Anyone use Depo-Provera (BC shot)??

kyfirewife

I really want to have my Mirena taken out, and I'm due for my checkup in a couple of months so I need to make a decision.

Pre-pg I was on the Patch (Ortho Evra) and liked it fine, but was looking at another effective, long-term BC method (ie. don't have to worry about it falling off).

What are your pros/cons of the shot? Worst side effects you experienced?

TIA!

Jessica&Brett

I used it for several years and loved it while I was using it.  I *may* have gained 5 or 10 lbs with it - but honestly, I think that was just from growing up out of my teens.  I didn't have a period at all!  My sister tried it and had a period for about 6 straight months (she bled the first three months, and the doc said it would go away after the 2nd shot... no go). 

It can however take a long time to get pregnant after getting off of it.  I had my last shot in June of 2008 (so it was effective until the end of August '08), was on BCP until Feb 2009, and was pregnant by May 2009 - so it wasn't a problem for me, but I don't know if I would've gotten pregnant right away if I had tried.  If you are thinking of having more kids (and sooner rather than later), I would personally not use it - but that's just me

hav2run

I used Depo for about 2 years.  OMG, the weight gain and bloat is horrendous.  You gain like crazy no matter how little you eat.  I gained 40 lbs!!!   Once I stopped, I was able to get the weight right off with little effort and no change in eating habits.  My Gyn said most women go off of the shots because of the weight gain it causes.

The nice thing was no more AF.  It stopped right away.  Wonderful thing!  No PMS either.  When I came off of it, it took a full year to get regular cycles again, and AF was long and heavy with bad cramping the whole time until my cycles became regular. It was not fun.

I stopped using hormonal BC when my mom got hormone fed breast cancer from using Premarin.  It scared the crap out of me.  So I have no advice on alternatives.

jerseygirl81

HATED it! Hated it, hated it, hated it. I stayed on it way too long. I would get super bitchy in the last 2-3 weeks. I had the same weight issue that hav2run mentioned. As soon as I stopped taking it I dropped the 15# crazy fast.

Why do you want the IUD out?