Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Injection
Advantages:
- each injection lasts for either 8 or 13 weeks
- it does not interrupt sex
- it’s an option if you can’t use oestrogen-based contraception
- you do not have to remember to take a pill every day
- it’s safe to use while you’re breastfeeding
- it’s not affected by other medicines
- it may reduce heavy, painful periods and help with premenstrual symptoms for some women
Disadvantages:
- your periods may change and become irregular, heavier, shorter, lighter or stop altogether this can carry on for some months after you stop the injections
- it does not protect you against STIs
- there can be a delay of up to 1 year before your periods return to normal and you can become pregnant
- some people may put on weight when they use Depo-Provera or Sayana Press contraceptive injections
- you may experience side effects like headaches, acne, hair loss, decreased sex drive and mood swings
- any side effects can continue for as long as the injection lasts and for some time after
How Soon Can You Get Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control
How do you stop your method of contraception? Well, that seems like an easy question, but sometimes it isn’t. … If you’re using the Depo-Provera shot, the hormone in the shot is in your muscle for months, and it may take as many as 10 months from the last shot before you ovulate again. … So you can start to try to get pregnant right away …
Depo Provera The Shot
The Depo shot , or Depo Provera, is a long acting progesterone contraceptive injection. This method of birth control is effective, convenient, and lasts three months. DMPA is safe even for women who can not take estrogen. It works by stopping ovulation and thickening cervical mucus which helps to prevent sperm from reaching the female egg. Simply make an appointment with your health care provider every three months to receive your DMPA injection.
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How To Book And Prepare For Your Appointment
BOOKING AN APPOINTMENT
Booking an appointment with us is easy! Give us a call at 902.455.9656 ext. 0. You will be speaking with either a volunteer or a medical administrator. We cannot book appointments by email or Facebook. You cannot book an appointment for someone else, even if they are your partner or child. We will need to speak with them directly. To book, we will need your full name, birth date, phone number, and a very brief reason for your visit. Thats it! The person on the phone will outline anything you need to know to prepare for your appointment. Our average wait time for an appointment is 4-6 weeks from the day you call.
Make sure you bring your valid provincial health card with you to your appointment. Clients without health cards are subject to doctors and lab fees.
Are you a youth? You do not need parental consent for any of our appointments.
Dont have access to or lost your health card? You are entitled to your health card information! Call MSI toll-free at 1-800-563-8880 or at 902-496-7008 from Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. We require the number and the expiry date. Another tip: take a picture of your card! You will never lose it again!
When To See Your Doctor
If your cycles are not coming back or youre not ovulating, and its within two years of your last shot, there is unfortunately very little your doctor can do to help. You just need to wait. Which can be extremely frustrating.
You should see your doctor if:
- It has been 24 months since your last injection and you are still not ovulating
- Your cycles are irregular two years after your last injection
- You dont conceive within 12 months of ovulation returning
- You have other risk factors or signs of a possible fertility problem
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Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control: What You
How long does birth control stay in your system after you stop taking it? The short answer is that for the most part, it doesnt. And while many women believe that the effects of their contraceptive of choice linger after they stop using it, thats a myth.
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About Author
Stuart Morrison
Hi everyone, my name is Stuart Morrison and I am the editor-in-chief and author of the Answeregy website. I am 35 years old and live in Miami, Florida. From an early age I loved to learn new things, constantly reading various encyclopedias and magazines. In 1998 I created my first Web site, where I posted interesting facts which you could rarely learn elsewhere. Then, it led me to work as a content manager for a large online publication. I always wanted to help people while doing something I really enjoyed. That’s how I ended up on the Answeregy.com team, where I… Read more
What Are Common Side Effects After Going Off Depo Injections
- Spotting and irregular periods.
- Loss of bone mineral density, which can make osteoporosis more likely. This risk is greater if you have used Depo-Provera for longer than two years.
