Depo-Provera: asking the FDA to investigate

Top 309. Dec 10, 2005 2:50 PM

» zkitten - depovera

I've noticed theres quite alot of negitive feedback on depovera, and I hafta say, I'm not another one.
I started taking depo Nov00 when i was 20,
my doctor told me that after i started it, to take a brake after being on it for a few years which I did(and i was also told its not a form of birth controll ment for younger women), I've recenty started it again.
MY side effects were positive, I lost my period (which up untill that point had been erratic and painful) I think I gained mabey 10 pounds which i lost by the second month, (my eating habbits had been changing at that point and I don't think it was due to the depo, I had $ to eat more, so I did.) As for my moods?, I am manic depressive and bi-polar, and I was off medicationf when I started taking the depo, and my moods changed, for the good. I was less spazzy and less manic, I.. 'balanced out' .. its hard to explain unless your bipolar or manic, but I almost completly balanced out.
I had my last shot in Nov2003, and after that my insurence ran out, so I was off the depo for almost two years.
I did gain weight when i stopped the depo, but i was smoking pot and eating extreemly unhealthy at the time (compared to my healthy eating habbits back in 2000 and now), and i did experience mood swings, but when you take a hormone that effects your body like depo, you should expect side effects like that, my doctor told me all about it, and explained everything that could happen. When I started getting my period again it started erraticly and I had light flows and heavey flows, but again, after 3 years of no period, you could expect something like that to happen, your body is trying to get things right, after about 4 months being off depo (june 2003) my periods regulated themselfs, and I've had clockwork periods since.
I recently started my shots again, just a few weeks ago, and I have to say, I'm starting to balance again.

I did try the patch (which made me throw up for the three days I had it on) and the pill, which I never could remember to take at the same time, and made me extreemly hormonal.

I just want to make sure that other women out there know that depo isn't totaly bad, some women experience bad side effects, but the ones who haven't don't usualy go looking for help or support, like in here. I personaly know 12 other women who've taken depo regularly too, and the worst side effects was the weight gain, which usualy goes away (if your careful about what and how you eat) within a month or two. With any birth controll there WILL be side effects, anyhting that changes your hormones will have side effects, ask your doctor.

-- posted by zkitten

Top 310. Dec 12, 2005 11:13 AM

» nadja05 - depo shot

I was on the depo shot for 9 mos, and gained almost 50 pounds. I got off of it in august of 2004 to start trying to lose weight and it's been really hard to lose it and now I've had problems with my period. during those 9mos I had no spotting or anything it took until march 2005 to finally get my period again and it was somewhat regular until july 2005 now I haven't had it since then. It's been 5mos without a period and unfortunately I no longer am covered by my insurance so I cant even see a doctor to see what going on. Can anybody tell me if they've had similar experiences? Now I'm worried about being able to get pregnant.

-- posted by nadja05

Top 311. Dec 13, 2005 10:03 AM

» k_c_diva - Re: Double Vision Depo!

In response to Double Vision Depo! posted by cajigas:

Hey...I just got on the depo shot 9/19/2005. my migraines started almost immediately, very severe. Then one night i woke up to go get some juice, but i couldn't seem to tell the difference between the tropicana and the other stuff. I just chalked it up to being sleepy. the next day i was fine for a little bit, then all of a sudden i started seeing two sets of the same people...i thought i needed a new prescription. but i never made it to the eye exam, instead i went to an urgent care. they sent me to get a ct scan...that came back normal..i have since had another ct scan, 3 mri's i've seen a neurologist, opthamologist, and a neuro-opthamologist. they have tested me for everything from syphillis to MS and thensome. Everything has been negative. And they don't want to relate the double vision to the depo, because they have never heard of that happening before. I personally have to wonder, if they only tell you the COMMON side effects, why won't they try to find out the UNcommon effects. apparently some women are allergic to the depo provera, but it's very rare...so rare that even the ob/gyn that gave me the shot hasn't ever heard of it causing double vision. I need help finding out what to do. does the vision get better as the shot wears off? or do they have some sort of antidote to the shot (seeing as how my body is responding to it like it's poison)?

-- posted by k_c_diva

Top 312. Dec 14, 2005 4:37 PM

» rserrano - Re: Re: what happens after quitting Depo?

I am 20 years old and I had just had the depo without knowing all the side effects. I been looking in the internet and all I read are very bad comments from people. I read your comment. and I would like to know if you can help me answering some questions I have.
first of all, how did you control your acne? I have prolems with acne since the second day I took the shot. how long did you take the shoot? is it true that sex drive disapears? how long does it take for the quemical to get out of your body? is there anything that can help to control the menstruation that never stops?
I ask you because I have all this problems.
thank you very much
rserrano

-- posted by rserrano

Top 313. Dec 16, 2005 1:39 AM

» sonia1976 - Re: Re: Re: what happens after quitting Depo?

