Needing Advice from Others That Have Used Depo-Provera

It is time for a second opinion. Dr. Ellen Parrill is in the Medical center at I-20 and Matlock. Give her a call...

I was on depo for 4 yrs and did not have a period for the entire 4 yrs. However when I got married and quit taking depo. It took forever to start my period and it took a good 3 yrs to get pregnate. I would never use the stuff again. I however did not gain any weight. Or lose any weight.

Get a 2nd opinion & ask about the Mirena IUD for birth control. I used Depo for about a year a few years back & I gained about 20 pounds immediately. It also caused mood swings & made my neck break out(!). I haven't had any problems with the IUD & am much happier with it.

I took Depo for a year, with each shot I gained 10 lbs, but didn't have any other side effects. When I got off, I lost 10 lbs right away and then another 20 by the end of the year.

I will say I would suggest another Doctor. I have these same issues and my doctor is wonderful she is with Northlake OB/GYN at Medical City. Dr. Jean McClintock. ###-###-####. I wish you the best of luck!

Consider seeing a holistic doctor who may have herbs or other remedies to recommend other than going back onto the pill (which is such and annoying answer because you want them to fix the root of the problem not cover it up). I have the same problems too and will be seeing an acupunturist on 407 next week. I have had good success with that in the past and getting my cycles all sorted out.

I was using depo-provera about three years ago and i never had that problem. I gained weight. JR please please seek another DR she is not a good one if she does not seek other alternatives to try to help u. Some of these DR dont care some of them r lazy and they don't keep up with the latest studies out there. If I were u I will keep searching for a DR that will solve what is wrong with me.
take care.

I had a horrible experience post- Depo--had such heavy periods for WEEKS at a time that I became anemic, was presribed Prometrium to try to 'reset' my body--3 different times. Eventually, my body got back to normal but it took awhile. Yes, get another doctor (I did), who is willing to try other options--and there are some. Good luck!

I have not used Depo-Provera, but my number one suggestion to you is to get a new ob/gyn!!! anyone who does not respect your decision should not be providing care for you. Taking birth control pills is not something you *should* have to do. If anything, I would look into litigation against Depo-Provera, Prometrium, and Ortho Tricyclean Lo to find out if others have been having these very adverse reactions. From what friends have told me, it is not normal to have such a long detox. Your body should start it's regular cycle much sooner.

I was also on the depo for 6 years. My period started off pretty irratic when I stopped the shots. It has finally regulated itself after 4 years. I don't take any form of birth control. I now have a 21 day cycle. 7 days on and 14 days off. It's not fun, but it's regular. My doctor told me it would take some time and I should just be patient. So I was and here we are. Did your doctor also recommend a bone density test? Apparently the depo can wreck havoc on your bone density. Fortunately mine was fine.

That is abnormal and my advice is to seek another practitioner. I did not take Depo-Provera; however, I was on another form of birth control available in the early 90s called Norplant. It is no longer available to the public as there was a class-action law suit against against the company who made it. This was strictly a progesterone delivering device and my body just completely "went through the wringer" as my estrogen and progesterone levels were completely off balance. I gained 50 lbs. and was bleeding two weeks out of the month for a year. During the last month I began hemorhagging, nearly lost my life and required five units of red blood cells for transfusion. When the device was removed my 28-day cycle began as normal as if nothing ever happened. Any time you try to force your body against its natural process with pharmaceuticals is a risk.

That stuff should be taken off the market as far as I'm concerned. I took it for a year; gained 10 pounds almost overnight; gained another 10 pounds over the next year. Had EXTREME mood swings with it. After I quit it took a year before my periods returned and it wasn't until then that the weight started coming off. Had continuing female trouble from then on. And had breast cancer which I can't help but think was related to the DP (no proof of that though). I highly recommend anyone who is on it to get off immediately and anyone who is thinking about it, DON'T!
I also highly recommend you change doctors immediately. I recommend the Fem Centre. They have offices in Colleyville and Fort Worth. Check them out at www.femcentre.com.
By the way, the stomach bloating could be completely unrelated. Get it checked out.

