Nexplanon and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2022

For Birth Control "I had the Nexplanon implant in 2017 as I'd just gotten into a serious relationship and wanted something hassle-free. Within a matter of weeks, I was having intense pain every time I had sex and spotting that wouldn't stop (which I anticipated as my body adjusted). After 3 months, I woke up in a dream-like state feeling entirely disconnected from the world around me and emotionally numb. I went to see a (male) doctor about my experience, and he assured me it couldn't be due to the Nexplanon. Weeks went by, and I was experiencing panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, and debilitating anxiety, so I booked an appointment to have it removed. I explained my symptoms in such a state to the female nurse, and she said, 'The more I hear about this thing, the more I don't like it, I no longer recommend it.' All this being said, I know women who've had the implant and loved it. Unfortunately, I hear too many stories similar to mine, and I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone. Do your research, listen to your body."

• Jad...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 25, 2022

For Birth Control "Exacerbated my mental health issues severely with paranoia, anxiety, depression. Heavy bleeding the majority of the time I had it in and became severely anemic and lost weight. I would never recommend this to someone with even the mildest of mental illness."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 26, 2022

For Birth Control "All of the other reviews are right. This drug has absolutely abhorrent mental side effects. I've never had mental health problems before, but this has caused me to experience depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Just don't get it."

• Ali...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 17, 2022

For Birth Control "DON'T GET IT. I got this put in almost a year ago (last March). It is January now. About 4 months in, I had a panic attack. Never have had a panic attack in my life. Anxiety has never been a problem for me, and all of a sudden I'm avoiding going out with friends because I feel like I'm going to have a mental break and freak out just talking to my own friends. Then I started feeling majorly depressed. Haven't felt depressed since pre-teen years (10 years ago). November comes around, and I'm having suicidal thoughts for weeks while at work. My arm is constantly itching, my periods are all over the place. I can't track them. It's great for preventing pregnancy. But mentally, I'm exhausted. I did not fully look into how this affected women until I started feeling this way, not understanding why. Then my boyfriend brought the implant up. I know now. Ha. I'm taking this out ASAP."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 1, 2022

For Birth Control "I just had mine taken out. I’ve always had anxiety, but nothing like what Nexplanon will make you feel like. I’ve never had such intense anxiety that I couldn’t leave my house. Yesterday, when I went to have it taken out, was the first time being in public in three months. It’s not worth the toll it takes on your mental health, it was a nightmare. I hope I never go through that again!!!"

• Ort...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 31, 2021

For Birth Control "I have had my implant 2.5 years, and about 2 years in, I started experiencing high, high levels of anxiety, which are so difficult to control. I’ve tried meditation, exercises, new hobbies, but nothing is working. I thought it was due to uni stress or stress between friends, etc., but only now have I realized it’s the implant. I’m exhausted all the time, anxiety is ridiculous, so unmotivated when I used to have an amazing work ethic. Since reading these posts, I have realized it’s due to the implant, not lockdown. I hope my experience helps someone, as this, with a combination of lockdown, had triggered some awful anxiety and low moods."

• Jes...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 6, 2021

For Birth Control "I want to start by saying this was my first experience with birth control. Knowing me and how I am, I didn't think I would remember to take pills or get the injection regularly, and this also seemed more cost-efficient. I have never had too much of an issue with depression, anxiety, or mood swings. Nothing I felt I needed help with, but within the first few months of having this implant, I was having mental breakdown after mental breakdown. I would be sobbing to my now husband about how different I felt and sad, empty. There was also a MASSIVE change in my sex drive as well. We were extremely active, and it was like someone pulled the emergency brake on it. It was so hard to work through and continued to be hard. My implant expires in January of 2021, and I am so happy. I'm tired of feeling exhausted and angry 24/7. I just want to feel normal again and finally STOP bleeding because seriously, I was on my period like the entire time I had it. But hey, I'm not pregnant, right? Ugh."

