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?

Hi, I'm 17 and I am on the explanon implant. I was looking on this forum to see if anyone has experienced excessive bleeding cycles like I have. I got it implanted 3 months ago and my cycle didnt begin until ten days later. I have not stopped bleeding since; although the bleeding is very minimal and I only need to use a panty liner a day. They are uncomfortable now and I have been bleeding for a total of 63 days. I have not experienced and side effects, such as weight gain, mood swings etc. Should I still be worried or consider getting it removed?

i realize this thread is old i just feel i need to add my experiences , i had the nexaplon put in on the 10/10/13 all was well for the first two weeks but then the low moon started and i realized i had put on 10 pounds i was shocked so i stared exercising , taking walking 6 miles plus a day :( in fact iv probably put on more as i have stopped weighing as its so depressing, i have never felt so low this is awful , i had acne all over my face and just looked swollen, so i went along to the family planning clinic and told them all of this and they took it out yesterday.. thank god. i lost my ability to talk sense , even my balance was affected. i had no problem with implanon its just this nexoplon that's the problem, the nurse said , that the doctor would be mad at me for getting it removed just a few weeks after having it in , and i find hat unhelpful, i have clinical depression and pre-diabetes so my reasons weren't selfish! anyway everyone is different but just thought id share my experiences here x

Had Nexplanon put in on 12/9/13, no bleed for 5 weeks now bleeding continuously. Wish i had looked at this thread 1st. No weight gain, in fact weight loss! moody, misserable, no interest in anything not even Christmas..... will give it another 3 months before i make a final decision but does it hurt as much to take it out as to have it put in???

I recently had the nexplanon implant removed after 2 years, thanks to weight gain and increasingly irregular bleeding, but now over a month later the arm is still sore and a vein which runs along where the implant was seems to have hardened which has me a little worried. Anyone experienced any similar long lasting pain or similar side effects?? Would quite like peace of mind without hassling a doctor and being a hypochondriac!!

Flosspop, didn't hurt getting it out but the amount of fishing about, pushing, pulling and general wrestling required by the doc was v.traumatic: enough to make me NEVER want it put back in!! (at one point i told her to just take the arm!! But up until year 2 of 3 i had very rare and always light periods, probably wouldve recommended it if it wasn't for the weight gain then horrible removal process. Only minimal mood swings when i first got it, and certainly now im back on microgynon realise how great it is not to have to remember to take contraception (i will probably end up pregnant by new year on the pill!!)

I want mine out. Had it put in after my Implanon ran out may 2012, handed a leaflet and a card with my insertion date on it and was sent on my way.. I loved my Implanon and was reluctant to carry on with implants when the GP said that they stopped using Implanon. This is only my second implant, so was unsure what to expect upon removal and reinsertion but all was fine. I have put on roughly 3 stone in weight, always look PG with my hard bloated tummy, sore boobs and can be very a bit moody. The first year had no periods just constantly PG symptoms, now I'm having periods they are irregular and heavy. Its just horrible. I want it out but the GP's are recommending against as if I had it taken out I couldn't go on the pill or injection without losing the weight I put on using the damn thing as apparently it wouldn't be as effective at my current weight.

Nexplanon has seriously fucked up my life...

I am outraged ! My fiancée got that stick thingy majigger and it bites! For one she is always angry at me even at how I breath sleep and eat she'll sleep 12hours and still be tired she yells at me if I don't do her homework FYI I'm not the one in school .. She's always bleeding and man do I go to walmart to go buy buttliners all the time ...wal mart price match and save ..I wish someone would write on here and beg her to take it out I'm miserable I began shaving my head as a result of my frustration ..help!

I had mine taken out today!!! I was actually excited about my Drs appointment as I was so ready to have it taken out. The procedure to remove it was painless and took about ten minutes with a bit of teasing and tugging.

I stuck with it for a year and a half because it was so handy (new baby then going back to work full time) and I hoped it would settle down but in that time I bled constantly for SIX HORRIBLE MONTHS, and then bled three weeks on three weeks off. I changed into an irritable, overweight wreck. My sex drive completely went and I basically changed into a different person.

For the sake of my relationship and sanity it had to go!

Freeeeeedom!!!!

Just to say had it out and removal fine(posted a few times over last year). Now on condoms. Husband had his vasectomy. Major thing have noticed am calmer. Don't loose my temper as quick with children. Feel simmering anger rather than rave. Less shouting! Life quieter already. I hadn't realised how much it affected my mood. Weigh wise too early to comment. I have had a virus and infection for six weeks so can't say till back to normal.

