When will I finally Lose the Weight After Depo Provera?

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  • ginamrcr
    ginamrcr Posts: 1 Member
    Help! Does anyone know how to lose weight after getting the Depo shot?? I have gained 15-20 pounds and I have always been normal weight. I eat super healthy (salads and soups, no meat), exercise regularly and nothing is working!!!! I’m freaking out. I’m getting so big. I got the shot Nov 27, 2019 and I haven’t gotten it again because of so many issues (emotional, angry and unexplained weight gain). It’s now July 2020 (8 months after shot) and I just keep gaining. I swear to you that I eat so little and work out daily. It makes absolutely no difference. I just keep watching the scale tick upwards.

    Has anyone figured out a solution to this problem? If yes, PLEASE SHARE! I’m begging you.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    ginamrcr wrote: »
    Help! Does anyone know how to lose weight after getting the Depo shot?? I have gained 15-20 pounds and I have always been normal weight. I eat super healthy (salads and soups, no meat), exercise regularly and nothing is working!!!! I’m freaking out. I’m getting so big. I got the shot Nov 27, 2019 and I haven’t gotten it again because of so many issues (emotional, angry and unexplained weight gain). It’s now July 2020 (8 months after shot) and I just keep gaining. I swear to you that I eat so little and work out daily. It makes absolutely no difference. I just keep watching the scale tick upwards.

    Has anyone figured out a solution to this problem? If yes, PLEASE SHARE! I’m begging you.

    It may be a lot of water weight. Make sure you’re logging your foods. I went on the pill back in my 20s and gained almost 20 lbs in one month despite not eating much differently. Hormonal and water weight is a real thing.
  • TheBeautifulrebellion
    TheBeautifulrebellion Posts: 1 Member
    I was on the depo shot for three years and it made my body all kinds of crazy, and even amplified my depression and PTSD. My gyno recommended me to get off of it, since it is a synthetic pregnancy hormone, and it was actually making my body go through the symptoms of pregnancy without the pregnancy and breast feeding. The three years I was on it I gained 80 pounds. I've gotten off of it, and am finally getting my cycle back to normal. Please have open dialogue with your doctor about ANY symptoms or changes with you.
  • Pupowl
    Pupowl Posts: 2,103 Member
    I have been getting this shot for the past 10 years or so. I didn't even know weight gain was a side effect. I haven't really noticed any side effects personally, and I always assumed my weight gain was because of my food choices. I also had a horse riding accident a year or so after that which made me unable to do any kind of sports for a long time. I really love the shot because I have no period and I do not want to get my period ever again if I can help it.
  • ChemTeach0
    ChemTeach0 Posts: 1 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I would also like to say all the research that says depo does not cause weight gain directly is correct BUT as it does throw your hormonal balance off (a common cause of weight gain) it DOES indirectly cause weight gain but that is different for everyone. I know some who have gained and some who lost. Everyone is different. But saying its not depo well... you should work for their company too!!!

    It's not the depo...

    weight gain is caused by calories in>calories out....no calories in depo...and yes I am on it.

    Used it for years...then moved to Mirena for 7 now back on depo (Mirena got dislodged is why) and I am still loosing weight...got my shot in October...and I keep losing...

    Why because I weigh my food, track my intake and remain at a deficet while lifting weights.

    And I am not a "SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE"

    ETA: my weight gain was me eating too much food...now it's gone from not eating too much food.

    While this is basic at best - there are many chronic conditions that can cause weight gain and loss including thyroid problems and adrenal issues. It isn’t always the basic layer of calories and exercise. The body has trillions of processes that can throw off weight for a multitude of reasons. Endocrine responses are a HUGE factor in weight changes. Orthorexia is also a form of unhealthy focused eating which shouldn’t be pushed on people. Studies can show an average loss of 5 pounds in a period of time but without the data we may not know the variation. If we analyze a set of data we could have people who gain 25-30 pounds in a specific period of time and those who lose 25-30 pounds in a specific period of time and the average wouldn’t show the outliers or the median of the data. The average doesn’t show us variation. Any study is always subject to change and science doesn’t “prove” things - it’s bad jargon. It validates and falsifies and even this isn’t the right jargon either (see Berkeley). Without knowing chronic conditions, hormonal insufficiencies and interactions, and other connecting pieces - one shouldn’t say it’s all about calories and exercise. Though these two play a large role is weight changes - they are not the end all.
  • emmafriel88
    emmafriel88 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi, registered nurse here. It’s misinformation that you must have had a pre-existing weight issue. It is in fact the complete opposite, peer reviewed research and anecdotal information suggests that the majority of women who gain weight are women who have never had an obesity problem. This medication causes your body to produce steroids similar to prednisone etc which causes weight gain. Please do not think it’s “appetite.” It’s a side effect of a medication and a very complex and unpleasant one at that.
  • jarelary4
    jarelary4 Posts: 141 Member
    I have been on Depo for 1.5 years now and I've not experienced any significant weight gain. I weigh a little more than when I started using it but only by a few pounds. My cycle was very irregular and long plus I had terrible migraine headaches before starting. Plus mood swings were the pits. Depo fixed all that for me (I'm pre-menopausal and in my 40s). I started using MFP and was able lose some weight. I think it affects everyone differently, especially differently life stages. I worked in public health where we used Depo regularly and I noticed mostly younger slimmer women gained the most while older women gained the least. I've not noticed a change in appetite while using it, however my diet is pretty terrible, especially at work where goodies are prevalent and the coffee bar is always stocked with snacks. I can't blame my weight gain on Depo as I believe mine is attributed to snacking too much. Depo for me has been a lifesaver. But I can see how it would be devastating to those women who gained weight when Depo was the only factor that changed in their lives.
  • raphaelapl2
    raphaelapl2 Posts: 1 Member
    I know this post is old, but first of all FU to everyone who says "I'm on depo and I have lost weight, no pill would do that, you're eating too much, etc". Research shows that 2/3 of women gain weight on depo, 20% lose weight and 10% report no difference. If you're blessed enough to be on that 30%, don't belittle us two thirds. I also work in healthcare and EVERY doctor/nurse knows about this.
    It's been almost 3 months since the last time I was supposed to take it, almost 6 months from my last shot, and I still can't lose the weight. I only took 2 shots, didn't change any of my eating habits, and I gained 18 lbs. I started going to the gym 5x a week, started eating better, and still nothing. I just hope it wears off after a few months.
    Also, weight gain is not simply counting calories. Your body can accelerate or lower your metabolism, making you consume more or less calories depending on many factors, and hormonal factors play a HUGE role in this. More empathy, please. If I ever lose the weight, I'll give an update.

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