Nexplanon implant thing - how I regret that!

[Alwaysworthchecking]

Had the implant put in just before travelling abroad (two and half weeks ago) and how I hate the thing! I bleed constanty - enough, initially, to just need pantyliners but for a week and a half now, enough to need the Mooncup. I feel grumpy quite a lot of the time and, much as I can't have sex what with all the bleeding, I don't fancy it all! The one time we managed, it was really uncomfortable. I also hate that I can feel it in my arm, although that is obviously a minor concern.

So, as a contraceptive, it's pretty effective, but it's not what I had in mind.

I can't take oestrogen-based contaceptives, I got pregnant and then miscarried on micronor and I'm not going for the Mirena - not risking messing my hormones about like this again. Want it out and then go back to condoms - never had any problems with them.

If I could take it out myself with the paring knife in the kitchen, I think I would.

Is it likely to settle down, do you think? Also, what are my chances of getting it removed when I get back home in a week or so?

I had the Nexplanon implant inserted in October and didn't think too much of it until now. I had the initial sensitivity around the site for about a week, which was what I expected and I had a light period lasting around 2 week's again, not unexpected. HOWEVER, I have also had the worst cold's/flu of my life. The first one came 2 days after getting the implant in and lasted 3 weeks in total. It floored me but I did nothing as I've just started a new job and was busy. I also thought if I go to the doctor with this, they will say carry on with paracetemol. I then got it again 3 days ago and did go to the GP's, I got the locum, and I got the Amoxicillin. Some might say it's pure coincidence, however I normally never get colds from one year to the next and I do wonder if maybe my body is somehow trying to reject the foreign body and has weakened my immune system, my mood has also sometimes been off as I am usually quite placid, I am a support worker and sometimes got annoyed with people, now I know the possible reason why. I feel knackered all the time and having problems breathing, especially when coughing. I'm not asthmatic, but do have under-active thyriod. I wish all of this would go away soon, the anibiotics are not totally effective yet. Is it just my bad luck?

I had Implanon and had a DREADFUL time with it. If I wasn't bleeding or spotting then having sex would make me start - bit like getting your period midway through 'the act'. I had to say that if it wasn't taken out I'd take it out myself, before it was begrudgingly removed.
While everyone is indeed different, I think that the warnings given BEFORE implantation of these contraceptives is shockingly inadequate.

I had one about 6 years ago so that was the old implant implanon but I had an awful time with. I put on 3 stone in less than 6 months bledalmost constantly for a year then for the next year I bled for about 3 weeks out of 4 I also suffered from depression and quite severe mood swings, eventually after 2 years I got it took out.

I felt so compelled to comment on this that I have joined just to do so.
Every woman is different and friends of mine have had this put it and not experienced anything horrible.

However I had nexplanon put in at the end of October and have had constant headaches, ones that have developed into migraines. I had the first migraine the day after it was inserted, another the following weekend and another last weekend (I'd never had one before). Then this week, I had so much pressure in my head I went to A&E where after a thorough examination they advised me to take my implant out. I had it out yesterday, and am so relieved. I think I subconsciously knew after my first migraine after having it inserted that it didn't agree with my body, I should have trusted my instincts and had it taken out sooner.

I got the implant in March 2012. Personally I did initially have some bleeding in the first few weeks. Since then I've never had a period again. For a while time I couldn't eat a lot of things, I was always nauseous. When I did eat my stomach felt awful, Sometimes I couldn't keep food down. When I went to my doctor to get it removed, they told me to give it more time. The worst are the mood swings, and the crying. I am so overly sensitive now it's ridiculous. My sex drive has remained somehow. I would NOT recommend this to ANYONE. While I'm still emotional, I stopped having problems with nausea. It took too long for the side effects to subside. You will most likely have intense mood swings and will not be yourself at all. I'm getting mine removed FOR GOOD next week.

I had the implant this October, not too bad having it put in - bruised, but not sore.

Then around next period bled heavily for 2.5 weeks - thought OMG what have I done, I am going to hate this...

Then nothing, no periods, no side effects that I can complain of - so one happy camper here. (although I did take a pg test last week to make I wasn't a complete sop and was actually pg! But negative, so apparently is working!).

