Nexplanon and Mood Swings: What Users Say (Page 2)

• g19...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 17, 2023

For Birth Control "I am totally appalled by the lack of information regarding the side effects of this implant that is given to women before having it put in. The nurse I spoke to said nothing about negative effects besides the fact that it may interfere with my periods. It was simply made to sound like the best thing ever. Within a year, I had gained so much weight that I would be out of breath just walking down the road. After 2 years, the weight gain was so bad my GP put me on tablets for fluid retention. I didn't realize until last month, after coming across a TV show by chance about the lack of proper information provided to women regarding contraception, that the implant was to blame. After suffering from anorexia all my life, I am now obese!! And as for mood? I am in tears over everything, back on anxiety medication and antidepressants, as I have suffered from blood clots. I should not have been given it in the first place! BAN IT!"

• Hol...
• February 14, 2020

For Birth Control "Please do not get Nexplanon. I just had it removed 2 days ago, feeling a bit better. Mood swings lessened. Had severe mood swings, depression, weight gain, and I ate very little carbs. Lack of energy, troubling constant thoughts, anxiety, high blood pressure. Please do not get."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 2, 2020

For Birth Control "I got Nexplanon over four years ago. I am now on my second round and really don't like it. Everyone's body is different, and it's very effective, I promise. My boyfriend and I never use condoms or pull out, and ya girl isn't pregnant, so it works - don't be scared. However, now my side effects are awful, and I feel like it's hard to lose weight. I broke out really bad, bloated all the time, low energy, mood swings, and my libido dropped (boo). I am over hormonal stuff, so I am switching to a copper IUD. I'm over the hormone."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 2, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve had the Nexplanon implant for about 10-11 months. At first, I felt fine, but after a week I started to feel emotional and a little sad. And as time went on, my mood got worse. I would get mad over little things and cry a lot! Sometimes for no reason. After like 5 months, I think my body adjusted or got used to it, and now I don’t feel like myself. I also had NO sex drive and would be painful during intercourse due to lack of lubrication. The plus side is I didn’t get any acne, and I didn’t lose or gain weight. I also never got my period. Will be removing soon. Not worth it :/"

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 2, 2020

For Birth Control "I’ve had the Nexplanon implant for about 10-11 months. At first, I felt fine, but after a week I started to feel emotional and a little sad. And as time went on, my mood got worse. I would get mad over little things and cry a lot! Sometimes for no reason. After like 5 months, I think my body adjusted or got used to it, and now I don’t feel like myself. I also had NO sex drive and would be painful during intercourse due to lack of lubrication. The plus side is I didn’t get any acne, and I didn’t lose or gain weight. I also never got my period. Will be removing soon. Not worth it :/"

• Han...
• November 3, 2014

For Birth Control "I got the Nexplanon inserted on October 3rd, 2014. Insertion was much easier than I thought it would be. Only bad part is I'm allergic to adhesive, so I broke out bad where the bandaid was and still have some scarring from that. I had been on the pill for 2 1/2 years, and taking it every day was a hassle to remember. The first day I had the Nexplanon, my hormones went CRAZY. But after that, everything was fine. Super happy no weight gain (if anything, I lost weight), my mood swings have almost stopped, and I'm not pregnant. I just started spotting a few days ago. Very light. Not enough for a tampon, just a small pad. I noticed I have been slightly more emotional, but nothing compared to how it used to be while bleeding. So far, so good."

• Han...
• November 3, 2014

For Birth Control "I got the Nexplanon inserted on October 3rd, 2014. Insertion was much easier than I thought it would be. Only bad part is I'm allergic to adhesive, so I broke out bad where the bandaid was and still have some scarring from that. I had been on the pill for 2 1/2 years, and taking it every day was a hassle to remember. The first day I had the Nexplanon, my hormones went CRAZY. But after that, everything was fine. Super happy no weight gain (if anything, I lost weight), my mood swings have almost stopped, and I'm not pregnant. I just started spotting a few days ago. Very light. Not enough for a tampon, just a small pad. I noticed I have been slightly more emotional, but nothing compared to how it used to be while bleeding. So far, so good."

