THE SHOT!!!, 18+ please Options

[acenova]

Sorry if this is deemed innappropriate! I was curious if anyone knows much about the shot! The only supposed (99.99%) full proof contraceptive technique for women where they can't get pregnant. Whats the word on this? What do you guys think?! Is it for real?! Does it work?!

[forkee]

how old are u? lol

yes it works. depo provera is a good (and fun) contraceptive technique. it doesnt prevent transmission of stds, its contraception only. if u have one solid partner, thats ur best bet.

i can think of at least 4 females that can attest to its abilities.

but i must warn u, it does have its side affects. it slows down the production of estrogen and may increase mood swings. it will lighten her period or may stop it altogether. spotting may occur. it can also decrease sex drive. so, if ur willing to take those risks, then go for it.

if u want to drop the 18+, just retitle the thread "depo provera aka the shot". as far as i know, 15 year olds can get treatment.

This post has been edited by forkee: Oct 11, 2005 - 4:09 PM

[Jen]

VERY effective.. yet terrible side effects. Weight loss, breakouts (big zits too, not little ones). Hated it. It lasts 3 months.. so I couldn't exactly get off of it.

[LewFX]

my ex took the shot and had the side effects, worse time of my life and broke up with her in the end. she now cannot have children thanks to the shot. so be very cautious.

[forkee]

VERY effective.. yet terrible side effects. Weight loss, breakouts (big zits too, not little ones). Hated it. It lasts 3 months.. so I couldn't exactly get off of it.
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weight loss? the side effects are supposed to include weight gain, hahaha. u got lucky.

my ex took the shot and had the side effects, worse time of my life and broke up with her in the end. she now cannot have children thanks to the shot. so be very cautious.
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yea my ex took it and went crazy. it was like she was on ritalin one minute, and caffeine the next. it made me psycho, i couldnt handle it.

sadly, the side effects vary between women, so u really dont know what to expect. fortunately my gf hasnt had any yet, and its been 3 weeks so far. *crosses fingers*

[bloodrain]

[SIZE=14] CONDOM, AND DONT DO YOUR "STUFF" INSIDE OF IT

[Galcobar]

There's also the issue of bone density. Women naturally have issues with loss of bone density later in life -- osteoperosis -- and it's during the late teens and early twenties when a woman is supposed to be solidifying her bone structure.

Depo prevera has been shown to basically stop the body from building or even maintaining bone density, and that lost density is not recovered after the shot wears off.

[celicarocker]

i sooo thought this was going to be about the money shot

[kristinw85]

Ok ok let's brake this down for the boys in the group... the shot (depo) in my opinion is the best birth control out there. Yes, it's 99.9% effective. One shot every 3 monthst is all you have to do. I have been on it for 4 years. I had a period for the first year then after that it went away all together I haven't had one for like 3 years. The doctors say you shouldn't be on it for any longer that 5 years so sadly this is my last year. I have never noticed any of the side effects, but I love not have that crap each month and so does my boyfriend of almost 3 years. They also say that once you quit getting the shot it is hard to get pregnant. Just because it's 99.9% doesn't mean you can blow your "stuff" in it. I'm sure anyone could do a little research on it on WebMD or Yahoo! Well, I love the shot, haven't had any bad experiences yet

[Consynx]

lmao, me too actually.
never heard of this
and i'm really confused why Jen woulda been taken it...but w/e

Crazy science.

[Jen]

Oops, meant WEIGHT GAIN.

I went from 98 to 125 in no time. I was disgusting.

[Jen]

lmao, me too actually.
never heard of this
and i'm really confused why Jen woulda been taken it...but w/e

Crazy science.
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um, okay?

[Dr_Tweak]

My wife tried it also, it was terrible. The worst part of our sex life ever was during those three months!

Lately we've been sticking with Trojan Ultra Thin, and I'll tell you, I feel very secure using them and there are no side effects to worry about. I can't even tell that I'm wearing it.

-Doc

[Valo666]

Oops, meant WEIGHT GAIN.

I went from 98 to 125 in no time. I was disgusting.
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Yea my buddy rob's gf gained a crap load of weight from the shot 2. She was around 105 and hit 130 in less than a month, didnt change her eating habbits. It was weird.

