depo shot???

Danielle - posted on 12/06/2009

I HATED HATED the depo shot! I gained weight and had no sex drive! I personally will NEVER get on it again. I have endometriosis also so I idk if that makes a difference or not. Have you ever considered an IUD? I got the Mirena in July and absolutely LOVE it! No pills no injections and it last for 5yrs. There are also side affects associated with the IUD also, but the only one I have experienced is some mild cramping, which has subsided. Well good luck hon! :)

Carrie - posted on 12/06/2009

It has been several years since I have been on depo but it was a bumpy ride. At first I loved it. Yes, I a light period for like 4 months. It wasn't until about 6 months later I started stacking on the weight. I gained about 20 pounds. It wasn't until I stopped getting the shots that my boyfriend at the time (now husband) said to me, "You don't get those headaches anymore." I realized I was having migrains because of the depo but I had written it off as being busy/stressed with school. When I pressed him about what else he had noticed, my boyfriend said he thought I was less moody when I went off the depo.

Cori - posted on 12/06/2009

I was on the depo shot for almost 2 years. even when i was pregnant i have never gone through the emotions i went through while i was taking it. my hubby said i hated him and will no longer let me take it. i also had very low sex drive. in all honesty it has been 3 or 4 years and i really don't think i am the way i was before i took it.

Rhonda - posted on 12/06/2009

I used the injection for about 3 years. I didn't notice at the time, but I also had a very low sex drive. I definately did not gain any weight, it actually had the oposite effect on me. I stopped using it when my partner and I decided to try and conceive. We found that it took at least a year and a half before I was fertile again. I think the best thing about being on it was that I didn't have a menstral cycle for 3.5 years.

Cemantha - posted on 12/06/2009

yea. no sex drive and depression. had it too... but careful i was on the 2nd dose and i ended up prego with my son. :/ it happends i guess

Cemantha - posted on 12/06/2009

yea. no sex drive and depression. had it too... but careful i was on the 2nd dose and i ended up prego with my son. :/ it happends i guess

Sharalyn - posted on 12/06/2009

I know that it depends on the person. You can feel sluggish, gain weight, change in personality, low sex drive, etc. Sometimes it can be just the opposite, such as, energy, not gaining or even losing weight, change in personality (positive), higher sex drive, etc.

Jeanine - posted on 12/06/2009

I had the depo shot when i was 18 years old and at that time i was about 100 pounds soaking wet. never gained any weight whatsoever or lost my sex drive but it comletely stopped my period! i only had about 2 shots in the course of i think maybe 6 months and i didnt get my period for 2 years!! I had to go to the doctor and he gave me a prescription for estrogen and it finally came back. That was ten years ago and i sware my period has never been the same.

Heidi - posted on 12/05/2009

Hey there Ive been on the shot for 20 months now, since my 2nd child was born,,(my boy hes a doll) at first it was so that i could get my hormones and my thoughts right,, I was admited into hosp when Mckenzie was 5 months and ive been on it ever since ,,,,but now we have found that Im still lactating and i havent been menstrating like normal,, I had a blood test and they found that my prolactin levels are far too high to continue with it,, this means that my body runs the risk of not having anymore children i am going to opt fro something like anti depressants or the normal resperadome in tablet form at night,,The injection is easy and i dont want to have to take oral meds cause they just cant beat how i feel when im on the depo want to take something that is similar so ill keep you posted

Kimberley Deane - posted on 12/05/2009

i was on the depo when i was 19 and i put on about a stone. felt sick all the time. sleep disterbances and got pregnant twice on it. i miscarried the first time and the gp told me it was basicly next to imposible for it to happen to the same person twice. like winning the lotery twice, well 3 months later i was pregnant with my daughter.

since being off the depo iv lost all the weight i had gained 4 months after my daughter's birth, and that includes the weight i gained through the depo.

im now on the minipill and love it! i dont have any periods, no weight gain, higher sex drive, better moods,

but ive known people who swear by the depo. maybe i was the unlucky percentage, but im glad i was on it as i wouldnt have had my little girl if not

Angie - posted on 12/05/2009

I am not sure bout the sex part but I know with my first and last shot bleed for three months straight.

