Depo Provera

I just wanted to share my experience and what I've learned in speaking with others to hopefully help prevent folks from HAVING to use this site.

I'm 30 years old, 5'2", and 211 pounds. I'm down from 220. I was on the Depo shot for 3 years and gained 60 pounds. As soon as I got off of it, the weight gain stopped. I did NOTHING different except go back to the pill and get off that shot. Nobody told me until I CHOSE to stop it that a)the shot makes it harder to lose weight b)the shot makes it easier to gain weight c)the shot makes you hungrier. If I'd have known that, I'd have stopped taking it the first year and only been battling to lose 20 pounds instead of 60. After I got off the shot, I talked with several other women. They were a little quicker than I was to realize the correlation between the shot and their weight gain, but they too had gained 10-20 pounds per year while on it.

My hope is that more women on the shot that are gaining will learn this faster than I did. I'm also hoping to discourage women from getting on the shot to begin with. It was terribly convenient and I really liked it......but not enough to gain 20 pounds/year.

My BMI says I should be 122, but that's entirely too thin for a woman with my frame and bust size. At 150, pre-Depo, I wore a size 7 and even had a pair of size 5 jeans I could wear. I'm good with 150. I just wish I wouldn't have let it get so far past that weight and would have stopped Depo the first year.

I hate to poke you in the belly, but before you choose to go on something like depo, you should have done all your research. I've been on depo for 3.5 years and going off it at 4 years due to potential bone loss (didja know about that too?)

I knew going in that it could cause weight gain - I did gain 15 lbs over three years, and was able to lose most of it when I really worked at it.  Depo doesn't make you 'gain weight' but it does affect cravings.  I curb my cravings with water and coffee and feel pretty good about being on the shot.

When I come off the shot, I'll probably switch to pills.

(I am 29, and will be 30 next january)

I encourage any woman I talk to to go on the shot.  It stops your period, and as long as you get the shot on time, every three months, it is ONE HUNDRED percent effective - as far as I know, just about nothing short of losing your equipment is that effective, and not needing or worrying about a back-up contraceptive (with my husband and exclusive, STD tested partner) has made sex more enjoyable as well.

Well, I guess shame on me for talking to the doctor before I started it and not being told. I felt I had asked questions and looked into it and trusted that I had a doctor that knew what they were talking about. Apparently, I was wrong. I'm not medically inclined....At least it's worked for some women. From my personal experience, I still wouldn't recommend it.

I loved depo when I was on it.  I did gain weight, but it was worth it.

I've been on Depo for almost 3 years now. different women seem to react very differently too it, usually in two camps those that love it {me} and those for him it was a very bad idea. 

I still managed to loose a signifigant amount of weight thru changing my food choices, watching my portions, and getting lots of exercise.

I have to watch my calcium/magnesium/vit d/vit k..etc intake closely and make sure I do lots of weight bearing exercise as it can cause bone loss as stated above, and there is already a history of osteoporosis in my family {grandmothers sister}.

But for me it was  a lifesaver. No more periods, no more pms {unless I wait too long for my shot}, no more bloating, no more monthly binge sessions, no more cramps from hell. It was like a miracle shot for me.

conversly I have an internet friend for whom it turned out to be a nighmare, she had horromone freak out, became like PMS times 10, and gained a ton of weight.

It pays to do your research and to know how you react to hormones. I react well to hormones, but am very sensitive to anything that is designed to directly effect the brain or moods. Which probably explains my extremely low tolerance to booze adn my dislike of drinking {among other things}.

Depo Prover was very, very bad for me.

I smoked, reached 35 years of age, and the doctors didn't want me on the pill anymore due to perceived risks.

I went on Depo. For me, that was the worst thing I could have ever done. I fell into depression, and started gaining weight like crazy. My hormones got all mucked up.

A couple of my friends had similar experiences. They eventually went on to get Essure.

Like TheCrankyOne said, there are some that do well and some that do horribly. For me, it was absolutely horrendous.

I cannot, in good conscience, recommend Depo to anyone.

Everyone has different responses to hormones.  I love depo; went on it for five years with no problem, went off for five years with no problem, and now I've been back on for another year with no problem.  I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying it because it has so many benefits, but I would certainly suggest that anyone new to it keep a journal or use another method to track their reaction to it.  I'm sure that for some people, other forms of b/c are better.

Why not (YAZ) so far even though Im only on the 2nd week, It's awesome. 

I am on depo and have been for 1yr and half. I have not noticed any additional weight gain, only when I make bad choices on eating. I guess it has different effects on everyone. i love it!