• Ano...
• February 27, 2020

For Birth Control "It’s awful. I’ve had Nexplanon for almost 4 months, and I'm getting mine out next weekend. The mood swings are terrible. I used to have really bad depression and anxiety, and I was finally able to tone it down, but Nexplanon brought it back, worse than ever. I always cry and get into fights with my boyfriend because of my awful mood swings. I do not recommend it for people that are accustomed to depression and anxiety."

• I...
• February 4, 2020

For Birth Control "I've been on Nexplanon for a year and a half. When I first got it, I was spotting for the first 3 months every day, but then I completely stopped having periods or any spotting after that. I didn't gain any weight, no acne, no changes in my appetite, but it made my sex drive really low, and it has caused problems in my relationship because my boyfriend thinks I'm not sexually attracted to him, but it's not that, I just don't have the same sex drive, and it's so frustrating. I also had bad mood swings, and I just feel like everything annoys me. I have never gotten angry like I do now. I notice I start to throw things or hit the walls or slam doors, which is really not like me. I also feel depressed sometimes, like I just want to do nothing. It makes me feel so tired, like it's draining my energy, and I would feel fatigue throughout the day, which makes it harder to do daily routines or even be in a good mood. I literally can't wait to take this thing off, it's not worth my health."

• GQa...
• January 11, 2020

For Birth Control "Well, I got a nice story to tell that goes like this: I almost died because of this thing in my arm. I had it on for a year and a half, and since the first month, my period disappeared, which made me turn into a monster. I became a completely different person: mood swings like crazy, extreme headaches, always tired and depressed. Long story short, over the summer of 2019, one day this vomiting started. I thought it was a stomach virus until 15 days went by and all I could eat. I was on IV at the hospital for weeks, under observation and under medication to ease the vomiting. They came to the conclusion that I had an anxiety disorder to an extreme, got to a psychiatrist for her to tell me that all of this was happening because of that little inoffensive tube I had in my arm. She ordered to get it out of my body immediately, and I promise you I’m not making this up. After 48 hours, I was a different person. The vomiting stopped, and as the days went by, I started getting better and better. Never again."

• Nik...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 17, 2019

For Birth Control "Nexplanon is very effective as a birth control. But the side effects... I’ve had Nexplanon put in my arm for almost three years, and I finally made up my mind to get it removed. And I’ve been experiencing spotting the majority of the time. It messed up my sex life, 'cause I only have limited blood-free days. I can’t enjoy sex either. It makes me very emotional too. I can’t stop myself from being sad and anxious. I think it makes me easily tired. My back and waist are always sore. I wouldn’t recommend this birth control to anyone, since I’m feeling sooooo depressed while I type this comment."

• hah...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 27, 2019

For Birth Control "This has been the worst experience with birth control ever. I used to be so happy, and I had the privilege of not really experiencing depression. Ever since I've been on Nexplanon, I became so severely depressed and have such dark thoughts. I have crazy mood swings, and I'm super irritable now. I'm having this taken out in hopes of returning to normal. It works as birth control, sure, but is it worth it having that many hormones in your body and essentially scarring your mental health? Not for me. Also, I gained 15 pounds."

• Ano...
• April 17, 2016

For Birth Control "I had Nexplanon inserted 6 weeks after giving birth to my daughter. I was 148 lbs at the time, still losing weight from my pregnancy. I reached an all-time high of 175 lbs on Nexplanon. Extreme bloating. I even wondered myself if I was pregnant. I had severe mood swings, increased anxiety (it honestly became uncontrollable), always hungry, and I overate daily. I felt so tired I didn't enjoy doing anything like I used to. I got to the point where I didn't even feel like myself. I bled all the time: 3 weeks on, 1 week off, and even 6 weeks at a time. I had it for a year before deciding to have it removed, now it's been a week since I had it removed. Please research before choosing this b/c option, it does prevent pregnancy at a price!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 28, 2015

For Birth Control "I've had Nexplanon since June 2013, and it's been great except for the first seven months. I had an almost nonstop period, but since then, no period-been almost a year and a half, no period. Pretty happy about that. No weight gain, actually lost weight. At first, it did affect my mood, but after a while, I got back to myself. Little to no acne. I plan on getting a new one when I get this one taken out. Best birth control!"

