Any One on the Depo Shot?

Definitly the shot.i had it and I gain a lot of weight and experienced some depression.i hate the shot.I have a mirena IUD and I love it i dont have to remember anything and it last up to five years.It is great.You can have it out anytime you want if you decide on another baby.

Get off of the shot as soon as possible! I took one shot, one time and it darn near killed me. I bleed for seven months straight and then had to get on meds to make me ovulate as I quit having periods altogther. My first month on the shot I gained 30 pounds! And at that time I was normally a size 5! That shot is aweful! My advice is to never get another one.

A. C
Texas

I was on it about 8 years ago and hated it as well. I had such heavy, continuous periods that I became anemic. I didn't have the weight gain/mood swings that you describe. Only after I had my symptoms did my doctor say "Oh yeah, that's really common, a lot of women don't really tolerate it that well". Wasn't for me AT ALL

The Depo is a night mare for me. I took one shot after my first child was 2, he is now 16. I gained 48 pounds in 6 weeks and my hormones 14 years later are still completely wacked out. I am a LVN and discourage every women I can from getting this injection. I also miscarried while on the shot and BC pills. I dont believe they will ever be able to provide this shot with out all the horrible side effects. I have been treated by a number of specialist who still can not straighten my levels out. I was one of the first few to have such terrible side effects when the Depo first came out, some of my side effects were not even listed on the warnings until after me. So I personally ask you to find another form of birth control, to save yourself the horrible life changing trauma I have been trough. I went from 150 at 5'9 1/2 to 209 in 6 weeks then put on an additional 40 pounds over then next 3-4 months. I literally was starving myself and could not loose 5 pounds. My then husband could not stand the sight of me and decided he could find better to look at and we divorced. My self esteem plumited....SAVE YOURSELF DO NOT DO ANOTHER INJECTION

I took it several years ago and gained about 25 pounds. It was awful. I went back to birth control pills until I had my kids. I now have an IUD and love it. The Merina. Good luck.

Hi Margarett,

I gained like 10 lbs with my Depo Shot. I finally was able to lose it after 2-3 years. Is not the first time I hear the same complaints from Depo shot. I think it has something to do with the water retention.

Honey i feel your pain! i had lost most of my baby weight when i got on the shot and i gained 20lbs in 2 months! I am normally a very tiny person and i became so depressed, eventually i had to stop taking it cause the mood swings were worse than my PMS, and thats saying alot! It took a long time for my moods to stabilize afterwards and then i became prego again. My advice would be to stop taking it and get on some other form of birth control. It was a very bad experience for me and i wouldn't recommend the "shot" to anyone. My metabolism is still messed up and it's been over 2 yrs. Good luck and i hope this helps.

I think it depends on the person. I have one friend that loved it and was on it for years and another that had horrible side effects like you describe. I never tried it for that reason. Thankfully my husband had a vasectomy since we are done having kids. I hate hormone birth control of any type. Nothing I ever tried agreed well with me after having kids.

Guess I'm in the minority but I have had no problems with it. I was on it for 5 years at one point & loved it! I never gained weight due to the shot but when I went on the pill I gained a ton. Also, back then I didn't have periods which I loved since I was in the military & not having a period was awesome when doing field problems! I've just recently gone back on the shot... we'll see how it works this time. If I were you I would check with your doctor about something that will work better for you. Good luck!

Me too! Gained 5-15 pounds each month for first 3 months, never went back to get another shot! It killed any libido, which ironically was birth control in itself !LOL! which lasted about 5-6 months. It took a year to lose 20 of the 40 lbs total but never have lost the last 20. Ugh! I would look into Mirena. A bit of cramping for the first few months, but shorter, lighter cycles after that!

YES, YES, YES, YES! I have not talked to ONE person that has liked this shot....it makes you gain weight, it makes you moody....all of the above. I was an emotional train wreck the entire time I was on it....I always thought I was pregnant because my hormones were raging like I was. Plus I never had a period, which scared me too. I had started this shot when I was without insurance from Planned Parenthood and when I got insurance again...I went to my gyno and she took me off of it immediately. She said that is was horrible for a women's body and that it can cause bone density and osteoperosis, plus it can cause some women to have fertility problems. Needless to say I got off of the shot and I felt MUCH MUCH better once I did. Good Luck!

C.

