la petite moi

So...firstly, I was on Depo Provera for about a year and six months. About a week before I was supposed to get my final shot (I finally just couldn't deal with the hormones), I started my period. I never got my final shot, and have been bleeding ever since. That was around two months ago. Except for two occasions when my period has let up for about two to three days, the bleeding has been constant. I have used 5 and a half boxes of tampons. I never get extremely painful cramps, etc. Just bleeding and a little uncomfortable after I insert a tampon.

It's a pain in the ass. I'm wondering if you all think this is just a side effect of stupid Depo since I finally went off it, or something very serious.

raeanna74

I totally feel your pain. I spotted and bleed for 2 months that just ended about a week ago. What stopped it was a low dose progesterone. My Dr gave me 10 days worth the last time (in Jan I bleed for 5 weeks) but I only took it until the bleeding stopped. I've wanted to continue my BC because it helps prevent my headaches. It's very likely a result of the depo but at this point you really should get some help to stop it. Call your Dr, they might even give you a prescription over the phone for a short term Progesterone pill. That in theory would stop the bleeding and then your could go on with your life.

Also - you definately should call your Dr because constant bleeding like this (especially while NOT on hormones anymore) could be caused by more serious health issues. In my case, apparently the ratio of progesterone and estrogen in my pill wasn't quite right.

I really feel for you. It's so frustrating. I got to the point where I was getting a little depressed, angry with my body, and didn't want sex really anymore. I was just too tired and frustrated. Get some help and demand it. If your Dr says there's not much she can do tell her baloney. Remind her that you've heard that short term progesterone can stop it. Granted I was warned that I could have just a little break through bleeding after I was done with the short term pills. I didn't though and even if I had the probability that it would last very long was very low. It would be worth a shot.

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la petite moi

Raeanna, good idea with the progesterone; however, will that cause mood swings and emotional issues? Because that's why I quit Depo.

Another thing, this is not just spotting. I am bleeding pretty heavily everyday.

maleficent

First thing tomorrow morning, call the doctor. don't wait. Since you are bleeding heavily, it's going to be effecting your iron count and your energy level, that's not good for you.

Doing some googling on side effects of coming off Depo, nothing I've seen says that what you are experiencing should happen... but that doesn't mean that it's not causing it.

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ShaniFaye

from my experience.....low dose progesterone has cause NO side affects. Im on it because I cant take anything with the estrogen. I have no mood swings (other than pmsy ones a few days before, but I've always been that way) NO let me repeat NO weight gain, I have even lost weight, no cramps.

The only side affect which affects me is that my periods are lighter and I have to depend on that time to decrease my iron levels since I have hemochromatosis (otherwise known as iron overload).

Using the low dose progesterone is the best thing my doctor ever had me do. I get the benefits of birth control with out all the crappy side affects the other pills give, and it made ALL my fibroids disappear.

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StormBerlin

Yeah, that's depo for ya. I was on it for three and half years, and when i went off I bled constantly for about six months. My periods still aren't regular. Hopefully this shit goes away soon It's no fun.

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raeanna74

I'll ditto what ShaniFaye said. I was on low dose progesterone for a couple years and it didn't bother me emotionally, or affect my libido. I had no other unpleasant side effects. With the 10 day progesterone I had NO problems from the medication mood or otherwise.

As for the spotting/bleeding. My problem varied from heavily bleeding (worse than before I got pregnant) to spotting and just needing 1 tampon a day with liners. About the time I used the 10 day progesterone I had been truely bleeding. It didn't bother me emotionally. I was bothered more by the lower iron count because I'm always slightly anemic.

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"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

Sage

go raeanna for having one of my favorite Emily Dickinson quotes!

Anyway, sorry about your bleeding LPM. I had an IUD inserted on March... something or other, and my periods have been a lot longer than usual- 7-10 days, and it sucks. I'll second the go see the doctor, and tell them where they can shove it if they say they can't do anything.

This is why hormonal birth control is a bad idea IMHO. They need to come up with something more effective, longer lasting, and stress-free.

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bernadette

sorry for your discomfort, lpm.
i've never taken any hormone altering drugs & i plan to never take any.
while what the gods have dealt us women isn't much fun, it is tolerable.
i suppose there's always special cases requiring some help, but in general, i'm of the mind set to leave the chemistry as nature intended it. (if possible)

i know. i'm not much help here...
would soy help you any? i wonder....

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Lead543

Ohhhh you poor girl!!
I've been lucky enough to be able to use the same birth control (Trisphial or something) for 3 years now with no problem whatsoever.
But yes go to a doctor! Women were not meant to bleed for more then 7 days out of a 28 day cycle. Nor should they!

