Need proof that women are sometimes desperate for information and support when it comes to quitting hormonal contraception? You need look no further than the 100 plus comments in reply to an old blog posting at Our Bodies Ourselves: Questions About Side Effects of Stopping Contraceptive Injections. The comment stream – a litany of woes concerning women’s discontinuation of Depo-Provera – has been active since Nov. 2, 2009.
On March 29, 2012, Rachel, author of the post, wrote a follow-up piece in which she laments: “Although a quick internet search finds many women complaining of or asking about post-Depo symptoms, there isn’t much published scientific evidence on the topic.” Beyond research about bone density and length of time to return to fertility, little is known about the withdrawal symptoms women have been commenting about.
Depo-Provera is the 4-times-a-year birth control injection that carries an FDA “black box” warning that long-term use is associated with significant bone mineral density loss. Never a fan, I made a case against this contraceptive in a paper for Canadian Woman Studies, published in 2005. The comments on the OBOS post indicate that many women took Depo-Provera without full knowledge of the potential for serious side effects while taking it, or of what to expect while coming off the drug.
Considering that Depo-Provera completely suppresses normal reproductive endocrine function, it is not surprising that many women experience extreme or confusing symptoms once stopping it. Take Lissa’s comment for example, posted on February 21, 2011:
Omg I thought I was tripping. I have been on depo for a year and stopped in jan. My breasts constantly hurt, I put on weight, have hot flashes, and sleeping problems. I pray everyday my cycle returns and stops playing with me. I only spot lightly.
Two and a half years after publication, the original article continues to garner monthly comments. I’ve read most of them and have yet to see one that offers concrete advice or a referral to resources that provide information and support to women looking for both. One such resource is Coming Off The Pill, the Patch, the Shot and Other Hormonal Contraceptives, a comprehensive, clinical-based guide to assist women transition back to menstruation and fertility, written by Megan Lalonde and Geraldine Matus.
Lalonde, a Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner, and Certified Professional Midwife, helps women establish healthy, ovulatory cycles after using hormonal contraception. She says that women who’ve used Depo-Provera generally experience the most obvious symptoms and have the hardest time returning to fertility. She finds that every client’s experience is different and will be affected by the status of their cycles before taking the drug, and their overall health. “It can take time to regain normal menstrual cycles, from a few months to 18 months, in my experience,” says Lalonde. “Some women have minimal symptoms while their own cycles resume, while others might have significant symptoms, including mood changes, unusual spotting and breast tenderness.”
The comments to the Our Bodies Ourselves blog post demonstrate that many women are not finding the acknowledgement and support they need to understand and manage the post-Depo transition. Some are disheartening to read, like this comment by Judy from April 12, 2011, and this recent one posted by Melani on March 21, 2012.
In my last re: Cycling post, I asked for input on the Coming Off the Pill Mind Map I created. I’ll be making a few revisions thanks to the thoughtful feedback readers have provided. I had assumed that this guide would be applicable to all methods of hormonal birth control but, after reading these women’s comments about their Depo-Provera experiences, it appears this contraceptive may require its own branch on the mind map.
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hi, i was wondering dod anybody experience tender breast with blue viens showing when they got off of depo as a side effect? thank youuu.
I did. I didn’t know what was going on. But once I got my period back the breast tenderness went away. btw I was on the depo for 5 years
hi, i was wondering if anybody experienced tender breast and blue viens on your breast as a sympton of coming off the shot? thank youuu.
hi, i was wondering if anybody experienced tender breast and blue viens on your breast as a sympton of coming off the shot? thank youuu!
what if your breast are tender and get blue viens on your breast? did anybody have these symptons also?
