losing while on the depo

Hi everyone, I am currently on the depo birth control shot and have been on it for almost 2 years. i got on it after the birth of my 3rd child. i t has bee so hard to loose weight. I was exercising 3-4 days ut of the week at a local gym, eating all healthy foods, drinking plenty of H2O. Still didn't work. I joined Weight Watchers 2 months ago and lost 1.4lbs, then gained 3.8lbs. I am really becoming down. I want to get back down to 140, not 177. It's really devastating especially when you're doing the right thing. i am actually going to get off of the shot the middle of Sept. I hope that things will go up hill after that. I came to this website for more help because i have tried everything I can even weight loss tea and nothing works. Please Help!!!

I've never been on BC but to what I understand each style has different side effects for each person.  If the depo shot doesn't allow you to lose any weight you might want to talk to you doctor and see what he/she has to say.  See if maybe they can put you on the patch or a pill....maybe that will help you out a little.  Good luck!

-Laura Mae

It's counting calories that you need to do. The other things you mention (exercise, eating healthier food choices, etc) are good things to do but cannot guarantee weight loss. Tea is, of course, useless. Figure out what you are burning based on height, weight and activity level (CC will tell you this) and eat less than that by at least 500 calories. Read labels, measure portions, be strict about it. The weight will come off.

The depo does not have that much of an effect for you, if you have been on it two years and didn't balloon because of it. Going off the shot won't do much except make you risk pregnancy.

You can do this!! Good luck!

hey

i was on the depo, i was due to have it again in may but i didnt go for it, been off few months now and i no what you mean, i gained 30lb on the depo and i cannot lose a lb no matter what i do, i have been to the doctors about it and seeing a dietrition. once you come off the shot things dont happen straight away as i am finding out!!!

I gained 30 lbs while on the depo shot over the last two years.  This is with eating a very healthy diet and walking 1.5 hour a day.  I just switched to the pill on Tuesday after talking with the doctor.  I had decided to lose weight and had been eating 1350 calories a day for two months and had lost 2 lbs. 

Talk to your provider.  You could switch to the ring (high $) or the pill which do NOT cause you to gain weight.  On the Depo the average gain was 18 lbs after 2 years--I was on the high side.  It is a pain to take the pill each day but I have it scheduled so that I only get my period every 3 months!

laura, when u came off the depo, how long did it take for things to get bk to normal?

is it possible to go onto the pill, even tho not having TOTM still?

I just went off it this week.  I asked the Dr. the same question.  She said just as while it is very common to gain weight on Depo--each body responds differently and that each would respond differently in comming off of Depo.  I am guessing at least 3-6 months as that is how long it takes on average to get pregnant after coming off the shot.

Yes, you can go on the pill and not have that TOTM but some bodies don't like that and you may have to have one every three months.  My provider said that she had one every six months.  She said that if you start spotting--you may need to "schedule" a TOTM.

cool that is something i will defo look into, since being on the pill, have you notived any difference in weight gain and loss?

I was on the shot for about two years. I was able to lose weight but it was Muuucch more difficult and i was working out twice a day and eating like 600 cals..which I know is terrible.

I just had a baby and Now i have the IUD PAragard. Its good for 10 years but can be taken out anytime (incase u want more kids).  Its hormone free so it doesnt make u gain weight or make it harder to lose.  Sinc I had my son 7 months ago I've lost 90 lbs to date and still have more to lose..and im eating healthy and exercising regularly.  So I say get off the shot and try something else.

My friends whos son was born a week after me has yet to lose any baby weight..and I think its because shes on the shot. We exercise all the time together but shes not seeing any results.

  I agree with Trustwomen-  " It's counting calories that you need to do. The other things you mention (exercise, eating healthier food choices, etc) are good things to do but cannot guarantee weight loss. Tea is, of course, useless. Figure out what you are burning based on height, weight and activity level (CC will tell you this) and eat less than that by at least 500 calories. Read labels, measure portions, be strict about it. The weight will come off.

The depo does not have that much of an effect for you, if you have been on it two years and didn't balloon because of it. Going off the shot won't do much except make you risk pregnancy.

You can do this!! Good luck!"

For the simple fact I first started the depo shot at the six week checkup, just after giving birth to my first baby. I started eating 'healthy since I already was... , exercising, and being more active. But, I didn't see the baby weight melt off. It was coming off but at a very slow rate, but I was losing. I went from 113lbs pre baby to 186lbs in the last couples months of carrying our bundle of joy. Due to water rentention, but they couldn't give me anything for. Since it would cause birth complications.

The simple fact of the matter is that once I started counting calories. Strickly counting everything that went into my mouth, and giving myself a firm regiment the weight came off steadily. 2-3lbs a week exactly.