[creis]

I dont think the chance of thoes side effects are worth it, it seems like the easy way to a safe night is avioided so offen, why. is it so bad to have to slip one on? I understand that its not the best thing in the word (appose to going raw dowg) but its just so easy, that or the pill (witch also has side effects, although not as bad to my knolage) I just think that if the risk is making her emotionaly unstable (more so then normal) and very unhappy/un-healthy how does that outwaigh the gain?

although its cool to hear that not everyone gets any side effects, just remember that is goes both ways. and there is no way to tell if there are or are not gana be side effects untill its too late.

[Mike]

why is this post titled 18+ ?

[ILuvMyCelica95]

From reading all this it doesnt sound worth it at all. I say go with the pill and a condom.

[Jen]

yep. the pill is probably your best bet.

[celicagurl152003]

personally the shot is not a very good option in my opinion....was on it for 1 year and has allergic reaction was in the hospital off and on for two months (sense once it's in your system it's alittle hard to get it back out) gained weight real bad gained like 50 lbs....not good had rashes and stuff ran fever, I also personally know a friend of the family that was on the shot and had gotten pregnant....never good....anyhow i definatly say use the pill or condom...much much safer

[ILuvMyCelica95]

^ i agree, but i think people should use BOTH.

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

Yea its best to just use both....theres been times that I'm VERY glad that I had a backup because you don't want to have to worry about that sort of thing or have it on the back of your mind. Its no fun.

Besides, condoms really arent that bad aside from the fact that I HATE the smell of latex....but I do like the sense of extra protection and not having to worry while in the heat of things. I'm going to try the Ultra Thin like Dr_Tweak said, the ones I have now feel like you stuffed your junk into PVC piping....

[BlackCelicaGT94]

I think the shot is lame - it takes away ur period and im sorry i like to have mine monthly because then i know for sure im not pregnant. Plus they dont know the long term effects of going months without having ur period. I say take the pill and use a condom!

[Jen]

The long term effects of not having your period = becoming infertile.

[brianforster]

it really varies per person.

some girls are fine with the shot

theres also the patch, the ring, the pill..

the least dangerous being the pill, because you have to take it more often.

generally with birth control for women the lowest risk ones have the most work involved, so it all depends on how responsible you are.

[acenova]

Hey guys, thanks for the input. Sorry I haven't kept up with it, busy day yesterday. Yea, all in all, the girl I'm dating I met about 3-4 months ago, and she says shes been on it for a few years (not sure how many). The reason I was asking is because I just had sex with her for the first time the other day, which was also only my 3rd or 4th time doing it without the condom. Granted it felt great, was still a little worried about it. As far as side effects go, she seems to be unaffected. She's actually lost quite a bit of weight in the past year, and looks great, and doesn't seem to have any negative side effects (fortunately). But I figured I'd ask you guys a lil on it. thanks for the input, some of the stuff worries me for her though, like never getting pregnant. Not sure if thats an option she wants or is thinking about at this point in her life, but that would suck for her if she never could.

P.S. I put the 18+ in here because for one, these conversations could get a lil more graphic, 2) kids under 18 shouldn't really know what I'm talking about, and if you do, WEAR PROTECTION DAMNIT!!! and 3) wasn't sure if it was an appropriate topic for the forums.

[forkee]

haha, u want more graphical huh. well i only do it raw. condoms suck. i had a durex break on me cuz i guess it had a leak. plus if its super wet down there, u cant feel jack crap with a condom. there has to be some friction. plus i alternate between actual and oral sex throughout the "act", rubber's smell and leave a nasty taste on the kitty. as long as u stick to one partner and can trust them to do the same, the unsheathed method is the best way to go. after sex, u dont have to worry about spilling. 2nd rounds dont require extra care. plus theres nothing hotter than picturing ur woman walkin around with a lil pimp juice from ya.

o yea, the shot is only meant to be taken for 2 years at a time. bone loss is an unfortunate certain side effect. women who have used the shot may not get pregnant for a year after treatment. i dont think it causes unfertility. if it did, some organization would have rallied against it decades ago. just give the body some time to return to normal and she should be good to go. the patch just looks uncomfortable like what if it itches underneath but u cant scratch it. seems like a band aid. plus u have to find a new spot to stick it to every week. the pill is too tedious. u have to take it at the same time every day. if u skip the plecebo (reminder) pills u can skip ur period. REMEMBER: smoking and increased alcohol consumption lessens the effect of any medication and could make one sick. thats where the 1% of users become pregnant. they werent letting the medicine do its job.

if there was a quarterly annual bc shot for guys, hell id do it.

