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Getting off of Depo Provera after 11 years - need advice
I have been on depo for 11 years. I would be due for my next shot on 9/27 but my Doctor has advised that I stop having it. She has been treating me for migraines and depression with Imitrex (when needed) and a daily dosage of Prozac of 10mg. The Imitrex thankfully, works, and the migraines have also been lessened by the Prozac. However, I continue to have nasty "low" days when I can barely function and have also experienced symptoms of hypoglycemia and panic attacks and or crying jags for no reason.
I have been reading a lot about the Depo side effects some women have had and they mirror mine. I've had a thyroid test and it was fine, so I don't think that I'm diabetic.
I have been trying to eat well and clense with milk thistle to try to hasten the exit of the Depo.
At the beginning of this week,I developed a yeast infection and did the 1 day Monistat. It seemed to work after 3/4 of a day, but now the yeast infection is seeming like it's back. Ugh.
I'm wondering if there is more that I can do to get it out of me or something I should request of my Dr? I don't want to take more drugs for the panic/anxiety, but will if it's going to be a long haul to "detox" from this stuff. I'm assuming that the yeast infection may be due to the hormones trying to kick back in or the fact that I was working out in the hot sun all weekend and was definitely sweating (don't think I need to say more on that).
If anyone can shed some light, I'd appreciate it. I don't know why all of these nasty symptoms appeared over the last 2 years when I'd been on it so long.
TIA!
I have been reading a lot about the Depo side effects some women have had and they mirror mine. I've had a thyroid test and it was fine, so I don't think that I'm diabetic.
I have been trying to eat well and clense with milk thistle to try to hasten the exit of the Depo.
At the beginning of this week,I developed a yeast infection and did the 1 day Monistat. It seemed to work after 3/4 of a day, but now the yeast infection is seeming like it's back. Ugh.
I'm wondering if there is more that I can do to get it out of me or something I should request of my Dr? I don't want to take more drugs for the panic/anxiety, but will if it's going to be a long haul to "detox" from this stuff. I'm assuming that the yeast infection may be due to the hormones trying to kick back in or the fact that I was working out in the hot sun all weekend and was definitely sweating (don't think I need to say more on that).
If anyone can shed some light, I'd appreciate it. I don't know why all of these nasty symptoms appeared over the last 2 years when I'd been on it so long.
TIA!
I had been on Depo since November of 2004. My Depo was great for the first full year. I had no period which was awesome at the time; I used to be laid up in bed for three days because I couldn't walk more than a few feet without soaking a super-plus tampon AND pad. No weight gain. Felt normal. Very active sex life with my partner.
Then right before my fifth shot (November 2005), it all hit the fan. I literally went into full blown mood swings so bad, they gave me HEAVY antidepressants and benzos. I gained 25 lbs in a month and had NO sex drive. (To be fair, part of these issues were medication-related due to the Depo-induced mania) I gained an additional 35 lbs over the next five years. The worst part were the uncontrollable rages I would have every few months. Rages in which my partner would literally have to tie my hands and sit on me to prevent any harm to the house, myself, or him. I began tracking the rages and realized they were cyclical and coincided with the last two weeks of a Depo cycle. Then I lost the additional 35 lbs this year through hard work but the initial 25 were sticking despite continued rigorous exercise and diet changes. I had also been suffering from that Depo haze where I lost track of what I am saying, couldn't remember words, and general memory loss. That was the last straw!
I had a Paragard IUD inserted last week after my Depo shot I had in July. I got really lucky with my new insurance and they covered everything with a $30 copay! I can already feel my head clearing up, mood stabilizing, sex drive revving and I'll be doing a Master Cleanse as a detox in January to move the hormones out of my body. I already am drinking close to 12 glasses of water a day and upped my fruits and veggies.
I can deal with normal menstrual mood swings and even the god-awful cramping and bleeding compared to everyone thinking I'm crazy and putting me on brain chemicals and hormones. Depo may be the biggest mistake I have ever made.