Ana - posted on 12/05/2009

I've been on the shot for 4 months now and yeah i'd have to agree with the sex drive. Not so much:( Feeling down too. I can relate with both. I was wondering if that had to do with it? I dont care for that part but i love that it's stopped my period! Well at least for now!?

Holly - posted on 12/05/2009

Please research the relationship between using the depo shot & getting diagnosed with PCOS (a cause of infertility). I was on it for 5 years and have subsequently been diagnosed with PCOS. Although my OB said she cannot say for sure that being on the shot is the cause of my problems she said it couldn't be ruled out either. And upon doing research I've found that many women who have been on the shot have been diagnosed with this syndrome. My OB also said that she wouldn't suggest anyone go on this form of medication.

Misty - posted on 12/05/2009

I was on the Depo Shot for a little while and after they started giving it to me on my belly it made me very ill for quite a few days. I honestly didn't gain any weight but I couldn't eat a lot of things for those few days. I wouldn't recomend it in the belly though.

Audrey - posted on 12/05/2009

The shot actually seems to keep me more emotionally stable, but I gain a lot of weight!

Stacey - posted on 12/05/2009

I have just came off the depo after 2 years being on it. I was diagnosed with depression about 2 months ago. NO ONE told me that it could make me feel low on the depo till i read this!! looking back the time I started the shots was the time I started to go downhill. Plus I have had no sex drive which is really not me and I have put over a 16lbs on in weight in just under 12 months. thank you everyone and amanda for giving me a little more info that I didnt no for some reason.. I will be definatly seeing my GP

Thea - posted on 12/05/2009

I have not been on the shot but my cousin was and she ended up switching to something else be cause she did experience the drop in sex drive, depression, and weight gain from it.

Tina - posted on 12/05/2009

my daughter is on the shot! shes the same,weight gain, mooooddddyyy! and depression. maybe its not right for u! im taking her off.

Jessica - posted on 12/05/2009

I was on the shot for a long time and loved it. Going without a period rocked. My docter also told me that there was a chance of weight gain but said it was different for everyone. The depo shot can make your bones weak so you need to make sure you're getting enough calcium or taking a calcium supplement. The only thing about the depo shot I thought was that being on it for so long took me forever to get pregnant with my first son. Other than that I loved it.

Sherilyn - posted on 12/05/2009

Nope been on it for a bit now... my doctor also told me to take a Vitamin D and Calcium supliment so I wouldn't gain extra weightand I wouldn't get Ostioperosis(lose in bone densisty)which is another side affect try it ... the calcium/vitiminD or get a multi vitamin!!! you will feel more energetic also!!! hope it helps

Krista - posted on 12/05/2009

I was on Depo for 2 years, it was fantastic since I loved not getting my period BUT my husband and I started fighting because i had ZERO sex drive... we had only been married for a year at the time and it took us a long time to figure out what was going on, that it wasn't a problem with "us." I went to the Dr. and we talked about some options, they say you should use depo for a year or so and then take a break, use a different form of contraception to let your body get back into the groove. After I went off of being on depo for 2 years it took 23 months for my period to start again... scary that it can affect your body so much. I was thankful that 3 months later I got pregnant with my son. I have since used the copper IUD and have loved it, ZERO side effects :) Best wishes!

Andrea - posted on 12/05/2009

I started the depo shot 2 month's after having my third child.My sex drive was fine. Although I can't really say that I had much of one to begin with. New baby and two other children age's 4 and 2 really didn't help the situation! LOL!I lost 25lbs. I didn't have a period for 5 month's! And when I finally did, I spotted for another 4 month's. I eventually went to the pill.

