I've been bleeding since a week after I got the shot I'm tired of it
Can you take the birth control pill while on depo to stop bleeding?
Question posted by Kaytlin holley on 16 Dec 2015
Last updated on 15 September 2019
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3 Answers
Wifey95
15 Sep 2019
I bled for 5 and a half months on depo. I'd just gotten married it really put a damper in our sex life. I was frustrated. A friend advised I take birth control pills . It took less than 3 days to stop the bleeding. The mood swings are crazy and nausea but for me it's better than the insistent bleeding
LousArk
15 Sep 2019
Hi there. Just in case you aren't aware, or others reading this are not aware...
That it's a lot of artificial hormone for your body, on its own, without adding more in the form of birth control pills. The longterm side effects may not be known. Always ask your doctor.
Also, when you are on Depo you are getting a specific dose of progesterone to stop you from getting pregnant. By adding in certain birth control pills, it could mean you're not as protected against pregnancy, because you're altering the balance, if you're talking about combination birth control pills, so check with your doctor that the ones you're adding in are not going to have that unwanted (or any other unwanted) effect.
The other thing is that it may prolong the side effects that you would otherwise have got over had you just stuck to the one drug. Your body is trying to adjust to the artificial hormone in Depo Provera, & now it has to deal with two drugs. That's more toxins for your body to deal with, &an extra burden on your liver.
It's normal to have bleeding until you have 2 to 3 shots, but if it's very heavy then your doctor may have to give you something to prevent anemia. I resisted adding in other drugs because of the risks above, & the unclear long term effects. Some women struggle for years to become pregnant after Depo, as it is. You can see that on threads on this group.
I hope it all works out for you. Thank you for your experience.
Regards.
Rionna
10 Jan 2018
I had major problems with the depo. Continuous bleeding up until my 4th shot & I finally got the pills to take with the shot bc my friend said that's what she had to do. I've stopped bleeding since the pills but bc of the pills ive been insanely nauseous & dizzy.
riojas3479
22 March 2018
Hi,, how long did you have to take the birth control pills for the depo bleeding to stop ? Did you have to keep taking them even when your bleeding stopped ???
LousArk
16 Dec 2015
Oh dear! You're tired of it after 1 week?! You can bleed intermittently & sometimes constantly until you've had at least 2 or 3 shots! Everyone is different, so there's no way of knowing how you'll react.
I bled heavily & it would be for several days per week, but it got better as I had each shot.
Kaytlin holley
16 Dec 2015
No, I had the shot a month ago I have bled for 3 weeks
LousArk
16 Dec 2015
Ah I see. I'm afraid it's very common. You can ask the Doctor to give you some tablets (Provera) to stop the bleeding, but putting more hormones in your body is not always the right way to get your body to accept the hormones it's already trying to balance. If you can stick it out, it could be better to try & do that.
I wouldn't be taking other birth control pills, on top of the Depo, because the way Depo works is to give you a very long lasting dose of progestin. To take a birth control to counteract the Depo bleeding, would mean taking one with oestrogen in it, & that kind of defeats the object of what the Depo is trying to do, which is to convince your body that it's pregnant, to prevent you from producing an egg each month. The oestrogen may encourage your body to produce the egg. You don't want to end up pregnant, by messing around with more hormones.
If it's very heavy bleeding, your doctor will need to monitor you, & may give you an iron supplement, to prevent you becoming anaemic (an iron deficiency that can make you feel weak & tired).
Definitely follow your Doctor's advice with this. It's not something to mess around with. you could get lots of side effects.
TheObviousAnswer
23 June 2016
My gynecologist gave me birth control pills to help stop the bleeding. This was last week (6/19/16) and it is safe to take while on depo. I didn't start the pills yet. I went to my regular family doctor yesterday and he also prescribed birth control pills and said that it is safe to take while on depo. So I started the pill today so hopefully it stops the bleeding. I am never getting depo again, even though I said that before. I am really so not getting it, there are better contraception alternatives. I've been bleeding 6 weeks plus on depo smh.
Mom40
14 March 2017
On my second round of the Depo. I have also been bleeding Jan 17, 2017. Went to the doctor March 10, 2017. My doctor also prescribed me some pill to stop the bleeding. She also had to put me on iron pills. So far I been taking them for 4 days and I'm still bleeding. Hopefully it stops soon. I take my 3Rd shot in April. I am so tired of it.
Healthmatters
24 April 2017
Hi there, I have bled for 6wks, this is a normal thing with the Depo inj. Wondering if any of you also have the period pain with the longterm bleeding or just the bleeding? Thanks in advance.
niyniy
30 June 2017
Hey is there anyone out there can help me I'm 26 got the depo shot same day of abortion? March the 3rd been bleeding ever 4months make tommar
Tets
28 April 2018
I had my first depo shot on January 1st 2018 and was supposed to have my second shot on 1st April 2018. I chose not to go on with the depo because I had to use to pills in order to regularise my periods for the three months I was on the depo.
Since have been off the depo my periods have also not come so am worried. My partner and I have had sex regularly so am scared I could be pregnant too?
Any response would be appreciated.
Thanks
Related topics
depo-provera, bleeding disorder, birth control, bleeding, birth control pills, pill
Further information
- Depo-Provera uses and safety info
- Depo-Provera prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Depo-Provera (detailed)
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