Implanon and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Imp...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 2, 2016

For Birth Control "Absolutely hate it! I've had it for over 2 years and have bled nearly the whole time it's been in. No wonder it's like 99.99% effective, you're on your period nearly 90% of the time! I plan to get it out soon once I build up the courage to. Zero sex drive and insane mood swings since having it in as well."

• Nos...
• October 2, 2016

For Birth Control "I had mine implanted about 2 years ago. The insertion was easy, the only pain was from the numbing needle, which wasn't hardly any pain at all. I don't have periods, just light spotting every now and then. My face does break out now and then, nothing crazy. The only downside is that I have completely lost my libido. I am 30 years old and used to have a high sex drive, and now my sex drive is non-existent. Which is why I am planning to have this removed as soon as possible because I'm tired of living like this."

• Koo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 13, 2017

For Birth Control "I had the Implanon for 1 year and 11 months, almost 2 years. This was my very first and only birth control I've used. Implanon doesn't have to be replaced until every 3 years, but I decided to take it out after trying it for almost 2 years. This birth control does what it's supposed to do, it works, plus you don't have to worry about it until once every 3 years. My experience was depression, weight gain, hair loss, anxiety, bloating, no sex drive, and I would get my period every 2 months, and when it did, it lasted up to 2 weeks. I took it out today, hope things go back to normal. Any other birth control methods recommended?"

• V93...
• May 30, 2017

For Birth Control "This form of contraception is great for preventing pregnancy, there is no worry of forgetting a pill. However, after 6 months, I've just had my implant removed. At first, it was fine, although periods are very irregular, they would happen unexpectedly. I suffered from mood swings, depression, low sex drive, and acne while having the implant. My appetite increased, constantly feeling hungry, and I gained some weight. My emotions were all over the place, I found myself getting far too emotional, crying quite a lot! I'm so happy that it is now removed, and I can look forward to feeling good again."

• pla...
• December 10, 2015

For Birth Control "Avoid this if you can. I had my son in April and lost all of my baby weight and then some within the first month postpartum. At my 6-week ppd appointment, I decided to get the implant due to ease and effectiveness. Insertion was easy, and I was really looking forward to getting intimate again with my husband. Unfortunately, though, two weeks later, my sex drive was gone, I was having anger outbursts daily, and I fell into a deep depression. I began getting acne and gained 20 lbs rapidly. I realized that it had to be my birth control, so I had it removed. Two weeks later, I can safely say that my sanity, relationship, and body are all finally healing. Sex drive is rockin', I can smile, my energy is back, and I've lost 6 lbs!"

• Bri...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 25, 2016

For Birth Control "I have had this birth control since April of 2012, having it changed last year. I have my own bouts of anxiety and depression, so that may contribute to some of my issues. But I can say that I have gained a lot of weight since being on this birth control, even when I was walking 10 miles a day and barely eating. I only lost like 15 pounds at most. I started off at 155 with this implant after having my son. Once I started being more active, I made it to 140. Now, after just 4 months of not walking 10 miles a day but still being active, I am up to 171 lbs. It's ridiculous. I plan on having the copper IUD inserted soon. I also have trouble with breaking out a lot, mood swings, and a non-existent sex drive."

• Tay...
• November 8, 2015

For Birth Control "This Implanon has been the worst birth control I have taken. I've had terrible breakouts, nonstop spotting, loss of libido, and it's causing me to get agitated over every little thing. This birth control has caused me to fight with my boyfriend every single day and has slowly been pushing us apart. I'm ready to get this thing the hell out of me."

• Hat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 25, 2013

For Birth Control "Only giving it a 3 because I didn't get pregnant on it. Otherwise, it hurt like crazy to put in, bled nonstop for the first year and a half (seriously). I gained 50 pounds. Couldn't lose weight even on a strict diet and exercise. I 100% lost my sex drive. It would hurt where the implant was. Had acne in places I didn't know you could get it. Very expensive to get removed without insurance. Got it removed a week and a half ago, and worst pain and discomfort during removal, and I'm STILL bruised. Wouldn't recommend to my worst enemy."