Hello everybody I have had the implant for 1 year and 6 months ... It was ok for the first 2-4 months but now can honestly say is been a big bloody pain in the arse I am not happy have had many symptoms and would rather go back to condoms .. anyway my symptoms this past year involve my hair becoming thinner my stomach aching and stinging feeling asif i am getting punched from the inside and the pain gets worse at night aswell as the bloating I am always constipated always spotting I have become more anxious about people and my surroundings .. headaches and now I have found that my implant (nexplanon) has shimmied its way down my arm and is stinging like hell I suspect it is touching a nerve.
well I called the doctors last week and they have said they would call me back as they have no appointments but no phone call .. nothing I wouldnt be calling If I didnt want it out sooner then later!
to be honest id rate nexplanon 2 out of 10

I'm 19, and had the nexplanon implant for almost 3 years now (due to come out in September) & I am honestly so glad I am not the only person out there with the same problems, at first when i first got it fitted at 17 i wasnt sexually active it was almost my last resort as I was allergic to the contraceptive pill (getting sickness etc) & I thought it was great, until about 6 month in when my mood swings started, I'll snap for the stupidest and littleist things and make a scene out of nothing, i ruined my past relationship with it and now im on the verge of doing it again, my periods are not fun either, I have been having periods which are 3/4 weeks long and very painful, I have suffered from headaches, stomach pain and mood swings as well as piling on a stone in weight. I am getting my implant removed on the 13th and will not be getting it back in, I was told time after time its normal to spot on the implant, its normal to bleed, things will calm down and they dont!! Ive even bled after sex which is always awkward and i never know when im gonna bleed next. if anyone can help me with contraception which will stop or help my periods get back to normal il be more than thankful, I want to keep my relationship this time!

Very happy to find this post. I had the Nexplanon fitted end of April. My GP warned about weight gain! The first week I lost 5lbs in weight and felt great. As the months have gone on I started to put on weight and felt pregnant. I have done 3 tests and all negative (different brand tests as well). I felt like I was having contractions last night. Looked on the internet today. Plenty of women have had the same symptoms of feeling pregnant. I feel sick in the mornings or certain smells make me feel sick. My breasts are huge now, and have a bloated stomach. My skin and hair are fine. As hair loss and spots are a possible side effect. I still get periods and not as heavy as use to be. I do feel so tired and get angry more. Does anyone know if the side effects get better as this has been 8 months now. Gone from a size 10/12 to a 14/16. I did use the IUD before which was perfect for me (no side effects at all). Just had a bad experience when had it fitted so have a phobia of getting fitted again. Worried my dress size will keep going up and up.

READ THIS!!!

I'm 24 years old. I had Nexplanon put in in October 2012. I had it put it within the time my doctor requested and it is placed perfectly in my arm. I had my period everyday since the first month. EVERY DAY. Tampons are not cheap. And even when I wasn't on my period I had spotting. Every few weeks there would be a day or two when I didn't have any blood. I had chest acne right away. Had it all over my chest and some on my back for the first 6-7 months. My skin is oily. I'm depressed. I sweat. I've gained a ton of weight. I weighted 115lbs when I had it inserted. I currently weigh 138lbs. I'm exhausted all of the time. I saw my doctor and he put me back on the pill. I take the pill just to try and regulate my period. (Still have the Nexplanon in my arm). Now it is 2014 and I have chest acne AGAIN and haven't had my period since November 1st 2013. It's been an awful experience

I had crazy mood swings, I felt like I was really losing it after having the nexplanon implant. I also started bleeding for weeks and weeks. I went to the doc in desperation. He was a young doc, probably newly qualified locum. He said to try taking cerazette (minipill I have taken in the past with no problems at all) as well as the implant. It worked! Not only did the bleeding stop only after a few days, but my mental state went back to normal. I now have the implant for security (I am very flakey at taking regular meds) and cerazette to keep me sane!

I think it depends on each and eb

Hi - I don't post on here much but I have read this tread with interest and I think I might be in a similar position. I had the implant put in over a year ago. I initially had spotting and the odd period but it didn't really bother me too much. Over the last 3 months I've had really bad bleeding. It's like a heavy period and clotting most of the time. Then it goes light for a few days and then back to heavy. Really not nice.

Also in the last 3 months or so, I've been feeling really low and lathargic. I put it down to the exhaustion of having a full time job and 2 small kids. However over Christmas and New Year it got really bad. I have no energy, I don't look forward to anything because I'm so tired, and I just keep loosing it with OH, saying crazy things and crying. I actually really scared myself. I'd been considering going to the doctor with suspected depression, but I thought that they would just say it's because I have 2 little kids and ask me about "lifestyle" or try to give me anti-depresents which I don't really want, so instead I've started to eat healthy, exercise a bit etc. It's helped a bit but not much. I still feel pretty bad and it's just a struggle.

