anyone had the contraceptive implant?

[Ilovehotchoc]

I have been prescribed an implant and looking to have it put in next week but bit unsure about it - posted under chat but not had any response, thought here may be better - does anyone have any experience of the implant they want to share with me before I go ahead? TIA

It seems to me to be a case of you love it or hate it. Some women do really well with it, even having no periods. Some women get breakthrough bleeding or bleed all the time for the first few months (or longer). A small proportion of women react very badly to it, experiencing some psychosis. I was one of these. I tried to remove it myself with a Stanley knife and was instantly better when they took it out.
But as I say, that is pretty rare.
I would say you need to think about how you would feel if you bled all/much of the time as this is more common. It does work for thousands of women, but it is important to realise that it doesn't suit everyone...

I had the implant put in just over 3 weeks ago. The fitting of it was fine, about 10 days after fitting it seemed a little itchy at the site and I felt a bit 'aware' of it. This seems to be dying down now.

I am currently waiting to find out what impact it has on periods. I haven't had period since about March 2008 when I got pg with DD, I started taking mini-pill when she was 6 weeks and am still bf fairly frequently. A friend of mine has had one in since her 2nd child was born and has gained weight, had irregular and quite heavy bleeding, and also depression - which may or not be linked. She is having it taken out soon.

I chose the implant because it was the last option for me apart from coil, but if it doesn't work for me I will ahve to go down that route.

Sorry but I hated it. Didn't have a period for about 6 months, then basically 2/3 weeks on 1/2 weeks off for about the next 6 months. At this point I'd had enough and had it taken out. Since it was taken out I've lost over half a stone (without any change in diet or exercise levels). I really wanted it to be good, because I hate all the alternatives.

That's how I felt MarionCole. I have now decided that DH will just have to have the snip because I am not putting any more hormones into my body...

I found it to be a very effective method of contraception as I could just forget about it. I had no periods for the duration of it being in, which I found quite disconcerting. Conceived DS a month after it being removed, so clearly had no long-term impact on fertility!

hi, i have just had one fitted this week, so will be interested to see how it turns out. they weighed me after the fitting, as the GP said that weight gain can be a side effect and they like to have your weight pre-implant for comparison purposes.

I had the coil pre DD, but wanted something a bit shorter term, and can't remember to take the pill as have memory like a sieve and we are too spontaneous lazy to use condoms...

Hi, I had mine fitted after my 6 week postnatal check up. Haven't had a period since (fab!) and DD is 10 months old; am still breatfeeding so don't know if this is due to implant or bf, but I think it's great, haven't had any problems at all really.

I loved it. 2.5 wonderful years of no periods, no side effects, not having to remember to take the pill, it was bit bruised after having it put in, for a couple of days. Removing it was more painful, but imo worth the pain.

I had it removed on 16 Jan last year in order to try for a baby, I conceived on 18 feb same year, with one natural period in between, so fertility returned to normal immediately, my baby son is now almost 7 months old and I have an appointment to have it fitted again next week.

In the last 6 months I have had the mirena coil (why? oh why? did i do that? i shall blame the baby brain) and it partially expelled, it was painful and I shall never do that again. I have been on the mini pill, forget to take it too many times, don't like the way it makes me feel (bloated, no sex drive, i have pregnancy symptoms ALL the time).

There have been NO known cases of pregnancy with a correctly fitted implant.

the implant is ideal for me. It ticks all my boxes.