Beth - posted on 12/05/2009

i was on depo for ab 4 years. when i went for a check up and to get my shot my doctor told me that she wanted me to get a dexa test done to check an see if i had osterprosis. she said that only 15% of women on depo end up getting it, well turns out i was in the 15%. and it was all because of depo shot. so if your thinking about getting on the depo be sure and look into it. now i have to take boniva once a month and it makes me sick!

Angela - posted on 12/04/2009

Yes i been on dep shot for a year in half It causes depression in some people . I still on it . I do take depression med . But if you workout and talk to your doctor about it. they should help you. I like it because i dont get periods and its easy and it only thing i can do. I tried birth control pill got pergnet then i tried iud and my body rejected it. so Im stuck with this shot yes i gain some wieght and yes it makes it harder to lose But you have to decide whitch you want to do . which i think of beging off it for a little while so my body can tried to be back to normal i had pergnices that where close together my kids are 12in half mothe apart . The other thing you need to figure how sexual active are you going to be .

Lauren - posted on 12/04/2009

I was on it for 5 years in between my girls. I guess it was in the beginning stage of being used and I wasn't told that you are suppose to take a vitamin D supplement. So I started have massive amounts of problems with my teeth. I had never had a filling, root canal or anything major on my teeth until after I had been on it. Since then I have had at least 5 root canal and 3 teeth that couldn't be saved so had to be pulled out. I was informed by my doctor about the IUD Mirena I have had mine since January 2007 and I love it and I have lost 105 lbs since then so I would highly recommend it.. Hope this helps.

Erica - posted on 12/04/2009

oh yeah, everyone is talking about pregnancy after the shot. i haven't had any problems with it. i got pregnant the week it was due to wear off and my daughter is healthy. i have been off of it 3 times and my periods started back regular each time. i also wanted to tell you before you even consider mirena iud, do a little research. if you're not into abortions, don't get it. it does have hormones to block you from ovulating but if you do happen to ovulate and the egg gets fertilized, the iud prevents it from attaching to the uterine wall which in turn aborts your newly formed baby.

Sarah - posted on 12/04/2009

I was on the depo and it ruined my body completely i was tired felt down and all. All i had was 3 shots and yeah i felt really bad i had no sex drive my periods were lighter but i was gaining weight and feeling sick all the time. I went off it to try for a baby and i feel a bit better sex drives not fully back but better than it was but have been trying for a baby now for 2 yrs and no luck my doctor thinks it was the depo as it suppresses that area of your brain and yeah it is something he puts 40 yr old women who don't want any kids on. My advice go for the implant or the pill but no depo

DeAun - posted on 12/04/2009

I am on the depo shot and i love it. There is times when my sex drive is down but I think that is mostly do to stress. I havn't had a problem with weight gain.

Laura - posted on 12/04/2009

I liked it when i was younger i didnt have that awful time of the month for 1year even after i stopd getn the shot

Nancy - posted on 12/04/2009

I was on the depo for at least two years after my oldest. I loved it! As far as weight gain i maintained my "after" the baby weight...and i stayed within about 5 lbs. up or down. Sex Drive....i guess was a lil lacking...but if ur man knows what turns u on, u should be able to recuperate. The depo at first was like, oh my god, i'm never gonna stop bleeding and i'm gonna be irregular forever, but after the 3 months the second shot really worked and i didn't bleed for 3 mo. n so on...the most i bled was 10 days and it wasn't horrible cuz i knew it wouldn't last. I would recommend it. I'm on the Mirena now because my new doctor said i shouldn't go back on the depo cuz it has worse side effects if u use it more then 2 years. I'm not exact of what she said but it had to do with my bones, i guess. I believe it's definately better then the pill, it's a lot less forgetful, if u r like me and hate taking pills regularly!