The reason you've gained all that weight isn't due to the depo shot. I've done nothing but lose weight since I've started the depo. I'm currently maintaining 103-105lbs. However, it's not just eating healthy/being active. I maintain and lost weight in a steady manner because I stuck to a strick regiment.

It's not going to ' melt ' off when you stop getting the depo. Just incease your chances for pregnancy. 3-4 days at the local gym doesn't mean anything. I worked out every single day, period. If you want steady results than you're going to have to commit yourself to a routine that's doable. One that you can rightfully commit to doing daily. Annnnd stick to doing daily. Off and on isn't productive. It's a complete lifestyle change.

Too many people use the depo shot as an excuse.

Counting calories is the answer you are looking for. I also gained weight while on birth control (pill). I did a lot of research on it and the reason so many woman gain weight while on various forms of birth control is the change in hormones. Now, those hormones don't pack the pounds on, but they do trick your body into cravings and feelings of hunger. If the only negative side effect you have from the shot is weight gain and you still what to remain baby-free, I suggest you stay on the shot and start counting calories. It can be hard to find good birth control.

I agree. The depo can make it a bit harder to lose weight, but you can counteract it. I was on the pill for years and that's when I actually gained weight. I've been back on the depo for about 9 months now and I haven't gained and have actually been losing. The pill or anything else with estrogen in it is not an option for me since I am over sensitive to it and it makes my blood pressure wacky. I love depo and the best part is I can't forget to take it, and no horrible cramps. :)