Sweetpea

Lpm . . . I would suggest you seek medical treatment for this asap! Go to the doctor. My sister had something similar and came within two points of getting a blood transfusion. She was in the hospital for a week, her iron count was extremely low after she had bled for about six weeks. My sister didn't know how badly it was affecting her until she fainted without warning and was rushed to the hospital.

I am very concerned for you and i encourage you to seek a doctor immediately, this is more than just an annoyance, your life could be at risk.



Sweet Pea

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raeanna74

In the meantime start yourself on some hefty doses of iron and beef up on the broccoli and red meat to get your iron count up. If you are in the least tired you can just about bet your iron count is lower than it should be.

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"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

Demeter

IUD's irritate the uterus, which is how they work. Because they are an irritant, they often cause longer periods and/or heavier flow.

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jRuntlets

I second and third the notions to go to a doc asap!

I have one qualm hoever with Reanna's statement about red meat. The issue I have with it is that if you're already tired and you eat a lot of it, you'll get more tired. Red meat has more complex protiens that are more difficult for your liver to process. Often times the processing of red meat will make you more exhausted, so that's just a caution!

Good luck!

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la petite moi

I don't eat meat. :/

Also, my bleeding has stopped....for now. I'm praying it won't come back.

jRuntlets

as a basic non meat eater myself, do you take B12? I've noticed a huge change in taking B12. If you don't take it check it out!

Also soy and other beans will help you with good protien, as well as a vegan iron suppliment or just your plain iron supplement.

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la petite moi

I hate soy, and don't eat beans very often.

I took a women's multi-vitamin, but I didn't notice any changes.

raeanna74

This was a recommendation from my Dr. Red meat has Iron in it that is more readily available by the body than a suppliment. If she's been bleeding this long that would be a big cause of fatigue - anemia = fatigue. Dosing up on food sources of iron as well as taking iron suppliments is a good way to combat that. I'm not suggesting going red meat only. Besides if you are eating enough other foods for a good balance then the complex protiens won't cause you trouble really.

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"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

daze32

I was just skimming through this part. Depo has been a really HUGE life saver for myself. I've been using it for two years now. I've stopped once with a 5 month break before I started up again. I noticed that I had got really bad cramps, always felt sick and just didn't want to get out of bed. Usually my period lasts a good week and a half. It was enough for me to go back on the needle. And the big plus for this is that I don't have to spend money on it (I am living in the NWT,Canada and most of my prescriptions are paid for) and another plus is that I don't have to buy tampons.
I was reading on some website about Depo that it makes your bones less stronger. (Ok, you'll have to excuse my wording. I am super tired but this is a nice site) Among other things. Once I get all that together, I'll post it in here.
But heres a question(s) for everyone:
Does anyone spot on the needle?
I don't, and just wondering because some of my friends do.
I noticed that I have put on a little bit of weight since I've started it. Anyone else get this too?
Thanks,
daze32

Suzz04

Oh thank goodness! Someone else that's on th depo and feels like I do without it! Unfortunately I've been on it way longer than you have daze32. The company did however put out a black label on the depo due to the bone loss issue. But, thankfully, my local health department passed a regulation in their area to allow the patients to chose to stay on it or not after the two year limit.

I have spotted a few times, but on and off I should say. I haven't spotted since last August, but I have went thru the "effects" of having a period, just no bleeding. While I was on the pill, I stayed sick regardless of how I took the pill. Morning or evening, wtih or without food, it didn't matter. I puked within 45 mins after taking it then stayed seriously nausated for the rest of the day.

I'll come off it someday, but when that day comes I'll cry, cause that'll mean the return of the painful and heavy periods I always had.

tiger4053

I have never used Depo. I was under the impression it has a higher risk of cancer cmpared to some other birth controls. And I have a lot of caner in my family history. So I try to stear away as best I can. So I tried the patch.

I am having the opposite thing happen to me as la petite moi is. I have always had very light flows when I was on birth control. I was on the patch and it caused some hairloss, so I recently stopped using it. Well Since stopping, I have had one brief period. I spotted for a couple days Max, and havent since. (Going on 2 months now). Ihave been extremely tired, cranky, change in appetite, gained about 10 lbs, and have been easily irritated with others around me. Oh, and my sexual desire and sex drive has sky rocketed.

Yes, my first thought was "oh crap im pregnant". But I have tested several times, and all come up negative. My only other guess is it is just an effect of getting off the birth control.

Sage

repeat after me: BIRTH CONTROL DOES CRAZY THINGS TO YOUR BODY/MOOD/LIBIDO!!! Anytime you go on/get off of hormones, it's going to affect everything that's going on with your body. So, periods get lighter/heavier, metabolism speeds up/slows down, libido dies/speeds up. Think about when you're PMSing- your body naturally releases hormones which cause the lining of the uterus to shed. That's your body self regulating, and you STILL get whacked out because of the extra hormones. Once you add some extra hormones in there, things get really crazy.

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