Depo injection - weight gain?

Question

I have been on the depo injection for a while and steadily gaining weight every time i go for another job. The nurse says that this is because it has more progesterone in it. I eat healthily but not particularly active as I sit in a call centre for 10 hrs per day 6 days per week.
Anyone got any good ways of combating weigh gain whilst having the injection or should i just come off it??

Thanks guys...
My opinion.. I know it has no calories it is the excess of progesterone (as mentioned in the text) that makes you put on weight. You become hungrier than normal!

Answer 1

I gained 2 stone on that injection and it took me a year of healthy eating before i started to lose it. I wouldnt have it again, i felt really depressed when i couldnt shift the weight even when i barely ate and exercised for Britain! Its up to you, thats just my personal experience. I found the pill just as good and i would rather have my period than be overweight. Sorry to be so blunt x

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I was on depo fro 4 years and loved it, the doctor would give me any more shots due to links with prelonged use and osteoporosis (another side effect). For me it worked very well, in 4 years I never had a period or any cramps. I didn't have any weight gain, I did notice slight mood swings a was a bit emotional the day I got repeat injections. But this injection is not for every girl, a friend of my got darker hair on her hands and face and bit of weight gain. Though I honestly think weight gain associated with contraception has a lot to do with placebo effect, for some girls its like a licence to eat more.

Answer 4

I had weight gain also while on depo. I also was miserable and have a lump at the injection site from 9 yrs ago! I don't recommend it to anyone. My doctor prescribed me yasmine. I guess it is formulated to not make you gain weight like the other pills, but it gave me migranes so I have an IUD now.

Answer 5

Hi

Had the same problem - weight gain. Walked all the time with dog and kids, went to the gym 5 days a week and kept a food diary - I seriously could not shift the weight so came off it. It took me 9 months to lose the extra weight I had put on and boy I did every diet under the sun to shift the weight. It was the worst time. I weighed more than when I was 9 months pregnant at one stage.

Honesty, its terrible. All the advice I got from GP was to stop eating - I was having cravings at 2 and 4 in the morning and could have ate my OH if he has sat long enough!

Try something else

L

Answer 6

I gained like 60 pounds on the depo shot. I made the choice to get off of it. I really enjoyed not having a period, but I enjoy being thinner more lol. If you are on it for the birth control, then maybe you could look into something else. If you are on it because of no periods, then this is a choice you will have to make yourself.

Answer 7

I have always been waife-like and so have all my family. After my first child I opted to go on Depo, but the weight starting going on - but I thought nothing of it as I put it down to possible post baby weight . I never had a particularly healthy diet or ever had to watch what I ate nor did I have to exercise so much - my high metabolism meant I could eat what I wanted when I wanted with no effect.
So anyway I went on the Depo for a year after my first child - and always felt hungry, I would avoid eating excessively and drink water when the hunger waves came over me and stuck to my main three meals a day, and cut down on sugar and snacks, and also started walking the child in the pram every day for two hours - now when I first went onto depo I did eat more than usual as I constantly felt hungry - however 3 months in and I had gained 6lbs (never has this happened to me before in my life) and it was at that point I started the drinking water instead of snacking, walking every day for two hours etc - but the 6lbs would not shift. I ate less calories per day than recommended for women, but nothing seemed to change. I spoke to my nurse who said there is no evidence that Depo creates weight gain - so I just took it as post baby weight that I was just going to have to live with. However after 12 months on Depo I came off it to try for a second child - incredibly the 6lb dropped off within a couple of weeks, and stayed off - I even could eat a little more and exercise less than when I was on the Depo. After the second child I went back on the pill and everything was fine. Four months ago I went back onto Depo as my GP advised that pill wasn;t the best options for over 35 s. And now I ve gained 4lbs, constantly hungry again, having to avoid food with my hunger spells by drinking water - and back sticking to 3 main meals, I have even opted choosing carbs with a low glycaemic index, so avoiding white bread, potatoes, white rice etc - BUT NOTHING IS SHIFTING THESE EXTRA FEW POUNDS. I have read through this thread and some people seem very quick to blame other factors such as excessive eating due to hunger hormone or lack of exercise. Due to my own experiences with Depo and the timelines I ve mentioned - there is definitely something else that causes this weight gain - as on both times on depo I have had to eat less and exercise more whilst on it, rather than not watching what I stuff into my face whilst I am not on it. Now that my own experience contradicts the nurse s explanation of no evidence that weight gain is caused by depo - I am now going to look into an alternative as I know in my heart that Depo does not agree with my metabolism.

Answer 8

Yup, lots of women gain weight while on depo. Its only one of many nasty side affects of the shot.

I would reconsider depo.

I was on it for four years and am so glad I am off of it now. I am slowly losing the weight I gained while on it.

I am on Kariva (Pill) now. NO horrid side affects.

Answer 9

Eat 5 6 small meals a day instead of 3

Answer 10

I don't know how long you've been on it....but the thing is horrible. It made me suicidal....terrible.

If you don't have time to exercise and already eat healthily, I'd either leave the Depo alone (I highly reccomend NuvaRing) or ask the nurse for suggestions....