Depo shot & weight gain

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I had my daughter in january. I was losing weight like crazy because i was nursing. After a couple months i stopped losing weight and stay the same. I got the depo shot in may and have gained 14 pounds after just 1 shot. I was going to get the iud but changed my mind at the last minute to get the depo shot. Im still nursing and dont feel like i eat that bad to have gained 14 pounds in 3 months. I also stay bloated and look bloated. My stomach looks like thats where the 14 pounds went. Im getting my 2nd shot today and just feel so discouraged about it all. Any suggestions on how i can lose weight while taking the depo??

Replies

  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
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    Are you counting your calories? I would try that for a month, and if you track faithfully and don't see the scale moving then talk to your OBGYN.
  • MsMaeFlowers
    MsMaeFlowers Posts: 261 Member
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    I have been on depo for years. I've lost about 40lbs so far with no problems. The weight gain was from eating too much, nothing to do with the shot other than I know it can increase your appetite.

    Are you sure you have been tracking and weighing everything accurately?
  • DomesticKat
    DomesticKat Posts: 565 Member
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    I've never had trouble losing weight on birth control. Water retention is possible, as well as increased hunger causing you to eat more. Because you're breastfeeding, it's really important for you to get enough calories so the conventional way of using MFP isn't going to work for you. Breastfeeding creates a deficit, but for that to work you have to be logging everything you consume consistently and accurately. Eyeballing and measuring cups only work up until the point where they don't anymore. I recommend setting your account to maintain your current weight and purchasing a digital food scale so you'll know that you're measuring and logging food correctly. Visit the sticky threads to learn how to select appropriate entries from the food database and use your food scale correctly. Do that for 4-6 weeks while tracking your weight loss trend with a trending app (like Libra) and see where you are then. While breastfeeding, you shouldn't be losing more than a pound a week.
  • prettyshambolic
    prettyshambolic Posts: 33 Member
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    I gained 90lbs (110lbs to 200lbs, no change in activity or diet) in 3 months on the depo shot and know several other women that had the same experience. Some people have a really bad reaction to it.
  • rachel780mpg
    rachel780mpg Posts: 83 Member
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    My provider warned me about weigh gain on the depo. I went for my yearly checkup after 1 year on the shot and I was down 30 lbs. Its not the shot that makes you gain weight. Giving into cravings and not eating less than your burn causes the gain.
  • counting_kilojoules
    counting_kilojoules Posts: 170 Member
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    I had trouble losing weight on the shot despite the fact that I didn't have an increase in appetite and as far as I could tell was doing everything the same. However, I wasn't counting calories so I can't be sure that I wasn't messing up the diet that worked just fine before and after the shot somehow.