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

Depo Provera...Fight for Approval

Even though one of the first application for the FDA to approve Depo Provera was in 1973, the contraceptive drug was not approved until years later. During that span, numerous tests and research were performed on both animals and humans by the company responsible for it, Pfizer.
Some of these studies consisted of experiments on dogs (which proved to cause breast cancer tumors) and monkeys (where the results were endometrial cancer in 1 out of 6). However, these tests were later reported to be inconclusive since they were tested on animals and not humans.
personal note: if tests would have been fine, would they have used the results then?
According to Upjohn and NCI, who performed their own research, cervical cancer in women was increased 9 times more than those not given Depo Provera. Upjohn's study extended over an 11 year span and was deemed questionable due to "sloppy record keeping".
Their testing was localized to the Atlanta Georgia area and was centered on mostly illiterate, poverty stricken, or mentally challenged women. In the study, it was proven that some of the women died due to cancer and some died from suicide brought on by depression (one of the side effects of Depo Provera). Unfortunately, the experiment which consisted of 13,000 women, was never considered as concrete and was disregarded. Depo Provera was finally approved by the FDA on October 29, 1992 despite all the controversy surrounding it.

Depo Provera Pros and Cons

If you or someone you know is thinking of using Depo Provera, please read the following information. There are many reasons women choose to use the contraceptive, but we must also weigh in the problems associated with it.

Pros

1. you get an injection only once every 3 months.
2. menstruation has either stopped or became less frequent in some women
3. you won't have to worry about remembering pills, applying patches or inserting your diaphragm right before intercourse.
4. it is 97% -99% effective against pregnancy
5. contains no estrogen
6. cramping and pain associated with menstruation may be lessened
7. you may still conceive after stopping Depo Provera (though it may take up to 18 months after)
8. it is safe for nursing mothers
9. it is generally less expensive than other forms of birth control
10. it is effective 24 hours after your first dose

Cons

1. does not protect against STD's
2. some women have had heavier and more frequent menstruation during use
3. may cause you to lose calcium in your bones. longer exposure means greater loss that you may not get back.
4. most women experience weight gain in the first year and an increase in body fat
5. is still not approved in certain countries
6. may cause abdominal pain and discomfort
7. may cause headaches
8. increased fatigue is shown in some women
9. breast cancer tumors were found in dogs that were given Depo Provera in research studies
10. it caused endometrial cancer in 1 out of 6 monkeys in research studies

Like I said, this is just a list of some advantages and disadvantages of the usage of Depo Provera Contraception Injection. I suggest that if anyone is considering this form of birth control, to do more research on the drug. And also follow this blog for more posts about the health risks and history of Depo Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate)

Depo Provera Awareness

This is the start of my crusade against the contraceptive drug known as Depo Provera (also known as medroxyprogesterone acetate). As of right now, I will just have a brief summary as to topics I will be touching on as far as how this drug effects women's health.
In the upcoming posts, I intend to apply the following results:

1. Depo Provera pros and cons
2. History of Depo Provera and the struggle for approval in the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
3. The connection between Depo Provera and cancer in women
4. The experimental period (which lasted 20 years)
5. Why some countries still have not approved Depo Provera

As a 2 time survivor of cervical cancer, it is my belief that this drug has caused numerous health problems in women globally. It is a theory that I have had since I was first diagnosed with cancer in 1995 and have continued to have problems since.
I sincerely hope that the posts listed above will be followed and help to inform other women about the real risks associated with the contraceptive injection.
The first post will begin tomorrow and hopefully, if all goes well, the others will follow 1 per day after that.