Depo Provera ruined my life!

Well since coming across this blog, I thought I would share my experience with the Depo Shot.  I have no children but I am sexually active.  I have been on the Depo Shot since I was 16 and I am now almost 30.  So I have been on the shot for 13 years almost 14 years.  Kinda scary to think how long I have been on it.  :-/ But I have had no issues with weight gain.  When I was 16, I weighed 118.  Now that I am almost 30 I weigh 125 pounds.  I am very active and would never had contributed any weight gain to the Depo Shot but more or less my lifestyle change from highschool to everyday life.  I would say that in 13 years I can count on one hand the amount of times I have spotted.  I have not had a full period in 13 years, however when I did get my period (before getting my first ever depo shot) it was very very light and only lasted no more than three days with no cramping.  I have never (EVER) had cramps either.  However I do feel that my sex drive is slightly fading away.  I fear that now that I am getting older, and having kids cross my mind every once in a while I wonder is there going to be issues for me to get pregnant once I do come off the Depo Shot?  My immediate response is well, ya, duh!  But is there anyone else out there that might have the same scenario? Or anyone who has been on the Depo Shot longer than what is recommended and have had kids?  However I will point out too that doctors say I am really healthy.  Any input would be appreciated.

 I have been on the depo shot for 6 months I had only two shot I stop the depo shot in June of last year...It is driving me crazy I always have headaches and I am always mad.. Me and my husband always fight and I always get jealous over nothing..I don't like people talking to me I always just want to stay in my bed and be alone I was so depress..I didn't even want to take care of my kids it was like I was mad at the whole world...Also when I had my period in July I had very very big clots more bigger then a golf ball It will come out every time I pee and I would have diarrhea and nausea..I did not feel so good also when I have my period because it is like I am peeing in my pants too... I also found out I was Pregnant  last December  3 but on December 12 I found out I had a ectopic  pregnancy.... I was thinking my be of the depo shot because of my period chance I was asking my doc. but he didn't say anything...Now am scared to get pregnant again but my hubby want to have another baby...

So to anybody who has not take the depo shot yet pls. don't take it...

Bree13L I know how you feel. I believe I'm the worse case of depo that I at least know of. I started the shot when I was 15 reason for me even being on birth control was to regulate my periods and I suck at remembering to take pills so my parents thought depo was the best way to go sure I liked not having my period but I use to weigh 120 now I weigh 170 probably 175 or even 80 now I was on the shot for a little over year and I begged my parents to get me the hell off of it though they wouldn't listen until I about took a knife to my stomach and started to cry I was really depressed and I couldn't deal with it no more so they took me off of it and if anything I gain weight now. Before depo I was able to eat as much as I wanted now I'm afraid to eat anything I want to lose this stomach I want my body back and I'm 18 now and havent lost any of it and I stopped the shot when I was 16. I need real help myself. I really dont know what to tell you. But good luck

im really sorry to hear that, i had a nightmare with depo too! including cramps, mood swings, depression, anxiety, panic attack, i was scared of doing anything even driving!!! i didnt loose any pound as a matter of fact i lost weight but my face break up BADDLY and still here cause i just have 5 months off it but i do feel a lot better!!! how long your depression and the other sympthons took to go away?

That sucks! I would try to go to the other end of the spectrum if I were you. First of all, change your diet. No excuses, just admit to yourself that whatever you're doing now (trying not to eat?) isn't working so you've got to change it. Go Paleo or low GI (paleo is easiest and most people find it filling).

Second of all have you been tested for a thyroid problem? Also, Depro provera contains a crapload of synthetic progesterone and NO ESTROGEN, so possibly that's what you're missing. You could consider a bc pill with estrogen or maybe could just try to make your body produce more of your own estrogen (google how to do it). Supplement with magnesium, zinc, D3, and a daily multivitamin like centrum that contains b vitamins and selenium. Also start walking daily (again, no excuses!).

Hi!  I am a 34 years old, and I am still dealing with many issues from taking Depo Provera at age 19.  I gained 15 pounds in less than 3 weeks of taking the first shot.  I had 2 more shots after that and I gained a total of 85 pounds in a year.  I went from thin, energetic and happy person to a overweight, fatigued and miserable person (OMG - I was soooooooooo moody!).  I became so depressed and having panic attacks on a daily basis.  I tried everything to reverse the effects from the shot.  I took anti-depressants  and tried so hard to lose the weight.  My body will never be the same, but I have learned how to deal with these very unpleasant side effects.  Some additional side effects: hair growth in areas I DO NOT want it to grow in!!!  If you are on the shot or know someone who is thinking of taking it...DON'T DO IT!!!  It's not worth it!!!  If you are experiencing weight gain, fatigue, depression, anxiety and anything odd...Go to your doctor and tell them...have test run on your horomone levels.  Take action, because the side effects stick around and it's a miserable life if you let it go untreated (like I did until the last year or so).  I wish you all the very best! 

