I hate the depo provera shot!!

lovinmamaxo
lovinmamaxo Posts: 368 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I got my 1st shot in November did wonderfully accept that i gained almost 20 lbs!! Then comes March i am not due for another shot until May and i've now been spotting for 3 WEEKS! I go from brown to light pink to a moderate period to brown again. It's bad enough at this second that i had to buy pads! I am not a happy camper. I am on it to prevent pregnancy and for my heavy periods.. but i would rather have 5 days of heavy bleeding than 3 weeks of this. Hubby agreed that i can get off of it so as of May i am not getting another shot. Anyone have similar experiences with this? Is it possible i have lost more weight than the scale is showing as well since i am bleeding on & off?
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Replies

  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I was on it when I was younger, and I think that in the first few months I went through some of that, but just know that it really wreaks havoc on your body. My period was wacky after I got off of it and has really never been the same which was just magnified even more when I had my son! Happy to hear that you are going to stop having it, you'll find something suitable :)
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    i hated depo !!

    research it on a medical website, not good for ya!
  • CallejaFairey
    CallejaFairey Posts: 391 Member
    yeah, it took my body a little while to get used to it, and eventually i had no period at all. but after i stopped cause of my concern over the issue of it inhibiting calcium absorption, things got really bad. i have never been normal, but after stopping that, it was so bad i developed severe anemia. i am on the pill now, and it helps, but i sure wish i had never gone on depo to begin with. luckily...or unluckily :P i was overweight way before depo, so i don't think it actually caused any weight gain for me.
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
    its been a dream for me since the begining love love love it. the most problem i can say is a small brief jump up on the scale that happens a day or two after , then can loses in the next couple . retained water i am thinking

    get maybe some very light brownish show for 1 day maybe twice a year
  • l3xii
    l3xii Posts: 160
    i hated depo !!

    research it on a medical website, not good for ya!
    me too i gained so much weight :(
  • I didn't really pay attention to any weight gain when I started getting the shot because I was fat and just didn't care if I got any fatter at that point. I've been on it for 3 years now and the only problem I have with it is the spotting. At first, like you, it was off and on for a number of weeks. After I got my second or third shot it leveled itself out.

    The only problem I have with spotting now is if I wait until the very last minute to get my shot. As long as I get it in the 2 weeks before it's due, I don't have any problems at all.

    Sorry for all the problems your having!
  • trixylewis
    trixylewis Posts: 197 Member
    the nuvaring works great for me!
  • lovinmamaxo
    lovinmamaxo Posts: 368 Member
    yeah, it took my body a little while to get used to it, and eventually i had no period at all. but after i stopped cause of my concern over the issue of it inhibiting calcium absorption, things got really bad. i have never been normal, but after stopping that, it was so bad i developed severe anemia. i am on the pill now, and it helps, but i sure wish i had never gone on depo to begin with. luckily...or unluckily :P i was overweight way before depo, so i don't think it actually caused any weight gain for me.

    I heard it was bad from several people and didn't listen! I wanted a non estrogen BC due to my weight and increased risk with things like blood clots, etc. I though the depo was the way to go. For almost 5 months i had no period and no spotting then this pops up out of the blue after 6 months almost passes i don't get it. I did read the depo can cause bone loss but my doctor said not to worry about that short term.. even though my blood work came back very bad and i am vitamin D deficient as well. My levels for vitamin D were 10 which i guess is very bad! So i am taking vitamin D pills and i am anemic as well so i am on iron pills... this 3 weeks of bleeding won't help that issue.
  • elvb
    elvb Posts: 423 Member
    I went on the shot in August last year, around the time I started on this website. I started it to get rid of the pain my periods were causing. I stopped bleeding entirely for the first 3-4 months. Then I started to add exercise to my plan here. Within a week I started spotting every other day or so. I didn't mind the bleeding/spotting as long as the cramps didn't come again.

    I'm going on my 4th shot in a couple of weeks.
    The ONLY complaint I have is that my cramps seem to have come back. I'm not sure this has to do with the shot though. I think I'm actually doing it to myself. I stopped exercising regularly for about a month - only doing something once a week or so and nothing drastic - and it seems when I do exercise again, the cramps start.

