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Original poster

A bit of a roll Call - advers symptoms of depo provera

46 replies

Flossam · 25/03/2006 13:20

I really do believe that this drug (contraceptive injection) is nasty! I believe it made me depressed, suicidal and not a nice person to be around. I googled it earlier and found this website. \link{http://www.abcinternetmarketing.com/depo-provera/index.html\depo story site}

Now, I think a lot of this is a bit sensationalist and accruring every problem you have ever had to one drug in some cases. But it does appear that a few symptoms appear over and over again.

I plan to report this drug (am going to look into it now), but I wondered if we could have a head count of how many people on here feel they have had the same or similar problems? Most notably depression/mood swings, hair loss and headaches. Feel free to name change. I'm just wondering really if we could do something to try and get some kind of investigation into this. Can't bear the idea of more women going through these symptoms if it really is all due to depo.

OP posts:

Donbean · 26/03/2006 14:42

Ok Floss, dont get me started on the depo, i had an awful time while on it.
Depression, suicidal thoughts which got worse for no reason. Never had anything like this prior to going on injection. Was fobbed off that it was nothing at all to do with the depo...on investigation into the literature....guess what...depression listed!
Gained 2 stone in weight.
Took 18 months to have a peroid, 2 years to concieve, has 2 M/C before concieving ds. I put these fertility problems down to the injection.
I have a mate who had fits due to the injection, also had a M/C after stopping it. (fits stopped totally after she had stopped having it and had no H/O epilepsy prior to having it)
So, i agree it is a nasty drug.

Mak · 26/03/2006 15:24

You can also add me to the list. I had it approx 4 years ago. I only had one injection (by mistake I might add - but that's another story!). I had permanent heavy bleeding, headaches, felt totally rubbish. It took over a year for my body to recover. Then, when I went to see my gynaecologist he couldn't believe that I looked like a completely different person!!! I would never, ever recommend anybody to have it. It was the worst experience I have ever had.

nutcracker · 26/03/2006 15:31

I had this and felt so awful on it. I was depressed, had no energy and felt sick all the time. Ended up haveing loads of blood tests to see what was up with me because they would not admit it was the injection.

expatinscotland · 26/03/2006 15:34

i worked in a women's clinic and the docs there HATED it. would only give it to women who didn't want any more kids ever and who came from a culture in which they weren't allowed birth control - so they could slip into the clinic once every three months on the pretext of a doctor's appointment for one of their kids.

when i went to the FPC here the gynae immediately said it was a no-go for me due to having PND.

hugz · 26/03/2006 21:03

when i had the injection was on it for about a year i thought fantastic no periods then i suddenly put on loads of weight lost my sex drive and was thorougly miserable my husband had wondered what on earth was happening to me.

essbee · 27/03/2006 15:02

Serenity - I also tried seraching under my old name and it didn't come up! In the end I searched under depo!

I've just had a thought, given that the this is progesterone based and it's linked with depression, what about the mirena coil? that's progesterone too isn't it? I have that and i've had it for about 3 yrs iirc, i've also had depression for most of that time.

butty · 27/03/2006 15:10

Hi,

I've just come off the depo after 5 years, can't say the experience was that bad, although have suffered severe depression in time taking it, but other things do contribute to that.

I am 25 almost, fell pregnant at 18, after dd born, went on injection, fell pregnant with ds whilst on the depo

After ds born, went back onto depo.

Now 2 years later i have decided enough is enough now seeing the links to ostreoperosis and anyursms etc....

it has now been agreed by the gyno that i can be steralised due to own personal problems with both children and that i am happy to have no more and much to my joy, i go in 1 month, so no more contraception needed!!!!!!!

I do however wonder about my ds, who has special needs, whether due to the problamatic birth or the depo, i do not know.

Hope you get some answers.

Butty.xxx

hunkermunker · 27/03/2006 15:20

Hi Flossam, good thread (not good nice, but good necessary, IMO).

I didn't take depo provera, just tablets - thank goodness.

I had had surgery for endometriosis and was told that taking provera would stop it coming back as quickly. It seemed the lesser of several evils, drugwise, so I agreed to take it.

I took it for about six weeks and spotted the whole time, which was the most pleasant of the side effects...

The best way to describe how I felt was psychopathic. I had no emotion, I felt no love for any member of my family, nor for DH (was my boyfriend then - was ages ago!) - in fact, I felt murderous towards them. But it was like watching somebody feeling murderous iyswim. My main concern was that I'd have to hide the bodies, not that I'd be killing family members... I remember desperately pressing against my eyes to make the feelings go away.

I was going to namechange for this, since it's not exactly the usual happy hunker type post, but what the heck!

It's one of the scariest times of my life and it was totally down to provera. I reported it to my GP and specialist at the time, but don't know if they took it any further.

Original poster

Flossam · 27/03/2006 22:01

Thanks for posting Hunker and everyone else who has told their experience, good and bad. I guess the difference has to be, ok so the drug is known to be linked to depression, headaches, weight gain etc but is it a higher proportion of people and with more serious symptoms? I mean for example, it seems like quite a few of us here, dosen't it?

OP posts:

Original poster

Flossam · 29/03/2006 22:34

another quick BUMP!

