Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Symptoms [2025 Update]
Women who received Depo-Provera injections should be monitoring for signs of brain tumors. That is because taking Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) increases a woman’s risk of developing a type of brain tumor called an intracranial meningioma. This type of tumor is sensitive to hormones, specifically progesterone, which is the active ingredient in Depo-Provera.
This article provides information about the symptoms of brain tumors caused by injectable birth control. Women can use the information to prompt conversations with healthcare professionals. This article can also help women understand their risk and identify signs of a brain tumor. There is also guidance about filing a lawsuit for women who developed brain tumors after taking Depo-Provera.
About Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Symptoms:
Why Brain Tumors Are a Concern with Depo-Provera
Serious Brain-Related Conditions Linked to Depo-Provera Use
Brain Tumor Symptoms Caused by Depo-Provera
How Soon Can Brain Tumor Symptoms Appear After Using Depo-Provera?
When to See Your Doctor About Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Symptoms
What to Tell Your Doctor if You’ve Used Depo-Provera
How Depo-Provera Brain Tumors Are Diagnosed and Treated
Can You File a Lawsuit If You Developed a Depo-Provera Brain Tumor?
Contact a Lawyer If You’ve Experienced Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Symptoms
Why Brain Tumors Are a Concern with Depo-Provera
Studies have revealed that women who received Depo-Provera injections are 5.55 times more likely to develop brain tumors called intracranial meningiomas. Women who took other types of hormonal birth control do not have the same elevated risk. Intracranial meningiomas are not cancerous brain tumors. However, they can have profound implications on a woman’s health and quality of life.
Although a woman’s overall risk of an intracranial meningioma from Depo-Provera is relatively low, many women are concerned and wish they had been warned about this known side effect. According to the CDC, one in four sexually active women have taken Depo-Provera, which means millions of women are at an elevated risk of developing brain tumors. Because the symptoms of a brain tumor are similar to many other illnesses and disorders, the tumors may go undiagnosed for an extended period of time and delay treatment.
Serious Brain-Related Conditions Linked to Depo-Provera Use
Depo-Provera injections have been linked to different types of brain-related conditions, including intracranial meningiomas and pseudotumor cerebri. Intracranial meningiomas are brain tumors that are usually non-cancerous. Pseudotumor cerebri, which is also called idiopathic intracranial hypertension, involves pressure buildup in the brain. Although neither of these conditions are typically terminal, these conditions can be debilitating and difficult to treat.
Meningiomas and Benign Brain Tumors
Intracranial meningiomas are tumors that form in the meninges, which are the protective layers that cover the brain and spinal cord. This type of tumor is usually benign (not cancerous), but there are exceptions. Additionally, meningiomas can cause a woman to experience significant physical symptoms that can disrupt her daily life. Meningiomas are known to be sensitive to hormones (like progesterone), which is what Depo-Provera contains. This means that taking progesterone-based birth control can encourage the growth of these tumors.
Researchers have uncovered that receiving Depo-Provera injections for over a year raises a woman’s chances of developing these tumors. Pfizer, one of the companies that manufactures Depo-Provera, has a warning on the UK edition of its label for Depo-Provera shots. Likewise, women in Canada are warned about the connection between this common birth control shot and developing meningiomas. However, Pfizer’s label in the United States does not highlight this information. This means that millions of women took Depo-Provera without being warned about the risk of developing brain tumors, even years after stopping the drug.
Pseudotumor Cerebri (Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension)
Depo-Provera is also associated with pseudotumor cerebri (idiopathic intracranial hypertension). Pseudotumor cerebri is a condition where excess fluid in the skull increases the pressure on the brain. Even though a woman with this condition does not have a tumor, her symptoms may mimic those of one. For example, she might experience sensory problems, like light sensitivity or blurry vision, debilitating headaches, and ringing in the ears.
Some studies have found that medroxyprogesterone may increase a woman’s chance of pseudotumor cerebri. The hormone medroxyprogesterone acetate is the active ingredient in Depo-Provera shots. There is evidence that a woman’s symptoms may improve or go away once she stops receiving Depo-Provera injections. However, that is not true for all women.
