Nexplanon and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Ght...
• March 21, 2016

For Birth Control "I got my Nexplanon inserted November 2015 while I was on my period on the 5th day. Ever since then (4 months later) I've bled constantly. My doctor tried giving me the pill to balance out my hormones, but no luck at all. I constantly have cramps and headaches, and sometimes heat flashes. I want it out so bad, but removal costs $150 :("

• A74...
• December 14, 2015

For Birth Control "I had the Nexplanon for a year and four months, it was highly effective contraception. However, the side effects were terrible. 1. Mood swings 2. Depression (I've suffered with depression before, and the drug just aggravated my depression more) 3. Headaches 4. Breast tenderness 5. Anxiety/panic attacks (which I've never had a problem with before until now) 6. Difficulty breathing (had a pulmonary test and a cardiologist look at my heart, and they said all was fine) 7. Chest pain/palpitations 8. Paranoia 9. HORRIBLE cramps (I've never had really bad cramps until I got the Nexplanon put in) 10. No periods for a couple of months, just spotting, no period but horrible cramps 11. Backache 12. Hungry all the time 13. No sex drive."

• Iro...
• October 1, 2015

For Birth Control "I got my implant last month on the 1st. So far, it's been alright. I have noticed I've been getting headaches more often, and my skin has the occasional breakout. This could all be due to the fact that I just started college, though. Despite the claims regarding lowered sex drive, I've actually experienced a slight increase in my sex drive. I haven't experienced any weight gain or loss, and my stress level actually seems reduced. I have been having nightmares/vivid dreams since my implant, they began about a week after insertion. I'm not quite sure if that's what is causing them, though. I've always had irregular periods before the implant, and I just began spotting today, a month after insertion. So, I'll have to wait and see."

• Bub...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 30, 2019

For Birth Control "Before I even got Nexplanon, I did my research, and it seemed like a pretty good birth control, and it does last 3 years. I already had 2 sons back to back, 1 & 2, so I decided I would get it. I scheduled an appointment, got it free because of my insurance anyway. It took like 30 minutes to insert. They clean the area, then give medicine to numb it. It burns and tingles. They will tell you that after that, they do the insertion, which takes two people. It’s numb, you can still kinda feel it. Then after they check to feel it, they bandage you up, you can’t take it off for 24 hours. I got it in May 2019, it’s Dec 30, 2019, it will be time to get it removed in May 2022. My periods last for two weeks, cramping sometimes, also, I get severe headaches, not all the time, and I seem to eat a lot now. My period seems like it may stop completely. I like my implant. It doesn’t move or bother me, but sometimes depending on how I move my arm, it is still tender. Will I get another inserted? I’m not sure, but it’s good, I have no other problems."

• Mar...
• April 30, 2020

For Birth Control "06/15/20 will be the 2nd year on Nexplanon, and I will never get it again. I was sold on it when my doctor told me it could be left in for 3 years and either I would possibly not have periods on Nexplanon or have light spotting. That just wasn't the case for me, I've been unlucky. My periods are lighter, and the pain is way less, but I would rather have heavier periods and be in a lot of pain instead of bleeding every other week. The weeks I'm not bleeding, I'm spotting. I get a 3-day break randomly and rarely a 2-week break, and then it starts all over again. It's been 1 year and 10 months, and my hormones have yet to sync. I am tired of having headaches, nausea, cravings, and being hormonal all the time. It works wonders for my friend, it just depends on the body. I think people should try it because it's amazing when it works, being one of the most effective birth controls on the market. I'm not pregnant, so it did its job, but I'm sick of bleeding all the time. Next time, I'm getting the birth control shots."

• tho...
• December 18, 2013

For Birth Control "I've had the Nexplanon for about 1 1/2 months now. The insertion was painless and took only about 5 min. The doctor said I would probably bruise around the insertion site, but it was barely a bruise there. I had no pain or swelling afterward. I have not had a period since the insertion, no weight gain, mood swings, headaches, etc. I love the Nexplanon so far. I switched from Mirena, which I also loved, but my husband got to the point where he kept feeling the string, and it was irritating him."