• nen...
• August 18, 2015

For Birth Control "I thought having birth control was a good move considering I already have a son and I'm in college and go to school, but now I wish I would have gotten this thing removed a while ago. I used to experience nausea and back pain. Now I just have headaches, dizziness, extremely long menstrual cycles, the cycle has lasted almost a whole 3 years. No sex drive, mood swings/depression, hair loss, and I get so tired that I feel like I've been run over, and acne. All of which are side effects, and I feel so alone with it. I will never try to force my body to accept something it doesn't like again. This has damaged my relationship with my man in more ways than one."

• Pai...
• September 25, 2013

For Birth Control "I have had my Implanon since January 2012 at my 6-week checkup after having my daughter. I love it for the fact that I do not have to remember to take a pill, I hate it more for the fact that at my 6-week checkup, I was already back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, and after about a month of Implanon, my weight started to skyrocket. The other bad thing for me is that my periods are out of control. I started out having it for a month and a half straight, then it went away for a week, and I got it again for 2 months. It would go away for 2 months, and it would come back for a week, and so on. It is very unpredictable. Overall, it serves its main purpose, but it does come with a lot of extra weight, mood swings, and lowered sex drive."

• sky...
• September 11, 2015

For Birth Control "I had the implant put in a year ago. Everything was fine that day, my boyfriend and I were joking around, having an awesome day. A few days after that, he says something in me clicked. I was lost, depressed, had no sex drive at all, I would pick fights, was even suicidal. Nothing in my life had changed. My hair started thinning. I had long, luscious, beautiful hair. Had to chop it off. Had it removed only after a month. I couldn't take it anymore. After a year now of having it out, my mood has elevated, sex drive not so much, and my hair is still pretty thin. This was a terrible experience. I will no longer be a lab rat for these companies pumping artificial hormones into my body."

• Vic...
• July 9, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been on the Implanon for a little over a year, never had a period while using it. I did gain a good amount of weight, but that was also from some other issues. My emotions and everything are great. No sex drive whatsoever, that's the downside. I still give it an 8! I am 21, the family planning place paid for the entire thing. And I get it removed for free!"

• Anonymous
• November 5, 2017

For Birth Control "I had this implant for 2 years. Now, the thing I noticed about myself was that I gained a lot of weight, and I would have the worst depression phases. I have acne, and I'm always tired some days. I feel so dizzy or nervous, and my period has been going on for months. I also have no sex drive at all. It's a mess, hoping to get this thing taken out soon."

• ang...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 7, 2016

For Birth Control "Had the Implanon for 5 months. What I experienced was bleeding every day and that I had to wear a tampon every day for 5 months. I didn't even know when I had my period because it was like I had my period every day. Makes your face break out, weight gain, and my sex drive disappeared. If I would have read these reviews, I never would have gotten it. The removal procedure was also extremely painful. I would not recommend anyone taking this, as there are much better ways. It is not worth it at all."

• DCP...
• February 28, 2017

For Birth Control "Taking it out in a few days! I've gained over 20 lbs with it in. I just eat and eat and don't get full. Don't feel like having sex and just feel like blah. When everyone else has lost weight because of breastfeeding, I've just been gaining. I'll go back to the NuvaRing. Even though I got pregnant while on it. (Another story). I've been working out. Guess I can do more, but I've never weighed this much in my life."

• Anonymous
• May 21, 2010

For Birth Control "I had the Implanon for 13 months. I went from a size 2 to a size 9. I worked out 6 days a week and lived on salad, shakes, chicken, fish, and brown rice for about 90 days. I even gave up wine and beer with dinner. I started going up a pound a week. My breasts hurt as bad as they did when I was pregnant, and I lost my sex drive. I have had it out for a few weeks. I haven't really worked out or eaten too healthy. My weight started to drop the second my first period started. Around the same time, my sex drive returned. All I can say is that everyone that did not gain weight on it is very lucky."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 15, 2019

For Birth Control "Pros: birth control, for me it controlled my period and after the first two months of irregular bleeding I didn't have my period for over a year (I have just had it removed). Cons: complete and utter loss of sexual desire and physiological responses to arousal. Absolutely awful. It made me feel so self-conscious about starting anything with my boyfriend because my body just wouldn't respond (vaginal dryness, never keen for sex). Sex always, always had to be entirely mental, which is difficult in the morning! And I felt like I was never passionate because physiologically my body just didn't want sex! I was never like this previously. Handy whilst traveling because I didn't have to remember the pill and we didn't always have condoms. But I got it removed the week after we got home from an 8-month trip because I want to want sex."

