have any of you took the depo shot???? HELP!!

I have been on it for 7 years. In the beggining, I lost weight. After about a year, I definitely put on weight. But, the good news is, you will lose it just by counting calories. My doctor told me if I stopped, I would drop the 15 lbs. Im working on losing pretty quickly. However, I have endometriosis, therefore it's basically pain management for me, I won't give it up.

I didn't have any weird cravings or any case of the munchies when I was on it. I was eating what I always ate, was playing sports twice a week. The only thing that changed was the fact I was on Depo. As someone else said, everyone reacts differently. When you mess with hormones anything can happen :laugh:

I use the shot as contraception, and after research and talking with my doctor, I believe you only gain weight on it because you may have an increase in appetite. This can happen with other contraception too. I have not gained weight due to the shot.

I was on Depo from 1992-2000 with no noticable weight gain. But It was also between the ages of 14-22 so I don't think I would of noticed unless it was drastic.

I am currently on something similar(same hormone). I have gained 30 pounds in the last 7 months, but my doctor said that if I am mindful of what I eat get enough exercise that I should be just fine.

Oh lordy, I've just started on Depo!!!!! I really hope I don't have weight gain. On it about three weeks now. I will have to be super careful with my calorie intake, I reckon.

I was on the shot in high school, I only got one dose though because in two months I gained almost 20 pounds and it made me so emotional. I would be happy one minute, then mad, then I'd be crying. It was horrible. I switched to the pill right after that and everything went back to normal. I will NEVER do depo again.

I've been on depo for a little over 11 years for endometriosis. I did gain weight in the beginning, I just never seem to get that full sensation. Four years ago I lost over 80 lbs on it, which my obgyn said was fantastic because most people on it gain a lot. Unfortunately, I started slowly gaining the weight back but that's because I slowly started eatting more fast food, shame on me I know. Anyway, I gained 30 lbs back of what I had lost. I've now lost 15 lbs of the 30 but for some reason its not coming off very fast at all. I have an appointment in May so going to ask what could be going on, unless its because I'm getting older and my metabolism isn't working like it use to, I don't know. Plus, when I get the shot I can get super bad migraines that can last a few days. The doctor says its a side effect for some because of the change in hormones. If you have any questions feel free to email me! Good luck!

I took depo. It was years ago but I gained 20 lbs the first week... NO KIDDING! I kept gaining and went from 150 to 205 in one year on it. I went off of it when I realized that was the cause. Also, I got sore throats and moody easily on it. Not good stuff (just my opinion). I had to go back to the Dr. and go on medical grade weight loss meds. However, I had a bad thyroid and that may have been why I was unable to lose it.f
My suggestion to anyone who wants to take it and doesn't want to gain a lot of weight.. Don't do it. If you have, go off and try something new.

I have been on the depo shot for 3 years.

The shot, like any other birth control, does not DIRECTLY make you gain weight. The hormones trick your body into thinking it's pregnant (which prevent you from getting pregnant again). This means that for a bit, you will get side effects that are similar to pregnancy. Which means? Cravings. When you give in to those cravings, you will gain weight. Because of this indirect gain, it still has to be listed as a side effect.

It is utterly ridiculous to assume an 8lb weight gain would be solely the fault of any kind of birth control (unless you had 8lbs injected directly into your body). If you have willpower and focus you will not gain weight. The cravings also eke out so keep calm and monitor any binging

I was on it from 16 to like 23... I did gain a lot! I think I gained about 20 pounds in 2-3 months! I used to be a twig! Of course the reason I got off, was because my husband and I wanted to have kids! I'd never go back on it though... I'm on the pill now.

So about 4 weeks ago my doctor gave me the depo shot.... i then went to see an obgyn ( i should have went there first) who told me i am basically doomed and will deffinately gain weight. This shot lasts for three months. I have already gained like 8 pounds. However i just had surgery and had a stint put in my kidney for kidney stones and my weight gain happened the day of surgery and over night. I am just wondering if any women out there have taken the shot and not gained... I have been hearing horrorible things about this shot.

I have been on this shot for 15yrs and maintained the same weight the whole time. I also have not had a period in 15 yrs. I just started weight loss in Nov and I have lost 22 lbs. I think it just depends on the person and what they are doing to be active. My doctor actually wants me to give my body a break from it but I don't want to because I don't want a period.

Yes I did... and I did gain weight... I tend to on progesterone only birth control (as I also did so on a progesterone only pill)....

I will give you the advise my doctor gave me, that I didn't take... be very mindful of your food intake, because you are going to want to snack more than before... so make sure you have low calorie options available at all times.

ETA: I gained most of mine in the course of 6 months (by the end of 3 I could no longer fit into my clothes)... and I too have been struggling to lose it (of course I put some more on after getting married, having a baby and being on another progesterone only pill while breastfeeding (which is why I know I gain on any progesterone only).

I work in reproductive healthcare and I agree the BC itself does not specifically make you gain weight, but it does have a tendency to increase the appetite. So you really do want to keep an eye on what you're eating, and be sure to get in your exercise.

Huh... Interesting stories. I've been on Depo for two years now. I love it. No periods, no debilitating cramps, awesomeness. I started Depo right before I started my "weight loss journey" or whatever you wanna call it. I've yo-yo'ed being on the Depo, but it's not the Depo's fault. I had an issue with migraines and threw my back out twice and used each of these times as an excuse to eat everything in sight. I can't work out, wah, I'll eat a gallon of ice cream instead. My weight gain was my own fault. If you actually watch what you and exercise, you won't gain weight. They don't inject 5lbs of fat into you every time. Also, if you're on Depo, take a calcium supplement. There is that small problem. All in all though, I'd recommend Depo to anyone. No worrying about "did I take my pill on time today?", no stuff being stuck up your vagina (sorry, NuvaRing and Mirena scare the socks off me). Best decision I ever made.

But then again, to each his own. There will always be people who blame their weight gain on something other than themselves. My friend just started Topamax (migraine medicine) and the weight's been falling off her, however, it's because the medication gives her no appetite. She hasn't been eating right or exercising at all. So different medications have side effects. Such is life.

I went on it right out of college, about 14 years ago. I was on it for one year, I gained 20 lbs. Nobody warned me about the weight gain, it was just another item on the list of possible side effects. It was the first time in my life I gained weight without a serious change in my lifestyle. I was doing everything the same as i was before, of course I hadn't been trying to lose weight since I wasn't overweight at the time. It was the change in how my clothes fit that made me aware it was happening. I had a hard time trying to lose it and then got married, had kids. I've never gotten down to where I was before i got the shot, but I"m working my way back down to healthy:)