Contraception Advice Please - Experiences with 'Implanon'

[Rochwen]

Quick question.

Is anybody else using 'Implanon' (the little stick in your upper arm containing a form of progesterone) as their contraception?

What are your experiences?

I've had mine put in five weeks ago and I have had three migraene attacks since and seem to suffer from constant headaches. My Dr says that these side effects are very rare and should get better with time as the amount of the hormone released will get less and less.

Now I can't live with the migraenes but if I let the implant taken out I have no other options for contraception left as I can't take the pill (migraenes !)or the coil (previous cervical surgery) and I really don't want to use anything that's less safe as I really don't want to get pregnant again.

So, pleasse give me good news. Are any of you using Implanon? What are your expriences? Did you have any side effects (esp migraenes or headaches)? Did the side effects get less with time? How long until you felt the Implant was 'accepted' by your body?

Yours desperately,

Rochwen

hi,
i had an implant fitted in sept o4, for the first 4-5 months i suffered headaches most days, some quite bad. i also had quite alot of bleeding during that time too.
but i stuck with it, and now am fine, i think its great, i still have irregular bleeding, but dont bleed that often,iyswim.
try and persevere for a bit longer, hopefully the side effect should pass soon , then you will want to use nothing else again. HTH.

I had one fitted in November. I have not suffered any headaches or such like although I was spotty for about the first 6 weeks. The problem is that I seem to be bleeding so much. The first month was alright. I had a period 4 weeks later and it was lighter than my usual, very heavy periods but lasted slightly longer - 7 days I think. I was OK with this. But then I started bleeding (and I mean proper flow not just spotting) about 3 days later. And this has been the pattern ever since. I am hoping that it will improve but have been seriously tempted to have it removed and go back on the pill which works OK for me. I can't have a coil either due to having a long cervix and extremely anteverted womb. I am due a smear test but can't book it because I have absolutely no idea when I will be OK to have it and the no-bleeding days could easily fall on the days when the surgery is closed/nurse is not available for smears.

Thanks for you advice. I've been bleeding lightly but almost constantly since two weeks after I had the Implanon fitted. That doesn't bother me so much but I can't live with the constnat headaches and when I have a migraene I am unable to look after my baby.

I was also told that the side effects would get better, just I'd love to know when.

Lol, on a lighter note, perhaps that's how the implant works as a contraceptive, you either have your period or a headache, so you never have sex - total abstinence the best form of contraception.

I was thinking along those lines too. We have been having sex seriously infrequently because of this.

what about trying the avra pathc?

What is the avra pathc?

The reason they suggested the Implanon to me was that the hormone level was supposed to be very low (like taking 2 mini-pills instead of 7 per week), so they reckoned that it would be suitable for me even though I react very badly to both the combined and the mini-pill. It is also meant to have very few side-effects and it's apparently the safest contraceptive on the market (and I really don't want another child).

Why is it always us women? Periods, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, menopause and contraception. It sucks ! (wee rant for the day)

Just bumping this thread in the hope that someone else is using the implant.

sorry, evra would be completely inappropriate as it is prob to strong.

hope someone can help!

bump again

Surely there must be more women using the implant. It cant' just be three.

Please help.