Depo Provera vs. Birth Control Pills: Side Effects & Alternatives

Question
Hi there,
I have a questions regarding Depo Provera vs the Pill.  My gf (she's Thai) is into her third shot of Depo Provera now and everything is good - except for the 15 lbs she's put on in the past 8 months.  She's not happy with it and wants to change to a different method of hormonal control.  I recommended Norplant, but she's concerned about the side effects (hair loss, etc).  She's said that she doesn't want to go on the pill because she's had some friends who started getting bad acne after they took the pill.  This confused me; I remember many of my female friends being prescribed the pill to stop acne.  I've told her that it's low dosage; weight gain will be minimal and that as far as I know, she won't get tons of zits.  Am I right on this?
Also, if she stops taking Depo shots, will her extra weight stay on, go away slowly or go away quickly?
Thanks so much for your help, it's very hard to find knowledgeable doctors that I trust here in Thailand.
Greg

Answer
If she stops getting the shot, the extra weight will not magicallly disappear. Through a healthy diet and exercise, her weight can be reduced to something that's more healthy for her body type. The only FDA approved pill to help fight acne is OrthoTri Cyclen. The most important thing here is that she is protected against pregnancy. Some wieght gain and zits are secondary things. She needs to find a doctor who she can trust.
Dianna