Depo or something else?
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| Fri, 10-15-2004 - 1:03pm |
I've gone through the stopping symptoms, I thought I was even pregnant at one time, but it's all part of the glory with coming off Depo.
So it's been almost 5 months now, and I haven't had my normal period return...maybe lightly bleeding here and there for about 2 days then stopping a few times, but nothing normal by far.
I've read in some places online that I can't get pregnant if I am not having a period. So for the last 4.5 months, I haven't used birth control. So far, they seem to be right about that "rule".
Well, I've noticed that I am spotting which is nothing unusal really but it's a brownish colour of the blood mixed with a light red colour sometimes and it's been happening for 3 days now, longer than usual. Is this normal? Does this mean, I have to start looking into getting the pill cause my hormones and fertility are returning?
Also, I am on the low carb diet, could that be a factor in it? THANKS :)

>> I've read in some places online that I can't get pregnant if I am not having a period. So for the last 4.5 months, I haven't used birth control. So far, they seem to be right about that "rule". <<
Noooooo! You can't get pregnant if you don't ovulate! If you ovulate you will have your period about 2 weeks later. The problem with your "rule" is that you are fertile and ovulate 2 weeks before you know if you are going to get your period. If you don't get your period that could mean one of two things, either; 1) that you haven’t ovulated or 2) that you did ovulate and you’re pregnant. If you haven’t ovulated a missed period doesn’t tell you what's happening now and going to happen a few weeks in the future. The only way you will know for sure when you are fertile and ovulate is if you are charting your fertility signs; basal body temperature, cervical position and cervical mucus. Otherwise, you’re guessing. A very good book on your menstrual cycle and charting fertility signs is Toni Weschler’s Taking Charge of Your Fertility.
Delayed fertility is quite common when coming off Depo, but you don't know when fertility will return. You CAN NOT depend on delayed fertility as an effective means of contraception after stopping Depo. This is what the ‘Important Patient Information’ on the Depo site: http://www.depoprovera.com/index.asp# has the say about returning fertility.
“Return of Fertility
Because DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection is a long-acting birth control method, it takes some time after your last injection for its effect to wear off. Based on the results from a large study done in the United States, of those women who stop using DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection in order to become pregnant, about half of those who become pregnant do so in about 10 months after their last injection; about two-thirds of those who become pregnant do so in about 12 months, about 83% of those who become pregnant do so in about 15 months, and about 93% of those who become pregnant do so in about 18 months after their last injection. The length of time you use DEPO-PROVERA Contraceptive Injection has no effect on how long it takes you to become pregnant after you stop using it.”
If you are on a low carb diet, and loosing weight, while on combined (estrogen/progestin) pills that can cause spotting. That’s because burning fat releases estrogen which can unbalance your hormone levels enough to cause irregular bleeding. I don’t know how low carbing will affect your menstrual cycle shortly after Depo. My guess is that your fertility is returning.
If you are seriously trying to avoid you need to get on an effective method of birth control. Let us know how you're doing, ok?
Good luck,
Jill