I just received my first shot two days ago... but now I'm a tad worried. I've been browsing around online reading "patient reviews" and such, and pretty much everything I've read about it has been negative... Decreased sex drive , increased anxiety and irritability, increased depression (i'm on meds for bipolar, but my doctor and i are both going to keep close tabs on my moods..), random bleeding, GI problems, heart problems, WEIGHT GAIN... ugh. DH and I aren't planning on TTC again for another year or so, but evidently Depo can cause infertility too, and you have to go off of it months in advance before starting to TTC? I wish I had thought this over a little more before just saying "yes" to the shot.. hopefully it doesn't do too much damage in just three months... I don't think I'll get the next shot..

Just curious, what do you guys think? Does anyone have any negative/positive experiences with depo provera? I'm bad at remembering to take pills everyday, and just thinking about getting an IUD makes me feel lightheaded... what are other alternatives?

Modern forms of Natural Family Planning are as effective as drugs, but without the drugs! There are no risks or side effects. You have to work with a certified instructor to learn how to do it correctly though. A lot of people feel that the freedom from drugs/risks makes that part worth it. It works whether you're regular or not. It can also be used in reverse, to help you when you TTC.

I was on the shot for 2 years..and thats when all the bad stuff came out about it. So I quickly got off it! I've heard it can take up to 2 years to conceive after you get off it. We didn't ttc until about 2 years after it anyways so I don't know if it would have really taken us 2 years! I had the weight gain, NO sex drive and then i heard it caused bone loss. Not something I will ever use again..it made me nervous to try any other birth control so we use condoms! Good luck with whatever you decide!

It is not recommended for use longer than 2 years because it can cause significant bone loss. I was on it for 2 1/2 years, and just switched to Mirena in June. I didn't gain any weight, or have any of the other side effects, but I still wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Im not sure about the TTC thing as I got my Mirena put right in after Depo, but I haven't had a period since I got my first shot.

Like temping and such? Because I've definitely never been regular..

Monitoring your signs of fertility is required, yes - but temping is only one way to do that. Some NFP methods include temping, others don't. Regularity is not a requirement at all. Maybe you're thinking of the old Rhythm or Calender methods? Those old methods required regular cycles, but they aren't very reliable - maybe 80% if you're lucky. I wouldn't do that! NFP is closer to 99%.

The depo is what brought me to this board. I will NEVER get another depo shot as long as I live. I've been having heavy bleeding (like af, but it's not) for almost 2 weeks now. My normal af is about 4 days long. I am making an appointment tomorrow to get an IUD.

I got every negative effect on Depo that you listed. The GI troubles even landed me in the hospital 2 times. I started the fertility awareness method and it has taken almost 2 years to regulate. At 7 months after the last shot I had a miscarriage. It can cause problems. If you are wanting to TTC in 1 year, it can cause problems even with 1 shot. It is probably the strongest BC out there and that means that it can really destabilize your reproductive system.

It is the most aggressive form of BC.

Oh dear.

Definitely not getting another one. I think I'm just going to see where we're at once DH gets back for good from his deployment, probably won't go back on any kind of birth control... but anywho, thanks ladies! Hopefully I won't have any huge problems from this one shot..

I hope everything is alright, and you are able to figure it all out!

I had very good results with the depo shot. I was on it from August 2000 - August 2005 (it is just coincidence that it was 5 years exactly). I never had irregular bleeding, having no periods was the reason I wanted the shot. And the best part is that I ended up losing weight while on the shot. When I did have an occaisonal period, I had no cramping...nothing.

After I went off Depo, I started Ortho which gave me vaginal infections because of the constant change in hormones in the pill.....so I switched to YAZ per the doctor and I started having the most terrible periods with mega cramps......ever since I've been off the pills, I've had the worst cramps ever!!!

I'll be doing FAM from now on.