I was on the shot.....I hated every second of it! I constantly had some type of bleeding...my hormones made my husband want to rent a hotel room to get away from me, and I cried all the time! Finally, I decided to go off of it, and am finally getting back on track...its been over a year since I quit taking it!
Immediately after I started taking it, I had horrible periods....to the point that I once went into the dr thinking I had had a miscarriage.
They told me to give it 3 shots to "even out". After the 4th shot, I called it quits. I know another of my friends just went off, because it did the same exact things to her hormones as well. Hope thishelps!

I'm surprised to hear so many negative responses. I was on Depo for 8 years. The first six months were awful, erratic periods, mood swings, probably some weight gain. But after six months - no symptoms at all, and NO PERIODS! I stuck through it because my sister did it first and had the same experience, and also I have horrible periods, so it was totally worth it for me! Then when I decided to get pregnant, they told me it may take 18 months or more since I had been on it so long. I got pregnant right away. So it must depend on the person. I'd give it one more try, and if you still have problems, then quit. Of course, if you are gaining extreme amounts of weight, and nothing else could be causing it, then maybe you should stop right away.

i was on the depo shot for 3 years and LOVED it. never gained weight on it (maybe a pound or 2). I got off of it because the longer you are on it, it can cause bone density. but i never had a problem neither has my sister. but you have to do what is right for you

yes ive been on the depo in the past i didnt like it. i gained weight and i missed periods so i got off of it and went back to the old way birth control pills.

I'm so glad you asked this question and thankful for all of the responses. I was considering this shot and now I've changed my mind.

Get off of it now! I was on Depo for 3 shots worth and I went from a size 7 to a size 14 in that time span. I changed nothing and was very active. I also have a friend who had a double in her size as well. Mood swings, erratic appetite (ie-not eating at all some days), and weight gain all were my reactions. I suggest the IUC Mirena as an alternative birth control method.

I was on the Depo shot for 2 years. I gained around 20 pounds, very quickly! It also just about killed my sex life with my husband. It just didn't seem worth it. I finally decided on Eblation (mostly because my periods where crippling) and tubal ligation.
I hope this helped and wish you the best.

S.

I have not been on the shot but I use to work for an OBGYN and it is different for everyone. But a lot of patient experience weight gain. I would never to the shot just because I hate needles... But I had the same problem with my hormones and the Dr. put me on yaz. I really dont like taking a pill everyday but I just take it before bed and so far its great. You might think about switching to a pill. I would definitely talk to your Dr about the problems you are having.. Hope this Helps..

I was on the shot after my first son and it made me gain weight... The dr told me that it can make you along with any other bc gain weight but that the shot can make you retain water. I was really doing that.. I also had really bad headaches for the shot. The only cure is to get off the shot. I am not good with pills so I recently got the Mirena IUD and I love it.. hope this advice is helpful..

--HUGS-- I was on the Depo shot for a year, gained almost 80 lbs, had non-stop migraines and ended up in the hospital with an emotional breakdown! Just like any other medication, your doctor should have told you about all possible side effects and been monitoring you for depression and weight gain. There are tons of other methosds out there, so I would advise talking to your doctor about them as soon as possible. Depo nearly wrecked our lives. It took me two years to get off all the weight, a year of anti-depressants and counseling to get my life back on track. Feel free to contact me directly - I know what you're going through. Good luck!

I was on the shot back in 2001 and within 6 months i had gained 40 pounds so yea it will make u do that

Everyone has said it perfectly!! I HATED it!! I gained 8 pounds in 1 month, never had a full period but spotted almost everyday--which is just as inconvinient as a period!! I only took it one time and got on the pill! Good Luck!

My daughter took the Depo shot and gained weight too. Her hormones went nuts too and we eventually took her off. She is a lot better now and has lost the weight. However, currently, we have not found anything that doesn't make her gain weight! We hope to find something soon!

I took it only once back in 2001 when my first daughter was months old. I bled constantly for 5 MORE months until I went to my GYN and said "I can't take it anymore!" I did not know it was from the shot. He said that in a some women it causes you to continually lose a small amount of cells every month instead of having a regular cycle that starts and stops. I had to get on birth control pills to regulate myself. I did not like it, will not do it again, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I did not have problem with weigh gain but it looks like a lot of moms have! Talk to your doctor about alternatives and let that shot get out of your system.

Has your blood work been done thoroughly? Many doctors don't do all the bloodwork needed to determine exactly which hormone and how much you need. My recommendation is the FemCentre. There is a Fort Worth location and a Colleyville location. Personally I see Gayle at the Colleyville location. I had a low progesterone issue, not an estrogen issue. As well as a thyroid issue, that my primary doc was not picking up on because of the bloodwork not being extensive and detailed enough.

