Depo Provera = The Devil?
 

Warning fellas! This is some woman stuff. :)

I've been trying to figure out some sort of BC to be on for my upcoming marriage. After a lengthy discussion with my gynecologist, I decided on Depo. I knew of the major complications (weight gain and spotting/breakthrough bleeding).

I read through other threads here about BC and it seems that some of y'all have had great experiences on Depo. I, unfortunately, am one of the many to have spotting that led to the less common breakthrough bleeding. The difference, it seems, is that spotting is barely any color that doesn't leak outside the "area" whereas breakthrough bleeding is basically a light to medium period. So, for the last two months, I've essentially had a steady period. I want to kill someone. :)

I saw the gynecologist last week and told him that, in my reading, I've come to understand that the extra progesterone without any extra estrogen to even it out makes it difficult for the uterus to keep itself from bleeding (but then again, the lack of estrogen is what makes Depo a great choice if you want to reduce your risk of cancer).

So, I asked if the pill (Ortho-Tricyclen Lo) would do anything to straighten me out. He said that it would likely put me back on track but I will have trouble getting pregnant for a while because of the Depo, which is not so much an issue right now. But, I can't start the pill until my next Depo shot would have been.

I have a little while yet to go before I would start the pill. Does ANYone have any experience in this area - going from Depo to Ortho-T (or other pill) to stop breakthrough bleeding?

By the way, I read a number of studies that said the risk of bleeding was greatly decreased in overweight women. Well, I guess that doesn't include me!! LOL!

I know this is slightly off your topic, but have you looked into the new implant, the one that goes in your arm? It's supposed to be newly approved in the US, but has been used for a while in Europe and is also supposed to have fewer side effects than Norplant.

And other women peeking in here, if have any experience etc. let me know... :)

If you're not good a remembering to take pills (I'm not) then I would suggest looking into the implant that Drolefille mentioned. If you miss BC pills, it can make it worse then not taking them at all. Or, there's also the patch, and the ring.

Unfortunately, the only thing I've looked into lately is Mirena, which is a new IUD, but doesn't help you any, because it requires that you've already had a pregnancy (not sure why, but it does). After your first child, it's a great option because it's good for 5 years w/o maintenance, and has a low chance for causing cancer...just something to think about in the future.:)

I had the Depo shot for a while and I had to hurry up and switch to something else. The shot was making my hair fall out in clumps. Not just a few strands, but, huge clumps.

I'm now on the patch. It works so well for me. Just put it on and you are good to go for the rest of the week. I haven't had any breakthrough bleeding. When I do get my period in my patch free week, I know exactly what day it will start in and exactly how long it will last. That works out great for me because I can plans whatever activities I have around it for those 4 days.

As with any medication there are sides effects...and my side effect just so happens to be my boobs got bigger. While that isn't so bad compared to the other sides effects, it is a little expensive because I had to get all new bras. So for me it was either let my hair fall out or have bigger boobs. You just have to find out what works best for you and your body and which side effects you're willing to live with.

I know my friend switched from the shot and went to pills and it worked out well for her. I would recomment the patch too, it's a marvelous thing.

I feel your pain. I was one of the few that had the damn breakthrough bleeding. I switched from the Depo to Ortho but rather than switch right away, I waited 2 months before starting the pill so we basically had to rely on condoms during that time. I felt really crappy which is why I opted to take the time to get some of those chemicals out of my system (even though my doctor told me it wouldn't make a difference) but I am glad I took that extra time.
It's all a matter of preference really.

Another form of BC to consider (besides the pill) is the Nuvo-Ring. It's inserted vaginally once a month. I've used it for over a year and love it.

I think there might actually be some kind of hormonal imbalance in my blood.. because my body will not tolerate birth control of any kind. I get horribly sick to my stomach. I tried to start Loestrin (I have tried Alesse, Yasmin, & Ortho-Tri in the past) and it woke me up around 4 am and I was sick until like 6 or 7 pm that evening. AWFUL. Needless to say, I threw the rest of the pack into the trash.

My doctor suggested the ring or patch because that would be more of a time-release of the horomones.. but I'm honestly scared to even try it. Do yall know anything about this kind of problem?

With going onto the pill you may have trial and error for a while until you figure out which one is the right one. I took one in college called Triphasil. I really did have three personalities for a while. But once my body adjusted my cycle was like clockwork, I felt like i had an on/off switch. But the mood swings were something else! The pill I had after that Loestrn (sp), would give me a period a week. I'm now on Estrostep. If you literally don't take it the same time everyday it will trigger your cycle within 2 days of when you messed up your pills. So now I'm switching again! Someday i pray this search will end!