Sandra - posted on 12/04/2009

I was on the shot for 3 years. I gained @45 lbs. I was a bit moody. I finally got off the shot and got pregnant with my daughter a year later. A few years later after my second daughter, I took it again. This time it was just for about 6 months. I ended up getting the tubal essure surgery. I can tell a difference from the time i was on the shot till now. How that helps

Erica - posted on 12/04/2009

i'm on depo and have severe mood swings. i also tend to gain a lot of weight on it as well. although one great thing is no periods. although when i started it the first time in 2001 i bled very lightly for about 2 months and that was annoying. but for most people bleeding stops completely. i would switch to the pill, but i dont trust it.

Jaime - posted on 12/04/2009

I had regular, severe migraines for most of the time I was on the shot. I also has weight gain

Jenell - posted on 12/03/2009

I've had it for almost three years. I have had some weightgain, but as long as you stay active (I have a 45 hour a week desk job) it shouldn't be too bad. I pretty much just kept the baby wieght. There are possibilties that is can cause mood swings, I haven't ecperienced that though. I wouldn't do anything else besides an IUD, but my insurance won't cover that.

Veronica - posted on 12/03/2009

Have you ever considered Natural Family Planning?? Has worked great for us -- you simply track your cycles - no temp. taking, no cervix checking - its simply watching your discharge - which is the telltale of when you are fertile or not. The best part is the fact that you learn about your body in the process, and it helps with teaching self respect for yourself, and for your spouse/sig.other -- when we weren't ready for another child - and i was fertile, i didnt sexual taunt my husband, and he didn't taunt me. We grew a closer bond together by expressing our affection for each other in simple ways - such as just cuddling, watching a movie together, simply spending time together without sex. After my fertile time was over - we had over two weeks (or until my friendly month came along) to have our way with each other - its the best - seriously!! Once you learn about your body, and get into the habit of checking your discharge when you go to the bathroom - it all falls right into place -- Im happier because i dont have to worry about all the pills/shots/patches - and didnt want those things, didnt want to mess up my body and mix up my hormones. This route has worked for us - and I suggest at least taking a look at it to see if its right for you. Oh - just so you know - if you choose this route the first month or so - absolutely no sex!! It gives you that time, with no interuption in your system from sex, to start learning your cycle, discharge signs, etc.



Forwarning: Still a 1% chance of getting pregnant: to avoid pregancy do not have sex at all! (hehehehehe)

Cheryl - posted on 12/03/2009

I was on the Depo for many years, loved it, no periods. I was however sleepy, moody, uninterested in sex (after a while), majorly depressed. After I finally got off it and was ready, took 9 mos to get pregnant. Took a while the second time.

Jessica - posted on 12/03/2009

I was on the shot for almost two years and it wasn't good at all at the end. I started bleeding and didn't stop for 6 months. When I got off of it 8 months later I got a ruptured ovarian cyst. My ovary got really enlarged and I almost lost it. It took me 11 months to get pregnant after I got of of it. After I had my baby I got an IUD and I love it. I got the one with no hormones and it doesn't have any side affects and also 1 out of every 5 woman stop having a period all together. I strongly recommend stopping the shot it just gets worse the longer your on it.

Brittany - posted on 12/03/2009

I did four cycles of the Depo shot, and I too experienced weight gain and loss of libido if you will. I was pleased with the lack of menstrual cycle (aren't all women?) but it wasn't worth it in the long run due to the weight thing.

Michelle - posted on 12/03/2009

I was on the shot for 2 years and loved it! However, most people gain weight while they are on it. I lost every bit of my baby weight plus some. I'm gonna try the Mirena after I have this baby, but only bc of the convenience of not having to worry about going back and forth to the doctor to get pills or the injection. If the Mirena doesn't work out for me, I'm def going back to the shot though!

Kimberly - posted on 12/03/2009

I went on depo after i had my little boy and it was horrible. The doctors all said it was the best thing because of my family history of breast cancer along with my history of migraines and ovarian cyst, however it was the worst thing i could have done. Everyone talks about no sex drive and weight gain. Well i had both of those along with a ton of other things. from the time i started depo after having my little boy i bleed for eight months straight! Everyone talks about how it helps but they don't tell you about the 7% that can have adverse effects. I have plenty of friends who it has worked wonderfully for, however make sure you get all the fact before you start it and your not left in the dark thinking something else is wrong with you like i was.

