Thoughts/Opinions/Experiences w/Depo Provera

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I wasn't planning on using any birth control after I had Lily, we were just gonna go with natural family planning.  Well at my doc appt today he suggested the depo provera shot may help with milk production since I'm having an issue with it due to anemia.   I went ahead and got the shot becuase I figured it was worth trying to see if it WILL help AND with the anemia problems right now it's probably best that I elminate as much risk of pregnancy as possible for awhile.  I need to give my body a good amount of time to heal before I allow a greater risk for it.  

I've never used any BC other than pills so I really don't know anything about DP.  I've heard good and bad stories but wanted to see if any of you had used it or know someone who did and could relay your/their experiences....what side effects you had, was there weight gain, did you like it/hate it, did you have a lot of breakthrough bleeding, etc?

Thanks!

[harlichance]

I gained a lot of weight fast by using depro vera after I had my son. I had lost 50 pounds in 2 months after giving birth and started the shot then literaly in 2 weeks I gained 40 pounds! And it was so hard to loose

[mz_officer4053]

I hate this shot....  from all the nausea, hot flashes, not able to sleep,  constant bloated, dizzy at times, mild headaches, aches and legs feel weak like i have been working them out for hours, just not feeling myself.... this shot *****!!!

[BTS1022]

I was on Depo after my middle son was born, and I LOVED it. I had no weight gain from it, no breakthrough bleeding unless I missed my shot, which only happened one time. I had no headaches, no mood swings, no cravings, nothing. I did however have a bit of the jitters directly after the shot, with some redness and soreness at the injection site, but that only lasted about 2-3 days.

The first 6 months (2 shots) I did have some spotting, but eventually I didn't have any bleeding at all. I went completely off my AF which I loved!!!! And didn't have to worry about missing my "pill", as i'm horrible with taking medications.

The ONLY complaint I have from depo is that....I got pregnant on it lol. I wasn't on any antibiotics, and I had not missed a shot in over a year....but I did get pregnant on it, and that can happen with any and all birth control when other methods are not being used as backup.

I do plan on getting back on depo after Kora is born, and hopefully I won't have any surprises with it in the future lol. Oh, and I did want to mention, that if your on depo, and plan on staying on it for a while, you should think about taking a calcium supplement, because it somehow blocks the calcium from being used. I would get a 90 day supply from the doctors office every time I went to get my shot...I however am also horrible at following doctors orders, and still have almost 2 years worth of calcium supplements in my medicine cabinet lol.

[lilmummy]

Hey i wouldn't take depo ever again, My doc advises me to take it to help me go back on my normal meds after i had my son, it stuffed up my AF i was having it for up to 6 weeks at a time =S talk about having no energy, I was on it for i think 6 months the doctors kept puttin me on other BC pills saying they would help, I had enough an told them i wanted no more BC because i wanted to get pregnant again, it toke me to may this year (which is when i fell pregnant) I'm now almost 18 weeks, but i would never in my life take it again, i think for control i'll just use condoms.

[Momo1409]

I already told on the other post some of my problems but I also gained a told of 70lbs on it. So I'm a total against it!

[Majikat]

I know a few people who have been on it and they gained so much weight... one of my friends grew chest and nipple hair (not peach fuzz like black hair)

i had the Mirena and I liked it a lot except for the fact that i had headaches everyday and I had a little bout of depression ( so i guess it might not be that good of a choice)

I am planning on looking into the seasonal birthcontrol pill but I really wish there where more options of BC that you dont have to remember everyday...

there is the implant but it seems very painful when I see it lol... the copper IUD which I heard gives very painful cramping and heavy bleeding for periods.... the patch not for me the ring same thing..... they need to make something for the man to take.... why is everything always put on us....

[Heatherm4]

I was on it before and I had the same issues as 5n1 with bleeding. More like spotting on and off here and there and you would never know when it was going to happen. I didn't enjoy it...I didn't like the idea of not getting my period either.

[Clysta]

My sister had it in the past and she just got back on it after she had her daughter. She likes it, and never had any side effects from it. I know some people have issues TTC after it, but she got pregnant two months after stopping it. She also doesn't really have any reactions to medications either though, so I dunno if that makes a difference. When I talked to her about it, the only thing she didn't like was she bled for a month and a half, and then it stopped.

[5n1]

I was on depo for several years...The good thing I can say about it is it made me lose weight, and no matter what I did while on it, I never gained weight...Which can be a good thing for some people, but a bad thing for others...The bad thing I could not stand about it was that I was always bleeding...I went maybe a combined three months out of two years on it without bleeding...But, like I said everyones body reacts differently..But we did find out that I can not take anything that has hormones in it because my body can not handle it..Then I switched OB/GYNs and he wanted me off of it because he said it will make you lose your bone density, and after researching it and talking to nurses and other doctors they all said the same thing...The doctor and I decided to go with the mirena, since the hormones stayed in one place...I loved it, I had it in for two years and had maybe two periods and they were just spotting...I had it removed last July and got pregnant in November, so it did not mess with my cycles...I dont want to sway your opinion of the shot though...since you already got the shot, I would see how your body reacts to it, and after the three months, if you dont like it, talk to him about getting a different form...Good luck to you I hope this helps...
Oh, and also I wanted to add, I saw this stuff at a vitamin/supplement store, it is an all natural pill or drink that you can take daily and increases your milk supply, it was also at motherhood....Just an idea!!

[Tracy21]

i was on the depo provera for a while and in my own personal oppinion i hated it i gained lots of weight, major mood swings, no sex drive at all i felt so depressed when i was on it i think i had 3 shots then gave it up the only good thing about the depo you dont have af.
some people may like and may have a different opinion but i hated it. :)