Depo provera

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chelseygrayson14
chelseygrayson14 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am currently on the Depo and have put 2 stone on, I am planning to stop this injection in September. Will I lose the weight? I changed none of my eating habits and eat a healthy balanced diet not exceeding 2000 calories per day. What were other people experiences with this? I exercise in the gym for 2hours three times per week.
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  • LisaKay91
    LisaKay91 Posts: 211 Member
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    I had a bad side effects from Depo which included my entire endocrine system screwing up and it also caused ulcers in my stomach. I have thyroid cancer (no thyroid now, take pills) and it caused mal-absorption of my pills which caused a huge list of problems. I gained 60lbs in under 2 months and only received one injection. It didn't cause a spike in appetite for me. That was in Fall of 2013. My hormones did not go back to normal and my medication didn't start absorbing into my system until Spring of 2016. My experience is not everyone's. Studies show it takes around 18 months average to become pregnant after one injection- that may be an indicator of how long it could take for your body to level itself out.

    Do you actually weigh and log all of your food? I would still gain weight eating 2000 calories per day. If you're concerned about it's effects you can get an appointment with an endocrinologist. Some people have no issues with it at all. If your system was not adversely changed by the jab you can lose weight by eating at a calorie deficit.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,949 Member
    edited August 2016
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    My doctor recommended this drug to me once but after discussing the risks and timelines, I decided not to take it. However, my understanding on the drug is that it can take 1 year for fertility to come back. Some reviews I read said it took some women 4 years for fertility to resume. I'm not sure if that would have to do with other side effects such as the change in hormones and hunger/weight gain, but it could be linked by my own fairly uneducated medicinal logic. @LisaKay91 's experience might be one example to support my logic though. It would be worthwhile to ask your doctor about the effects.
  • chelseygrayson14
    chelseygrayson14 Posts: 2 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I am currently eating about 1,200 calories and train in the gym 3 times per week religiously at a high intensity.
    I think I will be coming off this injection as combined with other medication I am on (beta blockers) it makes me feel very tired and I find it hard to keep moving on my days off from exercising. My eating habit have gotten healthier but I did used to be an athlete so although I still train in the gym I'm not as active as I once were.
    Thanks for the responses.
  • dmt4641
    dmt4641 Posts: 409 Member
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    I had a bad reaction to depo. Gained weight (wasn't tracking at the time but was the only time in my life I gained so much is such a short period of time without changes in eating habits). I also had major hormonal issues while I was on it (crying uncontrollably for no real reason) that never happened to me before. I never got another shot after the first one but it took a while to wear off and I had to deal with the consequences for a while. The weight went back to normal after it wore off.

    I have never had a reaction like that to any other hormonal birth control. I have used several pills, mirena and now nuvaring without problems.
  • mikkey
    mikkey Posts: 24 Member
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    I was on Depo for several years and gained almost 50 lbs. I thought it was just because I was eating far too much, which I was, but when I tried it again a few years later, I found that I was super hungry all the time and craved sweets. The second time I was actively on MFP maintaining and I gained 15 lbs back in 3 months I was on it. I had no other side effects and loved it otherwise. Just couldn't live with constant hunger and killer cravings. The weight will not just fall off once you stop the Depo unfortunately. Good luck! You are in the right place to lose!
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
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    Alluminati wrote: »
    If you are gaining it means you are eating more than you burn. Depo or any other hormone type birth control itself does not make you fat because your body cannot create energy from nothing. But the side effects can affect you your CICO. I.e. feeling hungrier so you eat more and gain, or you feel sluggish and limit movement and gain. Maybe a little bit of both.

    Start logging religiously with a scale and stay at 2000 calories. If you continue to gain then you you know that you need to scale back on calories consumed. It may be tough dealing with the hormone side effects but it can be done.

    This. I started Depo a month after I started on MFP and still lost at the same rate as before I started it. Birth control doesn't make you gain weight.
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
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    I've been on depo for about 8 years now and I can't say it made me gain weight, it was all me lol Sure I would hope to believe it was only the shot, but nope.
  • One_life_2_live
    One_life_2_live Posts: 23 Member
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    I think for meds like depo and mirena IUD, they don't make you gain weight in the literal sense, but cause you to feel hungry and crave food. At least it did for me. Sometimes they actually cause you to retain water. I wasn't on depo, but had a Mirena in for 4 years. I finally had enough and had it removed. I, NO LIE, lost 10 lbs in one week!! Unbelievable. After that, my weight loss efforts were more normal as they had been before. I've lost about 35 lbs since I've had it removed in May of 2015.
  • enonymous01
    enonymous01 Posts: 19 Member
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    Literally everyone I have ever known to get Depo has put on weight. I think it's unavoidable. Even when I am on oral contraception I cannot stop from gaining some weight (although nothing like Depo)... It's frustrating.

