RateItAll: The Opinion Network

i only had the injections 2 times.because they were injecting it into my stomach. and when i got off of it, i didnt have my period for 13 months. i was gaining weight, i LOOKED pregnant and was feeling something moving in my stomach. when it would move i would have everyone feel it. they DID feel it and soon after could actually see my stomach moving. I went to the DR's and they told me it was nothing to be worried about. and i WASN'T pregnant!!! it's been 2 years since i got off the shot and im married now and we want to start a family but try as we might i cant get pregnant. my husband and i went to the drs together but they didnt tell us anything!!!! we really want a baby but i dont think its going to happen for us. and that breaks my heart and i'd like to know if anyone has had the shot in their stomachs too.

I started depo in april 08. A month after receiving my firt shot i started bleeding... and I haven't stopped since. At first it was a regular blood flow similar to a period. Then I spotted everyday for the remaining two months. Most of the time i felt really down and people have actually commented that I don't look like myself. I WILL NOT BE GETTING ANOTHER DEPO SHOT and I don't recommend it to anyone.

My body has been a mess since I took the shot for a year. Rosacea, weight gain. SERIOUS Weight gain.My family is all skinny all but me. I am the fattest one. Thanks allot!

I have been on the shot for about 4 and a half years. i personally love it! i am a 20 yr old college student and im very active i play a lot of sports so of course i loved not having periods. i stopped having y period immediately when i got it. i was really depressed while i had my oeriods and being on the shot helped me trmendously. although i havent even thought about coming off of the shot as of yet because i still have at least 2 or more yrs of schooling left. and i am currently not wanting or trying to have a child. but i am sort of worried about not being able to have a child. and also worried about the painful periods when i do come off. but i am one who actually does enjoy being on the shot. i have so far anyways. i havent experienced anything negative. i actually lost weiht while being on the shot so the whole weight gain thing just depends on who you are.. ans with everything else. everyone reacts differently to everything so please dont make decisions based off of other peoples claims! just make sure you research depo thoroughly before you start. i mean.. get info from your doctors and even other doctors about it to make sure if it is right for you.

basically the only way your going to figure out if certain birth controls are right for you and what they're actually going to do to your body is if you take it for yourself. every website and person is going to say something completely different because no ones body is the same. everyone reacts differently to birth control therefore you might not have the same side effects as someone else. some people gain weight some people lose weight some people go crazy and have mood swings and other people are fine. Depo provera is good if you dont want to remember taking a pill every day and if you dont want your period at all.
my gyno told me to also put this into consideration.. if you take a pill and drink alcohol or get very sick, it washes out of your system and your hardly protected, when you have depo provera theres no worry of it getting washed out of your system.
i still have my doubts about depo as much as i like it
i lost 10 pounds when i started it but i gained it back so i really dont know if its just me or the birth control.
i really want to try the pill to see the difference between the two but right now im going into college and i really dont want to have to remind myself every day to take the pill.
so im just going to start exercising more and eatting right to see if it really is me.

i have only had one shot of depo ever. That was in Dec of 07.. No bleeding at all. But it is now the end of june 08 and still NO period... any ideas??? should i be worried? i have taken many pregnacy test.. all Negitive. So? hmmmmm. Its kinda cool having no pain and no bleeding. But i would like to have a period as i want to get pregnant.

Hi all I've been on Depo for five years and not have had a normal period for that long! I'm 25 and trying to conceive and I'm really scared it's going to take long or not happen at all. I DON'T RECOMMEND DEPO TO ANYONE!!! I was also on the IUD (mirena) for a year and heard bad things about that too but I regret taking that out because at least you get a period. My Cousin was on the IUD and as soon as she took it out she had a baby! The depo made me moody, break outs all over my chest and face, hair loss, and killed my sex drive big time! my hubby doesn't like it either! PLEASE DON'T EVER CONSIDER THIS BIRTH CONTROL! IT WILL RUIN YOUR BODY, HEALTH AND MAYBE EVEN YOUR RELATIONSHIP!!!

I have been on the shot for years. and decided to recently get off of it due to the bone loss thing. I have already lost about 10 lbs and only been on pills for a month. I REALLY want to go back to the shot tho. I absolutley loved it. No periods at all, but I also thought the thought of sex was repulsive. lol. My husband says Im nicer since Ive gotten off of it but so far nothing crazy has happened to me and I loved being on it.