- Difficulty conceiving. Some women become pregnant as soon as 3 to 4 months after receiving their last injection. But it takes some women up to a year or two to conceive after they stop using this type of birth control.
- Some women find that, after going off of Depo, symptoms that they had while using the injections get worse. These side effects include heavy bleeding, extreme breast tenderness, weight gain, headaches, nausea, mood swings, depression, and hair loss.
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Where Do I Get The Shot
You can get a prescription for the shot from a doctor or OB-GYN or at a health clinic, like Planned Parenthood.
Some pharmacies offer on-site birth control consultations, so you may also be able to get the shot at your local pharmacy.
Birth control websites, like Nurx, also offer birth control consultations and prescriptions for the shot online. Of course, if you get a prescription for the shot online, youd need to inject it yourself.
Are There Any Side Effects With The Birth Control Shot
Many girls who use the birth control shot will notice a change in their periods. Side effects that some girls have include:
- irregular periods or no menstrual periods
- weight gain, headaches, and breast tenderness
- depression
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a safety warning about the use of the birth control shot. Studies link this shot to a loss of bone density in women, although bone density may recover when a woman is no longer getting the shot. The loss of bone density seems to be worse when the shot is used for longer periods of time.
Doctors are not sure how this type of shot may affect the bone density of teen girls in the future, though. Girls who are considering the shot should talk to their doctors about it and make sure that they get enough calcium each day. Those who smoke should be sure to let their doctors know because smoking may be connected to this bone density loss.
Women may notice a decrease in fertility for up to a year after they stop getting the birth control shot. However, the shot does not cause permanent loss of fertility and most women can get pregnant after they stop getting the shot.
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What Are The Pros And Cons Of Depo
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
You dont have to remember to take anything every day last for 13 weeks . Highly effective and reliable at preventing pregnancy in the near future. Doesnt interfere with having sex. Most women will not have periods while on Depo-Provera. Reduces the risk of endometrial cancer by 80%. May help women who have heavy or painful periods. |
Does not protect against STIs, so its important to use condoms when you have sex. May cause irregular bleeding, no periods or occasional heavy bleeding. This is more common on first starting to use Depo-Provera and often improves with time. Once you have had an injection of Depo-Provera, it lasts at least 13 weeks which can be a nuisance if you experience a side effect. Your periods and fertility take an average of 6 months to return after stopping the injection. |
What Are The Risks/side
Irregular bleeding is a common side effect that will usually decrease or stop within the first few months of beginning injections. Most people will experience spotting on and off, bleeding more frequently, or may not bleed at all. You may also stop your periods, but this is not harmful. You may continue to experience irregular bleeding for 6-8 months after stopping Depo.
Depo Provera can result in decreased bone mineral density with more loss the longer it is used.. This may increase the risk of bone fractures. The reduction in bone mineral density can be reversed after stopping Depo Provera.
Other side effects include headaches, mood changes, weight gain, dizziness, bloating, and decreased sex drive.
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How Hormonal Birth Control Works
Depo-Provera is an injectable form of hormonal birth control that involves getting a shot in your arm or buttocks every three months. It works similarly to birth control pills.
It starts to work as contraception immediately if you get your first shot within five days of beginning your period.
Depo-Provera suppresses a womans own hormones, preventing the ovaries from releasing eggs into the fallopian tubes. The synthetic progesterone hormone will reduce sperm fertilization by increasing the thickening of the cervical mucus and reducing motility in the fallopian tubes, so the sperm has difficulty traveling in the female reproductive tract.
The cervical mucus thickens and the uterine lining changes so that it’s harder for sperm to enter or survive in the uterus. All of these changes prevent fertilisation.
When a woman stops using Depo, her body tries to restore hormonal balance and regain reproductive function by restoring normal production of estrogen by the ovaries in preparation for ovulation.
What Are The Advantages Of The Depo Shot
- Privacy: Only you and your healthcare provider need to know that youre on birth control.
