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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask about your experience of the implant

74 replies

Farcry66 · 18/05/2019 14:29

Hi,

After a recent pregnancy scare (turned out not to be ) It's brought into focus how rubbish I am at taking the pill. I've been on the mini-pill (age and smoking) which has been great, no periods after the first month, mood swings settled after the first month as well. But, I really don't want to get pregnant and I am not very good at remembering to take it so looking for a more long term contraception.

I've searched on here and the posts I can find are from years ago and there was a lot of comments about when the GPS changed from one type of implant to another. So I figured it would make sense to get up to date information.

So .... How has it worked for you? If you were in the mini pill before hand, were the side effects similar (I think it's the same hormone interaction on both)?

Thanks

OP posts:

robinsarebins · 18/05/2019 14:39

I love mine and wish I'd got it years ago, had it nearly 2 years, no periods, minimal side effects.
I was suffering from migraines caused by hormones every month so it is worth it to not have to deal with those, I have had a bit of weight gain, could be the implant could be I'm lazy, I'm tackling that now without difficulty.
I do sometimes get a little cramping feeling and mild pms symptoms but nothing like before.
I had injection before and bled constantly for nearly 6 months and they hurt.
Pill made me crazy and killed my sex drive dead.
I'm not in a relationship at the moment so don't really need contraception but it's nice to have back up the very odd time i need it.

Heratnumber7 · 18/05/2019 14:50

DD2 is on her second and loves it.

yikesanotherbooboo · 18/05/2019 14:54

The implant is very similar to the mini pill but is more effective for contraception. Its chief drawback ( apart from the stopping and staying being out of your control) is irregular bleeding. This is unpredictable ; lots of people's periods stop ( hooray) but there are some who just keep spotting almost every day. It takes a few months to settle but after this there remains a group (1/4-1/5) who have the implant removed for nuisance bleeding. No way of knowing whether this will be you! Other side effects will be similar to your mini pill.
I haven't had one myself but have counselled and fitted them for many women.

CrackersDontMatter · 18/05/2019 14:55

I was thinking of posting similar
So thank you for beating me to it! I’m interested to hear comparisons between the injection and implant so your reply helps, thank you Robins. I’m pregnant and wanting something long term afterwards. I’ve had the injection before and aside from no periods, hated it. I did get on ok with the patch but after my last baby, the dr was reluctant to prescribe it and really pushed the coil.

Lwmommy · 18/05/2019 14:57

I'm On my second implant and have periods every month like clockwork so dont count on that perk.

Otherwise its fine, wouldn't know it was there if i coudnt feel it.

Cornishmum00 · 18/05/2019 14:59

Im on 2nd implant and wouldnt use anything else now. Bleeding is irregular but i can go several months without anything. Takes the stress away that i felt at possibly forgetting the pill or being ill and it failing. No side effects that i have noticed

Whatwillhappentomorrow · 18/05/2019 14:59

It made me feel horrendous. Physically and emotionally. Plus I was bleeding everyday. I ended up having it taken out.

Chartreuser · 18/05/2019 15:02

I bled everyday and was suicidal. And told off by the GP for lifting my children as it made my whole arm black after insertion. With 3 kids under 3.5 I had no choice.

After 5 weeks and referral to perinatal crisis team I had it removed and was was 90% better within 3 days

I was rubbish on the mini pill too

Oh yes, and monster migraines but that's one of the reasons I stopped the mini pill too

BrewdogMillionaire · 18/05/2019 15:03

It turned me crazy. It wasn't until I had it removed 3 years later that I realised that all my depressive/suicidal thoughts were linked to the implant itself. Once out, I was immediately much more normal!

Pros:

Periods Stopped
Didn't have to think about contraception
Free

Cons:

I could still feel it in my arm, and every time I put elbow pads on (I used to skate) it would be uncomfortable
Made me emotionally and mentally unstable
Having to have it surgically removed - the implant was properly wedged into my arm after 3 years and the doctor had to fight to get it out again!

DickieDonkey · 18/05/2019 15:06

Brilliant for me, but I have always been good on progesterone contraceptives like the implant and mini pill. I found the combined pill awful.

I have had no periods for 4 years (am on my second) and no hormonal mood/emotional outbursts. I will stick with the implants until menopause (am in my 40s).

BrewdogMillionaire · 18/05/2019 15:06

Further cons:

scarring: I have 2 scars from the incision when it went in, and from the incision where it came out.
visibility: people could see that I'd had an implant when I wore strappy tops/dresses due to the scarring, and also due to a small outline from the stick.

Perhaps try the injection instead?

I ended up swapping to condoms in the end.

Nutkin123 · 18/05/2019 15:07

I've had the implant three times (in a row) so for the last nine years. I've never had any problems with it, have regular periods and I don't think it affects my mood. I have gained weight compared to how I looked nine years ago but that's mostly cos I'm a lazy fucker and don't exercise as much as I once did.