Have just read this and it compelled me to join. I have three children, my eldest is 18...I've used the mirena twice, and have had the implanon - with all three when I started getting towards the end of their usefulness I started getting not real periods but spotting and a horrid brown discharge once a month. Had the implanon replaced (that was a bit of an ordeal as my arm didn't want to give it up!) and then the nexplanon fitted. My arm itched like crazy for nearly three weeks...and in that time I am spotting literally every day...more so after sex. My hair is greasy quickly and I am getting spotty too. The idea was that I'd have this and then in 18 months try for a baby before it's too late (I am on my second marriage and my husband has no children of his own but we are finishing our degrees so now isn't an ideal time). I am getting lots of headaches - short lived most of the time - feel emotional all the time. It's horrible. I am hoping it will settle down, but I am wondering looking at other peoples feed back if my emotional state (and I was emotional under the implanon) is to do with my body not liking the implant. But if so, what else apart from condoms is there for a 38 year old woman?

Hi,
I have it for almost year and its getting worse and worse. I have periods for about 3 weeks out of 5. I am trying to get it out. I have it inserted little bit deep but it is palpable. The problem is that I am in India. The doctor here wants to give me full anesthesia for the removal, saying that it woul be painful. Anyone has experience? Honestly I just think they are trying to make as much money as they can, becouse full anesthesia is obviously going to cost my insurance company more that just local. Can anyone help?
cheers kristyna

please can someone help me regarding the nexplanon im getting pounding headaches and have been taking painkillers everyday since it was inserted two weeks ago, will the headaches ever go, if not should i have it removed????

the headaches are unbearable but i have no other side effects can anyone recommend another alternative as cerazette also gave me headaches but not as bad as this?

so glad i found this thread.
i have implanon in since july 2011. thought it was the bees knees at first but now i am wondering what exactly it has done to me!
I have been ill for a year now. like another poster said memory loss (like cant think of words), poor concentration, no libido, no energy, can even collect myself enough to clean the house sometimes as feel so confused i dont know where to start. really weird stuff.
only last week i suffered severe paranoia and had a sh*t xmas even though the week before xmas i was really excited. i blame my husband for everything even though he has done nothing. we even separated for a while.
i haven't worked since last april and there are no signs of me to go back as i am not physically or mentally able.
so long story short - having been to every doc, alternative practitioner etc they can find nothing wrong with me except ME / or maybe depression. went on anti-depressant and they made me worse!
then i stumbled on this thread thank god!!!!! i really think it is the implanon that must be causing all this. it must be becaues everything else has been ruled out.

made an appt for today to get it removed at a family planning clinic but had to cancel as my dd is ill. so annoyed as i was so excited to get it out.

only question is what to use instead - as i have 3 dc;s and dont want anymore (not at the moment anyway). the lady on the phone suggested a non - hormonal contraceptive like the copper coil so might try that.

ps the pill always drove me mad too - was on depo-provera for years and that was fine - so dont know what that tells me.

Ive had the nexplanon implant in just over a year, i absolutely regret it now! Im going to have it taken out because its changed me in a bad way and its affecting my life style, let alone the feeling you have in your arm!
I have mad mood swings! that could be to do with the fact im still young but ever since i had this they've gotten worse! I smashed my mirror the other day because of how moody i can get thanks to it.
I have headaches and i get dizzy!
I lose my concentration alot and very easily! Im at college studying for my career and i really cant be doing with losing my concentration!
Im always constantly tired and can fall asleep at any time during the day!
Im used to not having periods when i was on the injection, and now im always bleeding!
Sometimes i get uncomfortable during sex and it makes me angry with myself!
I thought all these affects were just with me, so im glad ive read this so now i know its not just me. Im going to go back onto the injection because i didnt have any of these affects!
Im glad i found this thread!

please can someone help me as i have had the nexplanon since the 17th dec 2012 its been almost a month now and i have been getting headaches everyday i am constantly tired and want to sleep all the time just to be able to bear the headaches please can someone tell me if they ever stop and whether or not i should remove it...thank you

I had implanon a few years back twice, The first time I had it taken out after a few months, I can't remember why. I had it put in again a few years later and actually did take it out myself (yes I was crazy) after I was told I would have to wait 2 weeks for an appointment. I have just had nexplanon put in as we now have three boys and are due to get married next year, In am hoping it is better than implanon or I will be having it taken out again.