This post has been edited by forkee: Oct 13, 2005 - 4:17 PM

[Galcobar]

They're working on a male contraceptive.

As for the issue of infertility "i dont think it causes unfertility. if it did, some organization would have rallied against it decades ago." that would only work if Depo Prevara had been around for decades. It's still new enough to be under patent protection.

[forkee]

my bad, i was thinking of the pill. im just saying depo provera has been approved by some federal regulated organization because it has been proven NOT to be life altering enough to cause infertility, otherwise it would not be as widespread as it is today.

[sakara]

everyone I've heard of that has used depo have had horrible side effects... i was going to get on it a while back but decided against it when the Dr's said it can cause both physical and mental issues in some women... I'm on the pill... Only thing about it though... DON"T take antibiotics and have sex while on the pill... makes the pill not work, lol. As I know from experiance But yea... I never had any problems on the pill until I had antibiotics... It works great and never had any problems with it

[Galcobar]

my bad, i was thinking of the pill. im just saying depo provera has been approved by some federal regulated organization because it has been proven NOT to be life altering enough to cause infertility, otherwise it would not be as widespread as it is today.
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As in the same way Vioxx was proven NOT to have any long-term negatives?

Unfortunately, like most things created by humans, the drug testing regimen followed in even the most advanced states is hardly perfect. For instance, the long-term effects of Depo Prevara on bone density were not noted during the clinical trials the pharmaceutical company ran to gain approval. Whether that's because it didn't show up, or because of who was running the trial, is a matter of opinion.

[forkee]

like everyone has said, it varies between individual. vioxx got recalled because it was harmful to EVERY user. if EVERY woman became infertile from depo provera, then it too would be pulled off the shelf. but when prescribed to certain women who are less prone to its side effects, the benefits of the shot outweigh the hazards. the warning labels are out there. theyre on the box. whether or not people heed them, its their choice. thats what appeals to today's society..choice. having the shot as an option of birth control is important considering the amount of people who would have generally picked another method which they didnt like and end up not as satisfied.

[Galcobar]

Actually, Vioxx got recalled because it was potentially harmful. It did not give everybody who used it a stroke or heart attack. Many people used it and similar painkillers with no negative side effects. The problem was actually that there was an increased RISK of heart attack or stroke if you used Vioxx or other cox-2 inhibitors. That risk of harm was the reason for it being pulled.

Actually, I can't find direct evidence or testing that indicates an established long-term risk of infertility after using Depo Provera. The expectation is that there will be difficulty for 12-18 months after discontinuing the shot.

As for side effects that have been established:

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS AND RISKS OF USING DEPO-PROVERA®?
Depo-Provera®, like all other medications, has many potential side effects.  Each woman's response to the medication will differ, depending on her own body chemistry.  It is impossible to predict who will or will not experience a certain effect.  It is important to remember that once the medication is injected, side effects cannot be neutralized or reversed. Side effects include:

Bone Density - Women who use Depo-Provera® may lose significant bone mineral density. Bone loss is greater with increasing duration of use and may not be completely reversible. It is unknown if use of Depo-Provera® during adolescence or early adulthood, a critical period of bone development, will reduce peak bone mass and increase the risk of osteoporotic fracture in later life. Depo-Provera® should be used as a long-term birth control method (e.g., longer than two years) only if other birth control methods are inadequate.

Smoking may further decrease the levels of calcium stored in the bone.  It is very important that a woman's diet contain adequate calcium intake (1200-1500 mg per day). Although there are no studies addressing whether or not calcium and vitamin D may lessen bone marrow density (BMD) loss in women using Depo-Provera®?, all patients should have adequate calcium and vitamin D intake. Calcium supplements may be used if one cannot attain the recommended dietary intake.