I have been on the shot for years. and decided to recently get off of it due to the bone loss thing. I have already lost about 10 lbs and only been on pills for a month. I REALLY want to go back to the shot tho. I absolutley loved it. No periods at all, but I also thought the thought of sex was repulsive. lol. My husband says Im nicer since Ive gotten off of it but so far nothing crazy has happened to me and I loved being on it.

Im 17 I was on the shot for 9 months I loved it because I had no period at all and no side effects. Then I just got off of it and I have had a heavy period 3 times with 7 day gaps that I haven't had my period and then it just starts up again. Reading all of these makes me scared that I won't ever be able to have kids. :( I would not recomnd this shot to anyone!! Ever!! I'm mad my sister talked me in to doing it, I'm life is ruined

I have just recently came off the depo shot my- self.
As i was reading what you wrote and I realized that the same things happened to me. I bleed the whole time I was on then shot, sex life did not exist,
(my poor husband), my weight gain is a never ending event now, and yeast infections after yeast infections. I have now been off the depo shot since
September of 2007 and i am still having problems. Now my periods (when I get them ) are very painful. And now my OGYN is saying I might have Endometriosis.
I start my testing for the endometriosis in a few days. If I have this medical problem, I may be on medicine the rest of reproductive life. And the second child I
have wanted for a while now may be shot as well.

I have been on Depo for the last 11 years. I LOVE IT! I need to stop but cant find anything as great- no period is wonderful. I didnt have any weight gain from the depo since clearly its food that causes weight gain not a shot. In 10 years I have gained 10 pounds but most of it happened in the last 3 years- maybe age. I was told the depo might ruin my bones so I need to get off but after 11 years of enjoyment I dont want to.

I have been on the depo shot for about a year. Everything went great! No periods or anything! Recently I got off of the depo provera and thats when I started getting heavy dark bledding continuosly. Along with that I have had bad cramps that were very constant and painful. Just wanted to tell you guys that the depo shot might seem great, but its really not.

Hate the Depo. Thought it was great, didn't have to remember a pill. Only one shot after my son, relationship ended, why bother with birth control? Developed horrible cystic acne, I thought it was post partum. Went on accutane and had to stop nursing my son. Fast forward 7 years to after I had my daughter. Went back on the shot. Gained tons of weight. On it fine for 2 yrs., then acne started. Horrible cystic acne. Went to a dermatologist who told me it was probably the Depo. It's been 3 yrs since then and my acne is only controlled through doxycyclene. Stop taking the Doxycyclene, the cystic acne comes back. It's horrible. I never would have taken it if I'd known this would happen, no one told me it was a possibility.

I have been pregnant twice, both of these times I got pregnant in the first month. I then went on to use the depo. I used this for about 6 months. So only two shots. I have been TTC for 3 months and keep bleeding out of knowhere, irregular periods, very late then very heavy. The DEPO should be banned! It isnt temporary at all! ALmost everone I have asked about this has taken over 18 months to concieve after coming off the DEPO. I have one baby and wanted my second quite shortly after to keep the ages close. Well I dont think I have a chance now no thanks to this Jab. The Doc told me it doesnt affect fertility????? Lying cow. It is horrible. Do NOT reccomend it to anyone. Unless you dont want a baby.

I started getting the depo shot when I was 14 all the way up until I was 19. I loved it, I never had any periods and I didnt even gain weight. I am 23 now and have been off the shot for 4 years now I have gained weight since Ive been off of it and my hair falls out so much now! IM not going bald or anything but i do loose alot of hair. I have really bad cramps during my period now when i never use to. Sometimes i bleed on and off for about a month I have been trying to get pregnant now for about 3 years unsuccessfully. I am so scared I will not be able to have a baby. My sister was on the shot for about 5 years also and she hasnt got pregnant yet either! I would recommend for women to try other methods of birth control!