So today I though I really ought to make an appointment with the doctor about this bleeding because it's concerning me that it's so heavy and I thought this thing was supposed to settle down after a year whereas for me it's the oposite. I've re read all the side effects for the first time since I had this implanted and now I'm starting to think that everything is connected. I also get nausia in the night time. Maybe about once a month if I'm up with one of the kids in the middle of the night, I vomit. I had what I think was thrush last month for the first time ever (is that connected?). And most recently in the last couple of weeks I'm getting lower back pain. I've put weight on, but I guess I always thought that was my own fault for lack of will power.

So I never really connected it all before today. I don't know whether to get this thing removed. I don't know what I'd use instead. I have no sex drive anyway so actually it's not really an issue. Poor DH! I could have writen many of these posts myself. I am seeing the doctor next week and I think I'll just tell her everything and see what she says. Thankfully I really like this doctor (not that I see her much) and I trust her to talk me through the options. It's horrifying to think that there are people who want it out and can't get someone to take it out! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Hey Ladies..

Iv had the Implanon twice and when it was ready to come out they put "the same" Nexplanon in... This is my story...

Iv had it now for 2 years and hopefully it will be out today!
They told me it was exactly the same as the implanon WRONG my symptoms include

Feeling Sick after iv eaten or drank ANYTHING even water!
Severe headaches which iv been prescribed special tablets for - but they don't work as its hormonal headaches.
NO sex drive - thats right NONE at all. Iv been in a relationship for nearly 4 years I'm so lucky he understands!
Constant Nausea all day everyday.
High blood pressure - Dizzyness
Constantly drained emotionally and physically.
And not to mention the constant bleeding!
I have no normal in my life anymore im either bleeding or hormonal - theres no middle for me. Im exhausted im 23 i should be going out with my partner and the girls every weekend! Insted i lay in bed feeling awful cuddling a teddy thats been in the microwave! The only thing that helps (a tiny bit) is feminax - i eat them like smarties. This cant be good for any 23 year old body! Oh and the best bit is all this has been going on for 5 months!! I wasnt sure what it was to begin with but after many blood tests (and other tests) iv worked it all out for my self reading these posts. DO NOT GET THE NEXPLANON! Least most of us are all in the same boat.. I really hope they take it out and put a implanon back in i had NO PROBLEMS whatsoever with the implanon!

I've begun a blog documenting my experience using Nexplanon. If you'd like up to date, real life information and experiences, read it! nexplanontrialandtest.wordpress.com/

Just to let everyone know I have just come out of hospital having had my Nexplanon implant removed following a severe infection. It had swollen up so much that they had to remove it under general anaesthetic as a local wouldn't have worked. I was in agony. There was seemingly no reason for this reaction as it had been put in such a long time ago.

The Nexplanon implant had been inserted in my arm almost 2 years ago by a doctor at our surgery. This had replaced an Implanon implant which had been in for 3 years prior which had caused me no problems at all (although I hadn't realised how painful the replacement would be and the bruising lasted for 5 days). The Nexplanon implant felt very different to the Implanon as I felt very hormonal, quite moody, quite depressed at times and aggressive at others and had a very low interest in sex, not to mention getting angry red spots on my face and shoulders. I didn't make the connection at the time between these symptoms and the implant. I am 43, healthy, no kids, not taking any medication and no previous medical problems. Having read everyone's posts on here I felt it my duty to share this experience with you.

Anyway, last Friday the implant started to swell up and was very red and hot to the touch. It felt like an alien trying to break through my skin. I empathis with others who have said this- I seriously considered cutting it out myself. I couldn't sleep.

It got worse on the Saturday so I saw a doctor at a walk in clinic who prescribed me antibiotics but said they wouldn't work for 36 hours. He drew lines around the swelling and said if it goes beyond the lines to go to A&E and to go to my doctor on Monday morning for an emergency appointment. I did this but she sent me away with painkillers saying I needed to see a specialist as they needed an ultrasound to locate it. The specialist wasn't available until the Friday and was going on leave afterwards.

I was pretty distressed by this stage as I hadn't slept for 3 nights with the pain and the antibiotics clearly weren't working. It got so bad I went to accident and emergency that evening. The doctor said I needed to have intravenous antibiotics immediately and strong painkillers and they would operate in the morning. They kept me in hospital for 2 nights. The surgeon managed to remove the implant in one piece under general anaesthetic and drain the pus and flush it out. It was a terrible experience.

