The contraceptive injection.

shiningdove

I will be going to my doctor to talk about this, but i thought i'd just quiz you guys on it first.

Can anyone give me a take on their actual experience with it.

Good and bad please

I've heard it can make you put on weight, bad stomach cramps etc.

Also does buying contraception cost anything... the pill or the injection etc?

Thanks.

Wonder_Girl

I started having the Depo at 16, it was great, I never had any side effects (except my complete la k of periods, oh what a shame!). I was lucky as it really suited me. I was on it for ten years, this is much longer then you are meant to be on it, as I moved doctors a few times nobody noticed I had been on it too long! I was sent for a bone density scan as apparently prolonged use can cause some bone issues but luckily I was all clear.

I’m on the pill now and I REALLY wish I could go back on the Depo but my Doctor gives me a stern no every time I ask! You won’t have to pay any prescription costs for your contraception.

I would certainly recommend it from my own experience, Good luck

WG x

moodydonkey

It doesn't cost anything. |I've been on it for 11 years now, constantly put on weight. Am having a hysterectomy in a few months so wanted to lose some weight beforehand, my consultant said you never will whilst on depo. (not sure that's strictly true tho I must say)
Personally I love it, had really bad periods all my life, now just get a little spotting if i'm particularly run down.

Only problems we faced (sister also had bad periods) was that after 8 years we were adviced to stop because long term affects aren't really known. She moved to the implant and has been fine, I chose to stick with depo because I thought my op would happen anyway.

I do believe some people can have more bleeding tho and it doesn't work for everyone.

It was a great mood stabiliser for me too, no pmt which was great.

shiningdove

oh wow.. good reviews then. Thank you so much for replying. This really helps.

Treacly

Another thumbs up here - I was on it for about 3 years and I didn't put any weight on (possibly because I didn't know that I should, if you see what I mean - doctor never mentioned the possibility). No periods, no PMT, perfect.

Happynewmum

I had the injectionmore than ten years ago and it worked fine for afew weeks, but then I didnt stop bleeding.I hoped to have a life free of periods while I was on it!I was givn the pill to take to stop it but it never did. Was such a pain in the ....Anyway-was given some other meds and that did the trick eventually. Didnt put weigth on though

Ladyhawk

It stopped the bleeding - great. BUT it made me paranoid and I completely lost all sex drive... the idea of kissing a boy was too scary... and believe me I LOVE kissing!

loubie_lou

I was on it for 2.5 years.............I loved it! No periods at all. I did put on a little weight but not much. The worst thing I did was to go onto the implant after it!

Good luck whatever you decide!

lynzpower

I had it for around 9 years and there is a very real chance that it has caused me some gynae probs ( i have multiple gynae probs)

Im also not allowed it again. Replaced with coil ( non hormonal) and it was wonderful ( have had to have it removed for 6 months, following an operation) Have got the all clear to be able to have it reinstalled.

One thing I would say of it is that it dulls hormones- so when you come off it- you really notice eg PMT. But this is a natural state.

Up to you, bt given the probs Ive had that Drs just cant rule out the depo being responsible for, I wouldnt recommend. The coil on the other hand is fine/easy/no strange hormones/ no bleeding issues. I have known of freinds getpregnant on the depo yet they wouldn't know as their periods dont exist to be late. Ive known of 3 people in my life this has happened to.

t_obermory

It may work well for some people but there's a lot of people that have endless problems with it, lack of libido, weight gain, problems with fertiliy afterwards. Personally I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

You don't have to pay for contraception prescriptions and you can get condoms free at your local family planning clinic.

fawd1

aghh no, don't do it!!!! I was on it for a year. First six months were great, no periods etc, although I did gain some weight and my sex drive went down. Then had next injection and did not stop bleeding for the whole three months, and was told there's not much they can do, you just have to wait for the injection to leave your system. Then didn't have a period again for ages and ages, during which time I got pregnant but didn't find out until I was almost three months gone. I don't suffer from morning sickness and if you don't have periods anyway, it's hard to suddenly realise you're expecting. Anyway, didn't cause fertility problems in me (having my second child now so 2 within 15 months!) but has done for a friend of mine who otherwise had had no problems whatsoever conceiving. Since she came off it, still hasn't had a period and it's been over a year! I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole again, and even my midwife recently said that she doesn't understand why it's prescribed as so many bad side effects. Also, just as a side note, it's depo provera that is used to chemically castrate sexual offenders- to give you an idea of what it might do to your sex drive, although I suppose if you don't want to have sex at all then it works beautifully as a contraceptive!