Depo-Provera: asking the FDA to investigate

Top 439. Oct 16, 2006 11:32 AM

» marymo - now on deprovera and worried...

In response to now on deprovera and worried... posted by desperate23:

Hi you are not so desperate, desperate does not ask for help and desperate does not just stumble across an active site, I think you could change your logon to survivor.

With regard to your question, what happened two years ago, you would have been 21, did you take a morning after pill did you start smoking did you go on the regular pill, did you start eating a different food that you might have a allergy to, did you start going to a new school , move house or start work in a different office? Have you been on some antibiotics? These are all relevant issues to examine in your effort to helping yourself to get well.

Depo and the pill are not going to solve the underlying issue and long term you could be faced with the same situation again in the future even if in the interim the symptoms subside. You have got to calm down and go easy on yourself aswell, stress won't help the situation either. Also where you have been having such sickness and abdominal trouble, one of the side effects of depo is acute abdominal pain, keep an eye out for it so that you recognise the problem and don't think that it is a new development from the original illness.

If I were you I would talk to a registered medicinal herbalist, they are highly educated people who will go through your illness and symptoms with you and help you to heal yourself. I don't know where in the world that you are based you might have to do some reasearch to find some body who is suitably qualified to assist you but it is really worth looking into. I personally went to a homeopath to help to treat my long term effects of depo provera I found it very useful, but if you are going to one they need to be quite experienced as it is not the same as a regular physician, they need to specifically treat the cause of the illness, and if they do not get the remedy right there is no effect.

One of the other things that I do is go for a massage, my favourite is Thai yoga as this is a very healing treatment, it is considered a form of medicine in Thailand, I find that it is very helpful in getting me to focus.

Lastly make sure that you are getting enough omega 3 fatty acids in your diet, it can lead to lots of different types of sickness if you are not, and they are very healing as much of out tissues are made up of them and we need them to survive.

Let me know how you are getting on, keep us updated on your progress.

Remember we could not be born alive and well were it not for the physician within us,
Paracelcus.

-- posted by marymo

Top 440. Oct 26, 2006 5:56 PM

» gointothestars - depo-provera- just don't do it

Hi. I am 19 years old, I have been on the depo shot for 5 years. I went on the depo after trying numerous amounts of pills (to get my period under control- it was really heavy- on for 2 weeks, off for 2...a living hell for a young girl)Anyway, I started the pill the end of my 8th grade year, that entire summer I was at cheerleading practice everyday, and more active than ever, yet i put on 40 lbs in a span of 5 months. my freshman year in high school i went on about 4 different forms of the pill- all making my put on more weight, none helping my periods. so my doctor said "Lets try the shot, and just get rid of them". At the end of my 8th grade year I was 130lbs (5'10") and by the end of my freshman year, when i went on depo, I was 171lbs.
It should be noted that about a month or two after starting depo, i became extremely depressed, and developed an eating disorder. now, maybe this wasn't due to the shot specifically, but from what I have learned, the shot couldn't have helped my situtation.
My sophomore year in high school, I lost an extreme amount of hair- it was disgusting. Everywhere, my blonde hair came out, and everyone could tell. It was all over the drivers seat of my car, or if I sat in someone elses car. In the shower it came out in chunks. My hair went from being thick to being thin and flat. My mood swings became ridiculous. I was hardly ever happy, people could say the simplest things and I'd get upset. My desire to date deminished completely, I have no sexual attraction to guys anymore. I began to grow long, black hairs around my nipples, like a man. I had body odor that didn't seem to go away no matter how much I scrubbed. Long black hairs also developed on my toes, like a man.
One odd thing, is that right after getting the shot, I get sick and my arm swells up. And for about two weeks after the shot, I am emotionally numb. I feel nothing. Its like I live in a world where nothing matters for those two weeks.
I have just made the decision to go off the shot, and I'm terrified for the possibility of weight gain, but I want my life back. I want to be me again. I dont want all these nasty hormones in my body anymore.
All I can say is, please, don't put your daughters on this. IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR A YOUNG GIRL. Don't listen to the doctors- my doctor doesn't think anything could be that wrong with the depo shot. But she is so very wrong. So many of my problems started with the depo- coincidence or not is up to you. But I urge you to not let your daughters go on this shot.
I have 3 girl friends that are also on it, and they have the same problems I do- 2 have also suffered from an eating disorder. Maybe its because we were put on it so young... I don't know. But don't take the risk.

-- posted by gointothestars

Top 441. Oct 27, 2006 9:34 AM

» tabbycattia - Lupron-Depot and Depo Provera Saved My Life!

