Nexplanon implant and body hair increase

I was originally on the Evra patch, but I got the implant as I was moving from the UK to NZ - where the patch is not available and id have to pay out of pocket for any other kind of pill. My experience was awful. I had constant, nonstop breakthrough bleeding, anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal ideation and no libido. I was very sensitive to stress and pollen so would come home from work and be absolutely drained, stuck in bed with an awful headache. I was bloated all the time and gained weight as I was bingeing to help deal with the stress of moving and my side effects from the implant - I suffer from an eating disorder… I was a mess. Not a great mix when you move to the other side of the world with your boyfriend. I do deal with real bad dryness around ovulation when I’m not on any contraception - so the patch and implant did help with that - but of course bleeding for 4 months straight did not help anything else. My doctor was very worried about my iron levels… Everything got so bad with my moods and the physical side effects, my boyfriend was like “you need to sort this out and have it remove or think about moving home…” I had it removed in November 2022. Currently not on any contraception but thinking about Yaz or Yasmin. Although not subsidised here in New Zealand, everything else available that is subsidised has a high androgenic strength. Not impressed, however i had a very good experience with Yasmin back in 2017, so maybe it’s best I eat up the £75 charge for 6 months worth? Can’t wait to move back home so I have access to free contraception lol.

I had the implant for over 2 and a half years. When I first went on this, I didn’t have a period for a couple months but then after that I had around a month long period, this was then paired with the combined pill to help it regulate a bit more. I then ended up usually going 3 months without a period and then 1 week of a period with 2-3 weeks of very light bleeding. This was okay. I then recently had my period and since then continued to bleed for over 3 months. I decided that I couldn’t deal with this anymore as it meant rarely even being able to have sex within my relationship. I was going to get it removed early and replaced but decided against it as I reflected on the past year and the side effects that I did actually have. A key one that only really began to affect me around 2 years into it was vaginal dryness and vaginitis which I didn’t even realise was a side effect until recently. Pain during sex sometimes but a decreased libido too. I had also been up and down with my emotions, sometimes I felt extremely emotional and other times like I had no emotions at all. It did seem to work well for the first couple years and maybe getting it removed and replaced early might have helped but I just felt like I wasn’t really happy on the implant anymore, my mood was a lot lower, especially with side effects in mind. Lots of my friends use it and find it really good, I just think it’s luck of the draw how it effects you!

I had the implant a few years back and it went really well.. My periods stopped, no weight gain and I took it out about 2 1/2 years in due to spotting and wanted to give my body a break. Went into the second thinking it would be the same experience... it was not! Bleeding for 2 weeks straight away (ruined all my underwear and bedsheets because I never knew when it had stopped!) Lower back pain pretty much constantly, ive put on weight super fast and feel awful in all my clothes due to what I think is severe water retention. Boobs have grown (not necessarily a bad thing) but are very tender. Headaches a lot more than usual. No energy. The worst side effect I have noticed is my anxiety, I haven't been anxious for a long time until I had my implant in, constantly feel on edge and mood is so up and down, a lot more emotional and body dysmorphia is at an all time high.