Etonogestrel and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 3)

• 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!"

• Emm...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 26, 2017

For Birth Control "I would just like to tell people my story of having the Implanon and the side effects I have experienced during this time. I got my first implant 7 years ago. My experiences with the implant have been awful! And this is the reason I would like to give people an idea of what it can do to your body to hopefully help people deciding whether the implant is for them or if people are experiencing symptoms like the ones I had, then it is most likely due to the implant and the doctors really don't have a clue, as I was told by my GP on several occasions, 'No, it will not be the implant that is causing this,' when in reality I knew it was. When I had it removed, it confirmed that I was right. So here is my story.. With the implant, I gained so much weight, which I have been unable to lose. I bled heavily during sex, and when I say heavily, I mean it went everywhere!! And this was on every occasion during intercourse, and when I explained to my GP, in her head, there was no way it was the implant! And this was when I was not bleeding, which wasn't very often. This really does affect your life, your sex life, and your relationships. I bled almost all the time without a break, which makes you feel so uncomfortable and self-conscious. I never had clean knickers!! I know, not nice. My hormones have been everywhere since I got the implant, also depression, anxiety, etc. Pain during intercourse was a big issue while on the implant. I had so much pain that sometimes I could not have sex with my partner. Sometimes I would not lubricate myself, which was also another symptom. GP did not help with this either, apart from offering me lubricant!! If I was not bleeding, I had dark brown discharge. Until having the implant removed, I cannot remember the last time I wore white knickers. There is so much more, but these are the main symptoms I have experienced more recently. I had my implant removed on 6/11/17, and when having it removed, I was intimidated by the nurse who was removing it, she was very rude!! Anyway, I stopped bleeding straight away. I started my period on 10/11/17, which lasted 4-5 days. I have never bled since, not even a spot!! My partner and I can finally enjoy intercourse without the worry about me bleeding or being sore. I can even wear WHITE knickers now, and they stay WHITE!!!! IT'S AMAZING!! I have never felt so happy! I was starting to doubt my body while on the implant. I thought, my body isn't normal, there's something wrong with me. At one point, I thought I had cervical cancer due to the bleeding during sex. My whole life has changed since having the implant removed, I feel so much better and back to normal, whatever normal is.. I really hope that by sharing my experience, if I can even help one person, I will be happy☺️. Thank you for reading, and if anyone would like to write to me regarding this, feel free to do so. Thank you."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 1, 2020

"I got this Nexplanon implant because I had really bad anxiety on the pill about 6 months in. When I got the implant, I was perfectly fine, back to myself, happy with my boyfriend and family. About a week ago, I started to feel sick, and my anxiety is back and so bad to the point where I can barely eat, sleep, or be alone. Nothing feels the same anymore to me, and I’m not the same person. Not sure if it’s the birth control or not, but I’ve seen other women on here talk about it doing the same to them, so I’m making an appointment to get this thing out ASAP! I do not recommend."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 29, 2020

For Birth Control "I've had Nexplanon for about 7 months now. For the first few weeks, I dealt with some anxiety issues, and for the first few months, I had irregular bleeding, but everything seemed to pretty much level out after that until I started having all kinds of other symptoms about a month ago. Sore breasts, cramping, and headaches, to name a few. I took a couple of pregnancy tests, and they were both positive..."

• khe...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 2, 2014

For Birth Control "I have had Implanon for over a year, and the side effects have been going on for that long. My hair is falling out, I have the worst anxiety and mood swings, and have gained over 30 lbs since on it. No amount of exercise and diet can help. I have an appointment in 3 weeks to have it removed because of the side effects."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 27, 2023

For Birth Control "I was 19 years old when I had my implant put in, it sounded like the perfect option - leave in for 3 years and I don’t have to worry about contraception. Around 2-4 weeks after having it put in, I had really bad anxiety, though I had other things going on at the time, so I put all the anxiety down to the stress that was going on at the time. It turns out that it was the implant causing me to have panic attacks and crying all the time, I felt disconnected from friends and family and was in a constant state of anxiety. I could have been told the best news, like really good feedback on college, but still felt down. I went to get the implant removed, and I was told by a nurse that the implant wasn’t causing it and that it doesn’t make me anxious and refused to take it out. I also kept on getting physically ill. It turned out that I’m allergic to the implant, and only then did they remove it. The anxiety symptoms took a while to go away, but I started to feel better not long after it was removed. I would not recommend this contraception."

