Deprovera - Don`t Do It!

I am 30 years old and have been off the depo shot for about a year. I took the shot twice over a six month period and then decided not to continue as I had a lot of negative side effects.

One of the main side effects of the shot was that I was bleeding for six months straight. Once I stopped taking the shot my period lightened but still have never been regular. I would have a period some months and not at all during others.

Since I started taking the depo shot I began to have very bad depression. I was sad all the time and always felt on the verge of tears. I began seeing a counselor to attempt to get through it. I ended up quitting my job of 5+ years with no plan for the future. The depression has gotten better over time.

A month ago I found out that I was pregnant. I was surprised and very excited. At first I had some cramping in my lower stomach and my depression was starting to come back. I assumed this was normal due to the pregnancy as my raging hormones. My life could not be better.

When I found out that I was pregnant I had an ultra sound and other tests that reflected a healthy pregnancy. Within 30 days I was back in the emergency room with light bleeding and cramping. They did another ultra sound which reflected that my baby no longer had a heart beat. I then had to go in for a D&C (Dilatation and Curettage) to have the baby removed. Needless to say I am devastated!

My cousin became pregnant around the same time as I did and she also lost her baby in the same way. She has had several miscarriages over the last year. She was previously on the depo shot as well.

I know that women have miscarriages everyday but it seems strange that both of us would experience the same exact situation. We both have two healthy children and have never had complications with pregnancy in the past. And now after taking the depo shot we both are having miscarriages. It just does not make sense.

I am going to have additional testing done to ensure that I do not have permanent damage to my eggs. But I am very upset as this information was never disclosed as a side effects of getting the depo shot. I was given a small pamphlet to read prior to getting the shot. And there was never any mention about a risk of miscarriage or problem pregnancies.

There has to be something that can be done about this. I do not know what I would do if I could never have another child as a result to getting the Depo-Provera shot!