Remembering to take a birth control pill every day can be difficult.
What is Depo?
The Depo shot is an injection containinga form of progestinused to prevent pregnancy.
Each injectionlasts for three months, so you only have to worry about remembering it four times per year.
However there are a few contraindications regarding the Depo shot, which means some people shouldn’t use it.
Most frequently, women may stop getting their periods altogether or may experience a lighter and less frequent period.
That was part of the appeal in starting the Depo shot for Dana Humphrey.
Ultimately, Humphrey stopped using the injection because she is thinking about having kids someday.
“I wanted to get off hormones and start getting my period again,” Humphrey said.
“I’m not enjoying having it back but I think it’s important.
Other women do not lose their periods entirely though.
Some women spot throughout the month with no real consistency while a few women might experiencenear-constant bleeding.
Not all women experience weight gain and it may vary depending on the stage of your life.
I spoke with Rachel Hill from Los Angeles who has taken Depo off and on since she was young.
“When I first took Depo in my 20s I didn’t gain any weight,” she said.
“Now that I am 40 I have put on more than 15 pounds from taking the shot.”
Still, Hill said that she would recommend Depo to others because the convenience is worth it.
“I noticed I wouldn’t tear up during sad movies [anymore],” she said.
After four years of using Depo, Hattaway decided to call it quits and is happy with that decision.
“[I] would not recommend it to anyone,” she said.
Unfortunately, she had pretty severe complications.
“I was diagnosed with osteoporosis at the age of 26,” she told me.
“Nobody told me that osteoporosis or bone loss was a risk when on Depo.
I was devastated,” she said, adding that she also experienced headaches and hair loss.
The research on bone density loss while using Depo is mixed.
Some sources suggest that the loss is associated withprolonged use of Depoand that it isalmost entirely reversible.
You may feel generally unwell
Leslie Burch, who is 27 started depo when she was 21.
Burch told me that she often had side effects immediately following her injection every three months.
Karina told me that her sex drive wasn’t the only thing that changed.
“Every little thing irritated me.
It was a nightmare and my gynecologist told me that these were normal side effects.”
While she has chosen to eliminate hormonal birth control altogether, Karina said the effects are lasting.
“To this day, I still feel like I deal with the side aftermath.”
In fact, some women report that they experienced symptoms that started only after they stopped the injections.
Is Depo right for you?
Although the side effects can be difficult to manage for some women, others swear by the Depo shot.
Ashley Wirtz from Portland, Oregon is one of those who loves it.
“If you are anything like me, Depo is perfect!
It’s a no brainer for women who are super busy.”
Still, finding the right birth control is a very personal decision that is best made with your doctor.Dr.
“you’re able to always change your birth control,” she added.
“There is a birth control for everyone.”
