Depression and the Depo Provera birth control shot.

Hi everyone,

I must say that finding this forum has made me feel both relieved (in that I am not alone in experiencing the horrible side effects of Depo Provera) but also discouraged that nothing much can be done to help except to wait for the drugs to clear out of my system.

I am 23 years old and have never been on any form of birth control before this. I am not sexually active but was experiencing extreme side effects from my period such as cramping so bad that I would be close to fainting and very heavy bleeding. My doctor had encouraged me to go on birth control when I saw her in March to help alleviate these symptoms but I didn't want to unnecessarily mess with my hormones since I don't need pregnancy prevention at the moment. I put up with the difficult period for a bit longer until my period started at the end of May and continued for over 3 weeks. I decided that that was the last straw and made an appointment to address this issue. Unfortunately my primary care physician who I like and trust very much wasn't available for another month, so I saw a physician's assistant. She took very little time to actually talk to me about what was going on and immediately suggested Depo Provera. She said that I would likely not get my period on it at all and if I did it would at least be lighter and shorter. I was told that most women love the shot, especially for its convenience, and was told very little of the potential side effects. I got the shot on June 17 and at first was thrilled because it stopped my never-ending period within a few days.

I started having what I now recognize as side effects just a few days later, but I didn't know that they had anything to do with the shot at that time. A few days after the shot I started to snap at my boyfriend about anything and everything. I cried myself to sleep 3 nights in a row because I was paranoid that our (very healthy) relationship was suddenly falling apart. I became constantly anxious anytime I was apart from him, fearing that he would suddenly decide to leave me for no reason. He would reassure me that he would never just leave me for no reason, but grew frustrated that I couldn't trust him. Since that I have had several episodes of getting incredibly angry at him for no reason or for little things that should have caused only a small argument. And when we have these fights where I blow up I eventually dissolve into tears, thinking I've ruined our relationship, and he never thinks that these issues are as serious as I seem to make them. I was never this irrational or quick to anger before getting this shot.

Besides the emotional side effects, I have developed acne on my chin, I have almost constant blurred vision and a feeling of being detached from the world around me (I have found that consuming large amounts of caffeine is the only thing that helps with this), nightly headaches, unquenchable thirst, and occasional periods of insomnia. My anxiety is keeping me from doing much of anything besides going to work and riding my bike or running. I am isolating myself from most of the people in my life because I don't know how to manage interacting right now.

I certainly do not plan on getting the Depo Provera shot ever again, and will probably avoid any type of hormonal birth control after this. I would rather have my long-lasting and miserable period back than the emotional/psychological side effects of Depo Provera. Physical pain is nothing compared to feeling crazy, which I do pretty much all the time now. I also fear that my relationship is going to fall apart before the Depo Provera clears out of my system.

Thank you to all who have taken the time to read this. I have read that a few people on here have tried types of herbal/natural supplements and remedies to combat the Depo side effects. Does anyone have any specific suggestions along these lines? Or any other recommendations on what could help while I wait for this stuff to clear out of my body? I can not take anything with estrogen because I have a family history of blood clots, but I am very interested in a more natural route for relieving the side effects.

I have taken up running and cycling in the last few months and am finding that remaining active helps a bit, if only to tire me out enough that I don't have the energy to get very moody at night.

Any suggestions and tips from anyone who has been here before would be so appreciated. It is nice to know that I am not alone.

Post Edited (bicyclebuiltfortwo) : 7/27/2015 10:24:53 AM (GMT-6)

I wish I would have done research on Depo Provera before starting it because I believe it's ruining my life. I got my first shot last November and my last shot in April. I decided not to take it anymore because I gained 20 lbs and was getting bad acne. I've since been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and just underwent a sleep study to see if I have narcolepsy. I've suffered from depression for half my life--I'm 37--and need medication to regulate my mood. Now I'm having a relapse of depression.

I started having noticeable problems in May. Extreme exhaustion, depressed mood, irritability, etc. I was moody and started crying easily. I was fighting with my boyfriend for no good reason a lot of the time. I started having terrible musculoskeletal aches and pains. Basically, I was having every symptom of fibromyalgia. I've been going to doctors since June to figure out what was going on. My rheumatologist diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, I'm being tested for narcolepsy, and for multiple sclerosis. My depression and anxiety have gotten so bad that I'm going to an intensive therapy program. I had been taking Lexapro for years, and it did a fabulous job of regulating my mood. Now, it's not working, and I'm trying a new medication, which isn't working yet. I've had this gut feeling that Depo Provera was causing all of this. But I never brought it up to my doctors. Besides, it was in my chart that I was taking it. My last shot was in April, and my period hasn't returned. I haven't been able to work since May, because the physical pain was so bad and the exhaustion, too.
If the Depo is causing this--even at least some of this--when will it be out of my system? Over the past few weeks, my fibromyalgia symptoms have subsided. I was having excruciating back pain and it's been gone for almost a month. I'm still exhausted and depressed. I want my life back! My relationship was ruined because of all this. My health is keeping me from working. I have so many medical bills. I wish I had never taken this stuff! I'm in need of encouragement and advice. Like I said: I want my life back!