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Depo-Provera injection - your questions answered

95 comments
 

It sounds like the perfect contraception - no periods and no fuss, but there are side effects to the Depo-Provera injection. Dr Sarah Brewer answered iVillagers' questions on the Contraception and Sexual Health Message Board.

Has the Depo-Provera injection damaged my menstrual cycle?

Question: I was on the Depo injection for three and a half years. My last injection was a year ago and my periods only just came back to normal after eight months. However, it has now been 31 days and my period is still not here. I have done a home pregnancy test, which was negative. I was wondering whether the Depo is still coming out of my system. What could be the reason for this sudden no-show?zippy89

Answer: Research suggests that women trying to conceive after stopping the Depo-Provera injection take at least four months longer to become pregnant compared with women stopping other methods of contraception. In some cases, fertility may take up to a year or longer to return - as you have now been off the injection for around a year and your periods have returned, there may be another reason for your irregular cycle, such as hormone imbalances (eg polycystic ovary syndrome).

If you have not already seen your doctor it is a good idea to do so and to have initial hormone tests done, assuming you are trying to conceive. It can also help to use an ovulation predictor kit. Sticks can end up being expensive, but there is an interesting test (Calista), that lets you check saliva under a small microscope, which can be used over and over and which might work out cheaper.

Why can't I conceive?

Question: I had my last Depo-Provera injection 18 months ago and have not used any form of contraception since because I'm trying for a baby. My first child was conceived after one month, so I am very confused as to why I have not fallen pregnant yet. I was not on Depo before I had my daughter, just a normal birth control pill.

We have been referred to a fertility clinic for some tests, but is there anything I can do in the meantime to help? And how can I tell if I am ovulating without using ovulation predictor kits, which my doctor told me only detect the luteinising hormone surge prior to ovulation and does not necessarily mean you will ovulate?
annajwales

Answer: The luteinising hormone surge usually kick starts ovulation, and kits (or Calista saliva testing in which you examine saliva under a pocket microscope) are the best way to predict your fertile time. You might want to consult a herbalist, as Agnus castus is successful in increasing fertility where difficulty in conceiving is linked with low progesterone levels during the second (luteal) phase of the menstrual cycle (from ovulation to the onset of menstruation).

In one study of 45 women with this form of infertility, seven became pregnant during the three-month trial and 25 women had their low progesterone levels restored to normal. Treatment should be stopped as soon as pregnancy is suspected, however. It is also helpful for irregular periods - tending to shorten a long cycle and lengthen a short one.

Irregular bleeding after stopping the Depo-Provera injection

Question: I came off the Depo injection six months ago and was told not to expect periods for around six months to a year. Literally one month afterwards I had bleeding but this has been irregular spotting and at one stage bleeding every two weeks. In the last eight weeks I have had no bleeding whatsoever so I'm a little confused and wondered if this is a normal problem?
brit2001

Answer: Irregular bleeding can occur after stopping the Depo-Provera injection. Research suggests that women trying to conceive after stopping Depot Progestogen take at least four months longer to become pregnant compared with women stopping other methods of contraception (eg ten months instead of the average of six). In some cases, fertility may take up to a year or longer to return. As you are concerned, make an appointment to talk to the nurse or doctor who usually provides your contraceptive advice.

Will I know when my menopause has started?

Question: I am in my 40s and have been on the Depo-Provera injection for many years and personally think it's wonderful. However, without periods how will I know when I start the menopause, as I thought irregular periods were one of the main features? Also when will I know its perfectly safe for me to stop taking it without any risk of pregnancy?
Cassuis

Answer: You would usually expect to start getting symptoms due to lack of oestrogen when the menopause arrives. As the Depo injection does not contain oestrogens, it will not mask the usual hot flushes/night sweats that affect 75 per cent of menopausal women.

If you are one of the 25 per cent of women who do not get significant menopausal symptoms, it can be difficult to know. Your doctor will usually suggest blood tests to check hormone levels at some stage (eg age 50), as he/she won't want to continue giving you unnecessary Depo injections. The average age for the menopause is 51 years. It is usually advised that you use contraception for one year after menopause.

Does the Depo injection cause bone thinning?

Question: My Family Planning Clinic doctor recently told me that the Depo injection is not a long-term contraceptive and that I have to come off it (I am a normal weight, non-smoker). I was also told that it has severe side effects of bone thinning and high cholesterol. The literature I was given does not confirm this. Please advise as I felt that the information my doctor gave me was very one-sided.
welovemarmite

Answer: Long-term lack of periods associated with Depot Progestogen use is thought to increase the risk of bone thinning and osteoporosis - especially in smokers ? although this is not yet proven. Some clinics measure oestrogen levels after a woman has used Depot Progestogen for five years and offer added oestrogen replacement if levels are low. Research is currently looking into this.

