Dep-provera,anyone?

[Mrs Pink]

Sorry this isn't strictly CD-related.... but I have been on this contraceptive for a long time - which has co-incided with my massive weight gain - I wonder if its anything to do with it?

Anyone else had that?

Also wondering if being on CD will affect it ....

And any suggestions for an alternative? I can't go on the pill as I once had a blood clot ..

[peachy1982]

Hi there,
I was on depo for 3 years and came off it last year. I put on loads of weight but it was never suggested by my doctor that the depo might be responsible for this.
Then when I went to get my new contraception - implant in my arm which lasts 3 years, the doctor there said that depo is well known for increasing your appetite and making u put on weight.
Not sure if the implant can be used for people with a history of blood clots but i think its great. It took about 15 mins all in to get it done - 10 mins consultation then 5 mins for mini operation. This will last me for 3 years. There was no pain whatsoever as they numb your ram then put it in. Just had a bandage on for a few days and that was it.
And it doesn't increase your appetite.
peachy
x

[Mrs Pink]

Thanks Peachy - is that the thing called Norplant? Can you see it or feel it in your arm and will it leave a scar?
Certainly worth asking my GP about - ta

[SandraEG]

Depo does have a 'weight gain' side effect due to the hormones. It affects some people more than others ina similar way to the pill. I put on 3 stone in 3 months on it as a teenager.

[fatpossum]

I had the Depo about 6 years ago and it brought about the most dramatic weight increase. It didn't affect my appetite but regardless of this my thighs and middle region grew to massive proportions! - (I wasn't particularly big at that time). I was horrified and of course it takes 3 months to work its way out of your system.

It was only AFTER I had it that the Family Planning Clinic bods told me that weight gain was a very common side effect. They also said that if I continued to have it for a year or so that was likely to abate. Well NO WAY was I going to carry about my newly acquired thunder thighs for a year and so I never had it again. The thighs disappeared within about 6/8 weeks of stopping but it was a long 3 months.

Around the same time I noticed that a woman I worked with was getting rather beefy too. She had always been really slim but she too had big thighs. During a chat one day she told me that she was upset she had gained weight and that it was linked to the Depo!!!! She too stopped and within a month or so she was back to normal.

What about the mini-pill? I take that and it works really well for me. Unlike the combined pill it doesn't have any oestrogen and so is less likely to affect weight. You have to be very good about taking it though as it only has a 3 hour 'window of opportunity' unlike the combined pill which has 12.

It might be worth talking this through with your GP/FP bod.

[LollyPop]

Hi Guys...

I have Implanon which is the impant which lasts for 1 or 3 years dependant on the one you want. It doesn't hurt put in and you can't see it, unless you try to. Its a bit yucky having it taken out but I've had no side effects and I'm on my 2nd 3 year implant (now into year 2)

It's also good If you want to have (more) children but are not sure when. You can have it taken out at any time and your fertility returns to normal within about a week. I got pregnant the first month of trying after my last implant was removed.

I really rate this as I haven't put on anymore weight with it and my partner and I just don't have to worry - there are no known instances of pregnancy whilst having this implant.

Obviously, what's right for one person isn't for another - but this gets my thumps up.

[chunkychicken]

lollypop - that sounds wonderful I may ask about having one of those.
Quick question though - how does it affect your TOTM. Do you continue to have a period or not?

Thanks
Laura

[Ruthlet]

My doc was on at me for ages to switch from the combined pill to a mini pill in view of my weight and high blood pressure at the time. I was desperate not to switch as I had heard about the 3 hour window for the mini-pill and did not really want to give up the safety net of the 12 hour window on the combined pill - however the doctor told me that they have now developed certain mini-pills that have the same 12 hour window as the combined pill. The particular brand (with the 12 hour window ) they have set me up with is cerazette which also has a particularly common (and delightful) side effect of almost eradicating periods in many women HUZZAH!!!!

I have not had any weight gain on this pill other than that blatantly caused by eating lots of cream cakes and too much bread/cake/ice cream etc .

[LollyPop]

Hi Laura

I really haven't got a conclusive answer on this one. My Doc originally (first time around) told me to expect one of three things.

1. No Periods or
2. Lighter Periods or
3. Irregular Periods

Kind of covered most options - think he was covering his back!! Still it can change throughout the life of the Implant.

First time around... I had light periods for my first year, pretty much no periods for the second year and the third year were slightly irregular so a mix of the three really.

This time around... I have heavier periods but I actually put that down to having my son rather than the implanon. Not majorily but a little more anyway (Sorry if TMI).

I'm in the second year of this implant now and I have regular periods once a month (don't really keep track of exact dates) but definitely every month and have had since day one of this implant.

Hope this helps - feel free to ask anything else.

[Mrs Pink]

Thanks for all the replies - the implant sounds good as does Ruthlet's 12-hour window mini pill - I'll ask the doc about both of them next week. I have been on depo for 6 years and have gained nearly 4.5 st in that time - am now annoyed to find that this may have had something to do with it and the doc never warned me!
Mmmm - another thought - am now 41 so I dont think we'll be having any more kids - wonder if DH could be persuaded to go for the snip?!?! Doubt it , somehow! Men are so precious about their "bits" ...

[sonkie]

Im pleased this thread is here as I will be requiring contraception soon and really dont want to sabotage my weight loss.

[C.J.]

[quote=LollyPop;322102]
Its a bit yucky having it taken out..

can you tell me more.. as i have to have mine changed in a few months, and now im scared..

Please say if it hurts etc...

[sonkie]

I think the implant sounds good....... and even the taking it out wont really bother me......! I have my appointment on monday to see which will be best for me !!!!

[LollyPop]

It's not really horrible, compared with say..... childbirth (I now have a better perspective on things!).

When you have it put in you get a local anasthetic (sp) and its just sort of injected into your arm. This is absolutely fine.

When it's taken out, I think I had a local anasthetic again but it was more fiddley to get it out because they have to find where the little string is (to me it looks like a very very thin and long tampon) and then pull it out from there. It's slightly uncomfortable because over the years it obviously embeds itself or moves a little. I would say on a scale of 1-10 of pain it rates at about 3 or 4.

Personally I think it's worth it (that's why I'm on my second). The peace of mind it gives me for 3 years is worth about 30 seconds of discomfort.

Hope this helps

[AmandaJayne]

"When it's taken out, I think I had a local anasthetic again but it was more fiddley to get it out because they have to find where the little string is (to me it looks like a very very thin and long tampon) and then pull it out from there. It's slightly uncomfortable because over the years it obviously embeds itself or moves a little. I would say on a scale of 1-10 of pain it rates at about 3 or 4."

That's what put me off implants, Lollypop.

I was on Depo for 11 years and loved it. No pain, no periods, no mess - lovely. Changed to Minerva coil June '06 and, like the Depo, no pain or periods or mess. I need to remember to have it replaced in 2011.

Didn't know about supposed weight gain with Depo - just assumed that I was fat because I ate too much!