Hiya, perhaps a delicate subject, but has anyone here ever been on Depo Provera injections? I've had problems on it and my injection ran out a couple of weeks ago and things seem to have got worse, was wondering if anyone else had had problems?

Sarah

Hi Smurggle

I was on this a few years ago and I put on STACKS of weight, I didnt realise until I came off it and lost about a stone in a month   the plus side to it was no monthlies ;)

Other than weight I didnt have any problems, have you asked your doctor ?

Claire :)

i had really bad problems with the depo i bled heavly for 18 months :(

OMG :(

Yep that is my problem had been bleeding since November (until now) and I am fed up so decided to come off it and the bleeding has got 10 times worse! Needless to say, I'm rather peeved and my partner is more than a little frustrated. Just dead worried that this is going to last months and I have my wedding this year.

Sarah

Thats awful :(

Have you been back to the doctor ?

i had test after test after test and nothing worked i was so ill, tired and OH was less than impressed

oh dont start me on doctors, i got told that its normal to bleed for a while on Depo and that it would wear off after a while, i just kept getting told this. I was then told I probably had an oostrogen deficiency caused by the injection but they wouldnt test for it because it was so common. So in the end I decided to come off it, little did I know things would get worse, I've also just looked it up and apparently they give the injection to sex offenders in America because it kills your sex drive! That explains alot.

Sarah

my dr told me i was lieing and it wasnt posible to bleed for that long, i then went to see a lady dr who sent me to see a specialist he asked if i wanted a histrectomy(excuse my spelling) i said not really im only 22 or i was then.
i give up going in the end and just suffered through it, im not 100% right now i bled 3-4 months on have 4 weeks then bled again
i was 11 stone when this started im now 13.5 stones and cant shift it :(

Doing a search on Google for DEPO PROBLEMS makes me gald that I never had the injection ;)

yep I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole if I knew then what I know now, problem is I can't take the combined pill so the thought of no periods was too much of a temptation. Well I wouldn't wish it on anyone but I am glad it's not just me having a weird reaction I was worried there was something really wrong with me, the doc made it sound like he had never heard of this reaction!

Sarah

I had terrible problems on Depo - I put on 2 stone in weight, developed acne for the first time in my life at 25, had terrible god awful mood swings, lost interest in sex, could burst into tears at the drop of a hat, bled intermittantly with no regular pattern and suffered with really bad stomach cramps.

Came off of the injection 2 years ago now and have lost all the weight, acne has gone, back with a full healthy sex drive ;-)  and no major mood swings (though OH may disagree with that bit)!!!  ;-)  and the only stomach cramps I get now are once a month with no irregular bleeding.  :-)

Hi all, you've all got my sympathies as you've had a terrible time. 

My story however is different.  I went on Depo about 3 years ago and I stayed on it for just over 18 months.  I never bled, not even once, had no weight gain (thank god, I'm big enough already :D ) and no other problems whatsoever.  I decided to come off it in the end as I knew I'd be trying for a family in the next couple of years and heard it could take a while to get out of your system.  My periods came back almost immediately and they're just as they were before.  Funny how some people can react so badly to something, and others are perfectly fine.

OMG, some of these replies are horrific. I too sympathise with you all.

I have been having the depo injection for about 4 years now, yes a little weight gain but I put up with that because it was easier carrying a little extra weight compared with the hassles of a period every month.  I am attending weight watchers now and have lost 21lb, so the weight is coming off way past what I was when I started the injections, I'm grateful that I am suited and am appreciative of the fact that it doesnt suit everyone and as for having kids.... can't see me changing my mind now, I have all the "family" I want in Edward and my four cats - Harvey, Evvie, DD and Ollie.
Wendy

You could ask your doctor about the Mirena IUCD.  I have a couple of friends fitted with this and they don't have periods at all :)

Hi all
well i've been on depro since my last child was born - now 11, and i've had no problems, i still weigh less than 8.5 stone, i've had no periods weyhay and my skin condition has improved tremendously.

Guess we're all different?
Sharon

I was on it for a year. The first month was fine, then I bled for 12 months continually. I came off it and have been fine since. I didn't put on weight, or lose it. I was told by my doctor that I may have bleeding as some people do tend to, so at least I was warned.

I would go back to your doctor and demand they find out why you are bleeding for this length of time, my friend did and was fobbed off for over two years now she is on a waiting list for a hysterectomy as the bleeding turned out to be something else.
Mary

I'll vouch for the Mirena - wouldn't use anything else now.  The only problem may be that, because it's an IUD, some doctors don't like giving it to a woman who hasn't had children.