• Dee...
• December 1, 2021

For Birth Control "Nexplanon is awful! Completely changed my life for the worst. Within a month, I experienced extreme anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, mood swings, crying spells, suicidal thoughts, you name it. I want my old life back! I had it removed yesterday, and now I’m having the worst panic attacks of my life. I just pray that this is just my body’s way of regulating again. Do not get the Nexplanon!"

• Sto...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 18, 2021

For Birth Control "The first few times I had Nexplanon were fine. I had six years of no periods and practically no negative symptoms (other than weight gain). About a year after my third implant, I developed debilitating symptoms (fatigue, weakness, brain fog, horrible anxiety, panic attacks, and more) that led me to a dozen specialists to try to determine what was wrong with me. I had never had any of these symptoms before, and the anxiety/panic attacks were especially alarming. I even wound up in the ER a few times. Countless tests and scans led nowhere. As a last-ditch effort, I got my implant removed on August 31st, and I completely changed my diet, started exercising every day despite the fatigue, meditated multiple times a day, and started taking multivitamins and magnesium. The two weeks after removal were a nightmare. I then had five good weeks where I felt almost normal. Then I got my first period and was hit with everything all over again. Please do not use this horrible BC."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 17, 2021

For Birth Control "The first month or two were fine, period lightened up, had some light cramping. Then I started to develop severe anxiety and depression out of nowhere and started having panic attacks with no prior history of any of those things. I couldn't sleep because my anxiety kept my body and mind awake. I felt at a constant stress level of at least 8 at all times during the day as a baseline. Started having intrusive and suicidal thoughts, lost all joy for food, lost about maybe 20 pounds, and am now fighting to be able to eat a full plate of pasta because my stomach has shrunken from my lack of an appetite for so long. I got it removed two weeks ago. I woke up this morning for the first time in months feeling like myself again."

• Sas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 17, 2021

For Birth Control "I have had the Nexplanon for 4 months and will be getting it removed in two days. I cannot wait. I have had the worst experience. I have 3 week-long heavy periods with huge clots, which made me anemic. I have side effects of anxiety, depression, hair loss, no sex drive. I even got pulsatile tinnitus. I am so miserable. I’ve gained so much weight. I want out. Now!!!"

• Cla...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 9, 2021

For Birth Control "I've been on BC since I was 15 years old for PCOS. Friends, be so, so careful with Nexplanon. I have a history of psychiatric health issues, but I have never, ever experienced depression like this before. My depression and anxiety have been well controlled for years, but Nexplanon turned my whole world upside down. The anxiety is unmanageable, and the depression is just... it's entirely overwhelming. It has completely derailed my life. Crying over everything, yes, but so much worse. Literal screaming, crying meltdowns over nothing. I've never had anger issues, but since getting Nexplanon, I explode in anger at the tiniest inconvenience and just devolve into a crying mess. It feels like my brain has been hijacked by a psychopath. Oh, and I've had period bleeding nonstop for 74 days. I've had the implant since July and I am having it removed next week."

• don...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2021

For Birth Control "Please do not get this contraception. It has made me massively suicidal, depressed, anxious, paranoid, irrational. I have never had these thoughts before. I’ve had it in for 40 days, and it has been the worst time in my entire life. This implant has ruined my life. I’m getting it removed today, and I can’t wait to start feeling myself again."

• don...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2021

For Birth Control "Please do not get this contraception. It has made me massively suicidal, depressed, anxious, paranoid, irrational. I have never had these thoughts before. I’ve had it in for 40 days, and it has been the worst time in my entire life. This implant has ruined my life. I’m getting it removed today, and I can’t wait to start feeling myself again."

