So, I'm sure it's too early to be having any side effects yet, at least that is what I am trying to tell myself!
Like I said before I was supposed to get my period on the 20th, but I've been very stressed lately and stress always messes up my period. But, I've been cramping and PMSing a bit but again, nothing yet. I am worried that maybe I'm not PMSing but rather the mood swings are the side effects kicking in but time will tell. I've had a long weekend and plenty to be moody about too though.
I'm paranoid I guess is the best way to put it.
My bruise has almost healed now and the area is still very tender to the touch. Everyone I tell about it gets a little grossed out but still wants to feel the insert, so I find that pretty funny.
Anyway, I will keep updating this blog every few days or so, even if no one ever finds it!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Implanon experience - Day 1
Alright! This is my blog about my experience with the birth control Implanon (Now called Nexaplon). If you don't know or aren't familiar with Implanon/Nexaplon, it is a small, thin, match stick like piece of plastic that is inserted into you arm. It can stay in your arm for 3 years and it is progestrin only.
To give you a brief amount of background, I am creating this blog because there was so much mixed information out there about this form of birth control. When I researched it, I found tons of negative reviews and very few good ones. I was scared and I didn't really didn't want to even try it.
However, Implanon quickly became my only choice for a variety of reasons.
First, I take a seizure medication (anti-seizure perhaps?) called Lamictal, which can lower the effectiveness of birth control AND birth control, in a pill form with estrogen, can lower my medication levels. I didn't know this and I have had a seizure from the lowered medication levels! This was upsetting for one because none of my doctors told me this and because I had to stop taking a birth control pill I hadn't been having any problems with.
This incident happened in October of 2009 and for months I researched all my options. My safest options were the following:
- Ortho Evra (the patch -- see below)
- Nuvaring ( I later found out that this is false. The ring and the patch have both progestrin and estrogen, and no matter how it is introduced into the body, estrogen or any form of it goes through the liver. Progestrin does not, which is why it is safe to take with most seizure medications)
- Depo shot
- Implanon
I ruled out the patch because of the estrogen based hormone.
I wanted an IUD but I've had an abnormal pap, so that is no longer an option. ( And no, I do not have childern, but my OBGYN said she would do an IUD because of my situation. **Update: My how medicine has changed! Now my GYNO pushes an IUD on me like no other!).
I have heard numerous horror stories about the Depo shot and even though my OBGYN told me that I have probably only heard the negative and that most women respond very well to the shot, I still did not like the idea that it would stay in my system for 3 months!
Nuvaring was a close second, however I still live at home and Nuvaring has to be placed in the fridge on your off week because the hormones are released at body tempuature. Needless to say, I did not want to have my bc next to dinner leftovers and my Dad doesn't want to see that either.
So, I decided on Implanon, despite all the negative reviews I read, it quickly became my last option if I wanted birth control at all.
All I could hope for is that I would be one of the women who didn't post anything because it did not give me side effects or at least the worst ones. The side effects that have been posted and the doctor told me about are:
- Non-stop bleeding for months
- Spotting sporadically for months
- Acne
- Weight gain
- Loss of sex drive
...much of what you hear of most bc but the non-stop bleeding and crazy spotting was the biggest thing I read about.
The next issue I ran into was finding a place that had anyone who was trained on how to insert Implanon. My OBGYN did not do the training, but she gave me a list of places that she thought might. Of the 10 names she gave me, only one place had two ladies who had the training. I'm not from a huge city but it's not small either, however Implanon is so new and not that well known, there isn't much of a demand.
Despite my struggle, I finally made an appoint for a consultation. There, I asked about the non-stop bleeding which she said was being reported as a problem recently but only one girl asked to get it taken out because of that problem.Not the feedback I was looking for but it still gave me enough hope. I also asked if the procedure was painful and she told me that it was no worse than getting blood taken. I was also told that they only considered taking it out after 6 months because it can take that long to your body to get used to it.
A month later, I had my appointment. On that day, I had to take a pregnancy test, which I was not worried about because I have not been sexually active for a year. Next, I was taken to a small room, almost exactly like a dentist set up, complete with the long chair. The nurse told me to lay down and the doctor would be in shortly. My wait wasn't too long, and I asked the doctor the same questions (this was a different doctor from the one I originally talked to). She said that only one girl wanted the implant taken out because of the non-stop bleeding and about 90% of women who have it do not have dramatic side effects and most of the side effects went away after 6 months. This gave me some hope!