• Lov...
• October 8, 2015

For Birth Control "I've had the implant for about 18 months, and I love it. It stopped my period right away. I did spot for 2 weeks about a year ago, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I haven't had a period since. No mood swings, no headaches. No more babies!!!! I would definitely recommend this. I've seen other reviews, and maybe it's a different reaction for each individual. But so far, no problems for me. I have until April of 2017, and I will be doing this again."

• Lev...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 20, 2014

For Birth Control "I have been very pleased with this product. My worst issues have been headaches and random spotting that happened off and on for the first few months, but the headaches are never terrible and seem to have vanished now. I only get periods maybe every 3-4 months, and when I do, they're very light and easily managed. I like the Nexplanon as it does not interfere with my day-to-day activities, the side effects are minimal, and I don't even think about it unless I rub my hand against the placement site. I would get it again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 11, 2016

For Birth Control "I have been using this BC for a little over a year now. Before I started, my period was normal (every 28 days for about 5 days), and I was a pretty mellow person. Right now I go about 3 months with no bleeding and then maybe 1-2 months of light bleeding. My mood has changed a lot since then, and my headaches are very severe when I get them. I get very irritated at the smallest things, and I feel myself slipping into moods where I don't want to talk to anyone for 2-3 months at a time, but I am lucky to have a friend to call me out when I get like that. This BC is very convenient for me due to my crazy schedule, and I plan on keeping it in since I am able to cope with the side effects. But I still wish I didn't have to deal with them."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 15, 2015

For Birth Control "After reading some of the reviews, I noticed I have experienced a lot of the same side effects some of you all have. I have been on the Nexplanon for almost three years, I was so young when I got it I never really noticed the side effects until now. I never even thought that my birth control could be the cause of some of the things I have gone through. My periods were super irregular, I knew that was one of the side effects, though I used to bleed a lot. I was always spotting or on my period, not so much now. I get the worst headaches ever out of nowhere, and it's so hard for me to get turned on. I'm never really in the mood for sex. My Nexplanon expires in August, but reading these reviews and finally figuring the cause, I need this removed."

• Fre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 30, 2016

For Birth Control "I chose this birth control because of how easy it would be, insert and forget. I didn't do my research, I did it for convenience. I bled the first month, I had spotting throughout. I never got headaches prior to using this birth control, I had them constantly for three weeks straight. I have abdominal pain for about five weeks straight, which kept me in bed. My emotions definitely switched up as well, there was a noticeable difference in how much easier I got upset. With the amount of work I took off, it literally took control of my life. I got off of it. I could not get past the three months, I got into sixty days because the side effects were excruciating."

• Hmc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 7, 2016

For Birth Control "Got the implant Sep 17, 2015. First couple of weeks I got headaches. My face and hair got extra greasy. I used to be good with showering every other day, but not anymore. I haven't had a period since September 2015, which has been awesome, but it's affected my sex life and my weight. It caused me to be very dry during intercourse. :/ and it hurts. Also, the weight I have gained is insane. When I got the implant, I was 159 lbs. In Jan 2016, I had a check-up, and I was 180 lbs. Last week, I talked to the nurses about the weight issue and it had gone up again to 197 lbs. I don't eat badly and I'm constantly active being a flight attendant and swim coach. Made an appointment at the end of the month to get it removed. :("

• Not...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2018

For Birth Control "I wanted to share a positive review and remind you all that more people take time to share negative experiences than positive ones. Hopefully, I can ease some of the negative for someone out there! I love Nexplanon. I was only concerned about acne and weight gain, and neither of these happened to me. My only side effect has been more frequent headaches, but nothing an ibuprofen couldn’t fix. Insertion was ridiculously easy, less painful than a normal shot in the arm, really. I’ve also had an IUD (super painful insertion, and my body rejected it after 3 days). I tried the pill (Enskyce), it wasn’t so bad other than being super inconvenient and more periods than Nexplanon."