No, I'm not joking. If it weren't for Lupron Depot, I don't know where I would be right now. Tens of thousands of dollars in hospital bills, tons of odd diagnoses such as "bruised cervix" and "swollen ovary", and a miscarriage later, I had finally found the medicinal treatment of my dreams. If it weren't for my wonderful doctor letting me know of this treatment, I seriously would have never known. After the intiail diagnosis, he gave me the option of a laproscopy or lupron. Normally, a lapro is stat procedure, but after all the textbook symptoms (you name it..I had it, such as "Intense pelvic pain but nothing on ultrasound"). Of course, the first month of treatment was hard, as the spike in estrogen production causes your symptoms to get so horrendous that you wonder why you're doing it in the first place. However, very soon you will see that besides the occasional (or even frequent) hot flash, that ALL your pains are gone! No more tender breasts, no more paralyzing pelvic pain, no more impossibly painful intercourse! I will take the side effects and the health risks, because the high estrogenic content in my blood and my severe endometriosis completely destroyed my life. I have just received my last Lupron shot today and I am so happy! Not to have a period, not to have the pain!! I am going on Depo-provera a month to the day that the GnRH Agonist will wear off. I will never get a period, and my body will barely produce any estrogen. I am so very grateful to these drugs, and do not be afraid of taking them if you have tried other passages and they have not worked for you! I will admit this is not the first choice for mild pain, but for those frustrated with severe pain, THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!!! And I promise you, it is great! I got my life back. I don't think I'd be able to be a full time graduate student in Public Health if it was like the old days sad

. For those who like to complain about nothing, of course, they will complain about lupron and depo-provera. I assure you that for those with severe endo, this IS the way to the go! So NO to the knife!

-- posted by tabbycattia

Top 442. Oct 27, 2006 9:38 AM

» tabbycattia - Depo Makes Me Bitchy

In response to Depo Makes Me Bitchy posted by marymo:

I don't know if I really agree with the statement that you presented in regards to nature not intending us to mess with our hormones the way Depo does. For those merely using it as birth control who have no history of any hormonal imbalance, I say "Enjoy your life as it is, and don't mess with what you were blessed with!" For those of us using it as an actual treatment, nature did NOT give us a good hormonal imbalance and actually supressing estrogen or injecting progestin into our bodies is our only means of a (mostly) pain-free survival. I do not get my period, I do not get bloated, and I do not get moody. Even if my doctor told me I had to be on this the rest of my life, regardless of its side effects, I would. For those WITHOUT pain using this merely as BC, I would agree with you. But for those of us using this as a treatment, the side effects PALE in comparison to the pain we live with every day without these estrogen suppressant drugs.

-- posted by tabbycattia

Top 443. Oct 27, 2006 11:02 AM

» marymo - Lupron-Depot and Depo Provera Saved My Life!

In response to Lupron-Depot and Depo Provera Saved My Life! posted by tabbycattia:

Hi tabbycattia
Your case is different from most of the women, most women are prescribed depo as a contraceptive ie there is nothing wrong with them and they end up sick as a result of the shot because of the side effects.
hope it stays fine for you,
MD

-- posted by marymo

Top 444. Oct 29, 2006 2:51 AM

» tampip88 - Depo ~ weight gain and other side effects

My doctor put me on Depo after my second child. I thought it was wonderful at first. No periods ~ no pills to remember or in my case forget. Well, about 3 months after my daughter was born I started having problems. I still wasn't having a period, but everytime my husband and I had sex I would swell up like a balloon between my legs and bleed for day. It was miserable. I also gain 70 lbs in just a few months. I wasn't eating anymore than normal, but boy did it ever put the pounds on me.

Doc said all of that was normal and I stayed on a little longer. I then started having trouble with my heart. It felt like someone was in my chest just squeezing my heart where I couldn't breathe. That was it ~ even my doctor admitted it was time for the shot to go.

Since I went off of the shot, my heart palpations has stopped. I got pregnant immediately with my 3rd child and had a beautiful healthy girl that is now 9. I didn't want to go through the whole BC think again so I had my tubes tied and then the real problems started. I hurt from the time I got up until the time I went to bed. I would just lay in the bed and cry. When it got close to time for me to start my period I was doubled over in pain and would sometimes have to go to the ER. I finally ended up on megastrol. I have to take 2 a day and I don't have any periods or any pain. The downside? I am now weighing at least 250lbs. I am miserable in that account, but I still believe that most of my problems circle back to the depro shots!!