I had no significant health issues prior to taking Depro, had maintained the same weight, give or take 5 lbs., for many yrs., and had no issue taking the weight off when it did fluxuate. I received my last shot in Nov. of 2006 (I received four shots total)  and today am still experiencing many side effects. While taking Depro, my symptoms included excessive weight gain, major circulation issues (my arms would fall asleep repeatedly-very painful), strange rashes, low sex drive (high libido prior to receiving the shot) body aches, headaches, emotional swings, irregular bleeding, vericose veins, headaches, dizzy spells, nausea, blurry vision, and visually noticed loss of muscle tone. I gained 25 lbs. in a period of approx. two months despite my already extremely healthy dietary intake (I eat virtually no sugar, no artificial sweetners, consume very few refined carbs, drink only purified water (no caffeine, no sodas, no juice, no ades), eat plenty of organic veggies, organic low fat lean meats, take supplements, etc.), weight which I cannot seem to take off despite having altered my dietary intake even more & regular exercise; my husband says my mood has been unexplainably tense, my body aches (I feel like a 60 yr. old), i've been bleeding incessantly for prolonged periods of time; at this point, for a month & 1/2 straight (heavy bleeding), i've developed varicose veins, i've noticed that it takes much longer for wounds to heal, am having acne, feel routinely fatigued & must continually battle depression. If I weren't in touch with my spirituality most likely I would be insane by this point, especially after having tried to discuss what's transpiring in my body with doctors who have insisted it's not possible Depro caused these things, even giving me looks (you know that face that indicates "you must not be counting your calories accurately, you must be exaggerating about your bleeding...in otherwords, maybe you're a nut case), now maybe that was simply my own perception, but, two things are for certain; I listened to the doctor very carefully and read all material given to me regarding depro & the only side effects listed were possible weight gain (which the doctor minimized saying it should only be around 5 lbs., NOT 5-10 lbs. per shot! The only other side effects listed were possible headaches, back pain, & increased risk for osteoperosis, which I was told would be resolved by taking calcium/vitamin d supplements. This drug is poison and needs to be taken off the market. To all of my sisters now suffering from this, may God touch your spirit. Respectfully, while counting calories, eliminating refined sugar from your diet, drinking plenty of purified water, minimizing salt intake,  eating lots of green veggies (organically grown), non processed foods, and organic meats (hormone free)  is essential to maintaining your health (esp. in light of all the chemicals & synthetic substances being added to foods, many women are experiencing excessive weight gain after having taken Depro that is NOT contributed to dietary intake. Everyone's body is different. Some women may experience weight loss while on the Depro, but, after having scoured over hundreds upon hundreds of testimonies, most are experiencing the opposite effect: excessive weight gain & many of these women are stating that this occurred with no dietary changes. As well, many women are stating that once they stopped getting the shot, they have found it extremely difficult to drop the weight, even after many yrs., even thought they've altered their dietary intake and up-ed the exercise.  It can become incredibly disheartening when you're taking a proactive approach to weight issues and the weight still refuses to budge... so, I think it's extremely important that women have access to information that can help us understand what's happening and why. By the way, did you know that the same drug used in Depro is given to Cancer & AID's patients to assist them with weight gain? I am not anti doctor or anti medication, but, we need to understand the reality of the situation. First off, primarily doctors are able to do two things: 1.) repair and 2.) alleviate symptoms (applying bandaids)....in most cases, they are not, however, capable of curing the root of those symptoms. In those cases where they are capable of getting rid of an illness, it is through use of chemicals that reek havok on your system and leads to other illness (chemo is an ie. of this). If I'm in a car accident and facing a life threatening situation, I want a doctor to sew me up and give me medication to alleviate my pain, if my body gets burned in a fire i want a doctor to administer pain meds and perform skin grafts.....but the reality is, most traditional doctors are not even willing to truly listen to what their patients are saying to them about the side effects they began to experience directly after taking depro and you can anticipate that your physician will tell you your symptoms could not possibly be due to the shot. Doctors receive financial benefits from manufacturers to promote their drugs...in many cases PROFITS take precedence, NOT the well-being of humanity, particularly when it comes to women (very few research dollars are granted to address women's health issues). Just think about it for a moment. If you've spoken to your doctor about the illnesses you began experiencing after receiving depro there must be other patients who have also spoken to that same doctor about it. Yet, many continually maintain that the illness could not possibly be linked to Depro. In my case, as well as in many other cases, doctors attempt to address the symptoms by putting you on another drug, but, the very reason why your hormones became imbalanced in the first place, which is what's leading to all the illness, is because of synthetic hormones (in all birth control except Paraguard IUD). Synthetic hormones are not the same as natural hormones. They are chemicals designed to trick the body into (hopefully) responding in the same manner as it would if the natural hormone were releasing into your system. Here lies the problem. Often times the body is NOT tricked thus resulting in what we call "side effects". In the 80's when manufacturers tested Depro on animals (Rhesus Monkeys, Beagles, and Rats) the side effects were undeniable, however, they pushed the drug regardless, dismissing the side effects away by saying the animals system was different than humans.....yet they conducted their tests on these particular animals, breeds selected based on criteria which serves to match up which animal will indicate the most likely impact the drug will have on human beings). In a trial where they injected 12 Rhesus Monkeys with Depro, almost all of the monkeys developed tumors, something never seen before in Rhesus Monkeys. Not suprisingly, today many woman are developing cysts (endometriosis), fibromygelia,  and turmors in their liver. My masters work was in Psychological Research and I can share a few things with you. First off, research is easily skewed. Skewed means that a researcher who is looking to present a particular result can alter their methods in order to show results that support their hypothesis. Secondly, researchers give much consideration to the subjects viability prior to conducting trials. Most of you have probably come across ads in your local paper or weekly "Research study on Nicotene Addiction" Criteria: Must be a smoker! I would find it shocking if the manufacturers of Depro told their researches to simply pick an animal and see what happens. I imagine it's much more likely the animals were carefully selected based on very specific criteria. By now you're probably saying "what to do?" We all went on birth control in order to acheive a particular purpose, some, to avoid getting pregnant, others to alleviate symptoms of other illness or dysfunction. What traditional doctors will not tell you however is that there are other alternatives available besides drugs. I went on Depro because my husband and I did not want to have any more children at this stage. When I began experiencing illness, after having been told by my doctor that my "side effects" were not linked to the Depro, I hit the internet to investigate for myself...because I knew it was NO coincidence that my health suddenly declined and my weight suddenly escalated. When I discovered all of the women's testiments that so closely resembled mine I immediately decided not to ever take another shot, which left me back in the same boat I was in before "how can I avoid pregnancy". The Paraguard IUD seemed like a viable option in that it eliminated the synthetic hormones & I subsequently had one inserted. While I do believe this is a better option, even the Paraguard is not w/out side effects. I continued to experience abnormal bleeding (essentially I've been bleeding for a yr. straight...there have only been three wks. in which I have not bled in some form or fashion. My husband, who has grown increasingly concerned, insisted I return to the doctor & we decided I would have the Paraguard removed. When I went to my doctor, I was told my hormones had become unbalanced (the doctor indicated that this hormonal imbalance was most likely an issue that would need to be addressed regardless of whether I left the Paraguard in or had it removed) and I was prescribed Provera, which I was to take for 10 days a month for 3 months then return to the doctor. I had to press the doctor in order to get an admission that the hormonal imbalance was most likely caused by the Depro. I decided to fill the prescription and return home to do research and discuss this w my husband, who quiet adimantly informed me that if I took that route I would be consenting to more experimentation on my body. Sure enough, Provera has similar side effects to Depro....they're both the same hormone! And, there are testimonies from many women who took Provera and had an increase in bleeding or no discontinuation of bleeding at all. Needless to say, I've learned my lesson. I scheduled an appointment the very next morning and had the IUD removed. After extensive research, I've discovered a number of things one can do to assist their body in removing the chemicals. Because the steroids get into ones liver, among other parts of the system, cleansing the system with natural products is a start. There are MANY products on the market for this. I have tried a few that I didn't care for and am now using products from a company called Global Healing Center www.ghchealth.com and find their products are working effectively and gently (no cramping). I have also considered the Master Cleanse. It involves fasting, which is not easy, however, it may be necessary to give your body a break from digestion, thus allowing for a more effective detoxification www.thelemonadediet.com. As well, I am considering limiting my dietary intake to raw foods exclusively for a time. I have found a number of women who after becoming seriously ill due to depro took this route and experienced substantial healing. http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/rawfood 2.htm

