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Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Birth Control & Safer Sex > FAQs about Depo Provera
Question
Is there any way to tell if a Depo Provera shot has been effective before having intercourse?
I was given the Depo shot even though I wasn't on my period; the nurse said it was okay because I had never had sex before. I waited about five days after the shot to have sex, and used a condom just in case, my boyfriend did not ejaculate in me, to be even more safe. It's been a month and I'm feeling sick, dizzy and nauseous. I have been spotting on and off this month usually red or brown, are these side effects or could I be pregnant?
Does the deppo shot cause me to be on a emotional roller coaster?
Are irregular periods and spotting normal?
I am currently taking the contraceptive injection, Depo and have been experiencing a heavy brown discharge. Is this a result of the Depo?
How long will you bleed when you first start using the depo- pervera shot?
What are your chances of getting pregnant if you take your shot everytime you're suppose to. If you stopped taking it, how quick could you get pregnant?
Answer
- Irregular bleeding is the most common side effect
- Periods become fewer and lighter for most women -- most will have no periods after five years of use. It may take a year for periods to resume once Depo Provera use is discontinued.
- Other women will have longer and heavier periods.
- Some may have more light spotting and breakthrough bleeding.
Less Common Side Effects
- increased appetite and weight gain
- headache
- sore breasts
- nausea
- nervousness
- dizziness
- depression
- rashes or spotty darkening of skin
- hair loss
- increased facial or body hair
- increased or decreased sex drive
Warning Signs
Tell your clinician immediately if you have:
- major depression
- a lump in a breast
- sudden and severe abdominal pain
- unusually heavy or continuous vaginal bleeding
- severe headaches
- frequent urination
- yellowing of skin or eyes
- sharp chest pain or sudden onset of shortness of breath
- severe pain or swelling in the calf
No, usually clinicians say use a condom for a month after starting any new birth control, to make sure it is working prior to intercourse. I think you should always use condoms in addition to birth control, to prevent sexually transmitted infections.
Could I be pregnant
It sounds like you were very safe and the chances of being pregnant should be small, but you can always call the office of the clinician who gave you the shot and talk about the side effects you are feeling. They will be able to tell you whether or not to go in.
Emotional
Depo Provera has pmedroxyprogesterone a hormone very similar to the progesterone your own body makes. Progesterone rises just before your period so is linked to "PMS" premenstrual syndrome of depression and irritability and bloating. It can certainly lead to depression and moodiness. It can also cause weight gain. But it's an effective form of contraception!
Irregular periods
Irregular periods, spotting, or even no periods for many months is quite common when getting Depo Provera injections. If there's any chance you've been late gettingg your shots then you should do a home pregnancy test on a FIRST MORNING urine specimen to check that.
Brown discharge
You should see your health car provider to evaluate the brown discharge. I suggest also doing a home urine pregnancy test on the FIRST URINE SAMPLE of the morning to make sure you are not pregnant.
How long will you bleed
The bleeding while on Depo-Provera shots varies from person to person. Most people stop having periods after 3 shots but some have problems with frequent or heavy periods. By 12 months of use, 57% of women have no menses; by 24 months that increases to 68%. If you have heavy or frequent bleeding, see your doctor as estrogen treatment for 21 days should help.
Chance of pregnancy
If the first shot of Depo-Provera is given within 5 days of the start of menses, the pregnancy rate is only 0-0.4%. It is therefore a very effective birth control method. After the injection, the average time interval before the return of ovulation (and therefore, the ability to get pregnant) is 4.5 months. Long-term users may experience a longer time interval before the return of fertility.
Teen Advisory Board