I started getting the depo shot when I was 15 years old because I did become sexually active with my boyfriend. I got the shot every 3 months until I was 19 years old. I gained so much weight. I went from 150 to 230 pounds! And now as much as I work out and eat healthy the weight doesn't even much budge. Now I am 21 years old, married and trying to have a baby. My husband and I have unprotected sex about 4 times a week and still not able to concieve. I loved not having my period while being on the shot.. but since I've gotten off the shot my periods have been very irregualar and painfull. I went almost 1 year with no period and that was being off the shot for 2 years! Now I got a period after about a year from my last one and I have been bleeding for a month straight. Not heavy, just continuous spotting. My doctor tells me my bone density is low and the period isn't menstruation, it's blood clots that have formed from the using of the birth control. It has pretty much made me sterile and I have no chance of conceiving my own child without paying thousands of dollars for fertility treatment.
THIS SHOT HAS RUINED MY LIFE!!! I really with I would have read up on the side effects or my doctor at the time would have at least warned me. If I could give this shot negative stars I would. Be warned ladys... this shot is the worst possible thing you could subject your body and heath to.

I was on it for a year, in 2005. I stopped taking it because it really weirded me out that I had no period. I was always REALLY regular before taking the shot. When I stopped, (end of 2005), I had one period a year later. That is it. NO PERIOD FOR THREE YEARS IS REALLY TROUBLING! I am beginning to wonder if this drug has made me sterile. Very upsetting.

I had the Depo-Provera injection quite a few years ago and I still cant get it off my mind. I still cant help but feel a little angry at the staff at Planned Parenthood for pushing that product the way they did.

I went to Planned Parenthood for an annual exam and to discuss birth control methods. They were all very excited about Depo and insisted that I try it. I was a little skeptical because of the listed side effects. One of them was depression. I told the doctor and the nurse that I had experienced depression in the past and they decided that this would not be a problem. The doctor, nurse, and my boyfriend talked me into trying it. So I get the shot that day.

No big deal. Its a shot. In theory its a great idea and for those who can tolerate it. But beware of the side effects. The one big problem with 'trying' this one out for size is that it IS a shot... one that lasts for THREE WHOLE MONTHS... and there is NOTHING you can do about it. I became severely depressed, broke out, gained weight, and had heavier periods with spotting in between. Would I do it again?? N O . Honestly, I have not met one single person out there who has actually tried Depo and liked it. I think I will stick to condoms until they find some form of medicinal/hormonal contraceptive for MEN.

The shot seemed good while I was on it, I then got married and went off of it to have a baby. That was 5 years ago and still no baby. That shot ruined my ability to ever have a baby.

I think everyone here needs to realise that all types of medication can affect different people in different ways, and you never know until you try it. I've been on Depo for 5 years and I think it's the best thing ever. I used to get really bad PMS and got really suicidal and had unbearable pain and puking every time I got my period. Then I went on the pill, put on weight, and got even more suicidal. The main difference was that I tried to kill myself precisely every 28 days. So I went on Depo, I haven't had a period since, which is fantastic (it's not like they improve your life, right?), don't get PMS, my moods are much more stable than they ever were before, and I only put on weight at xmas when my BF's mum gives us about a ton of chocolate. There is a risk of loss of bone density, but if you get plenty of calcium and vitamin D you'll be fine. I see that as a minor risk compared to the risk that I'll kill myself or get pregnant. I love it, it's really convenient and has made my life so much easier. Anyone who has got side effects such as dryness, headaches, mood swings, loss of sexual desire, etc., are you on any other medications? Lots of things cause those symptoms, especially antidepressants, and most especially Prozac, which is one of the most evil drugs ever invented.

PLEASE, if you're considering this method of birth control, make sure you have tried EVERY SINGLE other method of birth control in the book before this. The way that Depo works is it turns off your natural supply of estrogen (which is responsible for creating the sex drive, skin elasticity, lubrication, hair and nail growth, mood stability, etc.) and replaces it with a snythetically produced chemical called progesterone. When taking the shot, you go into a kind of estrogen deficiency and one or all of these can and probably will shut off.
You WILL experience every symptom. You WILL get headaches, you WILL gain weight, you WILL feel like you're PMSing 24/7, you WILL have no period for 2 months then have it every day for 2 months... it is absoultely terrible. I had to stop having sex because of the searing pain in vag every time I tried to have sex with my boyfriend due to the lack of elasticity and lubrication down there because of my body being sucked dry of estrogen!!
If you're thinking about going on depo becasue you think you can't take the pill consistenty every day, spend your $75 that you would use to buy depo on a CELL PHONE and set an alarm to go off every day.
Please, say no to Depo.

