Birth control shot

Yes. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs, like naproxen, can decrease menstrual flow and cramping. So if you have heavy or painful periods, your health care provider may recommend taking ibuprofen to help reduce heavy flow and/or cramping. It can also help reduce the irregular bleeding that is sometimes a side effect of progestin-only birth control methods like the shot or the implant.

For most people, the risk of blood clots when using the ring, the patch, or the combined birth control pill (which is the most common type of pill) is low. But smoking increases this risk. If you are over 35 and smoke 15 or more cigarettes a day, the combination pill, patch, and ring are not safe options for you. If you’re over 35 and you smoke less than 15 cigarettes a day, talk to your provider about whether these birth control methods are safe options for you. People who smoke can always use the IUD, the implant, the shot, the mini-pill (progestin-only pill), and any method that is hormone free (like condoms, for example).

If you feel like your birth control is changing your behavior, it’s time to talk to your health care provider. Everybody responds to birth control differently, and your provider can help you decide whether it’s time to try something else. It might be a matter of switching hormonal methods or deciding whether to avoid hormonal birth control altogether, or you may choose to wait it out since some negative side effects go away with time. The bottom line: If your current method is making you feel blah, don’t settle. There are a lot of methods to choose from and sometimes it can take a few tries to get it right.

Is there anything else going on your life that could be causing you to feel moody? Look into that first.

If you’re under the influence of alcohol—or anything else—a birth control method that doesn’t require action right when you’re about to get your freak on may be your safest bet. Fortunately, there are plenty of options. Note: These methods will cover you against pregnancy, but you should pair them with a condom for STI protection.

And speaking of covering all your bases, here are some tips for safer, smarter hookups.

It can be complicated to tell exactly how hormonal birth control affects mood, but you’re the only one who truly knows how you feel. Everyone reacts to birth control differently, so if you feel your birth control might be contributing to depression, talk with your health care provider. Remember, there are a lot of birth control methods out there—you can find the right one for you!

Birth control can be expensive, especially with no insurance. But raising a baby costs even more.

If you’re on Medicaid or earn less than $21,660 a year, the shot might be free for you. If you have private insurance, the shot is probably covered and might cost you no more than your copay.

If those aren’t options for you, check out clinics in your area that may give you a discount or payment plan if you can’t afford the full price of the shot.

Another solution might be to ask your partner to help pay for the expense.

Headaches are pretty uncommon with the shot, so you might want to look into other reasons for the aching. If the headaches are bad, definitely go see your doctor.

If you’re already on Depo and you’ve decided you want to get pregnant, you’re going to have to wait it out. There’s no way around it. But 12 weeks after your last injection, you’ll be ready to start trying. It may take some time, though. Sometimes it can take up to 10 months after the last shot for fertility to come back completely.

First, figure out if there’s other stuff going on in your life that could be causing you to lose your sex drive. Like, are you stressed? Or having relationship issues? You might want to try exercising more, therapy, or changing things up in the bedroom.

You have to get the shot every 3 months from a healthcare provider. That’s only 4 times a year!

Most birth control methods will not cause weight gain. Everyone’s body responds to birth control differently, but research shows that the pill, patch, the hormonal IUD, the ring, and non-hormonal birth control methods like a copper IUD or condoms don’t cause weight gain (or loss). Studies do show that about 1 in 4 people who use the shot will gain some weight (around 5% of body weight).