the weight gain for me was a horror. I gained 20 pounds the frist month i started taking the shot! Whats worse, the month i decided to go off of it and missed the shot, i lost the 20 pounds! it was insane. I did however, have sex without a condom in my monogomous relationship and did not get preggers, so it works for sure.

ARGH!!
I hate Depo SO much. It has completely ruined my life! They stopped giving the injections in Wales in 2004 and I was forced to come off it then and I've had NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS!!

I gained over 2 stone when I was on it which dropped off as soon as the injections stopped. My periods disappeared for four years and then I BLED CONTINOUSLY for another year once the injections were not being administered anymore.

I've now been referred for a BREAST SCAN because the depo provera has given me LUMPS and my periods are still messed up. I'm probably infertile (according to two doctors).

The kicker? I'm 23. 23!!!!!!!!! I might as well be post menopausal.

i have been on depo for 6 years and have had no side effects whatsoever. my doctor informed me of the impact on my fertility (something i'm not at all worried about right now) and that it will take some time for it to come back, but overall, i love it! i even refer to depo, to my friends, as the "miracle shot"

Hormonal birth control is a nightmare.

I was on Depo for close to 7 years and it was great not having any periods. But I did gain 30 pounds and it WOULD NOT COME OFF. I was working out 2 times a day on a strict (but very healthy) diet (I'm being honest here, I had my cheat day once a week but besides that was totally committed) and it wouldn't budge. If anything I think I gained more weight.
As soon as I switched to the pill, the weight came off. That by far was the most frustrating part of it all that the weight you gain wont come off!

weight gain you can't lose, osteoporosis, potential permanent infertility. nooo, thanks. I'll stick to my little pills, lol

You've got to find the birth control that works for you. I have two friends on depo who absolutely love it!

I've never tried Depo and I don't think I ever will. 2 friends of mine tried it and it was hell for both. Neither reported weight gain, but one friend had spotting for 3 months and the other had a heavy period for 3 months.

I've used The Pill off and on for the last 5 years with no problems, so I don't think I'll be switching any time soon.

it's funny that you mention the infertile thing, because a friend of mine actually was just late on the shot by about a week or so i think, and got pregnant. she thought that she just wasn't getting her period because she was on the shot, but when it didn't come again after the shot wore off, she realized she was pregnant and it was too late to do anything about it.

The problems don't really begin until after you come off it. That is when the floodgates open (er, literally in the menstrual sense) and all of the problems start.

ALL of the problems.

>.<

Not a good choice for me ever too many side effects.

On the Depo-Proveras website, it does say that this method of birth control should ONLY be used if all other forms of birth control aren't right for you. There are so many other forms of birth control that are safer with less side effects, so Depo wouldn't be my choice.

It's great if you are on Depo and it works for you. I would just be worried about trying to get preggers after going off it.

I've heard horrible things about Depo.

I did want to make a fix to the article. It says you need to remember the ring weekly, but really you put it in once a month and take it out once a month. It's really just a once a month thing. It's fantastic. No side effects, no forgetting every day!!!

That's yet another reason I stuck with the Mirena. Now that I've had it taken out (due to expiration, not trying for a baby) I miss it! I know I want kids in the next year, so it's condoms for now. (A total change from never having to think about it [for 5 years!] to ALWAYS having to.) I had no idea that Depo was THAT bad though! YIKES!

I thought it was a "miracle".. until I came off the thing.

If it sounds too good to be true, be wary!

I had the Depo shot administered once, and all I have to say is, if you are sensitive to birth control or have problems with depression, this is not the drug for you. My skin became horrible and I was so depressed I couldn't leave the house some days. Now I use the Nuva Ring and I can't stop recommending it to people.

I was completely fine with it. The only thing that happened that I liked, is that it cut my cicle completely off while I was on it. Other than that, I like it.

Sounds kinda horrible.

I never tried it.

No birth control pill/shot/ring will protect you from any STIs, including HIV. STIs are spread through contact, so a condom can help (but again, not guaranteed, as they don't cover the entire genital area). HIV can be spread through contact with bodily fluids, so again, a condom can help prevent transmission.

All hormonal birth control pills have the possible side effect of weight gain. Estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate in your body during your normal cycle. Depo contains progesterone, while the common birth control pill is both estrogen and progesterone. The ring contains both estrogen and progesterone.

Meanwhile, there is actually a marked risk for deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) that can be fatal, if they reach your brain or heart), when you use the birth control patch or pill. Apparently, there is less of a risk if you use Depo. Also, the risk of deep vein thrombosis also rises if you fly often.

Depo was the worst, I bled for three months straight like a period.

I use the ring and love it! I never have to worry about taking a pill at the same time every day b/c it's already there. One less thing I have to stress about throughout my day =)

I was on Depo for four years and gained 40 lbs! It was a gradual 10/lbs per year. After I went off of it, I didn't have my period for two years. (I didn't have it when I was on Depo, which was nice, though.) All in all, I would NEVER recommend it to anyone.

I have been on depo on and off for over 8 years (came off for one year recently just to try the ring, which was AWFUL). I just had a bone scan showing no bone loss, had irregular bleeding for the first two months after my first shot, but NO period since, and although I have to work a little harder to keep the weight off, it's SO worth it. Everything has it's downside - estrogen pills make my blood pressure too high and I'm an emotional wreck on them, but if depo is the right choice for you, it's WONDERFUL!! ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL - there are those of us who love depo, and crappy generic articles like this keep people from finding the right fit for them.

This is like the worst thing ever. The first 2 months it was just perfect and then I started to get headaches, depression, spoting, I didn't gain weight but I was on a diet and I couldn't lose any. I would not recomment it not even to my enemies.

I have never had any problem with weight gain or any of the other problems. Going in every three months is fine with me because I got to the doctor at least once a month for my bipolar and Type 1 diabetes. I dont want kids either so the not being able to get pregant for awhile isnt going to bother me either. I have my bone density checked and so far so good I havent had any problems with that either.

Depo can either be a wonderful method for you, or a bad method. It all depends on your chemical make-up. For example, I've been on the shot for about 3 years now, lost 10 pounds, have not had any periods since my first shot, and don't ever plan on having children, so I'm not too concerned about the infertility thing. I've had my bone density checked and am showing no signs of depleted calcium. This article doesn't fairly describe both sides of the story.

ive had it for like a month, and i didnt get my period-even though i knew i was about to get it when i started- but now, ive been bleeding EVERY TIME during sex for two weeks, and i just got my period(??) and today i have horrible cramps. im confused and beginning to hate this damn thing

Another late period for me today - four years after coming off the shot my cycle STILL isn't back to normal.

I love Depo! I've been on it for years. I initially gained around 10 pounds and had spotty periods for the first 3 months, but the pounds naturally came back off after the first 3 months and I have enjoyed years with No Period! (love that!!)
I do make sure I take at least 1200 mg of calcium a day and also additional vitamin D to make sure its being absorbed.
And going to the Doc 4 times a year is really no biggie esp. because one of those visits is for my annual anyway.