Oysterbabe · 18/05/2019 15:10

I had it and had no issues at all.

justyouraveragegirl · 18/05/2019 15:10

Sorry if this is a downer but want to put my honest experience with the implant.
I had the implanon which lasts for 3 years. Having it fitted wasn't so bad so that's a positive I suppose.. When I say I had a period for 4 months I genuinely mean I had a period for 4 months after having the implant fitted which literally makes no sense of having it, I had it to not get pregnant but I couldn't have sex because I was bleeding every day. Due to the constant bleeding it caused me to have recurrent thrush because the bleeding was causing all the "good bacteria" to come out too (this is what the doctor told me) so I ended up back and forth at the doctors for thrush treatments.. In the end the doctor told me that I would need to take the pill as well to regulate my periods. So for a year and a half I was on the implant and the pill which just made the implant totally pointless, so in the end I decided to have the implant removed. It took 3 people to remove it and a lot of pain because they couldn't get it out. I would never get the implant again. I also know two people who got pregnant on the implant as well..

bitchfromhell · 18/05/2019 15:16

Utterly horrendous, am booked to have it out on Monday. I've bled heavily every day for 2 months, I've never been so tired and am getting miserable (and sweaty weirdly).
Would rather be pregnant again frankly (also awful)

yikesanotherbooboo · 18/05/2019 15:19

It is true that it may not suit you but as I said before; it is very similar to the minipill and if that generally suits you there is a good chance that the implant will.
As far as the injection is concerned; it is nearly as effective but is a lot more hormone so there is an increased risk of side effects in comparison and you have to have an injection from the nurse or do it yourself every 12/13 weeks.
Perhaps you could look at pictures of the scars on line or among your friends. You would be unlucky to have more than a couple of millimetres maximum of a neat little scar on your inner arm.it is a personal thing but to me that would be a very small price to pay for peace of mind particularly in this day and age when loads of my clients have tattoos.
I'm not a salesperson for implants and they are not suitable for some women and have intolerable side effects for others but they are removable . They are also very effective and medically pretty safe. I wouldn't advocate an injection over the implant and taking pills but forgetting some is the worst of all worlds. A mirena or copper coil are also options.

Dieu · 18/05/2019 15:19

Hi. I had my implant fitted very recently, about a month or two ago. For me, the contraceptive side of things was secondary, as I'm not even in a relationship! Hopefully one day that'll change though, and it will be handy to have contraception already in place.
I got mine fitted in the hope that it would help with my very heavy periods ... in the same what that the Mirena coil helped with this years ago.
However it has proven very disappointing on that front. Not only are my periods still heavy, but they actually last longer than they did
They say that the first 3 months set the scene for how it's going to be, so that's rather disappointing. I had hoped that it would settle in time.
Never mind, it takes 2 minutes to get it out, if that's what I eventually decide.
On the plus side I haven't been affected by psycho 'time of the month' hormones like with the coil.

Dieu · 18/05/2019 15:22

Oh, and I'm in my 40s, if that's relevant.

supercee · 18/05/2019 16:33

I'm on my 3rd in a row and I love it. I have no periods, not much PMT (just a moody cow in general sometimes) and any weight gain is probably down to the amount of wine I drink and the lack of exercise I do.

SenoraSurf · 18/05/2019 16:41

My implant, implanon, made me lose my hair. I was missed diagnosed as both anaemic and having a thyroid issue but after a long, tiresome road, my symptoms and patchy hair loss were caused by my implant.

ciaobellabella · 18/05/2019 16:48

It’s been ok for me overall (2 years) Totally random bleeding, rarely very heavy (occasionally a bit more of a flow every month or so) but spotting that lasts for weeks and weeks in some cases followed by a month of nothing.

However it is amazing not having to think about taking a pill every day, particularly when travelling etc. I haven’t had the bad headaches or cramps I had with the pill. I haven’t gained any weight, in fact I’ve lost a bit (haven’t really tried to either!)

I am unsure as to whether it has affected my mood to be honest or whether life is just more stressful and up and down for me since I have had it in. I think I perhaps have less patience and a shorter temper, get upset more easily but that may be due to stress in general. I’ll be interested to see how I feel as and when I get it removed.

Besides that I’m currently planning to get another one put in next year when it ‘runs out’ as I don’t want a baby yet and the convenience outweighs any negatives for me at the moment.

ciaobellabella · 18/05/2019 16:49

Oh and I think I do get way more spots - not sure if it’s worse than when on the pill though really. Hormones generally have affected my skin anyway!

noimaginationatall · 18/05/2019 16:51

Mine turned me into a bit of a psycho and nearly broke up my marriage. I cried with relief the day it came out as I finally felt like myself again!

Tigerlilly17 · 18/05/2019 16:58

I had hell with mine. There was only 10 weeks I didn’t bleed the first year and for the 3 years I had it, I was a raving bitch and moody. It was also placed too deep and took 2 doctors 90 mins too remove. I since swapped to the mirena coil and have ultra light periods and no other side effects due it only working within the cervix area.
I have friends who have been fine on the implant, and some who haven’t. The coil is easier to remove and lasts for 5 years if left in place.

ciaobellabella · 18/05/2019 17:01

Those of you who had negative mood side effects - what were your symptoms? I do wonder if how I feel a lot of the time is due to this stick in my arm but I don’t think it started immediately - a good 9 months I would say!

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