• Cra...
• January 12, 2021

For Birth Control "I've had Nexplanon for over a year now, and honestly, it is the worst mistake I've made. Before I got it, I had my mental health under control, including losing over 120 lbs (this is going to be important later in the story). So I decided to get birth control (my periods were making me very sick). Well, ever since I got it implanted, my mental health has gone downhill drastically. I have gained ALL of my weight back, the arm that it's in aches, and my anxiety is so bad that I can't even go to the doctor to get it out. 10/10 do NOT recommend."

• No...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 24, 2023

For Birth Control "Nexplanon has ruined my life! I have spent endless days trying to figure out what the heck was wrong with me. I had an abortion in college, and a few years later, I was faced with the same decision. I refused to leave Planned Parenthood without birth control and took the easiest option, never thinking about it again. First of all, my doctor told me it would last for five years, so I literally didn't think about it during that time. Over those years, I have gained at least 50 pounds. I attributed it to getting older and poor health habits, even though my habits remained the same. When the five years were up, I went to have it replaced and randomly decided to read about it. That's when I realized that this stupid drug is the reason for my weight gain, increased anxiety, and depression, among a few other things. I freaked out and had the new implant removed within two months. Since then, I have had frequent suicidal thoughts, and I am extremely miserable."

• 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!"

• Pin...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 19, 2020

For Birth Control "This contraception is evil. Definitely do your research before getting Nexplanon. I have had 2 previously, but this 3rd one, within 10 days of having it, I am depressed, anxious, and dizzy. Overall, just not with it. I can't wait to get this awful thing out of my arm."

• Swi...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 23, 2023

For Birth Control "After being on Nexplanon for two years, I began experiencing severe anxiety, paranoia, and obsessive thoughts about a year ago. It has been an incredibly difficult experience, and I couldn't understand what was happening to me. I had intense nightmares, a fast heart rate, and uncontrollable panic attacks. Prior to this, I had never experienced any mental health issues, which made it all the more terrifying. Additionally, I experienced constant bleeding and irregular periods, sometimes bleeding for months on end or having a period twice a month. The pain was excruciating and caused me to cry and vomit. Furthermore, I developed multiple cysts. After randomly researching the effects of Nexplanon, I stumbled upon numerous reviews that described precisely what I had gone through. It was a relief to learn that I wasn't alone, and I immediately scheduled an appointment to have the implant removed. I advise against getting this implant, as it's not worth the damage it can cause."

• Man...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 28, 2020

For Birth Control "I have endometriosis, so the Nexplanon for pain management was great. I only had 4 periods in the 3 years I had it. But it caused me to gain 50 pounds despite me being healthier than I’ve ever been. My acne got worse, my depression and anxiety were awful, and I got horrible migraines. I stuck with it because it was the only BC that didn’t make me violently ill every month, but I’m so happy I got it taken out."

• I...
• January 24, 2020

For Birth Control "I got the implant January 15th, 2019. The first couple of months were fine, insertion was a breeze, no periods for the first couple of months. Out of nowhere, I started bleeding with maybe a three-day break in between. It would range from spotting to very heavy bleeding. I also have anxiety and depression, my seasonal depression being the worst. My doctor put me on the same antidepressants I’ve used for years, and I started feeling extremely suicidal. I thought it was because we were trying medication for my ADHD for the first time in years. But I’m convinced it’s this dangerously stupid thing in my arm. I have zero sex drive, I feel like I hate everything around me, everything and everyone annoys me or frustrates me, I’m exhausted all the time, zero motivation, very little feelings of my usual bubbly, happy self. I so can’t wait to get this thing out. If I could give a negative amount of stars, I would. This will be taken out no later than the end of February."

• Moo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 22, 2023

For Birth Control "I am not sure how I spent a year with this implant in my arm and did not connect it to the very high anxiety, very low mood, and high heart rate I was experiencing. It was the near-constant bleeding that switched on 8 months in that nearly drove me over the edge with constant dehydration, lethargy, dizziness, and irritability. 5 days after having it out and replaced by the Depo injection, I feel worlds better. Negative mental health and anxiety are not a rare side effect, and the packaging needs to be changed to reflect this. Also, 1 in 5 patients in my registered practice are now reported to have near-constant bleeding with only 1 week off, according to my GP. If more knew that, I bet they wouldn’t consider this option, as it destroys your everyday life and well-being. If this is your experience, get it out and try another method."

