Hi,
I was searching through the internet for advice on side effects on nexplanon because I have had a horrendous time on it and have been trying to rationalize how much of what I've experienced is the nexplanon. After reading all these posts, I registered so I can share my experience maybe it will help someone else.
17 weeks ago now, I went to the dr because i was getting some numbness in my right arm and on the cheek of my face. As i was on a combination pill i was told there was a good chance it was due to that and i should change to the mini pill cerazete. Id been on various combination pills for 16 years with no problems, but the Dr advised the change, so i went with it.
A month later i went back as i had been experiencing constant heavy bleeding and clotting and the numbness hadn't changed. I was then advised to switch to the nexplanon implant as they weren't keen to let me have a combination pill whilst i was still getting this numbness thing. A friend of mine had been on nexplanon with no problems at all so I switched. They also kept me on the cerazete at the same time to try and stop the bleeding as they both work with the same hormone.
If the consistent heavy bleeding / clotting wasn't enough, it was at this point my real problems kicked in, for the next 3 months the bleeding / clotting continued, and I started to get ringing in my ears, and a pulsating noise (both are apparently related to tinnitus) , headaches , seriously greasy skin, dizziness and my hair is coming out, which is making me stress even more and I've been spoken to in work about how i seem to have lost my compassion to those around me, my libido has completely left the building and my poor partner has been left with what feels like a shell of a person, because despite how wonderful and patient and kind he has been though all this, i just feel emotionless, which is odd because the words coming out to those around me are kinda cold and angry but inside what i feel doesn't match what i'm saying.
I went back to my doctor and to be honest they just wanted me to 'stick with it' , I had to go back a few times and eventually they agreed to take it out because the original numbness i went there with was still there. They finally decided not because i was going through hell with this nexplanon but because they wanted to rule out the hormones being the cause of the numbness that i was allowed to have it out. I wasn't going to complain, it was coming out!
When i had it out the nurse practitioner wasn't very happy with me and her and her assistant kept making comments about the cost to the NHS, I'd love to see how much they cared about the cost the the NHS after months of the crap i've just been through.
It's been almost a week now and although the bleeding hasn't stopped (im hopping it's because my body doesn't know its own cycle yet as this is the first time in 16 years i've been on nothing) already i feel more like my self, the headaches have got a lot better, i've not had dizziness in days and just knowing that thing is out, feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I've been told i'm coming across a lot less cold/angry to the people around me as well :)
When i was put on nexplanon i was told it was the bees knees in contraception and that the only side effects i would need to look out for were possible oily skin as that was common and that my periods might stop. I think they missed a few warnings off the list there, if i had any idea this may happen, I'd have just opted for condoms in the first place.
As for the numbness, i have a neurology appointment in 2 weeks, they now think i might have a pinched artery or something reducing the blood flow to my arm / face.
I feel that if the NHS is going to put the pressure on GPs to NOT take this thing out because of cost then they should do a better job at fully informing there patients about ALL the possible side effects. I'm not completly free of this mess yet, but reading posts were people have been forced to keep it in for a year or more being fobbed off with just wait a little longer or this is normal. I feel that despite my experience so far, i'm one of the lucky ones, because at least it's out now and i can concentrate on trying to be me again.