• Cap...
• April 22, 2023

For Birth Control "I have tried a few different birth controls, and I like Nexplanon the best. Birth control pills always gave me terrible mood swings and the worst attitude. The NuvaRing made me bleed for 5 months straight, and I am not able to have an IUD placed. The Depo injection was awesome, but my doctor only recommended it for 2 years. Nexplanon got rid of my period for 2 years, but in year 3, it has returned, though more manageable than without. I would use this form of birth control again."

• jay...
• March 7, 2021

For Birth Control "I started getting terrible side effects. Ridiculous mood swings, rage, social anxiety (I'm usually a social butterfly), depression, suicidal thoughts. I got a period/bleeding/spotting for 30 days straight, constantly exhausted, fatigued, lost my sex drive, very constipated and bloated, nausea. Because of the way I was reacting, I at times thought I was pregnant, so add in constant pregnancy scares. Hair was shedding like crazy. I have now fallen out of love with my boyfriend, I am unsure if this relationship will survive. He has been nothing but absolutely supportive and caring, but I've tried to break up with him at least 6 times in the last 2 months. I got the implant out after 3 months and now am on nothing. Everyone is different, trust your body and gut. Nothing says 'effective birth control' better than being super gassy, bloated and constantly cramping from not being able to poop around your new significant other, lol – can't get pregnant if you don't want to have sex, lol."

• des...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2022

For Birth Control "I can't stress enough how hard the last four months have been since the implant insertion. Mood swings, sadness, fear, no sex drive, sex is literally an irritable experience, no sleep, constantly tired, can't make me leave the house, thrush, constant bleeding, over a stone weight gain. I am having it removed tomorrow, I wish I could have ripped it out myself earlier. My life is so miserable that the lively, happy, active person feels like I have been imagining her. I wish someone had told me this earlier. I feel doctors and nurses are aware of these problems and yet still using and offering it. Don't do it, not sure how I will go back to my old weight and life, but God help."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2020

For Birth Control "I only had the Nexplanon implant for about 6 weeks, and then had it taken out. I already suffered from mild anxiety and depression, but once I got the implant, it was like a whole other world. I couldn't get out of bed and go to work, I was crying all the time, and I was borderline suicidal. I got it taken out last Friday, and I'm so glad I did. I'm not sure if the mood swings would have gone away or not if I had given it more time, but regardless, my mental health got so bad because of the mood swings that it just wasn't worth it anymore. I didn't get pregnant on Nexplanon, which is why I didn't rate it a zero, but I would strongly caution against getting the implant if you have pre-existing mental health issues. And if you recently got the implant, and you're experiencing this and wondering if you should get it taken out, do it. It's not worth the negative impact on your mental health. There are other options."

• Abb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 1, 2014

For Birth Control "I got this implant in February of 2013. I've not had a single period since. Every once in a while, some old blood will come out, nothing heavy at all, and it lasts maybe a week. I had no pain with insertion. As far as side effects, I've only had mood swings, sometimes the insertion site itches, but not often, and usually subsides quickly after itching. No weight gain, headaches, periods, acne, and no decreased sex drive. I love this implant because I was on the pill before, and I could never remember to take it, with this, you don't have to worry about remembering anything. I would definitely recommend this."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 13, 2022

For Birth Control "I got this implant a few weeks ago, and after 3 days, I experienced a serious mood swing, which then became an underlying depressed mood. For the next few weeks, my anxiety got so bad I could barely eat. My mood swings became absolutely crazy, and I became suicidal. I have had problems with anxiety in the past, but this made it a million times worse. I cry about everything, I am scared to be alone with my thoughts, I can barely recognize myself. I have been so rude to everyone around me and pushed everyone away. It has interfered with my relationships, mainly with my partner. I quickly decided that I did not want to keep it in any longer, and I got it out. I only had it in for around 3 weeks, and I felt its impact on my mental health. I hope that removing it will improve my mental health and I'll be myself soon. I forgot to say that I was constantly bleeding too, why would I want to be permanently bleeding while on birth control? I don't recommend the implant at all."