That was lame, sorry.

first and foremost i must say that if you are considering going on depo provera, please sit down with your doctor, gyno and have them tell you every single side effect of this drug! This drug is heinous and as ive read over others review of it im astonished to find out that all the suffering i have gone through directly relates to depo! I started taking it about 2 years ago, around the beginning of 2006 and took my last shot in september of 2007. While on the drug i had absolutely no sex drive, i was repulsed by the idea of sex which is ridiculous being as i was on this drug so i could have sex.. I had horrible acne, big swollen sore pussy pimples all over my cheeks and chin which I had in high school (im now almost 23)... so I just figured it was bad skin...I gained 15 pounds slowly over the course of the 2 years, which i chalked up to growing up... I bleed alot at first but the slowly turned into spotting which then seized completely and i have yet to have any spotting or a period! im actually crving a period believ it or not. I had some serious mood swings too but the real shit hit the fan when i stopped depo... as if the above symptoms werent bad enough right? Its now almost may of 2008 I still have yet to see a spot or a period and im finally starting to mellow out. My hormones, mood swings or whatever you want to call them almost destroyed a few friendships. I couldnt control myself, i was a tyrant of anger, despair and i thought my friends were conspiring against me. My acne has worsened to the point where my dad actually commented that i might consider seeing a doctor, i have lost a few pounds which is good, but when the hell is my cycle going to regulate? I am considering getting pregnant but havent ovulated in a year! I still have mood swings, the symptoms are similar to bipolar disorder, occasionally il be so depressed i can barely move, then other days im spiked with this negative, antagonistic sort of energy... i eat healthy, locally grown organic foods, i drink a ton of green tea and liver cleansing tonics such as nettles and red clovers.... I drink kombucha and i rarely consume anything like sodas or candies.... I am physically active and work out when i have time so if you're thinking maybe im just a fat slob its not the case.... this drug has thrown me off emotionally, physically, hormonally and sexually!
my recommendation:
dont take it!
Listent to me and the countless others who have suffered greatly from it!
it has taken a year of my life and destroyed it!

HELP!!! PLEASE HELP!

i've been on the shot for 10 years now. i started taking it when i was 16 and now i'm 26. i've always loved the shot and never experienced any negative side effects OR SO I THOUGHT.

this shot has me out of control! i'm on bipolar meds and anti depressants. i've been so moody and unstable that all my relationships have failed. now i've met the perfect guy and i'm scared i'll lose him too.

i just took the shot on monday after experiencing such emotional turmoil for the 2 days before i took it. i even went crazy looking for Progesterone cream to calm down my emotions. i was so sensitive. now i'm horribly irritable. i feel like i'm watching myself and i have no control over my reactions.

i tried to get off the shot last year when i first realized the effects the shot had on me. oh no big mistake! i went on the pill and lost my mind! i felt like i was literally losing it. Again i also felt like i couldn't control the person i was watching, ME.

i'm desperate to get some help. i can't take this anymore. someone please. i want to be hormone free and get off my meds. i just started taking them 2 years ago before i realized the link with my mood and the shot. what can i do to make this process easier?

There is a chance u can gain weight.

I HATE IT!!! I HAVE BEEN ON MY PERIOD GOING ON 5 FREAKIN WEEKS!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? I SHOULD GO ON RIPLYS!!! IM NOT KIDING!!!! AND IT HAS GOTTEN ME REALLY SAD!!! I HATE THE DEPO!!!! I HAVE ONLY HAD ONE SHOT AND MY DOCTOR SAID IT WILL GET BETTER THE NEXT TIME I GET IT BUT IM NOT GOING TO CHANCE IT!!!! AND BOTH MY SISTERS HAVE HAD BAD SIDE EFFECTS FROM IT!!! AND MY BOYFRIENDS SISTER!!!!

It works well for me. If you take a calcium supplement and watch your diet, it is great.