Brain Tumor Symptoms Caused by Depo-Provera
Women who develop a brain tumor after receiving Depo-Provera injections may experience a range of physical, mental, sensory, and neurological side effects, some of which can be long-term. These signs range from severe headaches and nausea to seizures, dementia, or paralysis. Women who suffer from these health conditions should consult their provider to understand if an underlying brain tumor may be the culprit.
Depo-Provera Headaches and Migraines
People who take Depo-Provera may experience significant headaches that may transition into migraines. Mild headaches are a common, expected side effect for many patients. However, if these become persistent, severe, or problematic, it may be best for the woman to see a doctor. Additionally, if the woman’s headache or pressure is worse when she bends over or lies down or is accompanied by sensory changes, this may indicate that she has pseudotumor cerebri or an intracranial meningioma.
Depo-Provera and Vision Changes
Some people who have received the birth control shot have suffered from vision changes or even vision loss. The hormones contained in the shot can increase a woman’s chances of a developing blood clot. Sometimes, this clot or blockage forms in the back of the eye or the retina, cutting off the circulation.
The resulting vision changes or loss may be temporary if the condition is mild and caught early. However, severe clots or vision disturbances caused by intracranial meningiomas may be long-term and irreversible. Some women have also reported sensitivity to light and difficulty focusing their eyes on something when receiving Depo-Provera injections.
Hearing Loss and Dizziness From Depo-Provera
Depo-Provera has also been linked to hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness. Tinnitus is ringing in one or both ears, and it may be caused by hormonal changes due to the shot or a buildup of pressure in the brain (like pressure from idiopathic intracranial hypertension). Moreover, patients who have developed an intracranial meningioma from long-term Depo-Provera use may experience dizziness, balance problems, or hearing challenges because of the location and size of the tumor.
Depo-Provera Nausea and Vomiting
Hormonal birth control options like Depo-Provera are known to cause nausea and vomiting in some patients. However, if these symptoms are also accompanied by severe or persistent headaches or sensory problems like hearing loss, they may signal an underlying increase in cranial pressure. This pressure may be caused by intracranial meningiomas or a pseudotumor cerebri that is pushing up against different structures in the brain.
Weakness, Tingling, and/or Numbness
Women may develop nerve problems like weakness, paralysis, or numbness, which may indicate that there is pressure or a tumor pressing up against a nerve in a woman’s head. Typically, these symptoms may appear on just one side of the woman’s body. For example, an intracranial meningioma that is in the sphenoid region (located behind the eyes) may cause one or both sides of the woman’s face to become numb.
Depo-Provera and Seizures
Another warning sign that a woman has a brain tumor caused by Depo-Provera is if she starts having seizures. Intracranial meningiomas can grow between the two sides of the brain (called the parafalcine), and they can keep the two sides from “talking” to each other. As a result, the woman may experience seizures, tremors, notable weakness, and even dementia or loss of consciousness.
Mood Swings, Depression, and Memory Loss
Many people experience mood swings and depression while taking hormonal birth control like the pill or Depo-Provera shots. One reason for this is the change in the hormones in the woman’s body, particularly around the time she receives the shot. However, some mood swings, especially if accompanied by memory loss or dementia-like symptoms, may be caused by an intracranial meningioma that developed because of Depo-Provera injections.
Women who experience significant changes to their personality, memory, or ability to focus after starting a Depo-Provera regimen may want to consult a neurologist. These symptoms may be a warning sign that they have a benign brain tumor, possibly in the frontal or temporal cortex, that is causing these changes.
How Soon Can Brain Tumor Symptoms Appear After Using Depo-Provera?
Some side effects of Depo-Provera may appear shortly after receiving the Depo-Provera injection. However, for most women, the symptoms of a brain tumor do not show up until the woman has been getting the birth control shot for at least 1 year or more. One reason for this is that the increase in progesterone may steadily but silently cause a hormone-sensitive tumor (intracranial meningioma) to grow.
