Birth control is a very important issue with women of child-bearing age. There are many different options available and it can be hard to figure out what is the best birth control plan for you. My favorite is the Depo-Provera birth control shot.
Depo-Provera is a birth control shot that is given every eleven to thirteen weeks. It is a progestin injection and is 99.7% effective. It can be administered in either the upper arm or hip at your doctor’s office. Depo-Provera will protect you against unwanted pregnancy immediately. There is no waiting period. It is important to keep in mind that the Depo-Provera injection does not offer any protection against sexually transmitted diseases. If you are not involved in a committed, mutually faithful relationship, you will still need to use condoms.
I began using Depo-Provera in November 1993 after I had my daughter. I refused to leave the hospital until they had injected me with the Depo-Provera shot. I did not want to use the birth control pill because they need to be taken at the same time every day in order to be better effective, which is not always convenient.
I was given my first Depo shot in the hip. The medicine did burn going in, and my hip was quite sore for a couple of days. I found this to be true each and every time I went in for my Depo-Provera shot. I tried getting the injection in my arm once, but it left me so sore I felt like my arm was going to fall off. At least I had gotten it in my left arm. I am right handed.
I did not find it to be an inconvenience to have to schedule my birth control shots every three months. It was better than having to remember to take a birth control pill every day. I was never good at that, and the birth control pills always made me feel as if I had morning sickness. I was too busy with my new baby girl and my three-year-old son to be nauseous every day.
My scheduled Depo-Provera shot appointments went very quickly. I would go in, get weighed, and receive my injection. During each doctor visit I would schedule my next shot. I would always ask to come in a week ahead of time so the medication would not run out on me. I’m sure I would have been fine, I was just determined not to get pregnant again. My daughter had colic until she was a year old, so another pregnancy did not appeal to me.
I have heard the horror stories of women on Depo-Provera who gained a lot of weight while on the shot, or who bled a lot during the month. Depo-Provera is a synthetic hormone, so some women can expect to gain weight while using it. I never had these problems. Depo-Provera never caused me any weight gain. As for my periods, they completely stopped at the end of my second month of using the birth control shot. I never had any of the spotting I hear about, either.
Some women are very concerned about the fact that Depo-Provera can stop your monthly periods. For me, it’s been heaven. It gives me a lot of freedom and peace of mind by not having to worry about that business every month. Also, the PMS stopped for me. I always hated the monthly cramps and bloating. Depo-Provera stops the release of eggs from the ovaries, so you do not ovulate while on the birth control shot.
Still, it is not all rainbows and bunnies. Depo-Provera can reduce the amount of calcium in your bones with continued use. Smoking and drinking alcohol are not recommended while using Depo-Provera as your birth control method.
I have recently been told by my physician to start searching for a new birth control for myself. I have been using Depo-Provera for fourteen years and my doctor is worried about the condition of my bones. I was never warned about the loss of calcium from my bones back in 1993. I thought I would be using the birth control shot until I had finished menopause later in life. The Depo-Provera birth control shot has been a good experience for me and I hate to end it. But, my health is important to me, so I’ve been researching other options.
I would recommend this method of birth control to any woman seeking something easy and reliable. I would also advise women not to get discouraged too quickly after trying Depo-Provera for the first time. If you have problems, at least try going in for the second injection, then make your final decision. Give your body time to get used to it.
