Product Review: Depo Provera Birth Control Shot

What is the Depo Provera Shot? The Depo Provera Shot is commonly called the Birth Control Shot. You get a shot in your behind, hip or arm every three months.

Pros: I found some of the pros of the Depo Provera Shot to be that you only have to have a shot every three months. So you don't have to worry about remembering to take a pill every day and you don't have to run to the store to stock up on condoms or refill your prescription of oral contraceptives. Also another pro is that is commonly stops your period for the entire 3 months. The Depo Provera Shot is typically less expensive than three months of oral contraceptives.

Cons: The Depo Provera shot does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. It is an overabundance of hormones and does have side effect such as headaches, weight gain, sore breasts, mood swings, bloating, hot flashes etc. You can have spotting or bleeding while on the Depo Provera shot and in most cases the side effects that you have will last the entire length of the shot so for about three months.

My personal experience: The first time I had the Depo Provera shot, I was excited to not have to remember to take any birth control pills. I was in a monogamous relationship so I was not worried about sexually transmitted diseases. The shot was uncomfortable and my arm was sore for a few days but the more I used my arm the less it hurt.

Three months later, after my next shot, I began to have spotting. Pretty soon, I was spotting every day. The hot flashes got worse and worse. Soon I was having severe mood swings. I started having acne break outs. I felt bloated all the time. All in all I gained about thirty pounds.

The most concerning part of my experience was that after I quit taking the Depo Provera shot my husband and I wanted to conceive a child. It took 9 months for my period to return. My periods were very irregular. But I did manage to conceive a child.

I don't really recommend the Depo Provera shot to anyone that thinks they may want to conceive in the future. The time after I was done with Depo Provera and waiting for my period was a long torturous experience and I don't wish that on my worst enemy.