Until the meningioma grows and starts to interfere with the way the woman’s brain or nerves function, the woman will likely be unaware of the tumor. For this reason, it can be challenging for women to know they have a tumor in the early stages. Because of this, it can be helpful if the woman is proactive and seeks medical attention if she experiences any concerning side effects.
When to See Your Doctor About Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Symptoms
Seeing a doctor or specialist as soon as you start to notice unusual, severe, or persistent symptoms may be in your best interest. Intracranial meningiomas tend to develop and grow very slowly, and many women do not know they have a tumor until the tumor is quite large.
Although tumors related to Depo-Provera are usually non-cancerous, these tumors can still significantly impact a woman’s quality of life. Early detection can be difficult. However, if the woman can see a doctor to monitor her symptoms when they are mild, it may help doctors diagnose and treat the tumor sooner. When the woman sees a doctor for her symptoms, she can tell the doctor that she received Depo-Provera injections and share information about timing and dosage.
What to Tell Your Doctor if You’ve Used Depo-Provera
Women who think they may be experiencing symptoms of a brain tumor should share information about receiving Depo-Provera shots. Information a woman may want to share with her medical team includes the following:
- The type of Depo-Provera you received (e.g., brand name or generic)
- How often you receive(d) injections
- What dosage you received
- When you started the birth control shot
- Whether neurological conditions run in your family
Additionally, you may want to create a personal, dated log about what your symptoms are and how they are affecting you. You can share this with your doctor and tell them the full story of your symptoms. If you choose to file a lawsuit, you can also show these notes to your lawyer, who can use them to develop a strong legal claim.
How Depo-Provera Brain Tumors Are Diagnosed and Treated
Doctors use several different methods to diagnose and treat intracranial meningiomas caused by the Depo-Provera shots. Medical providers would first conduct a physical exam and discuss the woman’s birth control shot use, when symptoms arose, and her personal and family medical history. Then, her doctors may perform a neurological exam to test her body’s response to different stimuli, such as sights, sounds, movement, or touch.
A woman’s healthcare team may also order special imaging tests to locate and measure potential growths in the woman’s brain. Common scans used to search for meningiomas include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans. The doctor may ask the woman to take dyes (like iodine), which help the doctors see different changes and structures in the brain. The woman’s medical team may also order a biopsy to understand the cell types and learn more about the tumor’s type and growth, including whether it is cancerous.
Treatment options for intracranial meningiomas depend on the severity, location, type, and symptoms. For example, a woman’s care team may recommend careful monitoring of a small meningioma that does not pose significant issues for the woman’s functioning and overall quality of life. However, large meningiomas or those that are close to important structures in the woman’s brain may need to be treated with surgery or radiation therapy. Ending the Depo-Provera and other hormonal birth control methods may help to stop the tumor’s growth or (in some cases) reduce its size.
Can You File a Lawsuit If You Developed a Depo-Provera Brain Tumor?
If you received Depo-Provera injections and developed a brain tumor, you may be able to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. The basic eligibility criteria for a Depo-Provera lawsuit include the following:
- You used the brand name Depo-Provera or Depo-SubQ Provera injection (manufactured by Pfizer) or the authorized generic on at least two occasions
- Your doctor diagnosed you with an intracranial meningioma or a brain tumor after you took medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA)
Another factor includes the amount of time between when you received the injections and when you were diagnosed with an intracranial meningioma.
Contact a Lawyer If You’ve Experienced Depo-Provera Brain Tumor Symptoms
Depo-Provera is a common form of injectable birth control that has been used to prevent pregnancies, reduce some cancer risks, treat perimenopausal symptoms, and address irregular or heavy periods. If you are one of the many women who took these shots and developed an intracranial meningioma, you may be able to file a lawsuit against Depo-Provera’s manufacturer, Pfizer. Many people believe that Pfizer knew about the risks and did not fully disclose these to women in the United States.
King Law is available to help you on your journey to seek a fair settlement and acknowledgement of your struggles. Call 585-496-2648 today or fill out an online contact form to talk to an intake specialist on our team. We focus our resources on helping people take on major players, like pharmaceutical giants, and hold these organizations accountable for the harm they have caused. We can talk to you to learn about what happened to you and explore your legal rights going forward.