In response to Re: Re: what happens after quitting Depo? posted by rserrano:

Iam 29 years old and ive been on depo for nearly 10 years, i have gained weight and i have lost bone densetiy.No one told me the bad effects of this injection not even my doctor i found out in a newspaper artical, the artical had said that u should only be on depo for 2 years and thats it no more i am very angery that i found this out now being so long on it.Please dont take depo anymore its not worth what it will do to your body.

-- posted by sonia1976

Top 314. Dec 18, 2005 3:26 PM

» Melanie222 - Severe Side Effects...Motrin helps!

I received the Depo Shot in late September of this year when a Nurse Practitioner at Planned Parenthood told me she wasn't going to give me my regular birth control pills because my blood pressure was a tad high. She highly recommended the shot and gave me some literature to read on it before I made my decision. I read about the normal risks of side effects but nothing written about severe side effects. I of course didn't ask enough questions and decided to go for it. I thought, "Well some form of birth control is better than nothing...let's do it." I was IN LOVE with the shot for the first month and a half. No period...didn't have to worry about taking or missing my pill...it was worry free birth control. That is until 6 weeks ago today when I started my period. I haven't stopped bleeding since. This isn't a regular period, either. It's severely heavy, almost unmanageable bleeding. Recently I have been experiencing an occassional sharp pain in my lower abdominal area. It actually feels like it's right around my cervix. I've done some reading online about women who have dealt with constant bleeding after taking the depo shot, and it makes me angry. Sure, it was my choice to take the shot, but I wasn't warned that this was a common problem. Also in my reading, I ran across someone's post on another message board where her physician recommended taking 600mgs of over the counter Motrin every 6 hours to slow the bleeding and, quite possibly after several days, even stop it. So I ran out to the store and bought a bottle of Motrin. I took 600mgs every 6 hours for 3 days. Within the first hour this DID slow the bleeding down but was still too heavy for comfort. I am a heavy person, and often have to take a little more than the recommended dosage of things such as Ibuprophin or Tylenol, so I bumped up my intake to 800mgs every 6 hours. (I know that's a lot for the kidneys to handle) Within the first hour my bleeding slowed down SUBSTANTIALLY to a VERY VERY light period. It has yet to go away, but it is at least SO MUCH more bearable and allows me to be intimate with my partner. I don't have to run to the bathroom every 45 minutes because it feels like I'm over flowing. That was just a nightmare. Does anyone know if getting back on the pill will stop the bleeding? I've yet to ask the clinic. I'm hoping that once the shot runs out at the end of this month I can get back to normal. But with all of the stories I've been reading, that's a slim chance. I'd also like to mention that due to the constant heavy bleeding, I had become anemic. I had no energy and even a lack of mental clarity. For anyone else who has been bleeding for a long period of time...get yourself on some iron or a multi vitamin with Iron in it. The Multi Vitamin that worked best for me and made me feel SO much better was "Women's One A Day." Fairly inexpensive..available just about anywhere. My best thoughts to all of you.

-- posted by Melanie222

Top 315. Dec 19, 2005 8:53 PM

» pplfunseeker - Re: osteopenia

In response to osteopenia posted by Cynthia157:

I would like to talk to you regarding a good lawyer...you can reach me at pplfunseeker@hotmail.com

-- posted by pplfunseeker

Top 316. Dec 20, 2005 7:16 AM

» susanhuizinga - Depo is the Devil

I was 135lbs, happy, healthy... I was in my early 30s with the healthiest sexual appetite I had EVER HAD. Within 3 months of taking Depo, I was suicidal, depressed, had gained 20 lbs (30 more by my 3rd shot), and LOST my sex drive altogther. A year later, I have the mildest of sex drive back... almost nothing. I am 190lbs, and no amount of dieting/exercize is taking it off. I am no longer suicidal or depressed, but I still have prolonged anger about stupid little things. Before Depo, I had a quick but VERY SHORT LIVED temper. It has altered my mood. If I didn't have the most patient husband on the earth, he would've left me by now. DON'T TAKE DEPO. EVER. It will ruin your life.

-- posted by susanhuizinga

Top 317. Dec 20, 2005 8:31 AM

» cdnicemaiden - Re: Depo is the Devil??

I started taken the shot because the doctor wouldn't give me regular birth control pills. I did a ton of research on the subject before I finally said yes. I honestly didn't have any bad side effects. I love not having my period that was heaven. A day or two of spotting when it was time for another shot was easy to get past. I actually ended up loosing almost 100 pounds while on the shot (a dramatic change in eating habits and exercise made that possible). I was always depressive and had high anxiety before getting on the shot and honestly it all got better for me while one it. It was like a mircle life saving drug for me. I had my last shot in July 05 after hearing about the bone density problem. Now I am having problems loosing weight and my emotional insecurity is back. Every drug has side effects. Look at the birth control patch which now gives high rights of death due to blood clots.

-- posted by cdnicemaiden