hello
i have had the nexplanon in my arm now for over a year and i have not any major issues with it at all. Knowing it was in my arm never concerned me at, sometimes i just forgot it was even there.

for the first few month i had a constant light on and off bleed which at first was bothering but when it stopped i did not have one in Months then the patterned repeated.

the only thing that really took an effective was the appetite increase which i didnt think would effect me due to the fact i didn't eat much. i started to feel hungry more often, able to eat bigger portions and snack crazy. So my advice is to watch what your eating.

looking up through other post some comments say they felt sleepy during the day, well this was the same for me and yes i blamed the implant but it was actually that i was anemic which was the issue.

Annoying issue. why i went to the medical centre to have it put it they booked me in the same day and i was so pleased it was so simple. now i have planned to have it removed i went to the medical centre again and said that i wanted it removed and the Nurse/Doctor persuaded me to keep it and that if i came of which other contraception would i be taking. after she rambled on she gave me an appointment for a whole MONTH ahead with was extremely fustrating.

Hi all,
I felt compelled to write on this with a positive experience of implanon/nexplanon.
Had implanon inserted and had no problems whatsoever with it - no bleeding, no side effects at all. When my 3 years was up, I had it removed and another (which by this time was nexplanon) inserted. Again, no problems whatsoever and no bleeding (yay!).

Have just had it removed to try and get back some sort of normal cycle before TTC since my periods have stopped completely over the time I've had an implant (c. 5 years), but I recommend it to anyone who will listen as my experience has been great with it.
It does seem that everyone is different, but I want to say there are not only horror stories associated with this form of contraception!

hi

A big thank you to all who have posted both positive and negative reviews-as i have needed to know both.

I am scheduled to have my nexplanon inserted tommorow afternoon. i have done as much research as i can,, i have considerd getting the pill instead but as i am newly married-only a month and we would like to wait two years before trying for a baby, nexplanon seems the best choice (had made arrangements two weeks before wedding to be seen at gp's but fully booked) we are excited about our first time together-finally so i hope there will be no nasty side effects.

As some people on here have stated-it works differently for everyone,, so ill try hard to be optimistic and hope for the best!!

will keep u posted

Tessp123 how did you take yours out? I'm seriously contemplating doing the same but I'm a bit scared!

I've had the nexplanon implant for 8 months now and thought it was great until recently, I've had no bleeding or weight gain but my moods are awful! I really thought I had pnd until I read all the stories about mood swings associated with nexplanon. I have no patience at all, I can flip over nothing and cry over the most ridiculous things! I'm so not myself it scares me. It suddenly dawned on me and I realised I need to get this thing out of me so I went to the family planning clinic yesterday to get it taken out and they refused to do it because it was put in by the gp and they only take out the ones that they put in! My gp referred me to another surgery to get it put in as he is not trained to put them in and the referral took 6 weeks The thought of waiting that long again horrifies me, I need it out!

Hi, I know this reply is a bit late but just joined. I've currently for the nexplanon implant and can't believe how it's made me feel. It started off ok, (I've had it in since oct 2011) then after a few months my periods stopped, but the cramps I get to replace them are horrendous. I've got no doubt that as a contraceptive that it works perfectly, but it's messing y body up big time. The mood swings alone are awful, and it's getting to the stage that I can't deal with them let alone anyone else. And the cramps, I've been pregnant and miscarried before and I can honestly say that my miscarriage was about as painful as the cramps I get, it's almost like sitting on a knife. This is my second implant before I had the Implanon, which was smooth sailing, I still had periods, but they were lighter which is always a bonus, and I was thankful to still have them because sometimes the hormone buildup is a bit much but no problems with it at all! Nexplanon however is just not right, and a few of my friends have said the same, ridiculous mood swings, hot flushes, awful cramps etc. going to get mine removed in the next week, in the last year it's just made me worse and worse with the moods and the cramps seem to get worse every time. And I now on average have a period every 3 months and when that happens its painful and lasts about 3 weeks :/ something's. It quite right here..

hi i have only just joined but i have Nexplanon and have had it in for about 15mths now and i HATE IT peroids are horrible stay on one for 3wks and still no sign of stopping cant do anything sex wise and its reallly getting me down very snappy at every one so got gp ringing me monday to have it out i,m goin bk to havin my injections at least i no there stop my periods and i have a gd sex life

