Femulen v depo jab

[Rowgtfc72]

Am thinking of coming off the mini pill Femulen and switching to the jab.The nurse tells me it is exactaly the same drug just in a jab instead of a tablet but
Ive heard so many Depo horror stories Im not sure what to do. Anyone done the same ?

Well they are both progesterone-only but they're not exactly like-for-like!

If you don't bleed on Femulen you may well be bleed-free on depo but there's no guarantee. And you may be more likely to gain weight and have PMT but again you may be no difference.

The advantage of Femulen is that once you've missed 2-5 pills it's "out of your system" so your fertility can return to normal very quickly. Depo is a long-acting contraceptive so once you've had it you're stuck with it for the 12 weeks and your return to fertility can be delayed (though this is less likely with just one injection).

I think depo is like Marmite - women love it or hate it. But you'll never know until you try it! IME most women get on fine with it but that's just professional anecdotal evidence

Thanks for that. Not planning any more kids hence worrying about missing pills and the jab seeming like an easy solution. Do still have periods with the pill and have put weight on. Just worried that once I've had it I'm stuck with the side effects for twelve weeks. Maybe better the devil I know !

Have you considered a Mirena coil?

Small amounts of progesterone acting locally on the uterine lining, and less likely to cause weight gain. More 'reliable' than Femulen for contraception and once it's in you can keep it for 5 years if it suits, and have it removed if it doesn't.

Not something I fancy. May have to give jab a go and see what happens.

I can't the combined pill (other medication I take greatly reduces it's effectiveness). Was offered the mirena coil - like you, I just didn't fancy it. So I have opted to for Depo - I've experienced no weight gain, no mood swings etc. I am period-free for about 10 weeks then I have a very light one for about 10 days. And absolutely no period pains.
Works for me.