Getting off Depo-Provera because of weight gain

[Thrashley]

I have been on depo for years now and just recently have gained lot of weight quickly. I'd say at LEAST 20 pounds in about 3 months. I have made the decision to stop the depo recently too, in the hopes my weight will go back down. Nothing has happened yet, but it is still in my system. I am just not going to take another shot. I have talked to so many people who gained weight on the shot and had it go back to normal once they got off it. Anybody else had this experience?

[laurellyne]

I had my depo twice.I ddnt know of any side effects and I found out about them last month.I decided to stop using the injection.I recently had my periods for 2-3 weeks.and I have gained weight during the past month of being on the depo..my boyfriend is the one who adviced me to stop using it.but he hasn't seen how I look recently.I look like a hot air balloon.next week he is coming back for our engagement after a month of being away..I don't know how he's gonna feel about my weight gain.I'm so sad and regret taking the depo in the 1st place.

[jen_p99]

Ok after reading through all these comments I don't feel so stupid....I have been on depo-provera since I was 15...I am now 32....I have gone off of it 2x...now let me tell you a bit of background...I never had regular periods (this is going to be TMI...sorry) but my periods were so heavy it was almost like I was passing blood clots...horrible pain...I found out that I have endometriosis....the doctors put me on Depo because this seems to be the only medicine that helps this....so of the 2x I have went off depo I had surgery on the endometriosis because it was overtaking my female organs....the 2nd time I couldn't bare the pain and ruining of my clothes...so I went back on it now for the last 2 years I have been asking my dr every time I go in for a shot if there is anything else I could go on and they have insited I stay on the depo because of what has happened in the past when I went off them...now when I did go off them my period came back very fast never had the waiting of months or anything like that....I have since been diagnosed with PCOS along with the endometriosis....I have gained so much weight and have tried so many diets and exercise like crazy...I retain water like excessive amounts I swell up like a balloon when I exercise...I have extreme pitting edema on my legs and arms....and still the dr say to continue this drug...my next shot is at the end of aug and I think I will stop this drug....I have tried diuretics and they did not help...I have done low carb while on this...nope nothing I have trained for a 1/2 marathon and didn't lose any weight....I now walk 4 miles a day and exercise everyday with watching my calorie intake...still can't lose any weight it's very discouraging.....they wont give me a hystorectomy because they say I am too young even though I do not want to have children of my own...I'm affraid the endometriosis will take over again....anyone have any suggestions....I'm struggling to keep my weight below 200# on my 5'7" body and with working out for months on end to not lose any weight is killing me I am extremely embaressed about the way I look...my lower legs are swollen all the time I have horrible cellulite now that I never had before and my what I call my bye bye arms are horrible....I am open for suggestions at this point if anyone knows of something that will prevent the symptomes of endometriosis other than depo I am all ears thanks for reading my post

[Weakness2Strenght]

i am in the same situation right now i gained 15 pounds myself after i stopped my last shot of the birth control in november. i feel disgusted with myself i have no period i am scared i wont be able to have kids because of the depo shot, good thing i dont have a acne problem , the more i exercise the more i feel i gain weight . . i wish there was something to detox my body with, i was researching and it said that our bodys are acting as if they are pregnant so they retain the food to feed a "whoom" idk im just sad that i made the stupid decision to take it in the first place it could have already affect my reproduction system

[TheWhitKnee]

I will have been on depo for three years in September. I started taking it because I had had my period for three straight months with no explanation. I was warned of the weight gain (thankfully) but at the time it didn't seem important since I was gaining weight anyways with my hormonal eating from my periods. I have gained about 15 pounds since I started, I attributed this to lack of exercise and poor diet (being a college student living alone at the time, I ate a lot of frozen "fast/easy" foods.)

However now, almost three years later, I've tried dieting and exercising multiple times to no avail. I eventually would get frustrated and "give up" since I never lost a single pound after weeks.

This "cycle" is happening again now. I have been exercising at least 5 days a week for about an hour a day (not much I realize but my philosophy is "it's better than the nothing I usually do"). Well 5 weeks later of exercising and really watching what I eat I have lost a grand total of 2 pounds. It is so depressing and frustrating! I am 5' 10" and now 153. I am thankful I didn't have the horror stories I read of gaining 100+ pounds in 6 months. But, it's still defeating nonetheless when trying and "failing".

I am probably going to stop the depo soon anyways (whenever my boyfriend gets around to proposing). But. Are there ANY tips on how to lose weight while still on the depo?

I read the low/zero carb suggestions and other pill/vitimin boosters... However, I am a type 1 diabetic and can't take anything that will throw off my body too too much.

Or do I just keep exercising for exercise's sake and be glad I'm not gaining astronomical amounts? Thanks for any help!

[ChrissyDee]

I'm about to switch from depo to an IUD and I'm over all the weight gain. Depo is great at pregnancy prevention but weight gain is a HUGE side effect. It's not worth it anymore and I'm sick of all the extra weight.

[ChrissyDee]

I'm about to switch from depo to an IUD and I'm over all the weight gain. Depo is great at pregnancy prevention but weight gain is a HUGE side effect. It's not worth it anymore and I'm sick of all the extra weight. I can't even say how much I've gained but it's way more than I'd like on my body