Depo Provera to Ortho Evra... ?

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-21-2003
Depo Provera to Ortho Evra... ?
1
Fri, 06-11-2004 - 9:47pm

Hello everyone!


I am about to switch from using Depo to using the Patch. Has anyone else done this? Care to share your experience with me?


I have been using Depo for just over 5 years, and would currently be due for my next shot by the 15th of this month. I will be starting the Patch on the 13th. I'm somewhat weirded out by having a period again, I barely remember it! I feel like I'm going to be getting it for the first time all over again.

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
~Eleanor Roosevelt

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-07-2004
Sat, 06-12-2004 - 11:34am
Hey there!

I just happened into this board and saw your post. Thought I'd share my experience. I went from the pill to the patch. The pill made me feel nauseas and occasionally I'd vomit. Even on the smaller doses. So, I tried the patch. There are many things that I love about it!!

1) I don't have to remember it every day. I was terrible at remembering the pill.

2) I DON'T get any nausea or vomiting from it!!

3) I don't worry about effectiveness as much (with the pill, if I was an hour late it would worry me, even though it didn't need to)

4) It doesn't have to be exactly at the same time every week. (An hour or two won't kill it)

5) Yes, I do swim with it on and have sex and do all my normal activities. After the first month of wearing it, I began to forget it was even there.



Some things that haven't been as good about it, but I deal with it because of all the positives:

1) There are several options of where you can put it... I get skin reactions in all of them, but there is one spot I can do and as long as I put it on the other side every week, it's o.k.

2) I get spotting the week before my period (for some women this goes away in the first four months).

3) The first four months there are some side effects. The spotting (sometimes break-through bleeding) and major breast tenderness were the two that I had. There are others that your Doctor can tell you about.

Overall I love the patch and I recommend trying it!! Just remember that the first four months can be a bit of an adjustment. After that if your symptoms remain, I'd talk to your Doctor and decide what's best for you.

I can't imagine not having a period for years and then going back to it. That must be a very strange feeling. Good luck with the patch!

Take Care,

-Grizzybel