Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
What Is Depo-Provera?
Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) is a form of progesterone, a female hormone used as contraception to prevent pregnancy. Depo-Provera is also used to reduce pain cause by endometriosis, and to ease pain and symptoms in women with metastatic uterine or kidney cancer. Depo-Provera is available in generic form.
What Are Side Effects of Depo-Provera?
Common side effects of Depo-Provera include:
- changes in menstrual periods,
- weight gain,
- nausea,
- stomach cramping or pain,
- bloating,
- dizziness,
- headache,
- tiredness,
- drowsiness,
- irritability,
- breast tenderness,
- decrease in breast size,
- acne,
- hair loss,
- decreased sex drive,
- hot flashes,
- joint pain, or
- injection site reactions (irritation, pain, skin changes, or a hard lump).
Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Depo-Provera including:
- mental/mood changes (such as new or worsening depression),
- changes in sexual interest or ability,
- swelling of the ankles or feet,
- bone pain,
- unusual changes in vaginal bleeding (such as continuous spotting, sudden heavy bleeding),
- persistent nausea or vomiting,
- severe stomach/abdominal/pelvic pain,
- unusual weakness or tiredness,
- dark urine,
- yellowing eyes or skin, or
- seizures.
Dosage for Depo-Provera
The recommended dose of Depo-Provera is 150 mg every 13 weeks administered by deep intramuscular (IM) injection in the gluteal or deltoid muscle.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Depo-Provera?
Depo-Provera should not be used as a long-term birth control method (longer than 2 years). Depo-Provera may interact with aminoglutethimide (Cytadren). Other drugs may interact with Depo-Provera. Tell your doctor all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you use.
Depo-Provera During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Depo-Provera must not be used during pregnancy. It may take longer for you to get pregnant after you stop using this medication. This drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Additional Information
Our Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
SLIDESHOW
Choosing Your Birth Control Method See Slideshow
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- menstrual periods that are heavier or longer than normal;
- severe pain in your lower stomach;
- swelling in your face, or your hands, ankles, and feet;
- pain, bleeding, oozing (pus), or skin changes where the injection was given;
- symptoms of depression (sleep problems, weakness, mood changes);
- liver problems--upper stomach pain, itching, tiredness, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
- signs of a blood clot--sudden numbness or weakness, severe headache, chest pain, sudden cough, coughing up blood; problems with vision or speech, swelling or pain in an arm or leg.
Common side effects may include:
- changes in your menstrual periods;
- swelling, weight gain;
- headache; or
- lumps or dimpling in your skin where injections were given.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Depo-Provera (Medroxyprogesterone)
QUESTION
Which of the following are methods for contraception? See Answer
SIDE EFFECTS
See PRECAUTIONS for possible adverse effects on the fetus
Reproductive System And Breast Disorders
- breakthrough bleeding
- spotting
- change in menstrual flow
- amenorrhea
- changes in cervical erosion and cervical secretions
- breast tenderness and galactorrhea
- erectile dysfunction
Nervous System Disorders
- headache
- dizziness
- somnolence
- convulsions
Psychiatric Disorders
- nervousness
- euphoria
- mental depression
- insomnia
General Disorders And Administration Site Conditions
- edema
- pyrexia
- fatigue
- malaise
- injection site reaction, injection site pain/tenderness, injection site persistent atrophy/indentation/dimpling, lipodystrophy acquired, injection site nodule/lump
In a few instances there have been undesirable sequelae at the site of injection, such as residual lump, change in color of skin, or sterile abscess.
Investigations
- change in weight (increase or decrease)
Hepatobiliary Disorders
- cholestatic jaundice, including neonatal jaundice
Skin And Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders
- skin sensitivity reactions consisting of urticaria, pruritus, edema and generalized rash
- acne, alopecia and hirsutism
- rash (allergic) with and without pruritis
Immune System Disorders
- anaphylactoid reactions and anaphylaxis
- angioedema
Gastrointestinal Disorders
- nausea
Endocrine Disorders
- corticoid-like effects (e.g., Cushingoid syndrome)
Metabolism And Nutrition Disorders
A statistically significant association has been demonstrated between use of estrogen-progestin combination drugs and pulmonary embolism and cerebral thrombosis and embolism. For this reason patients on progestin therapy should be carefully observed. There is also evidence suggestive of an association with neuro-ocular lesions, e.g. retinal thrombosis and optic neuritis.
The following adverse reactions have been observed in patients receiving estrogenprogestin combination drugs:
- rise in blood pressure in susceptible individuals
- premenstrual syndrome
- changes in libido
- changes in appetite
- cystitis-like syndrome
- headache
- nervousness
- fatigue
- backache
- hirsutism
- loss of scalp hair
- erythema multiforma
- erythema nodosum
- hemorrhagic eruption
- itching
- dizziness
The following laboratory results may be altered by the use of estrogen-progestin combination drugs:
- increased sulfobromophthalein retention and other hepatic function tests
- coagulation tests: increase in prothrombin factors VII, VIII, IX, and X
- metyrapone test
- pregnanediol determinations
- thyroid function: increase in PBI, and butanol extractable protein bound iodine and decrease in T3 uptake values
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Depo-Provera (Medroxyprogesterone)
Read the Depo-Provera User Reviews »
© Depo-Provera Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Depo-Provera Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.