Depo-Provera injection reviews

It was my first time on any contraception and I wanted to take necessary precautions before travelling abroad for two months, so I was advised by my Nurse Practitioner to have the Injection rather than go on the Pill so I wouldn’t have to worry about missing days, losing pills, etc., and was told that she’d received no negative feedback about the Injection and that the side effects would be minimal. Perfect, or so I thought. My overall experience was horrendous, and after discussing methods of contraception with strangers I met abroad and hearing their own negative experiences with the Injection and from friends, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself and pretty miffed (to put it politely). I’d missed a period prior to travelling, and my breasts had felt so tender and painful for the first week or so, but then I bleed continuously for my whole trip (yep, two months straight of bleeding in countries where sanitary products are few and far between) and my mood swings absolutely battered me, not to mention my libido dying upon arrival in SE Asia. Now I’ve been home for a few weeks, and yes things are slightly better, but my moods are still all over the place and I’m still spotting everyday. Yes, with the Injection you don’t have to worry about taking pills, but never again will I subject my body to this. I just wish my Nurse Practitioner had offered me more options and have been more upfront regarding the side effects, and instead not dictating what I needed and sending me on my way. I would also like to mention, as a non-binary individual, that this form of contraception did at times make me suffer with body dysphoria, however I appreciate that users may respond differently to the Injection and other methods of contraception.

I have been on the injection now for 9+ years and have had many side effects. The odd few like headaches but I don’t drink a lot of water, tender breast occasionally not often, weight gain ( but I didn’t gain any weight the first 6 years off being on it but again I don’t eat sensibly). My sex drive however has nearly almost gone and I do get a fair bit of discharge 1/2weeks before the injection is due and 1/2 weeks after having the injections.

For the first few weeks, it was brilliant, my period was stopped and when it did come it was much much lighter which was what I wanted, however, I did still get cramps. In the last month of use (my injection lasted from May-August) my PMS symptoms became much more severe and lasted much longer. Instead of feeling nauseous for one or two days in the run-up to my period, it was four of five days of increased anxiety and low mood. Now that I'm coming off it I am suffering from withdrawal bleeding (which has lasted almost three weeks) and cold-like symptoms along with nausea.

Was on Depo aged 16 to 22 and I only came off it after concerns of long term effects (ie osteoporosis). At first had about 3 to 6 months of daily spotting, which stopped after a nurse practitioner suggested I take my depo on week 11 instead of week 12. Its great because it doesn't interfere with daily life, and the only major con after the breakthrough bleeding was dryness and spotting after sex. Had some pain for a day after on injection site and leg occasionally but nothing too painful.

I found it was a very convenient method of contraception, only having to get the injection every 3 months and nurses were always available when I was due an injection. It also did prevent pregnancy so was effective, an after stopping the injection, I was able to get pregnant around 18 months after my last injection. However, I gained 2 stone while on the injection - the doctors said it wouldn’t cause weight gain, however they warned it could increase appetite. I found it made me ravenous at all times, I was nauseous if I hadn’t eaten regularly. I didn’t find it caused anxiety or depression, however I experienced anger like never before. I’m a pretty calm, laid back person but for the year that I was getting the depo injection, if something annoyed me I became incredibly angry. As soon as I came off the injection, I was back to my normal mellow self so it was most definitely caused by that.

Worked as a contraceptive however also lowered libido and gained quite a lot of weight quite quickly in places i dont usually (legs, bum, tum), my appetite increased a lot. I experienced pain when walking/running at the injection site on my bum - I had 3 in a row on the same side

I was on the Depo for about 11 years. It completely stopped my periods which was the best thing about it. The worst thing was the complete loss of libido. This is infuriating as you are having an injection which gives you total sexual freedom and no messy periods but you don’t actually want sex. I found out that Depo injections are given to male prisoners in some countries to take away their sex drive !! and we are being offered this injection!! After a few years on the Depo I raised the issue of my non existent sex drive with the nurse at an appointment and asked her if the Depo could be causing it and she said “maybe yes”. That was all she said. I then decided to stop the injection to see if my libido would return but after a year off the injection and using only condoms, my libido did not come back and nothing changed at all. I went back on the injection. Maybe I shouldn’t have but I did. Maybe Depo ruined my libido for good. Do your research if you are going to go on Depo. I think if I’d known about the sex drive issue I would never have had it in the first place.

After being pregnant with our first child, due to my BMI & hypertension at the end of my pregnancy I was not allowed the combined pill. So after the discussion with my GP the next best thing for myself that I was willing to try was the Depo (injection). Firstly I hadn't even had my period after giving birth which didn't help, I felt like a complete mad women (understand we just had a baby) no libido, very on edge/sensitive to were I would be snapping multiple times a day. I just didn't feel like myself & I had to fight my drs to come off the injection. Now I just monitor my periods though an app and when having sex we use a condom

Since you take this and it lasts 3 months, there is nothing you can do if you don't like the side effects. I had a dreadful bloating feeling in my stomach that never would leave and this is something I never had before and have never had since. I would feel floods of depression and absolute misery come over me all of a sudden for no apparent reason, which again I had never experienced before or since.

I kept using the injection as it felt like my last resort as I'd tried other pills and had side effects I didn't like. However, I had awful vaginally dryness and I think my sex drive was lowered because of it. It did mean I did not have a period which I thought was a positive.