I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THIS. I'm on Triphasil right now and have been for about a year or two, but I do have three different personalities. Here we go on another quest.

GP: did you feel like your mood was on a roller coaster? My 3 personalities could all appear in the course of 5 mins. on somedays!!! :D

YES. I really thought it was just me because I did this with the last pill I was on too.

Does it require just pregnancy or actually giving birth?

Were you ever on anything else? If so, how has Triphasil compared to other BC?

Honestly, I'm sure every pill has its supporters and people who swear its evil. I personally would never take triphasil again b/c it made me crazier than I already was!!! I'm sure there are some people who think its the wonderpill. I also personally would never take ortho-triclyclin either b/c I have 3 friends who took it, each with a child to show for it. On the other hand, my college roommate swore by it as the best pill ever made. So truthfully preciousjen, it will be trial and error until you find your wonderpill! Even with Depo I know people who have loved it and people who have hated it.... I think one really did refer to it as the devil!

LOLOL!

Oh, no.... not just you. I think my best Triphasil moment was when I decided that what i had seen that day on "The Young and the Restless" was just to much to bear!!! And I wept for like an hour..... over tv..... not even real tv.... a sopa opera.....something was seriously wrong with that picture....

I tried the patch and the thought of blow drying my hair one day had me bursting into tears, I also had crazy mood swings. It was just too much hormone for me, and I wasn't too fond of the skin issues and weight gain either. Everyone's body is different and I know there are things that worked at one point in my life I had no problems with and now that I am older and not in puberty that I can't tolerate. I am very thankful for the new types on the market because I take it for a medical problem and my last resort before the Nuva-Ring was surgery that would render me unable to carry a child. I say NO to that, and yes to Nuva-Ring.

I have been crying at 7th Heaven. Enough said.

My crazy hormone moment was with Seasonale when I broke down hysterically crying and was unconsolable because my goldfish died.

This isn't true. You don't have to have a previous pregnancy. Some gyns will say that because it is hard to place any IUD in a woman that hasn't had a child. (The uterus is smaller and the cervix tighter, so it will try to expell the IUD.)

Do they artificially dilate the cervix? YOWZA! :(

Maybe it's for that reason, but I believe the pamphlet that my Dr. gave me on it said that you had to have a previous pregnancy. Maybe it's just (more effective? safe? less likely to be rejected?) easier in women who have had a previous pregnancy. Although with mirena, it's soft plastic and smaller then a quarter, so I can't imagine it being THAT hard to insert. :confused: Just going by what my OB/GYN told me.

My ob/gyn told me to avoid Seasonale. She said the breakthru bleeding was ridiculous and that the symptoms could last for 6-8 months. She would only prescribe that for someone who in their case having their cycle was more painful than dealing with the hormone swings and the breakthru bleeding. Was she right?

Oh yea. The break through bleeding was so bad that it was actually significantly heavier than my period on its worst day. And it lasted for 18 days straight. I went to the doctor and ended up being sent to the hospital to get an anemia test because I was losing so much blood. Yea you only get your period four times a year, they just forget to mention that it lasts for weeks at a time.

I'm also just going by what my gyn told me. He's placed IUDs in a lot of my friends (both copper, hormonal, and Mirena.)

I wouldn't doubt that it is easier to place in previously pregnant women, and there is some instances of scarring that could render you sterile, so maybe they only recommend it for people who are done having children. Though, the scarring rendering me sterile was something that attracted me to IUDs. (I have no qualms about not wanting kids ever.)

I must be one of the few women on Depo that hasn't had any sort of side effects.

I LOVE IT!!!

I don't get a period (whats not to like about that). I don't have crazy mood swings (unless I'm super stressed out with normal life, like now). My hair hasn't fallen out in clumps.

As for my period, it has always started up within 3-4 months after I ended my Depo shots.

I've tried so many BCP's it isn't even funny. Some have made me sick, others haven't. My problem with BCP's is that I suck at remembering to take pills. I have always said that if I was sexually active I'd already have like 3 kids and probably be pregnant again. I just don't remember to take pills. Hell, I don't even remember to take my vitamins daily.


What's good is that there is so many birth control methods out there for women that we no longer have to be locked into one kind. So many different pills and other methods.