I just asked my doctor about Depo, he said it's coming off the market very soon because of the bone density loss. It is only recommended for women over 30 who smoke. The research is out there, some doctors just don't offer the negative aspects of things. I'm on Lo-Ovral now, there are many many bc pills out there that stop your cycle. You have to take them as a constant, not taking the sugar pills they put in the packs to allow for your period to come. Do some investigating and you'll find the one for you, minus the weight gain.

I would be very carefull about taking depo if you are young and plan to have more children. 

Even though your periods will go back to normal (some people lose their periods but I've read cases where you period is stuck on for months) when you go off the shot it can take up to 2 years for you to be able to concieve again!

flgirl you said recommend for women who smoke? Is that correct? I have never heard that it is a good idea to smoke while on any birth control.

I was on Depo for 2 years and I gained weight as well. I also became pregnant while on Depo and had a child 12 years younger than my other 4 sons. Talk about weight gain!!!!!!!

I was on Depo for only 6 months, and noticed a drastic change (for the worse).

Not only did I gain weight (about 10 lbs), but my breasts shrunk! I didn't have a whole lot to begin with, but man did they dry up quick. My doc said this was because depo makes your body stop producing as much estrogen.

I bled a little every single day for 6 months. How awful. Plus I was an absolute basket-case, because my hormones were so screwed up. I was crying and anxious ALL THE TIME for no apparent reason.

Needless to say, Depo was horrible and I don't recommend it to anyone. I have been using the Nuva Ring for a few years now and LOVE IT.

I have to second what kujayhawk said -- I'm on the Nuva Ring and it's fantastic.  If you're looking for convenience without odd side effects, I'd say ask your GYN about the Ring.  Once a month, you put it in and forget about it until it's time to come out.  No pills every day at the same minute every day, no fuss.  Love!!

I was totally fine on the shot. I'm currently on it right now but there's been so much complaining.. my periods have always been irregular and when I got on Depo, I had no bleeding and no period for 2 months, had a huge 2 week long period, and have not had a single one since. I switched over to the patch because I was worried about bone loss as well, then switched back, but besides headaches that are currently non-existant (went away) and none of that hormone craziness or weight loss, (if there was weight gain it went away before I noticed) Depo has been totally great for me.

But I'm thinking I'll get that T injection because this long term side effects are scary.

I appreciate hearing others' stories, and will certainly keep an eye open for any symptoms!  Thanks to all who shared!  :)

Personally, though, I went on Depo 2 years ago at my highest weight and have since lost 74 pounds eating healthily and exercising. I love not having a period, too!  For me, the pill raised my bp to a really high level.  On depo, it is 100/70.  I take calcium to combat any possible losses there, and have never had any irregular bleeding or hormone issues.  Honestly, I think it all may depend on the individual.

I'd say talk with your health professional to see which might be best for you.  We're all different!  :D

I need to warn depo users about what happened to me.

Ok, I gained weight, but I expected that...well, I ended up gaining 40 lbs. over the 3 years that I have been taking the shots. ( I am currently 40 yrs old so I chalked some of it up age).  Well about 6 months ago I started to have terrible back pains.  They would come and go, however, I kept dismissing the pain...making changes in my activities, chairs, mattresses...etc. Finally, two weeks ago, I couldn't pick myself up off the floor. Talk about being scared. I went to the doctor and found out that I had ruptured my lower disc. We could not figure out how I did it, but there it was...big as day on the x-ray. On my follow up visit, which I scheduled right after getting my depo shot, the doctor noticed the band aid on my arm and asked about it. When I told him what it was from, he immediately went into how I must STOP the depo shot, that in all likelihood my decreased bone mass caused the rupture and my back would NEVER heal if I didn't STOP. He said that he was seeing more and more cases of "unexplained" fractures, breaks, ruptured discs, etc...from women taking depo shots and he was ordering all of his patients off of it.

I promise I loved the benefits of the depo, but nothing is worth the pain I am going through with my back right now.  I have got to get the weight off in order ease the pressure off my back...and we are hoping that my bone mass will increase again...well at least enough for my spine to fuse together.  Cross your fingers for me.  AND SERIOUSLY BEWARE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS IF YOU DECIDE TO CONTINUE WITH THE SHOT!

I was on the shot for 3 years, no weight gain, no problems at all. Then I was on the Nuva Ring for a year - got my period right away, no problems. (I was taken off because the bone density report had just come out). I switched gynos and I mentioned how much I had liked the depo. They did a bone density screening, got me started on the shot again, and in a year and a half they'll do another screening to check to see if there's a significant change. For now I do my best to try and take calcium supplements whenever I can.  I'm sure it's different for everyone.