    Looking at getting non-hormonal IUD as soon as possible.... Anyone have thoughts on that?
  • Amerane
    Amerane Posts: 136 Member
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    As many others have said before, Depo does not make you gain weight, although it may increase food cravings. If you're worried that you've gained weight due to Depo messing with your endocrine system etc then talk with your doctor and get tested. I've been on Depo for over a year now and have not gained weight but have been slowly losing. In my experience, the first 6 months on Depo were crazy as far as food cravings go, but it's leveled out for me and I'm more aware/in control of the food cravings.

    Regardless of whether you're on Depo or not, you will lose weight if you eat at a deficit. Make sure you're weighing/logging everything and double check your daily calorie goals/exercise calorie adjustments. Good luck, and do remember it will probably take a few months for Depo to fully wear off.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    I am on Depo, I have continued to lose.
    I may be the only one in the thread to not have horrible side effects on hunger and emotional control, but seriously... were you REALLY weighing and measuring everything? Nibbles here and there? How did it affect your exercise?

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    VeryKatie wrote: »
    My doctor recommended this drug to me once but after discussing the risks and timelines, I decided not to take it. However, my understanding on the drug is that it can take 1 year for fertility to come back. Some reviews I read said it took some women 4 years for fertility to resume. I'm not sure if that would have to do with other side effects such as the change in hormones and hunger/weight gain, but it could be linked by my own fairly uneducated medicinal logic. @LisaKay91 's experience might be one example to support my logic though. It would be worthwhile to ask your doctor about the effects.

    I was 4-6 weeks overdue for my depo shot and i fell pregnant within that time. When i went to my doctor for a pregnancy test, she also eluded to what you said in your post (as we were sitting waiting for the pee stick to turn).

    OP i was on depo for around 2 years and i never gained weight. It is a very individual thing. Some women pile on the pounds, and for others it has no effect.

  • kelsey_frame_666
    kelsey_frame_666 Posts: 37 Member
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    I've been on depo for 9 years. The first year I did gain weight but I put this down to tiredness, I've never experienced tiredness like it! And I blame depo as I wasn't on any other drug at the time. Over the course of the remaining 8 years my weight has fluctuated but that's solely down to me and bad eating habits! I've managed to lose 3 stone in 18 months so I guess depo affects all of us very very differently. I did ask my nurse why depo can cause weight gain and she said it's more common in the first 1-2 years due to hormone imbalance. BUT even though some of our periods stop while on depo we can still get the side effects eg water retention, ab pain etc. Good luck
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    chelseygrayson14 wrote: »
    I am currently on the Depo and have put 2 stone on, I am planning to stop this injection in September. Will I lose the weight? I changed none of my eating habits and eat a healthy balanced diet not exceeding 2000 calories per day. What were other people experiences with this? I exercise in the gym for 2hours three times per week.

    depo did not cause the 28lbs of weight gain...the extra calories you are eating did that.

    depo is known to cause increased appetite but it is your choice if you eat or not.

    Will you lose weight? probably 5-10lbs but that is all water weight....

    I have used depo or mirena for at least the last 15 years...all my weight issues were from eating too much. When I started logging/weighing/measuring I had no issues losing the weight at all.
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
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    enonymous01 wrote: »
    Looking at getting non-hormonal IUD as soon as possible.... Anyone have thoughts on that?

    I had mine for 7/10 years before removing it to conceive. Loved it, with the one side effect of the cramps. The first couple years they were blinding. Like, pull over because I'm blacking out and can't drive blinding. In the last year, I had reccurent BV, and have heard of other women who had this as well. My doc said its just something that might happen, you have had this foreign body inside you for years on end.

    As far as depo, ditto to all everyone saying that depo is increasing your appetite and you're eating more than you realize, maybe packing on a little extra water from the hormones. When on depo, I gained 60lbs over the course of 2 shots. All my fault. I ate whatever I wanted and exercised not at all.

    But be careful about the "it can take x years for fertility to resume". Sure, it can. I got pregnant without even having a period after stopping mine.

  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
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    I was on depo for 2yrs and (just for the record) now have a mirena for 3yrs. Neither made me gain weight.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
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    ogmomma2012 wrote: »
    I am on Depo, I have continued to lose.
    I may be the only one in the thread to not have horrible side effects on hunger and emotional control, but seriously... were you REALLY weighing and measuring everything? Nibbles here and there? How did it affect your exercise?

    I've been on depo this time around since 2012. I have lost from 225 to 160. You are not alone. (this is my third time on depo and I'll stay on it because my migraines are hormone related and it's the only thing that stops them.)
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    I was on DP for about 7 years and LOVED it. However, I had to stop because at the end I wouldn't stop bleeding. After years without a period, that sucked. Also, I didn't realize the damage I was doing to my bones or I probably would have stopped sooner. I had 3 fractures in that time period. It took me several years after to get pregnant (didn't ovulate for about 3 years). I think it was a combination of long term use + low BF. I never had any appetite issues.

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