Hi ladies, I’ve come back to this forum to share some positive news!! Only a month ago I was on here reading the horror stories thinking I had ruined my body. Here’s my story: I always had clockwork periods, up until my son was conceived in 2010. 6 weeks after he was born, in September 2011, I was told about a ‘fantastic’ needle that replaced the pill, so of course I took it. I had it a second time, the last being December 2011. I refused to get it again, even though my doctor tried to convince me – the side effects were definitely not worth it. Fast forward to December 2012 and FINALLY my period returned, a full 12 months after the last needle. We started TTC. In January, after a 38 day cycle, I had a strange period. I missed feb, and by late march I got my BFP!!! So relieved that the horrid poison is out of my system. Don’t give up hope ladies, and definitely tell your friends to STAY AWAY FROM DEPO!!! Xx
Please check out this new post that explains adverse effects coming off Depo and what you can do about them.
http://menstruationresearch.org/2013/04/11/stopping-depo-provera-why-and-what-to-do-about-adverse-experiences/
Hi I’ve been on the injection 8 years great having no periods. Anyways I’ve since had a period been bleeding for 9 days now. An also experiencing tender breasts and mood swings bad mood swings. One minute I’m fine an the next I Wana kill someone. Also feeling very low in myself an taking it out on my bf. not good. Not sure if I should go back to doctors an see if he can help or prescribe anything cus I sure don’t feel myself at all at the moment. Please help someone
HI Rebecca,
You don’t say if you have stopped Depo-Provera or are still taking it. If you want to understand the effects of this drug both while on it and after stopping it, please read my interview with an endocrinologist that explains these adverse effects. It includes suggestions on how to manage coming off the drug that you can take to your doctor. Thanks for your comment.
Here’s the link to the interview:
http://menstruationresearch.org/2013/04/11/stopping-depo-provera-why-and-what-to-do-about-adverse-experiences/
I am 16 and I have been on the depo for almost 3 months now, it’s my first shot. For the first month everything was fine, I had no period for a month, felt fine didn’t see any effects. But in the past month and two weeks it has been hell! I have been up and down like a yo-yo, my breasts look smaller and feel so squishy and floppy and I have gone from being a 34C to what looks like a flat b cup. I have had a huge lack in self confidence, none stop trouble sleeping, I often feel sick and dizzy and tired and i have horrible mood swings! I want to know, will my breats grow back?
Naomi-
Are you still on the shot? that is a side effect it can make your breast smaller and make you gain or loose weight
Hello Ericka, yes I still am I got it on the 18th of Feb 2013, So i presume it should ware off no the 18th of May, I am just so angry at myself for not looking more into the side affects it has been a nightmare! and as I say I worry my breasts won’t return to how they were.
Hey ladies! I am glad i found this page but also afraid!! I have been on deppo since 2006 and just stopped dec 2012. It has been almost 5 months and i just started having insanely tender breasts! I have taken a pregnancy test and its negative and i have no doubt that its the deppo now. I never connected the horrible acid reflux i have developed in the past couple years and anxiety to deppo provera considering both run in my family but it has never been so severe i just thought it was normal! I am really hoping all of these other severe symptoms do not appear as like all of you i am ready for my period back! I also have had the bloating and weight fluctuations. My appetite has been odd too i forget what its like to be normal!! I cant wait to get my sex drive back i am only 21 and my poor husband suffers from it
Hi Nicole, You’ll find information explaining some of the things you are experiencing or may experience in my recent post that is an interview with an endocrinologist explaining the adverse effects on stopping Depo-Provera. Sore breasts are a sign of high estrogen levels as your body works hard to get back to normal cycling. All the best.
