More girly questions...

Hey guys, sorry for another girly question

Has anyone used Depo Provera as a birth control method? I'd been using it for around 4 years straight, then decided I should probably go off it to let my body get back to normal since I'm married now so we can start thinking about kids.

I've since found out that due to health problems, we need to have kids sooner rather than later. I had my last shot in January this year, and it's now August and I still haven't even had a period - no spotting, nothing.

Has anyone else been on it? How long before you started getting periods again? Any idea how long between getting perios and actually ovulating? I hear just because Aunty Flo is visiting, doesn't mean you're necessarily ovulating again, so who knows how long it'll take!

I haven't found many people in my situation to be able to ask, so was hoping I could access a lot more female opinions here

Thanks in advance, and sorry if it's TMI...

I always thought that, that method should not be used untill after you had children?

Check with your obgyn - there maybe something s/he can give you to speed up 'normalcy'.

I'm trying to make an appt. with an ob/gyn (I don't have one in the US), just to meet one, but I'm pretty sure all you can do is wait!

And fwan - my doctor never told me that, but now - I would definitely only recommend it to people who don't want anymore kids.

I was on Depo for a little over 5 years before my doctor told me 'No more!' due to the recent studies that it can cause Osteoporosis. I have to say I was peeved- I really liked Depo since I had no period at all. But since we're not in the kids phase yet I went directly to Seasonale so I don't know how soon a period would have started

I do think that I've heard before that it can take up to a year to become fertile again after you stop getting the shot, but I'm not totally sure how accurate that is. Then again there are people that get pregnant while taking it so I'm not really sure what is normal!

Good luck!

I'm just going to be honest about this... I was on Depo for about two years. When I went off of it it took me three years to get a normal period. My OBGYN knew about it, and said there wasn't much to be done. She did put me on the pill afterwards and it did tend to even things out.

Originally Posted by lookingglass

I'm just going to be honest about this... I was on Depo for about two years. When I went off of it it took me three years to get a normal period. My OBGYN knew about it, and said there wasn't much to be done. She did put me on the pill afterwards and it did tend to even things out.

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Cripes!

I really really hope it doesn't take that long. I also wish I was more informed about it when I started it. Thanks though - it is good to be prepared for the worst case scenarios!

My sister, despite not getting a period, got pregnant about 3 months after when her last shot should have been, so around where you are now, but the doc told her it can take up to 18 months to become 'regular' again

Originally Posted by lookingglass

I'm just going to be honest about this... I was on Depo for about two years. When I went off of it it took me three years to get a normal period. My OBGYN knew about it, and said there wasn't much to be done. She did put me on the pill afterwards and it did tend to even things out.

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I heard that too. At the time I was considering going on it, I heard rumors from other coworkers that you "spot" throughout the time you were on it and that once you do start getting your period again it's a LOT heavier than before.

Of course these are all just rumors.

Anytime you go off of any birth control it does take a while to get "regular" again. Basically the longer you're on it, the longer it takes. That's what I've always been told.

Good luck. I hope you can consult a Gyno. soon about your concerns. I have never taken the shot for the reasons listed above. I'm just not comfortable with it. I take a pill- Yasmin....it works really well and it greatly reduces cramping and tends to regulate you pretty well if you have spuratic periods that are really irregular. I've been on it for 4 yrs and like it alright. I hope that you will be able to find the answers you need for your situation soon so that you can start planning out when you might be able to concieve. Good luck

Depo is good for people that don't want to have kids for awhile.... maybe they want kids in a few years. My little sis is on it. But she had a baby young (she's 22 and my nephew is 2), and doesn't want another baby for awhile. It can take up to "2 years" to get pregnant once you are of fthe shot. Of course this is if everything goes "text book"....

I'm on Depo ... Actually, I think all of my girlfriends are on it. When Health Canada posted its advisory re: Depo and osteoporosis, I consulted my ob/gyn because I have a family history of osteoporosis. I was given the impression that, if you're quite young and your body isn't finished developing, Depo is a bad idea; at my age (28) it's less of a concern. I take calcium and Vitamin D supplements, just to be on the safe side, and I'm not considered to have any more of a risk of developing osteoporosis than I had before starting Depo Provera.

My friend was on Depo for close to a decade; she went off it a few months prior to her wedding, because she and her then-fiance wanted to start a family. She got pregnant on the honeymoon. So, we're looking at about a six-month wait between her last shot and when she thinks she conceived (her doctor had warned her that it might take much longer than that, though).

Depo Provera notwithstanding, there are a lot of excellent resources out there for couples who are trying to conceive; one book my girlfriends have gushed over is "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" (or something like that). Above all, though, I think the important part is to remember to have fun with the "trying" part.

Stressing trying to get pregnant is also a big influence to why you're not pregnant yet