Menstrual Changes - This is the most common side effect experienced.  The amount of bleeding may vary from irregular or unpredictable spotting and light bleeding to no bleeding at all.  With increasing duration of use, frequency and length of bleeding episodes usually decrease.  In clinical studies, 55% of the women reported no menstrual bleeding after one year of use.  Occasionally a woman will experience daily bleeding or bleeding may be heavier than a usual period, and this should be reported to the health care clinician.  This side effect is related to the effect of the DMPA on the ovaries and uterine lining.

Depression - Depo-Provera® may cause moodiness and feelings of depression.  This may be worse in women who have had depression in the past and may make it more difficult to treat active depression.  If a woman is on antidepressant medications, she should discuss this carefully with all of her health care providers.

Weight Gain - Depo-Provera® users may experience an increased appetite.  The average weight gain is approximately five pounds in the first year and eight pounds after two years of use.  A healthy diet and regular exercise will help decrease weight gain.

Other side effects that may occur include increased headaches, decreased sex drive, breast tenderness, acne, abdominal/pelvic cramps, bloating, hair loss or slow hair growth, vaginal dryness, fatigue and insomnia.  If you experience any of these side effects or others that you think may be related to the Depo-Provera®, you should contact your health care clinician.

This post has been edited by Galcobar: Oct 14, 2005 - 10:50 PM

[Jen]

haha, u want more graphical huh. well i only do it raw. condoms suck. i had a durex break on me cuz i guess it had a leak. plus if its super wet down there, u cant feel jack crap with a condom. there has to be some friction. plus i alternate between actual and oral sex throughout the "act", rubber's smell and leave a nasty taste on the kitty. as long as u stick to one partner and can trust them to do the same, the unsheathed method is the best way to go. after sex, u dont have to worry about spilling. 2nd rounds dont require extra care. plus theres nothing hotter than picturing ur woman walkin around with a lil pimp juice from ya.
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I totally agree with you here. Condoms completely suck. I've had one slip off before.. and get stuck INSIDE me.. and we didn't notice until it was over.. and the condom magically wasn't there..?

I've been on the pill now for a while now, and I love it. Although, I may be getting off of it soon. When Tom and I get married in February, we might want to start our own family.

[forkee]

dood....ur starting to piss me off....just what the **** is ur point

[Dr_Tweak]

What's all this about condoms breaking and falling off? I've used condoms for coming up on two years now with my wife, I've NEVER had one break, slip off, or any of the like.

I think maybe a lot of it has to do with how you put it on, you need to make sure it's installed right. The instructions are on the box

I suppose it also helps when you fill the condom up all the way... Regular condoms on me are tight to the point that I have to make sure it's on before I'm fully... enlarged... so that's probably why they never slip off

[Galcobar]

My point? Accurate information. Health decisions shouldn't be made based on rumour and supposition.

[forkee]

im just giving my opinion like everyone else. yet u constantly shoot down my observations. do u even have any experience from using the shot? u want accurate information? i give accurate information, information about MY experiences on depo provera, ortho tricyclen, and condoms. and thats what the whole thread was about, peoples real life experiences with the shot, not just copy and paste medical information. everyone has access to that. he wasnt asking for that.

[Galcobar]

vioxx got recalled because it was harmful to EVERY user

im just saying depo provera has been approved by some federal regulated organization because it has been proven NOT to be life altering enough to cause infertility

These aren't actually accurate statements, nor are they opinions where some latitude is expected.

And the quote I pulled for Depo Prevara was for the simple reason -- nobody had actually quoted researched literature, just what they'd heard, in regards to the researched effects of Depo Prevara.

I cannot, and have not attempted to, comment on Depo Prevara from a personal point of view. However, I do have the basic research skills to pull up established information and share it. Were I interested in sharing unsubstantiated information, I could link a batch of sites where women complain of side effects.

BTW, if you dislike latex condoms, have you tried polyurethane? Rather more advanced material, with no smell or taste and being much stronger, is much thinner in condom form than the traditional rubber compound.