Switching from shot to pill

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-08-2006
Switching from shot to pill
6
Fri, 12-08-2006 - 8:01pm
After 10 years on Depo-Provera (and loving it!) my doctor has forced me to change to something else because of the new FDA recommendations against long-term use. I haven't had periods since being on the Depo, and am not sure what to expect now that they will be returning. Previously, I had very bad periods which caused me to vomit/have diarrhea at the start of each period. I'm very afraid that this will resume.
My question is mostly about when I should start the pill cycle to cause the least surprise to my body. My last Depo shot was the end of June, and I have not been taking anything since. I had a few days of spotting last month, but have not returned to a normal cycle--other period symptoms (breast tenderness, back ache, acne) have been occuring sporadically.
My doctor didn't mention anything about this, and the pharmacist told me when I picked up the prescription to start it on the first Sunday of my period. When I explained I didn't have a period, she said I could start whenever...
Any suggestions?
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Fri, 12-08-2006 - 10:13pm

Hi amie94, welcome!


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-08-2006
Sat, 12-09-2006 - 12:02am
Thanks for the advice! I am starting on Seasonale, because I thought the fewer periods might help me ease back into the idea of having a period. I'm worrying about it like I'm 14 again! :)
I'm not worried about the time lapse between depo and the pill, because I'm not currently having sex. I'm starting the pill because I'm much more worried about having the bad periods and am hoping the hormone regulation will help. I will definitely keep in mind that Yaz might be a good alternative if the Seasonale doesn't seem to be the right choice for me.
Thanks again!
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-01-2005
Sat, 12-09-2006 - 12:59am
couldnt they just give you an IUD. i had one for about a year and didnt get a period after a few months. i didnt like not having a period so i had it removed but if you like not having one that might work for you too. i know how you feel about the painful periods thats what mine were like but as long as im on some form of hormonal bc its better.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-12-2002
Sat, 12-09-2006 - 4:28am
If she's not having sex right now, that suggests she is possibly not in a relationship. If that's the case, then an IUD isn't really an option for her, because they are not recommended for women who are not in stable, monogamous relationships, due to the higher risk of infections.

 


 


iVillage Member
Registered: 12-08-2006
Sat, 12-09-2006 - 10:19am

I hadn't really thought about an IUD much before. My insurance wouldn't cover it, so it wasn't really an option I'd looked into. I also didn't realize that they weren't recommended for women who weren't in long-term monogamous relationships.
An IUD might be a good option for me to look into in the future, but for now, I think I'm going to give the pill a try and see how it goes.

Does anyone know anything about long-term use side effects of Depo Provera besides the bone loss? My previous doctor told me it was okay to take it long-term as long as I took a calcium supplement and had bone density screenings done yearly (which I did and was in the normal range). I moved this summer, and the new doctor I went to mentioned that there were other effects, but didn't go into detail. I've done some hunting online and can't seem to find anything. Just wondering if there's something else I should be watching out for...

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-24-2006
Sat, 12-16-2006 - 5:45am
Ask your doctor what they use it in the prisons for. This shot is bad stay away from it!