• Stu...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 28, 2021

For Birth Control "This was a birth control form that I loved as soon as I got it in December. I told all my friends about it and told them that it was the way to go. Light periods, it was the best. All of a sudden, this past Saturday (10-ish months after getting it put in), I started feeling anxious. I would wake up in the morning, cry until about noon for no reason at all. I became depressed and felt like I was going crazy. I've never been depressed or had anxiety or anything at all, so I was extremely disturbed when this started happening. I lost my appetite and went from eating normally three meals a day to barely being able to get down one. The brain fog has been insane, I can barely focus or type notes in class or have a coherent phone conversation. I had a complete panic attack when I was out to dinner with friends for no reason at all. I started doing some research on it and saw dozens of others had the same issues. I scheduled an appointment to get it out, I just hope that it makes this better."

• Gin...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 28, 2021

For Birth Control "I had my Nexplanon for about a year and a half, and I have super mixed feelings about it, but eventually got it removed. I liked that insertion was really easy, I didn't have anxiety/depression issues, and it was super reliable so I could have unprotected sex. However, I didn't like that I bled nonstop for months at a time. It worked great as a birth control because who wants to have sex when you're constantly bleeding? I ruined all of my underwear by constant breakthrough bleeding. I didn't know when, how much, or how long I'd bleed. After a three-month-long period, I eventually gave up and got it removed, which was a nightmare of a process. I usually think that everyone should do what's best for them, but I really don't recommend this. Almost everyone I know who tried Nexplanon had the exact same bleeding issues as I did."

• C B...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 28, 2021

For Birth Control "This is genuinely the worst birth control I have ever experienced. My anxiety is uncontrollable, it's caused fairly severe anxiety-induced tachycardia. I've had FOUR miscarriages. My sex drive does not exist whatsoever, and to top it off, I've had it in for almost 3 years. One full year was a period (365 days of non-stop bleeding), and then the other two have been over half of constant periods. I cannot WAIT to get this awful bar removed, and the only reason I haven't yet is because we physically can't afford to get pregnant. Please stay far away from this birth control. It's a nightmare. TLDR: extreme anxiety, heart issues, year-long period."

• Lol...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 27, 2021

For Birth Control "I don't typically leave reviews for things, but I felt it was absolutely necessary after my experience with Nexplanon. I received the implant a week after my daughter was born. I had a traumatic delivery and was instructed to not get pregnant for two years. The Nexplanon was recommended to me because of how effective it is at preventing pregnancy. While it was absolutely effective in preventing pregnancy, the side effects were not worth it. I bled almost daily for eight months. During this time, I had low sex drive, increased anxiety, mood swings, and intrusive thoughts. I'm thrilled to say that I had the Nexplanon removed last week. The bleeding is nearly over, and I already feel less anxious. I do not recommend this product, especially to women prone to anxiety and mood swings."

• AAA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 9, 2021

For Birth Control "If you have a history of anxiety and/or depression, don’t risk it, try something without hormones if you can. I fully believe it triggered my anxiety/depression. The first month was fine, I just completely missed my period. When I finally got my period, I bled for over a month and didn’t stop until a week after I got it removed. I started having daily panic attacks (haven’t had one in years), intrusive thoughts, severe depression, and suicidal ideations. I was waking up anxious before I even got up out of bed. Almost had to go to crisis. It’s been about a month since I’ve been off of it, and I’m slowly starting to feel a little bit better. Nexplanon made the last two months an actual living nightmare for me, it was so scary. Possible increased anxiety/depression should be labeled as a warning!!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 30, 2021

For Birth Control "PLEASE read if you are considering Nexplanon: I was on the Depo shot starting at age 16. After my doctor was concerned with bone density issues, she recommended I switch to Nexplanon (2018-2021). I was happy, healthy, no periods for the three years I chose to be on the implant. About 2.5 years in, I started having slight anxiety and insomnia. I brushed it off, we are in a pandemic, and there are a lot of things to be anxious about. My 3 years on the Nexplanon was up in a month, and I decided to let my body 'reset' since I had read that birth control could cause insomnia. After removal, I had the most traumatic weeks of my entire life. I slept for 4 hours one week because the insomnia and anxiety were so bad, and I constantly felt as though I had adrenaline coursing through my veins. I took myself to the ER and urgent care multiple times because I was convinced I was having heart attacks (nope-just panic attacks lasting DAYS). I lost an entire month of my life due to this - AVOID."

