Depo Provera

[Bernice]

My cousin told me that she's been taking the Depo Provera Birth Control Shots and her periods stopped. She said she doesn't have any bloating, mood swings, cravings or cramping. She said she hasn't had a period in 6 years. She also smokes and is over 35 and this shot is a safe BC method. Does anyone know about this? Does your period really stop? What are the pros and cons about these shots?

Thank You

Bernice

[smurfswifey]

When I first was on the Depo shot I had one period that lasted almost a month, then after that I didn't have one again until about 2 months after I quit taking depo. I was on it for a little over two years. As far as safety goes, I think it is a pretty safe method. I didn't smoke, but I am overweight, and I didn't have any of the side effects. No blood clots, no mood swings, and I didn't gain any weight like some people say happens.

[Kszan]

I think you should search this board for posts on Depo. It's one of the most dangerous methods of birth control available, and many doctors refuse to prescribe it anymore due to the majorly increased risk of blood clots, stroke, heart attacks, and other serious problems. Every woman who uses depo experiences a rapid decrease in bone density, which, as the woman ages, highly increases her risk of osteoporosis. It's really bad news and any woman who actually cares about her body and her health wouldn't voluntarily subject herself to it.

[Bernice]

Thank you. I searched this board and found so many negative things about Depo. Heck, it will be nice not to have a period anymore but I want it to come naturally (menopause). I'm going to talk to my doctor about the birth control pill. Something to regulate my periods. I was reading up on the combination BCP. Anyone know anything about this BCP? I'm 43 and I quit smoking 3 1/2 years ago.

Thank You,

Bernice

[Kszan]

There are a ton of combination pills out there. Any one of them can either work well with minimal side effects or horribly with terrible side effects. You might find one that works for you. The one that had the least effects for me was microgestin, which is the generic for Loestrin. I quit taking it because my libido was completely gone. It took over a year for me to get it back, after having been on the pill (many different brands) over 15 years. The worst ones for me were Seasonale and Desogen. Seasonale made my moods worse than I can possibly put into words and Desogen caused a lot of breakthrough bleeding. I find that in general, I feel better overall when I'm not on the pill, which is why I chose to stay off. But you never know, you might find one that works. I hear that can sometimes happen, but not often. Usually, every woman has some kind of side effects, but it's up to them whether they can live with dealing with them or not.