• Hyd...
• November 15, 2013

For Birth Control "I got my Implanon in May 2011 after my son was born. I didn't have a period for a month after that like normal. Then the spontaneous bleeding began (like I expected, the doctor told me it would happen), but then 2 months passed, then 3, then 6! With almost constant bleeding, I called my doctor, and she said to give it 6 more months, and at the year mark, my periods would stop altogether. That day came and went, but the problem continued. Along with that, I have had a nonexistent sex drive, severe weight gain, acne, depression, anxiety, hormonal issues, and hair loss, getting it out in 2 hours!"

• Jle...
• February 18, 2020

For Birth Control "On Nexplanon from 12.17.2014 to 2.17.2020. The first two years I just didn't have a period. Before the third year, I had depression and anxiety, but I chalked it up to a stressful job and more responsibilities. With the second implant, my period came back full force, massive clots and pain. I was told that's what to expect when you haven't had a period in three years. My career path changed to a much less stressful environment. I really enjoyed my job a lot, but my anxiety grew worse and my depression almost had me convinced I was possibly bipolar. All in all, I have gained 80 pounds in the five years and three months I've had it. That could be because of my depression and lack of energy. I'm more than ready to take this thing out of my arm and hope for the best. I'm not saying the Nexplanon is the wrong way to go. It never failed me once, but I think the symptoms need to be taken more seriously, and I personally feel the longer you're on it, the worse it gets."

• 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."

• Mar...
• August 20, 2019

For Birth Control "From months 1-7 on Nexplanon, I was feeling fine... Five days ago, I began to have a creeping anxiety; my fear of death and worrying about things far out of human understanding or control was insurmountable. My family and I do not have a history of anxiety or depression. I then began to correlate Nexplanon to these little anxious worries that had been filling my head since I got it. I got my period four days ago and immediately began crying uncontrollably four times a day for the past four days. I had severe anxiety and almost had another panic attack when I was at the gym. The only reason I found out about the severe depression and anxiety that were side effects was because of reviews from women like yourselves. I am on day one without Nexplanon, and I still have some anxiety left over as it’s leaving my system. Do not listen to the Nexplanon company that says only a measly 5-6% statistic of women feel depression and anxiety from taking it. I have read hundreds who say the opposite."

• Kel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 13, 2023

For Birth Control "If you have any kind of anxiety or depression, avoid this at all costs. I had it inserted, and I was perfectly fine for the first week. After this, I woke up in a panic attack. I had the worst anxiety and panic I had ever felt for 2 weeks! My GP had no space to take it out, I had to go and pay privately £250 to get it out of my body as soon as possible. Within a week of taking it out, I returned to normal. It was absolutely horrific. I have now chosen to go for a non-hormonal copper coil. All my mental health ladies, steer clear. If I could rate it 0, I would."

• 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."

• Syd...
• April 5, 2013

For Birth Control "I am getting this removed as soon as possible. I have only had it in for a few weeks now, but I just cannot handle what it is doing to me. I am having massive anxiety and depression. It's literally driving me nuts. As I read other women's reviews, I see other side effects such as weight gain and nonstop bleeding, and I know that's something I do not want to experience either."

• Kho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2022

For Birth Control "This is like a psychiatric drug that will ruin your whole day or until you have this implant on. I can’t explain the trauma that I suffered with this thing on. I had it for less than 2 months. The first month I had no symptoms and no period. I started to bleed in the 2nd month, and that’s when I started to have panic attacks and anxiety. I ended up in the ER twice, thinking I was having a heart attack. I felt my chest burning, I felt my heart rate increasing and beating so fast that I could hear it. I felt like I had some disease and that I would die soon. I was constantly living in fear. I didn’t even want to do anything. I felt like something was happening to my body. I couldn’t even look after my kids or smile or talk to anyone. This is a nightmare. Please don’t get it. There are plenty of other options. I got it removed today, and I started to feel myself again. I am still getting scared, but it’s lessening now."

• 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."

• Kan...
• April 11, 2021

For Birth Control "It was horrible!!! My anxiety was so high and never noticed it until now because I was not that kind of person. My hair was falling in chunks, I was so depressed and had really bad thoughts. I was just overthinking all the time. I would not recommend this birth control. Gladly, I already got it removed!"