. Not sure how much this relates to depo, but just wanted to share to let you know that you can have PMS symptoms without the actual flow part.
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