Is my contraception dampening my sex drive?

Question: I have been on Depo for five years, and have been happy until recently. For the last year or so I have been feeling depressed and have lost all sex drive. I have also noticed that my weight gain since being on the injection has been very hard to shift (two stone).

I have discussed this with my doctor, but she is keen to keep me on it for some reason, and tried putting me on the oral pill as well for a month, which did nothing and then she tried me on Vit B6, which has also not helped. Do you think any of my side effects would go (the mood swings, low libido and weight gain) if I come off the injection?
louisa2484

Answer: Hormonal methods of contraception can cause loss of sex drive and weight gain in some women but not in others. We are all individuals and we all change, too, so even if the injection suited you for five years, that doesn't mean it will suit you forever.

If you do decide to stop, it will take several months to get back to normal - fertility can take between three months and one year (or longer) to return, but sex drive often comes back quite quickly. You need to chat with your doctor about why she is so keen for you to stay on the injection when you feel it no longer suits you, as well as finding a suitable alternative. 

Comments

hi my fiance has taken the shot 2 or 3 times and she his having some abdominal pains and is having this darkish brownish/black discharge kinda like blood is this from the shot should we be worried :(
if i've been on the depo shot for about fou months , and considering i dont have a period, how would i know if i'm pregnant???
i was on depo since i was 15 i recently stopped taking it about 6mths ago i have not used any protection and i am still not pregnant. if i knew it could take anywhere from 4mth to 2yrs to regain fertility i would have never choosen the method of birthcontrol i highly recomend anything else. you never know when your ready to settle down and have a family.. i am now ready and cant... it sucks
i dont know i think it depends on your body personally i don't know whats wrong with mine but im trying to get on the depo provira needle but im unsure wether or not my body likes it because when i first got it done i got my period for non stop for 2 months and so my doctor put me on the monofeme pill to help stabilise my linage and then i got the second needle it was fine no period but i got my third needle and got my period again like the effects off the needle have ran of so i let it go for the 7 days and then took the pill but now i can't stop taking the pill because every time i do i get my periods so i have to stay on the pill until next time i see my doctor.
i want to thank Dr Shant Tami of indianspell@yahoo.com who cast a spell for me to stop my menstruation, i menstruate twice a month and it have being affecting my due to that i was unable to get a child i i had a testimony about this spell caster who cast a powerful healing spell on me after the casting of the healing spell i menstruate once a month and i,m two months pregnant. i,m so happy the spiritualist can help you to do anything about menstruation. you can reach him via:indianspell@yahoo.com and you be glad you did
I have taken the depo shot twice. I was supposed to get my period on the 16th of jan. I have not yet gotten my period, and was wondering if there was a possible way I could be pregnant.
i`ve tkn depo fr first tym ....n um 22 year old ,,,aftr 12-13 days of my frst dose i gt irregular bleeding which is still on ..um v worrid cz its bn 22 days plz tell me wht to do :(
when you get your first depo shot does it make you have your period for three month? Its been two weeks and i still have mine.?
thatis a question i would love to see answered because im too 36 and trying for a baby aswell, i keep spotting and getting terrible cramp,since stopping the depo.
I was taking the depo shot for 2 years and got off of it this December. I am having period symptoms now but no period.
depo shot sucks! i have been on depo for 3 years because of my mom. since i have gotten off 4months ago my body have been aching. i have black spots on my skin and lower legs and period symthoms but no period! i would not recommend this to anyone
I'm just curious, I got the shot in my butt in may 2011, never went for the second shot in july because my husband and i decided to try and conceive. but i have not had a period since the first shot. i have had pregnancy symptoms, such as moodswings,fatigue,nausea,cravings, and weight gain. could i be pregnant i don't know what to do
I've been taking the Depo shot for almost 2 years now. I've noticed that about 6 or 7 weeks after each shot I start having light bleeding. Recently, I've been wondering if that could possibly be a light (and long, it usually lasts until a week after the next shot) period. And if I'm having a period does that mean I could potentially become pregnant? I have noticed several symptoms in the past week or so that could be signs of early pregnancy but I've taken a home pregnancy test that came back negative. My next shot is in 3 weeks and I'm just wondering if I should stop being paranoid or get a blood test done before then. Let me know what you think. welldm02@gmail.com
