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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

implants instead of pill

49 replies

Trillian · 06/01/2011 07:01

I am due to have an implant today, but after reading the failure rate in yesterdays paper I am not sure I want one.

Anyone with any experience/advice please

OP posts:
theevildead2 · 06/01/2011 07:13

I had one, I had no side affects and no periods while I was on it. So I highly recommend.

Pompoko · 06/01/2011 07:17

I have the implant and have not fallen pregnant in the 2 years its been in.

My only problem is it gives me double periods. So, I will have one period, then when it finishes I get 1 - 3 days then have another blooming period

Also, it is slowly traviling up my arm Confused

Will carry on having them though! There is no faffing with comdoms or pills or regular injection

Original poster
Trillian · 06/01/2011 07:19

Even now they are saying it does not work well?
I have a completed family and I do not want any more children, I am on the mini pill but but due to other health problems I get a lot of upset stomachs and worry about it not working, they tried to fit a coil but could not so this is the only option.

Thank you for your reply theevildead,

OP posts:
Original poster
Trillian · 06/01/2011 07:20

Thank you Pompoko

OP posts:
Pompoko · 06/01/2011 07:28

Hope I havnt put you off trillian Grin

JessicaRabid · 06/01/2011 07:36

The issue with the implants is people not fitting them properly, so don't be afraid to ask if there have been any issues linked to their surgery.
I had one for 2 years, it gave me lots of irregular bleeding for the first year. You really have to stick it out to see if you like it. Once it settled down it was great and is great to not have to worry about taking pills etc

missnevermind · 06/01/2011 08:07

They are not saying that they do not work.
What they are saying is that they do not work properly if fitted incorrectly, the same as anything else. Have a chat with your HCP when you get there, ask how many they have fitted? How long have they been doing them?
They will put you at ease about it. I had three, had the third taken out early as planned more children and have recommended them to everybody, they are so much easier/better than the pill and when fitted correctly actually more effective by about 0.3%

Rosedee · 06/01/2011 08:48

Had mine taken out after 3 months. Bleeding non stop, horrific mood swings, doc struggled to get it out and was left with a hole in my arm for ages till it healed up. Never again.
They did suggest the pill on top to regulate bleeding, might as well just go on the pill then I said. I think it wildly varys how well it works for people so it's a try it and see situation.

frgr · 06/01/2011 08:54

i used it as my main form of contraception for years, about 8 in total. loved mine. no issues with the fitting (mostly done at FP clinic due to easy opening hours) with the exception of a single fitting at my local GP with a Dr who admitted she'd only ever put one or two in before.

"Even now they are saying it does not work well?"

That's wrong - read the whole of the articles in the news. Headlines are lying. The stories are about the failure of incorrectly inserted implants, and not focused on failure after correct insertion. I'm sure it exists too, but the fact is that the hundreds of failures over a decade have been mostly centered around doctors and nurses fitting these implants who didn't know what they were doing i.e. implants still in the chamber! How anyone can be that incompetent is beyond me - didn't these women attend the 6 week checks or wonder why they couldn't feel it if pressed on the arm?

Read beyond the newspaper scare story headlines - there really is no story here, beyond a worthy look at the training medical staff receive to fit them.

Thandeka · 06/01/2011 08:55

There are lots of blogposts on this drpetra's best to read- the reporting is misleading- of few hundred who had problems- a million or so didn't so is still 99%effective. suggest doing some more reading before deciding. I work in sexual health and we are worried about women making knee jerk reactions to this poor reporting.

fezsarecool · 06/01/2011 09:01

Thandeka - do you know if there is any results yet for research on long term side effects of implant?

I would like to have the implant but couldn't be told any long term side effects. Nervous just to use it considering the depo's side effects. Bone loss etc.

frgr · 06/01/2011 09:02

a lot of smart comments on this thread from earlier in the week:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/in_the_news/1117904-Implant-failures-lead-to-unwanted-pregnancies

Conflugenglugen · 06/01/2011 09:22

I managed to tolerate the implant for just under a year. Couldn't do it. My periods ended up increasing in length by a few days every month, until at the end I was practically bleeding constantly. This doesn't always happen, but it is a relatively normal complication/side effect. If you read the stats, about half of women have no problem with their periods, or their periods stop. Of the other half, about 80%, I think, have it removed because of irregular bleeding.

So, a thumbs down from me.

lalalonglegs · 06/01/2011 09:53

I had implants for 8 years - they were brilliant.I would heartily recommend and, as many others have pointed out, its incorrect insertion rather than a failure of the implant that has caused pregnancies. (I was an early adopter, part of a trial group that were given them in the mid-1990s and I was told by the doctor who fitted mine that there had never been a pregnancy using implants except when the client had conceived within the first couple of days after fitting before the hormones had had a chance to kick in - we were recommended to use other contraception for the first month.)

thefinerthingsinlife · 06/01/2011 10:04

I had the implant and bled heavily for 6 months, and I had to make huge fuss to get them to remove it.

I would never have it again, sorry

JamieLeeCurtis · 06/01/2011 10:05

The reporting of this has been unnecessarily alarmist, IMO

NinkyNonker · 06/01/2011 10:05

A friend swears by hers. I wouldn't as I am sqeamish about having something in my body I can't take out.

MrsLevinson · 06/01/2011 10:12

I had mine put in a couple of months ago. So far it's fine, I've had about 2 days of very light bleeding. My GP said the problem had been that some doctors were fitting them, but the implant wasn't actually going in, it was staying on the injector, so the women concerned weren't being protected at all. He said that when fitted properly they are as close to 100% effective as you can get. He pointed out that it can be felt under the skin, so I know it's there.

xfirsttimemummyx · 06/01/2011 10:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BettyCash · 06/01/2011 10:17

Mine gave mood swings but I think they're probably very good for some women - also, failure rate comes from implants that WERE NOT INSERTED - I think it's well publicised enough now that the doctor will be well aware of yr concern.

greygirl · 06/01/2011 10:27

in manchester we have had a problem with women removing their implant after they were put in and then claiming damages. i am not sure of the numbers, but i wonder if it has contributed.
600 pregnancies compared to the number fitted must be very small. think how many women get pregnant on the pill!

TheRunawayWife · 06/01/2011 10:36

Scary stuff

lalalonglegs · 06/01/2011 10:41

greygirl - I don't get it. They have them removed and then say that they want damages for what?

systemsaddict · 06/01/2011 10:43

560-odd pregnancies from 1.3 million users? I'll take those odds! (due to have mine fitted in a few weeks). I think even sterilisation has a higher failutre rate than that.

Can't believe this made the news as a contraception failure story. 'Implant has excellent success rate' would have been more like it.

fayc84 · 06/01/2011 10:44

I had mine for a year. Had bleeding that lasted three months! But it was light and pain free. Then I had three months with nothing, and another month on and then it settled down a bit. The bleeding wasn't great but as it wasn't sore and I didn't get pregnant I was quite happy with it.

I chose it because it doesn't affect fertility and wanted to start a family - got pregnant a month after it was taken out.

Oh, and I have a tiny dot of a scar from when it was taken out so no complaints there.