Question:
Have any of you been on Depo Provera after WLS and begun to gain weight?

I had WLS in October, 2003. A month or two ago, I decided to go on Depo Provera as I had heard it stops your periods and after having them since I was 9, I wanted to be period-free. In the past month/2 months since then, my weight loss has been slim to none. I would drop (i.e. I dropped to 175.5) and now I'm back up to 179 as of this morning. I haven't been eating great either, but nothing that should make me gain weight as fast as I seem to (1/2 here, 1 pound there). Hope someone can give me insight!    — Lynne D. (posted on May 14, 2004)

May 14, 2004
I believe the average weight gain caused by Depo Provera is 5 pounds per year, averaging 30 pounds in a 5 year period.
   — Teresa Green

May 15, 2004
I have been on Depo since 1995 with shots given to me at 6-8 week intervals instead of the normal 12. This is due to the wackyness of my body to keep the bleeding stopped. I can in o way attribute any of my weight gain or loss to anything to do with Depo. I gained back 200 lbs I had lost before starting Depo but it was totally to do with the eating choices etc. I made. I also lost 250 lbs while on Depo after WLS. I'm floating up and down about 6 lbs these days and I know for sure any weight I gain is strictly because of the stupid food choices I make. For me Depo has literally been a miracle cure and I wouldn't quit it even if it does cause me some weight gain issues as they will not be significant enough to warrant quitting, at least in my case, based on 9 years of history of taking it. I'd be looking to those eating habits before the Depo. JMO
   — zoedogcbr

May 16, 2004
1 month I gained 10 lbs the doc asked about the Provera and weight gain I immediately stopped I will live with the Menopause symtoms I can not LIVE FAT again ever AGAIN also Elevile causes weight gain I have sinced dropped 5 of those 10 it is like the Provera started up the the carb Monstor Kathy in Salinas
   — Kathleen M.

May 16, 2004
I have never taken Depo, so I can't speak from personal experience. But everyone that I know that has taken it, quit taking it because of the weight gain.
   — RebeccaP

May 16, 2004
i have gained almost 20 pounds since last september and i'm on the depo shot
   — candymom64

May 16, 2004
I had a miscarrage and the doctors gave me depo provera to stop the bleeding...long story short took depo provera, got cancer had a hysterectomy...had I known that was a chance I would have NEVER taken it!!!
   — Gina Q.

May 17, 2004
Asked my surgeon this same question. He basically laughed and said there really wasn't a birth control that could out do your WLS. Anyway, that was his opinion. What's your surgeon say? I took depo for about 1 year, starting 3 months pre-wls. I never gained any weight from it, even before surgery. Having said all that, I want to add in a thought. I stopped taking depo one year ago and have yet to get back my periods. No one can explain it. No one knows if it's because of Depo or WLS or what. But, here I sit. No periods at all for no apparent reason (believe me I've had ALL the tests available to man) I'm convinced it's got something to do with the depo. There's a lot of info out there on the net regarding very bad expereinces with depo. Wish I had known that before I decided to take it...
   — LMCLILLY

May 17, 2004
Lisa C, The documentation from the makers of Depo states it can take 12-18 months for periods to return. That's why it's a longer term birth control and not something to use if you want to quit and get pregnant within 6 months, as most won't. Were your periods every normal before starting the Depo? If not, then they may very well never be. If they were, then I would just ride it out. Me, I'll quit Depo when they are wheeling me into the operating room for a hysterectomy and not before. For my body is has been way less risky than any of the other stuff I let the docs mess with and mine wasn't even for birth control at the time, just to get the insane bleeding to stop. I'll take Depo over BCP's or anything else any day, but that's because it's the right thing for my body - but not for everyone. The bottom line is any of thes birth control options typically involve hormones and our bodies can react very strangely to them. For me losing 250 lbs did nothing to change my need to get my Depo shots every 8 weeks, instead of 12. We tried stretching the length out and I got breakthru bleeding and all kinds of weird hormonal changes during weeks 9 and 10. So I said the heck with it and went back to 8 weeks.
   — zoedogcbr

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