Then, it was game time! My arm was placed in a semi awkward position because it is inserted in the underside of your non-dominate arm. In any event, the area was cleaned well and prepped for the local numbing shot. She told me it would sting and I was thinking "Ok, it going to sting but then it will be just like getting my blood taken".
WRONG!!
This shot not only HURT but it also STUNG very, very badly and it seemed to go on forever! I think it was put in three different places, so each time there was a renewed sting. Yet, the shot numbed the area and I could only feel displaced pressure. The doctor proceeded to show me the plastic, match stick length insert and the instrument that would be shoving it in my skin, which was not huge but big enough to be glad I was numbed.
The insertion part I could not feel, but judging from the wiggling, pressure and force that she applied, I knew that a discomforting amount of force was being put into this procedure. This part went fast, though and before I knew it, she was done.
Next, the area was cleaned again. A small round bandage covered the insert spot, then gauze and that tan binding stuff which I do not know the name of but is used for things like ankle sprains was wrapped around my arm. I was told to keep the binding on for 24 hours and if any soreness or bruising occurred, I could take Ibuprofen and ice the area.
In all the reviews I read, only some talked about bruising or soreness but not enough to keep me alarmed. Most seemed to have no problem with the area.
I however was not one of those people. The underside of my arm hurt quite a bit and it was very sore and tender. I didn't unwrap the binding until later that night to look at the area. It was not pretty. The round bandage was not big enough for the amount of bleeding I had, the area was red and two long, red marks traced over the implant. I was afraid to touch it because my entire arm ached. I iced it right away, which really helped and by the next day, it didn't hurt as much. But it still hurt enough to notice.
As I write this blog, I am on day 2 of having Implanon. So far, nothing! No side effects! Granted, it's day two. I was supposed to get my period on the 20th but I was really stressed out from school and my two jobs and stress ALWAYS messes up my period. So, no period to speak of to this day.
Here is a picture of my arm today, day 2 of having the insert:
It doesn't look too good, I know! And it is still tender, but before this scares you, understand that I have VERY sensitive skin. I can't use many over the counter make-up, face lotions, face washes, detergents because I will break out in one form or another. Plus, the underside of your arm is very sensitive, so also keep that in mind. You can see the two red marks that run perpendicular to the insert too that I was talking about. The bruising is pretty recent and the pic doesn't give you ALL the green that is surrounding the red marks.
Overall, even with the painful procedure, the scary reviews and the bruising, I do not regret getting it. Of course, time will tell if the side effects change my mind. I wanted to write this blog to let other women know a personal, updated experience and even women who also take Lamtical and are confused about which bc option is best.
I will get my blood taken to check my medication levels too and make sure that Implanon isn't lowering the levels, which I will also blog about.
I hope that someone out there stumbles upon this blog and I hope it helps!
To give you a brief amount of background, I am creating this blog because there was so much mixed information out there about this form of birth control. When I researched it, I found tons of negative reviews and very few good ones. I was scared and I didn't really didn't want to even try it.
However, Implanon quickly became my only choice for a variety of reasons.
First, I take a seizure medication (anti-seizure perhaps?) called Lamictal, which can lower the effectiveness of birth control AND birth control, in a pill form with estrogen, can lower my medication levels. I didn't know this and I have had a seizure from the lowered medication levels! This was upsetting for one because none of my doctors told me this and because I had to stop taking a birth control pill I hadn't been having any problems with.
This incident happened in October of 2009 and for months I researched all my options. My safest options were the following:
- Ortho Evra (the patch -- see below)
- Nuvaring ( I later found out that this is false. The ring and the patch have both progestrin and estrogen, and no matter how it is introduced into the body, estrogen or any form of it goes through the liver. Progestrin does not, which is why it is safe to take with most seizure medications)
- Depo shot
- Implanon
I ruled out the patch because of the estrogen based hormone.
I wanted an IUD but I've had an abnormal pap, so that is no longer an option. ( And no, I do not have childern, but my OBGYN said she would do an IUD because of my situation. **Update: My how medicine has changed! Now my GYNO pushes an IUD on me like no other!).
I have heard numerous horror stories about the Depo shot and even though my OBGYN told me that I have probably only heard the negative and that most women respond very well to the shot, I still did not like the idea that it would stay in my system for 3 months!
Nuvaring was a close second, however I still live at home and Nuvaring has to be placed in the fridge on your off week because the hormones are released at body tempuature. Needless to say, I did not want to have my bc next to dinner leftovers and my Dad doesn't want to see that either.
