Depo shot???

kellmo

I was wondering if anyone has tried the Depo shot. If you did use this form of birth control did you like it? I can't ever remember to take the pill and Mirena isn't covered by insurance either. TIA!

oliversmom03

I have not personally used it, but a lot of my girlfriend's have. Every single one of them has gained weight on it, so I stay clear of it. I mean, like 20 pounds. Good Luck to you in whatever you decide. 

jennyelf

I've been on the mini pill, combo pill, depo shot, and now have Mirena.

Pros of Depo Shot: easy, just one shot every 3 months. You have to go to an office to get it done, so depending how you feel about doctor's appointments vs waiting at the pharmacy this may be a pro or con. 

No cycle, which I thought was awesome. 

 

Cons of Depo Shot:  I did gain some weight (15-20lbs), though I don't know if that was due to other factors going on at the time (long work hours, no exercise, bad diet). When I went off the depo shot, I was able to lose all the weight, but again, there were other factors at the time (shorter work hours, biking to work, and better diet habits).

It took 9 months after my last shot for my cycle to return and a full 15 months after my last shot for it to approach something predictable so that we could start TTC.

 

Mostly, I liked it. It was easy and I didn't have to think about it. Side effects weren't great, but I could live with them. 

 

ETA: I was on it for 2 years. No weight gain the first year, it was the second year it all showed up. 

Shondra1510

I used the depo it was a bad experience. Never again, it made me very irregular once I got off of it, I didn't gain weight tho, but it made my cramps worse every month after I got off it, I wouldn't recommend it. But every body type is different.

groovygrl

I think if you really struggle to remember to take the pill, if you have painful or heavy periods normally and if you are ok with a long-ish term BC, it can be a good choice. I definitely warn you about the weight gain, it is  a frequently seen side effect. Also the bone density issue is an important one to consider, though I believe it is seen much more in women who use depo for over 2 years.  There is a black box warning on that.   Last issue is that it is not always quickly reversible and can take women much longer to get pregnant after going off it (hard to predict who will take longer & how long) so if you are considering pregnancy anytime in the next year or two, you may want to consider that possibility as well.

Have you considered nuvaring or implanon?