Has anyone had personal experience with depo-provera?

[jnette]

As some of you may have read in a previous thread, my daughter is having some serious ob/gyn issues. The new doc we went to see suspects it may still be endo (or one of the many other)"metriosises"... along with being prone to forming kidney stones. The latter I can deal with on my own, as I work in dialysis, and will have our nephrologist take a look at her and go from there. But the ob/gyn doc want s to start her on depo... simply does not want to do a hysterectomy at her young age. At first she said she' rather do that (the hyst.) than live with this constant pain, but now is having second thoughts....

So what I need to know is PERSONAL experience with the depo... I've looked up all the side effects, and several disturb me......1. the headaches. She already suffers horrible headaches which at times turn to full blown migraines. 2. Depression. She was raped at 20, and has been on Zoloft ever since... doesn't need the depression as a side effect, either.

If anyone has had these injections or knows anyone who has, any advice would be GREATLY appreciated ! She is to start in 2 weeks... thought I'd get some input before we do this...don't know if it's the thing to do or not... ??? Doesn't look like we have a whole lot of options other than the hyst., and though everyone has said that ended ALL their pain (headaches included), I'm hesitant, too. Afterall, at 25, her life is just beginnig....

Thanx everyone. Appreciate you guys!

[kimtab]

I was on Depo for 2 years. No headaches, some weight gain but I'm not sure I can blame the Depo. No periods, and they took about 6 months to get back to regular after I d/c'ed the Depo.

[fergus51]

LOVE DEPO!!!! WILL NAME MY FIRST BORN AFTER IT TO PROVE IT IF NECESSARY!!! I used to have a lot of problems and now I have absolutely none. I certainly wasn't going to have a hysterectomy in my early 20s and that's where I was heading.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I was the nightmare case with all the side effects they "warn" you about. I cannot and will not ever recommend this based upon my experience.

[CaliNurse]

I had Depo injections a fews years back for BC. It was effective for that reason for me. After the 4th injection I notice that the Medial side of both great toes were numb. I immediately went back to the doc and reported this thinking of DVT.

I had no vascular problems and he said I was the first he had seen with this. ???

That was my only complaint. But..... my husband complained of my frisky mood being changed into a zombie. I really never ever thought of sex. I thought he was crazy. After the 4 injection wore off I felt like a real person with emotional feelings again. I didn't recognize it at the time.

I guess it really does affect everyone differently.

Cali

[AlaskanRN]

Along with SmilingBlueEyes I was one of the "side-effect cases" you read about...I was on Depo for one year (four injections) because of endometriosis

I spotted for the first nine months...annoying, but nothing I couldn't live with...but after the last injection I had period-like bleeding for FOUR MONTHS...

The weight gain was a minor annoyance compared to that!

I had a bad experience with it...but I was also in my late 30's...the younger women I have talked to seem to have much better luck and fewer side effects

What ever method she chooses...good luck!

[whipping girl in 07, RN]

Jnette, you might want to start a new thread about Lupron, since a lot of people just read the first couple of posts and then post themselves.

I have not tried Lupron myself, although I know of women (thru internet) who have used it and had success with symptom management. Do a google search for the term WITSENDO and you can find the support group I used to belong to. They can give a lot of first hand experience with different treatment options.

If Lupron works for her, then it would mean that a hysterectomy would also work. Unfortunately, Lupron is not something you can stay on forever though.

Has her doctor suggested a bone density scan before she starts Lupron? It can cause bone loss (due to the lack of estrogen) so it's important to have a bone density test done prior to treatment.

Good luck.

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

Thank you, everybody !!! Appreciate all the thoughtful responses..

And thank you, Konnie, for the website.. will check it out.. will also ask about the bone density... I'm post menopausal and haven't taken the first hint of HRT and don't plan on it... bones are fine so far... no moodswings, a few annoying hotflashes the first year or 2, since then just some nightsweats...I sure can't complain!

But she's only 25, so we need to get her straightened out...soon! Thanx again! I'm kinda hesitant to start the Lupron thread, after everybody answered this so kindly...think I'll check out your site first. Thanx again !