Depo Injection

[emmathedilemma]

Looking for feedback on the depo injection which is becoming a last resort option for me but given my background I'm somewhat reluctant. The (not so brief) history is:
-I had heavy bleeding and got diagnosed with fibroids.
-Had a mirena fitted which was meant to help the heavy bleeding. It didn't. It made it longer and heavier and it bled itself out.
-The combined pill gave me a migraine after 3 weeks.
-Had my fibroids treated with artery embolisation but once that settled down the bleeding has come back and is still bad for a couple of days. -I've had a follow-up scan which has confirmed the fibroids have been successfully "zapped" but I still have an enlarged uterous.
-Currently on the progesterone only pill, nearly finished 3 months on it but have been bleeding daily (not heavily but enough to use protection) for nearly 8 weeks now.

So the injection has been suggested but I'm not finding many favourable reviews of it and given my history I'm reluctant to take something that's in my system that I can't just stop or remove. Has anyone found it to be a miracle cure for their bleeding when nothing else worked??
Note: I'm not bothered about using it for contraceptive purposes or any impact on my fertility.

I have heavy periods and used it for years. It basically stopped all my periods. I was happy on it - the only thing I didn't like was having to remember to make the appointment to get it done - and it was inconvenient for me at the time to take time off work to do that. - I stopped it when I wanted to have kids. It is reasonably quick to leave your system if you stop having more jabs.

(I am now on Mirena which hasn't stopped my periods).

I know nothing about the impact of depo with fibroids.

did you have any side effects from it @Mumdiva99? I was reading horror stories of people gaining 2 stone in 6 weeks!!

i have it and also no periods, and yes i have to attend every 12 weeks but that is fine for me. i get a text from depo reminding me to book it 3 weeks in advance,

weight gain can happen but not without you actually eating more. So its not inevitable.

Hmm I gained weight, my periods didn't come back for a year after finishing it and at that time of taking it I was very depressed. But hopefully you will have a much better experience.

I've had been on it twice with pregnancy in the middle. It stopped my periods completely tho did have some spotting about a month before next jab but that settled completely after my third injection. My gp books my next appointment when I'm at my current one.
I did gain weight while on it but I can't say it was down to the injection fully but life style choices too.

I was on it for about 10 years. There was some initial erratic bleeding but stopped after a few weeks. Maybe 4-6, I can't remember. Then ì didn't get any periods at all.

I'd get lectures from the nurse, being on it so long as it can reduce bone density (which comes back when you stop) but they did keep giving it to me.

Also should mention they nearly didn't give it to me once when I said I was single and just wanted it because I loved having no periods! They said that wasn't what it was for I backtracked and said I was dating and they relented, so be careful.

It can also take up to 18mths for your fertility to come back.

I loved it, but there's one more thing I should warn you about at the risk of scaring you off completely! I came off it for maybe a year, then decided to resume. Two weeks later I was in agony with what turned out to be an inflamed gallbladder. I was in hospital on morphine, with numerous doctors saying, 'are you absolutely sure you're not pregnant?' as my progesterone levels were thru the roof. As I hadn't had sex I knew I couldn't be but they still were sceptical!

I've never had confirmation that the depo was the cause. The most i had was a nurse mumbling that maybe the formulation had changed, but despite hating having periods again I've been putting off having it again.

I had depo for years, loved it. No periods at all. I was told it can increase appetite at first so keep an eye on diet for the first few months, I didn't gain any weight. Will go back on it after this pregnancy.

I put on weight so fast with it I ended up with stretch marks on my arms and legs

I spoke to the doctor about it and they refused to accept it was the injection despite that being the only change and my diet was healthy and low calorie at the time

I became very depressed

It removed any ounce of libido when I had a high libido before hand

I persevered for 6 months and when I decided to come off it a black loud lifted, I lost weight very quickly but my period didn’t return for 2 years

I've always gained weight on hormone contraceptives......but I've also always tended to go on the contraceptive when I am in a relationship. Eating out more, less time to exercise, probably less conscious of my weight etc etc So I have never been able to say with any certainty if it is lifestyle or hormones. I have never put on 2 stone in six weeks though.

That's exactly the sort of thing I was reading @ImbarbaraB!
They've suggested it knowing exactly the reasons for it @Sparklfairy so I don't think I'll have any issue with it not being for contraception.

I've been on the depo for a while and it has stopped mine except for sometimes about 2/3 weeks before I am due my next I can have bleeding. But to have one instead of 3 is fine by me.