Then right before my fifth shot (November 2005), it all hit the fan. I literally went into full blown mood swings so bad, they gave me HEAVY antidepressants and benzos. I gained 25 lbs in a month and had NO sex drive. (To be fair, part of these issues were medication-related due to the Depo-induced mania) I gained an additional 35 lbs over the next five years. The worst part were the uncontrollable rages I would have every few months. Rages in which my partner would literally have to tie my hands and sit on me to prevent any harm to the house, myself, or him. I began tracking the rages and realized they were cyclical and coincided with the last two weeks of a Depo cycle. Then I lost the additional 35 lbs this year through hard work but the initial 25 were sticking despite continued rigorous exercise and diet changes. I had also been suffering from that Depo haze where I lost track of what I am saying, couldn't remember words, and general memory loss. That was the last straw!
I had a Paragard IUD inserted last week after my Depo shot I had in July. I got really lucky with my new insurance and they covered everything with a $30 copay! I can already feel my head clearing up, mood stabilizing, sex drive revving and I'll be doing a Master Cleanse as a detox in January to move the hormones out of my body. I already am drinking close to 12 glasses of water a day and upped my fruits and veggies.
I can deal with normal menstrual mood swings and even the god-awful cramping and bleeding compared to everyone thinking I'm crazy and putting me on brain chemicals and hormones. Depo may be the biggest mistake I have ever made.
ive didnt get the way i am untill afterwards either, its called "detoxing" and it *****!!!! :(
Hi. I had been having the injection for 8 or 9 years and came off last year. I had one period then nothing until last month. Lately I have this over whelming feeling I am pregnant but have dont a test and it was negative. I have been feeling depressed and like I am going crazy, I am so moody and on the edge of crying all the time. I am tempted everyday to go for a long walk and just keep going. I am normally so happy, but at the moment like I am not me if that makes sense. I didnt feel like this when I first stopped having the injection but it has hit me the last 2 or 3 months. I had no negative symptons when taking it.
I have read people get depressed on depo but not sure if people have after stopping?
I have read people get depressed on depo but not sure if people have after stopping?
wow, this truley blows my mind!!! i just got off the depo shot a year ago, bc me and my boyfriend wanted to have a baby, i was doing some reaserch about how long could it take to get pregnant and i came across this site, i am stilll i guess you would call it "detoxing" depression, axiety, the feeling im pregnant and everything seems to be getting worse not better, and ive been off the shot now for a year, a few months ago i started having a period of i guess what i thought was one it was brown for a while, then about 2 months ago it started getting red again, the past month i only had my period for 2 days thinking and praying maybe i was pregnant, im glad to read all this because now i dont feel so alone, i just thought i was stressing myself and maybe thats why i was depressed and so on, but after reading your storys it makes complete sence, i forget things all the time, i also have been havin sever back pain and extreme pain like a period cramp but much worse, also i said something to my OBGYN about my off heart beats they said to just go see my dr. i cant believe this has been going on this long and the drs are still giving this to people! i hope this hurrys up and gets outta my system soon, i feel like im loosing myself, and my mind! and i want so bad to finally have a baby with the one i love...i hope things change soon!! i hate being this "person"!
My daughter (16 years old) was given a depo injection to control her migraines which she was getting monthly. What a nightmare! She has had a migraine for 3 months straight. Having only had one injection, we are waiting for the depo to leave her system and hopefully she can get her life back. She has missed 13 days of school this semester because she could not function. She has lost 15 pounds, has dark circles under her eyes and is in contant pain. She has trouble concentrating and is very moody. We were not told of any of these possible side effects or she would never have had the injection. She finally had her first real period 2 weeks ago and actually went 2 days without a headache. Just when we thought we were on the downhill side of things she has now had a headache for 3 days straight. If anyone has any information on what we can do to help the detox, please let us know. If anyone is considering getting the depo shot. Please for you own sake, don't do it.
WOW.
I am floored. I thought, literally, I was losing my mind. I'm 41, have been on depo since 2003 and have had so many strange and "seemingly" unrelated mental and physical symptoms come up since then that it never occurred to me depo may be the reason. Like many here, the first couple of years seemed fine - but the past 6 years have been a slow slide into awful depression, and recently anxiety as well. Since going on depo I have experienced over time:
- Weight gain in the first couple of years (I was able to lose this, but only through extremely strenuous exercise daily and a very restricted diet)
- Depression that has grown worse over time from mild depression to complete loss of interest in everything and zero ambition (which has greatly impacted my career)
- Memory loss that started in 2004 where I can't think of very obvious names or words
- Leg and buttock muscle pain that started in 2006 that comes and goes and is horrible - seems to get worse as the time for my shot nears - had every back and muscle test in the land, no apparent cause
- A strange skin issue in 2006-2007 that the doctors were completely unable to diagnose and ended up giving me Accutane for (which worked, but is an awful drug) - only after they tried every cream, soap, lotion and anti-biotic in the land
- Sweating so bad starting in 2007 that seemed to come out of nowhere and has had me constantly worried for years in social and work situations
- Adverse reaction to all medications, vitamins and anti-depressants which started in 2006 - drugs that I've taken in the past with no adverse effects whatsoever - ALL of them now cause tingling in my legs and feet that is unbearable
- And recently, just for fun, anxiety - which I have never, ever had in my life and would not wish on anyone.
