[Mert]

The shot has definitely helped me. I too take it for terrible cramps and PMS. I have been on the shot for 2 years now and i don't have anything that i had before.

I don't get mood swings and the only cravings that I get is with my sex drive, but that was high before I got on the shot.

[Maytool911]

Say no to long term Depo

I just off the depot about 3 weeks ago from being on it for 7 years. I do NOT recomend that you use depot for long term use. Make sure you are taking plenty of calcuim while on the depot. I gained 20 pounds while on depot and now that I am off I have put myself on a diet and exersice plan to get rid of the weight. I was retaining water all the time to the point that it hurt. Consult your doctor about depo. My Dr put me on the pill to try to force my period to come back, so far I am just getting into the green pills, crossing my fingers...I want to be pregant in september. I was also very depressed and moody on the shot. If you are on the depot do not use it for long term use. I do not recomend it

[sooz69]

i went to my doc`s to go back on the pill and was quickly talked into having the depo jab instead,i have only had one jab,i was due my second on 12th dec which i never went for as i was horrified by the way the jab reacted in my body,i never put on any weight but the mood swings where terrible,i would cry for nothing and be in such a bad mood i would start an agrument with my hubby over nothing,i have always had,shall we say a very heathly appietite where sex is concerned lol,due to this jab i havnt been near my hubby in over 5 weeks,i had absolutly nooooo sex drive....it seems that in the last week my sex drive has started to slowly increase again but i am finding it hard to get my old swing back but hopefully this means that the depo is finally going out of my system(fingers crossed)i would personally not recommend depo to ANYONE and i believe it should be banned,i know that is quite a harsh veiw but it made me the complete oppisite to how i naturally am,also only after the first week of having the depo in my system i got a massive coldsore that turned into six coldsores right across my top lip,attractive!!

[tasha221]

I was on depo for almost a year. I had no periods while I was on it which I loved. I never had any other side effects till I went off the shot. I wanted to become pregnant but it was harder said then done! I had always had pretty regular periods but when I went off the shot it seemed my body was trying to make up for the periods I hadnt had while on depo!! I had 2 periods a month that lasted for 7 days and were very heavy.....so half of the month I was bleeding!! My doctor said I could either go on the pill to straiten out my periods or get pregnant which is what I wanted to do. It took me over a year to get pregnant!! So really half the year I was on my period....it was horrible! Then after I had my baby my periods went back to normal. I am never taking it again.

[Starr_79]

I was on Depo for about about 4 years with no problems. When I started it the second time I started having alot of side effects - only I didn't know the Depo was causing them. I stayed on it for 7 years before realizing how many of my problems were being caused by Depo.

I started gaining 10-15 lbs a year. I have since learned that Depo can change your metabolism, and it is actually common for it to make you gain allot of weight. 10-15 lbs/year x 7 years, yeah, and my doctor never told me my BC could be the cause.

I had always had a pretty healthy sex drive, on the shot, it was GONE. I have been off for about 7 months now, and it is still very minimal.
When I did have sex, it was generally very painfull. Apparently it thins the walls of your vagina, which can make sex hurt. Doctors never mentioned BC when I would bring up this issue either.

The only side effect I knew about was migranes, which I got occaasionally, but figured it was worth the trade off for no periods. There were other smaller side effects also.

I also read on the internet that you aren't supposed to use it for more than 2 years, as they have found Depo to deplete bone density. Haven't had that confirmed by a doctor, but that's scarey.

I switched to the Nuva Ring, as I have had awful luck with BC pills. I have awful periods/cramps as well, and wanted something that would keep me from having periods. You can use Nuva Ring this way, just by not taking it out for your "period week". I have some cramping when it is time to change the ring, but not too bad.

I do have to say, if you try the ring you have to give it some time. My first month I HATED it. It gave me bad cramps, and I always fell like it was going to fall out! Though it never did! The second month I still always felt like it was falling out, but by the third month, I got to where I no longer feel it at all. Now I love the ring, and I would advise anyone against Depo.

[tasha_correa]

The depo was aweful for me! I gained so much weight, had the munchies constintly, really moody, and all together was one of the worst things (I feel) that I could have put my self through. I'm on the patch now (Ortho Evra) and I am not doing much better on in. The Dr. said that it is the high estrogen levels in the depo and patch that cause the symptoms that I had. I'm switching to the pill after this month because it helps out with the period and is still a form of birth control that will raise less havoc than the others. Try consulting with your dr. to see what she thinks will be best for you.

[ambernicole]

I was on the depo shot and still got pregnant about a month ago, I found out yesterday I might be having a miscarraige. In addition most doctors recomend you wait 12-18 months after your last depo shot to try to concieve a child. While not a lot of doctors say it, In almost all the forums I read there have been a large number of birth defects because of the depo shot! RUN FROM IT! ITS HORRIBLE.

[ReeNa8589]

My cousin has this and she has been bleeding for 7 months NON-STOP. She said it also makes her flip out for no reason at all and shes moody all the time.