depo-provera question

[baya]

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I've done a lot of reading about depo, but I still have a question I couldn't find a good answer too.

I've been on it for about a year. I'm considering going off of it for the summer because I won't be around my s.o. and might as well save the one or two hundred dollars.

Will going off depo for a month have any likely bad effects?

I got lucky with depo's side effects - would they have a significant chance of being different if I go off and then back on it? I'd like to keep my current set of side-effects, please. (No weight gain, no bleeding.)

Is it considered better for my body to clear the drug out of my system for a couple months, or is consistency better?

Thanks for any info!!!

 

[burlypie]

$100-200 for a shot of Depo?! 😱

Considering that depo is a once every three months shot, I'd just say stay on it. Who knows when you'll see your partnet for a weekend of something! Also, if you're not having any side effets, just go with consistency. Though it's not "bad" to go on and off, you might not like the hormonal changes.

Where do you live? If you don't have insurance *that covers depo * or if you have to pay for it and this extra cost is too high, try some kind of state program -- ask at your local planned parenthood if there's a cheaper way for you to get it.

 

[baya]

Thanks for your feedback.

Mostly I just want to make sure the GYN won't say "What, you just went off of this 2.5 months ago? Well then, we recommend that you stay off of it for another 6 months before getting another shot."

I'll be in Sweden/Norway for 2 months, while he's stateside, so I really know I won't see him during that time.

Planned Parenthood wants to charge me $180. That includes the initial exam, which I feel like I don't need because I've been on it and my prescription (for 5 shots) is still good. I wish they would give me the fifth shot without the exam.
Then it would only cost $55, which I would probably do.

Insurance-wise, I'm kinda in no-man's land, (or no-woman's land?) because my insurance is Kaiser, in California. I'm currently living in NY, but will be starting med school at USC (in LA) in the fall. So it doesn't make sense to sign up for some NY insurance at this point, (esp cause I'm going abroad for the summer anyway).

Kaiser has given me all the shots so far, and for free (aside from the monthly rates, of course). But I have no excuse to fly out to california right now.

So I think I won't get the shot. We'll just use condoms for a couple weeks until I leave, then when I arrive in LA in August, I'll get an exam (which I would have to do then anyway because the prescription for a year would be up) and start getting the shot again.

Hormonally, I actually didn't notice any big changes when I went on it. My menstral pattern changed, of course, but that's okay.

So I think I know my answer, but anyone with new info re: going on and off of Depo, please speak up soon. (My window ends on the 18th.)

Thanks!