Important Info About Implanon

Talking with someone about implanon earlier today. Her Dr told her to do a hpt every couple of months to ensure it was working. Did one earlier today, thankfully :bfn:. Just thought this info might b very important for some ppl.

What the...?

Are some not working then?

Some docs don't know how to properly insert it and you can get preggers, its not a failure of the device, but the practioner.

Some women are also not very responsive to the hormone. I have not had AF since Em was born so was advised to be careful but only heard about doing hpt earlier today. makes sense tho coz no contaceptive is 100% foolproof.

I have one and dp and I take no chances he wears condoms aswell.

I have heard of alot of people having probs coz the Doc didn't put it in properly. One friend has a huge scar coz the doc put it in too deep & they had to cut it out. I personally have been using Depo for 4 years & love it. The two pg's since then happened 4 & 9 months after I went off it so it definetly works well for me, but everyone's different.

The hormone in implanon can aggravate depression. I know this because my depression at its worst went away within 2 weeks of my implanon removal.

I had an implanon inserted a year before i met DH and in that time i was not sexually active and when i met dh we never bothered with any thing else. When we decided to TTC, a year and a half after having it in, i went to the dr about having it removed and he couldnt find it and asked me if i had ever been able to feel it, i could for about 2 wks and then i didnt even think about it anymore, any way he eventually located it lodged deep in to my muscle and he said that luckily i hadnt fallen pregnant as there was probably a 80% chance it was not working correctly!!! He told me i was a bit of a guinea pig as it was the first time he ever put one in, hmm he could have told me that at the start, hehe!

I've been advised to get the implanon because the Pill isn't working with me. I was on a regular pill and fell pregnant, then lost the baby. Afterwards I was put on a high dose pill as the other one didnt work for me but the high dose made me depressed and anxious and crazy. It seems its the eostrogen that effects me not the progesterone (sp??) so apparently the implanon will suit me because its doesn't have eostrogen in it.
I've heard lots of bad things about the implanon and am a bit wary about trying it...Any thoughts??
Thanks for the info Ali!

I had one in for just over two years and my cycles were all over the place, 19 day bleeds and then nothing for months and each time I decided to get it removed, it would take a week to get in to see my doctor so I didn't bother.

I was also moody and had NO sex drive, less than none.

There has been stuff in the papers in the past that some doctors were not even inserting them, let alone incorrectly. They could not tell when they had been injected or were left in the device.

One thing about getting it removed - my arm was a little chunkier than it was when it was put in, so my doctor had to have a bit of a dig around. Can't see anything now.

It also took us 11 months to conceive the second time, whereas the first time it took three.

I have not heard a good thing about it from anyone.

Barb.

My doctor was very good at inserting it. You are meant to feel it under your skin. If you can't then its in too deep.

My periods were all over the place too. Once it went in, I had AF for 6 weeks. Not kidding. It was light but still a pain in the arse. Then 3-4 weeks later I got it again. For 2 weeks. Then 2 weeks later I got it again. I ended up getting AF every 2-3 weeks for 2-3 weeks. It was bothering me so much.

And I had awful depression and I never thought it had anything to do with the implanon until some other mums on here mentioned it to me. I had it removed, mostly because of the AF troubles. After 2 weeks I was back to my bubbly self. I got it put in in April and my mood spiralled down from then. Its much better now.

I'm not saying that Implanon is bad, it was just bad for me. The good thing is that if its not working out, then get it taken out. That's the good thing, can be reversed at any time. That's why I'm not taking the Pill or having Depo Provera as I think the hormones mess me up. But that's what my body does, we're all different. I'm just going with condoms, as well, none of the other methods are are effective or work well for my body.

Choose what you feel is right for you.

I had the implanon in for around 7 months and it made me have crazy mood swings and i kept getting AF every 3 days, so it wasn't right for me but i have heard its good for other people.

I loved mine.

Had it inserted just fine, removed after 2 years, conceived within 2 months. Periods were missing for the first year (YAY!) and then lighter without the serious pain for the second year.

I have not had any proble except for slight moodiness, which could be attributed to being so tired. I can feel it easily and most frieds that have had it have had no problems, including no periods.

Is there any way of determining who implanon will be more suited to?
I had been interested in getting it, but recently have read more bad stories than good!