So, I decided on Implanon, despite all the negative reviews I read, it quickly became my last option if I wanted birth control at all.
All I could hope for is that I would be one of the women who didn't post anything because it did not give me side effects or at least the worst ones. The side effects that have been posted and the doctor told me about are:
- Non-stop bleeding for months
- Spotting sporadically for months
- Acne
- Weight gain
- Loss of sex drive
...much of what you hear of most bc but the non-stop bleeding and crazy spotting was the biggest thing I read about.
The next issue I ran into was finding a place that had anyone who was trained on how to insert Implanon. My OBGYN did not do the training, but she gave me a list of places that she thought might. Of the 10 names she gave me, only one place had two ladies who had the training. I'm not from a huge city but it's not small either, however Implanon is so new and not that well known, there isn't much of a demand.
Despite my struggle, I finally made an appoint for a consultation. There, I asked about the non-stop bleeding which she said was being reported as a problem recently but only one girl asked to get it taken out because of that problem.Not the feedback I was looking for but it still gave me enough hope. I also asked if the procedure was painful and she told me that it was no worse than getting blood taken. I was also told that they only considered taking it out after 6 months because it can take that long to your body to get used to it.
A month later, I had my appointment. On that day, I had to take a pregnancy test, which I was not worried about because I have not been sexually active for a year. Next, I was taken to a small room, almost exactly like a dentist set up, complete with the long chair. The nurse told me to lay down and the doctor would be in shortly. My wait wasn't too long, and I asked the doctor the same questions (this was a different doctor from the one I originally talked to). She said that only one girl wanted the implant taken out because of the non-stop bleeding and about 90% of women who have it do not have dramatic side effects and most of the side effects went away after 6 months. This gave me some hope!
Then, it was game time! My arm was placed in a semi awkward position because it is inserted in the underside of your non-dominate arm. In any event, the area was cleaned well and prepped for the local numbing shot. She told me it would sting and I was thinking "Ok, it going to sting but then it will be just like getting my blood taken".
WRONG!!
This shot not only HURT but it also STUNG very, very badly and it seemed to go on forever! I think it was put in three different places, so each time there was a renewed sting. Yet, the shot numbed the area and I could only feel displaced pressure. The doctor proceeded to show me the plastic, match stick length insert and the instrument that would be shoving it in my skin, which was not huge but big enough to be glad I was numbed.
The insertion part I could not feel, but judging from the wiggling, pressure and force that she applied, I knew that a discomforting amount of force was being put into this procedure. This part went fast, though and before I knew it, she was done.
Next, the area was cleaned again. A small round bandage covered the insert spot, then gauze and that tan binding stuff which I do not know the name of but is used for things like ankle sprains was wrapped around my arm. I was told to keep the binding on for 24 hours and if any soreness or bruising occurred, I could take Ibuprofen and ice the area.
In all the reviews I read, only some talked about bruising or soreness but not enough to keep me alarmed. Most seemed to have no problem with the area.
I however was not one of those people. The underside of my arm hurt quite a bit and it was very sore and tender. I didn't unwrap the binding until later that night to look at the area. It was not pretty. The round bandage was not big enough for the amount of bleeding I had, the area was red and two long, red marks traced over the implant. I was afraid to touch it because my entire arm ached. I iced it right away, which really helped and by the next day, it didn't hurt as much. But it still hurt enough to notice.
As I write this blog, I am on day 2 of having Implanon. So far, nothing! No side effects! Granted, it's day two. I was supposed to get my period on the 20th but I was really stressed out from school and my two jobs and stress ALWAYS messes up my period. So, no period to speak of to this day.
Here is a picture of my arm today, day 2 of having the insert:
It doesn't look too good, I know! And it is still tender, but before this scares you, understand that I have VERY sensitive skin. I can't use many over the counter make-up, face lotions, face washes, detergents because I will break out in one form or another. Plus, the underside of your arm is very sensitive, so also keep that in mind. You can see the two red marks that run perpendicular to the insert too that I was talking about. The bruising is pretty recent and the pic doesn't give you ALL the green that is surrounding the red marks.
Overall, even with the painful procedure, the scary reviews and the bruising, I do not regret getting it. Of course, time will tell if the side effects change my mind. I wanted to write this blog to let other women know a personal, updated experience and even women who also take Lamtical and are confused about which bc option is best.
I will get my blood taken to check my medication levels too and make sure that Implanon isn't lowering the levels, which I will also blog about.
I hope that someone out there stumbles upon this blog and I hope it helps!
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