Birth Control Pill & Depression- on Depo

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2003
Birth Control Pill & Depression- on Depo
3
Tue, 11-02-2004 - 5:43pm
I was wondering if anyone could suggest a birth control pill that doesn't cause emotional problems?? I'm currently on the Depo shot and I swear it's making me crazy. Everyone I tell that I'm on it gets ghostly white and relays horror stories from when they were taking Depo & how it made them crazy too. I have extreme mood swings and am overly emotional ALL the time... not just when I'm menstrating. I was thinking about switching over to the pill, but as I read about them it seems that they can be just as bad. I was looking at Seasonalle in particular, but so far I haven't been able to find too many opinions. Are there any pills that fare better with people with depression?? I don't think I'm depressed, but maybe a pill that works well with depression would lessen the side effects for me- I'm thinking?

Any suggestions, experiences, or articles would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2004
Tue, 11-02-2004 - 10:10pm
It all depends on just how sensitive you are to hormones. You want to try staying as low on the dosage as possible, and maybe consider the Nuva Ring. It has less hormones than any pill.

I went through countless pills and none of them ever worked very well for me. I would always be depressed, although some had me in tears constantly as well. My doctor finally put me on the the mini pill. It has no estrogen, and a lower progesterone dose than regular pills. I felt great after that, but the only problem though was that I had very irregular bleeding, and the effectiveness wasn't as high as I liked. I ended up getting a Mirena IUD a few months ago and it's been great. It still has hormones, but even less than the mini pill had.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2004
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 1:49pm
I have the same problem with the depo shot. I have had so many horrible side-effects I am now on an anti-depressent. I thought I was going crazy too. It works for some people very few people I should say. Others react to it and it totally changes your life.

I won't be going back for the poison anymore, so I am wondering if the Merina IUD would give me any side effects simular to depo. I want to know all I can before I choose. I didn't when it came to depo I believed my Dr. and how I have regreted that.

What are the side effects of Merina IUD?

Thanks

Pam
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2004
Wed, 11-03-2004 - 7:40pm
I was never on Depo Provera, but my history with hormonal birth control until now has been extremely traumatic. Every birth control pill I ever tried gave me horrible effects on my moods. I'd be angry, anxious, depressed, crying all the time, mood swings, etc.

My doctor took me off regular pills and gave me the mini pill, which I was on for a while before getting the Mirena IUD. Like Mirena, the mini pill is progesterone only, but it's much a smaller dose than regular pills have, and Mirena is even less than that. I did great on the mini pill. If I'd had really bad side effects with my moods on that too, then I'd have been scared of trying Mirena.

There have been some reports of women having problems with Mirena such as depression. It's a much lower incidence than with any other hormonal birth control though, but apparently some women are so sensitive to hormones that even the small amount in Mirena is too much for them. If you've been unable to ever take any hormonal methods without having problems, then you might want to go with a copper IUD instead.

I haven't had a single negative side effect with Mirena in spite of my long history of depression while using other methods. The only side effect that I have had is a nice one, my periods have almost disappeared, and that's to be expected in time.