Ask your doctor to re-read the research on Depo. this is one that I found right away. Note this bit:
but these authors were trying to compare all studies of all steroidal contraceptives at once, and
So maybe the problem is excessive variability, but maybe the problem is that many studies were poorly designed or executed.
I’ve been on depo for 9 years. I’ve been hassled by all my various doctors to take large doses of calcium and even to consider switching birth control. Except one, who said that the studies that showed osteoporosis in depo users were done on teenagers. She reasoned that the impact is likely only measurable on people who are still growing.
I can’t find that particular study now, I’m not that great at sussing out epidemiology, and I don’t know how much the game changes when one is close to menopause. But, I think it would be worth finding some good journal articles for your doctor to look at.
9 years on full-strength Depo. The first year or so, I would be fairly bitchy for about a week after my shot. That has subsided. I can’t remember the last time I so much as spotted, let alone had an actual period. I keep a few ancient maxi pads at home just in case, but I think they’re stashed in a closet somewhere. I had a bone density scan about 5 years ago which came out fine.
You can pry my depo shot out of my cold, dead hands.
I was on Depo for six years. Then my doctor retired and I couldn’t get in to a new doctor in time to have my next shot be on time. I noticed that I felt better, so I decided to go a different route. I’m on Seasonique now.
I’d recommend Depo to people who are:
Comfortable not having periods
Willing to tolerate some spotting
Really really really not wanting to get pregnant
Have a tough time taking pills
It’s extremely effective and pretty hard to screw up, but it’s in your system for a long time, so you have to believe it’s worth it before you try. I had pretty much no issues with it and will go back on it if I decide that Seasonique isn’t worth staying on.
There’s a new no-period pill. I can’t remember the name. Anyone?
I did the NuvaRing when it first came out. It was fabulous for about 3 months until it started making my breasts hurt so bad I couldn’t lay on my stomach (favorite sleeping position). I had to be taken off and put on a low dose bc pill.
Anecdotally, a friend has the Mirena IUD. She hasn’t had a child and the insertion was crazy painful for her. She actually had to take a day off work the day following the insertion. Since then though, she loves it and hasn’t had a period.
I’ve never heard of Implanon and now I’m off to do some research. That sounds marvelous.
For those with Implanon, how has your sex drive been effected?
Sex drive has not been affected by the implant in any way. I have gained weight, but that’s more likely to be my lifestyle (sedentary, eat a lot of not-good foods) than the implant. Because my cycle hasn’t stopped completely I still get the PMSing and things like bloating and cyclic skin problems but my PMS is nowhere near as lethal as it was before I started hormones in the first place.
As mentioned upthread, lots of women report nearly a full cessation of their periods, or at least they go right down to very slight ones every few months. Personally, even though it doesn’t completely stop mine, the fact that I don’t have to worry about taking a pill or inserting a ring or a diaphragm or finding condoms is great. If hubby and I want spontaneous sex, we just do it
It takes you all day to go to the doctor for a “2 second” shot? My doctor makes me schedule an appointment for the shot, too, but their office is 10-15 minutes from mine and it only costs me about an hour of work time.
Pardon if this question is too nosy, but is Implanon really expensive? It seems overall like the greatest option available so far, but I have to consider $$$ too.
I work in a factory, so it’s either work all day or take the day off, no lunch hour to run errands on or leaving early to hit the doctor’s office. I’m at work before the doc opens and my shift ends a half-hour after their latest available appointment time. Since it’s an OB/GYN office, where docs are regularly called in to work nights/weekends with laboring patients, they don’t offer any evening or weekend office hours, so yeah, it was a choice of using my entire annual sick/personal time up just to get the shot or changing BC. I changed.
I couldn’t answer that for you, unfortunately. Birth Control is mostly subsidised by the gov’t over here, so when I did pay for it I only paid about $30.
Helen’s might be able to give you a bit more info for the US in particular.
Ooooh. I guess you can tell that I’ve never worked in a factory, but it also never occurred to me that there were workplaces that would be like that. Thanks for fighting my ignorance, and for not being too annoyed by my question (I tried to phrase it to reflect my genuine curiosity, and to hopefully not sound snarky).
If you really like the shot, you might consider seeing if your doctor can give you a prescription so you can go to a clinic and get the shot there. Some clinics have really good hours, and most have sliding scale fees.
I had Depo (regular) for a year and loved it, but it took almost 6 months after my last shot for my period to come back. Definitely a feature for me, not a bug, but could be a hassle if you are worried about having gotten pregnant. I loved the lack of period and the ease - three months of not worrying. However, my job makes it difficult to take a half day off every three months to go to the doctor, and so I’ve switched to Implanon. Covered by insurance, only cost me an office visit, and I don’t seem to have gotten pregnant, but its only been 5 days since I got it. Unlike Sierra Indigo, my injection hurt really bad - probably just the (previously proven incompetent) doctor, since she didn’t wait for the local to take effect. I also get some discomfort with heavy lifting and/or twisting, but that has been getting better, so I think that it is just the little plastic stick getting settled.
I’m so in love with my Mirena, though, I figure my BC decisions are over for awhile. No periods, no worry, just a quick looksee during my regularly scheduled annual…I lurve it.
We were just talking about this stuff at work today, fighting someone’s ignorance on the “but women need to have periods! It’ll get all blocked up in there!”
I could tell you horror stories about being on the line and having to ask for (and actually wait up to a half-hour to receive) permission to use the restroom, Misnomer. Yet another reason I’m glad I don’t have to deal with periods anymore!
I came in here to say the same thing. Except I’m not sure you are serious and I am.
If you are in your “forever relationship” and do not want to get pregnant ever (and I recall you saying you don’t want to go that direction if/when you have children, you’d rather adopt), a vasectomy is the best thing going. For you there are no side effects (other than dirty looks from your spouse) and for him side effects are rare. Its very effective.
Ok, I’m back to report on some less-than-desireable depo-subQ provera developments: after my first shot, during months 1-3, I had no periods at all and only 1 instance of very light spotting. I got my second shot almost 2 months ago, and lately I’ve been having increasingly heavy spotting/bleeding – to the point where I am now using a pad for the first time in almost 5 months (though I could probably get by with just a panty liner). This shit better stop soon, or at least after the next shot.
Yes, but olives also happens to know that she feels better when she’s got some hormone therapy. Tying oliveman’s bits won’t help there.
I’ve never been on bc (it’s always been condoms and prayers) and have several relatives with histories of bad reactions to hormones, but I’m thinking of maybe getting some bc now. This thread has given me information about something which is still terribly hush-hush in my circles, thank you all!
My doctor makes me schedule an appointment for the shot, too, but their office is 10-15 minutes from mine and it only costs me about an hour of work time.