I've been taking the Depo shot for almost 2 years now. I've noticed that about 6 or 7 weeks after each shot I start having light bleeding. Recently, I've been wondering if that could possibly be a light (and long, it usually lasts until a week after the next shot) period. And if I'm having a period does that mean I could potentially become pregnant? I have noticed several symptoms in the past week or so that could be signs of early pregnancy but I've taken a home pregnancy test that came back negative. My next shot is in 3 weeks and I'm just wondering if I should stop being paranoid or get a blood test done before then. Let me know what you think. welldm02@gmail.com
they put it in your bum cheek,alternating it each month
I am considering trying for a baby and now reading the posts i want to cry.I started my periods at 17,Depo at 18 and 18 years later with no break ,have osteoporosis and reading all the posts no hope of concieving before i'm 40 ! won't want that.Gutted
what part of your body can you get the depo shot?
Stop taking my girl I am 27 I have 4 babies under 5 depol is very bad go on the pill baby everyone is different I took drool after my 4th and have been. Bleeding bright red blood heavey since I stopped taking it its now 6 months later and I am still bleeding and no love no protection I don't think so take it from me LOL go straight onto pill even while th are bleeding and within a week or less no more bleeding no babys fun fun be safe baby
Im 19 and ive been with my boyfriend for a year now, i was on depo injection for only the first 3 months of it, my whole body basically changed when i was on it, im starting to think i wont be able to have kids, i havent been on the pill since may 2011 i had depo in aug 2011, and its now jan 2012 and im starting to wonder if ill be able to get pregnant soon.. Help please?
Well i was on brith control for only 3 months and I stopped and I got pregnant like about 6 moonhs after unprotecetd sex it took a while.since u been on it for years its going to be hard because of the fact your body has changed and the longer ur on birth control sometimes it takes a long time to conceieve.but no worries you can tho. :)
Hi I'm 18 yrs old I just gave natural birth 2 months ago and got the shot before I left the hospital do think the shot is effective already cus its my first time using it and my partner and I use condoms but recently we had unprotected sex !! Oh and another problem is that I still have my period since I gave birth non stop...its very light bleeding but still when will it go awayyy?
Im 18 yrs old and I been on different birthcontrols for abt 8 yrs and my period come and go I wanted to know will it be hard for me to have a baby and if there anything to help
I took the deop shot befor seeing my period. When will I get my period?
Hi, I have recently about a month ago recieved my first shot, and did not and have stil not recieved my period, and i have been experiencing sore breast, fatigue, and slight menstrual craps...is this normal!!!
Hi I was on the shot for about six months but just got off it like about two or three weeks ago, but ive been bleeding alot then it stops then i spot. Is that normal?
Im 20 n i've been on the deposit shot for a year and now I'm just Stop bleeding. My last pd was 48 days a go. N I allways have Unprotected sex. Should I be worried. Pluse I'm only on the shot For overioun systs. I'm confused can u help me.
hi i have been on depo for about 6 months i just had my last one in Nov and i go back for another one in febuary, but im not sure if it the right thing to do. the doctor put me on depo to regulate my cycle because they were so heavy. Ever since i have been on it i have a serious side effect that don't feel good at all. Headaches, can't breath, chest pains and spotting and it feels like im about to have a panic attack from time to time. I was wondering is that normal or do i need to go see my doctor because it really making me scared.
So my last depo injection was in june. me and my husband are trying to become pregnant. 3 weeks after my last injection i started my period. ever since then i have now been bleeding non stop. it may stop for 1 day if that, but it is still going on. What should i do and is it even possible for me to become pregnant like this. we just started trying for a child three weeks ago and I'm hoping it will happy! if you can help that would be great!
I have also experienced all the above symptoms. I wish to god I never heard of or had the Depo injection in the first place. Gained weight nearly 2 stone, my eating habits never changed i never felt the urge to eat more but still had weight gain, my sex drive has completly gone! :( I only had one injection and never went back for the second, I have been spotting for 2 weeks and still no sign of stopping.
because your too young
i was on depro and stop talking it in april my period came on the 16 of november it has not returned since i took a pregnancy test and it negative
No you are not ovulating you are just spotting. I have been on depo for 15 years on and off and it sounds like you must of just started depo and if that is the case look forward to spotting at least a year before the spotting go away completely. It's effective that's just one of the many side effects. Hope this helps
i've been on the Depo shot for a while now. i just got my second shot. and i'm still spotting. i get a bit embarrassed when i have sex with my partner. i thought my period would stop when i would get the shot, but i'm still spotting. idk what to do or think i need some help.