Here’s the link to the interview:
http://menstruationresearch.org/2013/04/11/stopping-depo-provera-why-and-what-to-do-about-adverse-experiences/
Feel so hopeless. I have a history of prolactinoma but MRI of brain last year showed it can barley be detected and prolactin levels are normal. Hardly got my period as a teenager/young adult because of the prolactin levels but was like clockwork after having my baby 4 years ago. Then I went on the depo. I have been off depo now for 10 months now and still suffer from awful withdraw effects. The first few months I had an increase in acne – face, back, chest. After that subsided, I had symptoms of nausea and cramping in the morning that mimicked what I felt like when I was 8 weeks pregnant. All pregnancy test were negative. Now the past two months I have had intense back pain, cramping, abdominal pain, and horrible mood swings. I can go from an irrational crazy angry person to a crying, self loathing baby at the drop of a hat. I still have not gotten my period. I went to my doctor and he ordered ultrasound of my overies, CBC, BMP, urine test, prolactin test – all were normal. Last month he started me on a progesterone for 5 days to restart my period. I had some black spotting for a day. My symptoms have increased, feel like I am going insane/bipolar. So uncomfortable I can’t sleep and less productive at work. Called my doctor again and he started me on the birth control tri-sprintec. Been on for 5 days. Breast are sore, blotted, cramping, crying – called off work today. I have tried ginger, various teas to help get me back in balance. Nothing works. I just want to crawl in a hole and die sometimes. Crazy thoughts of having cancer has crossed my mind. Redoing my will. Please help me.
Feeling so much better! Went to my doctor and he agreed to the cyclic progesterone thearpy. Started taking the miconized progesterone Friday night (slept so soundly) and got my period the next morning! It’s been 10 months after I had my depo shot and first time I got my period back even after taking regular progesterone. Emotionally I feel like the depression fog has lifted, not crying nor having anger issues. Pain significantly decreased but coming back. Breast starting to get tender again and ovary cramping. I understand this may take a few cycles to go away. I read the handout on cyclic progesterone and still not clear as to when I start counting the 14 days – first day I got my period or do I start counting day one on the last day? I am also concerned about getting my period only after taking one pill. Are my estrogen levels that high and now rising causing the pain again? My doctor did blood work and said hormone levels are fine. I am so thankful for this website and information (my family is too). It is not fair that the majority of healthcare professionals expect you to “just let it take its course” with depo withdraw. Not only have I suffered but the tole it has taken on my job, friends, and especially family is intolerable. I will be writing the FDA and asking that either a warning on withdraw effects or protocol to reestablish a regular cycle be put in place.
Trisha, Thanks for reporting back. Glad to hear your doctor was supportive of the cyclic progesterone therapy. I’ll ask Dr. Prior to respond to this comment to answer your specific questions.
Trisha,
First, let me confirm the time sequence of events so that I can more clearly answer your question about the timing of taking cyclic progesterone.
You started cyclic progesterone 10 months after your last DepoProvera shot—correct?
You took cyclic progesterone for one day and then your flow started—right?
So, flow or no, you need to take progesterone this time around for a full 14 days. So, I’m saying this time to just ignore this flow and take progesterone for 14 days. Taking progesterone triggered this flow but progesterone hasn’t yet had a chance to work.
For your next cycle, take progesterone for 14 days, but if flow starts before you’ve finished, complete the full 14 days of this cycle, but start the next progesterone on cycle day 14 starting counting from the day your flow began (which is your new “cycle day one”).
I hope this now makes sense. The key is to take progesterone long enough to provide the benefit you want—regular menstruation and protection from the negative effects of having enough or too much estrogen (which could be heavy flow or even a risk for beginning a cancer of the uterine lining—endometrial cancer).
Please feel free to email me off line if problems persist (which I doubt!)
All the best, Jerilynn
Hi there,
I had my last depo shot on 26 may 2012, its now may 2013 I still have not had a period, I have had excrutiating back pain, breast tenderness, currently I’m nauseous, I’m just so depressed, I want to feel normal again, I also had crazy cancer thoughts going through my head. When will I be normal again?????? Has anyone else had nausea
Hi Trisha. I’m sorry you are having so many problems. Please, please read the post on stopping Depo-Provera and what to do about adverse effects.
http://menstruationresearch.org/2013/04/11/stopping-depo-provera-why-and-what-to-do-about-adverse-experiences/
Your doctor was on the right track with the progesterone to induce your period. My interview with an endocrinologist explains a protocol for talking cyclic progesterone to help restore normal cycles. You’ll need to take it longer than 5 days. You may want to consider stopping the hormonal contraception and trying cyclic progesterone therapy. The post provides a link to information you can print out and take to your doctor. It explains everything.
