Talking to the GP about BC

So I'm laughing a little at my subject line (so many initials!) but I'll get to the point, and any advice is greatly appreciated.

I've been on the depo shot for 5 years now (minus a 6 months break from it about 2 years ago). Now I'm fully aware of the studies that show it can put you at greater risk for osteoporosis (I take my calcium tablets faithfully). But someone said to me the other day it can greatly reduce your fertility if you're on it more than 2 years. Now I've looked into this a little and from what I've seen it doesn't have too much of a measurable impact on fertility later on. Anyone else heard about this?

I was thinking of going to my GP and speaking to her about my options. I would be more than willing to switch to another method of BC if it's better for my future fertility, but with the pill I'm worried I'd forget or take it at the wrong time. I do want kids in a few years, but right now wouldn't be the best. So I just like to be sure of things

The depo shot has worked really well for me and I'm happy with is (no major side effects). Do you think talking to the GP would get me some more information? I just want to hear their medical opinion on being on the depo shot for several years. If anybody here has any information on this, that'd be great as well.

If you're in a city, you can also go to your local Family Planning Clinic without a referral from the GP.

hopefully you'll have better luck- but my GP was pretty clueless when it cames to different forms of BC... i felt like i was educating them more than the other way.

i have found the nurses much better- the suggestion of a FPC is a good one.  is there one in your area... look on nhs website to see if there is one.

as for the particular form of BC- i'm on the patch- once a week- good for me.

Hi there!  Just to throw my two cents in...I was on and off depo for twelve years - minus a year long break about half-way through when I tried the pill again..(god I am terrible at remembering to take pills!!! And the nausea -ugh!!!)  Anyway - I went off Depo in April of 2006, due to my doc in the US suggesting the osteoperosis risk as well, and due to a series of events I didn't start another method of birth control...Fast forward to May 2007 and I got pregnant without any special effort!  I'm not an expert by any means, but I believe that if you look at the main ingredients in Depo, they are the same as in the progesterone only "mini-pill"...Also, I think the pregnancy statistics for women coming off the pill and coming off Depo tend to be very similar at one and two years off the birth control method... I have actually started to wonder who funded the Depo-osteoperosis study - was it a BC pill manufacturer?  And I would question whether the same study has been performed to prove/disprove a link between any hormonal birth control method (ie the pill) and osteoperosis...

I'd say, do what feels right to you.... Oh and in the osteoperosis risk minimization, my doctor recommended the calcium supplements in conjunction with regular weight-bearing exercise...

I remember when I was on Depo back in 2001(ish) I was told by the nurses that once I stopped taking Depo to wait about 6 months before trying to have kids to allow all the chemicals / hormones (whatever) out of my system fully...  Maybe that's what they meant when they told you reduced fertility?   

I know that some women are just affected more by the horomones. 

They told my bf that she would have to plan to come off the pill at least 8 months before she wanted to have children because it disturbed her own natural cycle so much.   

Thanks for all the replys and advice. I'm still far enough away from having children that the aspect of getting pregnant taking longer (time between going off the depo and getting pregnant) is ok with me. I'll have to see if there's a FPC nearby. I live out in the country, but one shouldn't be too far away.

I'm not an expert by any means, but I believe that if you look at the main ingredients in Depo, they are the same as in the progesterone only "mini-pill"......

they are both progesten-based.  but they have much, much different levels of this hormone, the mini-pill has far, far less which is why it is a less effective form of birth control than Depo (well, that and hte fact that with Depo you don't have to worry about taking a pill everyday).

the osteoperosis risk of ANY type of birth control which stops a woman from menstruating entirely is very, very real.

two GYNs at the FPC ruled out Depo for me because of my post-natal depression and hypertension, but agreed mini-pill was okay for me to try.

i did.

it was a total disaster!

let's just say, i'm so glad i didn't try the depo!

yeah, I need to find some form of BC here. I don't want anymore kids (2 is great, but enough) and I had cholestasis during pregnancy which is triggered by hormones so I need a very low or non-hormonal birth control option. I was going to get Mirena (IUD) before I left the US but I didn't have a chance. I need to check if there's something similar or better here.

the osteoperosis risk of ANY type of birth control which stops a woman from menstruating entirely is very, very real.

I am a bit concerned about this.  I always ask the nurse in my FPC about this, and she has always told me that it is not a problem.  Have I been miss-informed?

Vicky

Yeah, I agree that it seems that a FPC/GUM clinic would be a good place to get advice. I remember mentioning in a previous post that I had my last depo shot in January. I just got my period back this month (after around 4 years of not having it!) and I went to the nurse on campus to get some advice. She was really nice and reassured me that my symptoms were all normal and that it would probably take a few months to get my cycles regular. She said she works at a GUM clinic and gives information about fertility awareness method (FAM).

I hope you get some good advice. I am interested in the topic as well. From what I have researched, it does not seem like enough research is done on this topic. The bottom line seems to be that every woman is different (yeah, it's vague).