- Convenience: It doesnt require a daily dose. Theres also no need to use a condom for pregnancy preventionbut condoms should still be used to prevent sexually transmitted infections.
- Period symptoms: The birth control shot could lessen your menstrual flow or even stop it altogether, and it can also help with cramping and pain.
- Health benefits: It can decrease endometriosis and uterine fibroids, as well as the risk of endometrial cancer.
You can increase your odds of getting your shot on time if you use a calendar or app with reminders, if your healthcare providers office provides courtesy calls or emails when its time to schedule your next appointment, or if you schedule your next shot at the time of your current appointment. Remember, the shot is more effective when you are on time for your injection.
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How Effective Is Depo
Depo-Provera® is 96% effective in preventing pregnancy, which means that about four unplanned pregnancies will occur out of every 100 women every year. Women at greatest risk of accidental pregnancy while taking the birth control shot include younger women, such as adolescents . This is typically related to human error, such as not getting your shot on time or missing a shot. IUDs and implants placed in the upper arm are considered to be the most effective forms of contraception.
Nervousness Mood Swings And Depression
Some women report feeling anxious and depressed while using Depo-Provera. Unfortunately, this can continue after stopping the injections. Women who experienced anxiety before beginning the injections are more likely to see this condition get worse while using Depo.
Women with a history of mood disorders should talk to their doctors before starting Depo-Provera to discuss the risks.
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Wearing Pads Protective Underwear Or Tampons
Irregular bleeding can ruin clothing. An unexpected heavy period is an experience that most people find unpleasant.
Being able to anticipate an abnormal flow when starting Depo-Provera therapy may help a person plan to wear pads, protective underwear, or tampons during the adjustment months.
This can help save money and frustration. It can also be beneficial to carry around an extra pad or tampon, or even a pair of underwear, for the first year or so after starting Depo-Provera therapy.
Is Infertility A Side
“Depo-Provera is a strong pituitary suppressant of hormone stimulation to the ovaries, meaning it will prevent ovulation,” says Dr. Mark Trolice, Director of Fertility Care at the IVF Center in Winter Park, Florida. “The longer Depo-Provera is used, the longer it will take your body to restore normal menstrual cycles. I have seen up to 18 months of no periods after discontinuing Depo-Provera and before ovulation resumes, particularly in women who gained weight while on the medication.”
That being said, Dr. Trolice notes, once regular periods resume, women should have no increased difficulty conceiving, particularly if periods were regular before using Depo-Provera.
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What Are Signs That Depo
“Patients usually stop menstrual bleeding while on Depo-Provera,” says Dr. Mark Trolice. “If you experience a return of bleeding while on Depo-Provera, this may suggest breakthrough ovulation or an anatomic issue with your uterus, so seek advice from your gynecologist.”
In order to be sure that the birth control is fully effective, women have to get Depo-Provera injections every 12 weeks. Once 12 weeks have passed with no injection, the hormones slowly wear off over time.
Some women who want to get pregnant after stopping injections conceive in just 3 or 4 months, while others wait as long as two years.
Benefits Of Formula Feeding Your Baby
I am going off of memory, but I do recall a story of someone who believed Depo-Provera to be responsible for their premature menopause after they came off of the drug. It does seem from my experience that this could well be possible, as my body is certainly producing results beyond what I was told could happen when I decided to start the injection.
I am not giving up hope that I may well find myself with a healthy, normal child now that I have had a heavier period . In 10 years, a lot can happen to a person and I have gone from thinking I should not have a kid to being married and confident that I could provide a loving and happy home to a child.
If this medication has had such an effect on my body as to reduce my fertility permanently it would be upsetting as the medical advice did not alert me to this possibility.
On the other hand, when I started on Depo-Provera, I did not want to have a baby and probably would have made the same choice even if I had been told that it would reduce my chance of ever getting pregnant.
Life is full of choices and once made, our choices are our responsibility. Someone who wants to be more careful in making their birth control choice that I was should investigate their options further.
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