I also gained LOTS of weight!! I took it SEVERAL years ago before I decided to have my tubes tied and I gained about 35lbs!! I too did not eat much at all!!! Good luck!!!

I gained 12 lbs within a year on the depo shot...and I had changed absolutely NOTHING in my lifestyle -- and I'd begun exercising regularly as well.... ?? while it was convenient to not have a period ...the weight gain issue -- I'm too vain I guess b/c that was enough for me to go back on the pill.

I hated the Depo shot. I gained 30 lbs in eight months, and while on it I bled like crazy. They gave me two more shots after the first one and within one month to try to stop the bleeding. I bled for eight months straight. It was horrible. They put me on mini-pills on top of that to try to help stop the bleeding. To make things worse it caused blood clots and I ended up with 5 pulomonary embolisms (blood clots in the lungs). I don't recommend it to ANYONE!

My daughter in law is on it and has been since May 2007. She too hates it. She bleeds for almost a month at a time which is horrible for a young woman. She's a college student and athlete, so she needs to find something else to use. Good luck to you.

G. M.

Ladies, what you do not know is that in the past 2 years 17 women have DIED from this shot. Please do yourself and your marriage a favor and go to http://www.ccli.org/ It will improve your health, your marriage and improve your sex life. It is proven fact. And it is totally natural!

Good luck!

Depo gave me severe bloating and made me moody, you are not alone! I would try something else. Nuvaring worked great for me and I have heard Mirena is awesome too!

I took it and HATED it. At first I loved it. I actually lost weight when I first started taking it. I loved not having a cycle, was great. I am a diabetic. And all of a sudden, my blood sugars started going out of control, I felt like crying one minute and biting my husbands head off the second. I had major problems with my stomach and feeling like I was nauseous 24/7. I had experienced muscle pain in my pelvic and hip areas. I did not put two in two together until not my gynecologist, but my PCP told me that there are steroids in the injection. I quit taking it right after I found out for the sake of my diabetes. Once I stopped taking it, all of my other problems let up EVENTUALLY, except I continue to maintain the weight I gained and I feel nauseous whenever my stomach feels like acting up. What they did not tell me is that the shot keeps you from getting pregnant for three months, but stays in your system for a year. The last shot I took was the one that made me gain weight and continue to. I gained almost 40 pounds in less than 6 months!!! You will continue to gain weight even if you stop taking it for up to a year and will be unable to get it off for up to a year. I am still struggling to lose the weight and I have been off it for over a year. I grew up in gymnastics, always fit, and I am not anymore! They don't always tell you stories about what it does. And to be honest with you, I had a friend that it worked amazing for her. But if it is already starting to give you problems now, I wouldn't take the chance to make it worse. Also, it makes you depressed too! With young children, that might be the worst part!! Not to say you will have all the problems I did, but if you want my opinion, it is the worst mistake I ever did!!!

I was on the Depo Shot for a year and a half. I did gain some weight but what really bothered me was my hormones were really wacked out. In fact my Dad (who knows me better than anyone) pulled me aside and told me that he really thought I needed to get off the shot. He told me that I was not the same person anymore. Of course I thought I was being attacked by him and then my husband pulled me aside and pretty much told me the same thing. I'm sure they talked to each other about it, but when both of them are telling me the same thing, I kind of took a step back and realized they were right. I made an appointment with my OB and got back on the pill. I've been off of the Depo for almost a year and I'm finally getting my hormones back to where I'm semi-normal. I have been having really bad headaches and cramps since getting off of the Depo. I actually have an appt. to see my OB about those later this week. I do know that my mom was on the Depo for quite some time and she never had any problems. I guess it just affects everyone differently.

I hope this helps!

Yep, I was on Depo for a few years and gained quite a bit. The Dr eventually took me off (and put be back on bc) because of the weight gain and my weight returned to normal.

Best,
E.

Never tried the Depo shot, but I had heard not so good things about it before. I have been on the pill off (during pregnancy) and on since I was 18 (now I'm 30). I decided this year I was TIRED of dealing with the pill everyday. I opted to try the Nuvaring. Put in once a month and thats it. I've had it in since Sunday and so far so good. No symptoms, no issues. I have a friend on it and she loves it, and my OBGYN said she has alot of patients that are on it now, and they like it too.

When I got on the depo shot -- I went crazy! I would cry at the drop of a hat and was an emotional mess. Myi dr finally prescribed my an anti-depressant until the depo got out of my system -- then I just went back on the pill!! E.