Ok, at my last Nut visit a couple weeks ago, my nut. advised me not to get my next depro. shot (birth control) in mid April since it stays in my system for 12 weeks. She said I could possibly get a surgery date in the next few months. With the bariatric program I go to, you have to be hormone free from birth control 30 days before and after WLS due to the risk of blot clots. I called the surgeons office to verify this and didn't get an answer and was told to talk to the actual bariatric program office about it to see where I was in the process. They meet every 2 weeks to go over all bariatric patients in their program to see where they are and what they need to still do to get a surgery date. She did say to see if I could get a shorter term depro shot (they don't make one that is effective for less than 12 weeks) in case I would have surgery in June or July but wouldn't tell me I might be having surgery then!

I then call the gyn office and told them the issue and they said the depro shot doesn't cause blot clots. I told her that the bariatric program locally makes everyone be hormone free for 30 days pre op and post op. She is gonna call the surgeon or bariatric program and get back to me about it.

I was told I wouldn't be able to get the depro shot post op due to it being known to make people gain weight.

Now I don't know what to do! Almost all b.c is with hormones except the paragard IUD I think. I know some woman are on the depro shot after weight loss surgery and it was ok with their surgeons but this program I go to is against it.

HELP! Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

I have the Mirena IUD and everyone was fine with it. I know it does contain hormones, but my doc didn't have a problem with it.

Honestly, the IUD is the best BC I've ever been on. I love it. No periods, and none of the crap that comes along with a period.

I am on Depo, well was, but got off it before the surgery. I actually missed my shot about 7 months ago and decided to give myself a breather, my fiance and I live in different towns and see each other maybe once every 3 months. So I went into the surgery without it and I still haven't had a period. I like that, my mom is freaked out

Anywho, my doc didn't have a problem with depo. It does cause blood clots though, at least their website says it does. But that isn't really an issue because you should be walking two to three hours out from surgery and continue every hour or so.

You can always start your shot a month late. Just be careful and use a back up method for a while after. Most women say they aren't fertile for 6 months after they get off the shot, but there are some rare cases where women are able to conceive two weeks out!

Depo made me gain weight like nobodies business! I had a hysterectomy last winter, but I take birth control pills as my replacement hormones and they told me to keep taking them, even while I was still in the hospital. They said that the blood clot risk wasn't really enough to make me go through the misery of menopause. I would discern from that that the risk is therefore not too bad at all.

That is so funny because the pill made me gain weight! I actually lost weight while on depo and then I got hurt and stopped working out and got sad and ate and well you know the rest.

I had a friend do really well on Depo too, but not me. I was a total psycho hose beast. Horrible to everyone, acne, weight gain, neverending period for 3 months... yeah. Itwas bad. LOL It's so weird and kinda cool how different everyone is.

Oh that sucks! I wish there was some way of determining how you will react on a BC before you have to take it for three or four months and freak out the whole time.

^{I've done ok on the depro shot. I did gain some weight after I started the shots but it was more from being on Weight Watchers and then I got off the program and started back to bad eating habits than the actual shot. My Gyn told me I could gain 10 pounds on it though when I first started it.}

^{I have looked online and the only non hormal bc is the paragard IUD besides just over the counter prevention that isn't as reliable.}

^{I hope my gyn office gets back to me quick, my next shot is 4/19/12. I hope I can stay on the depro shot but I guess if to have this surgery I have to go off it I will.}

^{Thanks for all the suggestions/comments.}

^{I've done ok on the depro shot. I did gain some weight after I started the shots but it was more from being on Weight Watchers and then I got off the program and started back to bad eating habits than the actual shot. My Gyn told me I could gain 10 pounds on it though when I first started it.}

^{I have looked online and the only non hormal bc is the paragard IUD besides just over the counter prevention that isn't as reliable.}

^{I hope my gyn office gets back to me quick, my next shot is 4/19/12. I hope I can stay on the depro shot but I guess if to have this surgery I have to go off it I will.}

^{Thanks for all the suggestions/comments.}

My GYN called yesterday and said either the Mirena IUD or Paragard IUD would be best for me. I go in next Tuesday to talk to her and then switch over if that is what I decide on. I told her on the phone Mirena had hormones in it but she said a small amount. I looked in my bariatric binder and it says Mirena IUD must be removed 30 days prior to surgery in bold text so I guess that is out. Looks like it is the Paragard and from what I have read online I am not for sure I want to go that route with super heavy periods and severe cramps for months on end. But that is the only non hormonal bc out there besides less reliable methods you buy over the counter. I wish my bariactric program would make an exception and I could stay on the Depro shot but they are super over cautious about people getting blod clots while in the hospital or after surgery at home so that is why they make their patients stop hormonal birth control 30 days before and 30 days after surgery.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions!