Etonogestrel and Depression: What Users Say

• Meg...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 19, 2021

For Birth Control "I’ve been on birth control for as long as I could remember. I’ve tried the pill, the depo shot, and the patches. I got Nexplanon inserted three years ago mainly because I didn’t want to remember having to take a pill or set up a doctor's appointment for the injection. The first year was fine, but after that, my whole life turned upside down. I didn’t relate it to the birth control, but I’ve had severe depression and anxiety, which I’ve never experienced in my life until Nexplanon. This needs to be taken off the market. I’m a very mean person on it, and I get my period for weeks at a time. I’m always crying and being irrational, not to mention the horrible acne this thing puts out. Worst experience of my entire life. I can’t even begin to explain the emotional rollercoaster this type of birth control has put me through."

• Fut...
• March 23, 2021

For Birth Control "The insertion was fine and other than a little spotting here and there, I didn’t have a period. However, my mood and attitude towards life have completely shifted and have negatively affected my life and relationships. I get angry and argue with my boyfriend over the stupidest things. He always says I 'make something out of nothing,' and I didn’t usually like to be like that. I describe the feeling as being stuck in a mood that you know is irrational, but you CANNOT get out of it! Also, like others have said, any time I get into one of these arguments with my boyfriend, my first thought is 'I want to break up with you and move out.' I hate feeling that way because we’ve been together for 4 years and I am happy with him. I experienced depression, extreme anxiety, and intrusive thoughts as well. I lost motivation to complete schoolwork for my dream degree. All in all, I have an appointment today to remove the implant, and I can’t wait to start feeling better."

• Fut...
• March 23, 2021

For Birth Control "The insertion was fine and other than a little spotting here and there, I didn’t have a period. However, my mood and attitude towards life have completely shifted and have negatively affected my life and relationships. I get angry and argue with my boyfriend over the stupidest things. He always says I 'make something out of nothing,' and I didn’t usually like to be like that. I describe the feeling as being stuck in a mood that you know is irrational, but you CANNOT get out of it! Also, like others have said, any time I get into one of these arguments with my boyfriend, my first thought is 'I want to break up with you and move out.' I hate feeling that way because we’ve been together for 4 years and I am happy with him. I experienced depression, extreme anxiety, and intrusive thoughts as well. I lost motivation to complete schoolwork for my dream degree. All in all, I have an appointment today to remove the implant, and I can’t wait to start feeling better."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 9, 2021

For Birth Control "I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your experiences. I have had the Nexplanon implant in for 5 weeks now, and I am having it removed in two days. I feel like I am going crazy. I have never suffered much with anxiety, but over the past few weeks I’ve been crying non-stop and having very dark thoughts that I am sick and dying. The anxiety is causing me to be very sad and emotional and worry about everything. Reading all of your stories gives me hope that everything. I am not going mad and that the hormones will balance out once removed. Thank you."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 17, 2021

For Birth Control "I’ve had Nexplanon in the past a couple of times and it was literally the best birth control ever invented. However, after having my first child, I needed to go back on birth control, and of course, Nexplanon was my first choice. I had it in for a few months, and everything was normal, but then I started to experience some anxiety. I just assumed it was like everyday life. I ended up removing the birth control because I now have extreme anxiety, panic attacks, along with depression. It has completely ruined my life. It’s hard to do everyday things and even take care of my baby. I spend a lot of time in bed, and that’s not the type of person I am. Hoping after the hormones are gone out of my body that I will start to feel better. Anyone felt better after the removal?"

• Ste...
• March 29, 2021

For Birth Control "It’s been less than four months since I got Nexplanon inserted, and I want to get it taken out. It’s done its job in preventing pregnancy, however, it has negatively impacted me both physically and mentally. I have been bleeding nonstop since I got it put in, and this has resulted in a lot of inconvenience in my life as I am always bleeding. Having already been used to tampons, my fear of getting a bacterial infection or toxic shock syndrome has increased to the point that I switched back to pads. I can’t continue like this. The first month, I was having terrible mood swings and pushing my boyfriend away. It went away for a little bit, but I have started feeling uncontrollably sad, worthless, and unhappy again. I don’t think keeping it in any longer is worth it, to be honest. It’s sad, but I’m writing this right after I finished crying for the night because I feel so sad. If you suffer from some form of anxiety and depression already, your mental state may be further negatively impacted."

• Ste...
• March 29, 2021

For Birth Control "It’s been less than four months since I got Nexplanon inserted, and I want to get it taken out. It’s done its job in preventing pregnancy, however, it has negatively impacted me both physically and mentally. I have been bleeding nonstop since I got it put in, and this has resulted in a lot of inconvenience in my life as I am always bleeding. Having already been used to tampons, my fear of getting a bacterial infection or toxic shock syndrome has increased to the point that I switched back to pads. I can’t continue like this. The first month, I was having terrible mood swings and pushing my boyfriend away. It went away for a little bit, but I have started feeling uncontrollably sad, worthless, and unhappy again. I don’t think keeping it in any longer is worth it, to be honest. It’s sad, but I’m writing this right after I finished crying for the night because I feel so sad. If you suffer from some form of anxiety and depression already, your mental state may be further negatively impacted."

• Nat...
• March 9, 2020

For Birth Control "I was really excited to start a new birth control method because a mother of 2, being really sexually active with my partner. I'm simply not ready for another kid. I got the Nexplanon back in December of 2019. It's been a little less than 3 months, and I am having constant suicidal thoughts. I catch myself having an anxiety attack while working, and it would make me go home to sleep it off. I thought it was just me overthinking about all my problems, but in reality, I have never had these feelings and thoughts in the past. I catch myself wanting to cry every single day, not wanting to do anything but stay home and sleep. I literally told my partner, 'I don't think I'm ok, I am going crazy. I feel like I am about to lose my breath and my heart races at the same time.' I have lost so much weight. My anxiety and depression have gotten so bad that I am having dark thoughts... I've always been an uplifting, goofy person. I will be making an appointment to get this removed ASAP!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 8, 2020

For Birth Control "Getting Nexplanon was the WORST decision I have ever made. Decided to trust the research I did - which was all from the drug company and Planned Parenthood. When I first got it, I was severely bruised for two weeks, my whole arm was swollen and painful, and the whole time I had it, it would poke inside my arm, which was very uncomfortable. I was always scared it had moved. I was so anxious that I had to stop intakeing caffeine. I would cry all the time for no reason, and I was so depressed I wanted to die. I gained like 30 pounds over the course of six months because the places I'd researched said that weight gain was not considered a real side effect. When I finally got this abomination out, it took MONTHS to get back to normal and for my hormones to settle again. This is NOT worth it. I am begging you, please don't get this, and read forums with people's real experiences if you do decide to do so!! Extreme weight gain is a very common side effect! I felt like I lost control. It was horrible."

• Kat...
• June 8, 2020

For Birth Control "I wanna start by saying people usually only write these reviews if they are unhappy. Your body could react differently, you just never know until you try it. I used Nexplanon for about 3 months. Almost immediately, I would get these waves of nausea and I would feel like I needed to throw up, and diarrhea at the same time. My entire body would severely sweat and my heart would beat like crazy. Later, I found out it was actually just a panic attack. Anyway, these nausea waves lasted a good 2 weeks, and then completely stopped. Everything was great. No period. No nausea, no depression. Absolutely nothing and I was very happy. Then, just about 2 weeks ago, my anxiety has become so bad that I literally cannot leave my house. The nausea is back, I have crying spells, and I seriously just feel HORRIBLE mentally. Prior to this, I do have a long history with mental illness, but never like this. I’m removing it tomorrow for my own health."

• Amo...
• January 24, 2015

For Birth Control "My experience with Nexplanon was horrible and would like to share my experience, although everyone is different and what doesn't work for me might work for you or vice versa. I had the Nexplanon placed 3 months after giving birth. Before that I was happy, high sex drive (always have had high sex drive), regular periods, and overall very long life. After Nexplanon, I had non-stop bleeding, severe headaches, severe dizziness, severe lightheadedness, extreme fatigue, and severe mood swings. I felt like I was going downhill because I felt sick all the time and extreme sadness and depression. I had it removed because I no longer felt like myself and felt like I was making bad memories on what should be my most precious moments with my family."

• Amo...
• January 24, 2015

For Birth Control "My experience with Nexplanon was horrible and would like to share my experience, although everyone is different and what doesn't work for me might work for you or vice versa. I had the Nexplanon placed 3 months after giving birth. Before that I was happy, high sex drive (always have had high sex drive), regular periods, and overall very long life. After Nexplanon, I had non-stop bleeding, severe headaches, severe dizziness, severe lightheadedness, extreme fatigue, and severe mood swings. I felt like I was going downhill because I felt sick all the time and extreme sadness and depression. I had it removed because I no longer felt like myself and felt like I was making bad memories on what should be my most precious moments with my family."

• Zen...
• December 29, 2020

For Birth Control "I just want to say thank you to all the ladies who shared their experiences with Nexplanon on here. I actually got my prescription and made an appointment with my doctor to get the Nexplanon inserted in two days' time. Deep down though, I felt uneasy about the whole thing. I thought that the feeling would go away, but as my appointment date got closer, the uneasiness grew stronger. I thought I'd do some further research for peace of mind, and then I found this forum, and I am so glad I did! I have suffered (still do) from anxiety and depression for most of my life, and having read that so many women's mental health declined further after getting on Nexplanon was just the confirmation I needed. I also read that some women didn't have any negative side effects, and that's awesome, but it's not a risk I am willing to take. Thanks heaps, ladies. I'll be canceling my appointment today!"

• Fie...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2021

For Birth Control "Nexplanon completely uprooted my life. Although I never gained weight (I actually lost 20 lbs), I experienced the most intense anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts of my entire life. Every single day, I would wake up in a panic attack, and falling asleep was nearly impossible. My brain would never turn off, and the intrusive thoughts would cause me to break down in tears daily. My hair started falling out and thinning. I would get irrational fears that would consume me to the point of never leaving my house and trying to spend all of my time sleeping to avoid reality. I’m getting it removed in 9 days, and I really hope this stops. I nearly took my own life because of this implant, it made all of the vibrancy drain from my life. I even had to break up with my romantic partner because I just couldn’t energetically show up for the relationship due to the depression and anxiety."

• Man...
• March 29, 2021

"DON'T DO IT, SIS! I went on Nexplanon about 2 years ago, and these have been my side effects: 1. Unrelenting cystic acne. 2. Extremely long periods - sometimes up to a month. 3. Extreme anxiety and depression - THIS WAS THE WORST - I suddenly felt suicidal. I tried very hard to fight this on my own. I deleted all my social media accounts, limited phone time, was deliberate about music and TV, and spent time with people who I felt were good for me. No matter what, I would cry. Everything would trigger me - books, TV shows, compliments, EVERYTHING. I was always sad, I would look in the mirror and just start crying. Meditation didn't work, my positive affirmations didn't work, going vegan didn't work, avoiding alcohol and coffee didn't work, getting dressed up, or doing things I loved didn't work. The only thing that worked was taking it out. I have had it out for two weeks now. I still have the acne and some of the weight gain, but suddenly I can cope. Don't do it, sis!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 9, 2021

For Birth Control "I got Nexplanon in Aug 2018. Honestly, the worst birth control experience I’ve had. I have month-long periods (with only 3 weeks in between cycles), complete with cramping, bloating, and irritability for the entire duration. My anxiety and depression have skyrocketed, along with suicidal thoughts. I get severe migraines now (never had in the past), my sex drive is completely gone, and I’ve been getting horrible acne on my face and back (also didn’t have in the past). I feel constant fatigue. I gained 20 lbs in the first 6 months of having it and can’t seem to lose the weight no matter how hard I try. And on top of all, recently I’ve started getting shooting pain around the site of my implant, and my whole arm feels numb and weak when that happens. I’m getting it removed in 2 weeks because I cannot continue with all of these side effects."

• KQa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 12, 2019

For Birth Control "I got Nexplanon in May of 2017. It was amazing for the first 2 years. I had no issues. In August, I began having panic attacks. Thinking it was because of the birth control, I went and had it removed. The panic attacks didn't stop. It's November, and I'm still dealing with horrible anxiety. I wake up in the middle of the night in a panic, feeling like I'm going-it is the end of my life. I have had confusion, depression, depersonalization, headaches, palpitations, increased heart rate. Sometimes it feels like I'm high and detached from my surroundings and myself. This has been the worst experience of my life by far. Some days are better than others. I'd like to see a doctor to be sure this isn't being brought on by any other medical issues, but at the time, I don't have insurance. My hope is to let others be aware of what this implant is capable of and to see if anyone can relate to my story. I hope I find relief soon."

• tha...
• August 7, 2019

For Birth Control "The first 6 months of Nexplanon were amazing! I had a regular period, no weight gain, no side effects, but after the 6-month point, I realized I lost over 20 lbs of weight. I had dizziness, it turned into depression and severe anxiety. Given I had a history of mental health issues, I guessed it was just an episode, although I've never had anxiety and I was never scared. I didn't even know what a panic attack was before Nexplanon, but now after dealing with this for 8+ months, I needed answers for why I was too anxious to go grocery shopping. I couldn't go out if it was dark, couldn't fall asleep because I was scared of sleep paralysis, and was too scared at work for absolutely no reason. So I finally remembered, oh, I'm on birth control, so let me see what the side effects are, and sure enough, there are hundreds of women experiencing the same thing! So I had it removed, almost instantly, I felt calm, but still had moderate anxiety, and now almost a year later, I'm FINALLY getting over the little jitters. So ladies, please be careful with this, if you experience any depression, mania, or anxiety, HAVE IT REMOVED! Much love, hope this helped because reading these comments really did help me."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 25, 2023

For Birth Control "I got Nexplanon 3 months postpartum because I had heard horror stories of IUDs, and I'm terrible at taking the pill every day. My cousin had just got hers and said she liked it, so I went with it. Worst. Idea. Ever. The injection site was painful and bruised for 2 weeks. I could barely move my arm, and the implant gets caught on the underwire in my bra with certain movements. I've had constant bleeding for weeks on end, and I used to hardly have periods before. 3 days tops. The worst of it, though, is the anger, rage, aggression, depression, and anxiety I feel now. I thought I was going crazy. I snap at the smallest things. I can rationalize in my head that I'm being ridiculous but physically can't fight the feelings, chest pains, and aggression over things. It's getting removed tomorrow. It's not worth it. I can't live like this anymore."

• Lex...
• February 11, 2020

For Birth Control "I had it removed less than a week ago. I never thought twice about my mood while on it (I thought it was just how I was or have always been) until my relationship started getting rocky due to my anxiety, obsessiveness, and easy triggering over the most minor inconveniences. It was hard for me to have a good day even when I tried. I had emotional breakdowns every day, and my period lasted forever, blood clots, and spotting in between every cycle. But at least I knew I wasn’t getting pregnant. Since it was removed, it literally feels as if dark clouds were lifted from above me. It’s crazy to think how many good moments I’ve missed out on or ruined due to my mood swings the past 2 years. No more obsessive thoughts or anxiety or unjustified rage, and no depression. It’s great birth control. I just wish the mood swings and depression that come along with it are not a thing. I’m happy to know that now I’m not an angry, raging female, just a female that was dealing with all of its negative side effects."

• Eva...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 15, 2019

For Birth Control "Beware and do extensive research on Implanon before you get it. If you’ve found this forum, I’m proud of you. Doctors and first initial 'Implanon' Google searches do not yield all side effects. After I had the Implanon inserted, I had intense mood swings of immense sadness and unnecessary anger towards loved ones. After 3 months, the mood swings settled down to constant depression and anxiety. It took me 8 months to connect the dots of side effects to Implanon: the 10 kg weight gain, the mental illness, the COMPLETE AND UTTER LOSS OF LIBIDO, and loss of any natural lubrication ('getting wet') on the odd chance that I did want to have sex with my fiancé. This was huge for me and caused a lot of insecurity because my body simply wouldn’t respond to sexual advances, even things that usually always turn me on. I feel numb most days. Last week I went to my GP to get it removed, she said no. She wouldn’t remove it because I’m a 20-year-old. I’m going back in today to demand it be removed."

• Eva...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 15, 2019

For Birth Control "Beware and do extensive research on Implanon before you get it. If you’ve found this forum, I’m proud of you. Doctors and first initial 'Implanon' Google searches do not yield all side effects. After I had the Implanon inserted, I had intense mood swings of immense sadness and unnecessary anger towards loved ones. After 3 months, the mood swings settled down to constant depression and anxiety. It took me 8 months to connect the dots of side effects to Implanon: the 10 kg weight gain, the mental illness, the COMPLETE AND UTTER LOSS OF LIBIDO, and loss of any natural lubrication ('getting wet') on the odd chance that I did want to have sex with my fiancé. This was huge for me and caused a lot of insecurity because my body simply wouldn’t respond to sexual advances, even things that usually always turn me on. I feel numb most days. Last week I went to my GP to get it removed, she said no. She wouldn’t remove it because I’m a 20-year-old. I’m going back in today to demand it be removed."

• Lil...
• November 26, 2019

For Birth Control "I have had 2 implants, the first one was fine. I would get my period maybe 3 times a year and very light, so once I removed it, I got a new one. It has been a little more than 2 years. I have gained 5 kg, I exercise a lot, started doing 16 hours fasting, and stopped eating meat. Even after all this, I haven’t lost any weight. But then comes the worst part. Since I got the new one, I have my period all the time, sometimes for 3 to 4 weeks straight. For the past 5 months, my boyfriend and friends have been warning me about my mood swings. For the past 4 months, I feel horrible anxiety, something I never had before. Now, after my long period, I have sad thoughts coming into my mind out of nowhere. I cry over nothing, and I just don’t understand where this sadness is coming from. Once I started researching about it, I read so many comments of similar situations and decided I’m getting it removed next week. I do not recommend this, the depression that puts you in and no one tells you about it!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 21, 2023

For Birth Control "Got the implant a little over 2 months ago and have already made an appointment to get it removed. I, like some of the other ladies on here, did my research on sites such as Planned Parenthood, where it says anxiety/depression is a very rare side effect, but I feel that is wrong. I have never experienced this amount of anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, etc. before. I have no motivation to do the things I love anymore and feel like I have no joy in my life, which is very upsetting because I have a very loving boyfriend and a supportive family, and I just got into the college of my dreams. I feel like I have no idea who I am anymore and have never felt so worthless in my life. It’s like nothing I do means anything. I’m pushing away people I love and feel like I have no energy to mentally show up for anything. I know not everyone has the same experience, but I’m glad I found this forum because it helped me realize that this birth control is what broke me."

• Kay...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 19, 2021

For Birth Control "I would not recommend. Has pretty much ruined my life. My periods have been going on for weeks, up to months long, along with brown, bloody, and liquidy discharge. I’ve had horrible mental health, including suicidal thoughts, worsened depression, anxiety, and obsessive thoughts. I’ve had mood swings and gained around 5 lbs even on a healthy diet and exercise every day. My 'you know what' has had a horrible smell. I’ve tried everything from medication, figuring out my pH level, wearing cotton panties, to taking showers often, and still, there is a very bad odor, especially from my discharge and period blood. The cramps are debilitating, and I couldn’t even walk. The application area has ached ever since I got it, and I’ve had migraines constantly. If your body is sensitive to extreme hormonal changes, you have depression or any mental illness, or sensitive in general, I would not recommend this. It has been the worst experience of my life, getting it removed soon."