I am interested to hear from anyone who has experienced any of these things.
Looking back, I realize that these things have each slowly gotten worse over time, and that absolutely not one of them was in play prior to going on depo. After reading these posts it was the depression that really made sense to me, it took this forum for me to realize how bad it is now, and how it has progressed over time for no apparent reason.
The amount of money I've spent on therapists, doctors, treatments, tests, holistic solutions, and more is insane. All of these issues have been a vicious circle where one thing seems to make the other thing worse. I have been to 28 different types of doctors - no answers. And no one ever asked me about the depo, though it was in my files.
I am due for my shot this week, and have decided not to go in. I lost my boyfriend recently due to all of these issues constantly being on my mind and making me nervous, worried and depressed. So, don't need BC. And, true to form, because it's time for my shot, the leg pain has resurfaced.
I am very excited to see if going off the depo helps return me to normal. I used to be very active, engaged, fun and excited - now am just sad and uninterested. I need to remind myself to be patient as I know it takes time to get out of the system but having read the posts here I am positive that a large number of the things I have been going through have been due to this drug - it is the only constant across all of these issues. Thanks for all of the great insights!
I am floored. I thought, literally, I was losing my mind. I'm 41, have been on depo since 2003 and have had so many strange and "seemingly" unrelated mental and physical symptoms come up since then that it never occurred to me depo may be the reason. Like many here, the first couple of years seemed fine - but the past 6 years have been a slow slide into awful depression, and recently anxiety as well. Since going on depo I have experienced over time:
- Weight gain in the first couple of years (I was able to lose this, but only through extremely strenuous exercise daily and a very restricted diet)
- Depression that has grown worse over time from mild depression to complete loss of interest in everything and zero ambition (which has greatly impacted my career)
- Memory loss that started in 2004 where I can't think of very obvious names or words
- Leg and buttock muscle pain that started in 2006 that comes and goes and is horrible - seems to get worse as the time for my shot nears - had every back and muscle test in the land, no apparent cause
- A strange skin issue in 2006-2007 that the doctors were completely unable to diagnose and ended up giving me Accutane for (which worked, but is an awful drug) - only after they tried every cream, soap, lotion and anti-biotic in the land
- Sweating so bad starting in 2007 that seemed to come out of nowhere and has had me constantly worried for years in social and work situations
- Adverse reaction to all medications, vitamins and anti-depressants which started in 2006 - drugs that I've taken in the past with no adverse effects whatsoever - ALL of them now cause tingling in my legs and feet that is unbearable
- And recently, just for fun, anxiety - which I have never, ever had in my life and would not wish on anyone.
I am interested to hear from anyone who has experienced any of these things.
Looking back, I realize that these things have each slowly gotten worse over time, and that absolutely not one of them was in play prior to going on depo. After reading these posts it was the depression that really made sense to me, it took this forum for me to realize how bad it is now, and how it has progressed over time for no apparent reason.
The amount of money I've spent on therapists, doctors, treatments, tests, holistic solutions, and more is insane. All of these issues have been a vicious circle where one thing seems to make the other thing worse. I have been to 28 different types of doctors - no answers. And no one ever asked me about the depo, though it was in my files.
I am due for my shot this week, and have decided not to go in. I lost my boyfriend recently due to all of these issues constantly being on my mind and making me nervous, worried and depressed. So, don't need BC. And, true to form, because it's time for my shot, the leg pain has resurfaced.
I am very excited to see if going off the depo helps return me to normal. I used to be very active, engaged, fun and excited - now am just sad and uninterested. I need to remind myself to be patient as I know it takes time to get out of the system but having read the posts here I am positive that a large number of the things I have been going through have been due to this drug - it is the only constant across all of these issues. Thanks for all of the great insights!
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