Depo-Provera: This is my story

Hi All,

Let's start with myself, 21 year old female, otherwise healthy, attending my junior year of college. Had my first shot September 7th, all was fine until I got the second shot on December 1st. The first two weeks I had such horrible fatigue I didn't even get out of bed. Struggled through my finals and finally went home for winter break. I had lightheadedness, exhaustion, hot flashes, night sweats, general out-of-it feeling for about 3 weeks. Soon after began having anxiety from the symptoms above. I was afraid to drive or leave the house because I thought I might experience lightheadedness if I went out. Saw a really good doctor at Swedish, he thought I had anxiety, depression, and that most of my symptoms were a result of the depo shot. I was also having not only abdominal cramping but stomach aches after almost every meal. He prescribed me Xanax for anxiety and said that once the shot was out of my symptom that it would soon return to normal. The Xanax helped tremendously and very quickly I returned to school for Spring semester and didn't need the medication anymore. I went to my first two weeks of school and felt great! Until now... the other day I began having really bad vertigo. Of course, by now every doctor I go to see is a new one and I have to tell them my story over and over again. He prescribed me Meclizine and some Promethazine. They both have helped tremendously. He told me the vertigo was either a middle ear infection or it could be from the depo. Wondering if any other women were experiencing similar situations or could give me any feedback. I don't plan on getting a 3rd shot, the depo has ruined my life. I don't go anywhere or drive anywhere because it isn't safe when I am feeling these symptoms. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone and I hope to get through all of this and get through one of my last semesters at college.

Thank you!

i did depo when i was 17 and i had my period for a year except for one week in three month span. i gained 80 pounds too. i stopped taking it after a year and never looked back

I completely agree, I have already had 1 ultrasound for a breast lump and it turned out to be nothing but still, my doctor attributed that lump to the depo. I can't wait until it is gone from my system and everything returns to normal. I think pharmaceutical companies will do anything to keep their earnings high, I have read too many bad stories about the shot to count and I can't believe no one warned me about it earlier.