OP posts:

Moomin · 29/03/2006 22:41

wasn't too bad when i was having injections but when i stopped it took my a year to get my periods back. the month before theycame back my boobs were so sore i had to hold them when i took my bra off, i cried non-stop, put on half a stone... i took 3 pg tests because i was convinced i was pregnant. horrible

Hattie05 · 01/04/2006 22:15

I used it for several years pre-dd and was perfectly happy with it - with exception of weight gain - but could not be sure if inj. was to blame.

Period arrived immediately and conceived immediately after stopping.

So thought nothing of taking it again once dd was born. - Definitely caused weight gain, and this time round took a year and a half for periods to come back - and that was with a bit of help from doc also.

Didn't cause any depression though, but i do now wonder if it supressed libido a bit.

evenmoremiserablethanbefore · 10/12/2008 10:20

Has anyone had the depo for to stop heavy bleeding?
I have had awful heavy periods lasting over 2 weeks for the last 2 years now and am at the end of my tether.
I have had the Mirena fitted twice,resulting in both coming out....
It did work though,just spotting every month...thought it was the answer to my problems.
I,m not quite ready for thermal ablation yet {I,m scared of GA} but I cant go on being anaemic and miserable all the time.My quality of life is shite at the moment,I am back to square one.
I,ve had all the tests ,laparoscopy,hyteroscopy,bloods etc and they havent found anything sinister other than my womb lining is thicker than normal and a few adhesions.
I have heard good and bad about the Depo,but am willing to give anything a try before I consider surgery.
I was fine on the pill {mood wise} but had to come off it because of my blood pressure...
Is the Depo safe for women with high BP?
I am not bothered about putting some extra weight on,I just want to stop bleeding!!
any help greatly appreciated

Seona1973 · 10/12/2008 13:48

the depo made me bleed more i.e. I spotted almost constantly for 6 months (had the second injection to see if bleeding would calm down but it didnt). I put on tons of weight too. I now use the cerazette mini-pill (it also gets some bad press on here re: depression, bleeding, etc though) and havent had a period for a year. I havent gained weight and my mood seems to be fine (as fine as it can be with a 2 and 5 year old anyway!!)

emma1977 · 10/12/2008 21:22

EMMTB- Depo doesn't specifically have a licence for the treatment of heavy periods (unlike mirena), but it is occasionally tried when many options have failed. I previously used depo for 2 years and had no periods at all during that time. It was so effective that my periods (and fertility) didn't return for 18 months after it was stopped.....boooo. All progesterone-only methods are fine with women with raised BP. However, a small proportion of women get persistent, heavy bleeding with depo (less than 5%).

I personally am not a huge fan of depo as a method of contraception, but I appreciate that a lots of people get on great with it. In particular, it seems popular amongst my patients who have been rubbish pill-takers and too squeamish for a coil or implant.

All of the side effects to do with bleeding, headaches, weight gain, acne, hirsuitism, and mood disorders are well-known and any patient starting depo should be counselled about this accordingly.

evenmoremiserablethanbefore · 10/12/2008 21:35

I am really tempted to try the Depo now....
my family is complete so I dont care if I never see a period again!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks emma ,for clearing up the blood pressure bit

Ruby2shoes · 11/12/2008 21:46

I was on it for just over 3 years - first year was ok - looking back the symptoms gradulally worsened - severe mood swings - lethargy - very depressed - headaches - complete axe weilding bunny boiler!!! Only good thing was no periods after the initial constant period for the first 3 months, but then when I started to come round to the idea that my quality of life was seriously going downhill I actually wanted a period - to make me feel more womanly I suppose - more "normal" again. I spoke to the nurse twice when I went to have the injecion as I was also concerned that I had absolutely no sex drive - not a spark, it didnt even enter my head, not even a raunchy dream! I had even stopped noticing attractive men as you would normally passing them in the street. It was as if a switch had had been flipped. She said it was absolutly nothing to do with the depo.

I finally plucked up the courage to see my GP and she said it was a known side effect and suggested I stop taking it for a few months which I did.

I then realised how awfull I had been feeling and how much better I felt not having the depo. So I have now opted for the copper coil which I have had for a few weeks now and so far so good.

Ruby2shoes · 11/12/2008 21:53

forgot to add that the only thing it didnt do was make me gain weight. The nurse actually jokingly once said that I and one other woman were her only depo ladies that hadnt!! Go figure?

wideratthehips · 11/12/2008 21:54

haven't read all of thread but i had one injection of this after ds1 was born, felt horrendous, really hormonal had six months of irregular periods, ie bleed for a week stop for two days bleed for two days stop for three weeks etc etc. had internal scan all fine...tries to concieve..became pregnant, had horrendous mc at 12 weeks, needed d&c and i have my suspicions..........would not recommend this to anyone

AussieLou · 11/12/2008 22:56

I had one injection at age 20 and put on 15kgs, develoepd adult acne and started lactating. Took over 18 months for it all to be back to normal. I wish I never had the bloody thing. I tell everyone I know its evil.

winestein · 11/12/2008 23:09

I thought Depo was wonderful. I had (I thought) no side effects other than no periods, which was bliss! Until I completely lost my sex drive that is. To some extent I think it was responsible for destroying my relationship.

I think Depo works in 2 ways - vastly reduces the cahnce of pregnancy by vastly reducing the chance of ovulating.. and even if you did you wouldn't want sex IME.

I avoid all hormone based contraceptives now, with no exception.

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