I hate it. I got the shot back in October and I done nothing but constantly bleed bleed bleed(very heavily). Im always in a terrible mood (around my boyfriend) I never want to be sexually active with him. I've gained so much weight, I know they are supposed to tell you what the side affects are, but my doctor never did. When I went back for my next shot, and next shot, the doctor told me the bleeding should stop, it hasnt. So if your thinking about getting it, be really careful!

i decided to go on the shot when i was 18 around september of 2006 and i took another shot in december of 2006.. I couldnt afford it anymore ( being almost $50 for me), therefore i decided to stop... Ive only had 3 periods since once in july of 07, october of 07 and march of 08. Its hard to tell whether ive gained weight specifically or gotten more pimples becuase of the shot, becuase around that time ive moved out of home and its harder to afford *Home cooked meals* and stuff like that. I've almost lost my 2 year relationship becuase of the crazy mood swings.. keep in mind that im still suffering from bipolar disorder. My biggest fear now is that im not going to be able to get pregnant now. My fiance and i have had unprotected sex since november of 06, although ive had symptoms of being pregnant im not. And im worried that i may never be able to have children and at age 20 id like one.. and another in the future. anyone having the same problems? all feedback is greatly appreciated

LOVE IT! I've been on it for 3 1/2 years. The day I got the shot is the day my period went away and never came back. It is awesome to not get PMS or my period EVER. I do know it is important to get a bone density test every year to make sure it has not damaged your bones. The absence of a period is what can wear your bones down as having your period naturally protects your bones. I give myself my shot every 3 months and it saves me a trip to the doctor. Its also generic now so only $10 for 3 months of no babies, gotta love it. I am however going to go off it this year as I want my tubes tied. I don't ever want kids. If you never want kids please consider going off it and having a permanent form of birth control as the longer you are on it, the more your bones can be effected.

It started off rough. I had my period for a month straight. It finally got regulated and I stopped having my period altogether. Well, my gynecologist did not tell me much about the risk of bone loss or that it was meant to be short term. Well, three years later, I have moved to another town and I start seeing a new doctor. Well, she sent me for a bone density test. Turns out, my bone mass is a 2.1 and 2.5 means osteoporosis! I had no idea at only 29 this could happen. She wants me off of it immediately and they are unsure if the lost bone mass can be recovered! If I had known this three years ago, I never would have gotten on it. I didn't have access to a computer at the time so I was unable to research it. They provide the shot so its not like there is a sheet that explains side effects when you go pick up meds at the pharmacy. Even still, I probably would have thought this was a very rare side effect. Now I know you're not even supposed to stay on this for more than two years.

Ok so, I have had bad experienes with this. I have hypoglycemic, hypogly. messes with your thyroid already. Well, the doctor seemed to have overlooked the fact and put me on the shot that could mess with your thyroid levels. I have been on it for about a year and a half, and everytime after i take the shot I get syptoms of really low blood sugar everytime, I believe one tmie my blood level was at a 73! I havent gained any weight, but it seems like my abdomin isnt toned anymore. I also have mood swimgs like the rest, I will not be taking this shot again. btw:i have noooo sex drive

I took a total of 3 shots..didn't gain any weight (but I work A LOT and I eat really well) I didn't realize that a lot of the problems I had been having with my mood swings/loss of sexual desire and drying up was from the shot. My last shot was last June, I was due for a shot in September but decided not to. THAT'S WHEN EVERYTHING HIT ME. Coming off of the drug is the worst thing I've ever experienced, my mood swings got so bad it almost ended my 3 year relationship with my fiance. For a time, I didn't want to do ANYTHING, I sunk into really bad depression, I didn't feel like myself anymore and I couldn't sleep for days. I have gotten really bad acne when I never had acne problems as a teen. I didn't get some spotting til a few days ago and I rejoiced! I've been periodless since last June. I have been taking herbal supplements to detoxify my body and I'm working with a doctor to get my hormone levels back to normal. For something that didn't even make me want to have sex I have paid a high price. My sister went on it and she had non stop bleeding the whole 3 months but I didn't listen to her or anyone else for that matter because I thought nothing bad would happen to me. IT'S NOT WORTH IT! THIS DRUG SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE MARKET!!!