-- posted by tampip88

Top 445. Oct 31, 2006 3:23 PM

» Kylady528 - ER Visit From Depo

Hello. I'm 43 yrs. old and last month was my first month on Depo Shot. First of all my GYN recommended to me to STOP my clots and SEVERE uterine labor cramping. Last month was HEAVEN nothing at all. I thought this is GREAT!! WRONG.
I passed some Black discharge then a little blood and it stopped. Then yesterday afternoon, pelvic pain and back pain hit me like a BRICK, no warning. Sometimes if I take Tylenol etc and my heating pad, the cramps and clots will pass after awhile. During this NO BLOOD or Clots, SEVERE PAIN PELVIC/BACK. Did not ease up. I took a total of 4 ES Tylenol (2000 MG). Went on for 4 hrs, I was terrified. My husband took me to ER. What a joke, NOTHING was done about it. He wanted to give me Demerol and go home. My BP was 148/114 and Pulse 103 ?? Discharged me, since I was "FINE". Had a script for Darvocet, took 2 when I came home and slept with a little bit of blood.
I am very angry at the promises that was made to me to relieve my 20 years of Severe Labor Cramping only to find out, this stupid shot will probably cause more...
BEWARE OF DEPO PROVERA SHOT!! Do some research and get your feedback first. It does NOT work for every woman.

-- posted by Kylady528

Top 446. Nov 2, 2006 6:15 PM

» freckles7 - spotting

I'm a 19 year old, healthy, active girl who had one dp injection this summer, as I visited a long distance boyfriend, and the shot should have ended (had I been talkign more, it would have been time for the next one) in mid july. It's now novermber, and I've been spotting consistently since end of june!!!! This is not somethign I liek having to deal with while trying to focus on school and my studies, though i'm incredibly grateful i've gotten off so lightly thus far. I'm worreid about pregnancy though. I'm currently sexually active with a steady partner and we're extremely careful and use condoms all the time, but I worry because of the lack of normal periods. I bled heavily for about 3 days a while ago, which is the closest it's gotten to being a normal period for me. Thing is, I haven't gained weight - I actually went from 135 to 125 b/c i made a conscious effort to exercise as soon as i got the injection and beforehand, to prevent the wieght gain i'd heard about. I'm still 125, though just beginning to exercise again (school can be so hectic!) but i feel like my body has changed a lot . Recently (past couple weeks) my belly has begun to look abnormally large and very very round below the belly button - though I have gained 0 pounds - and my breasts were very sensitive a couple weeks ago. Frankly, there's nearly 0 chance I'm pregnant from recent sexual activity - I mean it when i say we're extremely careful to use condoms all the time and to use them correctly (I think he's more scared about it than i am!) So I'm scared that it's from summer and now beginning to show sad

I don't know if I can take a pregnancy test and trust the results - if the drug remains in one's system for 6 to 18 months, the results could easily be false. I'm actually desperately hopeing it's just fat (ironic, i've never wished for that one before) because as much as i'm dyign to be a mother, i really cant' balance a kid and university, especially as i'm interested in work experience in dangerous areas lol (i refuse to take a young kid to areas with high prevalence of malaria and tuberculosis!). So basically, i'm so scared I'm pregnant and that i'll never know until it's far too late - it may already be!! Anyone know what i shoul ddo - doctor? preg test - pharacy or at the doctor's or both? should I be this worried?? Looking for advice from other depo users and those who are mothers. thanks so much in advance, and i really really hope things improve for all the women who've had so many problems from this drug - take care all, know you're in my heart.

-- posted by freckles7

Top 447. Nov 7, 2006 10:06 AM

» nikkolette - my experience with depo

I started taking depo in October of 1998 after the birth of my daughter and have continuously taken it for the last 8 YEARS. I didn't seem to have any of the other side effects but the main one is weight gain. I started depot at 150 lbs and ballooned up to 220 lbs. I have been seeing a doctor that specializes in weight loss. I tried everything before going to see him. I would eat 1200 calories a day and exercise for an hour or more at least 5 days a week and still the weight kept piling on. I am finally down about 50 lbs. I did get pregnant on the depo and miscarried from what I believe to be the drug in my system. My husband and I had been talking about having another child when I found out that I was pregnant. This week would have been when my next shot was due but I am discontinuing use so that we can try again. I have been reading ALOT about becoming pregnant after depo and am very scared. I have not heard posts from anyone who has been on it as long as I have. If there is someone out there who was and was able to concieve that sure would be reassuring. I read that it doesn't matter how long you were on it before ovulation returns but none of these studies seem to be performed on women who have been taking it longer than 2-3 years.

-- posted by nikkolette