Losing Weight After Taking Depo-provera

Depo-Provera, the brand name of the medication medroxyprogesterone acetate, is a birth control medication delivered by injection. The shot is given once every three months to prevent pregnancy. While the medication is quite effect, a common side effect is weight gain. Women who have gained weight on this medication can shed those pounds by dieting and exercising after stopping their use of the drug.

Depo-Provera and Weight Gain

Gaining weight is a common side effect of Depo-Provera. In clinical studies, women who took Depo-Provera for one year gained an average of 5.4 lb. from an initial average body weight of 136 lb. Women who stayed on the medication longer gained even more weight. Those who stayed on the medication for two years gained an average of 8.1 lb. Those who stayed on it for four years gained an average of 13.8 lb and those who completed six years on the medication gained an average of 16.5 pounds. During these studies, approximately 2 percent of the women who participated discontinued their participation based on their excessive weight gain. The weight gain could be because the medication delivers a higher dose of progesterone than other hormonal methods of contraception, but more research is needed to confirm this.

Birth Control After Depo-Provera

If you are interested in losing weight after discontinuing the use of Depo-Provera, you may want to consider switching to a non-hormonal form of contraception. Women who switched to a non-hormonal form of contraception after Depo-Provera lost an average of approximately 3 lb. over two years, while those who took oral contraceptives gained 3 additional pounds, according to the 2008 study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Considerations

Depo-Provera is a long-acting birth control. It may take some time for the effects of the medication to wear off after discontinuing treatment. Attempting to lose weight immediately after discontinuing the medication may be more difficult than if you were to begin your weight-loss plan a few months after stopping. This is not to say that immediate weight loss is not possible, it just may be more difficult.

Losing the Weight

Weight loss occurs when you consistently burn more calories than you consume. Although a number of factors need to be considered to determine how many calories you need in a typical day, online calculators can assist you in obtaining this number relatively easily. A doctor or nutritionist can also provide this information. Once you know the approximate number of calories you use in a day, you need to figure out a way to create a calorie deficit. You can do this by eating fewer calories than this number, or you can increase your activity level through exercise so you burn more calories in a day, or you can do both. Although the weight-loss process is simple, it does not mean that it is easy. Consider getting the support of family and friends, or joining a formal weight-loss program so you will be more likely to hold yourself accountable for your weight loss goals.