Depo Provera contraception?

[LuSmithTheMyth]

Hi guys. The other week I got the depo shot, and now after reading all the horror stories online (google is NOT my friend!) I seriously wish I hadn't. Since having the shot although I stopped bleeding for two weeks it came back and has been non-stop continual since! I'm petrified it'll take years to get out of my system!! Anyone have any experience with this and it HAS stopped after a while? I know some people can have experiences where they don't bleed but I guess I'm unlucky.

I also have been paranoid about cervical cancer and I somehow came across some comments that it can cause abnormal cervical cells - i know some people on here that know alot about this sort of thing so I'm really asking for advice, is this possible even after just the one shot I had?! I'm terrified now as my smear test isnt for a year!

I'm not gonna take this shot anymore because before my pregnancy my periods were regular, although I had weird discharge I didn't have any other problems and now I'm suffering with it!

I had it when I was younger for about one year. I bled very lightly for pretty much the whole time. When I stopped having the shot the bleeding went away after about 3 weeks and it was a massive relief.

I now live abroad and when I told my gynecologist that I had had it she tutted and told me that it wasn't generally given over here and that she didn't recommend it-I wish I had asked for more details now!

Can't comment on the cervical cancer thing thought-I have no idea.

I wouldn't touch it again if they paid me!

I only had the one shot, I bled constantly, pretty much until a week before I was due the next. I had night sweats so awful I barely got any sleep (every night) and I gained weight that took me seven years to lose. They say there's no evidence it causes weight gain, and that it can just increase appetite but that was not the case with me. I ate more carefully then than I do now.

My cycle very quickly went back to normal and the night sweats too (I do still have them on occasion but that's normal for me). The weight gain was my biggest problem.

I didn't bleed at all on it, but I got really bad depression and totally lost my sex drive, which sort of defeats the point.

A year on, the depression is gone, but my sex drive is still dead. Makes me so sad.

I wish they had warned me, my doctor was pretty much "yay, let's see if this works for you" despite my history of mental health problems.

I've had no problems with it, no period, no complications no nothing.

I was spwaking to someone a few days ago who was the same until she stopped to have a baby - then when she went back on it she had a lot of problems.

I think, like any other hormone, it depends on the individual.

I do think it depends on the individual. I had at 16 for 9mo (3 shots). When i finished I didn't have a period for 17 months then they were really irregular. The only thing that got them regular again was the mirena after having DD.

I think it depends on the individual. I had it none stoP for 4 years without a single problem, stopped to TTC and was pregnant in 7 weeks and am now back on it again after DS was born with nO problems.

Step away from google! You can find horror stories with any hormonal contraception...!

Well my bleeding is a bit worse now, about a medium flow.. What was yours like thefroggy? I've got slight cramps and its making me paranoid, is it normal to bleed this much? I just hope it stops before I get anemic as I'm prone to that. I wish I hadn't been given it, I was having abnormal spotting at the time and doctor should have advised accordingly.

I guess that everyone has different experiences but I can tell you that the doctor should have advised me on this, I'm so annoyed!! It just worries me its something else and I can't even ask a doctor for advice now.

Pretty much medium for me Lu for the time I was on it but obviously not ideal when its constant. Some of my friends have been fine with it, but its not for me. Have you thought about the coil? (not mirena)

Have you heard bad things about the Mirena? I've thought about the coil but heard good and bad things about it, I'm not sure what my body will cope with anymore because I've never had any hormonal contraceptive so maybe its finding it hard to adjust, especially after just having a baby. I just want the bleeding to calm down!

The good thing about the Mirena and the copper coil is that they are quickly reversible unlike the injection.
I have a Mirena,this is my 2nd one.
After I had my 1st one removed I got pregnant a week after (planned)!

There is no perfect contraception and it's trial and error.

From what friends have said I would avoid the depo injection if you want more children in the future.

My periods are awful so the Mirena suits me.

Yeah, I've heard good and bad things about all contraception so I suppose its just going with the one that suits.. I guess thats whats good about the IUD's etc is that they are reversible in shorter time.. how long does the affect of the pill last? Is the depo the only one that stays in your system for a long period of time?

I'm not thinking about ttc anytime in the future as I'm still in that stage where I'm struggling atm but I guess it would spoil my chances if I were to keep having it so I'm defo not going back for another, simply as I hate the bleeding side effects!

I was on it for 3 years, i didn't bleed while on it all, however i did put on about 3 and half stone and without being able to say it was directly linked to the depo nothing else changed in my life to account for the immense weight gain. I am now attempting to shift the weight.

I came off in November 2010 (by accident) and it took almost a year for my periods to come back (very scary). I am glad i came off it now, would hate to be in this position in a year from now wondering if i am still fertile.

I heard of no cancer scares, and didn't know that was a risk.

I'm not sure about the pill. Some people get pregnant the first month off it and other say it takes aged to get their cycle back to normal.

I got pms symptoms as it was wearing off and took me 6 months 18 months after stopping to get pregnant which docs said was about normal after coming off it?! Tried implant took that just made me bleed heavily.

Implants can make you bleed heavily as a side effect so I didn't go for that, I didn't know the depo caused this as I've never had hormonal contraception before, only ever used condoms and wish I hadn't been pushed into any hormonal contraception now!

I was just wndering if the pill causes heavy bleeding, but I think alot of people get along better with it then the depo jab.

I could be wrong but I thought the pill prevented heavy bleeding? I was never on it long enough to find out, I have a terrible memory and kept forgetting to take it so needed something low maintenance like the coil!

I loved the depo it's the only thing that suits me.. It's taken a year to come out of y system both times but other than that. No weight gain, no bleeding it is amazing for me but heard horror stories from other people.. Although I have horror stories about what the pill does to me so it's an individual thing ! Good luck !!