Side effects
Nexplanon implant common side effects
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
51% of Nexplanon implant reviewers reported tender breasts
43% of Nexplanon implant reviewers reported period like cramps
41% of Nexplanon implant reviewers reported vaginal discharge
37% of Nexplanon implant reviewers reported vaginal dryness
36% of Nexplanon implant reviewers reported breast enlargement
Nexplanon implant rare side effects
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
4% of Nexplanon implant reviewers reported hair loss
3% of Nexplanon implant reviewers reported migraine with aura
3% of Nexplanon implant reviewers reported a latex allergy
Possible Nexplanon implant side effects
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
- Tender breasts (51%)
- Period like cramps (43%)
- Vaginal discharge (41%)
- Vaginal dryness (37%)
- Breast enlargement (36%)
- Lower back pain (35%)
- Sweating more than usual (27%)
- Thrush (22%)
- Nausea or vomiting (19%)
- Headaches (15%)
- Body hair increase (15%)
- Cystitis (14%)
- Body hair getting darker (12%)
- High blood pressure (9%)
- Dizziness (7%)
- Migraines (7%)
- Discomfort wearing contact lenses (6%)
- Pelvic infection (5%)
- Hair loss (4%)
- Migraine with aura (3%)
- A latex allergy (3%)
Reviews
2.8
608 reviews
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Used for 6 - 12 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Poor experience. Great at preventing pregnancy however side effects on mental and physical health were not worth it. I chose to prioritise my health and swap to condoms.
Very negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
Bled constantly for months, then no period for ages, then bleeding again for weeks on end. Really heavy which is abnormal for me. No sex drive, I was really depressed for the nearly 3 years I was on this and I thought that was just me, funnily enough when i came off it I felt so much better and couldn’t believe most my problems were probably being caused by this implant
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
Extreme weight gain, despite always being a consistent weight and no changes in lifestyle/eating habits. Also I have become increasingly more self conscious and body conscious, so an affect on mental health
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 13th Jul 25
Great if you want to have sex and not worry about pregnancy’s however the change in my physical appearance and mood swings have been crazy and I will be getting it removed asap as I can’t go on like this
Very negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5th Jul 25
Some infrequent cramping and bleeding but in general a good experience. Despite a lot of fear and generally being very bad with needles, a very good fitting experience (thank you to the nurse for introducing me to glucose shots that reduced the delayed faint for me!), and very convenient to not have to think about it for a few years. Feeling for it has not been as bad as it sounded, and while you cannot avoid side effects as easily - unlike a pill or patch you can't just stop taking it or take a break - they have not been worse than a usual cycle, and happen less frequently so overall, happy!
Somewhat positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4th Jul 25
Great, less to worry about. But the cramps are brutal as well as the mood swings.
Somewhat negative mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1st Jul 25
Random bleeding throughout which was frustrating. Partner felt like I seemed happier in general once I came off. Suffered anxiety attacks after coming off the implant (may or may not be related currently unsure)
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 8+ yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 27th Jun 25
Great for if you are looking for contraception that you can forget about and prevent periods however it caused lasting weight gain and awful mood such as unreasonable anger which was almost misdiagnosed as a personality disorder until I came off the contraception.
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 10th Jun 25
I had 3 implants back to back and really rated them. I felt they personally kept me in a very even emotional space as I didn’t have hormonal cycle mood fluctuations and didn’t experience any persistent low mood on it. My period stopped when I had the implant (which I loved) and had no side effects, which was great as after coming off the implant to conceive found when on no hormones I got terrible headaches and acne around my period which I had forgotten about! On reflection I probably did have slightly worse skin on the implant but not significantly. Around the 2 year mark each time it ‘ran out’ and suddenly there didn’t seem to be enough hormone to stop my periods and had persistent breakthrough bleeding which prompted me to get them changed early each time which resolved the issue. I have since been told you can take ibruprofen for a few days to counter this but have no experience of this. The reason it gets 4 stars not 5 is I really struggled to get it taken out as many health care practitioners are trained in insertion and many less is removal. When I wanted to start a family I was told there would be a 3 month wait for removal which was absolutely unacceptable to me and I ended up getting a family member who is a Dr to cut it out at home as I was so desperate. This lack of bodily autonomy I found very distressing and has put me off getting one again incase there’s a delay removing it, however it was late 2021 so may have been in part due to Covid so have to take that into account
Somewhat positive mood
0 helpful
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Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 24th May 25
I’ve had the implant for 2 years and it’s great that I haven’t had a pregnancy scare. However, my periods are so irregular it’s a joke. I keep track of my periods on an app called Flo and my cycle seems really abnormal. One month I’d be spotting for a week then my period would be over, the next month I’d either miss the whole month or I’d be bleeding on and off for 12 days or more, stop and be on again a week or 2 later, it’s never the same week every month. I can’t keep up with how irregular it is so I’m thinking to change contraception.
Worse skin
0 helpful
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