• Dis...
• May 11, 2021

For Birth Control "I had Nexplanon from 2017-2020 and had no issues with it. I had my old implant removed and replaced in February 2021, and I have had a massive change in mood since it was put in. From the next day, I found myself struggling to concentrate on anything, staring into space for long periods of time, very low mood. It’s gotten progressively worse since then, I cry when I wake up and cry myself to sleep every day pretty much. I have no interest in socializing with anyone, even speaking on the phone is hard. I’ve had a lot of thoughts about harming myself, which at 29 I haven’t experienced since I was a teenager. I’ve not been able to concentrate on work or do anything, most of my days are spent struggling to get out of bed. I feel like a shell of who I was, and it’s quite scary how much my personality has changed since getting this thing in. The mood change itself is contraception enough because I feel absolutely hideous. Do not recommend, counting the days till I get this thing out."

• Dan...
• November 4, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve had the Nexplanon for 4 years now. Here are the pros: 1. Can’t get pregnant 2. No weight gain 3. Don’t have to worry about taking a pill every day. Cons: 1. I get depressed out of NOWHERE, and I’ve never felt like this before I was on Nexplanon. I get major mood swings. I feel like I’m going crazy sometimes. 3. Long periods- I would have my period for 2-3 weeks at a time. Sometimes I would spot for 30 days. My normal cycle without Nexplanon lasts 3-5 days. 4. Bruised arm- when I got my new rod put in, my arm still looks bruised. 5. Acne- I eat clean, exercise, and drink lots of water, and still, my face breaks out. I get really big, painful pimples too. 6. Distorted thinking- I get so many negative thoughts out of nowhere, and I get into this really dark place. So, I am getting my implant taken out at the end of this month, thank goodness! I appreciate that it does prevent pregnancy, but it’s not worth costing me my mental health and relationships. I do not recommend this product."

• JSa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 18, 2020

For Birth Control "Daily spotting started about 5 months after the procedure. Some mood swings, gained some weight (but working from home due to COVID-19), casual bad headache, and acne around my chin (never had acne since 2003)."

• App...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 21, 2019

For Birth Control "It is not worth it. Nexplanon has severely inhibited my life. For starters, the periods! I have been on this for about 10 months now. I have been constantly on my period since I got it in with no signs of stopping, only small (like one or two-day) breaks every month or so. I got the birth control so I could have sex, and now I feel like I can’t! The bleeding is so heavy. Loss of sex drive. Seriously. Anxiety and depression to the max. I can’t sleep because I imagine everyone I love dying. I cry when my husband leaves the house because I’m scared he will die in an accident. I get angry over stupid things and start to hate people when I used to pride myself on being kind. My husband begged me to remove the implant because the mood swings and anxiety were so bad. Weight gain. A lot of it. I’ve never struggled with my weight before. Now with the Nexplanon, I have gained 50 pounds with exercise and dieting, and the scale keeps going up no matter what I do - it’s hopeless."

• Jay...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 1, 2013

For Birth Control "I've had this birth control since May 2013, it's the 1st of December. My doctor said after 5 months my period would go away. The first few months my cycle was normal, around September, my cycles got longer and came close together. I can't remember when they began or ended. Now I just have to carry extra undies and tampons EVERYWHERE I go. It's terrible not knowing when your cycle will begin and end. If my period doesn't get it together or end soon, I think I will be getting this removed. My side effects are: mood swings, depression, I sleep a lot more, and I eat like a grown man fresh out of prison."