Ditto on the hair growth. I took it for a year and a half and will never be the same (no period for 3 years, it took another year and a half to get my period after stopping it). I have male hair growth from it, a full on beard that I have to shave everyday or it's coarse and scratchy like a man. If I don't shave, it takes forever to pluck all the hairs out. I have tried laser, electrolysis, taking spirolactone, everything, and nothing works. It's disgusting and has wasted a lot of my life from pain and suffering. When I got off of it it had only been on the market a couple of years, and doctors did not know all the side effects, didn't even have a black box warning. The P.A. at the time told me that the male hair growth was passed down in my family, that it could not have been from depo. It made me extremely upset because she acted like I was making it up. I am blonde, with very soft hair on my body, and there is no female in my family with male hair growth, we all have very light, soft hair, and no one has chin/neck coarse hair, except for me now of course. I even have some brown hairs going down my belly from my belly button. And, what a coincidence, it started while taking and after taking depo! It's an extreme amount of coarse chin/upper neck hair, not like you would see even in a family that does have male hair growth in women run in their family. It's not a couple of hairs here and there, it's hundreds. I saw something about Depo causing DHT to rise and testosterone to elevate to extreme amounts in your body. Depo will never leave your system, there is no detox, no going back. I am attractive on the outside but feel ruined on the inside because I know that this will never go away (took it in my early/mid 20's and am in my 40's and still have the male hair growth). I have to make sure not to touch someone's face when I hug them, so they don't get scratched, even my husband. It's the most embarrassing thing and it's daily. I also have osteopenia and was diagnosed when I was 32 with the bone density of someone in their mid to late 50's (even the doctor who ordered the dexascan said the osteopenia was due to the depo). My mom was just diagnosed with osteopenia, but she's 72. I tried to sue but lawyers would not take my case. There is no winning against these large pharmaceutical companies unless you're dying from their drugs, what do they care if you're harmed emotionally and physically for the rest of your life. Don't take depo if you want to have a happy, healthy life.

I got ONE Depo Provera shot when I was 16 and had horrible side effects (migranes 24/7 for about 2 months) so I didn't get a second shot, but also gained 50 pounds. I haven't felt like myself in three years and I HATE that one drug could make me feel so horrible about myself for so long. I've given up on any sort of weight loss at this point, I'm pretty sure I'm just gonna be like this forever. I am overweight and probably judged by nothing I did wrong, besides trust my doctor as to this shot being the best choice for me. I hope you have a better experience.

I was on it for a year! My biggest mistake! Lowered my sex drive and my height is 6" and weighed 195 then to 245 QUICK!!!! I had a very active job too! I lost 15 lbs then nothing! Iv been stuck at 236 for over a year! Of course my parents are gym rats so they always give me c**p so know i feel i have to hide all the time cause im ashamed about it but it did ruin everything physically

Oops didn't see the know

I am 50 and still have effects from the injection I had back I became very aggressive and my self esteem plummeted I also had severe acne which plagues me today and excessive hair I feel they nearly turned me into a man the nurse who administered the drug said the side effects were better than getting pregnant I went to my doctor who prescribed the drug and he advised me to stop taking it as I was showing signs of depression he said there was little known about the drug and the they wouldn't know for years if the side effects would last in my case they have I was always a highly strung person and feel this should have been considered when prescribing this drug it ruined my life I was different person before after my experience I would advise that this drug is dangerous and the effects are permanent in some people don't take chance

Mandy

The depo provera changed my life for the worst. I'm 20 years and I've been suffering from major depression over this shot. And what you're describing in this message is exactly what I'm going through.

I've had similar effects from depo, and suffered the last 4 years. But I did some research and slowly started seeing improvement after taking the centrum mmultivitamin, probiotics and a supplement with a combination of calcium, magnesium, zinc. Seen improvement after about 6months to ayear. Slowly. BBeen on these now for 2 1/2 years and I am slowly losing the weight regaining strength, and finally got a couple of menstrual cycles this last year.

I took depo one time 4 years ago and not only did it cause me to gain close to 90 lbs because of the hormonal imbalance it caused, but I haven't had a normal period since then. It's been 7 months since my last period with no end in sight. My doctor tried to get me to take more birth control to fix it, but I refuse to screw myself up more. I've made an appointment with a specialist to help solve this. DEPO PROVERA HAS DESTROYED MY BODY

I also was suffering from heavy periods and clots and to avoid surgery my Dr recommended DP. Omg worst mistake ever, I went from a slim 125 to now 180 in a course of a year! I had 3 shots. I stopped shots in summer 2015 and no period as of yet. I also changed my diet, cut sodas but no change. When I asked about how much weight I would gain he advised me between 5-10 lbs. Seriously ladies reconsider this option. I feel depressed, have anxiety and sweat a lot, dont know if this is because its still in system. My period stopped completely...no spotting...zip, zilch, nada. I have no motivation and my mind is completely f'd up because of this. I cut my social life and revert to staying home and crying.