To address hormonal imbalance (Depro functions to kick the body into a menopausal state) there are natural alternatives. Check into Bio Identical Hormones as well as locating a physician who practices alternative medicine in your area. Serious Health Food stores may be able to provide some recommendations.

http://www.minniepauz.com/bio-identical-hormo nes.html

http://www.power-surge.com/educate/naturalhor mones.htm

An excellent alternative to chemical birth control is the Natural Family Planning Method utilizing Cycle Beads. Despite my hesitation regarding chemical birth control, I didn't believe there was a viable Natural option available to me because the failure rate of the Rhythm has been reported to be rather high. Cycle Beads however, is an entirely different method. If I would have known about it & it's effectiveness rate prior to having sought out chemical birth control I never would have chosen chemicals. Turns out, one of the nurses in my doctors office mentioned this method to me after hearing my story & highly recommended it!

www.cyclebeads.com

Lastly, if you have experienced illness as a result of Depro, please take a moment to sign this petition. This drug needs to be taken off the market & clearly it is up to us to force it's removal. As well, take time to do some research for yourself. Knowledge Empowers!

http://www.petitiononline.com/Depo/petition.h tml

I know this is rather long, but hopefully enlightening. To all of you who are suffering from this drug, may God be with you. Personally I feel very angry. I have a wonderful husband who has stood by me through all of this and has taken a significant interest in getting me well, but, it has not been without struggle. The constant bleeding has all but destroyed our intimate life and I do battle with depression on a daily basis, but, we must keep hope alive. I want to thank all of you who took the time to share your stories. You're making a difference in the lives of other women!

Please feel free to email me anytime.

Peace & Blessings,

Lala

lalaluv4u@yahoo.com

My fiancée is on depo and she is losing much faster than I am. She is down 8 lb in 3 weeks. I am trying to work more healthy calories into her diet with her. We both have the small stomach problem so our meals are small.

 

We burn an average 600 calories per workout 6 days a week. 

I'm not on depo, nor have I ever been, I was on the pill for 2 years (no more) but they are hormones....they do strange things to people's bodies. My sister was on it (depo) in high school...she went from the pill to depo, and as soon as she got on depo, she gained like 20 pounds....she didn't change a single thing in her lifestlye...I saw that happen to a few friends as well. So all of you who are saying depo doesn't "cause" weight gain....you are seriously mistaken...it's a hormone...and different women have different responses...so it may cause some women to gain weight they wouldn't have otherwise, and others may not.  every woman is different....This may mean that some adjustments need to be made to change lifestyles, but once that weight is put on, it becomes very difficult for some people to take off while they stay on those hormones.

I am right there with you!!  I have always been a very active, healthy person.  I've also always been a relatively thin person, too.  I was in the best shape of my life  (140 lbs) when I got pregnant the first time.  I gained a good bit (and even more while breastfeeding!), but a year later I was able to get back down to 150, which is a good weight for my frame.  I was watching what I ate and exercising a few days a week - nothing hardcore.  Then I got pregnant again and gained the same amount of weight.  At my six week postpartum check-up I was 160 lbs and exclusively breastfeeding my son.  I decided to get the depo shot and gained 15 lbs over the next two months with ABSOLUTELY NO change in my diet and an increased activity level (and exclusive breastfeeding).  I could not deal with the weight, so I weaned my son at five months so I could get back to the gym hardcore.  For the past three months I have been doing weight watchers and exercising regualry (2-3 times a week for 1.5 hours of intense training).  I have actually gained a few pounds (muscle, I assume) and haven't lost any fat - so I'm even bigger.  For those of you who say that the depo preventing weight loss is bs, you are sorely mistaken.  I wish you weren't!!  It's now been 6 months since that fateful shot and I keep praying that it will "get out of my system" so I can get my body back.  This is the single most frustrating thing I've ever dealt with.  The worst part is that no one seems to believe that I'm working my ass off to no avail (except my husband).    Everyone keeps saying - diet and exercise, blah, blah, blah.   It makes me want to scream.  I'm hoping to be able to step up my game even more after the new year, but with two small children and working part-time, it's really difficult.  If anyone out there's had success in losing post-depo weight, I want to hear it!!!