DepoProvera and PCOS

[Papillon]

was anyone on DepoProvera before being DX'd w/ PCOS?

i was on Depo for a year (00-01), i quit because of weight gain and constant breakthrough bleeding/spotting... the year after (2002) i only got AF twice because it was induced by Provera... before being on Depo, I had no problems whatsoever... then all of a sudden i get irregular menses, bad acne, weight gain, irregular hormones, and hirsunism... so they DX me w/ PCOS

i work at an OB/GYN office and suggested the idea to one of the Doctors... she said she hadn't really noticed any relationship between the 2... but it would be an interesting case study

any thoughts?

[katiwren]

Your story could pretty much be mine, except that I was on depo for 18 months and stopped it after my ovaries had become so enlarged (by PCOS) that I ended up being sent straight to the emergency room by my GP and then admitted to hospital for 4 days. Since then, I haven't been anywhere close to regular. I had a huge weight gain within months of starting on depo and have had problems ever since. I've also developed acne (after about four zits all the way through school!), increased body hair and decreased head hair.

I'm currently ttc and find it so ironic that an attempt to stop conception too early is now ruining my chances now that we're ready.

There have been quite a few posts about this subject, if you search. I think there is even a class action suit being brought against the makers.

--KT

[shawnapooh]

I hate Depo Provera! I had regular periods,no problems getting pregnant,no hair,no weight gain. I get on this shot after having my 1st son Tyler. I lost 20lbs (unusual) with my 1st shot,2nd shot 3 mos later I gained those 20lbs back and continued gaining. I think I always had pcos but it layed dormant but depo provera put it into action. I havent had a depo shot since 1999 and anyone I know who is on depo I tell them my story and tell them to get off it asap. That shot caused me alot of grief and I wish I had never taken it. If there is a class action lawsuit I would like to know more about since I feel I have a case to. My dh feels bad because he wished we had known more about depo provera because he feels things would have been different fertility/weight gain wise if I had never taken it. Being on it has made me wiser,and now I research any medication throughly before I take it.

[Magz7795]

I was on depo for about 9 mos in '95 after my daughter was born. I had slight symptoms before this, but after I went off the shot, they sky-rocketed! I don't have any idea if there is a connection or not. I'm just glad I went off it when I did.

[rush.h]

Hi

I was on depo 2 month injection for almost three years and I regret that 3 years. I had regular periods before... I've been off the injection now for a year and a half I had on period on my own in Sept 02. and in this year i'm starting to get my periods for the last 2 months on my own.

I'm just seeing if my body is going to regulate before i try clomid in Nov.

I was 46kg four and a half years ago and now i'm 58kg that is 12kg more.

All I can say is that that depo shot is the WORST!!!

[Chancy]

Thank you soo much Papillon for starting this thread.

I too was on depo. I took three injections of it (nine months) and had gained about 60 pounds. Finally I decided that the needle was causing the weight gain, and I went off. When after about a year, my periods still hadnt came back and I was still on a steady weight increase, I started to get concerned. I hounded my doc and all he could say was that the periods would come back in time and the reason for the weight gain was because I was eating too much. He refered me to weight watchers. Because I knew that my eating habits had nothing to do with the weight gain, I found a new doctor. On the first appointment, he refered me to an endo and within a month, I was diagnosed with PCOS. My body worked fine until depo. I had periods like clockwork, no acne, no weight gain, easy to lose weight if needed, no facial hair,........I swore that the needle cause the PCOS but the doc said no. At the very least, the needle brought it to my attention and increased the symtoms. I HATE depo and I tell everyone I know who is thinking of going on it about what happened to me!
I cant believe that there are others out there who had the same experience with it. Kinda makes you wonder what it is that the needle does to you....

Chancy

[indiana_troll]

I was on depo for 6 months after daughter was born. After 2 shots I was feeling very suicidal and depressed. My periods stayed regular after I got off of it but all the infertility issues popped up afterward. I had no problem getting pregnant for my daughter (wasn't even trying). But I tried for #2 for 7 yrs after stopping the depo and never succeeded. Everything just seemed to get worse everyday. I would never recommend depo to anybody. It's the worst medication any doctor could ever prescribe to a patient. If anyone else is reading this thread and taking depo, I encourage you to go to your doctor and tell them you are stopping it now.


Patty

[Julia's Mom]

My best friend was on Depo for two years. She LOVED it. No periods, her weight stayed down, ect. Then her doctor said she had to take a year off (the longest he would allow it was 2 years at a time, or something like that) and BAM! She gained 25lbs ina month! (without changing her eating or exercise habits at all!) That's almost a pound a DAY. And of course, she was told "don't eat so much", ect. Why is it that I have no medical training what-so-ever, and even I can see that there was something seriously wrong there, completely beyond her control? Jeez...