The only way to find out for sure is to have it put in, and it's not expensive. u can always have it taken out if it is giving u undesireable side effects. Personally I always forget to take tablets these days, i used to b really good but lost my marbles when i had kids, so the implanon is perfect for me

I suppose i'll be over my fear of doctor's/surgery by the time i have the baby so i won't be so scared of getting it in. Can it be taken in conjunction with the pill/mini-pill or is there too many hormones involved. I'd rather have the implanon but if i end up being irregular of moody i'd sort of like to have both to stabilise it, IYKWIM

It can b taken in conjunction with the mini pill if absolutley necessary but that is more to control some side effects.

Ok excellent, well i guess i'll see what happens when the time comes. Thanks!

Implanon is progesterone based, but your doctor can give you an oestrogen based pill to balance it out. Mine offered me this but I chose to get it removed as I want to lose the baby weight, so wanted off the hormones. I never gained weight with the implanon just couldn't lose any. But everyone is different.

My experience with Implanon has been really good.

I've had two now, and each time I got them put in or taken out, it was painless and the process went smoothly without complication.

I didn't have periods for the first 18 months, then light periods (all over the place) and then for the second time around i just had normal periods.

Had the second one taken out about a month ago to TTC#1, and I got AF four days after it was removed, and ovulated about 12 days later.

I will get another after I have this bub :).

my cousin had implanon in and went to docs about another reason. They did an ultrasound only to discover that she was ovulating. becuase of this - she had to sign a stat dec type form to say what had happened and they have now had to re-write its effectiveness %- all due to her!!!

so there we go!

I loved Implanon, it was perfect for me and I had it for 6 years. First 2 years (each lasts 3 years) hardly any bleeding at all, and 3rd year a bit of irregular spotting but nothing to worry about. I would get it again and would also recommend it. Like someone else said, you can always try it and get it removed if it doesn't work for you.

So for those who have had it, it was normal for you to have bleeding/spotting in the last year?

I have started having this over the last 3 weeks, on and off during that whole time, with "period pain" aswell. I still have 7 months till the end of the 3 year period.

Pam - Yep, it was like that for me.... my period returned after the first year, and irregularities started around the end of the second year, but I removed it then to TTC :D

Thanks :) sounds like it might be normalish. Was just worried that it might have meant i am suddenly more likely to get pregnant, like that it is running out or something.

babylove - you must have got the first ones off the assembly line as it only came out in australia in May 2001 !

Hi Barb, yeah I was, I remember asking about it at the pharmacy and it was something like $300 for the Implanon. I waited until it came onto the PBS and got it as soon as it did! I just thought it was the best invention and sure beat forgetting pills or getting jabs in the bum every 3 months.

In regards to suitability, my Dr recommended to me to have Depo first because if the depo didn't agree with me, then more than likely the implanon wouldn't either. The depo made me gain a few kg, then I couldn't lose any weight at all no matter what I did, I had no sex drive, and I had the on-off bleeding too. So all of that made me steer clear of implanon, but I have had friends use it with no trouble. It's no different to any other hormonal birth control - there will always be people that it doesn't agree with or work for.

I had Implanon from May to September last year, and it was almost the worst thing I could've done.

My doc said it would be a better one for me to take because of my history with depression. After about a month of having it in I started feeling numb all the time, and having fairly frequent panic attacks. I do suffer with PA's, but usually I can feel them coming on, so I can control them, but during this time I didn't get any warning signs. Imagin driving down the freeway listening to the radio, and the close traffic sets me off. VERY dangerous!

Doc kept saying it wasn't the Implanon - put me on a new antidepressant (annoyed at this - had been off for 3 years) as well as giving me sedatives to take when I felt like I was having a PA. Symptoms continued to get worse.

Eventually I started to demand that the implant be taken out, as it was the only thing that could be setting me off. It took 2 months, 3 suicide attempts, 3 hospitilizations, about a million panic attacks and being fired from my job with Westpac before a doctor would take it out.

So while I agree that its probably great for some women, I will NEVER reccommend it!

Hey Jody,

Sorry to hear about your terrible experiences with implanon.

I've got to say for me it was great - mostly! I've had Implanon for 4 years (onto my 2nd one now) and I chose it becuase I was looking for the most cost effective and reliable forms of contraception. IMHO Implanon can't be beaten on these two fronts. As hubby and I were both students I was willing to put up with minor side effects (a few pimples and some trouble losing weight) for the confidence that we wouldn't get preg. If you look at the scientific research the conception rate on implanon is very very very low, 2nd only to abstience.