I didn't have any problems when I stopped Depo shots. HOWEVER, if your doctor is unwilling to try other options if something isn't working for you, I would try another doctor.

Hi - I took Depo Provera several years ago and had some dizzy spells with it and I think it caused my hair to fall out. That's the only thing I can trace my hairloss to. I've always had really thick hair and it would fall out but grow back. After the depo......it quit growing back and got really thin. I really liked the convenience of the shot but now am not sure it was worth it. It will take a while to get out of your system after you stop taking it. I would see a different doctor if I were you. Hope you feel better soon. JS

I have been on the Depo for a long time. I took it before we had children and am back on it now. I have never had a problem with it. My periods returned to normal after several months. It did take us a while to get pregnant. I took birth control pills in between pregnancies and then got back on the Depo when I knew we were done having children. I would say that you need to change your Dr and find one that is more caring and will listen to you.

I was on depo for about 3 years. when i stopped i didnt have a bit of problems. I started on the loestrin 24 and have been doing great ever since.

I am so sorry that you are having so many problems! I used Depo from July 1994 - November 2000 and had no cycle the entire time. It was great! I didn't gain any weight for that time either. I came off because a few times after getting the shot, I started having a cycle a month after I took it. Doctor put me on the pill, and cycles were regular. ANYWAY-I recommend that you try a new OB/GYN. It's not your fault. You need your hormones level checked through bloodwork, and that will help the doctor determine what would work to rectify the problem. I would like to suggest Dr. Beverly Wood in Bedford. Her office is located across the street from the hospital. She is terrific!! FYI...the pill I'm on now doesn't give me a cycle even when I take the fake pills.

J.R., girl I was on Depro as well for many years and my Doctor took me off it because of the loss of bone density. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I have been off of Depro for now about 2 yearsand my cycles have been out of wack since. I was told I should consider taking another method of Birth control so that my cycle can start to run regular, but I'm like you. I can not take the pills. They literally make me sick to my stomach. My cylce comes so often, my girlfriends always say to me didn't you just have a cycle. I've had two in the same month. They are lighter, but I still go a full six days, and they are now coming early. Probably every 15 to 20 days. Its annoying as heck. I do not know what else to say to you. I guess our system has to truely recover and get back on track, but its going to take some time. Good luck!

Get a new doctor! No doctor should ever talk to you like that, they should be kind and willing to explore all options. Not sure what area you are in, but I LOVE my doctor!

Ralph Weigman
###-###-####
Grand Prairie

I don't know anything about the shots but I do know that if the pill you were on wasn't working, you are having problems, and you have communicated these to your doctor and that (She told me it was my fault, that she couldn't help me if I wasn't willing to help myself by taking the birth control pills.) was her response you need to find another doctor! Remember that you are in charge of your body-NOT THE DOCTOR. Remember that you hired them and they work for you-not the other way around. You need to find a doctor that will listen and respect you and work with you to try different things until you find what works. Good Luck!

I would say get a new doctor. I took Depo for 6-7 years and never had an issue getting off. I got off two times so that I could start trying to get pregnant and within a two months my cycles were back to normal and fine.

Good luck.

I can relate to the issues you are speaking of having stopped using the Depo-Provera shots. I didn't use them as long as you but when I got off them...I had a period every two weeks. Weight gain, bloating, gassy, upset stomach, etc. After almost 2 yrs of this constant cycle and having healthy papsmears I asked my OBGYN to think outside the box on what is going on with my body. The birth control pills do not work for me, I have a 20 yr bp baby. The Dr decided to do a sonogram and I have a tumor on my uterus and ovary. That culminated into orthoscopic surgery to determine what stage of cancer I was in and a treatment plan. Okay, don't get scared for yourself. I went into full heal my body mode, did a detox of my blood, kidney's, liver, bowels, and skin with the emphasis of eliminating cancer from my body. I looked up info in naturopathy, homopathic medicine, organics, chinese medicine, acupunture. After 6 weeks of purging/detoxing my body I had the orthoscopic surgery to take a byopsy of the tumors. They were none existent on the right side so they checked the left side, NONE!!! Saying all of the above, I'm telling you your body is telling you to detox. We chose to put a huge portion of hormones into our body at one time and our systems adjusted to that and they are trying to rebalance. Go to the library and research different ways to detox or go to a naturopathic dr. It saved my life from experiencing cancer or the treatments and got my hormones back in balance. Best of life to you.

