Medroxyprogesterone symptoms and conditions

Increase in POCS and obesity due to young-age use of progesterones?2 March 2006

Ellen C G Grant,
physician and medical gynaecologist
Kingston-upon-Thames, KT2 7JU, UK
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Re: Increase in POCS and obesity due to young-age use of progesterones?
Professor Balen and colleagues write that PCOS is increasing because more women are becoming obese.1 Progesterone use can cause rapid weight gain and many adolescent girls therefore refuse to continue taking the Pill.
In an attempt to cut the numbers of unplanned teenage pregnancies more longer-acting forms of progesterone are being used. Unfortunately depo medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) caused significantly greater weight gain with longer use in adolescent girls than the Pill. After 18 months obese girls gained 9 kg while non-obese girls gained 4 kg. The authors considered that the potential contribution of DMPA to severe obesity in adolescents is concerning.2 DMPA is reported to have no inherent oestrogenic or androgenic effects, which suggests that weight gain induced by DMPA is a progestogenic effect.
Use of progestogens can also increase the risk of PCOS. In the Walnut Creek Contraceptive Drug Study significantly more oral contraceptive users aged 18-39 had non-functioning ovarian cysts than never users (50/7506 with 4/2556).3 Fewer functioning cysts would be expected in users of progestogens designed to stop ovaries functioning. Use of fertility drugs can also cause ovarian cysts.
Progestogen use also increases the risk of diabetes. In a study of 210 women taking 150 µg levonorgestrel and 30 µg ethinyl oestradiol, 60% had stopped by 15 months and only 8% were current users at 3 years. Glucose tolerance tests deteriorated into the diabetic rangein 6 women but improved when oral contraceptives were stopped for side-effects including weight gain.4
It is reasonable that obese women with PCOS are not given fertility drugs risking more ovarian cyst development and further weight gain. Advice about weight reducing high protein/low allergy diets and life-style changes is preferable.
1 Balen AH, Dresner M, Scott EM, Drife JO. Should obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome receive treatment for infertility? BMJ 2006; 332: 434-435.
2 Bonny AE, Ziegler J, Harvey R, et al. Weight gain in obese and nonobese adolescent girls initiating depot medroxyprogesterone, oral contraceptive pills, or no hormonal contraceptive method. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006; 160: 40-5.
3 Ramcharan S. Pellegrin RR, Hsu J-P, et al. Walnut Creek Contraceptive Drug Study 1981; Center for Population Research Monograph; Vol 111: P 162.
4 Wynn V. Effects of duration of low-dose oral contraceptive administration on carbohydrate metabolism. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1982: 142: 739-43.
Competing interests: None declared

Thanks, Mo! ;)

Hey Everyone! I have some of the same side effects as most of you. I got the shot for my allergies on January 15. I literally had a non-stop period. My period would last for two weeks with an average of only 2 days in between the next period. I did not want to get put on birth control, so I kept hoping for my period to regulate itself or for the medicine to leave my system, but none of that ever happened. I went to see my physician on June 3. (That means I was on my period from January to June.)

I explained what happened to him, and he told me that he wanted to try medicine that is NOT birth control. He explained that the Kenalog shot, a steriod, probably interfered with my hormones. In order for a woman's body to function normally, she must have a normal balance of estrogen and progesterone. I had way too much estrogen because I was always on my period, so he put me on a drug called Provera (medroxyprogesterone) for seven days. I am happy to say that the drug worked, and I have been off of my period for SIX days so far! My physician also told me that it may take up to two months for my body to figure itself out and for my period to start again.

I hope this helps someone. Provera worked for me, so maybe it will work for those who do not want to get on birth control!

I just went on the pill and I started my 3rd week a day early because I lost a pill. So far I have noticed that I want food more, I feel bloated, and I have to keep running to the bathroom. It feels like I am always full with liquid. I am scared after reading this that I am going to gain a lot of weight, and I already had to change my diet because I have high cholesterol. Also When I first started the pill when I went to the bathroom it felt like my urin was on fire. It is really getting to me, and I heard that a lot of people became depressed and moody. I was already liked that. Before starting the pill I took Medroxyprogesterone because I was not getting my period, and then the doctor put me on this to help regulate it. I hope my sex drive doesnt start going down, but I do not see my boyfriend too often. What I did notice was the last time I seen him I started to cry, but this was before I started the pills. My doctor said that the other pills had the same medicine in it as the birth control that I am on now. I will be seeing my boyfriend for the first time since I started these pills in about a day and a half, and I have been getting some pains. I started this pill as soon as I got my period and I had some major stomach problems, so I took midol, and they go on and off. I hope the two medicines wont do any harm. But if I see any signs like everybody else had I will sure take myself off it. The doctor from my college put me on it, and now college is over and I am transfering, so I will not see this doctor anymore. I think I started at a bad time and have no idea what to do if something bad does happen like that.