• Tiz...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 18, 2016

For Birth Control "I don't recommend this birth control to anyone. Ever since I got it in, it has been a non-stop emotional roller coaster, my mood swings are out of control. Also, no sex drive, no energy, and weight gain. But the worst part is I tend to have 2 or more periods in a month. Started my period, after 7 days, it stopped. Two days later, I am bleeding heavily again, I was on my period for another 9 days. One time, I heavily bled for 20 days straight. I'm getting this taken out."

• lis...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 29, 2016

For Birth Control "I had this in for 3 years as it worked as a contraceptive, it was effective. I had no periods for 3 years. I wanted the implant taken out, but I had to wait 12 months. Side effects were sweating problems and loss of sex drive. Once I had it taken out, I felt emotional for a few days, had a period, and felt human again."

• LuL...
• March 25, 2009

For Birth Control "I had Implanon implanted in Dec '08, and have not stopped bleeding since (that's 4 months). I have also had many other side effects: hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and irritability, no sex drive, and slight weight gain. I'm sure the hormone delivery in this drug affects everyone differently, but for me, the adverse effects outweighed the benefits of not taking a daily or weekly drug."

• Lea...
• October 17, 2013

For Birth Control "I've had Implanon for almost 3 years now. No period since I've had it in. Not pregnant, so it's effective, but ever since getting this, I've noticed horrible mood swings in the first year, major loss of sex drive, and now I've had horrible acne on my cheeks for about 8 months. I'm calling tomorrow to get this thing out. It has to come out in May anyway, but I'm hoping my body will get back to normal sooner."

• Flo...
• April 24, 2016

For Birth Control "So I got the Implanon inserted 2 years ago. In the last 2 years, I have gained about 20 kgs, lost my sex drive, my emotions have been up and down like a yo-yo-just cry, then want to punch something, then have no idea what I was even sad/angry about. I would get my period for 2 weeks, then another 3 weeks of spotting, then it finishes, then 1 week later I start PMSing again. But I didn't get pregnant! I have just had it taken out 1 year early as I can't deal with the side effects anymore. I guess there are different contraceptives that work for different people, but I must say this one didn't go well for me."

• Wor...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 2, 2016

For Birth Control "I've had the implant about 2 years. It took me about 3 months of mood swings, then I stabilized out. My periods and cramps aren't too crazy, I've gained some weight, but I'm not too sure if it has anything to do with this. The one reason why I am considering getting it removed sooner is because I've lost interest in a lot of things, but my sex drive is completely gone. I've had a pretty healthy sex life. But the past year and a half, I believed that something was wrong with me. After reading reviews, it settles me knowing that this is a common thing that happens. I miss being intimate. I'm a completely different person, and I hope I get back to normal after the removal. Worth a shot though, not pregnant!"

• Sea...
• January 29, 2018

For Birth Control "Using the birth control was a choice I made so that I didn't get pregnant until we were ready to make that choice. However, during the time using it, I had 0- and I mean ZERO- sex drive, I would avoid my hubbie at all costs. I was moody and SO exhausted to the point I would fall asleep constantly, but the worst? I gained 17 kg (37.4 lb) in 4 months, and I didn't change ANYTHING. Safe to say I got it removed, and I would NEVER EVER say to anyone, 'Use Implanon, it's great!'"

• alm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2015

For Birth Control "I had my first Implanon six years ago after my second child, and I didn't get my period for 2 years, weight gain, mood swings, and that was with the old Implanon. Then the second Implanon was as bad as the first: mood swings and weight gain, but I managed to lose lots of weight due to diet and exercise. I wasn't really aware that those side effects in the past were the result of the Implanon until I got the third Implanon inserted six months ago. I had weeks of heavy bleeding, zero libido, weight gain like crazy in such a short time-10 kg!!! (I eat a healthy diet and exercise). I developed acne on my chest, shoulders, and head, bloated, mood swings, excruciating lower back pain. I took out the Implanon 3 weeks ago and plan to try Mirena instead."