• Mai...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 30, 2021

For Birth Control "This is my second term of Nexplanon. The first 3 years I was on it, it went smoothly. I didn’t have any issues at all. But this go around, it’s been so bad!! And I’m getting it removed in 5 days. I have extreme acne, and this is the first time I’ve had it like this ever! No matter what I do, it won’t go away. I’m at my heaviest, 220 lbs, I feel so disgusting! I’ve changed my diet, and I exercise, but still can’t lose any weight! I have crazy mood swings, I’m always depressed and mad. I have no motivation to do anything. I’m always tired. I didn’t even know I had anxiety until now. I have bad migraines every single day. I bleed for about 27 days at a time, heavily at that. And my period is unpredictable. This birth control is a nightmare!!!!!"

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 28, 2021

For Birth Control "I’ve had it in 8 weeks tomorrow, and it’s being removed Thursday. I was okay for the first month, I kept crying more or less every night, but to be honest, I didn’t think much of it. About a week ago, extreme anxiety started. I was scared of falling asleep, which turned into me having anxiety every day. I am a mother of four young children. I know this wasn’t postnatal depression, I’ve experienced that. This was different, something I’ve never had before. I was anxious every day about something new. I was having extreme panic attacks where I thought I was going crazy. I turned up to drop my son off at school, and I burst into tears to his teacher about how mentally drained I felt. It wasn’t until my mother-in-law said, “I think this may be due to your implant?” I phoned around and was even willing to go private and pay £300 to have this rod out of my arm. Finally, I found somewhere local who would take it out for me, a nurse was sure it’s this that’s making me feel awful! Let’s get it out."

• All...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 27, 2021

For Birth Control "I tried Nexplanon despite all of the negative side effects my friends told me about because everyone is different, right? Well, I got it two months ago and will be getting it taken out this month. The day after I got it, I got my period and have been bleeding every day since! Two months of being on my period has cost me lots of money between tampons and pads and underwear! I have been extremely moody, I get random spouts of depressive episodes, and I've always had anxiety, but it amplified this for me so greatly. This is awful. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, and I will probably be going back on the pill after this."

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 5, 2021

For Birth Control "My experience on Nexplanon was very similar to some of the others on here. I have always struggled with mild depression and anxiety, but within months of getting Nexplanon I was severely depressed and angry almost all the time. I was literally suffering while using this product. I have tried multiple other forms of hormonal birth control and never experienced anything like this. On top of the mental illness, I also was bleeding constantly for the first two months, my gyno put me on the pill on top of the Nexplanon for a few weeks to stop the bleeding. It also made my cramps much, much worse. It was literally the worst point in my life. I got it removed after six months because the side effects I experienced outweighed the benefits. I had some friends that have tried it and it worked for them just fine, but I definitely would not recommend it if you have a history of mental illness and painful periods."

• Ang...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 26, 2021

For Birth Control "The insertion of the birth control went smoothly. No swelling or bad bruising afterwards. What was bad was how it completely crippled my mental state. I got 1,000 times more depressed, anxious, suicidal. It’s at the point where I cannot control my emotions at all. I cry so much and get angry at so many things. My emotions are seriously out of control. It ruined my relationship with my boyfriend. I’ve never ever felt so bipolar in my life. As far as my periods go, they’re very irregular, I won’t have a period for a month to 2 months, and then when I do get my period, it’s kind of light and lasts 5-15 days. Sometimes I get a period twice a month. This birth control has ruined me in so many ways. I cannot wait to get it taken out. The only downside is the doctors I go to will not accept my insurance (Medicaid) unless I’m pregnant, so I have to pay $300-$500 out of pocket to get it taken out."