So I literally created a profile just to respond to this thread and hopefully spread awareness to other women who are looking for answers to this question before it’s too late. I know I searched for answers to this same question online and with doctors before going through what I went through, but was unable to find any help.
So I got Nexplanon through planned parenthood in December of 2015. Despite having private insurance I had to go through planned parenthood for all of my reproductive care because I am on my parents health care plan, and as they are radically conservative they forbid me from ever getting birth control outside of marriage. Anyways, during my first 2 years of Nexplanon my periods were farther apart than usual, typically 40 rather than 20 days, but always came be were always regular (I only skipped maybe one or two in those 2 years). Coming up on my third year with the implant, my periods became even more regular. I never missed a period during that third year, and my periods began to come closer together. So I went into planned parenthood in July of 2018, hoping to get my implant checked and schedule it’s replacement. I was informed by the provider that Planned Parenthood has extended the use of Nexplanon to 5 instead of 3 years, as preliminary studies had proved it effectiveness beyond 3 years. I informed my provider of the fact that my periods had become more regular, and that my family has a history of extremely high fertility and that because of that, I wanted to change the implant anyways, because I didn’t believe it would be effective for me beyond it’s recommended us. He told me that I wasn’t allowed to change it out, unless I changed to a different birth control method, because it WAS just as effective, and basically I was overthinking and being anxious for no reason. So, as changing to another birth control for me was not an option, due to medical and familial constraints, I decided to stay on Nexplanon. Throughout 2018 and 2019, my periods remain extremely regular, and followed my pre-contraception patterns. However in late May early June, my periods stopped in their entirety, and I began to experience breast tenderness. Everything I read online said that this was normal, that I shouldnt be concerned that randomly missing a period on Nexplanon was normal, but I knew something wasn’t right. Mid- June I decided to take a pregnancy test, despite my boyfriend and close friends think I was just being crazy and paranoid. It came out positive. I went into planned parenthood the next day and demanded they look into the pregnancy, I knew something wasn’t right. Again, I was treated as if I was just being paranoid and that I should just schedule an abortion for the following week. But again I demanded they at least talk with me, as I felt something was off. Finally they saw me, and agreed to give me the abortion pill, but in the preliminary ultrasounds, they realized the pregnancy was ectopic and that my horomone levels were through the roof. Eventually I had to take myself to the hospital and get the pregnancy treated there, without being able to use my insurance because of my family situation. I even had to refuse the surgery they recommended and opt for the methotrexate shot which they said would probably fail to dissolve the pregnancy, because I knew this was something my parents couldn’t know about. They would dissown me for life. Luckily the shot worked, however the next 3 months were the most devastatingly painful of my life physically, psychologically and emotional. Everything I have had to keep a secret, and I had to front the money for a 3,000 dollar hospital bill on my own. All because a doctor refused to listen to my perspective on what was best for MY body. All this to say, LADIES HAVE THE COURAGE TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODIES, and don’t let doctors convince you out of that stance. If you feel like something’s off, listen to that intuition and don’t take no for an answer. Sadly my story can’t be changed, and this is something I will have to live with my whole life. My only hope is that some woman in a similar situation will see this post and be empowered to listen to her body, and not take no for an answer.