Implant vs Injection

I have had the Nexplanon implant for 10 years now with no breaks in between. I find the convenience and reliability of it far outweighs any negative side effects. Having it inserted is easy, the removal can be sometimes challenging but it is once every 3 years so not too bad. Maybe I have been lucky but I have had no issues with my skin and little weight gain. I am also happy to not have regular periods. Initially my periods were all over the place but it is something I have gotten used to. My periods are often lighter now too and I barely get any cramps. I am happy with it as evidenced by continuing on it for so many years.

I’m on my 3rd implant. It’s worked well as in no prgnancy scares my periods have stayed regular this time but previously have had less bleeding and sometimes months without any bleeding. I never managed well with taking a pill everyday so it’s easy to get in under local anaesthetic and you don’t have to worry about it for 3 years. I’ve noticed I still get PMS symptoms and mood swings around the time my period is due, no real skin symptoms but I do suffer with bloating because of the implant. I did have a year break between this one and my last due to Covid and not being able to book an appointment. I noticed that my sex drive was sky high without, which I wouldn’t have realised had I had not had a break. My periods where back to normal straight away. Over all I would recommend it, simple insertion and no major issues with it in.

Pleased I switched from the combined pill. I felt for a while that I had been experiencing symptoms of oestrogen excess including migraine and lipedema. Despite doing a marathon and strength training I could not lose body fat. For the first time I have been able to lose weight on the implant. I do eat healthily and exercise a lot including strength training. I like that there is no room for error. No changes to appetite or mood for me. Acne is a bit worse but nothing that is not manageable, I would say this is the only main side effect for me that has held up. Periods are regular but I tend to bleed for a few more days than I would usually unless take ibuprofen for 3 days which does shorten back to normal. Overall I am happy and will continue. The positives outweigh any side effects so far. Don't be put off by its terrible reputation. I think you have to try these things for yourself as different for everyone.

I was on the sayanna press injection for 3 years. My periods started off a little irregular for the first couple of months and then stopped completely, which was a blessing as they have always been heavy and painful! Would start to get slight cramps in the week before the injection was due but otherwise, it seemed to suit me quite well. I'm a healthcare professional so injecting myself didn't bother me at all! I gained a little weight whilst using it but I am overweight anyway so unsure if I can attribute this to the injection!

I started the depo in June of this year, I then started constantly bleeding 3 weeks later up until the end of August. I had a 2 week break from bleeding, and then I started again for a further 3 weeks, and the pain that comes along with it is unbearable, it’s a constant vicious cycle. My moods are horrendous, I’ve had to start up antidepressants again, my skin hasn’t been this bad in literal months, all the lower part of my face has broken out into sore spots. I have tried all methods of contraception now, various pills, 2x coil and neither time worked as my body rejected both times, the implant which didn’t agree with me and now this. So I’m completely coming off contraception once this dose runs out. Never again

I began using the Depo as it was recommended by a nurse in my GP clinic. During the first 6 months the only noticeable side effect was the decreased sex drive. After my 3rd injection, I began having serious pain when trying to have sex. Due to this pain I booked an appointment with my GP to get swabs done to check for any infections. They completed swabs and no infection was found, I was told it was most likely just dryness. Therefore I stopped having the depo and started the pill again as I had no issues with the pill. I was on the pill for a month and has really bad head aches so decided to come off contraception completely. After coming off the depo it took 6 months for me to be able to have sex again due to the dryness.

Stopped periods after 2nd injection… fairly happy with this contraception compared to the pill. Biggest side effect for me is low sex drive

Initially, getting the injection was a bit scary, but it wasn't painful and there was very little residual pain the day after. My periods stopped completely, which I found to be great. I didn't notice any side effects,

I was on it for 9 months and I only started the pill today but the injection had made me bleed nonstop and have really bad back pain and the weight gain was really bad I didn’t feel myself and the sex drive at the start was high but it kept getting lower and lower the cramps are worse than the ones i used to get and my family have a high estrogen level it doesn’t work that well when you have high estrogen levels.

I can not tell you how much I adore this. The injection is a bit intimidating, but it's very quick, I did my first one with the help of a nurse (watch videos on how to do it and ask the nurse any questions you have). The injection is a bit weird in that you squeeze it into you, vs using a plunger, but it is a very short needle, and it didn't even hurt! I have had next to no side effects, my life has become a lot better, I sleep better, and I am able to get up early for uni. I get no PMS or cramps and I don't even get a bleed anymore (I am a bit sad as I had just bought a bunch of sanitary towels on a Prime Day). I switch from POP to this, and Syana is what birth control should be. On POP, I had so many side effects (which you can read about on my profile), this is amazing, my mind is so much clearer and I lack the PMS brain fog. My only complaint is to do with my NHS trust, they can only prescribe one at a time so if the one you get is faulty you need to request a new one which could take a week, also means you can't have one on standby for if you don't have time to contact GP and go to a pharmacy. The nurse who is my point of contact dislikes this rule and has tried to change it.

Except for the cramps, I'm happy with this enjection

It gives pregnancy like symptoms which makes one think they might be pregnant however it is safe.

It was my first time on any contraception and I wanted to take necessary precautions before travelling abroad for two months, so I was advised by my Nurse Practitioner to have the Injection rather than go on the Pill so I wouldn’t have to worry about missing days, losing pills, etc., and was told that she’d received no negative feedback about the Injection and that the side effects would be minimal. Perfect, or so I thought. My overall experience was horrendous, and after discussing methods of contraception with strangers I met abroad and hearing their own negative experiences with the Injection and from friends, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself and pretty miffed (to put it politely). I’d missed a period prior to travelling, and my breasts had felt so tender and painful for the first week or so, but then I bleed continuously for my whole trip (yep, two months straight of bleeding in countries where sanitary products are few and far between) and my mood swings absolutely battered me, not to mention my libido dying upon arrival in SE Asia. Now I’ve been home for a few weeks, and yes things are slightly better, but my moods are still all over the place and I’m still spotting everyday. Yes, with the Injection you don’t have to worry about taking pills, but never again will I subject my body to this. I just wish my Nurse Practitioner had offered me more options and have been more upfront regarding the side effects, and instead not dictating what I needed and sending me on my way. I would also like to mention, as a non-binary individual, that this form of contraception did at times make me suffer with body dysphoria, however I appreciate that users may respond differently to the Injection and other methods of contraception.