    For me, the shot has saved me from removing my uterus (the pain is that bad). But if fixing my exercise regimen doesn't make the cramps go away, I may have to do it anyway. :(

    Oh and as you can see by my ticker, I didn't gain weigh while being on it. :) I may have been able to lose MORE if I wasn't on it, but I'm okay with that.
  • ANeWcRe8N
    ANeWcRe8N Posts: 1,180 Member
    I was on the depo when I was younger for about a year.. I didnt really know the side effects and all that but realized after that year that I had gained so much weight with it and I stopped getting it. After some time being on it I didnt have a period for about 5 months which was great for me :happy: but at the same time I would always worry what if Im prego and dont know but glad to be off any type of birth control.. I now have my tubes clipped so much better for me cause Im done having kiddos anyways :laugh:
  • pixietoes
    pixietoes Posts: 1,591 Member
    If you want a non-chemical solution for birth control, why not consider the IUD? You have it inserted once and you're good for 10 years. There are NO chemicals messing with your period or your weight loss. And if you decide you do want to get pregnant it can be removed in a 15 minute appointment and you're good to go right away.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
    I never gained weight on it,but it seriously screwed me up.I never had cramps before I went on that and since I was on it i have really bad cramps everytime and its been 10 years since I was on it.not only that but when I stoped it i didnt get a pierod for a year and a half
  • I quit the shot last year in May. I have gained about 80 pounds and I was only on it for a year and a half. My body is still out of whack.
  • theresnoeggs
    theresnoeggs Posts: 188 Member
    HATED Depo! I was ONLY on it long enough for 2 shots and gained 60 lbs. :/ I have YET to get back to the weight I was at when I started that damn BC...
    Only positive for me was absolutely no period.

    Now, I have the Mirena IUD, and LOVE it!
  • I hated it too!! Made me gain weight like crazy. Pill is much better, screw the shot!!
  • perrytyra
    perrytyra Posts: 357 Member
    When I was younger a friend of mine(who was always in good shape) gained 5 pounds each time she got another shot. I tried it myself, but it was so long ago, I can't remember what side effects I got. I only did it once or twice. I moved out to the country, and my car broke down. We moved back closer to town, and decided to just not use birth control anymore, and now I have my lovely 4th child. I am happy with that. I decided to just get my tubes tied after her because I was not willing to use any other option.

    I have always heard that it causes weight gain, but I thought I read somewhere recently that it is not true. Tell that to all the women gaining weight on it.
  • roqoru
    roqoru Posts: 31 Member
    I did it back in 2006, and gained 50 lbs. I then went to IUD because it was more permanent, with fewer side effects and no remembering anything. But because I have not had any children, it kept slipping. I use the Ring now and it's working wonders.

    I wish doctors would explain to women, when they get the shot, that weight gain is nearly a given, and at enormous rates. I was on the shot for less than a year and I gained that much. It was ridiculous.
  • Bridgetc140
    Bridgetc140 Posts: 405 Member
    I have never had the Depo shot, but I have heard several women say that they have gained weight while on it. I was always too afraid for the simple fact that some get their period for the entire 3 months.......EEK! The pill...you can stop taking, the IUD....you can have taken out, the patch...you can stop wearing...........but with the shot...you're stuck with the side effects for at least 3 months. Yikes!! I hope you find your old self after the side effects wear off. Good luck!
  • BandMom2
    BandMom2 Posts: 64
    the nuvaring works great for me!

    I LOVE the Nuvaring, been on it for five years now, my (.) last about 12hours, no cramps, no mood swings (a least not enough for the family to tell) So easy to use !!!!
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
    Yeah, I had one shot as a preventative measure to make sure I couldn't get pregnant between having my son and getting my IUD six weeks later. I bled for 6 months straight! I had to go on the pill to counteract depo and stop the bleeding. Even though you get the shot every three months, that doesn't mean that its out of your system when you quit taking it. It stays in your system for a year, just not at levels that are effective at preventing pregnancy. I asked my OB about the bleeding at 3 months, and that's when she prescribed the pill instead of the deop, it still took 3 months on the pill for the bleeding to stop. I don't know how long it took for me to feel "normal."
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
    I had really really bad results with depo as well. Not weight related but mental health related. I know everyone reacts differently to different drugs but I think depo just has way too many awful side effects. And the few people I know that were on it without bad side effects got pregnant on it, so there ya go lol!
  • SquishyVicki
    SquishyVicki Posts: 280 Member
    its been a dream for me since the begining love love love it. the most problem i can say is a small brief jump up on the scale that happens a day or two after , then can loses in the next couple . retained water i am thinking

    I think its different for different people....I'm the same; love it and would not go to anything else. I've noticed an increase in appetite for a few days after the injection and a slight jump on the scales, but with a little increased willpower the scales go back to how they were and for me the increase interest in food only lasts for a few days (thankfully!!!).

