Pregnant after Depo

Well im very curious to know whether or not i am infertile,ive seen my useless local doctors an dthey tell me that even though i was on the depo provera (the injection) for almost 4years and havent had a period in three years since i stopped taking it,that im still fertile. but me and my partner are trying for a baby and nothings helping,im still young but i dont want to leave it too long to have children. Me and my partner dont really have the kind of money to see a fertility expert,i wouldnt even know where to go so was just curious,has anyone else out there been through this?..heeelllp!

3 years is a bit worrying.
Maybe you could try Vitex?
Your GP should've at least given you Provera to induce a period to try and get the ball rolling.

i agree three years is too long:( mind took 7 months after 5 years on it..

Until recently I haven't had natural AF's but Vitex sorts out my hormones and I have an AF within 2-3 wks of taking it.

When I take it, I take the Thompsons one-a-day 1000mg one.
Couldn't hurt to try it if you were interested?
Some women take up to 3 mths for it to kick in properly (but I think the majority of them have cycles, regular or irregular).

Mine took 2 years to come back after 4 years on depo, then it was another year before I fell preg (altho I was *kinda* on the pill - as in on it but not very good at taking it) with Maya.

I saw my doc a few times while waiting for it to come back and they pretty much just said it was a waiting game and that it was normal for it to take up to 2 years. When it got over 2 years they said it took longer for some people and mine finally reappeared about 2 years and 6 mths after my last jab (last jab was Nov '98 and first AF was May '01, fell preg in June '02)

I totally Identify. I took depo, and almost as soon as I started the jabs, my periods stops. I would never use it again. It completely messed with my cycle, my whole system in fact. I've had "normal" cycles for about 6 months now, but still not pregnant.

As much as going to a specialist costs, in the end it was totally worth it for my emotional well being. I figured that I only had to go to my GP 2 and half times or buy one outfit and it was the same cost as going one time to Fertility Associates. And I got good value for money, for that they did an internal scan to check everything, they did blood tests, and gave me some great advice personal to my situation.

They discovered that I had an ovarian cyst, and I could start a plan of attack straight away instead of waiting two years going to my GP on and off, and eventually being referred to the hospital, then having to wait six months to see a consultant, and waiting another six months for a scan - you getting the picture. And in the end I only had to go to the specialist twice, the second time wasn't as expensive as the first time. GP are fantastic, but they aren't fertility specialists.

In the end if there is a question over your fertility - you want to know sooner not later, particular the closer you get to passing the 35 age mark.

Peace to you

hi wondering why,is there a specific fertllity specialist you reccomend?im a bit new to all of this,but you make it sound better..im in wellington,soon to be in christchurch. do you just go to the hospital or somewhere else?im a bit nervous.
thanks.

Hey jlove,

I had several people - all independently of one another recommend Fertility Associates here in Auckland. You can look them up online. I've just checked their website and they do have a location in Wellington. I wanted to see a lady and so I saw Mary Birdsall, she was great. I made sure I asked lots of questions especially when I didn't understand and she was really patient with me.

The reason I went was because I hadn't had a period in ages, I'd taken a pregnancy test and knew I wasn't pregnant but my body was reacting as if it was pregnant - so I was pretty freak out, thinking I was going nuts. It turned out to be an ovarian cyst, the doc reckoned that it was dissolving slowly and releasing heaps of hormones into my body - giving the symptoms.

I'm sure if you start a new topic, there'll be folk either in Wellington or Christchurch who have been to see specialists and you can get a recommendation. I think you should expect to pay between $195 to $220 for your first consultation. The next between $70 - $125.

It might seem expensive, and I guess it is, but I did it for my emotional well being, and it was worth every cent. Like I said in my previous post GPs are great but they aren't fertility specialists.

Before you sign up, ask what you can expect from your first appointment, and indicate that you want blood tests and an internal scan, ask if this is included in the price, and if it isn't how much extra its going to cost.

The blood tests are usually to check your hormones from which they can usually get an indication of how your cycle is performing. They will probably check your cholesterol as well.

You should know the results of the internal scan immediately. And if anything is identified ask lots of questions, particularly about treatments and alternative treatments and options. You'll probably have to go back for a second consultation as the doc will want to get an idea of if its growing or shrinking and often ovarian cysts can just spontaneously dissolve.

If a cyst is indicated - ask that you want a CA125 blood test (cancer marker test), it will save you coming back later. I wish I had asked first up, as I didn't have the test until after my second appointment (the cyst had grown and had shadows) and I had to wait a week for the results, Which were all clear and I expected them to be all clear but it was still a difficult week.

As you leave, ask how soon you can expect to know the results of the blood test and who you should call to get the results (even if they say they will write to you), get the number and name of the nurse if you need to.

One last thing, an internal scan is where they insert a wand into your vagina, gently wave it around inside to get a close up idea of what's going on. It's not a great experience but apart from a little bit of embarrassment and discomfort it didn't hurt.

I hope this helps

Peace
Fertility Associates