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Saturday, March 28, 2009

Depo Provera and Cervical Cancer

The reason I started this campaign with Depo Provera was due to a theory of mine since 1996. After my daughter was born, I received a "new" form of birth control available to the public called...you guessed it...Depo Provera. I was on medical assistance at the time and was 22 years of age (hence the research studies that targeted young, poverty stricken women). That was back in January of 1994, when I received my first injection.
Over the next few months, I had experienced irregular menstruation, nausea, abdominal pain, depression, and headaches. When I went for my second injection at the clinic, I was told by the midwife (no doctors) that those symptoms were common after childbirth, which I will admit, they are. So she gave me my second shot and I was sent home. That was late April 1994.
In June that year, I found myself bleeding non-stop as if my period had started and forgot to end (about 3 weeks straight). One night, I was in so much pain in my stomach region, that I ended up in the emergency room. I was later released and told to see a doctor (guess they meant no midwife) so i scheduled an appointment for a check-up. A month later, I was told that I was pregnant (yep, Depo helped a lot) and that my pap test had came back as abnormal and a biopsy would be needed. I went for the biopsy and it concluded that I did, in fact, have cervical cancer.

My son and I are both fine. We made it through the pregnancy and childbirth great....he was born March 22, 1995.

1 year later, I was working at a local diner talking to a co-worker of mine and found that she too had been diagnosed with cervical cancer and had also taken the Depo Provera shot. She informed me that a few of her friends had the exact same experience. Now I had put it all together back then, but it wasn't until recently when I started research on the internet about it.
I found that most information regarding the research and disadvantages of Depo Provera cannot be found on the Depo official site....which seemed very interesting to me.
Here are a few links for you:
  • From Depo Provera.com...click on "important patient information"...this is the link you get
  • From Depo Provera.com...click on "new important safety information...i cannot give you this link, because none appears
According to epigee.org, it states this:
"Other side effects include:
  • Change in menstruation (may be lighter or heavier; shorter or longer)
  • Increase in spotting and breakthrough bleeding
  • Weight gain
  • Dizziness
  • Nervousness
  • Change in libido
  • Headaches
  • Rash or skin discoloration
  • Breast tenderness
  • Depression
  • Increase or decrease in facial and body hair
  • Hair loss
Complications
Although they are rare, there are some serious health complications that can occur with the use of Depo-Provera. Users may have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer, but study results have been conflicting. Other possible complications include jaundice, blood clots, severe allergic reaction and infertility."

To end this post, I will leave you with one thought. If Depo Provera is so safe and effective, why are there so many lawyers that specialize in Depo Provera lawsuits?
Depo Provera attorneys

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

my wife died in 2010, 8 years after her depo shots - she had 3 of them. Sadly she nearly died of uterine cancer first, but then later her kidneys shut down and she had a blood clot on her heart - which is why she died..

god rest her soul, love nick and np

Anonymous said...

All of the side effects you listed are included in the medication guide with the depo injection from your pharmacist.

Bone loss is another that the literature includes but you have not.

Anonymous said...

I had my 3rd kid in September 2012 and decided to take Depo in October well I had a menstrual cycle for 3 months, so in Jan 2013 I thought maybe I should get the she gain because maybe my body needed to adjust..NOT I was bleeding until April and I didn't get another shot. I stopped having a menstrual cycle in May and June. July it was back. I was on 24 days then off a week and on again 15 days. finally I was given Norethindrone to stop the bleeding and I have an ultrasound. I hope all goes well!!

Anonymous said...

I had same Experience was on Depo Shot in High School Had Irregular periods i Would Bleed For 3 Wks At A Time. Went On In Life Had 1st Child Went For Exam And Had Abnormal Pap Smear come Back And was Told i Was In 4th Stage Of Cervical Cancer. Had Procedure Done Called Leep And lap Was Told I Would Have Harder Chance Of Getting Pregnant Again And Have Had 2 More Kids Since then But I Have Always Beleived It Was Frm That Depo Shot

Grace Rose said...

I was diagnosed with high risk HPV 3 months ago. At that time I was also told I had an abnormal pap but that it was low grade, CIN 1. I was told we could wait and watch because this is slow growing. Over the last 9 months, I have been on the Depo birth control months. My third shot wore off a month ago, and I decided not to continue with it because I experienced continuous bleeding. I am experiencing discharge which sometimes has a foul smell, and bleeding, some days dark, some days bright. I am now experiencing sharp pains and a dull ache in my lower stomach, swollen lymph nodes on my neck. Is depo the culprit or should I be concerned my CIN 1 has progressed?

Anonymous said...

Grace Hun, I was having the same issue until I couldn't take the pain any more. I finally went to a specialist, and got the biopsy, and yes, on april 2, it came back positive for cervical cancer, stage 2, at 4 inches in diameter. They want to give me chemo and radiation. Instead, I quickly changed my diet, and went pure GREEN! My pains have gotton much lighter, and i can bare it some what now!!! The odor has lighten up, and i dont bleed as much anymore!! I had my next pelvic exam on may 7th, and the MASS is now 2 inches in diameter. Gonna keep up withe the greens, and fruits, aalong with the pure herbal supplements, and see what happens my next exam.

Concerned female. said...

I was told few weeks ago that my pap came back positive for HPV and that I need to schedule a colposcopy exam to see if I have cancerous cells in cervix...I have been on the Depo shot for almost a year now and I do not know what to do or how to react to this...haven't shown any real symptoms , no bleeding or anything, ever since I been on Depo shot I've had no periods whatsoever...should this mean I'm not in the "cervical cancer" warning sign?

