I started on Contraception back in 2014 due to extremely painful periods. Every month since getting my first period, I would struggle with the pain, some worst than others. Some became so bad I would be stuck in bed for at least the first 2 days due to the heavy flow, the pain was overwhelming! I would have to take time off from school and this continued as I went through college too.

When I started my job at Vue some work friends mentioned that they were on the implant and the other was taking the monthly pill. I really struggled with taking tablets so this wasn't something l could do and at the time the implant freaked me out, so the alternative was the injection which one of them had been on previously. So I scheduled an appointment to talk to my doctor about the options.

We discussed that the injection would be the right option for me. As previously mentioned the other two weren’t suited at the time. The 'Depo Injection' would given every 12 weeks and for some women it reduced the pain or even stops your periods completely. After being given this injection for the first time, I had noticed very quickly the changes. I had my periods stop completely and I had no pain. After only just 2 months, this was amazing!!

So on I went, every 12 weeks I came back for the next injection with the nurse and this went on for a few years. I didn’t have any annual reviews or check ups with my doctor it just continued with the nurse. 

Around 2017/2018, I started to notice that small parts of some of my teeth at the back would chip away whilst eating solid food or when brushing them. Within a few months I had been to the dentist multiple times to get fillings done. When asked about medications I’m taking or anything. I told them I was on this injection but it didn't flag anything to them as as why would it. 

At one of my injections following this, I made my nurse aware in passing that I’ve been to the dentist more frequently but other than that I had no issues as for me the main thing was the fact I continued to have no periods and had no pain at all. So I just continued and became extra careful with my food and cleaning my teeth as per instructions from my dentist at the last visit.

Come 2019, within the space of 1 year I had to travel to Out of Hours Dentist and even Private dentists because I started to end up with abscesses. Root canals would not work, so an extraction it was! Within 6 months I had 5 of my molars removed, 2 of these being my premolars! The pain was so extreme and the abscess so bad I had around 10 numbing injections in my mouth to get the 2 premolars removed and even then I could still feel the pain of the tooth being removed. As soon as they were out though, the pan had gone within 24hrs. The emergency dentist who did this for me were amazing! I had never felt such relief.

Within the next 12 months I officially lost all but 1 Molar and even that one is mostly a filling. The rest of my teeth are damaged, the enamel weakened. Luckily I haven't lost them yet.

Enough was enough, there had to be a reason I lost all these teeth. I don’t some, I don’t drink, I brushed my teeth correctly and flossed and mouth wash but I still lost them all! I decided to do my own research into this. The only thing that was different in my life that would be classed as medication or being on anything medical was the injection. After researching I found that some in the US had also lost their teeth from this. A lawsuit got filed in regards to the Depo Injection and they won this!

After choosing to stop this injection myself in September 2022, and deciding to move over to the implant because again I still struggle with tablets, I couldn't have my normal periods return due to the pain it caused, and having been on the injection for 7-8 years, I didn't know what reaction would be caused from this. I switched to the implant, and my periods returned after a couple months but luckily I am still pain free which was a huge relief.

0-6 months after being on the implant... I noticed I stopped having problems with my teeth altogether, It had been months since I had to contact a dentist for fillings that had failed, fallen out or other parts of my teeth causing problems. No more abscesses appearing, nothing! 

After starting a new job in September 2023, a close work friend of mine at the time (who has now left the business), I was explaining to her what had happened with my teeth. As you can clearly see when I laugh or smile I am missing plenty. She advised me that I should not have been on the Depo injection for more than 2 years MAXIMUM! This is what she had been advised by her doctors. 

I was so confused, because if this should be common knowledge why was my NHS Doctor and Nurse not advising me to come off this after 2 years in general, why were there no annual reviews with my doctor to make sure I wasn’t having ANY other problems that weren’t listed as potential side effects. Let alone the fact I was losing all my teeth.

I was furious, I was on this injection for 7-8 years, It was between year 3-5 that I started with my teeth becoming fragile and cracking, and then infections followed by extractions.

If I had been properly advised to come off this injection after 2 years I would not have had any damage come to my teeth, I would NOT have lost all but 1 of my Molars.

I do not qualify to receive treatment for the implants to be done by the NHS which is a big shame, I've paid into the National Health Insurance since I started working at 16 and now when I need them most my treatment can't be covered...

The worst thing about this is that my self-confidence and how I view myself has taken a complete shift.

I hate taking photos

I hate being in videos

I struggle to eat certain solid food

I cant laugh or smile without covering my mouth due to fear that people around me will stare at my missing teeth and think of me as a having poor dental hygiene!

I have been to private dentists to see how much it would cost for me to pay for this privately. And this will cost me minimum £15,000.00 for just the top row to be done.

I had a full 3D scan done of my mouth and it showed that even the teeth I still have are badly damaged, I am lucky to still have them..

Where am I going to pull out that amount of money from due to medical negligence?The Simple Answer is: I cant!

I am now forced to live like this because of a problem that could have easily been avoided if my Doctor or Nurse had given me the correct advice in the beginning and even done a review of this at 2 years, if they had told me I should come off the injection as it wasn’t meant for long term use I would have! 

I don't want anyone to go through what I did. Please do not get this injection! Or if you please do NOT go on it for more than 2 years!

Funds raised will be paid to go to dental practice I choose to get this done at. I do have a few local ones that I have been to for prices. And do hope to get this done as soon as possible!