I was on Depo for 6 months when I was 23 (aged 30 now) had no bleeding but did gain 10 pounds. At that point I came off it and periods came back straight away. I then went back on it when I was 27 for 2 years. Had no bleeding but gained another 20 pounds. Came off it 14 months ago to try and get pregnant. Have managed to loose all the weight again but am having terrible problems. I didn't bleed for 9 months and then started bleeding in Oct 07. Have been bleeding heavily almost every day since. Have been to my Dr who has prescibed me Northisterone (progestogen)tablets to take for 3 months try and kick start my cycle again. Don't know whether to take them as I am worried by putting more chemicals in my body I could mess things up even more. I had no real problem whilst on depo but now I am desperate to get pregnant before I am too old and wish to God I had never ever had it.

I wanted to share a positive side of Depo. I am 27 and have been on the shot for 7 years. In that time,my period did stop completely and I have not had it in at least 6yrs. That has been the most positive experience since my periods made me vomit and gave me excrutiating pain. I didn't notice a difference in my sex drive, as far as weight gain that probably was the worst part of it. Only cause I was a dance major in college and probably over the course of a few years I gained almost 20 lbs and I had to make a real effort to eat extremly well and work out 5 times a week. I think the shot is a great option if you are a really active person, if you can't stay consistent with the pill and if you are married and or using other protection. Overall though it was a good option just remember everybody is different in how their body will react, it obviously isn't for everyone. But it was the right choice for me. And now my husband and I are considering starting a family and I am going off the shot. I am told that it could take 10 months or so to become fertile again, and so we are taking that into consideration and using other preventive options until I can get my period back again and become regular. Hope that helps anyone who is weighing their options :)

What im about to say is all what I have heard (btw im also on depo-provera.
1)Depo provera messes( I really wanted to swear there im so frakin mad) up your hormomones big time, with all the proestergin (sorry im not a good speller.) That is why half of us are dealing with mood swings.
2) I have a friend who works at tony romas and she was talking to one of her co-workers, and her co-worker said that it is not good for you to not have your period, she said that her friend had to get some kind of surgery.
So it got me to thinking if were not having our periods were is it all going. That cant be good. ( but remember this is all hear say)

But Ive bin on depo provera for about 9 months, and i have completly stoped my period. I'm crazy moody, im getting small odd zits on my neck / sholders, SEX=No Pleasure once so ever. When I first started it i have my period for about 3 weeks straight.Very light though. Do not use it I wish i had a damn time machine.


I do have one qestion though. Im planning to get off it right away. Do you think my period will start heavily and last AGES, has it happened to anyone?

I am in my late 20's and I have been on Depo for 10 months. My experience with Depo has been both positive and negative, and I'm at the crossroads now to figure out which outweighs the other. Here's the break down.

Pros: Before going on Depo, I always had break outs and severe mood swings/depression right around the time of my period. Ever since I got on Depo, I didn't have the severe break outs or depression or even cramps! No abdominal pain, ever. It's also SO convenient. I was on the pill before, and I often forgot to take the pill everyday which gave me many pregnancy scares. With being on Depo, I don't have to think or remember to do anything except once every 3 months.

Cons: There's been a significant decrease in sex drive and painful intercourse. My bf and I used to have sex 4x a week. Now it's once a month, if that. Also, the most common negative side effect: bleeding. There has been bleeding, whether it be spotting or niagara falls, DAILY.

No significant gain weight or loss. I don't really watch what I eat too much but work out regularly, and have maintained my weight.

The shot sucked for me because I had mood swings and within a year of taking it I gained 20lbs, but like some people say the side effects are different for everyone, so I would try it for a couple of months and see how it goes. I know people that have gotten it and they had no side effects. So good luck!

I've been on the shot for a little over 2 years now and I haven't really had any problems with it. I've gained 20 pounds but I'm actually happy about that. It was one of the reasons I got on it. For the first year or so I had a period every month that lasted about a week and a half then my periods gradually started decreasing. I now have one every three months but the downside is that it lasts 2 weeks (it's very light though). It completely got rid of all of the horrible cramps I had before I got on it. I don't have any bad mood swings or depression. Overall, I like the shot. The side effects from it will completely depend on the person.

