Depo, anyone have anything GOOD to say?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-03-2003
Depo, anyone have anything GOOD to say?
6
Thu, 10-21-2004 - 7:48pm
I am horrilble taking pills, the patch was ok, but the first three months were rough, and I had a low sex drive. So last night I had my annual exam and the dr gave me a perscription for Depo Prevera shots. Everything I am researching on the web is saying how bad it is. Should I even bother trying it? Wouldn't the side effects for the shot be the same for any birth control seeing as how they are all hormones??????? Please help!!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2004
Thu, 10-21-2004 - 7:56pm

I`ve been on Depo for almost a year and, yes, I like it. The only "bad" side effect I`ve experienced is an occassional reduction of libido, which could be related to a lot of things. For the first 2 shots or so, I had some annoying spotting but nothing too bad. I haven`t had a true period since my first shot, which is great - before, my periods and PMS symptoms would be so severe that sometimes I`d be laid up for a week, too in pain to walk. So in that respect, Depo`s been great! It`s also really comforting to know that it`s extremely effective - 99.7% - so I don`t have to worry about pregnancy, and because the shot is given by a doctor or a nurse practitioner, there`s no worry about user failure.

Different women react to different concotions of hormones differently. Depo is, pretty much, a big dose of a type of progestin. Some women have bad side effects and because the hormones linger in your system for an entire three months, you can`t just stop if you decide that you don`t like it. Many of the possible side effects are similar to other methods, but Depo has a higher instance of weight gain and can cause some reversible loss of bone mass. That`s why it`s usually recommended that all women on Depo (and even those not!) should take a daily vitamin, try to eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly. As with other methods, severe side effects can occur. It just depends on how your body deals with them.

So, yeah, I would recommend Depo. It`s worked well for me!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-03-2003
Thu, 10-21-2004 - 8:30pm
Thanks for the feedback. I already take a multi vitamin on a daily basis (but tend to forget sometimes, hence why I am not on the "Pill") I exercise on a regular basis and eat relatively healthy. My big fear is weight gain, but that is a side effect of the pill also. I guess it wouldn't kill me to try it for one shot. I'll never know unless I try right?
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2004
Thu, 10-21-2004 - 8:44pm
Right. :) Let us know how it goes and how you like Depo!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-21-2004
Thu, 10-21-2004 - 11:16pm
Hey - I used to be bad with pills, too - until I went on depo. I hated it because I didn't get my period for two months and then had it for a full month. I felt very confrontational and emotional. I switched back to the pill and now I take it religiously. I found that if you take it right away when your alarm goes off in the morning it helps. I wouldn't try depo. Sorry if this isn't what you're looking for.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2004
Fri, 10-22-2004 - 12:21pm

i was on it for 6 1/2 yrs and the only thing i can say good about it was i didn't get preg,

-michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-25-2004
Mon, 10-25-2004 - 7:34pm
I've been on Depo for about 2 and half years. I love it. I think it's God's gift to womenkind. I'm extremely regular, about 28 day cycle. I lost a little weight at first but then got it back. However, I didn't add any weight over the long term. The best thing about the product is that it pretty much stops your period. My sister who takes it has a period about twice a year. Like I said, I'm pretty regular. So I had my period about every three months. Sometimes it was no more than spotting. When I moved I forgot to get my next shot and got pretty emotional for a few days and had some irregular periods for about two months, but then everything went back to normal. I plan on getting back on the Shot as soon as possible. I had some worries about taking it because the first time I took BCP I got pretty moody. But I love the Depo and I recommend it to everyone I meet. I hope this helps.