A Mother’s Meningioma Battle After Using Depo-Provera

With a full-time job and a family that relied heavily on her, T.C. needed birth control that was safe and would complement her demanding life. When she heard Depo-Provera shots were easy and reliable, she opted for the injectable form of birth control.

She didn’t plan on paying for that supposed convenience with her health.

“Dealing with the side effects was brutal. I worked full time at a hospital starting at 5:30 a.m., cared for two young children — one with special needs — and still had to manage extreme fatigue and headaches. I couldn’t stop or slow down, but the toll it took on my health and life was severe,” T.C. said.

Depo-Provera is the brand name for medroxyprogesterone acetate injections currently manufactured by Pfizer. It’s also known as Depo or the shot.

The FDA approved it for use as an injectable contraceptive in 1992, although the active ingredient was originally approved in 1959 in the U.S. for non-contraceptive uses.

Since receiving Depo-Provera birth control shots, T.C. has suffered from crippling side effects and has been diagnosed with a meningioma, a tumor in the lining of her brain.

Ultimately, T.C.’s injuries led her to file a Depo-Provera lawsuit against the drug’s makers for failing to adequately warn about the risk of developing a meningioma.

T.C., who is using initials to protect her privacy, shared her Depo-Provera story with Drugwatch.

T.C. switched to Depo-Provera after she had an unplanned pregnancy while on Ortho Tri-Cyclen.

“I was told how great Depo-Provera was, and I thought it would be more reliable and convenient since I wouldn’t have to take it daily,” she said. “I had no idea it would lead to such serious health problems.”

Since the early 90s, Depo-Provera has been marketed to women as easy and safe.

Pharmaceutical company Upjohn, which first brought Depo to the market in 1992, used advertising phrases such as “birth control you only have to think about four times a year” and “many women wish they didn’t have to remember their birth control every day.”

They even appealed to busy moms with children, just like T.C., with the comment: “With three kids, who has time to think? So, I picked birth control I only have to think about four times a year.”

T.C. used Depo-Provera for three years. The side effects piled up.

“I bled for months without relief, felt constantly exhausted, and had frequent headaches. I also gained a significant amount of weight. Even when some of the symptoms improved, the damage was done, and the experience was physically and emotionally draining,” she said.

The headaches became so severe that she eventually sought a doctor’s advice. Doctors diagnosed her with a meningioma, a tumor that grows in membranes that cover the brain called the meninges.

Meningiomas are slow-growing tumors that aren’t typically fatal, but they can cause serious symptoms such as vision problems, headaches, seizures and other issues.

A March 2024 study found women who used Depo-Provera had a 5.55-fold increased risk for developing a meningioma, and the risk increased with prolonged Depo use of one year or more.

The French study looked at more than 18,000 women living in France who had surgery for meningiomas between January 2009 and December 2018.

T.C.’s meningioma diagnosis complicated her life and made her worry about her ability to care for her family and herself.

“Since my meningioma diagnosis, I’ve been on medication and have to undergo regular MRIs to monitor the tumor,” she said. “At first, it was every six months, but now it’s once a year. It’s a constant worry that the tumor might grow, and the appointments feel never-ending.”

Since her meningioma diagnosis, T.C. has struggled with her daily life.

“My life has become overwhelming,” she said. “I take care of my oldest son with special needs, my mother with dementia, and my youngest son, who’s lost half his vision and has kids I help care for. On top of that, I work full time. This diagnosis has only added to the burden, and it’s not something I can escape or ignore. It’s made everything harder.

She found out lawyers were filing Depo-Provera lawsuits on behalf of women who were diagnosed with meningiomas, and she decided to have her case reviewed.

After what T.C. has been through, she cautions other women who have used Depo-Provera to take side effects seriously.

“Don’t ignore what’s happening to you,” she said. “These side effects aren’t just something to push through — they can be life changing. Make sure you’re getting checked and take action now. If I’d known what I was facing, I would have sought help sooner.”