Depo Woes

[SnappyPix]

I did a quick search on the forum with regard to depo, but didn't really find the answer to my question - so, as always, huge apologies if this has been asked/answered before!

Apologies in advance, also, if this posting is a little bit too-much-information!

Has anyone else had/is having problems with continual bleeding whilst taking Depo?

I started a course of Depo-Provera around 5 months ago. Its main use is as a contraception, but my sole reason for starting the treatment was to stop having periods.

I work as a gardener and generally have no access to bathroom/toilet facilities throughout the day - being on my period became a bit of a nightmare, so I began a course of Depo, thinking this would help solve the problem. Several of my friends have also been on Depo, with no problems - their periods stopped and everything was hunky dory.

Unfortunately, it seems I'm one of the very small minority who had an adverse reaction and have been on a period, give or take about 10 days, for the past 5 months!

Whilst the bleeding isn't as heavy as a period, it's still substantial enough to definitely need to use something.
Thank God for the Diva Cup is all I can say!

Having googled the subject, it seems this isn't uncommon; but whilst women have reported problems similar to mine, I can't find out if the problem eventually gets better over time - and if so, how long.

So far, I've had 2 injections (3 months apart). I only intend to take Depo whilst working in my current job (which will finish at the end of the year) - as I'm also aware of the correlation between Depo and bone density loss.
I don't know whether to give it more time to work, or to just give it up as a bad idea (research has also shown that it can take up to 2 years to get out of your system!).
5 months is enough to try even my patience - and the cramps/pmt come along for the ride too, so it's an absolute hoot at the minute!

I guess, in a nutshell (sorry for rambling!). Has anyone taken Depo - and what were your experiences?

[Lise]

Hi, SP, I haven't used Depo, but have many patients that do. Irregular bleeding/spotting is the most common side effect. Usually goes away by 4 injections, if you can stand it until then. A way of trying to stop it is to take ibuprofen 800mg three times a day for 5 days. That's 4 over-the-counter 200 mg Motrin or Advil at a time. With food, so it doesn't hurt your stomach. Another solution is to get the next injection 10 weeks after the first one, rather than waiting the 12 weeks. Good luck with it.

[SnappyPix]

Thanks Lise, that information's really helpful - I'll definitely try the ibuprofen and will aim to have the next injection 2 weeks early, as you suggest.
It's Sod's Law that waiting for another 2 injections before the effects subside means I'll be period-free just in time for me to come off it!
Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

[Selkie]

I'm not on depo. However, Mircette (it's a BCP) stopped me from having periods. There are only two non-hormone days each month. According to my GYN, no periods or PMS is one of the side effects of Mircette. It made my melasia (sp?) worse, though. I'm trying a few month of tri-cyclen lo, but I might go back to Mircette. This is my first full no-hormone week in four or five years, and I forgot what it was like to get PMS and cramps!!!!!!

[Nanci]

Hey, I've been on Depo for about four or five years. I think I had irregular bleeding for a bit, then very light periods, and now nothing for several years. I stopped it last August for no particular reason, and my period didn't come back till February. So then I started it again. I am very happy on it.

Before that, I was on Norplant for 10 years, and loved that, too. I love anything where you don't have to do anything.

Nanci

[Brandi]

The iud I am on stopped my period for a year. And now has kinda come back. But periods are really light. And sometimes not at all. I am not a good person for that diva cup. Cause most of te time I don't need anything my periods are so light. But i like the thought os the diva cup. Just price wise and enviroment wise it sounds smart. Good luck and hang in there. It sounds to me like you do need to give it more time.

[Susan126]

From my understanding, depo is very hard on your bones. Depleting the mass and calcium. My daughter was on depo but in less than a year she had to switch to another form. What's good for one person may not be good for someone else. She had severe leg cramps from the depo. I would suggest talking with your own physician and ask a lot of questions.

Sue

[Quillfred]

Depo can be hard on the bones for some people. There are now warning lables from the FDA that require Health Care Providers to educate people for potential side effects regarding bone mineral density loss.

Women need to be sure the get the minimum daily requirements of calcium which is between 100-1200mg. When I prescribe Depo I give hardouts on high calcium foods and usually recommended calcium supplements to make up the difference as it is hard to meet the minimum from diet alone.

Also important is getting enough weight-bearing exercise which includes walking and running which encourages bones to retain calcium. Too bad cycling isn't one.

