Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Depo

Can I be pregnant?

esolo — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:54:30 -0800

can I be pregnant? I've been on DEPO until few weeks ago, and used a condom every time since then. I have been on DEPO (injectable contraceptive) for 7 years, and went off it few weeks ago. It takes around a year for the cycle to normalize. Also, my partner and I have used a condom every single time since I went off.

However, my partner is freaking out that i may be pregnant, because of some changes in my body - tender larger breasts, spotting, etc. I think the chances are understandable given all the hormonal changes taking places, after I went off DEPO. It's illogical for me to run to a gynecologist for a blood test, given the facts. What do you think?

So the horror stories about Depo were true...

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:47:45 -0800

I was on depo briefly, reacted badly, went off as soon as I could, but the after-effects still linger. Do I wait for the drugs to flush out, or is this more serious? I went on Depo Provera in December of last year. The first 5 weeks or so were great, but then the bleeding started. It's pretty brutal - essentially I'd have 17-19 days of bleeding ranging anywhere from spotting to light-period, a 3-4 day breather, and it'd start all over again.

Naturally, I did not go in for my second shot. I was supposed to get it renewed on February 28th of this year. At the time of this writing, it is April 3rd, and the cycle of 19-days-3-days-19-days has not stopped, and it is driving me insane (I am on day 20). It's light enough that I only wear a liner, but it won't. Freaking. Stop.

I've read enough horror stories about women reacting badly to depo and the effects lingering long after, but those seemed to be more in long-term cases. I was on it for all of three months. I have no other symptoms to speak of. No fatigue that I can tell, no headaches, no cramps (not since February at least), I occasionally feel a bit bloated but even then it's a bit of a stretch. Normally I'm on a 29-35 day cycle depending on how stressed I am that month, with each period lasting around 6-8 days.

I am 19, not on any other forms of drugs (other than caffeine, ha-ha, and even then at most one cup a day), healthy, relatively fit, lower end of weight spectrum, etc. Fairly stressed, yes, but that usually manifests itself in slightly later periods and acne for me, not spotting/breakthrough bleeding.

Is it normal for the effects to linger THIS long after such a short time on the drug? When can I expect it to fully flush out? Or could it be something more serious?

a shot in the dark?

kerning — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:17:25 -0800

is depo-provera affecting my ability to lose weight? so i'm overweight. by more than i'd like to be. more than a bit of chub, less than mama grape. in the past two years, since i've started and continued to be on depo-provera, i've steadily gained weight. about 7 months ago, i decided i was going to start eating more healthfully and exercising more.

i get a bit of exercise (a lot more than i used to) everyday from walking up and down the monstrous, steep flight of stairs at work about 8 times per day, plus i walk for awhile about once a week (though i truly do not have the time with my job to do it everyday. i know that's a copout excuse, but i work for a startup newspaper and i work roughly 60-65 hours a week at this point).

i'm eating things that are good for me -- i'm avoiding all trans fats, things with high-fructose corn syrup... i stopped drinking soda, i stopped eating fast-food and starting cooking meals. i started eating breakfast, and fruits, and vegetables. i stopped having seconds. since i took my new job (btw, thanks all you who answered that question), i find i have very little time to eat and i eat a LOT less than i used to. like, a LOT. i eat wheat, not white, and whole-wheat pastas with vegetables. i drink water, i take vitamins, i have 8,000 varieties of kashi foods. i keep a food journal! and no more mashed potatoes (sad face).

so why is the weight not coming off? i've only lost like, 5 pounds! the only thing i can think of that would be preventing it woudld be birth control. going off BC is not an option, as i'm pretty sure pregnancy makes you gain weight too, and i need it for medical reasons. is there anything else that could be preventing the weight from coming off?

I want my bones back!

stormygrey — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 14:46:06 -0800

Something bad has happened with my bones, now what? I have been on Depo Provera a couple months shy of a decade. I have been a little Depo missionary, I thought it was amazing. I loved not having a period for a decade, it was freeing and I had no noticible side effects.

Warnings started to come out, but my doctors said that as long as I ate enough calcium I would be fine, for good measure throw in some exercise. I eat more dairy than anyone I know, I love it. I am pretty active too.

The more I read the scarier it sounded so I asked my doctor for a DEXA scan. Everyone acted like I was crazy. I was 27! Why would I want a bone density scan?!

My doctor fudged some things to get the test covered by insurance and there is was" Lumbar Spine t. score -1.4 Fracture Risk: 3x 0s" Osteopenia is clinical bone loss it is defined a -1 to -2.5 with Osteoporosis being -2.5 or less. So I am well into clinical bone loss. I am sad and irritated and mad and scared.

The question is what do I do now? I think the protocol on this needs to be changed so young women will monitor themselves better and they will know what their real risk is. I have seen some lit. around that weight bearing exercise doesn't affect the density of the lumbar spine.

What exercises, what diet, what class action, what new shows, how do I right this for me and for other women on this drug?