Depo Provera, Depression, and Fibromyalgia

Hi, Everyone,
I posted this earlier on another thread, that's now closed, on the depression board. This is what I wrote:


"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!"

I want to know if anyone else has had similar problems with Depo Provera. I read somewhere that the half-life of Depo is 50 days, and it takes 4 half-lives for it to leave your body. I had my last shot in April, which means that this stuff will be in my body for another 2 months. Also, my period still hasn't returned. And from what I've read, it could be months before it returns.

Jinxywinksy

Sorry you're going through such hard times.

When it comes to your depression and anxiety issues, there's been a lot of articles in the online news concerning how much our diet can affect our anxiety and the feelings that come along with depression. And we all have those days when we're experiencing a flare and we feel sad about it….

I find if I eat certain foods that aren't good for me, I'm more than likely to experience anxiety or sad feelings.

Good luck to you.

I was on Depo-Provera for about two years, and I didn't really have any side effects other than a decreased sex drive (which improved when I stopped). My last shot was in August last year, and my period began in January, which is a bit early for it starting up again. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about halfway into Depo-Provera, but there were so many things going wrong with my body (severe Crohn's disease, c. diff., sepsis twice, pancreatitis), that I don't know if I would have noticed Depo causing me extra problems! However, I still took it for about 6 months after all of those problems cleared up, and I didn't notice anything extra going on. Nothing major happened when I stopped it, either.

My fibromyalgia was brought on entirely by one single shot of Depo Provera, on Oct. 6, 2010. I had an immediate and extreme reaction... nausea, vomiting, migraine, for 3 days. On the third day (Oct. 9) I felt like I got hit by a mac truck. It was worse than any flu I've ever had. The pain had me bawlng like crazy. And it's NEVER gone away.

I tried for months with my doctor to figure out what was causing my awful pain and fatigue and try to get some (any) relief. Finally a rheumatologist diagnosed me with fibromyalgia as well as chronic fatigue (similar but some differences). I've tried so many meds, exercise, therapies, etc... nothing made it better. I finally gave up and quit working & applied for disability. I have always been a workaholic and I miss working every single day. My life was effectively ruined the day I got that shot. I wish I could hold them accountable. It would be nice to be able to dig out from under some of this debt that not working has caused.