I took the shot 2x and I am sorry I did the second time. I hope people research beforehand. My dr recommended it because I was breastfeeding and it wouldn't affect your milk. Breastfeeding helps you lose weight. I am gaining and I have been watching what I eat. I also have night sweats. I have no sex drive but I thought that was from the pregnancy but my baby is 5 mos old. I spot occasionally. My biggest complaint is the weight gain and had I known I wouldnt be able to counteract it by eating well I would have never taken it. Oh, and I cant forget the hair loss!

i've been on the shot for 6 months now, and i love it. the first shot made me really moody for a a few weeks, but i've been a pretty happy person ever since. every now and then, i get a little moody but i think it's just from being a girl ;]
i haven't noticed much weight gain and my periods have stopped completely. the first month i had some mild spotting for a few days, but that's been about it.
i would reccomend that you talk to your doctor and research as much as possible before getting it. but it has worked perfectly fine for me.

This shot is horrible I have only taken one and that was on September 14, 2007. I have bled everyday from that day and we are now going on the second week in February 2008, I have gained 46 pounds, I went from a size 9/10 to a size 18, and i'm only 4'11" i feel horrible. I spent hours at the gymn and could't loose not even one pound. The cramps are rediculously painful, and I have constant headaches. I have absolutely NO sex drive at all, wich is backwards because i got on the shot so that I can have without getting Pregnant noew I don't even want to have sex. My mood changes constantly and I get depressed so easily I spend my off days in bed doing nothing even when its nice oout. But the worst is Bleeding No Woman wants to bleed for over five days and I've been bleeding for 5 months. I hate this shot I want it out of my system

i have been on the shot for about 8 months, nothing serious has happend to me. I started looseing weight when i first got on it, then towards the end i gained it all back. I have had a very hard time being able to get off when haveing sex and have any sex drive whatsoever. I had very short periods, mostley spotting. I switched to Lutera [what planned parenthood gave me] and i havent had any period in 2 months. The reason i switched is because it screwed my friend up makeing it hard for her to have kids and i didnt wanna develope eporosis in my later years.
I reccomend looking into reviews of any birth controll before you use it.

I got my first shot in March 2007 (I think) and am supposed to get my 3-4 shot next week sometime. But I'm deciding not to because of the effectsit has put on me.

I have gained about 30LBS in that 11 month or so period! I am almost 190 and I was like 155-160 when I first got on it.

The plus is I never have had a period while on the shot but I ahve been severely depressed (even more than I normally suffer) I feel like crying all the time. My BF hates me because I'm a bitch 24/7 and yell and get upset about stupid things.

I wish i could find something without the weight gaina nd depression and NO peroid at all. But maybe one day.

I think I'm going to either get on the Pill (and REMEMBER to take it) or a 5 year type thing like Mirena.

Hope this helps. Oh yeah I'm 20 years old.

I have been on Depo for 4 years. At first I had mild bleeding, more like constant spotting for about a year and a half. Also, my boyfriend was in the military so we only had need of birth control every 3 to 6 months, so this left big gaps in sexual activity. I noticed that whenever I was with my boyfriend I would bleed pretty badly for a couple days afterwards. Not convenient when you only have a couple days to be intimate before not seeing him again for 3 months. Besides for those things, I have had a great experience with Depo. I never ever want to go in for the womans annual exams, but I guess it's the price you pay to not have a period for 3 years. I recently married my boyfriend and though I do not want to have children for a couple more years, I would like to know how long it took most woman - who have been on depo for as long as me- to concieve after stopping Depo injections. If there is anyone similar to me out there who stopped taking the shot, could you let me know how long it took you?

i had 1 shot of deprovera when i was 15 years old, i bled for a whole year after,not just red blood but sticky black tar!.it also gave me black depression, weight gain,a swollen stomach...ect....ect so i never went back.i left school early because i was too ill to continue, so basically it ruined my life completely.

TO ANYONE READING THIS...PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT GET THE SHOT! PLEASE I WARN YOU! My expeirence on it was HORRIBLE! I'm leaving my e-mail address at the end...just to ensure if anyone has questions. I'm 19 years old..and I recieved my shot around July of 2007...it is now January 21st, of 2008 AND I AM STILL BLEEDING. It's just gotten to the point where i'm going to my obgyn and trying to get help. I have only gotten the shot done once! When I got it...I started having horrible moodswings..that made everyone around me..especially my boyfriend hate me. We almost broke up because of how I was acting...Crying Screaming..Everyday..I felt like a zombie for the first month month and a half. I didnt feel like myself..and to be honest..still dont. I'm very scared and cannot wait to be tampon and pad free one day. PLEASE DO NOT GET THE SHOT! If you do not belive my story please read everyone elses story on here..or just google depo provera and you will change your mind...they give this shot to sex offenders as well!! I URGE YOU TO NOT GET THIS! xvindikated@gmail.com