It seems taking the implant out is a real battle, even when your body is violently rejecting it. Needless to say I won't be having another one. The hospital has sent the infected implant to the lab "to see if anything grows on it"... I'll let you know if they find anything.

So, in summary, the first Implanon implant was fine and having no periods was great. Nexplanon was truly awful and I would strongly recommend plenty of research prior to having this brand inserted.

I have taken photos of my arm before, during and after and I am considering taking this further. Anyone with constructive advice please let me know

As someone who has tried many methods of contraception over the years, I would appeal to anyone to seriously consider the implant as a method of contraception. Having read this thread, this is the one thing that has saved me from thinking that I had developed a serious mental illness.

I had the implant fitted 18 months ago. Various symptoms have been progressive but having read this thread, I'm arranging to have the implant removed tomorrow.

I am a 44 year old mother of two with no plan to have any more children. I went to University aged 38 and managed to come out with a first class degree. I was a full-time student, with active social life, an active family life with my children. I thrived best on around 6 hours sleep per night. I had bags of energy and had a fantastic relationship with my partner of 6 years.

I'm now doing my Masters and I can barely string a sentence together, have trouble concentrating, poor short term memory... symptoms to me were like this:

Within first 48 hours of implant - SEVERE drain of energy. I felt so feeble I could barely go upstairs without needing a rest.

Within the next month - Energy virtually non-existent, mood swings, very tearful.

AT THIS POINT, I THOUGHT MAYBE THE HORMONES NEEDED TO SETTLE SO MADE ALLOWANCES.

18 months down the line - my relationship with my partner and my family is at breaking point. I am intolerant, pick fights, experience severe lows which end in tears, suffer from bouts of anxiety and paranoia. I have become a sociopath - I have no time for friends or family and frivolity, I MENTALLY/EMOTIONALLY UNABLE TO BE HAPPY. I find problems in the most trivial of matters, I bite everyone's head off. I find it hard to concentrate at University, I find it hard to negotiate problems that my children to come to with and simply end up snapping at them or ignoring them. I moan at my partner constantly about the most ridiculous matters. The weird thing is, I kind of aware that I'm doing all of these things but seem helpless to stop myself.

It's got to the point that I've driven everyone away. They've been so patient but everyone has their breaking point. I don't even recognise me any more...and that's emotionally/mentally, never mind physically! I've put on over two stone yet everyone comments on how little I eat. Periods are unpredictable so you can't plan too far ahead for say romantic weekends or such-like as your body may just decide to have a period/bleed.

I would suggest anyone really thinks hard about having this implant. As I said, I'm seeing my GP tomorrow and if anyone's interested as to whether having it removed makes a difference to mental state, I'll gladly report back. Best of luck to everyone who have found this has blighted their life.

I'm so glad i'm not alone. I got nexplanon put in November 2012. Until 2 months ago everything was great. However I've now been bleeding loads for about 2 months, I'm really thinking about getting it removed and going back on the injection, although after reading this might discuss changing to implanon.

I've been on the Nexplanon for about two weeks . I had sex on the first of getting it inserted , which was on the first day of my menstrual cycle .. Could I be pregnant or was I safe? Help !! I also took my way pill just in case in less than 72 hours . On the other side I've been experiencing heavy bleeding for the first week which was on my period , now I've been having light bleeding . Hoping for this to go away ... Any girls out their with the same experience if so in how long should the bleeding STOP for good ?

nikita23,
omg I am feeling the same thing! I have only been on it for 4months and my mood changes like crazy. I have a constant massive headache not to mention nausea and back pain. I also have crazy acne!!! I used to take orthocept and i never felt a thing with it no weight gain or anything. luckily Im getting it removed on Sunday cuz i can't take it anymore!

Hi I had nexplanon fitted just after the birth of my 2nd son back in September 2011. All periods stopped but last month I started to experience excruciating stomach cramps which I also ended up in hospital with for 48hrs. Was told pain was because of ovarian cysts. I suffer with PCOS and have never experienced pain like it before! Since the stomach cramps have stopped I've started spotting (I haven't had a period or any form of bleeding in 29mths) 1st started spotting 2wks ago stopped for 5 days and now the spotting has returned. The implant was fitted on the 1st day of my period I lasted 5 days and that was it no bleeding since until now! Has anybody else had this? x

I'm going on my 6th month but how will I know that it will stop??? I'm so tired of bleeding they gave me some pills to help stop the bleeding but it doesn't look like its working please dive me some advice on what I should do please.