(starting T in a few weeks) Anyone started T after having been on Depo Provera?

[ElioAyla]

Hi....

So, a brief synopsis of my situation. I started getting injections of the progesterone birth control, Depo Provera, every 3 months, when I was 14 years old. I continued to take the Depo until the age of 19. I didn't take any between 19-20. I am now 21, and took two shots this previous year, and came to the conclusion that it was destroying my bones, ruining my emotions, and ->-bleeped-<-ing up my head. So I haven't had any for about 6 months. However, I was on it for a considerable time in my teenage years (almost all of them). I know I have bone damage, and most likely osteopenia. I know T increases bone density (just another reason why I know it's the right move for me to take).

My question - has anyone gone from taking Depo to taking T?
Is it different than someone taking T who has never ->-bleeped-<-ed themselves up with Depo?

PS:
Depo is a horrible thing. It took away my periods, yes, and that was incredible, and it kept me from getting pregnant, incredible. But it wreaked havoc on my bones, threw my emotions into the constant state of a menopausal female, and dropped my blood pressure to an almost troublingly low level.

[Jeatyn]

I could have written this myself! I've gone into many a birth control thread to warn guys about the havoc depo can wreak on your body. Even the time lines are pretty much exactly the same as my experience.

It's hard for me to say what exactly the depo did (if anything) with regards to taking testosterone, because I got pregnant around a year after coming off it (my hormone levels and periods were all over the place that whole time)

I went on a temporary estrogen blocker in pill form 6 months after the kiddo was born. My E levels were out of control and my periods seemed endless. Just like it was when I first came off the depo. I took a 9 month break and it went straight back to what I was used to.

6 months after that I started T and came off the temporary E blocker. Like I say, I don't know if this was from the depo...pregnancy....luck...or a combination of all of that. My E just kept going up, while my T was barely hitting the male range. Crazy periods returned. Even my specialists said it didn't make any sense.

After a further 6 months I was put on an inject-able E blocker along side my T shots. Finally my periods stopped and my E levels dropped way down. My T is still barely hitting the male range.

I'm over 2 years on T at this point and my changes are very slow going. Hysto soon, so hopefully the T won't have to fight as hard xD

[Alexthecat]

[mm]

Thanks for the information, I am staying away from adding any female hormones to my body, can only do bad things to me.  I will just live with my shark week, cramps and all, until I can get a total hystor.  Jeatyn, how soon are you getting your hystor?  Do you knows what procedure you will get?

[makipu]

I took Depo to stop the horrible bleeding for like 3 years and then when I got my bone density results from an x-ray the results horrified me so I stopped immediately.Of course, it's too late...
I went on T but before that I went on Errin birth control pills that doesn't contain estrogen to stop periods. Now I am not on T but still taking the pills.

[ElioAyla]

Jeatyn, that story is amazing, and probably had a lot to do with the pregnancy. But at least you are in male ranges now, yeah?

Makipu....yeah, the bone marrow density loss is horrific. I probably would have ended up hairy, 5"8 and brawly, but instead I just have these wide shoulders, short little body and NO LEG HAIR AT ALL. I had some before I started the Depo, but the crap literally stopped my hair growth. I have no leg hair and half eyebrows. It's....scary.

Anyway....I would never, ever, ever recommend Depo Provera to anyone for long term use. Including trans men and everyone else in the world. The negative side effects of long term use FAR outweigh the benefits, in my opinion, especially since there are a lot of other birth control methods available (for those who use it for that reason). And yeah, it stops the periods...but it just aint worth it. It seriously turned me into an emotional menace for years.

[Jeatyn]

Thanks for the information, I am staying away from adding any female hormones to my body, can only do bad things to me.  I will just live with my shark week, cramps and all, until I can get a total hystor.  Jeatyn, how soon are you getting your hystor?  Do you knows what procedure you will get?

Laproscopic at the end of the month

Makipu....yeah, the bone marrow density loss is horrific. I probably would have ended up hairy, 5"8 and brawly, but instead I just have these wide shoulders, short little body and NO LEG HAIR AT ALL. I had some before I started the Depo, but the crap literally stopped my hair growth. I have no leg hair and half eyebrows. It's....scary.

This is interesting, I wasn't aware hair growth was affected by depo but I looked it up and it is one of the side effects. I never had any armpit hair until after I started T and generally had very little body hair. The no pit hair I always thought was really weird....I wonder if I have the depo to thank for that too