• C4a...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 22, 2019

For Birth Control "Do not use it! I didn’t get pregnant, but that’s the only plus. I gained 30-40 pounds, bleed every day, headaches, nausea, indigestion. All that I could deal with because it is so effective. What I CAN'T deal with is the anxiety and depression. It’s absolutely awful, so I am getting it removed in a couple of weeks, and I am so excited I can hardly wait. I’ve had it over a year, and I can honestly say one of the worst decisions ever. I will be back on the pill."

• Gua...
• April 19, 2016

For Birth Control "I've had Nexplanon for four years (just got a new one a year ago) and loved it for the first three years. I never noticed or realized that it may be due to Nexplanon that I've gained 15 lbs... I thought it was the stress from grad school, but now I am realizing it may be because of the implant. I get occasional headaches, but not that often. Overall, I LOVE the convenience of Nexplanon. I love not getting my period often. I love not getting cramps anymore. I have not bled for more than 5 days. So I would definitely say I've enjoyed my time with Nexplanon. Now I am considering taking it out because of how difficult it is to lose the excess weight. I do CrossFit and have not lost any fat... It may be time to say my farewell, Nexy."

• Afa...
• July 29, 2019

For Birth Control "I have had this rod twice now. First time was after my son was born in 2015, and I just went to have a new one inserted. The 1st time was great. No period, no mood swings, nothing. It's been 6 months since I have had my new one put in, and I feel like I am losing it. I can't gain weight and have lost 10 lbs. Being 5'6" and 110 lbs is not healthy. I was around 120 when I had it put in. My mood swings are erratic, and my sex drive has gone down to zero. I have headaches almost every day, none of which happened to me with the 1st implant. I have an appointment next week to have the rod removed. I am hoping all goes back to normal!"

• Liz...
• May 11, 2016

For Birth Control "If I could give this a zero, trust me, I would. This has literally ruined my life. Aside from no period, everything about this is awful. I have headaches every day, no sex drive, and terrible, terrible thoughts that go through my mind. It has made me very depressed and easily angry, to the point where I cannot control myself nor my actions. It has put my family in danger of ending because the way I act on this birth control is not who I am at all. I get it removed in two weeks, and I couldn't be happier to be back to my normal self. Do not recommend this to anyone."

• Ab1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 31, 2016

For Birth Control "Before I got the Nexplanon, I was in the hospital for anemia due to vaginal blood loss. I was on the pill and kept forgetting to take it and had an unwanted pregnancy, which resulted in an abortion, which caused the anemia. I regret it every day. At first, the Nexplanon was excellent, it finally helped the blood loss. I haven't really bled too much, I usually only bleed 1-3 days. But the negative is, I gained 20+ pounds, I get sharp pains in my abdomen, I also get pains where it was implanted, I have no sex drive anymore, headaches, and feeling nauseous, as well as mood swings. I've been with my boyfriend for almost 2 years, and lack of sex drive and mood swings are hurting our relationship. Debating on getting it removed or not."

• Cob...
• September 14, 2017

For Birth Control "I have been on Nexplanon for a little over 3 years. When I first had it inserted, I didn't have my period for 2 months. By the 3rd month, I had very faint spotted bleeding. I did get very nauseated and had headaches. By the 4th month, I had a really heavy flow that lasted 2 weeks straight, after those two weeks, it lightened up over 3 days to nothing. From there, I was fine, no cramps, no bleeding for 3 months. By then, it would be marked as my 7th month since the implant. I bled for a solid 12 days, and they felt like the worst cramps ever. I literally just stayed in bed for the first 7 days, and about 3 weeks before bleeding, I experienced period cramps. Since then, my period has been consistent. It came every 3 months and lasted a little over a week."