[KIMSUE]

I ALSO TOOK THE SHOT ONLY ONCE IN 1995 AND OVER THAT YEAR I GAINED 80LBS. MY WHOLE LIFE CHANGED FROM 1 SHOT. I WAS NEVER SKINNY BUT AT LEAST I COULD DIET AND EXERCISE AND KEEP THINGS NORMAL. AFTER THAT SHOT I WAS NEVER ABLE TO LOSE MUCH WEIGHT. I WAS ON FERTILITY TX FOR 5 YRS THEN WENT OFF THEM FOR 1 YEAR AND GOT PREGNANT. MY LITTLE ONE IS A TRUE MIRACLE. I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO STOP OTHERS FROM GOING THROUGH THIS. WELL KEEP OUR HEADS HEAD.

[mandi78]

I hate Depo Provera too! I had regular periods, little hair and no weight problems until I took the Depo shot. It took it only 1 time. I think I also had PCOS but the Depo shot jump started it, I know it did. Soon after taking the shot, my periods stopped completely, I gained weight, started having facial hair and acne worse. I have never been the same since. I will regret that shot for the rest of my life. I wish we could get the word out that this is happening....

[JennyCat]

Did anything happen with the lawsuit? I know there are people who have not had problems with it, but many who have. And that stuff about how it decreases bone density is simply unbelievably horrid. How can that even be a legal med? o_o I doubt anyone would accept that as a side effect. My periods weren't good before I was on depo, and to be honest the fact it stopped them felt like heaven. Everything else went bad though, many things started: Recurring and extremely severe cystitis, chronic fatigue, etc, other things got much worse, like IBS, depression, anxiety. I put on weight, too. After 9 months I gave up, and it took maybe a year to get periods again. I lost the weight for the most part, too, and I was happy not to have periods - did have strange tiny bleeds after sex though.
But periods slowly returned, and I had never been totally regular, so that was OK. Then I dunno what happened, and if I can blame the depo cos fast forward ca. 4 years, and I did a detox and lost some weight I had accumulated in the meantime, changed to veggie diet, did exercise, felt great, but suddenly my periods got insane. Pain that would lead me into the ER, I've just never exeprienced this much horror with it. Not every month but ever 2nd or 3rd period, and yeah they got regular as clockwork then too I was diagnosed with PCOS, first cos they spotted my chin beard, and then the ultrasound confirmed many little cysts. But the blood tests came back normal...?
Since then weight has just crept up on me unstoppably. I'm finally seeing a doctor again about it soon, and hope they can help and do more tests. In the meantime my blood sugar did get worse, but it seems to have got sort of under control again. In the tests anyway. Lifestyle wise, I can't drink alcohol anymore, and usually can't have more than a few pieces of chocolate, before I get "drunk" and headachey, and just feel horrible so something is still up...

Sorry, this is actually my first post.... *blush* I did go on a bit...

[Anon09]

I was on Depo from age 14-17 and I have not had my period since then, I am almost 21. Over a year I have added tremendous weight (went from 145lbs to 270lbs now), my hair is falling out, I have hair growing in all the wrong and weird places, I developed type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular heart disease and only now have I realized that I need to do something ASAP.
I went to a free clinic and they told me that I most likely have PCOS. I don't have insurance and wanted to see if anyone else went to planned parenthood to see a NP, and how was your experience? is it even worth going to planned parenthood?

Ps. I hate you depo provera, you ruined my life.

[shadow_ground23]

I'm currently on Depo and I started in 2012 in Aprilish... I was just recently diagnosed with PCOS and my Dr said I've had it probably since I started puberty (at 11). I'm 18 as of right now. The Depo has just wacked out my period. I used to be 5-7 days at the most each month. Now I'm like 10-14 days (including the spotting I never had a problem with before). My fiance is happy about me being on Depo and I'm glad I'm on it too. My Dr is also glad because of my new diagnosis of PCOS.

[DizzyBee]

Thanks for bringing this up. After reading Hormonal Balance, I'm convinced that its my 2 years on Depo Provera (which I chose as I had PMDD and this was the only way I knew to get rid of it and my period) that caused me to gain 20 kilos, get insulin resistance and PCOS. The book doesn't come right out and spell out the link but says DP has an androgenic effect on your body and when women too much testosterone it can lead to weight gain. It says all overweight people are insulin resistant to some degree, the more overweight the more insulin resistant. Insulin resistance and too much androgens is the perfect breeding ground for PCOS and also make the 3rd factor, being overweight, very hard to deal with. Luckily I now finally understand this and found Yaz to take care of androgens and PMDD.