    I think there are nightmare stories out there for all types of contraceptive therefore you just need to find something that works for you.
  • makcarly
    makcarly Posts: 24 Member
    The depo shot is THE devil! I took it when I was younger and had zero problems so I decided to go on it again. Had my first shot in October, second one in January. I started bleeding on March 1 and I am STILL BLEEDING. It was like a heavy, awful period all of March and like the first week of April. It's just light spotting now but it's still there. Needless to say I DID NOT go and get my third shot when I was due for it.
  • hazelbliss6
    hazelbliss6 Posts: 253 Member
    The Depo shot definately has pros and cons. Pros- convenient! Only one shot every 3 months. Cons- irregualr periods since it is not a cyclical hormonal medication (although the longer you are on it the smaller and less frequent your periods will {statistcally} be), slowed bone growth (due to the way depo slows calcium absorption-- so no one should be on the depo more than 2 years. In general the depo is best for short term use, and more for young women or women who have a hard time remembering to take pills everyday ect. If regular predictable periods is more important to you than the easy once every 3 month shot, than you should consider other options. Besides the pill, there is also the 1) nuva ring- one ring vaginally inserted for 3 weeks then removed for one week. Also 2) 'the patch' - a big sticker placed on the body for 3 weeks, but needs to be swapped weekly for a fresh sticker. then patch free for one week. Note: It is not recommened to use the patch if you are over 200lbs, it will not distribute as well and less effective in preventing pregnancy. 3) IUD or Intra-Uterine Device, physically placed through the cervix into the uterus. There is a hormonal option -Mirana which lasts for 5 years, or the copper non-hormonal that lasts for 10years (copper version is best for smokers since NO hormones). Remember that the hormonal option can cause irregualr periods since like the depo it is not cyclical (does not follow a hormone pattern like the menstral cycle- is one steady dose of hormones). The mirena does however help decrease periods, both flow and frequency. 4.) the Bar- a small rod-shaped hormone releasing insert that is put under the skin of your inner upper arm. This lasts 3-4 years. It is also an option not best for women over 200lbs and is not cyclical-- so irregular periods expected. 5) They also still make Diaphrams- a latex cup fitted to your cervix to be placed inside. Other self-insertable blockers include the sponge, and femi cap; but these are simply physical barriers to block sperm from entering the cervical opening, and do not affect periods. So there are definately MANY options for us these days which is great but also confusing. Check out all the options before you see your doctor so you can be ready with questions and always tell them ALL the meds you are on and be honest about smoking and how well you remember to take your medicines.

    Also, just to keep speading the knowledge, remember that Anitbiotics and Hormone medications can counteract with birthcontrol and make it ineffective against preventing pregnancy. So always use backup methods (such as condoms) for 2 weeks when your doc gives you antibiotics or hormones (like prednisone). There are also a few other meds that interact like seizure meds for example- so be sure to remind new doctors of your med list.


    Note- If you are done having children there are also many new options besides tubal ligations and hysterectomies. So don't think you have to keep suffereing through bad periods until 'the gift of menopause' :)
  • fitnessjch
    fitnessjch Posts: 449 Member
    I had depo for a year and a half about 4 years ago. I am now on Nexplanon, and its brilliant. I havent had a period at all in 5 years. I had Depo for 1.5 years, then Implanon for 3 years, and just got Nexplanon in January.

    No complaints!
  • Hated the shot as well!! Was on it for almost 2 years. Gained about 5 lbs per shot!! At first it was nice but then it just like totally screwed up my body. It even took several months after I got off of it for it to get out of my system so I could effectively start losing weight. But there is hope, and you can get your body back after it :)
  • lovinmamaxo
    lovinmamaxo Posts: 368 Member
    Hated the shot as well!! Was on it for almost 2 years. Gained about 5 lbs per shot!! At first it was nice but then it just like totally screwed up my body. It even took several months after I got off of it for it to get out of my system so I could effectively start losing weight. But there is hope, and you can get your body back after it :)

    Yes the shot is horrid at 1st i loved it until i saw i gained 20 lbs on it.. and then the bleeding to add to it has made up my mind to stop it immediately. Insurance is an issue which is why i haven't looked into IUD's at this point. And i had no idea what a previous poster had stated about antibiotics and hormones and alternate bc methods omg. I've been on prednisone like 4x and never used a alternate BC same thing for my thyroid medication which i take everyday uhggg
  • MidnightRadio
    MidnightRadio Posts: 56 Member
    I was on depo for 4 years and I loved it... I didn't get my period the entire time. I gained about 50 pounds while I was on it, but since I've always been heavy it didn't occur to me that the weight gain might have anything to do with the birth control.

    I got my last shot 8 months ago. A couple months ago, I noticed that I had lost 10 pounds. This was a surprise because I hadn't been doing anything differently, and my body doesn't shed weight easily. Maybe my body will cooperate with weight loss now that I'm off birth control for the first time? That's what motivated me to start working at losing weight again. I've gone to the gym everyday for a month and have lost another 10 pounds!

    I really think that I wouldn't have made it to 275 pounds (at my heaviest) if I had never gone on depo!
  • Aurelina
    Aurelina Posts: 197 Member
    For some of us, too much progesterone = fast fat. There is a drug called Megace which helps cancer patients gain weight. It's basically progesterone. Here's what I wrote on another thread. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/227448-depo-provara-problem?page=1#posts-3095833
  • Kirstie_C26
    Kirstie_C26 Posts: 490 Member
    ive been on depo for ages and have had non problems at all. no periods/symptoms,only ever get slight spotting if i leave it to the lats few days b4 getting my nxt one.

    hope u find something that works for u xxx
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