I had the Mirena fitted in Feb.  I had a few troubles in the first few weeks with infection, but it now turns out that this was probably caused by an infection that i had when i had Jack twelve months ago not clearing up properly.  HAve a few family members with it fitted who sing its praises loud and clear :)

i used depo for about ayear but also had bleed and mood swing problems... i can vouch for mirena as i have had mine in nearly 3 1/2 yrs, no periods as such just every 3 or 4 mths occassional spotting and odd little niggle cramp... after years of trying all different combinations of pills, found this has been best for me. no weight gain either, which in my case is not so good as i have been trying for years to put on a bit lol bet hey cant have everything :-)

I had this injection I was on it for over a year and I was awful I didnt bleed but the most horrific mood swings for at least a week every time I had an injection I also found this became worse the longer I used it. My older kids wouldnt dare speak to me and allthough we laugh now it was really bad its been knicknamed the B***H injection as thats what I turned into.

Hi, I've been on depo for 5 years now and in those 5 years i've bled 3 times. So what theyv'e started doing for me now is if i bleed instead of giving me the injection every 12 and a half weeks i have it every 11 weeks. I recently bled on it as i'd been put on anti-biotics but that was only for 1 day.

I wouldn't change it for the world, they do want me to stop it though as it can cause brittle bones in later life but i have refused to come of it as i like the idea of having no periods.

I have put on weight with the depo but only a little!!!!!!!

If your on it and then stop that will cause all sorts of problems, you either need to go back on it or get a different sort of contraceptive, i found that none of the pills worked as they used to make me bleed constant.

Hope this helps.

Take care. kerry. x

i have had the depo injection for the last 6 1/2 years and it suited me fine i completly stopped having periods which was brill as i used to really suffer. me and OH decided to try for another baby so i didnt go for my jab at xmas. as we were told becouse i had been on it for quiet some time it could take a while but it hasnt as iam now 8 wks pregnant!! so just be warned it can happen quiet quick!! but as soon as ive had the baby iam going back on it. but like a couple af other people have said it either really suits you or you suffer on it i suppose its finding out whats best!!:)

Saffie.... congratulations, its nice to hear that your expecting a baby.... i have 2 children aged 8 and 6, but to be honest i would like another one but i have shuermanns diease of the spine (CRUMBLING)  and also my 1st child was 9lb 11 oz and my 2nd child was 10lb 2 oz, so really i am scared because i was told that my next child could be 11lb or more and with my spinal condition i was advised not to do it thats why i've been on the depo for 5 years now.

Take care. x

Hi Justlou, just wanted to say that my third child (and unfortunately my last) was my smallest - my first being 9lb 11.5oz, second just short of 10lb and third, 9lb 3oz - so it doesn't always follow they will get bigger (and no. 3 was a bit late).  Obviously everyone is different however.

Fiona

Thanks Fiona..... i may have another little one in the near future because my daughters now 6 and i feel lost without a baby around.
The experts tell me not to because of my spinal condition but they told me not to have my daughter 6 years ago as they said it could put me in a wheelchair, so what do they know!!!!!!!!

Take care. x

hi i had my last injection in dec o3 and i still havent bled at all when i was on them i bled permanatly so i got fed up and stopped them and that was it nothing since iwonder if thats normal?

Dylans.... i would say that is not normal, if you stopped the injection in 03 you should be having periods as normal.
If i were you i would go and see your doctor!!!!

Take care.
kerry. x

hiya justlou, i was told same but after my second son at 9lb 7oz i had 6lb 14oz then 2 at 7lb (first was 8lb 7oz by way) and i was told as i am big they would be. thankfully they wrong. depo can cause osteoporosis tho now they have decided so it might be worth asking the powers that know if it still recommended
take care

hiya I been on it 3 years now and would have come off this time,if wasnt for fact been told have horrendous monthlies after and we going away, so want to avoid it then. had all side affects, irregular and constant bleeding for year, increased hair in places women dont want it, sex drive, what sex drive???? cant remember what that is! inability to lose weight but was told can put up to 3 stone on thats why they supposed to weigh you every time and terrible breast pain that doesnt go. now they tell me it not good for long periods of time in case of brittle bone disease so wouldnt bother putting myself through it again. Can take ages to get back to normal apparently after but you suffer for what you have missed!

Hi Sarah,

I had the injection twice before we decided to try for a baby, I didn't ever bleed on it but I had very bad mood swings the whole time I was on it, I completely lost my sex drive, when I would have been due on, I had really bad stomache pains, I nearly went to hospital with them, thinking they must be something else, I went from a size 8/10 to a size 14 in about 3 months, I have always had a tendancy(sp?) for slighty spotty skin but I never had it as bad as when I was on the injection, when I didn't go for the 3rd injection (we had decided to try for a baby) about 2 weeks after it was due, I bled but (excuse the wording!!!) it was more blood clots coming out than 'runny' blood, ranging in size from a golf ball, to a tennis ball! It stopped after about 2 weeks, and then found out I was pregnant about 6 months later, but since then I have had to put up with the monthlies and take the pill, I will never have the depo again!

Natalie

I have had the depo for 3 years never bled ..not gained any weight and have had no probs at all