Depo-Provera injection vs Sayana Press injection

I’ve had a really positive experience with depo. I was on it for around 4 years pre-covid, and have currently been using again for 18 months. Periods have completely stopped and I haven’t experienced side effects (my hair might be slightly thinner, but I’m not sure if I’d just never noticed I have thin hair). After stopping use the first time it did take many months for my periods to return. I’m only thinking about stopping taking it now with the recent studies on links to brain tumours.

I have really enjoyed not having periods and not having to remember my pill as I am very forgetful. I have gained an increased sex drive and I used to get cramps all the time and it stopped most of those. I rarely get migraines. Maybe one every two months. My only major issue was my hair loss. I’ve lost about 50% of my hair and now it’s brittle but after taking calcium supplements and changing my diet it’s a bit more normal. It could be unrelated but around the same time as I started the depo I also got Dyshidrotic eczema on my feet. What makes me think this could be related is I’m also very itchy on my hands, and legs since starting. I could just be getting older and I’ve had issues in the past with my hips but I’ve also pulled my back, and badly sprained my ankle and hip. This has only happened after starting the depo. After a year of being on it everything seems to have leveled out. All bad points above have now become less noticeable and I feel very comfortable. External issues are still an issue like being constantly interrogated like I don’t know what I’m doing in the nurses office as I take my depo every 10 weeks due to bleeding for the last 3 weeks of the cycle. They also seem to want you on the coil I’m not sure what that is about but it’s very annoying. Also depending on who is administering the shot you may feel basically no pain or a ton that could last for a few hours These side effects may not be for some but from my past personal issues I am happy with the contraceptive compared to others I’ve tried

I went on thsi injection due to my terrible experience with rigevidon, at first everything was fine as my skin cleared up, i only get the odd spot which is supported by acne medication- which was great considering i am acne prone. However it was beginning clear that i was gaining weight, I started off as a size 8 (very slim and petite) to currently being a size 14, leading to a size 16. My hips have also widened, this has led to an increase of SO many stretch marks, it has had an affect on my confidence due to this durastic change, while having the same diet the whole time. Yet this may be because i began at 16 now 18, coming into adulthood maybe?? At the minute my moods are terrible, i am very irritable, riddled with anxiety and more sensitive; so if youre looking into this as someone who has suffers with mental health I would not recommend. The pain of the injection is not bad however I am attempting to come off of this contracpetive as soon as possible yet just struggling which pill to choose due to my fear of weight gain, poor skin and loosing my sex drive. Just remember eveyones experience is different this is just mine :)

Completely stopped my periods which has been amazing. Very convenient only have to think about 4 times a year and GP now very good at supplying in comparison to when this brand was new on the market. Have struggled to use the devices recently as have to apply a lot of pressure to inject the suspension and have therefore had to discard a few injections on occasion which isn’t ideal. Having using it for so long I can’t tell if my weight or mood have been negatively or positively impacted, but will be keen to see what happens when I stop using.

I was on the sayanna press injection for 3 years. My periods started off a little irregular for the first couple of months and then stopped completely, which was a blessing as they have always been heavy and painful! Would start to get slight cramps in the week before the injection was due but otherwise, it seemed to suit me quite well. I'm a healthcare professional so injecting myself didn't bother me at all! I gained a little weight whilst using it but I am overweight anyway so unsure if I can attribute this to the injection!

I can not tell you how much I adore this. The injection is a bit intimidating, but it's very quick, I did my first one with the help of a nurse (watch videos on how to do it and ask the nurse any questions you have). The injection is a bit weird in that you squeeze it into you, vs using a plunger, but it is a very short needle, and it didn't even hurt! I have had next to no side effects, my life has become a lot better, I sleep better, and I am able to get up early for uni. I get no PMS or cramps and I don't even get a bleed anymore (I am a bit sad as I had just bought a bunch of sanitary towels on a Prime Day). I switch from POP to this, and Syana is what birth control should be. On POP, I had so many side effects (which you can read about on my profile), this is amazing, my mind is so much clearer and I lack the PMS brain fog. My only complaint is to do with my NHS trust, they can only prescribe one at a time so if the one you get is faulty you need to request a new one which could take a week, also means you can't have one on standby for if you don't have time to contact GP and go to a pharmacy. The nurse who is my point of contact dislikes this rule and has tried to change it.

I only ended up using this for the three month period as I found it made my periods longer and heavier. I was left with only two weeks in between my periods, with my menstural bleeding lasting for at least 10 days. It didn't help with my PMDD/PME or my acne, which are my main goals with contraceptive.

I started using the sayana press following an increase in undesirable side effects of the implant. There was no difference between the injection on my body, I absolutely loved using this for years. Lately, I have become increasingly moody and have random cramping throughout the month, especially when the next injection is due. I am going to come off the injection but overall it was very convenient for me.

recently left a review saying periods stopped, just after this i had my first one. it was considerably lighter and shorter but spotting before and after. the spotting did continue for 1week+

As my first form of contraception I’m really pleased, I opted for this as I don’t think my lifestyle supports the pill and due to familial health issues I had a reduced list of options. I’d heard a number of negative side effects but I haven’t experienced most of these. My period hasn’t come nor any spotting, this was a surprise but I’m not complaining. The only negative so far has been a slight increase of headaches, aside from this my experience (albeit not long) is fairly positive. The main thing to take away is that the post symptoms are super individual and dependent on your body, so the only way to really know is to do your research and then try what you think will suit you best.

After three miscarriages I was really struggling with periods bringing back the trauma and constant reminder of my 'failure' to have kids. This was leading to awful moods and depression around my period. I knew there was a chance that the contraceptive injection could stop my periods entirely and I'm so happy that it has; no more periods, no more mood swings, no monthly reminder of my traumatic miscarriages. I highly recommend this option of contraception to EVERYONE! Following 9 months of injections (Depro) at my GP surgery, I chose to carry them out myself at home using Sayana Press which is super easy and I only have to inject once every 3 months. Job done!

I have previously been on depo with very few side effects so had hopes that this would be similar. After having a break from contraception, I decided to give sayanna press a go as I thought it would be easier to do at home. The administration is a lot easier than I thought it would be, and being able to do it myself is a definite bonus. However, I have experienced very bad mood swings. After being hormone free for a long time, it could be my body adjusting to it, but it is making me feel as though I can't control my emotions and don't know what is my hormones and what's not. I have also felt nauseous and dizzy a lot of the time, which never happened before so I can only assume is the injection. Generally feel low energy, and low mood a lot of the time. My periods were previously very regular and relatively light but now have spotting nearly every day, and occasionally heavier bleeds with cramping and pms, but this is not regular. It has effected my sex life because of this, but I wouldn't say the injection has decreased my sex drive. I want to keep going with the injection in the hope that it will settle itself down, but also don't know how long I can continue feeling like I do now.

At first this was perfect for me, but after me and my partner talked we have discussed getting pregnant, but it has been 9 months since I stopped and I still haven’t had a period and we haven’t managed to conceive since I haven’t a clue if I’m ovulating or not. I wouldn’t recommend using this contraception if you have any thoughts about getting pregnant in the near future. It gave me the lowest sex drive of my life and I have gained over a stone in weight since using this contraception. I wish I would have gone with the coil again!