Ive been on the injection for a year and my periods stop but recently I've had spotting off blood is this normal?
Is getting no period normal?
i was on depo only once,i stopped and i bled twice in a month,each time for three days,and sometimes i spott.i want to get pregnant,how soon will i get pregnant,i have sex with my partner very often,is there some measures i can take to get pregnant quickly.is it a good sign that i am bleeding.please help.
Can you get pregnabnt on the depo? And how would i kno if i was as i dont get periods on this.
So I've been having sex since age 13 on and off now I'm 16 years old ...m- just got put on the depo shot maby like 6 months ago and I just haf sex for the first time in a long time and I'm having really bad like sharp stabbing pains and have bleed very heavy.. Y is this happening?
The same thing happened to me, I thought I had some sort of vulvitis because I looked it up online, and I started using that baby desitin cream on it every time it would hurt.. It actually reduced the redness and my boyfriend and I took it step by step toward actually having sex again and I pushed through the pain when it wasn't unbearable, so that might help because the pain is rare and not even nearly as bad. Also, I only started the first shot in november and its time for my first period not, and I'm only spotting and its dark.. Did the shot work or is that normal to stop it only after a month?
i am on the shot. But am having pregnancy symptoms. I have been for a while. But i got the shot again a couple days ago. And am still having symptoms. Is this from the shot or is it possible i'm pregnant? I have stretch marks on my hips and boobs that i never had before. And my nipples are darker. I also pee a lot and am moody. HELP.
Stopped deposit in Oct. Dec was my first period... now two weeks later I'm spotting! Help! Is this a withdrawal symptom?
Okay well, I've been on the Depo shot for maybe a month...I've been on my period for almost two weeks, It's spotting and it's a weird color? Any thoughts?
4 days before you think you are going to ovulate take 2 tsp of robatussim cough mixture with water twice a day till the most fertile day,then stop. Garlic helps ov too, and 4 days before ov get a core from a ripe pinapple cut it into four eat a part everyday up till ovulation day DO NOT eat the flesh of the Pinapple.
First off, let's get back to basics. Every human being is different & therefore will have different experiences with depo. I've been on it for 12 years now & have not had one single problem with it! I stopped having periods all together after the first few shots. I can't (and don't want to) remember what periods are like anymore! I've never, ever had any problems being able to have sex or want it! It certainly didn't "kill" my sex drive! I've heard the biggest complaint is weight gain, which did happen to me too but I was already too skinny so it was a bonus for me! Think I've gained about 40lbs total since I started so long ago & now I'm at a beautiful healthy weight. So for me, depo gets 5 stars!
Can anyone share a similar situation and offer advise?? I took the depo shot 1 time in June of 2011, I didnt take the second one which was due in October cuz of the constant spotting, it is now December and I'm still spotting, I'm trying to concieve but dont know if im even ovulating cuz im al ways spotting, I'm 36 not sure if my age has anything to do with it. Can anyone share advise?
i was due for my second shot in early november but made the wise decision not to get a second shot during the three month period the first month of getting the shot i didnt have my period nd as time progressed i started spotting then having timely periods now that its been a month since my due date im bleeding sparacticly spotting to medium flow with typical heavy period symtoms what can this mean?!
Ive been taking the depo shot for 2 and a half years.. Is it normal that i bleed in stressful situations ?
Hi, I took the depo vera shoot a month before my wedding because I liked the idea that you just have to have it every 3 months. I have so regretted it though because of the pain and dryness I am not able to enjoy sex with my husband. I came off it 2 months ago but the pain is still there. I just hope that it gets better in time :(....
hi, i was on birth control from age 15 to nearly 21. i recently just stopped taking the depo shot and did not tell my family. I missed my last shot that was meant for me to take maybe 4-5 months ago and i have been noticing side effects of coming off of it. I am constantly sleepy, no drive to do anything activity wise, not thinking as clearly, having major sharp pains on my right side under my ribs during sex, dizzyness, sometimes feeling nauseated, and ive gained weight. im hoping that i dont need to visit the dr about these conditions but has anyone been through these types of changes after coming off?
Same thing happened to me . IT felt like sandpaper up there. It was horrible. It was already bad enough i didnt have a sex drive. I would have sex with my bf to make him happy not cuz i wanted but wen that started happening i couldnt at all ! ( and of course he took it personal) ..When i went to my doctor she told me it has to do with te estrogen level being low.ask yur doctor there is a specific name to this problem.