Please come back to this post and let me know how it turns out.
Hey I was on the depo and came off it late November last year and since then ill have my period for a whole month ans lately ill have it then it’ll go away then have it 2 to 3 more times in one month. It’s pretty scary when your period never goes away. I don’t know what to do. Please help.
I’ve been off the the Depo for 1 month. I’m now taking Ortho Micronor birth control pills. I have been bleeding for an entire month. I don’t know if this is my period, break through bleeding or what. I don’t know when my actual period is anymore.I’m so confused.Please Help
I took depo for about half a year, my step-mum was recommending it to me because it was so easy and it was great for her.
For me, not so much. Being on it was hell. I bled for about a months straight on it, and had really bad back pain, even drinking extra milk hardly helped.
Coming off of depo I had extremely tender breasts until my period returned, and even though I’ve had a period since stopping depo, I’ve had extremely painful periods, even worse than I use to get before I took the shot. In addition my periods haven’t regulated and last twice as long as they previously did (up to 10 days) with horrible clotting. I had some clots previously but now theres a lot more clotting and a lot larger clots, up to as long as my hand is wide (pulled one that size away while showering). I have to take pain killers as soon as i notice any symptoms of a period comming on (as they’re not regulated) and continue until the bleeding and clotting stops. If anyone reading this is considering taking depo, It’s not worth it. There are too many risks and too many problems coming off of it. Please try lower risk forms of birth control, even if you have to pair up the pill and condoms to prevent pregnancy, do it. I wish I would have taken something else when I had the chance, I’m even scared of taking birth control pills until my side effects wear off because I don’t know if they will make my side effects worse. Does anyone know? I’m having trouble finding information on if it’s safe to start taking pills or if I should wait until All the effects have worn off before starting the pill. Im a university student and the last thing I want to do is get pregnant, but I dont trust condoms on their own and I am afraid of hurting my body more than I’ve already done with depo.
I was on depo for two years just got off as of last year. July. Since thenvi have been having bad mood. Swings my period jus came bac in Jan n I Have been havin a series of abcess r just bumps that are painful wit puss tilthey drain hopefully u can helpe cause. I would like some advice to see if da. Boils could b. A. After. Effect
No. That is not a symptom of coming off of depo. You need to see your gyno immediately.
Hi, I have just come across this site….I honestly have never read or seen most of this insight on depo. SO here is my question for anyone out there… How long has anyone ever been on depo that has come off? First alittle feedback….I just turned 39 last week and I have been on the depo shot since I was about 22/23 I think. I started it because I had severe menstrual cycles, pain, I would be out of work anywhere from 3 to 4 days every month….(I worked in hospitality so for me this was a VERY big deal…I cant be standing at the front desk of a hotel the only one on shift and literally be double over in pain) all the standard things they checked were negative….I have learned over the last 10 years that I have inherited auto immune issues and what I experienced before the depo “saved me” (because it did from what I was dealing with) went right along with symptoms of auto immune….having no periods all this time, it wasn’t really about having it easy but boy If I had a chance of missing my shot I would freak and get so upset because the thought of dealing with what I went through I couldn’t handle going back to that. AND YES I tried several different therapies and birth control but its no fun experimenting like that either. I choose depo when suggested after I had such a severe period that I had to have my roommate take me to the emergency room, I was in so much pain, I couldn’t get off the floor, bleeding so badly, it was not normal I really thought something was seriously wrong….again nothing….I was told I just had my period. From what I read Ive been lucky….bone density test recently was great, I didn’t gain weight from the depo when I started or even for several years….I did gain but not from the depo…never any side effects that I know of other then of course lack of sexual drive and decreased estrogen….having children at my age is not my concern but when can I stop the depo with out worrying about going back to what it was like? The longer I’m on it what does that mean potentially for me in problems caused by it??? I have read a lot but the longest I have read about is the women above who has been on it 8 years…..Does anyone have feedback on being on depo for as long as I have?? or longer?? Thanks
Hi Chris, I have talked to one woman who took Depo for about the same length of time that you have. I don’t believe she got her cycle back after stopping the drug at around your age. But each woman’s physiology is different. I don’t think any of your questions are easy to answer. The best option is to consult with your doctor about your concerns. Also, if you want to read about what you might experience coming off Depo, which includes information that relates to women in perimenopause (transition to menopause) please check out this more recent post which is an interview I did with an endocrinologist who explains the adverse effects many women have commented about on this post.