• Flo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 12, 2019

For Birth Control "When I first got it, I got the average side effects, nothing terrible. I fell in love with the implant because it was doing its job like it promised. Everything was great the first year but started going downhill at the beginning of the second year. I got really depressed and lost interest in everything I did before. I didn’t want to work out anymore, I had mood swings, and my sex drive was at zero. I also felt bloated, had terrible headaches, and was spotting all the time. Recently, my depression has gotten worse, and I have been crying a lot about everything. My relationship has also been a little disconnected. I feel like a completely different person compared to when I didn’t have it. Currently, I am trying to schedule an appointment to get the Nexplanon removed. I don’t recommend it because of the side effects I had. Otherwise, it is very reliable and does keep its promise of almost being 100% effective."

• Jud...
• April 12, 2017

For Birth Control "I decided to get the Nexplanon inserted because condoms weren't convenient. The insertion was amazingly simple and quick! The numbing agent was just a small pinch, very easy, and then my provider inserted the implant with a thing I saw only briefly as I looked away. Be aware before getting this that if you have a lot of migraines or headaches all the time, the Nexplanon may make them worse! I very rarely get headaches, but a few days in, I was getting some headaches, but it was fine after an hour. I have not had my period yet, hoping it will stay the same at least, as for the mood swings... every little thing has been getting on my nerves, and I have started crying for no reason 3 times already. I will update in a few months."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 24, 2017

For Birth Control "I got this thing out of my arm today. I made an emergency appointment at family planning to get it out ASAP. I had extremely irregular periods and stomach pain. I had insane mood swings and no sex drive at all. How my husband is still with me, Idk. The past few weeks, I have felt really sick, went to walk-in care because I was passing out (3x). All tests came back normal. I have been extremely nauseous, dizzy, ears ringing, headaches, convulsions, and full-blown panic attacks. I have NEVER felt anything like this. So glad it is out."

• NDL...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 22, 2014

For Birth Control "The insertion did not hurt that bad, and I did not have problems with my arm aching. It did bruise pretty badly but went away after a couple of weeks. The first 4 months, I experienced extreme drowsiness and occasional headaches. Eventually, it went away. I have not had any significant problems with weight gain. The hardest side effect to deal with has been the bleeding. I got the implant inserted mid-August. I started bleeding about a week after that and did not stop until the beginning of December. Since January, I get maybe 1 good week of no bleeding and then 3 weeks of heavy bleeding and spotting. Unfortunately, it is the only birth control option for me, but the bleeding is miserable."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 5, 2015

For Birth Control "I've been on birth control for 7 1/2 years altogether. Since I've been on Nexplanon (1 1/2 years), I always feel bloated and fatigued. I've had periods that have lasted 3 weeks at a time, and I'm always angry, fire-breathing angry at that. I've always struggled with anxiety and depression, but it's worse with this birth control. My headaches take half of the infirmary to attempt to get rid of them. Another thing, what happened to the moisture? It's gotten to the point that I have to use lube anytime that I want to have sex. Nothing seems to help, and I've never had this problem. Getting this removed ASAP, don't want babies, then use a condom."

• Mja...
• April 2, 2019

For Birth Control "I got Nexplanon when I was 14. My gynecologist said that there were no side effects. After the implant, everything was fine, then my period stopped and didn't come back for 3-4 months. Once it came back, it didn't stop for 2.5 years. After bleeding for a month, I went to my doctor's office to find out that she moved to Ohio. I went through manic episodes and anxiety. Developed emotional problems. After about a year, I realized the implant broke in my arm. I didn't know that was bad. I ended up gaining 80 pounds within a year and a half. I found a new doctor who removed the implant and confirmed it had broken, and the amount of hormones released from the implant when it broke caused extreme side effects on my body. I had the implant out at 17. I'm now 21, and ever since I got the implant, I suffer from emotional and medical issues that I believe derived from Nexplanon. I have gallbladder issues, secondary amenorrhea, headaches. Please discuss all risks with your provider. Don't let them tell you that there are no side effects."