I was only on Depo for about a year and after I stopped I didn't have a period for almost 3 years! (Re: someone else pointing out it stores itself in your fat, I wasn't even fat then! I guess if I took it now and got off I might never have a period again...Hmmm...there's a thought :))After my period finally came back, it was crazy- incredibly heavy flow, more often than normal. That was about 8 or 10 years ago and after about a year it settled down to a more normal range. You are probably best off dealing with the every other week for a while longer without intervening, just to let your body "reprogram" itself- I'm thinking it will happen quicker that way.

You should DEFINITELY find a new doctor - any doctor who tells you it's your fault for not taking birth control pills that obviously don't work for you isn't worth going to! There are WAY too many options out there to be limited to the one that makes you so miserable. I, too, was on the Depo shot for almost 8 years. It took about 7-8 months before I ever had a single period & when they started again, they were not consistent at all. My doctor told me that it takes most women a full year to get the Depo out of your system completely (it hides in the fat deposits in your body & takes a long time for your body to completely flush it out). Anyway, I was starting to have somewhat regular periods by month 11 & 12 - then I got pregnant! =) I would definitely look for a new doctor - I'm not sure what part of the area you are from but I have a wonderful OB/GYN in Dallas at Presbyterian Hospital - Dr. Natalie Light - she is great about listening to you & laying out your options & discussing the pros & cons of each. Good luck with this - hope it all works out for you!!!

I started the Depo shot in 2003 and had my last shot in January of this year. It has been 9 months since my last shot and I havne't yet had a period. However, I have had severe mood fluxuations and my breasts are so tender that I can hardly put a shirt on. Other than that I have felt better than ever but want to get pregnant soon. I was hoping my cycle would start up on its own but since it hasn't I am considering starting Prometrium soon. How long were you on prometrium? I'm hoping that works for me since birth control pills have a bad effect on me - they also affect my allergies and I swell and bloat. Regardless, I'm just glad I stopped Depo and I just hope it hasn't affected my ability to conceive. I was on it for 5 years and I hadn't found anybody that has been on it longer than me. I sure hope it works out for you.

It sounds like there may be a problem with your thyroid.

Since your allergies flair up after ingesting hormone pills, it may have something to do with your digestive system.

The bloating is not normal. Do you notice bloating after you eat certain foods?

What I am getting at is a possible link to Celiac disease, which is an intolerance to gluten (wheat, rye, barley). The gluten damages the small intestine to the point where malabsorption occurs and nutrients are not absorbed. This in turn can affect the proper functioning of the thyroid, which then in turn may be causing the heavy bleeding and your allergy flair ups.

I mention this because 97% of people who have Celiac disease DON'T KNOW they have it! The symptoms vary from person to person and here in the US you need to know your own body to help your doctors figure it out.

If you suspect Celiac disease, please PM me, and I can assist you further.

S. -- wheat free since March 17, 2008 -- gluten free since July 17, 2008 -- allergic to English walnut, pecan, peanut, EA

PS Ditch that ignorant Ob/Gyn!

You should see another doctor just because of her responses. Some times, after the Depo shot, it can take a while for your cyle to begin and become regular. Allow your body the time it needs for the depo to run it's course. You are working on YOUR mental time table instead of waiting for your body to make it's own adjustments as IT needs to in response to all of the hormones. Relax. Allow your body to do what it does(maintain it's own internal balance).

I personally am not a fan of birth control. Although years ago I was put on it because of heavy bleeding. But I was not aware of the impact that birth control had on my body. I have learned the importance of good nutrition and how it impacts our body and helps it heal. If you want additional information please contact me at ____@____.com or call me at ###-###-####.

Get a second opinion.