http://menstruationresearch.org/2013/04/11/stopping-depo-provera-why-and-what-to-do-about-adverse-experiences/
I have a question.
I’ve been on the depo shot only for about 2 years now and wanting to switch back the pills. Id there any common, unharmful or painful side-effects to stopping this shot and switching to another?.
Hi Jacky,
It’s hard to answer this question as to what exactly to expect. There does not appear to be much research or anecdotal discussion about this option. However, starting the pill at the time when you would normally get another shot may prevent some of the adverse effects women are reporting upon stopping Depo and provide regular periods.
Hi, Laura and Jacky – I agree. There is not much anecdotal discussion on the issue – but common sense alone would dictate questioning coming off a progesterone suppressant (Depo) and jumping over to an estrogen suppressant (birth control pills) is a wise idea.
The body has not been designed for this – nor on how to read the confusing signals.
It might make more sense to wait until your body develops a normal and repetitive menstrual pattern and then consider using the birth control pill.
TTC i have been off the depo since jan 2011 and i got my period in march of that year but i am having trouble getting pregnant i am now taking vitex maca. Dong quai for the last 2months. I dont knp wat to do now.
Hi Kay,
You may want to read my recent post explaining some of the adverse effects of quitting Depo:
http://menstruationresearch.org/2013/04/11/stopping-depo-provera-why-and-what-to-do-about-adverse-experiences/
Also, you may find helpful information in this article.
http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/ask/sex_pregnancy
This is for Chris. I just stopped my depo injections last month after at least 14 years. I was off the injection three different times when I had my children but always went back on it. I am almost 43 years old. I had never experienced any negative side effects during its use and never had any problems between the times I gave birth and the times I resumed the injection. I loved being on the shot, not worrying about taking a pill and never having my periods or any symptoms. However, I came across this website because I am experiencing extreme bloating and cramping and thought my period was coming. After reading the above, it sounds like it will be awhile. I am very uncomfortable, my mood is not great and my cramping actually felt like my labor pains. I was wondering if there were any side effects to stopping the injections and I have now found my answers. I am almost regretting stopping the injections, but my family has a history of osteoporosis and I was worried about bone density issues. I hope this gets better sooner rather than later.
Hi there. I was on the depo shot for about 6 years. I have been off of it for almost a year now. I have not.really had any bad symptoms, minus depression. But me and my husband are trying to have a babu. And i have my cycle and everything back, but no babu. :/ Any answers or suggestions? Please!!!
Jennifer, Please read this post to get some ideas about how to get your cycle back:
http://menstruationresearch.org/2013/04/11/stopping-depo-provera-why-and-what-to-do-about-adverse-experiences/
Pls help me i have been on the depo shot 3 yrs and I forgt to go to the doctor to put the depo shot so its already two weeks since i forgt and I’m feeling bad with nauseas more on mornings and tired and no appetite. Do you think I’m already pregnant o that’s the effects of stopping the depo?
Pls help me i have been on the depo shot 3 yrs and I forgt to go to the doctor to puwt the depo shot so its already two weeks since i forgt and I’m feeling bad with nauseas more on mornings and tired and no appetite. Do you think I’m already pregnant o that’s the effects of stopping the depo?
Velia,
Please read this post to better understand what you are experiencing coming off Depo-Provera. Always use a back-up method of birth control if you miss a shot (or a pill or two).
http://menstruationresearch.org/2013/04/11/stopping-depo-provera-why-and-what-to-do-about-adverse-experiences/