Jenna - posted on 12/03/2009

i was on the shot a couple years ago...i had hair lose that was weird, but if your having problems with sex drive and deppression you should probably stop, right now im pregnant but before i was using yassmin, it worked really well for me and i dont smoke so that might make a difference too, you just have to keep tryin untill you find one that works for you, ive tryed four different kinds and yassmin is the best thing so far!

Renee - posted on 12/03/2009

I find Depo fantastic. I have been on it for 2 years and am just about to come off to to have our second child. I didn't gain any weight, no depression or anxiety....the only side effect I had was light periods for about 4 months pretty much non-stop. That was frustrating! I do go the gym around 4 times per week though and I have a relatively healthy diet. If you work out on a regular basis, you shouldn't gain the weight. My doctor did tell me to take a calcium supp because it does drop the levels quite drastically, but I haven't followed through with that (oops)! I haven't had a period for about 1.5 years and I love that! We are a little concerned that it will take awhile to conceive though.

Jen - posted on 12/03/2009

I started Depo when I was 15. Stayed on it 4 years. During that time, I gained 50lbs, had the vag dryness, and severe depression. Got with my husband same time I stopped taking the shot. In the following 4 years I miscarried two babies. It took 2 years of completely unprotected sex to conceive my son, and I had a high risk pregnancy with low lying placenta. I blame the shot for the miscarriages and difficulty conceiving, and my doctor for putting me on a med that at the time was quite new. I definitely recommend anyone under 18 not take the shot, and people over 18 should research it very carefully before deciding.

Michelle - posted on 12/03/2009

I was on the shot B4 I had my daughter!!! It worked great for me I don't have a monthly and I don't gain weight... I was only 98lbs when I got pregnant and like 140lbs when I had her. I went right back on the shot after I had her . Still no monthly and no weight gain.. The sex drive part.. Well it don't matter to me cause I am not wanting sex anyway.. LOL So I say... The love the shot!!!

Jo - posted on 12/03/2009

ive gota say i was fine on it but bled really heavily so came off it but my friend did just get pregnant on it! x

Stacey - posted on 12/03/2009

The depo shot was great for me, i didn't have to worry about anything... no weight gain .... however i don't know if your dr has shared with you that you should only take it no longer than a period of 2 years. After that it starts to cause bone loss. So please do some more research. take care and good luck

Elizabeth - posted on 12/03/2009

I only got 2 shots. I had terrible migraines. massive weight gain. no sex drive. took 3 years after the 2nd shot for me to get a regular period and get pregnant again. I found out a few years later I was never supposed to get it at all. Apparently if you suffer from frequent head aches or migraines depo (any hormone BC but depo is the worst) triples your odds of stroke. Something the Dr who gave it to me never told me. Even after I told him the 3 different pills I had been on increased my migraines. I wasn't lucky enough to be able to get an IUD and now 3 kiddos later it was hubby who got the snip.

Saundra - posted on 12/03/2009

I had weight gain, but it also gave me migraines really bad and then it took me 2 years to get pregnant when I got off the shot, I do not like it!

Rachel - posted on 12/03/2009

I didn't have too many bad side affects except I was a little weepy (beer comercials would make me cry) or and one big one I got pregnant on it. It's different for everyone but if it doesn't feel right for you then change it

Ginger - posted on 12/03/2009

I had one session round of the depo after I had my son, but didn't go back to get the next b/c my lactation consultant had said that the shot could be the reason why milk supply wasn't increasing. But, to answer your question, it didn't have any negative effects on me. I felt the same, physically, mentally, and emotionally....with the exception of some post partum blues that only lasted for a short time.