Implanon Depression/PMT

[noni1711]

Hi,

I have had the implant now for 16 months and have not only bled for probably 75% of the time but I am feeling angry a lot of the time. Having talked things through with other half I think I am also actually trying to combat mild depression which on reflection I am sometimes had with PMT. I also have no libido whatsoever. This is not me!!

I don't want to get pregnant again but I do want to feel like my usual self. I need to know if it could be the implant that is contributing to me feeling like this. Has anyone else had a similar experience or can suggest anything?

Would really appreciate some advice!

Yes it could very well be the implant. I had it for 4 months and during that time I had no libido, very nearly left my DH as I had no feelings for him whatsover, had ferocious mood swings (would be in tears at nothing at all), gained a stone in weight (looked pregnant) and lost nearly half my hair. Periods stopped completely.

I had it taken out before I removed it myself with a knife and am now back on the pill and back to normal!

OMG sorry you had to go through that. I think I may have to book an appointment at the docs then to get this thing out my arm!
Thanks.

Good luck. I had a hell of a job convincing my GP to take it out, hence the 'I'll take it out myself' comment lol!
Some people get along great with the implant, sadly not me. At least your body returns to normal pretty quickly so you'll know for sure that's what has been causing your problems.

Same here, i had it in only a couple of months, and after constant bleeding 99% of that time and mood swings, depression etc, i told them i wanted it out! i just demanded it, they tried to persuade me otherwise and i said no!! So hence very moany nurse took it out!!

Why do you think they were so reticent to take it out, considering the adverse effects that you described?

I've had my Implanon since Sept 08, no bleeding, no a great libido but then my libido was never great anyway, and no noticeable PMT, which is the COMPLETE opposite to my experience on the pill.

I am starting to think about what to do in September this year, when this one is due to expire. Another implant, sterilisation, I just don't know?!?!

Second post on MN and second post about Implanon - I promise I'm not working for them! :) Just happened to see the posts...

Sorry to hear you had such awful side effects, but I just wanted to chip in to agree with Meow75, it has done nothing but good for me personally. I know it could swing either way, but if you do get along with it it's really the best form of contraception imho. It's just such a shame you have to pay so much for it upfront, total waste of money if it makes you miserable... Although I have managed to convince one other friend to use it as well, and after a rocky start she's been delighted with it too. So it's not always doom and gloom with Implanon...

(Again, not wanting to minimalise your experiences, just in case someone wondering about its side effects reads this)

Well I've now had it out for 6 weeks and I feel like myself again. I have not suddenly lost weight to the inner body image that I have of myself so peripheral body syndrome remains! However I don't feel paranoid, angry and in a rage and I have the beginnings of a libido again (better find something else quick!).

Thanks to all who posted, it really helped me not to feel as if I was going off my rocker so isolated about it. I think this particular contraception is neither right nor wrong, it simply didn't work for me.

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. I had mine for a grand total of 24 days. Mood swings, depression, fatigue, zero sex drive (from wanting sex 2-3 times a day) and my memory and mental faculties took a nose dive - I had baby brain without the baby. I felt better a couple of days after having it out. I'm actually kind of happy that it was so bad for me, if it had been more bearable then I probably would have made myself stick with it because it's just so good a contraceptive. I'm missing the idea of not having to worry about taking antibiotics or forgetting a pill and if it hadn't have been so bad for me I'd be berating myself for having it taken out.