To ask about your experience of the implant

[Farcry66]

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

I was on the injection for 13 years and my doctor persuaded me to go on the implant saying it was the same hormone but a more consistent level. During my time on the injection I had no more than 5 periods usually when overly tired.
First year was ok but had periods every month. It was a shocker but I got used to them. Then in year two it was hell. The periods got longer and longer, pmt was awful and I put on three stone.
Year three I had had enough. I was bleeding most of the month and carrying tampons everywhere. I only wore black trousers and became very anaemic.
I couldn't wait to get it out after bleeding constantly for 22 days and I was taking my class to the beach! I paid to have it taken out privately which was the best £180 I have ever spent. I also went back on the injection and I haven't bled since and lost a stone so far.

I would never have any long term contraception again after my experience with the implanon implant, mostly because I was made to wait the 4 years to take it out despite suffering awful side effects. I bled constantly, every single day, not just spotting, but actual period like bleeding. After about 9 months of this the GP put me on the pill to stop the bleeding, advising that it would eventually stop. If I even took a pill a little late (didn't initially think the timing was that important as not using for contraception) I would start bleeding within hours. I had to fight them and go to many many appointments before they agreed to take it out. It affected me in so many ways aside from the bleeding, I was anemic and constantly exhausted, and my mental health nosedived too probably due to the double dose of synthetic hormones coursing through me. I know a lot of people who have had it and had similar issues, never met anyone who got the fabled no periods!

Absolutely hated it - went up two dress sizes in a month, had horrendous mood swings and bloating, and had weird periods throughout. It's taken just short of two years for me to start having normal periods which hasn't helped with TTC... sorry it's not positive but everyone reacts differently to it (I've not met anyone that has a positive experience with it)

I went through two over 4 years. First was for 3 years and was great. No periods or major symptoms only weight gain.

2nd one was terrible - the hornemones and low moods were too much took it out after a year.

It didn't work for me either I had horrible low moods and just felt fatigue all the time. Also gained weight probably due to the tiredness and low moods.

Also bled constantly aswwll and heavy. My periods prior to this were always normal and not to painful.

As soon as it came out to TTC no 2 I have felt great and since having dc2 I've not gone back on any contraception as I hate the way it makes me feel.

I have the nexplanon (am on my second) and at first it made be psychotic - mood swings from crying to anger to laughing in literally 60 seconds. That only lasted he first month though.

It's also made my periods heavier and more irregular. I envy those whose have stopped.

I don't believe I've had any other side effects and I have definitely never got pregnant so for me it's the best option right now.

Insertion is a doddle... taking it out was a night mare - took 45 mins, two holes and a lot of bloody tissues, apparently it had bent so kept spinning in my arm. Massive bruising for a couple weeks. Nothing I couldn't handle though

Had nexplanon for two years. I don't think implanon is available anymore.

It's been good tbf. No periods for 18 months and I've had about 3 recently but v short and light.

I have 4 friends on it who haven't had a period in three years so they persuaded me and I'm glad I did.

It stopped my periods (fantastic!) but completely killed my sex drive and covered my chin in acne. I put up with it for a year then had it removed.

Bad experience here too.... bled non stop for months, low moods, fatigue and zero sex drive, was so relieved to have it taken out

@Dieu it took 45 minutes of tugging, 2 holes to get mine out... the anaesthetic wore off so don't count on it being 5 mins. My sisters had to be surgically removed

@BlackPrism

Oh, fuck me sideways. That's horrific. I wonder if that's still the case if you can feel it, and it's close to the surface.

I loved mine, on my 2nd. No side effects. Easy to put in and easy to take out of you find it's not for you.

Hi all I’m a mum to 3 boys and after my last one I went on The Nexplanon Implant I would say around January 2017. I still had periods throughout they was regular each month not too heavy, until the 18th September 2019 I bled for nearly a month I didn’t finish until the 12th October. I had the implant out on the 21st October but haven’t had a period since or any kind of bleeding. I’ve had a bit of sickness, sore boobs, cramping like my period Is coming but nothing. As soon as the implant came out I had bv (sorry tmi) just trying to get answers, so I’m on antibiotics. Pregnancy tests are coming up negative. Can anyone help if they’ve had the same experience xx

Like all contraception you won't know how it affects you until you try it.

The various pills were useless for me, I had PMDD, heavy periods, etc. Depo Provera stopped that within 48 hours. After 30+ years I was reticent to change but have now had 2 implants and it has worked well for me. I am probably going to have 1 more, to make sure I have finished menopause, I have a probably unfounded fear of the PMDD returning if I stop too soon and my hormones 'get me' again.

The only useful answer for you is probably try it, see how it works for you!

Sorry was your answer for me I’m not sure, because I was happy with what I had I just don’t understand why after 2 years it went all erratic

I bled constantly and was suicidal. Went on for 9 months as the doctors refused to remove it. Eventually they agreed to remove it, but it took me threatening to do it myself for them to finally take me seriously.

I’m on my third and love it. I had my third one fitted after a break of about 8 years while I gave myself a break from hormones and had kids, had no periods for about 6 months then bled for about ten days before settling into regular periods which are much lighter than before (but last about 7 days as opposed to 5).

Short of any drastic changes I’ll keep using it until I can get my husband to agree to a vasectomy.

Sometimes you gotta do what you got to do lol it’s so annoying I just want to get back to normal, if I knew it was gonna be like this I wouldn’t of had it in.

I had a Depo Provera implant many years ago and in three months I had gained a crazy amount of weight. Never been overweight beforehand.

I had the mini pill which was great apart from it made my cycle 9-14 days long, I'd get one or 2 days with no bleeding, before it started again. So the Dr suggested I try the implant as it should work better. My mood was horrific and I constantly felt like I was going to kill someone. I told the Drs when I called if they didn't take it out straight away, I was going to do it myself.. Yeah hormonal stuff does not agree with me! If you're normally fine with hormones, give it a go, it's easy enough to remove if needs be. I have one final option and that's to try the coil (is it the copper one that doesn't have hormones?) and then if that doesn't work, I'm stuck as they won't sterilise me :/

@kaiyan14 no. I was replying to the OP. I probably should have made that more plain!

I bled all the time. ALthough no mood swings or other side effects. I tries knocking it into a rythym by taking 2 packs of pills back to back, bit that didnt work.

My housemate at uni had one, and didnt have a period for 3 years.

I am on my third, will get a 4th one next year, bloody love it, not had a period since 2007!

I had it as when I went to have my coil renewed she wasn't able to get it in. I've had no problems and no periods so all good. Dd2 had it, and whilst it has certainly regulated her mood - she used to have awful PMT she's now pretty pleasant all the time, her periods are still really irregular 9 months on. Light, but all over the place.