NWR: Depo birth control shot

A dear friend of mine got pregnant while on Depo and she didn't do anything incorrectly. Just an FYI. Good luck with your decision!

I have been on depo for 6 months now and I love it! I had problems lining my cycle up with pills and the patch. I have an "incompetent cervix" which rules out iud.

Side effects I had are none. I do need to take calcium supplements because it can affect your bone density.

I'm only using it for another 6 months as birth control because fh is getting a vasectomy. I may stay on because this no period thing kind of rocks

I got pregnant a year into the shot. However, I also got pregnant on the pill , Norplant, and again 4 years after I had my tubes tied . It could go either way I guess.

I haven't personally gotten it (I use the pill) but my best friend and FSIL both had massive weight gain on it.

I have been on the Depo shot two different times. When I was just out of high school I went on the shot for convenience. I was on it for at least two years (the shot works 3 months at a time) and I never had any bleeding. I have heard some girls gain weight on the shot but I did not. They do warn you about bone density issues so I just ate 1-2 Viactive calcium chews per day. Easy Peasy.

They warn because of bone density issues that you shouldn’t be on it for extended periods of time so after about 2 years I went on the pill. I was on the pill for about a year then went back on the shot and the same thing – no bleeding, no weight gain. I wasn’t as diligent about taking the Viactive chews this time out of laziness but had no issues. I am now back on the pill because I wanted to get back on a regular cycle since we’ll be looking at having children soon

I have heard about a delayed ability to get pregnant after the shot but I can say that I have a story to rebuke that. My sister was on the shot for about a year before she got married. She was due for her next shot right before she got married and went off so they could use “natural methods” since they didn’t really care if she got pregnant. They were married for 4 months when she got pregnant with my nephew.

It’s just important to remember that everyone is different. If you had break through bleeding on the pill – it might indicate that you could have break through bleeding on the shot.

Look at @Carmen’s story – she got pregnant several time on different birth control methods! Her body obviously doesn’t listen – LOL

You know your body better than anyone. From what I can tell, Tri-Sprintec contains progestin and estrogen where the Depo shot is just progestin. And many girl’s bodies react to a progestin-only method by not bleeding at all. From what you say, the breakthrough bleeding could be because you don’t take the pill at the same time every day.

I would recommend the shot to anyone so if you are considering it, I would say that you try it for one shot (3 months) and you can always go back to the pill if you are not happy with it

I was on it and gained 20 lbs. I wasn't doing anything differently and working out 3 times a week to try to keep the weight down. As soon as I got off it (3 months later) the weight melted off in no time. The nurse told me she frequently sees people gain weight on it, and if they do, it is almost impossible to drop it because it is due to the hormone. I'd stick to a pill because if you have side effects, there is nothing you can do about it. You just have to wait 3 months!

I've been in it for 6 months now-didn't want any surprises on the Big Day. It's been just fine-no problems or pregnancies, lol. We do use backup but I'm due for my next shot the week after the wedding...not getting it. Let the chips fall where they may on that. My dr said that for those who were on it for extended time periods there can be a delay in your cycle regulating itself but for short term there's no cause for concern.

I had major weight gain and breakthrough bleeding with the shot. I've been on everything else and that only happened with the shot. I suggest trying nuva ring. You put it in for three weeks. Take it out during your period week. Only downside is that your extra ones need to be stored in the fridge.

I have been on it for 1.5 years and will come off it in less then a year. I have no side effects and only had some mild bleeding once when it was coming close, got the shot and it stopped. I was on the pill for nearly 10 years before the shot, I couldn't remember to take the pill everyday, I still am not great at getting the shot every 3 months but I do ok.

My doctor said she doesn't recommend the shot anymore and only approves it to patients who specifically request it.

Other than that, I only have second-hand knowledge of the shot - a friend of mine got pregnant while on it, and she also said she didn't like the side effects. She said she had a lowered energy and sex drive. Her doctor wanted to check for other problems such as her thyroid but she decided to go off the shot instead. She said a couple months later she was feeling back to normal.

My FSIL gained a lot of weight while on Depo. And as Sarah already mentioned, you should only use it for shorter periods of time (1-2 years) because it sucks the calcium out of your bones. Can I ask why you don't want to use an IUD or an implant like Implanion? I'd think those options would be preferable to the shot, especially since you can have them removed when you are ready to have kids.

I was on Deposit, I liked it due to the no periods side effect. After finding out that breast cancer runs in the family my doctor would no longer prescribe the shot. I have an IUD now and like it as well. As already stated, the major side effects are no period, weight gain and bone density issues. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I gained 20 lbs the year I was on Depo. The birth control it provided was moot because it completely erased my libido. Gone. Not only was I never in the mood, I actually hated having sex. No thanks. I think there are much better methods these days.

I've been on the shot for about a year and a half, maybe two years now and I love it! Mostly because of the whole no period thing, but also because I just don't have to worry about it anymore. I have heard people gain a lot of weight or bleed a lot (I do have spotting sometimes, but mostly nothing), but for me no side effects at all. Ultimately, you have to find the birth control that works for you because everyone is different. My doctor also said that it could delay conception, but that some people can get pregnant within weeks. Again, everyone is different but there's no harm in trying.

I was on it for a few years and like many of the ladies here, it completely diminished my sex drive and i gained 20lbs. I also had crazy mood swings, it made me bat shit crazy and a few other people have told me the same thing. While i enjoyed not having my period, it wasn't worth it to me. It's different for everyone though and it looks like some ladies didn't suffer any side effects.

I only did it once, (good for 3 months) and will never do so again. It messed with my body pretty badly and I ended up having like a two month long period. It was pretty horrible.

On the other hand, my friend switched to it and has had nothing but success with it. Everyone is different so I suggest trying it out if you would like. If you dont like it, you can always switch back to the pill like I did.

My twin and I were both on depo when we were teens. I think everyone has different reactions to it. My sister ran away (long story) missing her depo shot, got pregnant a week after her depo was due, and her son had a LOT of problems, no way of knowing what caused them, but could have been the depo. He had 5 brain sugeries, was on life support for 6 months, had a trach and feeding tube for 5 years! She has also had a few miscarriages, may not be depo related though. I have never had cramps before depo, but have REALLY bad cramps during my menstrual cycle every since I have been off of it!

I did Depot for 2 different time periods in my life

Cycle 1 - 2 Years: No Periods, at all. Slight Increase in Hunger, which leads to weight gain without self control

Cycle 2 - 8 months: No Period for month 1 then off & on periods (3-4 days at a time, 2-4 day break repeat) for months 2-3 until next shot. No Weight Changes

It depends on the person. I was on Depo for about 3 yrs I never gained any weigh of any sort the only downfall is it does cause bone density, but I also have sickle cell as well so that didnt help the situation. As stated before nothing is 100% fool proof.

Thanks for the replies! I think I have decided to stay on the pill for now. There seems to be a lot of people with negative experiences on the shot. I just don't want to chance it since you have to wait 3 months for it to wear off if you have side effects. To the person who asked why I don't want an IUD or an implant: I am an ultrasound tech and I've seen too many people have problems with them IUD's. I also just can't handle the thought of something foreign being in my uterus (or arm). It would drive me nuts.