Anonymous said...

I too used Depo shots and in March 2015 was diagnosed with cervical cancer. In Aug 2015, I had to have a hysterectomy at the age of 33. Not having the option to ever have any more children has effected my emotionally and effected my relationship. I am not sure if the Depo was the cause but after reading that so many other women have going through this after having the shots I am thinking it might be. I asked a few doctors now if it could have been because of the shots and they all have given the "Depo is safe" speech. I am not believing them after all that is posted on medical sites even about the side effects. Wishing I would have never had the shots.

Me mfs said...

I took depo for 14 years straight I've been diagnosed with hpv I had to have a leep surgery done because it causes cervical cancer I'm patiently waiting for a recall and a lawsuit I would like to know if depo is linked to edema swelling of the legs and ankles I've had this problem as along a I've been on depo my entire childhood

Anonymous said...

I been on/off the depo for 10 years now with no periods. A lot of these comments sound like one wants to blame the shots (depo) but really you should be looking into hvp which is known for causing cervical cancer. I had hpv when I was younger while on the depo; lucky for me my body fought it off and it didn't develop into cancer. For people that got pregnant while using the shot it only makes me wonder when did you get the shot? There's a 2 week window however if you get it closer to the second date medical professional give you then you are more likly to get pregnent because its out of your system which is why i always get mine on day 1 and never had any unwanted pregnancies. So I'm not sure if I believe that its link to cervical cancer when it was stated by others that they also had hpv.

Unknown said...

I too in 1994 started on the depo shot right after giving birth to my daughter. Months later I started having complications. Had an abnormal pap,then biopsies, then diagnosed with cancer. I got a 2nd opinion and had a hysterectomy done. I feel the shotime had a lot to do with it. I'll never forget waiting at my doctors appointment a few ladies were there that I knew.I asked them why were they there. They all said the same thing. They had abnormal paps and they too were on the depo shot. My mouth fell open on shock. I thought I was the only one that felt this way. We were at a county hospital by the way.

Depo user said...

I feel the same way. I was diagnosed with HPV and precancerous cells at 21 shortly after a miscarriage. I had begun the depo shot at the same appointment where I was given the pap smear that would give me this diagnosis. My healthcare provider told me after a colposcopy that I would need to come back in 6 months to see how things looked. Fast forward a year and a half, still on the depo, and get a clean bill of health as far as the HPV. Apparently my body had fought it off. I know this isn't the case with everyone, maybe I was one of the lucky ones, but I don't think the depo caused any of these negative effects for me, or else my cervix wouldn't have healed without treatment. Good luck to all of you experiencing these complications, though. I personally know how scary it can be. I wish the best to each of you.

Depo user said...

Also, I would like add- For those of you ladies who were pregnant or had children at the time of or before your diagnosis of pre/cancerous cervical cells, I found in doing some research that the hormones your body produces during pregnancy can cause issues like this to progress more rapidly than they would have otherwise.

Anonymous said...

I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1993 after being on deposit for 5 years. Back then my doctor told me there were no side effects. I ended up having a hysterectomy with no other option as it was stage 4. I take migraine prevention meds every day now and have for as long as I can remember and I have degenerative disc disease that I have already had to have surgery for. I always felt like the shots were the reason I got cervical cancer but back then no one would admit anything.....

Unknown said...

I know it's the depo shot my daughter used the shot and now she has stage 3 cervical cancer and before this she had a blood clot in her lung. where is the lawsuit i want to file a complaint.

Anonymous said...

I was diagnosed w cervical dysplasia at 17 after receiving the deposit shot! The doctors swore they were not related. Then after my 3rd kid I got it again n back to the doctors I go w abnormal cells n cervical dysplasia all over again! I know for a fact it is related cause I have not took it n 10 years n after I have not had any abnormal paps since.

Anonymous said...

Depo doesn't cause HPV, HPV is a sexually transmitted disease (virus may be more appropriate) ...... Why would you stay on depo if you suspected it caused swelling in legs and ankles. Generally someone who has adverse reactions after starting something new stops it. If problems persist for a while after that they get it checked out by a doctor. I've had nothing but good experiences with depo. No weight gain, no swelling, no menstrual bleeding. Spotting occassionally usually when I'm close to my next injection date, healthy reminder really. I did read stories and it sucks how many have constant bleeding. I've heard that getting the injection in the hip can cause that side effect more often and also not starting it when you're on or within a day or two of stopping your period. I got it mid cycle once and bleed more often, missed my next injection by two months and went back right around my cycle end and the bleeding stopped completely.

Unknown said...

No I was on the depo 5 yrs ..and at 26 they said I had abnormal cells..next stage cancer...then they took my uterus

Anonymous said...

I also had the depot shot for one year in 1996. During that year I had a abnormal pap and and had a biopsy done and was told I had HPV I immediately stopped taking that shot I am now 38 and have had no abnormal paps in 22 years if I had stayed on that shot any longer there’s no doubt in my mind I would have cervical cancer today. To those ladies who quote that HPV is just a sextualy transmitted disease are brain washed sorry. Do you think that this would ever be admitted to the public that this was the cause of it? do you know how broke most doctors would be if all the women who decided to try this new birth control shot were dieing or dead because of it?? If you are on the depot shot stop taking it please!!!