Hello All

Thank you all for sharing your experiences good and bad. Here's mine: I have had Nexplanon since November 2011 and noticed lack of sex drive and moodiness/depression/feeling low etc straight away. My weight was stable until March 2012 then I put on 2 stones in 3 months. I'm not sure if I was eating more because the implant was making me sad, or because it was making me hungrier, but I definately lost the feeling of fullness you get from eating, so never had a problem eating all of a sharing bag of crisps etc. I have retained that 2 stones since then despite really healthy eating and exercise that I started in October 2012. I am having the implant out on 4th March, and will continue to use condoms as contraception, but am sad to lose the extra reassurance you get with 2 methods of contraception (can't take oestrogen, tried progestrogen-onlym don't want IUD or injection).

What I'd reslly like to know from all you lovely people out there, is: is it easier to lose weight after you've had the implant out?

hi

unfortunately i can not answer the question above. have had my implant for exactly two weeks now.

puting it in was smooth sailing and i have no scar.

However,, after 2 or 3 days, i noticed that i was low,,, and im not a moody person but i have been feeling low and tired.

My husband went away to consumate our marriage and i was still low,, i told him and close friends right away that im kinda low/down since having my implant.

ive been thinking itll settle down and i should wait a while,, as im quite aware there are worse side effects caused by nexplanon, and i consider myseilf lucky,, so far. i think my husband is being major inconsiderate because im not my usual self and not really in the mood, he lost his temper even though i try to keep my cool ;-(

Hi Everyone, I'm also not a mum but needed to comment on here!
I had the Nexplanon fitted in January 2013. I was aware of how it affected everyone differently but was hoping to be one of the lucky one's who get no periods at all on it!!
So far, so bad... I began to spot a couple of days after my period was due and it soon got heavier. I haven't stopped bleeding since! Had a few times where it looked like it was going but would come back again in a few hours or so (I would maybe have nothing all night but then it would be back the following day) and now for the past few weeks it has just been very, very heavy. I have been bleeding for almost 7 weeks now :( It's really getting me down now, so frustrating and obviously I am unable to have sex so that is the only reason it is a good contraceptive.
Have made an appointment with my GP for Wednesday so I can discuss.
Any ideas? Any chance of it settling down anytime soon?!
Thanks guys

I'm so so pleased I've seen this! I had the implant fitted in November last year and since I've just felt ill all the time. Tired, headaches, acne and all around my implant was itching. It's since started to hurt, like a dull ache and shooting pains when moving my arm. Been to see my GP who was thoroughly unhelpful! Just recommended painkillers and lotion for my face (thankful for this!!). Not really sure what to do now? I had the implant for 3 years with no problems and this seems the most reliable contraception? Me and my other half don't want any "accidents" just yet and the pill had caused numerous problems in the past. Really starting to frustrate me and with these horrendous mood swings I'm about at the end of my tether!!

Hi guys, I found this thread and have joined to share and have a rant!

I had my Nexplanon inserted in September 2013 I was told I would probably experience some side effect in the first 3 months. I really wish this was the case. I have not stopped bleeding since then! Initially I had spotting (just a panty liner) then full blown bleeding as in i'm on my period for eternity. Its distressing because Ive been experiencing cramps, swelling and even clotting.

So I went to my GP after the 3 months who sent me to the clinic who gave me some pills to counteract the bleeding etc. THIS DID NOT WORK I have just finished a 3 month cycle of pills bleeding all the way through. I may have had 2 weeks all together of days in the whole 6 months since I was implanted.

Nevermind the spots! I have never had spots always clear skin. spots everywhere leaving bloody scars as well. Absolutely awful, I do have a sex drive occasionally not that my boyfriend can touch me because I'm too scared of something awful happening and being eternally mortified. So indeed i wont be having any babies, but no fun either.

Mood wise I'm up and down and have been experiencing some quite low moments and crying at cartoons or anything really.
Im really annoyed as I was so excited to be protected for 2/3 years but now its all gone to pot.

I will be going to get it removed as soon as I can! Im slightly worried because I had it implanted during an operation so I didn't feel the pain. How much will it hurt????