Our clinic encourages women to use Depo for two year cycles with a year "off" to help prevent bone demineralization. If they have good reasons to go beyond two years with use, they are also encouraged to check their bone density with either a heel scan or a Dexa scan (a more expensive and more accurate scan) and their risk factors for osteoporosis is determined.

In my experience, many have varied experiences with spotting while on Depo. Some periods cease immediately. Some cease or greatly reduce by the third dose. But there are some women who then either choose to discontinue it or spot frequently. Others have a cyclic MP about every 12 weeks.

With all its peculiarites, Depo is a very good method for many, including women who have dysmenorrhea, anemia, certain types of migraines, and other health conditions that prevent them from using estrogen safely. Many users are women who have problems remembering to use the pill consistently. Hope this helps a bit.

[DrBee]

I was on Depo for 3 months while breastfeeding my son. It was my only option - can't be on the pill while bfing and I'm allergic to latex, so ... not an option. I did NOT react well to the Depo at all. I did have a little bleeding, but the headaches at the beginning and coming off of it were horrendous. I also gained weight (avg wt gain is 5 lbs in the first year, from what I've read) and it made me feel ... just off. It's difficult to explain, but I did not feel like myself. And - I don't think it was hormonal changes from having the baby (as this was my second child) and as soon as it was out of my system - I was back to normal.

I have a friend that was on it for 5 years and stopped taking it over a year ago. She's having a tough time conceiving a baby, had one miscarriage, and had withdrawal like symptoms for the first 2-3 weeks after stopping the injections.

Some people don't react to it at all (like Nanci). I guess it's an individual physiology thing.

[LBTC]

I have not tried depo, but I've been taking a single-dose BCP with only 3 breaks a year for quite a few years and love it. I've been fortunate to be able to handle any BCP I've tried, as long as I take them at night, and the single-dose means there's no real cycle - steady state all the way through. No down time at all, including no PMS. Yay! Again, this may not be for everyone, but I like the idea of taking an innocuous little pill all the time better than having something injected that last for months....that may have unpleasant side effects! OH, yeah, and during those 3 breaks, I get many of the symptoms (bloating, discomfort, etc), but very lead bleed-out.

Every one is unique in these things. If I were you, I'd be hating the depo big time and would try out a pill option instead. but that's just me - your mileage may vary.

Good luck!

Namaste,
~T~

[Lise]

I've been using the Nuva Ring for nearly 3 years now, without "cycling". That means I put in a ring every three weeks, without a ring-free week in between. I have endometriosis, and this has relieved me of the debilitating pain I had with both ovulation and menstruation.

It's a small, flexible plastic ring that's inserted in ~there~, and releases estrogen and progesterone over three weeks. I've used non-cycling BCPs and progesterone only pills in the past. The Nuva Ring has given me the best control (no breakthrough bleeding, no endo symptoms) of any method I've tried, and I've had no side effects. I never wanted to use Depo because I was well aware of the side effects many women experience.

I love the ring so much that I forget I'm using it--I have to write on my calendar to change the ring every three weeks. For women who need to not menstruate for whatever reason, this is an option--talk to your care provider.

[roughingit]

I was on depo for two years. Bled the *whole* *damn* *time*. It was horrible. That was before the patch and the ring and I cannot take pills (oh, and I'm terrified of shots btw just to sweeten the pot).

The doctors kept saying, oh, it'll get better. It didn't. I also had the weight gain and mood swings problem described earlier.

I use the Nuva Ring now...ahh the relief. No shots, no bleeding (my doc has me just keep it in for four weeks). I've used the patch successfully too, but the ring is nicer since it's internal and there's no sticky residue on your thigh.

[Nanci]

Hmmm, I have access to a bone density scanner at work, and have a baseline study from a few years ago, at which time I had higher than normal bone density. I think I will see if I can get rescanned tomorrow.

Nanci

[KSH]

I have been on depo for about 1.5 years. I started taking it because I would have a period for 20 days a month (there is nothing wrong with me, it's just the way I work).

It has helped me to stop bleeding. Unfortunately, I was told that after 2 years I have to stop taking it due to bone density issues. I am NOT looking forward to that. Bleeding all the time really sucks.

[Deanna]

I had the same experience as Nanci--very long periods of bleeding during the first year and then NOTHING. YAY! Unfortunately, my doctor had me quit after a few years because of the bone density issue. I switched to Mirena and have had a similar experience.