But that said, I've now had a moderate to light period for 3.5 weeks (this is the first trouble I've had with it) and I'm heading off to Dr today to discuss my options. We are TTC next year anyway so hubby may have to put up with "alternative means" until we get back from our Europe trip...

I had no idea that Implanon was linked to depression until very recently, and I had mine removed after a 3-year stint around two years ago. I wish I had known, because it certainly would have explained why my already existing depression got so much worse over the 3 years I had Implanon.
Now I'm stumped as to what contraception to use - I've struggled with my weight since I was 11 and so don't want to use the Pill (besides, I am the WORST at remembering to take a tablet at a certain time each day, so knowing my luck I'd fall pregnant again), apparently hormone injections are no good, and now Implanon is linked to depression...
Gah, condoms? That's about all I know of that is left! And I'm sure most of us are aware of just how unreliable they are.

I had one in, and it was inserted by a nurse, not a doctor. I had no problems with the insertion.
But after having it inserted i bled for 6 weeks at a time, and had 2 weeks of no bleeding inbetween ever 6 week bleeding period. It was extremely light, but was still there and annoyed me.
I was also diagnosed with agoraphobia and mild depression not too much longer after having it put in. I must admit though i was in a relationship i did not want to be in, which could have caused the depression, but i didnt want to be in the relationship for a year prior to having the implanon put in, and i managed fine before then. I was a mess.
When i had it taken out in feb this year i was a better person to say the least, i was able to come off my medication for depression and agoraphobia, and my life just seemed so, fantastic :)

I would NEVER use the implanon, ever. It messed with my body so much, and i couldnt do that to myself again!

I had mine removed a couple of weeks ago after having it in for a bout 8 months. For 8 whole months i bled for about 3 1/2 weeks out of every month! I was going to the gym at least 3 days a week but mostly 4-5 days & went on the tony fergison diet. I only lost 3kg in 8 months! I jsut couldnt lose any weight no matter what i did or ate. I have aleady lost a couple of kg since having it out.
The Dr now wants to the mirena IUD in me. I have decided against it. I dont want any of that stuff in my body again. DF is now going to get the snip

i was offered the implamon but decided to take microlut instead- has anyone noticed any side effects (depression etc.) from the mini pill?
sorry to hijack thread!! was just wondering if one was favourable over the other. if either is linked to depression i would rather just use condoms.

I mentioned some time ago about my implanon troubles, and that being said, I still recommend women to give it a try, as depression would be in effect pretty quickly, and it can always be removed. And the number or women experiencing depression via implanon isn't necessarily growing, more women are speaking up from past experience rather than current. I'm sorry about all of our problems with it, but glad we are getting back on track.

Hey everyone,

Just thought I'd update you on what my Dr said re problematic bleeding (see post above). Basically she gave me 3 weeks of esteorgen (sp?) pills to build up the uterus lining and then after 3 weeks I will have a normal period which "cleans things out" and I should then go back to normal bleeding patterns. 3 days of the tablets so far and the bleeding has stopped - yay!

I *was* slightly disapointed as I was hoping to have an excuse to get the Implanon out early as I have a niggly feeling it's slowing down my weight loss (or it could be my addiction to cheesecake, cheese, and most foods!). Oh well... now I have to wait till late March to get it out...

Thanks ruth, mite talk 2 the dr bout oestrogen tabs. i have bled on and off since getting it in but it only stops 4 a couple of days then if DH n I DTD that aggravates it n makes me bleed again. v annoying but am my usual self, no depression here! also not having trouble losing weight but I have never had hormonal gains.

Hey Ali,

Do talk to your Dr about the tablets because apparently it's quite a common "fix" to the problem. She even offered to give me a sample pack of the pill as it has the right amount of oestrogen in it and that way I wouldn't have to buy any meds. But they had run out - still what I got only cost $17 from the chemist.

Glad to hear that you haven't had any mood or weight issues though and hopefully Dr can fix the bleeding. It's annoying isn't it?

Don't know how long I will stick with Implanon though becuase with the oestrogen tabs I seem to be getting all emotional! Will have to stick it out for another 2.5 weeks and hope it goes away! Work has already made me teary twice this morning - and it's not like a have a sad job!

But just to everyone reading this thread I would like to re-iterate that I had nil problems for the first 3.5 years on Implanon! It's not all bad! So do consider it and talk to your Dr.

This doesn't sound good at all. My SDD has it and has been hospitalized with suspected ovarian cysts.

I should talk to her....