Women's Health Community

Dear mommaof4: I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this. There are several possible explanations:

1. Very thinned out lining in the uterus---When a woman uses hormonal birth control it can make the lining of the uterus more unstable. Sometimes the lining is less stable because the hormones make the lining much thinner (actually this is good as a thin lining is a healthy lining). Yet if the lining is too thin it is easier to have some of it begin to shed. The treatment for this can be some low dose estrogen to build the lining back up.

2. Regular ovulations have not yet returned---As you may have read, missing ovulations can prompt erratic bleeding patterns. Depo does suppress ovulations while you are on it. It can also have some lingering effects for months after discontinuation.

If you had very irregular periods before using Depo it might be that your underlying "natural" pattern of skipped ovulations has returned.

3. New infection with chlamydia or gonorrhea---Infections of the lining cause inflammation which makes the lining very unstable and easy to trigger spotting. If you are in a monogamous relationship this is not going to apply.

4. Fibroids or polyps inside the uterus---These tend to be the culprit in women as they move into their late 30s and 40s. They tend not to be linked to recent Depo use.

Bottom line, after this many months of bleeding, you need a more "for sure" answer and treatment to halt the bleeding. PLEASE go back to the GYN or clinic who prescribed your Depo. Often a short course of hormones will do the trick.

Yours,
Jane