Posted by Amy K on September 05, 2003 at 21:01:03:
In Reply to: answers to your questions posted by Amy K on September 05, 2003 at 13:03:24:
p.s. Gina, I almost forgot. Statistically, 3 out of every 100 women using Depo-Provera for a year will get pregnant. This is assuming the women are getting the shots every 3 months and that they are not taking any medication that could interfere with the action of Depo-Provera--this would increase the number of pregnancies.
: Gina,
: Thanks for letting us know how things turned out. I'm VERY glad that you're not pregnant.
: Depo-Provera, the patch, and all other hormonal birth control methods (including the pill) work in basically the same way. First of all, they attempt to block eggs from being released from your ovaries. If no egg is released, pregnancy cannot occur. Sometimes the egg is released anyway, so the shot and the patch also thicken your vaginal secretions to make it more difficult for sperm to travel up your reproductive tract. And, finally, hormonal birth control methods change the lining of your uterus, so that IF an egg is released, and IF sperm fertilizes the egg, the resulting child cannot attach his or herself to the lining of your uterus. This is a very early abortion, since the 5 to 9 day old child dies from lack of nutrition and oxygen. This probably does not happen very often; however, it is something that you need to be aware of. I would personally not be comfortable taking a medication that MAY cause an early abortion, even if the likelihood of this happening is small.
: Possible short-term side effects from Depo-Provera include irregular menstrual bleeding (heavy and unpredictable, or none at all), breast swelling and tenderness, fluid retention, depression, weight gain, headaches, dizziness, and a delay in one's ability to conceive after discontinuing the shot. Possible long-term side effects include problems with future pregnancies, blood clots, stroke, and heart attack (the last three are rare).
: Hormonal birth control methods do not prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Even condoms do not prevent some sexually transmitted diseases, like HPV, the incurable virus that causes cervical cancer. HPV is the most common STD in the United States.
: This post may upset some of you, but I'm not going to engage in any debate over it. Gina asked for the facts, and that's what I gave her. It's up to her to decide what she wants to do with the information.
: Gina, I wish you the best, and I'm glad that your worrying is over. :)
: Amy
: Sources:
: USP-DI, 20th edition, 2000, Volume 1 (pgs. 2566-2575) and Volume 2 (pgs. 1261-1264)
: "Is Depo-Provera for You?", Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., January 1995.
: Physician's Desk Reference, 2000, pgs. 2435-2439.
: : Hi guys!! How's it goin?.......... Well, finally my period came. YES!!! Today at 9:35 came down, thank God. So on tues., I am going to the doctor to get the shot "Deprovera". How does the shot work? Does it really work? What are the side effects? I am gonna give it a try if I don't like then I'll get the patch. But thank you so much for helping me and for all the support. Thanks, keep posting. :)
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