Well I've been on the shot for about a year. And I also have had many of the side effects as many of the women who reviewed this. Before getting the shot I had been on the Pill because I suffer from severe migraines and my doctor wanted to regulate my hormones. While on the Pill I gained no weight and I liked that I knew when my period would be (I also had very unpredictable periods before the Pill). I wasn't very good at taking them at the same time every day but I wasn't in a relationship so it didn't really matter.
However when I did get into a serious relationship the Pill just wasn't working anymore. After a pregnancy scare (I thought I had gotten pregnant), we decided the shot would be a better option for me because I wouldn't have to remember to take a pill everyday.
The first three months of the shot were rough but I waited it out because I knew it had different side effects. I gained about 5 pounds but I didn't think anything of it. The next couple of months I gained even more weight. And I'm a personal trainer so it wasn't because I wasn't active or because I was eating the wrong foods. I also lost my sex drive, and my cervical mucus so sex became a burden and painful.
Since my first shot I've gained 20 pounds and no matter how hard I workout or diet I cannot get the weight off. And like most on here- it's all right around the midsection. I also never lost my period. My periods actually became longer and heavier. I would have my period for 10-12 days straight.
My last shot was 2 months ago and I will definetely not being getting another one unless I can find another reason for my unexpected weight gain and loss of sex drive. Hopefully I can get the weight off again and fit back into my correct weight and my sex life will improve.

I'm not trying to scare any women off from trying the shot- I know every women will react differently to a foreign hormone entering their body. So my advice is to try it for 3-6 months and see how your body reacts to it. Not everyone will have the same side effects.

I was on depo-provera for a year. I chose it because it seemed the most convenient and easy option. In the first 6 months i had spotting EVERYDAY with ocassional stomach cramps. I also suffered very badly with sweats. I could sitting in a freezing room and all of a sudden i'd get a hot flush - which is not a good look especially when im only in my 20's!
After the first 6 months however, as the nurse told me, my body did get used to it and my periods and period pain disappeared completely along with the hot flushes and night sweats.
I also found my sex drive had suffered and the main reason i decided to stop taking it was because in the year i was on it i put on 2 stones (28pounds). After being the same weight for as long as i can remember i found this VERY depressing and im usually a very upbeat person. I increased my exercise so much that i was neglected every other area in my life and still couldn't lose a pound!
I'm now on the progesteron only pill. Which has a few side effects but in the 3 months i've been taking it i've managed to lose a few pounds. I think if i come off it i would find it alot easier to get back to my original weight but i guess thats the price you have to pay for a contraceptive!
I hope this review helps some of you but please be aware that the side effects don't affect everyone. I would recomment trying it for 6 months and seeing how you feel after that.

After receiving two shots I would never take another again. I have had several smaller side effects, but the one that has been affecting me the most was bleeding HEAVILY continuously. I bled for two months after the first shot, again...heavily, but the bleeding started subsiding and I was only bleeding lightly/spotting the last three weeks before I was due for another shot, so I figured it would eventually go away and I got the second one (I had tried pills and nuvaring before and developed melasma, and given the choice between condoms, melasma or trying the shot again by recommendation of my gyno, I chose the shot.). BIG MISTAKE. The bleeding got very heavy again, and I have bled every day, non-stop, for 5 months now. In the last month it has gotten so heavy that I have to change my tampon every half-hour to hour or I bleed through (even during the night) and because I'm losing so much blood I'm always very dizzy and weak during the day, even if I get my full 8 hours. I had to rate Depo with one star because I had no other choice, but I would give it a definite zero.

Every bad thing said about this shot is true. I became a recluse, gained almost 30 pounds when I have always been only 118 pounds for my entire teenage and adult life, and I became severely depressed, anxious, testy, and 'dull' feeling. I stopped taking it last month, am starting to lose some of the weight (which does center around your middle - attractive!), and am returning to my old self, although transitioning off of it gave me some brief and unexpected suicidal and hopeless thoughts. Those were fleeting, but intense. I had to keep reminding myself it was chemicals doing it to me and not my own mind. Don't take the shot!!